Fun with JELL-O!

Sing it with me now: ‘J-E-L-L-O!’

Did you know that song came out in 1934?

Did you know that JELL-O was patented in 1845 and the first JELL-O recipe book was published in 1904?

How about that JELL-O now comes in various flavours and varieties including JELL-O Jelly Powders, JELL-O Mouse Temptations, JELL-O Refrigerated Puddings, JELL-O Instant Pudding, JELL-O Cooking Puddings, by JELL-O and many more!

I am all about saving time but not stinting on flavour or quality, and keeping on budget of course. The JELL-O line is so diverse you can use it for just about any occasion! Did you know you can bake with it? Here’s a delish cookie recipe that I have personally made and the cookies disappeared as soon as they were served.

JELL-O Cookies

Easy to make sugar cookies get a colourful twist thanks to Raspberry, Lime, Berry Blue and Tropical Twist Pineapple Orange JELL-O.

Makes 1 ½ dozen

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook Time: 6 minutes, Total time: 30 minutes

¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1 – 3oz packages JELL-O Jelly Powder (Raspberry, Lime, Berry Blue, and Tropical Twist Pineapple Orange)

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Optional: coloured sugar

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, ½ cup granulated sugar and your favourite JELL-O Jelly Powder flavour.

Beat in one egg at a time. Beat in vanilla. Add the flour to the large mixing bowl and mix completely.

Roll 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball. Roll through remaining granulated sugar. Arrange dough 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle with coloured sugar if desired and press down lightly.

Bake for 6 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

And there are more recipes too! Want to check them out? Come on over to my Facebook page, there are some really delectable ones!

To celebrate summer JELL-O are having some fun with ‘JELL-Oh Faces’, that face you make when you taste something utterly divine. You can also join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #JELLOhFace – don’t forget the “h”! And you can also participate in the fun by visiting Facebook.com/JELLOCanada and using the JELL-Oh Face app to share your photo and receive a product coupon.

The wonderful folks at JELL-O have agreed to sponsor a giveaway here on Nonmom and the two winners will receive a lovely gift basket each with some neat items like special spoons, mirrors to practice your ‘Oh’ face and of course, JELL-O!

To enter, you have to live in Canada, sorry to my American friends, and leave a comment below telling me about your favourite JELL-O treat!

Check out the booth that was at Yonge & Dundas Square this week in TO, far too much fun was had for sure!

Happy Long-Weekend & Happy Commenting!

The contest opens now, winners will be notified my me. Contest closes July 8th, 2012 at midnight EST.

Wordless Wednesday Furry Superhero Schmoozing

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Nonmom Notes: House Edition

As you can no doubt tell Nonmom has been a bit busy the past week or so hence the lack of posts. I aim to fix that though as I have some amazing posts coming for you all, just ’cause I adore all of you so much! Think toys, fashion and goals achieved .

So what has been keeping me away from my beloved blog? The house.

When I was single my home was always in a state of neatness. Then I met my darling husband. He wasn’t nearly as concerned as I was about keeping things neat. My philosophy since I moved out on my own was that if I didn’t do it, who would? It was all on me, which was fine, and I did it. Then hubby moved in and now there was a second person and that second person, sorry dear, isn’t as neat as I am.

But he’s been a HUGE help the past couple days, and I love him for it.

Typically my Saturday mornings have entailed housework while he’s out. I loathe Saturday mornings for this very reason. And this Saturday past was no exception.

I am on a timeline at the moment to get the house as close to my standards (keep in mind my nickname is MiniMartha for a reason) as possible and I have been ramping my spring cleaning to a whole new level as a result. The timeline has been a great motivator, but it has also made me a bit tired. I found that I overextended myself (again, not a surprise if you know me) and I finally sat down yesterday and made a list of the priority items that NEED to be done. What a difference! I realized I’m not as far behind as I thought and I managed to get some more work done as well as squeeze in a walk.

I find that this big tidy, sort and toss has also been very therapeutic and enlightening. The house just ‘feels’ better, fresher. It’s like a makeover I suppose, you go in in a state of flux and come out refreshed and energized.

So what has been done in the house that has kept me so busy?

The master bathroom got painted, finally, after 10 years of semi-patience by me. It took longer than expected because of some plastering that had to be done, but I’m really pleased at the results. The new fixture isn’t up yet, but that’s ok, the rest is done and that’s minor at this point. The main bathroom got its trim painted, I have to do the door still but that can wait a week.

The clutter has been reduced SIGNIFICANTLY. I admit I was getting a little messy with my laundry in the bedroom too but it’s all neat now and the room looks so much bigger!So does the rest of the house. I like seeing empty spaces again. Deeee-lightful!!

New decor is up in the master bedroom that I bought, painted to match the trim of the room (eventually this will coordinate when I get the moulding up around the ceiling) and hung. It mimics one of my favourite things: Wedgwood Jasperware. Finally my dream blue and white bedroom is almost complete!

The kitchen got a major tidy up. The cupboard doors have been washed, the fridge got cleaned on the weekend and a bunch of stuff re-organized and tossed where needed.

I started (and hope to finish tonight) my hatbox storage project. I got a set of 5 of them at the craft store and they coordinate with the sofa in my reading nook in my bedroom. They will store SOME of my yarn for me. I admit freely I have a yarn problem, I’m not willing to do anything about it though LOL. I got a stencil fleur de lis for them on the weekend too. They are going to be simply gorgeous when done.

The living room and dining room got major de-clutters and with the exception of a few pieces of paper and a couple books they are done.

I have donated a bunch of stuff to charity as well as passed on some clothes to a friend since we are both shrinking and buying new stuff every couple of months is just not practical at all. Why not help each other out? Feels great!

Windows and mirrors have been cleaned, carpets vaccuumed and everything dusted (but that’s weekly stuff anyway) and of course the bathrooms cleaned too.

Last night I tidied the foyer up and scrubbed that floor too. It looks so good right now! I am so pleased.

It may not seem like a lot when you see that list but I assure you, it’s been a lot of work. Now I can safely say that the light at the end of the tunnel is almost upon me and I am so looking forward to this long-weekend where I won’t have to spend my Saturday morning the way I typically do. Woo hoo!

Have you ever had a project like this? How did you go about getting it all done?  What projects, if any, do you have planned for your homes this summer?

Author Interview: Cindy Brandner of Exit Unicorns

I have been fortunate enough to meet some great authors recently and have thoroughly enjoyed their books as well. Cindy Brandner is the author of the Exit Unicorns Series, I recently reviewed the first book and am thoroughly enjoying the second now. Below is my interview with her, enjoy and happy reading!

1. First off, what a wonderful novel! I am now into book two of three and am captivated. Did you have an ‘a-ha’ moment and the idea pop in your head or how did you come up with the idea?

These characters have been with me for so long, that the story has really evolved from its beginnings. So it wasn’t so much an a-ha moment as an evolution of the characters coming to a place where their story was ready to be told. That was when I really saw the structure of the first novel.

2. Did you always intend for this to be a series?

No, I didn’t. But as I kept writing and writing, I realized there was still so much story to be told and there was no way I was going to be able to fit it all in one novel.

3. Were your main characters based on anyone specific? They seem so real is why I ask. I can almost picture the three of them.

No, they aren’t. They are so real for me in and of themselves, that I don’t connect them with anyone but themselves. There are certainly many real people in the books though. I keep my characters interaction with them to a minimum though, as most of them are still alive and I don’t want to be sued.

4. Your words present such vivid mental pictures of Ireland, I felt like I was back in Belfast (I have friends there), did you spend a lot of time there in order to write the book?

I had written the first book before ever going to Ireland. I went before it was published, however, because I wanted to be sure I had things right. When I arrived and started to travel around I was amazed to find that it was just as I had pictured it. I did make some adjustments to the manuscript when I arrived home, but they were minor.  Since then I have gone back three times and I love Belfast. I had great friends there, and the craic is second to none.

5. Tell me about your writing process. Are you a diligent outliner?

Ha- I don’t outline at all. I use the historical timeline as my framework and the rest is a very organic process for me. I really just allow the characters to tell their story and that dictates the direction the story takes, as well as the direction of the secondary story lines. Which leads to me getting some real surprises along the way. That is part of what I love about the writing process though- that I never know just where the story will take me when I begin to write each book.

6. There are some great twists and turns in the novel, did you plan them first and build around them?

No, the twists present as I write. Often I am sitting here at my computer saying, ‘really, that’s where we’re headed with this?’

7. The scene ‘that changed everything’ (because I don’t want to give it away!) was hard for me to read, but I understand why you wrote it the way you did, how did you do it?

I know which chapter you mean, and I have to say I wrote it on autopilot in a sense, because I had to distance myself a certain amount from what was happening in the chapter to pay attention to the technicalities of the scene. But after I finished writing it I had a hard time getting any writing done for about six weeks. I realized later that it was because it had really sapped me emotionally. I recently did some editing for the second edition of Exit Unicorns, and I dreaded going over the chapter.

8. I am a lover of historical fiction, obviously you are as well. Who is your favourite author of the genre? Did they inspire you?

My favourite author of historical fiction is Dorothy Dunnett, hands down, in particular her Lymond Chronicles and House of Niccolo series. I also have a very soft spot for Leon Uris, particularly his book Trinity as it was the book that made me realize I wanted to be a writer myself.

9. If you could have lunch with Pamela, Casey or Jamie which would you choose and why?

Hmm- probably Jamie, even though I think he would intimidate me more than the other two.

10. If a movie company came up to you tomorrow and handed you a deal to make this for the big screen who would you cast as the three main characters?

The only actors I’ve seen that come close to my vision of the characters are as follows: Casey- Colin Farrell, mostly because of his colouring, because Casey is the size of Liam Neeson. Pamela- Jennifer Connelly when she was younger, she has that vulnerable beauty. Jamie- well, I have never seen anyone that looks like His Lordship really, but Simon Baker (a wee bit younger than he is now) would do in a pinch.

11. The most important question of all: Are you a Jamie or a Casey girl? I finally chose and went with Jamie, but I’m curious who you choose and I’m sure my readers are too.

In all honesty, neither. I love them both equally. They are like family to me, so I don’t think I see them in quite the same way that my readers do.

12. What’s up next for you?

I’m working on two projects- the 4th book in the Exit Unicorns series and also a shorter novel about a woman who survives the Irish Potato Famine for rather unique reasons. It’s a combination of historical and mythical aspects and I’m excited to finally be working on it. Originally it was a short story that won a couple of prizes, but the voice of the protagonist- Bridget- is so strong, I always knew she had a bigger tale to tell me.

I would like to thank Cindy for her time and I can hardly wait for the new books to come out! To get your copy, go to her website www.ExitUnicorns.com or buy it on Amazon  or on Chapters.

Wordless Wednesday Arrrr!

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Reading Challenge!

Recently a friend, Patricia Sands, sent me a link on Facebook for a reading challenge. Being that I am a bookworm by nature and also that I am trying my darndest to read the classics, this challenge just screamed ‘Do this!’ to me.

The challenge means coming up with a list of the classics you want to read and you have a year to do it. I have been trying to make my list but keep getting interrupted so I am making a stand and here it is:

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• Around the World in 80 Days
• David Copperfield
• Little Women
• Oliver Twist
• A Tale of Two Cities
• Treasure Island
• Vanity Fair
• Wuthering Heights
• And one more! The Return of Sherlock Holmes (which I am starting right now & already loving)

I may not get through all of them, but I am going to make an effort and I encourage my readers to do so too.

If you want more info, click here and be whisked to the main page with all of the info.

Join the fun!

Thankful for my Furball Thursday

This week I find it more than ever important to note what I am thankful for because this week has been such a trial for me.

I am thankful that my beloved Smudgie is home. On Monday, as you may have read, hubby rushed him to the vet and after tests etc., it was determined it is his kidneys, he went into renal failure. I of course googled this and the panic set in. Our furballs are our kids so when they hurt I beyond hurt for them. My poor little baby wasn’t well and I couldn’t make it better.

So I am also thankful that we have such an amazing vet and that she and the team were able to act quickly and get him on the mend.

Smudge is not thankful his leg got shaved for an IV and he had to wear a cone, but he is thankful that he is home with his family now. Spotter immediately ran up to him and started licking him so they were definitely happy to be reunited. Smudgie also has been giving lots of snuggles to us and head butts and the purring has been frequent and very much appreciated by his daddy and I.

Smudgie was also thankful when his daddy got home last night because it meant that he could sit with him like he does every night normally and he did. Two peas in a pod those two. Spotter has been stuck to me like glue and I’m loving the extra love from him too.

Smudgie is not so thankful to us when he gets his meds, but he knows that he gets lots of love when he gets them so we’re hoping that may help a little. We are thankful there are meds for this to make him as better as possible.

I really want to thank my husband again too. I have re-fallen in love with him all over again with how wonderful he has been through all of this. He’s been keeping me calm (relatively) and to see how wonderful he is with Smudgie and how well we work together when we’re caring for the little guy is magic. I could not do this without him.

Thank you to all of you who have sent messages too. We really appreciate it and hope our little guy is running and bouncing around again as soon as possible. Until then we’re keeping him quiet and calm and giving him the care he needs.

Family Comes Furrst

The past couple of days have been rather stressful in my household as we have had a sick family member. Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell us he was sick, we had to (and thankfully did) recognize it and jump on it.

Mr. Smudgie, one of our beloved furbabies is still in hospital.

On Saturday morning I picked Smudge up for snuggles and noticed his fur was dryer than normal and he felt lighter. Hubby immediately took him from my arms and we weighed him, yup, he was definitely down. We had a couple cans of wet food so I put some in a ramekin (Smudge prefers his wet food served a certain way…not that he and his brother are spoiled at all), picked him up and set him down in front of it. I figured the wet food would fill him up and rehydrate him a bit too.

We kept this up on Sunday and his fur did get softer and he did eat but yesterday morning (Monday) hubby came upstairs after getting up way earlier than me and said he was going to rush him to the vet. Mama panic set in, this is one of MY babies, and I know they’re cats, but for us, they are our kids. I stayed with Spot and I got ready for work and waited for hubby’s call.

‘We think it’s a tooth but they’re going to run tests to be sure that’s all it is.’

Ok, I can deal with that.

Then later in the day a second call, kidneys, renal issues. That’s much more serious. Acute is what we were aiming for, chronic, we were really worried about.

I called my mom. I know it’s not the same as humans, but my mom was a dialysis nurse and that means kidneys. She told me which results to look at from the tests and eeep, they were way high. As soon as I walked in the door after work I walked back out again with hubby and off we went to go see the poor little guy. I had that sinking feeling in my stomach worrying for Smudgie but when the vet said he was visibly perking up with us there to see him it made me feel a lot better. Even moreso was when he ate some food for daddy.

We had a long visit with him, he did not like his cone at all or his little leg being wrapped up for his IV but mama brought him a toy from home to help him not feel as lonely. If I could have slept there I would have but we did have to leave him. Poor little Spot has been just lost without him and would not leave my side when I was watching a movie with hubby last night and then wouldn’t come to bed because he was waiting for his brother to come home. Spot also did not come to bed Sunday night, neither did Smudge which was another warning sign. Spot is very good about sticking to his brother when something is up. In the past when Smudge got stuck in a closet (still trying to figure that one out) Spot just sat at the door and wouldn’t leave, that’s how we knew Smudgie was in there. So him staying with him on Sunday night was a definite sign that he needed brotherly support.

The vet called again before bed to update us with more positive news and then this morning hubby called me with another update (out vet is really great for keeping us in the loop) and he is doing even better and might possibly come home tonight! My heart about burst with this news, I cannot wait to have him back home again and give him cuddles and snuggles and kisses again.

My whole life went on hold for this little guy. Again, I know these are cats, but I know that when my sister or I got sick as kids or even now with my nephew, life gets put on hold for them when they need us. Priorities get re-evaluated and everything stops. And I did. Stop that is. Nothing was important other than my fur-son getting better and getting home.

You don’t realize just how much these little fur-kids become a part of your life until something like this happens, unfortunately this is the second time Smudgie has scared us, the first being when he was still a kitten and again, we found a way and dealt with it. You go into crisis-mode and where you couldn’t find options before, you find them now. These are your little ones, and I know that doing everything you can for them and having your heart break for them is universal.

Family comes first, or in my case ‘Furrst’.

We’ve had all good reports so far today but they’re running a couple more tests and my fingers remain crossed and life remains on-hold until he is home with his brother and us.

Hubby and his Smudgie, they are inseparable. Feel better and come home soon buddy!

Review: Battleship…the Toys!

One of my favourite games to play as a kid really was Battleship. I only ever had the travel version and my sister and I would play it over and over again. I was always blue, she was red. Much fun was had over the years and now with the movie on screens now, the game, and some really neat Kre-O building sets bring that game to a whole new level.

When the media kit arrived at home I just about fell over…

WOW! It even made the Battleship sounds when you pressed on the box, I have to take a sentence here and praise the media kit designers at Hasbro, exponential numbers of hi-five’s. You guys and gals do a phenomenal job.

And now onto the contents of the box!

The actual original game, with the pegs, is back. I like the pegs. And I like the original game. This has been updated slightly though to match the movie so the red side features ships based on the alien ships from the movie and the blue side (my lucky side remember) is the original ships. Nondad and I played, he won, I am in the process of disputing this result, I’ll let you know how it goes. I say he cheated and had the cats running intelligence from my side of the table to his but he denies it .

It folds up and is easy to carry so it’s perfect for taking on road trips or to a picnic this summer. And the pieces are all contained inside it too so again, easy for transporting and storing. I like that. This updated version of the game retails for approximately $24.99.

There are also a few sets of Hasbro’s Kre-O building sets that have been designed and are simply, wow! What I love about the Kre-O sets is that they come in a box that is like a briefcase, it makes it easy to store, wrap as a gift because I know I am not the world’s best gift wrapper, and the come with detailed manuals on how to assemble the projects. I have started the big set, the S.S. Missouri and the manual reads like a novel, but it is so simple to follow and what a wonderful project to do with your little one. The manuals are graphic so the kids can follow along and to be honest, it helps with us ‘big kids’ too. These sets are incredibly detailed and what a sense of accomplishment when they are complete. I will know that soon as I am aiming to finish the ship this weekend if all goes according to plan . Yes pics will be posted.

There are sets for all ages and skill levels but again, the fact that the manuals are graphic in nature really makes them accessible to more age groups. I don’t however suggest giving a toddler the set as swallowing the bricks could obviously be a hazard. The age guidelines on the boxes are pretty much bang-on. They retail anywhere from $9.99 to $79.99. If you have a builder munchkin in your life, these are definitely worth a look. Plus, the bricks work with the other building brick sets for added play ability.

To cover the rest of the gaming and play family they have also come out with a video game version of Battleship based on the movie and it’s FPS (I asked my hubby, that means First Person Shooter…see, I can learn!) and since he is a video gamer (I can use my Wii and play some games rather well on it, his stuff, not so much LOL), I had him take a look at the game trailers and he was really impressed. This is a guy who plays FPS games on an almost daily basis and is very picky about what he does play and who he plays against and with so for him to say he’d like to play it means it’s worth checking out. Ok, I admit it, even I was impressed with the graphics on the preview. It is available on the main gaming platforms and retails for the regular pricing of the games based on the system (i.e. $59.99 on PS3).

If you are a fan of the board game, it’s nice to see it re-born but without losing the spirit if it which is to use strategy to beat your opponent and sink those Battleships!

10 Years…

10 years ago about a month ago I moved into my beloved little townhouse. Three features made me fall instantly in love with it and I haven’t looked back:

1. French doors in the foyer

2. The size of the master bedroom

3. The reading nook, when I saw that feature I was done, had to have it. I have always wanted a window seat for reading (I’m a total Anne of Green Gables girl so I think that’s where the obsession with the window seat comes from) and this is just so much better cause I have my super-comfy sofa there and am making it ‘mine’ with a fun art project in progress too!

I also have the loveliest master bathroom with a corner tub (that sadly I almost never use, but hey, it looks great! LOL) but it was so blah and I have been wanting to paint it since I moved in. Finally I picked a colour, a grey with a blue base so that it picks up the smoky grey blue in the tiles and I am beyond pleased with the results! It’s still a work in progress, I have some touch-ups to do, but wow. What a huge accomplishment.

My plan was to work on the interior this summer, I also want the living room re-painted soooooooo much, but I may have to enlist some help for that one as it’s a BIG job. Over the past couple of years I have worked and focused on the exterior but this year, the 10th year, it’s time to focus on the interior.

It is  a beautiful house (but I’m obviously biased) and it has so much potential. Do I have the dream budget to make all the changes I want (like a total re-do of the kitchen which it needs), no. But it’s amazing what an impact paint and decor can make when you’re on a budget.

My plan now, since once I start a project it kinda tends to snowball LOL, is to paint the trim in both the master (it needs a refresh to match its new walls, and the main bathroom upstairs. It’s amazing what refreshing even the trim can do sometimes isn’t it?

Then I want to buy a new door to our basement. My neighbour has the identical house to us but flipped floorplan and has a french door to her basement and I cannot get over how much lighter her main floor is because of it. I can paint it myself, I just need hubby to actually get it to the house for me. Another small thing that will make a huge impact.

After that, some more art projects such as my ‘A’ wall in my reading nook, thank you Pinterest for that idea, and some art or photos for my dining room.

I got inspired during the holidays at the beginning of the year and have been determined that changes would come to the house THIS YEAR so I could be proud of it again.  For me I have a timeline that is working in my favour of company coming to visit in a few weeks so it’s crunch time, but stuff that was long overdue is actually being done, I’m so proud .

Pics to come as I finish the projects

Where do you get your inspiration? What motivates you? What’s your favourite ‘small on budget but big on impact’ trick for updating your home?