New Address

The Geeky Housewife has a new address. Look for new posts at www.geekyhousewife.com.

Family Cookbook

I have decided to compile a family cookbook with the help of family ofcourse. There are so many great recipes that are in our family, and it would be nice if they were all in one book.

I'm hoping to have it finished by Christmas, so this will hopefully give me plenty of time to get all the recipes I want and then some. Besides recipes, I hope to have some family photos sprinkled onto some of the pages as well as facts related to family genealogy. It's an ambitious project especially for a procrastinator like me. Hopefully I will continue to blog about, post a recipe here and there to keep me motivated and on track.

Storing Christmas Decorations

There are many wonderful products to buy to store Christmas decorations. Two years ago, I bought a red Rubbermaid container to use for Christmas decorations. It has been a lifesaver.

Not only does it hold everything like the lights and ornaments but since it is my only red container, it is easy to spot in the dark closet. No more guessing about which box I used to store the decorations in.

I usually prefer clear containers as you can see the contents without opening the box but for Christmas decorations, my red container has been a really good choice.

Cleaning the High Chair

We had quite the mess after dinner tonight. Combined with food, drink, and other stains, we had a diaper failure. Needless to say, it was a mess.

So, I gave the baby a bath and then went to tackle the mess of the high chair. I tossed the high chair into the tub and turned on the shower. With the extended shower head, it was like cleaning it with a high-powered washer. Those stains and the food just melted away, leaving behind a clean high chair.

This was so much easier than trying to wipe everything clean. It was a big mess and needed a big solution. Thankfully I came up a plan that worked very well. While this won't be ideal to clean the high chair daily, it does give a good way to hose it down weekly to get those missed food particles cleared.

Artificial Tree

This year we are once again putting up an artificial tree. The first year we were married we had a real, live tree. Since then we have had an artificial one.

Last year, I finally gave away our ratty, old artificial tree. It's been replaced with a 6'5 Colorado Spruce. I love how the fake trees now are actually based on a kind of tree instead of the run-of-the-mill artifcial tree. The tree also came pre-lit, which putting on the lights is the most time consuming, hardest job of decorating.

We will probably keep this one for a few years. When the baby is older and the cats more well behaved, we may once again try to have a live tree.

There is a big downside to the artificial tree, though. I have a feeling that no matter how much squeezing and tucking in branches that it is not going back in the box. Since the tree was only $20, it may be a giveaway item come January.

Grocery List

I hate to make a grocery list, but it always saves me time and money. I spend way more when I don't shop from a list. Although it can be a hassle to plan ahead, in the long run it is worth it.

I make less trips to town when I make a grocery list. I have just come to accept that I will forget at least one crucial item at the grocery store. My chances of forgetting something really important cut down when I use a list.

Tomorrow I go grocery shopping but won't go until my list is done.

Having a Game Night with a little one

The husband is great when it comes to taking care of the kid. Tonight we are having friends over to play video games. This is a first since the birth of the little one. She is a little over a year old. While I know I will have some guilt to play video games, it's important to take some time every once in a while and do what I enjoy. It's better for both of us. She'll be okay if I can meet her every whim tonight. I think she might even forgive me as long as it doesn't happen that often.