The Great Minnesota Get-Together!

Today starts the Minnesota State Fair.

Have you ever been to the Minnesota State Fair?

No? 

You should visit. It is just about the best time you can have with tens of thousands of your closest friends and neighbors. 

There are concerts - some free around the grounds - and bigger shows at the Grandstand, people watching, a GINORMOUS slide, rides, games, fun activities, people watching, live television and radio shows, and MORE FOOD ON A STICK (or not) THAN YOU CAN HARDLY IMAGINE. 

2017 State Fair

Then there are the barns. I love walking the barns. Horse barn, sheep barn, cow barn... But lately, this little lady below, who is now 12 and not 7, is not quite as enamored of them as she was when she was 7 years old. 

Like, I could NOT get her out of the sheep barn and she wanted to love and pet everysinglesheep! when she was 7!  

Last year? Yawn. 

But Facebook reminds me just how much she used to love petting the sheeps. And that is cool. 

Plus, she still will hang out with me at the fair. 

Attention - This Post is from December 23, 2010 - I just love it and needed it again.

Note from 2017 Mommy Lisa, We have this Santa Photo framed so I just pulled it out decorating for Christmas and wanted to share the joy!



Yesterday I played along with Wordless Wednesday and put up this picture of my Dear Sweet Child, Boo Boo La La. 
I got lots of nice comments about how cute she is - Thank you - and I wanted to tell you how it came to be that I found myself paying for a picture with Santa Claus for the first time EVER in her life. 

You see my husband is in a union and every year they have a Christmas Party for all the kids to come and see Santa and Mrs. Claus - she sat on the SAME Santa's lap (or at least near it) every year since she was 11 months old.

The Evidence:

At 11 months

Just about Two

At almost three she didn't think she liked the big guy...

Almost four and starting to get the picture...

This year however my husband had to WORK on the day of the party...and while I would KNOW people there, including my BIL and his family, it was essentially my husband's WORK Christmas Party and who goes to their spouse's Christmas Party without their spouse? 

I thought to myself...you DO have a backup Santa.

THIS is what I call a good backup Santa!

Boo Boo's Pre-K ALWAYS has a visit from Santa!

wah wah wah

Remember what happend at Boo Boo's Pre-K Christmas Pagent?  Snow-maggedon 2010?  The blizzard of SEVENTEEN INCHES OF SNOW that took down a football stadium? 

yeah, no Santa that day either.

So what does a mama do that PROMISED her Boo Boo she could visit Santa?

She takes her to the mall on the COLDEST night in December that is possible and does it on the night they ALSO allow people to bring their pets. 

I am a genius.

But Boo Boo was soooo excited.

As we stood there in line for nearly two hours she was as patient as any four year old could possibly be...having to wait for THREE dogs to sit with Santa ahead of her...hair dirty and in a scraggly pony...not dressed up in her Christmas Best like years past...but you know what?

She chatted with Santa for the longest time.  And this Dear Santa really listened and talked with her on a whole other level than our Santa's of the past. 

And T-Bone still got to watch The Vikings at Applebee's.

20

20 random FACTS about yourself that may surprise people.

These are my favorite things to do - Thanks to my blog friend on Facebook for posting it so I could play along.

1. Do you make your bed everyday? YES! Forever! - https://youtu.be/KgzLzbd-zT4 and I am in good company. 
2. What's your favorite number? 8
3. What is your dream job? Being Chrissy Hynde - ha ha.
4. If you could, would you go back to school? I just finished in 2010. No, but I like to learn.
5. Can you parallel park? Yes, I used to be excellent at it - going to the U will do that to you.
6. A job you had which people would be shocked that you did? Bakery line worker for McGlynn's factory.
7. Do you think aliens are real? Probably.
8. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes, my first BRAND NEW car was a Mazda Protege and I purposely bought a manual transmission. :)
9. Guilty pleasure? Floating in a pool with wine and good friends.
10. Tattoos? Two - want a third, but it will be tiny.
11. Favorite color? Green or blue, depends on the day and the shade.
12. Things people do that drive you insane: Not fully reading an email before they reply - bad driving - leaving socks everywhere...
13. Fear? Drowning or suffocating.
14. Favorite childhood game? Whatever my grandparents would play with me - Old Maid, 500, Yahtzee, Scrabble. It was fun to play with them. Grandma would not let us lose until we started playing 500 - then she was out for blood.
15. Do you talk to yourself? I worked in a radio studio by myself for 9 years, of COURSE I talk to myself.
16. Do you like doing puzzles? Yes, especially with other people.
17. Favorite music? It's hard to say so I will say Christmas because I am that person who got excited this morning when she heard the ad on Sirius that HOLLY IS BACK 11/1.
18. Tea or Coffee? Coffee, unless I am sick.
19. The first thing you remember you wanted to be when you grew up? Lawyer
20. One place you've been to that truly amazed you? I love San Diego and Napa/Sonoma. But I don't want to live there...

You can play along... copy and paste it onto your blog, post the link below! 

Freezer Find - A recipe

Yesterday I was moving things around in the upstairs freezer and came across two packages of stew meat - ORGANIC stew meat I got for $5 off a package at Target sometime in the recent past.

They looked amazing and this morning I came up with a plan for one - if it is good I want it documented - so I am blogging my recipe as I go.

Over medium heat:

Chop 3 medium onions - caramelize in olive oil for 10 minutes.

Chop 5-6 medium carrots - add to onion mixture, cover, and cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Add two Teaspoons chopped garlic & 1 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon paprika, and heat until fragrant.  Add 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper - fresh cracked if possible!

Add one 14 ounce can of Tomato Sauce and one 28 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, reduce heat to low - let simmer for 30 minutes at least.

Brown 1 pound of stew meat in olive oil over medium high heat - do not cook through, just brown 5-6 minutes then add to sauce.



Meanwhile, cook your choice of rice or pasta to serve the sauce over.

This time we used spaghetti and zucchini noodles.

*After we had this meal - I think I may cook the beef in with the onions slower - then add the carrots, etc. so that it is more tender.  Like get some color on the onions for 10 minutes, add the beef and maybe a little red wine and lower the heat and cover for 15 minutes.

I do think the key for any kind of sauce cooked this way is that you use an enamel cast iron pan.

Bon Ape-tweet!

Ignore the fact I need to wash my hair - Coconuts II

A couple of months ago I unpacked a box on YouTube - and I blogged about getting this box of amazing coconut oil products.

Skinny & Company is the brand and today I decided that my skin was looking pretty great - I love slathering the calming lavender & coconut facial oil on myself morning and night. I had done nothing but that for the past four days and....

This is 49.5

I have not put on any makeup since Thursday. I have been only putting on coconut oil and sitting in my hot tub.  Well, I did shower after those soaks.  :)

And while it is a little expensive for coconut oil and essential oils - it is not more expensive than any other face moisturizer I currently buy for myself.  And TODAY of all days I went to buy some and got BOGO.  They are having a "Black Friday Weekend" sale that seems to still be going strong. 

So enjoy a little slather for yourself....

Happy Cyber-Monday Peeps.

Memories of a Mommy Blogger - FIN

She seriously was upset that we were giving back the Traverse.

She tasted independence in that vehicle - what with the DVD player in the headrest she could actually reach from her car seat.

I liked it too - but I was ready to get back to normal.



Giving Back The Traverse! :( from Lisa Scherber on Vimeo.

Happy #NationalCoffeeDay @Starbucks Love @mommylisa #Coffee

I live less than a mile from a coffee chain's World Headquarters.

It is literally on the exit I get onto the highway from my house. I can zip in and zip out - it is super convenient.

But, I don't go there anymore.

I used to go there so much that I gave a baby gift to a pregnant barista.  They knew my name, that I always got a large latte, Boo Boo La La's name and what she liked too!

Then one Christmas my boss gave me a Starbucks gift card.

I thought it was odd because that company was in a building with that "other" coffee chain at the skyway level and nearly every meeting you had with someone mid-morning or late afternoon eventually ended up there.  He and I had my semi-annual review in this coffee house, yet, here was a Starbucks card in my Christmas card. Weird, right?

Where is there even a +Starbucks Coffee?

I found out there was one the next exit up from my house and decided one day to check it out.

Here is what I discovered.

I like Starbuck's coffee better.

There, I said it. It is nearly blasphemous in Minnesota to say you like it better than our home brand, but I DO! I love you +Starbucks Coffee and then, you invented the Flat White.

Can I say that made me fall in love again? Just like when you sent me a "Gold Card" for being a loyal cardholder.  And again when you had Barista Colin - who +erica steffenson and I would fight over who loved him more?  We even +Twitter message each other when we found him at a new Starbucks location.  Is that weird?  Don't answer.

But this week.  This week you outdid yourself +Starbucks Coffee - you launched in-app purchases to pick up my Starbuck's coffee on the run.  No time. No Line. Or so Starbuck's says.

They launched Mobile Order & Pay and now if they take it away from me I will cry.  It is the MOST AWESOME THING EVER IN THE UNIVERSE OF STARBUCKS!!!

You open your Starbucks app, you pick what you want, you pay in the app, you drive to Starbucks, park, walk in and go to the pickup window, Voila!  Hot and ready Starbucks...well, unless you got a Frapuccino, then cold and ready.

The first time I tried it I walked in and the barista said to me "Are you Lisa?" I nodded and he said, "I just finished. Here you go!" I was hooked.

I am not getting paid to tell you about this by anyone.  I am just telling you to hurry up and download the Starbucks app and start using this feature.

I don't want it to go away.

Happy #NationalCoffeeDay

Everything is golden

I took a minute to take Boo boo la la puddle jumping.  And as we rounded the corner at the end of our romp she said,

I feel brighter from the Earth.

I looked at her and noticed how the sunset through the clearing rain clouds was making everything look like it had a glow.   I told Boo boo that it looked golden and she said,

I feel golden!

Candy and The Cankersaur - #Review

I love to read.

I love to find fun stories for my daughter.

I love local.

So, a local artist and author contacted me about reading "Candy and The Cankersaur" with my daughter, Boo Boo La La.

This book is illustrated with fun characters especially 'Cank' the new pet of our heroine Candy.

She teaches him rules and how to be a nice dinosaur - but then...he is gone!

Where, or more importantly HOW, did Cank get lost? 

My daughter loved the plot of this book and has read it several times since we received our advance copy.  The illustrations are bright and fanciful.  I hope you enjoy it as well - or any of the other books by Mr. Sandberg. 

You can check out his website here - http://www.jasonsandberg.com/ebooks.htm

These books are also available on Amazon, iTunes and Nook.

I think "Baby Julia Feeds The Moon" sounds like our next good read.

Hairy Issues

I dread the morning.

Not so much the morning itself. but the time we finally have to get dressed and ready.

The hair-raising hair brushing time.

My poor baby Boo boo La la got my fine follicles. The kind that tangle when a butterfly flits past.

I used to have to brush it. Now that she's older it is a job I leave in her own little hands. And there maybe are no more  breathless sobs, 'You're ki-ling--me-I-can-not-breathe-ah!' , but it still sucks.

She's tried countless brushes. sprays,detangling poos and rinses. None of them 'work' forever. She eventually stares into the mirror saying how she hates this or that.  And her hair.

She has beautiful hair.

This morning, it was the worst. She told me that people say that her hair feels fake (?) and that recently a lady had asked her if she '...ever brushed her hair.'

Could people be more rude?

Don't answer that.

I told her that she should ignore them. They are rude and CRAZY. But, I know that it can hurt.

Just like the brushing.

Rise to the Challenge

Yesterday I went to a funeral for someone I admired very much. She was an inspiration to all who knew her - warm, calming, vibrant.

The kind of person who glowed from within and made everyone feel special.

I miss her very much, as all of those who knew her do.

I was lucky enough to have a dear friend I had not seen in months join me, sit by me, as I felt my part of the grief. I knew I would know people there, but I reached out to Heather because I just didn't want to sit there and cry to myself - and because well, Heather.

And the fact our friend had died.

Debbie, our friend, was someone I had lost personal touch with since I didn't work downtown any longer.

We used to be part of an AOPi Alum lunch-bunch. I totally looked forward to those lunches because I met some pretty great women at them, most of all Debbie. I keep hearing her laugh, seeing her smile and recalling how she GUSHED over my Boo Boo La La when I brought her to our lunch over maternity leave. "Lisa - she is so BEAUTIFUL!  Look how everyone is captivated by her!" as we walked through the skyway.

Sure, I kept up on Facebook - but I had not seen her in a while so I was pretty shocked that the cancer she had found all those years ago had taken it's final toll on her bright spirit.

As I stood there listening to her nieces and nephews, brother, friends and the minister I felt her there.

I know she was there - with her Father.

She issued a challenge.

I felt it in my bones.

Happy Tenth-aversary YouTube & 91 Month-aversary to Mommy's Nest!

I posted my first video on YouTube on November 7, 2006.  I did it so I could email it to friends and family.

It went like this:



Fun - Huh? No?

Well, I got more adventurous.

See?  From November 2007 - we can now rake!



And then in November 2008 we learned to Vote - not Boat!



And in March of 2011 We shook it like we just didn't care who was watching at the MN Zoo!



And now - Boo Boo even has her very OWN YouTube Channel with gems like this one with Gma.


What I learned from Ten Years of YouTube?  It's fun to look back at how silly we can be...

And YOU? (Tube?)

Mascara - I found a great one! Or should I say - Sensational!

I have VERY light eyelashes.

VERY LIGHT - I cannot leave my house without mascara on or people think I am sick.

I found this "They're REAL!" mascara that was awesome, but super expensive IMHO.

So I have been trying every drugstore kind that calls itself something representing

Fluffy, Thick or LONG Beautiful Lashes...

To no avail.

Until I found this at Target.

The one that looked the LEAST promising to me up front was the best. 

See? 

Lashes for days on the right eye - nada on the left...

And wonderous wonder of all wonderment - it lasted ALL DAY, which on me like, never happens.

So if you like that other spend-y brand - go ahead and give this a try for about $6.

You're Welcome.

Reminds me of someone...

I wrote about my grandmother a lot.

She was pretty cool - What with teaching me how to "brew tea" and all. 

She has been gone from this world over three years now.  I know as she passed away before I started my job here.  At the time I was laid off and not working, so I was able to visit her and be there for her funeral.  

Sometimes things are a blessing. 

And this morning I was thinking, Boo Boo is about like my Grandma.  

Pretty independent, creative, and loves a tiara. 

Actually my Grandmother's Tiara on Boo - she inherited it. 

Grandma would have appreciated the polymer clay class Boo Boo and I took yesterday.  

She has her Grandmother and Great-Grandmother's eye for color this one....

Kind of a pointless post - but for me there is a reason.

I need to remember all the fun we have when we do things like yesterday.

It is not hard to go to the store, get some clay, and do this at home too.  In fact I found out at the class that this stuff is less than $3 a pack....and you don't need very much of it.

I have promised her we will do this craft over the weekend of Spring Break.

And now you know too.

Send me YouTube videos of polymer clay crafts if you know of any!!!

Loving my new old lady cheaters! Thank you Firmoo!

Do you have a little piece of paper with your RX from your last checkup at your Optometrist?

Do you have someone to help you measure your pupil distance and a ruler that can measure in millimeters?

Can you get to Firmoo.com?

Than you too can get a cute pair of glasses like these

They were super simple to order and arrived really fast - I ordered them July 12 and they arrived by July 19 - and came with a nice cleaning cloth and hard carrying case.  <- THAT super important as I use the glasses only for reading and they get thrown into whatever bag I am taking that day. 

Also, you can upload a picture of yourself to see how they will look.  

Or use the face shapes already there on the website.

I think these were a fun choice.

And right now they have a program available where your first pair of frames are free - so you can check them out at low risk.

Click here to get all the details.

And I want to thank Firmoo for giving me the pair in this post so I could tell you all about their service.

And so this happened.

Have you seen the show "Chrisley Knows Best" on USA?

OMG - so good. So good!

I love that show and it was NOT enough episodes.  Really.

Then I saw a Kathie Lee and Hoda tweet that he would be on today.

I tweeted.

Todd Chrisley FAVORITED!

Day is made. That is all.

Kidecals - A Review

I love finding new things.

I love when new things find me too.

Kidecals..

What a fun solution to labeling your stuff, your kid's stuff, your husband's stuff, your kitchen stuff.

I have even seen people at work using the chalkboard stickers on their lunches.

We ordered some with the idea they would be VERY useful to mark Boo Boo's stuff to make sure it came home from all the camps she has going on this summer! Acting camp, 'Camp Auntie Lois", Girl Scout Camp...

They sure came in a nice envelope!

And I think I picked some pretty fun decals for myself!

Quite the STASH  - huh???

And totally ready for camp luggage!!!

And they stay on over TWO muddy, wet soccer practices.

Do you want to try them too??? Guess what!?!

You can use this code to get your own!

Okay? Come closer, let me tell you the code.

You ready?

FASHION!!!

shhhh. keep it to yourself okay???

Nah, share it with everyone! Enjoy 15 percent off your order!

Just FYI - Kidecals did send me a code for some free stickers, but I honestly could not believe how durable they are. That soccer ball was all over a swampy soccer field - You have heard about our rain here in Minnesota this summer?  No fading, peeling, nothing.  It sits just where Boo Boo put it - RIGHT OVER THE DIRT THAT WAS ON IT ALREADY.  Amazing, no? 

Go get some.

a Taste of Summer

I don't think there is anything here in Minnesota quite as nice as the first rhubarb of summer.

My mom has rhubarb, but her patch is dying out as the trees are shading it too much. 

My neighbor has some.

My carpool buddy has some. 

Thankfully, people also like to SHARE the first rhubarb of summer.

I brought it home on Friday and hemmed and hawed over just what I would do with this delicious bounty. 

You see, the people in my house are "MEH" rhubarb - I can take it or leave it.

As a kid I could not WAIT for the rhubarb.

I mean....it is really just a vehicle for sugar.

So on Father's Day - I made Rhubarb Dream Bars.

It called for powdered sugar AND regular sugar.

Recipe here.

And the people said, "YUM!"

Link up to Mama Kat here. 

Am I a hypocrite?

I love reality television.

I belong to a CLOSED group on Facebook called "Bravo Anonymous" and my friend Jodi and I talk about The Real Housewives all the time.

June for us - it means that Kandi and Todd's wedding unfolds and O.M.G. The Ladies of London? Why are they only a half hour!!!! BRAVO - why were they not RHOL???
Seriously we are on the edge.

I watch Project Runway (Sorry Bravo), every RH Franchise , except Miami - those beyotches make NJ look sane - Million Dollar Listing (especially Frederick!) The People's Couch, I LIVE FOR TOP CHEF, and I am equally excited by the cooking and competition shows on Food Network.

I like "real" scripted television.

But I draw a line and it is with dating shows.

Don't get me wrong. I like The Millionaire Matchmaker, cuz she has RULES.
But, The Bachelor?  The Bachelorette?

No.

No.no.no.no.no.

I Wanna Marry Harry???
Really? Those women actually thought they were up to marry the man fourth in line for the throne of England??

Shows where drinking is encouraged and the competition is to "win" love are what is wrong with people.  For real.

You may THINK it is harmless, but would you let your son or daughter be on those shows?

Why let them WATCH those shows?

I watch grown women be stupid in fake friendships - but they are not making a mockery of what it takes to find a significant other and build a REAL life.

I watch people scheme to be the best of the best at cooking - but they are not doing it by having sex with each other on national television.

So while I can laugh with you about how Kristen's legs looked like Jiminy Cricket doing hungover yoga in the Birkshires...I cannot even tell you what happens at the rose ceremony.

Am I a hypocrite?

Oh - and LOVE the new Summer by Bravo.

My Reveal! GE reveal® Review

You know I have a giveaway for a $10 Target Gift Card + GE reveal® light bulbs.


They sent me some bulbs too for me to try out in my home and see what I thought and share it with you. 
A package of four GE reveal® 75watt bulbs arrived at my home. 

I was thinking of what room I needed better lighting in - and I decided on.


My bathroom.
What woman couldn't use great lighting when she is getting ready to face the world each and every day?  I know I could. So I went to the bathroom, stood in my bathtub and took a picture.  
These are the bulbs that were in the sconces.

So you see - NOT cheap bulbs.

And these are the GE reveal® bulbs I then replaced them with...

Are you ready for this??

To the left are the old bulbs - to the right GE reveal®

Is that NOT amazing? I mean I had no idea how yellow the old bulbs were making my bathroom. When I took the old bulbs out and put the GE reveal® bulbs in I thought  to myself, "What is the difference? Huh?"  Then I looked at the photos.  It really makes the bathroom light cleaner and fresher somehow.  I know from watching the video I posted that they would make a difference, but see how much more lit up the bathroom is?  Even with colored sconces the light hits further and brighter than with the old bulbs.  It made me excited to get up and put on makeup this morning! 

Now get yours - enter the contest while there is still time.

And check out all that the GE reveal® bulbs have to offer at their website too! 


p.s. I did not crop or edit the pictures of my bathroom at all. 

p.p.s. I did get the bulbs for free - the results speak for themselves!