Punishment Writing

Who remembers the days when you got in trouble at school for talking in class. I got a paddling (or two) by teachers that caught me talking in class when I was told not too. We were afraid of our teachers and if you had to go the principles office, it was a really bad day. 

Several of my teachers would make us write sentences for punishment. If we were caught talking in class, we would have to write “I must not talk in class” a hundred times or more. What my teachers didn’t know is that I actually loved doing it. Yes, I enjoyed writing, so it was relaxing to me to get to write a sentence 100 times. If I messed up half way through, I would wad it up and start all over. If I was in a hurry, I could write three lines at a time by holding three pencils together. It was fun.

Once I had to write a sentence 200 times as punishment for chewing gum. “I must not chew gum in class”.  These were usually sent home as homework. When I turned in my work the next day, the teacher didn’t even count them! She just took the papers from me and ripped them into pieces and told me to have a seat. I was pretty upset about that because I had written them neatly and made sure I was not short one sentence. But thats how it went sometimes. 

Looking back, Even thought it was punishment, It was also a form of learning. It was a way to practice writing, following instructions, and owning up to what you did wrong. Though no harm was done in talking or chewing gum, it was a rule and discipline needed to take place. Now days kids get away with everything is class because teachers have no control. If a student is told to write sentences for punishment, they would probably consider it a form of abuse. 

What are some simple punishments you remember in school?

Mask Talk

I’m still not convinced that mask actually work to protect us from Covid. They may help against the spread of a sneeze or cough but thats it. Mask help protect you from germs not viruses. 

My full time day job does not require anyone to wear a mask, but my part time weekend job does. If I want to make money, I must comply. So if im going to have to wear a mask for 5 plus hours, I want them to be at least comfortable. 

I have several different styles of mask but my favorite is the disposable type. I like that they are light weight, and the straps are thin without a strong elastic pull on my ears. 

My daughter brought me a couple pretty floral disposable masks. They were so dog gone cute that I hated to just wear them one time. This made me decide to do a little experiment and try hand washing them. It worked! 

Using an antibacterial soap, I placed the mask between my two hands and gently rubbed until it it was sudsy, then rinsed it well, squeezed out the excess water and hung it to dry. To my surprise it washed up great and the inside was clean and white again. The mask did not tear up or lose its shape. 

This is a photo after being washed. It was soiled with makup.

Now I can wear my mask more than once but I do not recommend washing it more than twice. I mean, they are made to be disposable. 

I really hope they end this mask mandate, but I do not see that happening anytime soon. Meanwhile, here are a few little mask hacks to help them be easier to wear whether its a washable cloth mask or a disposable mask.

• If you have a cold or sinus problems, rub a little menthol around top where it fits over your nose. 
• Does your mask have a filter? Try adding a drop or two of essential oils for some health and healing benefits. 
• Rubbing the mask between your hands, gently rub in your favorite facial, skin or fragrant lotion to help keep your face from feeling dry. 
• If you have a roll on for your oils, you can rub a little around the edges. I love my stress relief roller. 

• If your mask is too big, cross the straps once before putting them behind your ears. 
• You can add buttons to your headband, beanie or ball cap to use instead of around your ears.

Without getting political (if thats possible), I would like to know how you feel about masks.

Disposable mask from: Shein

Young Living Oils from: TrulyOils (on Instagram).

As an Amazon Affiliate, the following is a Marketing Link, which means I make a small percentage on the sales but it in no way affects the price a buyer may pay. Opinions are my own honest reviews.

Chaffles

Ok yall, I could not take it any longer. I have been wanting one of these little Dash mini waffle makers for a couple years now. I just did not need another kitchen gadget. I have a regular waffle maker but always thought it would be nice to have a “limited portion”. I also thought it would be something I could use in my camper. 

After seeing recipes for “Chaffles”, I finally gave in to my wishes and bought a mini waffle maker. 

What is a Chaffle? 

It is a healthy Keto way to make waffles which means no bread. They are low in calories and high in protein. They are all made with a basic base of egg, cheese and almond flour. Some even leave out the almond flour and just use egg and cheese. I just prefer them a little more fluffy. You can find so many ways to make different flavor Chaffles. 

CHAFFLE

1 egg

1/2 cup cheese (I used mozzarella).

1 tablespoon almond flour.

(Makes 2 waffles)

After making my first Chaffle, I was hooked. I added butter and syrup and me and Nick did a taste test. I was afraid they would be eggy or taste cheesy but the didn’t. They were surprisingly good. 

But wait, they go beyond breakfast waffles. You can add in ingredients and make them sweet or savory. 

I made a sandwich chaffle to take to work with me and it kept great in the cooler and it was so good! This will be my new way to eat a sandwich for a while. It was filling and didn't leave me feeling bloated. I was satisfied until my next meal. 

You can top your chaffle with cheese and pepperoni then place in a toaster or oven and have your own healthy personal pizzas. 

You can also make chaffle tacos by using them as your taco shell. The possibilities are endless.

Of course I had a sweet tooth tonight so I gave the Chocolate Chaffle a try. I made it the same way as the original chaffle but added some Stevia and cocoa. I’m not sure if I really liked this one or not.

It’s crazy that I could not taste the egg or cheese but I thought it was a little bitter. I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners, so I probably wont make this one again, but my kitchen is smelling pretty good right now. 

Word is getting around, so these little Dash mini waffle makers are getting hard to find in stock at most stores but you can find them now on Amazon.

As an Amazon Affiliate, the following is a Marketing Link, 

which means I make a small percentage on the sales

 but it in no way affects the price a buyer may pay.

Opinions are my own honest reviews.

Beanie and Buttons

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I am just not settled in my lifestyle yet with the new job and mixed hours. I start full time next week so I will be on a regular 9-5 work week. BUT.....Belks has asked me to stay on and work some nights for a couple hours and a weekend here and there. I agreed. I call this job my fun job. I enjoy shopping for online orders and mingling with other coworkers and customers. The office job is still a learning in progress. I still have no clue what I’m doing, but I’m doing it. Taxes and accounting are just not in my interest. The office is quiet and not much chatting among coworkers. In case your wondering why I chose this position, I actually didn’t. It chose me instead. I did not apply to this job but a friends daughter reached out to me with the offer. I needed a job, I took it. I am still somewhat looking around for a job I feel suits me best. I really wish to work in a medical office of some sort and time off for a vacation. It’s killing me knowing that I only get 5 days off after June at the new job. 

Enough about work....

It has been cold here in North Carolina. We actually had a dusting of snow last week. We do not see much snow around here.

Saturday I decided to go have my nails done. Not wanting to do anything to my hair, I just threw on a beanie. But then I had to wear a mask while I was in the salon. I did not want to take my hat off due to my messy hair. It was a struggle to get the mask around my ears after I put on the beanie. 

This got me thinking of a plan. I sewed on a couple buttons to the beanie. This is how I wore my mask. 

The buttons were planned to be just temporary, but it worked so well I decided to keep them on the hat. This makes the mask easy to rip off after I leave a business without having to mess up my hat. Because, lawd knows my hair was a sight! I also didn't have on make up. Heck, I think I was still in my pajama pants, but my at least my nails are purty. 

Air fryer Muffins

Muffins in an air fryer? Oh yes you can.

I got a set of these wonderful little silicon cupcake / muffin liners from my daughter. They look just like the little paper ones but these can be washed after using, non stick and not only oven safe, but work well in an air fryer too! 

yea, it doesn’t take much to excite me. 

I did not make a homemade fancy concoction. I just whipped up a batch of the Martha White muffin mix. It consist of just the powder mix and a 1/2 cup of water or milk. I always use water and they are delicious. I mean, why add the extra calories of milk when water works just fine and they are just as tasty?

I filled 6 muffin cups about half way or so. I just kept adding to them until I was out of mix. 

Then I placed them in my air fryer basket. The silicon cups are more sturdy than the paper ones so no need to use a pan. 

I cooked them at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

 

They turned out a little wonky but thats ok. They were still delicious just the same. Someone told me that the air flow in the air fryer will make them wopsided. (Spell check is telling me its called “lopsided” but I disagree).

Any way, I am tickled to have a new way of fixing muffins and without the mess. Sometimes I will eat two but normally I like to have one most mornings with an egg. I do not have the same thing every morning for breakfast. I like to change it up so it does not get boring. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.

My favorite breakfast is waffles. Muffins come in at a close 2nd. 

But of course, I love biscuits and gravy with sausage or bacon but I do not eat like that anymore.

What is your favorite breakfast food?

Silicon cupcake/muffin liners by The Silicon Kitchen on Amazon.

As an Amazon Affiliate, the following is a Marketing Link, which means I make a small percentage on the sales but it in no way affects the price a buyer may pay.

Opinions are my own honest reviews.

Looking back 2020

I am not one of those people that look back. I like to keep my focus forward and keep the past in the past. But today I had to look back. We have all heard people griping that this has been the worst year ever. I may have even said it a few times. But was it really? I’m sure to some people, this was the worst year. I think the worst years are the years that loved ones pass away or suffer a lot of sickness. 

As I look back on 2020, Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. When I sit back and weigh out the good and the bad, I could actually say it was the best year ever. 

 

My biggest complaint in 2020 was that I could not find a job. Covid hit and slowed down companies hiring. This meant more days at the beach. We were able to go and stay weeks at a time. 

I was able to have every day free to mingle with other stay at home moms in the neighborhood and even enjoyed a few bike rides.

Though we didn’t have any employment income coming in, we managed to always have things we need and never had to go without.

My family stayed healthy. There were no deaths or serious sicknesses in my family this year.  

Speaking of family, I will be busy today cooking pork, collard greens, black eyed peas, potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and three cobblers! My family will be coming over this afternoon for my traditional New Years Dinner. 

Do you make New Year resolutions? I do not make resolutions, but I do set goals. 

My goals for the New Year are:

To lose 15 lbs.

Eat healthier.

Continue my new job until I find another job I like better.

Keep a planner.

Stop worrying so much.

Pray more and complain less.

We do not know what 2021 has in store for us but I will make the best of it. 

Happy New year, Love yall..