I have moved, no one lives here anymore.
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 28, 2008
- In: Uncategorized
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I have moved. Please join me at my new blog location kellytirman.com. Thank you.
To bake or not to bake, that’s the question
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 23, 2008
- In: Family| Food| Social Media
- 2 Comments
Easy Bake Oven
Growing up I always wanted an Easy Bake Oven, unfortunately, I never got one. To be honest I have always felt slightly jilted about this and even as an adult I have found myself wandering up and down the toy aisle trying to justify purchasing one.
As a somewhat sane 30+ year-old woman without children (yet) it just seems like the kind of product I might need to find some justification for; am I wrong? Buying it would not have been hard as most people would assume it was for my (non-existent) daughter. The hard part would be explaining myself to my husband when he came home to find me standing in our kitchen baking desserts in brightly colored toy oven.
Last week I was lucky enough to win an Easy Bake Oven from the Classy Mommy Site Warming party hosted by Resourceful Mommy. The crazy girl in me really wants to crack this puppy open and start baking Thanksgiving dinner. What do you think?
Please vote on the destiny of this Easy Bake Oven (poll closes 11pm 11/24 PST)
Update: Looks like I’ll be baking…
Poll Results
Improve your view, give yourself something beautiful to look at
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 18, 2008
If you are an urban dweller chances are your homeowner’s association or landlord isn’t keen on you adding bay windows to improve your view. Here is a simple tip on how to turn any an ordinary window into a greenhouse window.
Here is what you will need:
- Measuring Tape
- Screwdriver
- L brackets (four brackets for each shelf)
- 1/4 inch thick glass cut to fix your window (one for each shelf)
- Small potted plants and/or collectibles
Prep: Measure your window to determine the size of your shelves and how many shelves you would like in your window. Consult your local glass company for the pieces of glass (I use Theisen Glass).
Installation: Secure your L brackets in place with a screwdriver and place your pieces of glass on top. Once the shelves are in place add your potted plants and/or collectibles.
The Motrin Ad that Twitter Killed.
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 17, 2008
- In: Social Media
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This weekend Twitter was a buzz with upset consumers over the “Mortin ad”. Even as I write this on Monday morning the two top trending topics on Twitter search are Motrin and Motrinmoms.
The advertisement reads as follows:
Wearing your baby seems to be in fashion.
I mean, in theory it’s a great idea.
There’s the front baby carrier, sling, schwing, wrap, pouch.
And who knows what else they’ve come up with. Wear your baby on your side, your front, go hands free.
Supposedly, it’s a real bonding experience.
They say that babies carried close to the bod tend to cry less than others.
But what about me? Do moms that wear their babies cry more than those who don’t?
I sure do!
These things put a ton of strain on your back, your neck, your shoulders. Did I mention your back?!
I mean, I’ll put up with the pain because it’s a good kind of pain; it’s for my kid.
Plus, it totally makes me look like an official mom.
And so if I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.
Motrin – We feel your pain.
I am not a mother (yet) and even I found the advertisement to be in poor taste. Although many are debating if the advertisement is offensive or not most people can agree that it is tacky. I for one am happy to see that the people at McNeil Consumer Healthcare are taking the backlash seriously and will be pulling the advertisement:
McNeil Consumer Healthcare Responds to Amy Gates, Crunchy Domestic Goddess. Amy posted the email:
Dear Amy -
I am the Vice President of Marketing for McNeil Consumer Healthcare. I have responsibility for the Motrin Brand, and am responding to concerns about recent advertising on our website. I am, myself, a mom of 3 daughters.
We certainly did not mean to offend moms through our advertising. Instead, we had intended to demonstrate genuine sympathy and appreciation for all that parents do for their babies. We believe deeply that moms know best and we sincerely apologize for disappointing you. Please know that we take your feedback seriously and will take swift action with regard to this ad. We are in process of removing it from our website. It will take longer, unfortunately, for it to be removed from magazine print as it is currently on newstands and in distribution.
-Kathy
Kathy Widmer
VP of Marketing – Pain, Pediatrics, GI, Specialty
McNeil Consumer Healthcare
Note to Motrin: Check out what @ComcastCares has been doing via Twitter; you might want to implement something along the same lines. I have a feeling this would not have blown up the way it did if there was human face that was able to engage consumers prior to the Twitterstorm starting.
Update: Babywearing international sent a response to concerning the Motrin mom-alogue campagin that I feel sums up the issues nicely. Motrin has also posted an Apology on their website.
Motrin Apology
A beautiful day at Ocean Beach
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 16, 2008
- In: Surfing
- 2 Comments
The surf was too large for my taste and skill set so I didn’t actually do any surfing today however the weather was beautiful with a high of 76 degrees.
Salsa Soup, a quick and simple recipe
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 9, 2008
This is a very simple recipe for salsa soup that my mom taught me when I was still in middle school. It tastes great and takes less than 30 minutes to create from start to finish.
Here is what you will need:
- Chicken broth (4 cups)
- Mild salsa (4 cups)
- Whole beans (I suggest 2 cans of black and 2 cans of pintos beans)
- Stewed tomatoes (1 to 2 cans)
- Tortillas chips
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
Prep: Start by draining and rinsing your four cans of beans. Then combine the beans, stewed tomatoes, salsa and chicken broth in your cooking pot.
Cook: Place on the stove and cook on high until it boils. Once it boils turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat.
Serve: Place your tortillas chips in your soup bowl. Pour soup into the bowl. Top it off with cheese and sour cream. Then enjoy!
As always please feel free to share your pictures and tips on how you customized this recipe via the comment section.
Linda Mar Beach, a great place to surf
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 8, 2008
- In: Sports and Activites| Surfing
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There are three reasons I think Linda Mar is a great place to surf:
- Location: Linda Mar is very close to San Francisco; It only takes me 15-20 minutes to get there. Being so close it allows me the opportunity to get a session in before work, after work, or on the weekend; without in turning into an all day event.
- Vibe: The people at Linda Mar are friendly and it is a great place to meet new surf friends. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing better than surfing with your crew; however that is not always possible. When you are “crewless” it is great to know that the water is filled with friendly people that are more than willing to share a wave with you.
- Something for everyone: With multiple breaks good for beginners as well as experienced surfers (a.k.a Round House, Pump House, Taco Bell, Creek etc.) you have tons of options. Also if you are headed to the beach with non-surfers there is a great walking trail to keep them busy.
Have you never been surfing but you want to learn? Linda Mar is a great place to learn how to surf. Nor Cal Surf Shop rents boards, wetsuits and they teach lessons as well.
About me: I use a longboard and I love surfing small waves (well – at least until I can get good enough to surf with the big boys). If you see me out at Linda Mar – say hi. I am always looking for new surf friends!
Turkey enchiladas, a great way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 5, 2008
Here is what you will need:
- Left over turkey (shredded)
- Salsa verde
- Finely shredded cheese
- Tortillas
- Black olives
- Sour cream
Start by bathing a single tortilla in salsa verde. Then place your turkey and cheese it in the middle of the tortilla before rolling. Repeat bathing, filling and rolling until you have filled your baking dish. Once your baking dish is full, cover the rolled tortillas with a thick coat of salsa verde as this will ensure your enchiladas stay moist. Follow up with a coat of cheese and then top if off with a bunch of black olives.
To bake:
- place your dish is a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
- Once fully baked dish it up and serve with some sour cream.
The above is a really simple recipe that you should feel free to customize to meet your family’s needs and style. When you make your turkey enchiladas please feel free to share your pictures and recipes via the comment section.
Thanksgiving leftovers, everyone loves doggie bags.
Posted by: kellytirman on: November 1, 2008
- In: Domestic Crafts| Food| How To
- 1 Comment
I have to admit I am not much of a cook; thankfully however my husband is. Matter of fact, his cooking is so AMAZING that in five years of marriage our house has become the de facto holiday hangout and preferred venue for dinners parties in general.
Since my personal culinary experience has more to do with consuming then creating; I have had to find activities to amuse myself while my husband spends countless hours perfecting recipes. My main form of amusement is to play “Martha” which includes setting the table and creating party favors or goodie bags.
Personalized Thanksgiving Doggie Bags
Since my husband’s cooking is so scrumptious the last several Thanksgivings I have made personalized “doggie bags” which seem to be a big hit because let’s face it, leftovers is what Thanksgiving is all about.
Here is what you will need:
- Place cards
- Hole punch
- Cooking twine
- Take out container
Basically after dinner is complete I create a doggie bag for each guest. I reuse the place cards by punching them with a decorative hole punch and then I use cooking twine to tie it all together. It is really simple and everyone loves the leftovers especially since they didn’t have to spend all day in the kitchen to get them.
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