{Get Techy} Upgrading Your Mac's Memory

I'm probably the least techy person when it comes to my laptop so if I can do this, YOU can do this. I don't know what took me so long to do this but I'm so glad I finally did.  It's seriously so easy to do.

If you can handle a screwdriver, you can do this.  My friendly Apple Genius pointed me to the website Other World Computing for my memory upgrade.  The site is simple to navigate and helps you find your model number, amount of memory you can upgrade to (I went from 4GB to 16 GB) and provides instructional videos for installation.

If you follow this video, you can see how I upgraded my RAM space.   My only glitch was not having a small enough (++) Phillips head screwdriver when I was ready to upgrade. You can order that from the company as well but I didn't and realized I needed it after the fact. I found a set at Lowe's that had the size I needed for less than $10.  

The video link also has step by step instructions and photos which were so helpful  The difficulty level was EASY so it was the perfect first techy project for me.   You basically open up the back of the laptop, remove the old memory modules and insert the new memory modules then close it back up. Easy peasy!

Since the upgrade, my laptop doesn't crash when I have multiple tabs open. I can listen to my favorite Sirius radio station and work on Photoshop at the same time!  It also feels faster in general.

We upgraded College Girl's Mac when she was last home too. Just call me Mrs. Tech!

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{Cozy Toes}Cabin Socks That I LOVE

Here's another one of my favorite things lately.  These cabin socks from Yaktrax are the best ever! 

I consider myself a fuzzy sock expert and aficionado but it wasn't until I received these for Christmas that I discovered cozy sock perfection.The socks are thick and comfy with a wool-like warmth (plus cute style!) and they are lined with the softest plush fleece.

The aloe infused fleece is what makes them so special. Your feet feel like they are wrapped in a soft warm hug. You'll never want to take them off.  I've found them at Dick's Sporting Goods and I've been gifting them to people I love.  They may seem a little pricey at $12.99/pair--for socks?! But they are always BOGO, so that breaks down to $6.50/pair.

Disclaimer: Not sponsored, just really like them!

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Breakfast For Dinner-Vegan Pancakes

Sometimes you just want plain old, nothing fancy, pancakes for dinner (at least I do).  My pancake game has gotten much stronger now that I have this nifty griddle but I hadn't found the perfect vegan pancake recipe yet.

This one came pretty close but I'm still going to be experimenting with recipes. The batter was a little thick so I would add more almond milk next time. I also used a combination of half all purpose/half whole wheat flour to bump up the nutrition.  I doubled the recipe and had some leftovers for quick breakfasts on busy mornings.

To add even more goodness, I sauteed some apples with coconut oil spray and cinnamon to top the pancakes.  Are you a pancake fan? What's your favorite pancake recipe?

You might also like to try these:

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

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{DIY} Make Your Own Fire Starters

Did you know you could make your own DIY fire starters from stuff you probably throw out? If you do, then you can move along and check out one of my many other posts. If not, here's a tutorial for you!

To make these {DIY} fire starters, all you need are:

Empty toilet paper rolls

Dryer Lint

Old birthday candles (optional)

Wax Paper (optional)

When I found out I could use dryer lint for these guys, I started collecting it with a vengeance. I store it in a vase in the laundry room.  Once I have enough lint and tubes, I can get to work on the fire starters.

Loosely pack the lint into the tubes.  Add an old candle (optional) into the center. The wax from the candle keeps the fire starter burning longer.

These are all ready to go but if you like, you can also wrap them in wax paper (more wax=more burn time).

Plus they look pretty cute and keep the lint inside.

Set up your fire and add a few fire starters. I started with two of them.  Light the fire starters.

Add more as needed.  The trick is for the fire starter to burn long enough to get the wood going. I used 3 or 4 for this fire because the wood wasn't super dry.

Enjoy your (practically) free fire! 

What's your favorite recycled/upcycled household tip?

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February-Cancer Prevention Month

I was contacted by Sarah at the Mesothelioma Asbestos Awareness Center to bring some focus to National Cancer Prevention Month which is this month of February. 

I learned that we can all do three simple things to help prevent certain types of cancer.  

1) Develop healthy eating habits

2) Exercise regularly

3) Maintain a healthy weight 

Here's a checklist of other risk factors to be aware of in our homes and communities to avoid asbestos.

For more information, visit www.maacenter.org.

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{Recipe} Cheatin' Overnight Oats

I've been having this breakfast on repeat lately.  I usually make up a batch of these Simple Steel Cut Oats every week and keep them in the fridge to heat up in the mornings as needed.  But lately I've been wanting overnight-type oats so I came up with my own version.

To make: Put some cold cooked oatmeal into a wide mouthed Mason jar (or bowl). Add some almond milk (or sub milk of choice) and stir. Add 1-2 TBS of chia seeds and stir to combine. Let sit for about 10 minutes so chia seeds can absorb the liquid. You can let this sit longer if you like. Go about your day and think about your toppings.

 After about 10 minutes or so, give it another stir and start adding your toppings. I like to add a drizzle of maple syrup, lots of cinnamon and some sunflower seed butter and then give it another stir. Add fruit of choice to the top -bananas have been my go-to lately. Then it's more cinnamon and some hemp seeds on top. Dig in and enjoy!

This day I also added some defrosted frozen mango and coconut flakes. Yum!  Other mix-ins/toppings are: nut butters, nuts, sunflower seeds, granola, chocolate chips,brown sugar and agave or honey. Go to town!

My Original Overnight Oats

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{Recipe} Seaweed Salad

Whenever we go out for sushi, I have to order the seaweed salad as an appetizer.  It's some addictive stuff, I tell ya! I never thought of making it at home until I found this recipe.  It pairs perfectly with our DIY Vegan Sushi.

 I found the dried kelp in the Asian section of my supermarket.   While researching this post, I found out that kelp is not only tasty but really good for you. It's a type of seaweed that is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.   You can read more about the health benefits of kelp here.

 Ingredients:

2 oz dried konbu kelp

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

2 TBS liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

1 TBS rice vinegar

drizzle of Siracha (opt)

2 tsp sesame seeds

1) Cut the kelp into strips with clean kitchen scissors, this is much easier to do when it's dry. Next time I will cut mine a little thinner because once they soak in the water, the swell up.

2) Soak the kelp strips for about an hour.

3) After the kelp is done soaking, rinse and dry it.   I placed mine on a clean dish towel and patted it down. You can also let it air dry.  (See how thick the strips are now? I prefer them thinner--but they are hard to cut once they've been soaked, they become very slippery!)

4) Combine the dried off kelp in a bowl with the other ingredients. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavors.

5) When serving you can add a little more sesame seeds and Siracha if you like.  So what do you think?  Are you game for some seaweed?

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