Finding the Perfect Bra

Today we're going to talk about taking care of the girls. I recently read something like 90% of women don't wear the correct size bra. I already know I'm one of them, just always believed because 32 was the smallest band size they make and adolescent bras didn't have big enough cups that that was clearly my correct size. Right?

Wrong. That's just the smallest size must chain stores carry.

I also believed that cup sized were straight forward. A's were tiny and D's were huge. It was cookie cutter boobs to fill them.

Wrong again. I blame Barbie. Crazy bitch feeling my head with all kinds of unrealistic beliefs.

I started snooping around the internet. Searching the internet can be described as a cross between getting sucked into a black hole and lost forever or falling down the rabbit hole. You have no idea where you are or how you got there but it's a very fascinating while there.

The best thing is to go to a lingerie store and get measured. It can be hard to find a good one. It needs to be one with a range of sizes and not a chain store like Victoria Secret. As lovely as those girls are, they are not actually trained beyond corporate expectations to push and sell their merchandise. This is why I believed 32-40 A-DD was all that existed. I also believed 32 was a new invention. Seriously, I was that misled.

I also wasn't aware that boobs can be either full on top or full on bottom. This can lead to the gap on top of the bra between your bra and your boob. So, even though it may seem like the wrong size cup it may just be the wrong style cut of the bra. I'm very heavy on bottom so I need some padding to hike them up. A style like balconette does not work for me at all.

O the things we learn.

Most women are wearing bras that are too big in the band and several cup sizes too small. Again, this goes back to the programming of cookie cutter cup sized boobs. Truth is, a 34D is only a fraction the size of a 40D. Your cup size is simply determined by the number of inches between your ribcage and breast measurement.

So here's how to measure... you may need your honey or best friend to help you with this. You will need a measuring tape.

First, figure out your band size. You need to be topless for an accurate reading. Wrap the measuring tape around you. Next, bend over. Make sure the tape is flush against your skin and sits under your breasts where your ribs and breast begin. It should be pretty snug. You want to know your rib cage measurement. If the measurement is an odd number you will need to round up to the next even number. 33 goes to 34. That's say you measured at 34 1/4 or 1/2 then you would round down to 34. You wouldn't round up because that would put you at 36 and the band would end up too loose. Write that number down.

Now, the next part can be a bit controversial. Some will claim to use the +0, +2, or +4 method. All this means is how many inches to add. The +0 might be too tight and uncomfortable for some woman. The +2 is best. Since I've been wearing a +8 I can only go to a +4 right now and will transition into a +2. Use the 34 we took earlier... +0 would be a 34 band, +2 a 36 band, and +4 a 38 band. You can see how much bigger the bands get, This is why going no higher than +2 is best. The weight of your breasts need to be supported by your band not your straps.

Now measure your boobs. Now bend over again and measure around your breast. The measuring tape shouldn't be loose where it could slip off and on without changing shape but not tight to where it squishes them out of shape either. Subtract that number from the band size number. The remaining number is your cup size. Every inch equals a cup. A =1, B =2, and so on (These are US measurements, European will be different). If you feel unsure this is the best calculator out there right now. Yes, cups go far beyond DD. Most stores just do not accommodate these women. Most likely these companies are run by men. I'm sure if we set them down and explained most woman go beyond DD up to size O they would be ecstatic and we would have unlimited resources available to us easily. For now, we must go to specialty shops online to find them. I have always been wearing a 34B my whole life and it turns out my +0 correct size is 26G. Since I'm used to something looser I'm going for 28F, or even 30DDD/E. These ranges are called sister sizes. You can interchange if you need. If you go up a band size then you need to go down a cup size. Try to wear as snug as possible because, as we have all learned, our bras do stretch out over time. When you buy a bra you should be hooking it on the last hook. I've always heard tightest or middle. This is wrong. You want the third or loosest hook that way when it loosens over time, as it will, you can tighten it up. Seems obvious to me now.

If you would like to see pictures how the proper fit will change your shape check out this link here.

Finding these sizes can be hard to find. So far I've only been able to do so online. Here are a few sites:

Bravissimo
Figleaves
Brastop
Ewa Michalak

So there you have it ladies... the proper way to support your girls. Why not turn it into a girls night so the girls can help support the girls. Drink some wine measure each other and order your new bras together online. Make a girls night of it :)

Scotch Eggs

Something new we have just discovered in our house are scotch eggs. Have you ever tried these? They were very interesting. Definitely will be making more appearances in our house. Not the healthiest thing around so we can't have it every day....but what is life without a few indulgences???

Hard boiled eggs
Breakfast sausage
eggs for coating
cornflakes
oil for frying
Optional: shredded cheddar cheese
                bacon
                hollandaise sauce for dipping

Basic instructions:
Start by hard boiling your eggs. Once cooked, peel and wrap in uncooked breakfast sausage. In a small bowl crunch up cornflakes. In another small bowl whisk up a few eggs to use for coating. Heat oil for frying. After wrapping sausage, dip in egg and roll in cornflakes. Fry in oil until cooked through. About 5-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Variations:
Crumble up your sausage in a bowl as before and mix in shredded cheddar cheese. Wrap bacon around hard boil egg before wrapping it in sausage. Fry as above. I like to use a toothpick to poke a few holes through the sausage so the bacon cooks up crispy as well.

You can make hollandaise sauce for dipping. I prefer to have it on the side. If I am making the sauce and the variation, I leave the cheese out of it.


Hollandaise Sauce:

4 egg yolks
1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of cayenne
Pinch of salt

Act crazy and whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Simple Grilled Veggies

The grill is great for things other than just meat. The grill will bring out an amazing flavor in vegetables. It doesn't take much for a great combo. Anything you have in your fridge can be tossed together. One of my favorite combos is onions, bell peppers, and zucchini.

I've found a grill tray is best for this, otherwise they fall through the cracks. It can still be done you just have to be careful.

Above, I have sliced and combined all in a bowl. Then I sprinkled onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, and seasoning salt. Season to taste, I applied generously. Drizzle a touch of extra virgin olive oil and mix well.

The amount of time it spends on the grill depends on the heat of your grill. I do not place mine directly over the flame or it will burn, however, I do place it nearby it. Fix the pieces occasionally and grill until they are soft.

This comes out so delicious even the dog was quick to eat the pieces I had dropped on the ground.

Play with the seasonings to find your perfect combo. Italian seasonings or Mexican seasonings can be used to change flavor. If you are nervous about combining your own cheat and grab Tony's or any type of Grill Mates or Mrs. Dash. I like to combine my own because I like to be in control of the flavor intensity. If you have never had any type of veggies on the grill before you will be thanking me for this!

ENJOY!!!

Southern Sun Tea

Yesterday, it was 105 in the shade. And it's still June which means over the next two months who knows where the temperature will go. Trying to stay positive about this heat...it's time to make sun tea.

Around here in the South, most of us have grown up on sun tea. Simply, it is tea brewed by the sun. It has a different taste. Possibly tastes different because it's slow brewed? I don't know. I just know it's good. Lately, I hear a lot of bad press about it. They say it's dangerous and because it is done so slow it just breeds bacteria. Not true. I lived on it as well as most people I know. No one has ever had a problem with it. It is perfectly safe as long as you use a little common sense. It will not last as long as boiled tea. I would say two days, maybe three. Normally it doesn't last that long anyway.

To start, you need to buy a sun tea pitcher. These can be difficult to find now and you may have to order one. Lately it seems they are becoming plastic. You want a glass one instead. The plastic brews chemicals into your tea, it doesn't heat the same, just trust me when I say stay away from the plastic ones. If you can't find one, or don't want to brew as much because your family will not drink it you can use Mason jars to brew individual servings.



To Brew:

Fill your jar (it's probably a 2-quart) with water. I like to use pure water, nothing from the tap. It will taste better. Add 4-6 tea bags. If you wish to mix it up you can replace a few of the bags with herbal tea bags. Place in direct sun and leave for 3-5 hours depending on size of jar and desired tea strength. The tea will be more mellow than regular brewed tea. You may have to move it around in the yard to keep in direct sun. Once it is brewed you may take the bags out or leave them in and place it immediately in the fridge.



Fill your cup, add ice and whatever fruit you may want and enjoy!!

Cut the Cost of "Instant" Oatmeal

Now days, we are all looking for ways to stretch a dollar. With the rapidly increasing groceries prices we need to become clever with our shopping lists.

My son loves oatmeal. I love it because it feels him up in the mornings. If he gets hungry at school he turns into a monster. Normally I fix a small bowl of oatmeal on the side with eggs and sausage or something else. As a single mom, my budget is really stretched. One day I did the math and realized how much I was actually spending for those pre-packaged oatmeal packets.

A box of 10 packets costs 2.88. If he eats only one packet on school days the box will lasts two weeks. In one month I can spend 5.76 just on oatmeal. That really doesn't seem that bad. However, he's a growing boy and can eat two or three of those packets at a time. Even though it doesn't seem like much, we have all learned that these little things add up quick. What you are paying for with these packets is the convenience. Which I love. Mornings are not easy in my house. I decided I would make my own packets so I could save both time and money. This is just something extra I put together during my Sunday prep. Even though it seems like I'm adding more time onto myself, I really only do this about once a month or so.



Instant Oatmeal Packets:

Use ziplock bags for each packet and just measure the ingredients right into it. Add 1/2 cup quick-cooking or 1 minute oats into each bag. Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a pinch of salt. The great thing about doing it this way is you can adjust it to your tastes. Omit the salt if you want or add dried fruit to it. I grow a lot of different things but the things I don't grow I buy when they are in season and freeze. Or I chop up an apple or banana and throw in there.


Here's the Numbers:

1 box of 10 packets is $2.88 (10 servings ) about 30 cents per serving.
1 can of oats is $3.98  ( 30 servings ) about 12 cents per serving.

At Sam's Club you can purchase a box that contains two five-pound bags costs $7.98
   ( 110 servings ) about 7 cents a serving.

If you continued to buy the pre-packaged packets to get to 110 servings would be 11 boxes at a total of $31.68.

When you are doing your kitchen prep have your kids do this. You spend time together and get them involved. It's almost impossible to mess this one up and if they're doing it themselves, they might be more willing to eat the dried fruit if you choose to throw it in there.