Family Fun: Easy Recipes for All Occassions

Family Fun sends great emails with tips for crafts and recipes. While I do like the meal planner I found elsewhere, there were some great recipes on today's emails that look like fun!
My favorites from today were Easy Egg Rolls and Scrumptious Pretzels, both things I have wanted to try the past few weeks.
If you try them out, let me know!

Sick and Tired.... Literally

This past week, I got a bit of a bug and was too tired to think straight. So I was literally sick and tired! And today, feeling a little more recuperated, I felt it was about time I blogged again! So I am going to add a post to my preschool blog and hope that my readers have not left me forever.

That is the day of a mom, sick and tired, literally or figuratively!.

BlogTipping for September

I am joining in with other work at home mom blogs to blogtip other blogs.
I have not blogtipped in forever, but trying to get back into the habit! This time, I am participating with the Smart Moms Work at Home Moms Forum.

Blogtipping Definition: Blogtipping is where you publish a blog post in which you link to three unsuspecting blogs and offer three compliments and/or one helpful tip to each blogger. (Or adapt those numbers to your own preferences; the principle of selflessness is what matters most here.) Blogtipping is a refreshing and useful surprise that can start a blogger’s month with a huge smile!

It is great to find other blogs that have wonderful information and to encourage others to view your blog.

This month's tips:

Danielle's Altered Art World and Homeschool Blog
Women Who Have Pet Peeves blog
A great new find- Retro Housewife Goes Green

Check them out!

Guest Blogger: Loose Thread Stitchers

Here is a motivational letter from Colleen. She is on a journey to earn $30,000 in 30 days. Read her letter and see if you can help, or know someone that can. She is accepting small in kind donations or large investor contributions... who knows if you are one that can be the one!


I would like to start my story by thanking Rebekah for the opportunity to guest blog on her site and tell others my story. It was a very generous offer and I truly appreciate the opportunity.

Good day! My name is Colleen Leader and I am a SAHM who is trying to accomplish a Herculean task. No I am not talking about potty training my 2 year old or take 3 children under 5 to the grocery store at lunch time. That is for a super mom (if she is reading this could she shoot me a quick e-mail with the answers. I would appreciate it! Thanks). I better start from the beginning.

I am fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my 3 small children (4 years, 2 years and 9 months) full time. Over the years watching my children grow, I have realized that an individual can do anything they set their mind to do. I think any mom with small children and a jar full of cookies can attest to that! So I thought to myself, why not, take the chance and finally commit to making my dream a reality. That day Loose Thread Stitchers was born.

You should probably sit down for this. Seriously, are you ready? I am on a mission to raise $30,000 in 30 days to fund my dream – www.LooseThreadStitchers.com. I know you think I am off my rocker but allow me to explain.

I have spent the past 5 years researching and developing an online company that will revolutionize the needlework industry. We have self funded the project until now. Currently, we need an additional $30,000 to finish our site and launch in time for our first tradeshow at the Stitching Jubilee.

I have created a blog to narrate my journey. Each day I will post my adventures in creating funding opportunities and how my work is paying off. I truly believe that $30,000 in 30 days is possible. Won’t you join me and help make my dream a reality?

BTW – My husband and I has Chinese tonight and I quickly ate my dinner and ran right back into the office to finish my work. He just came in the office and handed me my fortune cookie. My cookie read, ”Your dearest dream is coming true”. How cool is that?

I look forward to reading your comments and suggestions and feel free to pass my story along – you never know who could change your life and make your dreams come true!

Things just got interesting!

In Stitches,
Colleen



Hope you are inspired to make your own dream come true or to help Colleen!

Homemade Laundry Detergent- It Works!

I FINALLY made the homemade laundry detergent. I have an HE washer, and it seems to work well. Of course, I was putting most all of the ingredients in there anyway! I saved three of the old laundry detergent (ultra liquid) containers, and filled all three PLUS I still had half a bucket full. I just kept it in there and scooped it out, although a milk jug would be good too. I use as much as recommended by my laundry machine manufacturer in the soap dispenser and did not add fabric softener. AND I hang my clothes to dry. They were still soft and CLEAN!

This is the recipe I used:

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

I chose this one because I wanted to see it gel (and it did!) and it did not seem to make an atrocious amount. I also added 10 drops of Phthalate Free Fragrance Oil in Clothesline Fresh from GoPlanetEarth.com. I probably should have added more, but there is a subtle scent.

Altogether, this had to of costs not more than $2.00 for all of it. And there is a lot! Let me know if you try it!

Smart Moms Blog Carnival

Thanks to Vicki for hosting the Smart Moms Blog Carnival. Vicki has her own blog at Simply Vicki. Make sure you check her and the other postings there.

This carnival is sponsored by Smart Moms Smart Business forum as part of our $25 US American Express gift card give away. If you have not already, check it out!

The topic for this carnival is balance.

Having started back to work after a great summer off, the meaning of balance means more this time of year than any other.

I am not only a wife, mom, and teacher, but a volunteer, club member, church member, and Moms group leader.

That requires a lot of balance (and a good husband).

Balance is important to keep you sane! Without a balance of your personal and business life, one or the other will be off kilter and make you crazy!

Being off balance in your personal time and volunteer time will make you the champion of volunteerism, but a loser with your family.

All of areas I have to balance are important to me, but I occasionally have to remind myself that God and family are the most important and need to be given the priority.

If you find yourself off balance, make a change. Give something up. Say no.

It is not easy or maybe not what you want, but sanity is a much better option!

Cool Reusable Shopping Bags

My addiction to great handbags has flowed into an addiction to great reusable shopping bags... how life changes.

I found these through my friends Homeschool Diva website through a recommendation for a going green tip site. You can buy them individually or as a set in one pouch. Too cute! And so much better than the grocery store brand (plus they take up less space in the cart!). Check them out.

P.S. Join the Ideal Bite and get free shipping on these great bags from Ecoist!

And pat yourself on the back for saving the plastic!

Work at Home Mom Forum $25 Giveaway

As one of the owners of a Work at Home Mom forum, call the Smart Moms Forum, I am offering a $25 gift card for an End of Summer Points giveaway. There are lots of ways to earn points, just by posting on the forum, giving us your introduction if you are new, or visiting some other sites and blogs. The one with the highest points wins! So if you want to win a $25 US Am Ex gift card, join the fun (and you do not have to be a work at home mom.... you can work outside the home, stay at home (although we know all stay at home moms work!), or do a little of it all!

Read more about the contest here!

Hope to see you there!

Bloggy Carnival Winner

I had a great first time response for my Bloggy Giveaway. I am giving a choice of a $10 gift certificate to one lucky winner chosen randomly! There were so many great comments that I could not manage to choose the best so I requested that someone that had not read the comments choose a number 1- 184 (even though a few repeated, I did not want to exclude or make judgments on comments)...

The lucky name chosen was Emily B.!

Emily B said... I am thankful for my health and my family's, my wonderful fiance and my great dog. Life is good and I am thankful for that.


Thanks for all those that entered and I appreciate your posting your wonderful comments. Everyone should read them for a good pick me up!

And check out the other Bloggy Carnival Winners and check back in October for the next installment!

Bloggy Giveaways- Check Mine Out

I am participating in the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Blog Carnival. WOW! There are already over 700 entries!

For my giveaway, I am giving a FREE $10 gift card to Starbucks OR Walmart (your choice). All you have to do is comment here on one thing you are thankful for. The one I find the most interesting or the most inspiring will be the winner. The winner will be announced August 1.

***additional information added July 30- I am going to accept comments until August 1 at 11:59 pm- I just love reading how everyone is thankful! I am also going to use a random number drawing to choose the winner- there are just too many good ones. Thanks for stopping by!

Riding a 2 Wheeler

My son saw that his cousin, just 6 months older, could ride a 2 wheel bike, while his still had his training wheels (he just turned 5). He still had to choose his gift from his grandparents, so he asked for a 2 wheel bike with a kick stand. He is a tall boy and we actually had to get him a 20 in. bike (the 16 in did not have a kickstand!), but we found one with a low seat. He rode in circles as hubby and I held on. Then I went in and looked on the internet for ideas. Using some great guidelines to teach a child to ride a bike, we raised the training wheels on his little bike and let him try- and he balanced. So we took those off in a few minutes and let him try down the driveway into the grass and I let go! He did it. So we moved back to the big bike and he could do it! Yeah! He cannot get on without holding on, but he can peddle away.

Yeah!

And boy am I tired from running along in the hot FL sun!
Whew!

Pictures to be posted soon!

Fisher Price MP3 FP3

We got the kids a Fisher Price FP3 for Christmas and one started having some skipping issues. Figuring we just needed to reload the songs, I went to add the software to our new computer. Well, the old software does not work with Vista, of course. After reading some web postings about there not being a Vista patch, I called the company. They explained to me the problem, emailed me the new program and now it is all fixed. Except now I have to go back and load new music since it erased all the old music! Fun fun, but the kids love them! A toy worth the time and the price!

I Would Have Been Average in the 30's!

57 As a 1930s wife, I am Average Take the test!

As a 30's wife, I am AVERAGE! Probably the same as a '00 wife (is that how you say that!).

Take the test too! Just click the link above and see how you rate.

Thanks Vicki for the link! (she rocked "very superior" as a 30's wife- Go VICKI!)

Saving Money with Coupons

Last weekend, I was given a coupon for a local craft store that was for today, only between 4-8 pm. It was for 25% off anything and everything in the store. Now while that is not much, I would have bought some of the items anyway, so it was a good deal. I saved $15! Whoo hoo! Of course, they also offered a 40% off one item coupon and I was planning to use both. This one cashier (who is never very nice) said "One coupon per day per customer... and they are very strict on that rule." So my hubby became another customer and bought that item for me... a savings of $7.

There are always ways around it, right!?

Hilary Swank was on Opera or something one time and was asked why she uses coupons (she self reported that she cuts coupons weekly)--- she said something like it was like looking money in the face and flushing it down the toilet.

I need to be better at looking at coupons each week!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

In my quest to minimize expenses and find product that are less harsh on the environment, I found TipNut with great recipes for homemade laundry detergent.

I was already to make some today, but then found a new container of store bought soap. So not to waste, I am going to use that up first. Then I will let you know how it goes. If you try it, let me know. You will not only save money (they are all super cheap ingredients), you will help then environment by limiting the amount of chemical agents that go into the earth, and limiting the use of plastics for the containers of the products (reuse those ones you have as many times as you can or leave it in a covered bucket).

And I am still hanging clothes on the line, which is a challenge with daily rain showers, but I am trying my best. I still have not fixed the dryer.

Buy In Bulk, Save More than Money!

We were in another city yesterday that fortunately has a Sam's Club. While we do not always save great amounts of money on the products, we usually save some. But what is better is you save on packaging for the products (because you are not buying all those little packages all wrapped individually). We bought in bulk things like baking soda and crackers, that came in larger packages, but overall less waste. Not to mention Sam's does not bag your groceries and uses the cardboard boxes, all good for the environment too! And we do save some money on the purchases...

All around, a good deal!

Some Great Brownies

I made homemade brownies this weekend for a party- so great! And so easy!

Then I took it and made it a "deceptively delicious" recipe today...

1/2 salted butter, melted
1/2 cup pureed butternut squash or sweet potato
1 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour (unbleached flour)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp wheat germ
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Melt the butter. Cream with the puree and sugars. Add the eggs, flours, wheat germ, vanilla, and cocoa powder and mix until combined. Add chips and gently combine. Using a 9x9 pan (I used a stone), cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.

Yummy and almost healthy! My kids and hubby love them. And you cannot taste the squash at all!

My Savings Inventory:
1 box that the brownie mix would have come in
1 plastic bag the mix would have come in

The cost was probably close to buying brownie mix in the store since I used higher priced products. But I had everything in the pantry, fridge, and freezer already, so that saved the gas of going to the store. :)

Saving Money Around the Home

Over the course of the next weeks, months, year, I am going to make an effort to document how I have changed the habits of my home to save money, be a little "greener", and find alternatives to the high priced living that we have become accustomed to. I have already made some simple changes that have made an impact, like the goal to recycle this year. We are amazed at the amount of items that we are now recycling that were thrown in the garbage. That has not saved me any money per se, but the fact that I am trying to reduce the amount of prepackaged foods and drinks that I consume has saved me money. Buying a simple water container at Target for $1 saves me $1 every time I use it. It pays for itself in just one use! Join me in finding was to save money with your family.

A Great Song

Although I have tried to figure out the meaning to Timbaland and One Republics song Apologize, I cannot. I just love the song and have since I first heard it on So You Think You Can Dance!

Nothing Better than Family

We spent the weekend with my whole family at the beach. Although we did not see each other the whole time (some went shopping, some to the beach, some fishing), we all got together without any large incidents! The cousins had the best time! I am so thankful we have times that we get to get together and have fun!