More, more, more!

So, I was pretty excited about Spring coming!  That meant that I could do stuff in the yard, plant a garden, get some sun and it would actually warm up.  But, I am starting to worry that she changed her mind. We are still having 40 degree days and below freezing nights.  I am not happy about this.  It is the end of March, and some people are getting snow.  I have tried to do some things in the house to pass the time and stay out of the cold, but I am starting to go a little crazy.  At least this past weekend we had pretty exciting stuff going on!

That's right!  Sister came for a long-weekend visit!  I am sure she was ready to go back to school after spending 4 days with the boys.  They really love her, but they also really know how to bug her. I guess that is part of having little brothers.  Thank goodness she is really patient! Just about 2 months left of her senior year, and I think she is counting the days!

You know why I love this girl?  She loves to laugh, loves scary movies (her visits mean a scary movie every night that otherwise would not happen because my husband is a big weenie), she loves  food, and she educates us on music, old and new.  I love her layed-back nature and how great she is with the boys.  I know sometimes she probably wants to duck tape them to a chair!  We will miss her, but the good thing is that we get to see her again very soon!

 

Other things happened this weekend!  Logan started the flag-football season!  He is pretty excited because his coach let him play quarterback.  Just because I can, I will brag a bit. He did a great job on his first game; he ran a touchdown in the first half, then he caught an interception and ran another touchdown and passed the ball for an extra point in the second half.  I was just a little happy for him.  He was pleased as punch that Sister was there to watch:-)

 

I also tried a new bread recipe!  This is supposed to be the same recipe as the one from Outback.  I thought is was pretty darn close.  We managed to finish off both loaves in three days!  Here is the recipe if you are interested: http://ihearteating.com/2013/03/06/honey-wheat-bread-outback-steakhouse-copycat/. The only thing I did not add was the Carmel Coloring the recipe called for.  Apparently it is difficult to find and not all that great for you anyway.  I think it makes the bread that really dark brown, but does not affect the taste.  No one seemed to notice around here!

 

Luke and I also worked really hard to get the seeds started for the garden!  I hope the weather warms up soon cause we already have sprouts!

 

I also decided that maybe if I add a little color inside, maybe spring will catch up outside!  I really want to paint our bedroom.  I don't really mind the color, but it makes it difficult to change things around when I need a change.  Because painting our room is like number 25 on my list of things to do, I decided to make it simple for right now. I snagged the quilt (below pic) at an antique shop for $20!  I loved the colors and thought that maybe I could make some pillow covers to go with it. 

It most definitely added some color!

 

I decided to do the same for the family room!

I have a ton of scraps thanks in part to my need to hoard fabric, and I used pillows we already had!  It was a cheap and easy way to change it up.

 

Last but not least, this will be given to a sweet baby boy born last weekend! 

 

Here is hoping for a warmer Spring!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just cause I have the time!

Yep, I have time to do other stuff now!  So, I will bug you all with pictures and projects once again!  And, I have sooo many projects planned.  Obviously, I have to get the gardens up and running.  We are still having a few really cold nights, so nothing in the ground yet.  I do have seeds and planters ready to start inside.

 

I have big plans for all of the goodies I pray will grow this year, hence the jars.  I am on a mission to make tomato sauce and strawberry preserves.  It can't be that hard, right? 

 

We also got the compost up and running this week!

 

We tried our best to dig up worms, but I think it is just too cold.  We broke down and bought some from one of the coolest hardware stores in Charlotte.  Renfrow's is just like the old hardware stores.  They have a little of everything including the screen door that slams shut behind you.  The boys love to go there because they keep baby chicks and crickets.  I love to go there because they have everything plus stuff I didn't know I needed or wanted. 

Yes, they have a Pepsi cooler with actual glass-bottled drinks for sale!

 

I also took these two in for their very important microchips...

...they were not impressed with the carrier, but it was a quick trip!  After we lost Charlie almost two years ago now, I didn't want to take any chances with these two! 

 

And, lastly, we made the decision to split up the boys:-( This has been coming.  Logan has been asking for several months now, but this letter he wrote at school was pretty much the breaking point for us!

I happened to be at the school several weeks ago, and I came across a bulletin board outside Logan's classroom.  They had been practicing letter writing, and this was the letter he wrote to Lyndon and me.  How could we refuse his request after such a letter?  Honestly, I was ready to be done with the playroom.  It was always a disaster, and they would drag toys downstairs anyway.  It has actually made it a lot easier on me:-)  The playroom is a bit smaller than the room they were sharing, but Luke was pretty happy to have his own space.

At least now Logan can get some sleep.  We realized that Luke really is quite the night owl.  I was very sad that they have gotten to the point of wanting to be separated, but I know it is for the best.  They are complete opposite in personality.  I feel like they were just sleeping in the same bed not too long ago.

 

Besides the garden, we have another big project in the works.  More to come on that very soon!!

 

Happy Wednesday!

 

 

 

New Tries and Leprechauns!!

Ok, so as you may recall from my last post, I am really trying to cut back on the amount of shopping at the grocery store.  I have also been trying to make a lot more of what we eat from scratch.  I have been visiting lots of blogs to get food ideas and money-saving tips.  You may have already seen this blog advertised: www.blissfulanddomestic.com.  This family is living off of $14,000 a year, granted they paid cash for their house and have no car payments.  We are not quite there yet:-) However, I am totally impressed with what she is doing with her food budget.  It would basically mean that I would have to cut our budget in half just for groceries, but I am going to give it a try.  That also means that I am making a lot of stuff on my own.  That is fine; I hope I can save money and make healthier stuff in the process. Here are a couple of my attempts this past week!

I made homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli.  It was ok, but honestly, it tasted more like a dessert than dinner.  I put it with salmon, something I knew everyone would eat just in case this didn't go over very well.  I made the dough out of organic wheat flour.  They boys liked the squash inside better than the dough.  I think I will try it again with a different filling.  This would also be excellent with an apple filling for a dessert! I am not going to lie.  This took a lot of time, and I prayed everyone would like it because it was so time consuming.  Unfortunately, it was just ok. 

 

 

This was sooo much better!  Lyndon was not feeling so great today, so I wanted to make him comfort food.  I didn't have the right kind of noodles for chicken noodle soup, but I did have everything for baked potato soup!  This was a big hit!  It, too, was a bit time consuming, but it was worth it. Lyndon had three helpings, Logan had two and Luke ate a few bites (better than most stuff I make).  I consider that a win! 

Here is the recipe if you are interested: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Potato-Soup-III/Detail.aspx.

My weekend was  pretty exciting too! I found a composter on sale for $35 (it is the little things)!  I have tried to compost in the past by making my own compost container, but it just didn't work out for me.  I have been too cheap to buy one, but I couldn't pass this up.  I am amazed at the list of stuff you can compost!  I just visited few sites to put a list from including this one: http://www.plantea.com/compost-materials.htm.  I am really hoping that my compost will give my gardens a boost this year.  And, I am even more exited to tell you that I snagged several wood pallets to use as garden boxes as I plan to expand my small side-yard garden with the addition of two more garden areas in the back!  I will surely post pics when I get them all set up! 

We also had a wee visitor yesterday...

 

 

 

Decker, the Leprechaun, stopped by late last night for a potty break.  He has visited here a couple of times before and left a huge mess behind.  This time he left a mess, but he also left gold-chocolate coins for the boys.  They were so very determined to catch him this year and made their own traps.  They were disappointed that the traps didn't work, but they got chocolate, so who cares?! I should say that they have each started work on traps for next year...I have to find a place to store them until then.

Have a fabulous week!!

Into March We Go!

 

Other than being pregnant, I cannot think of another time when I was so happy to be done with something!  The yearbook is completed and will be submitted in just a short week.  It has been a love-hate kind of thing.  Some days I have been excited to be a part of this, and some days it took everything I had not to drop-kick the computer across the room.  And, for the two of you who actually read this, yes, I have signed on for next year...I just know it will go smoother next year, though! Besides the yearbook, I have been busy with lots of other stuff. I have wanted to update the blog, but every time I sit down at the computer I thought of something else I needed for the yearbook.

 

You will all be exited to hear that we have moved into the 21st century with the addition of Netflix!  I think that Lyndon may decide to get rid of it, however, as I have discovered the vast array of documentaries Netflix offers.  I have watched everything from religion to hippies and in between.  So, basically we are going to move to a remote area of India, become Hindu and live out our days bathing in the streams and foraging for berries. Lyndon is convinced that is what we are on our way to doing with the changes I am making. I am not going to those extremes, but I have been watching a bunch of shows on processed foods, farm foods and household chemicals which is a little disturbing.  I have made some changes especially in my cleaning products and a lot of the food I am buying.  Surprisingly, the changes I have made are saving us money:-) Lyndon can't complain about that.  I have done a little at a time, starting with my laundry detergent.  After watching one of the documentaries, I did some research and realized that I was paying a lot of money for detergent that is full of a bunch of unnecessary stuff (and I am paying even more for HE).  So, I read up on detergents and found that a few basic ingredients were all you need to make a safe and effective detergent. I have used my homemade detergent for about a month now, and I am very happy with it.  It is not perfumey, but rather fresh and clean smelling.  I don't have to use a cup of it to do a wash, only a tablespoon (sometimes two for the really nasty stuff).  It also turns out that it is even better for your HE machine as it does not produce suds, the point behind HE detergents.  For those of you who are really interested, I will include my homemade recipes at the end of the post! I have also made my own household cleaners, mouthwash, shampoo, and, wait for it, deodorant!  I have used my family as guinea pigs.  Logan has been my favorite subject.  I love this kid because he will try anything and has been very supportive of my efforts.  Lyndon has been supportive, but he is a bit more skeptical.  He is just not as big on change, but when I tell him I can save us money, he seems to be more excited.  Then there is Luke.  For those of you who know Luke, his first answer to any question is NO.  He is not a fan of anything I have done, but as I weed stuff out of the house, he won't have a choice.  I have had fun with it, and I am excited to save money and to back away from the insane amount of products out that are just wasteful and unhealthy. What it boils down to is that the good old-fashioned stuff our grandparents used, is simply the best.  I have also been trying to weed out more and more processed foods, attempting to make the stuff that I, again, spend too much money on knowing it is unhealthy.  I am in the market for a good sandwich bread recipe if anyone reading this has one they can share.  I attempted a couple of loaves last week, and they tasted good, but they didn't cut it for sandwiches.

I was proud of my two loaves of homemade bread!

Apparently, the animals liked it too.  I placed one loaf on the island to cool off.  At some point, Lyndon and I heard some strange sounds and got up to investigate.  We think they all worked together to get the bread, perhaps Maddi knocked it off, but all three were caught chomping down on it.  They scattered, but I got a pic of the damage:-(

 

Next I am going to attempt making my own tomato sauce and my own strawberry jam along with homemade granola bars and other snacks for the boys!  I will let you know how that goes when I attempt it...

 

 

Other things have been happening too!  Lyndon and I recently took a work trip to Pinehurst.  If you are not familiar with Pinehurst, let me tell you that this place is the place to be if you like anything golf.  I am not a fan of golf, but I will say that Pinehurst is quite beautiful! 

 

 

We spent three nights at Pinehurst and enjoyed some really good food and shopping.  I visited the spa rather than the golf course!  The weather really didn't cooperate until the last day, so we spent a lot of time indoors. It was a nice getaway, and we had fun while Mom got to spend some fun, alone time with her grandsons:-) I think she is still recovering!

 

Luke has also had another field trip to see bugs at a nature preserve! He wasn't exactly thrilled that I signed him up to go, but once there, he got into it!

 

 

Logan has also been busy at school. He is still loving it, and I could not be more happy with his progress! He thrives there, and I pray that he always has a love for school!

 

 

 

And, we got snow!!!

 

 

 

 

 

It snowed over night, melted by about noon the next day, the kids were enjoying sunshine from noon until about 6, and then it started to sleet . The weather here has been weird!  I am sooo over the cold and can't wait for warmer weather and a fresh garden!

And,yes, those are large container lids. When you don't get snow on a regular basis, you make due! Thanks to our New Jersey neighbor for showing us how it is done!

 

Here are some recipes for you!! I hope your start to Spring is a fabulous one!

 

Homemade Laundry Powder:

1 Cup Baking Soda or Washing Soda

1 Cup Borax

1 Bar of Fels Naptha

All three of these can be found in the laundry aisle at Wal-Mart.  The Fels Naptha looks like a large bar of soap.  I used my cheese grater at first, but then I had to put it in my food processor to grind it to make it smaller pieces.  Then, I just mixed it in with the Borax and soda.  Some places I looked at online said to use the Washing Soda as the Baking Soda fades clothes.  I have not had a problem with that, however, and the Washing Soda is not available everywhere.  Once it is mixed, I put 1 to 2 tablespoons directly into the drum with the clothes.  It will not suds up, but it isn't supposed to.  Then I dry as usual! You may need to mix it up the powder each time you use it.  The Fels Naptha tends to push its way up to the top. Place it in a container with tight fitting lid! Info was found at: http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/homemade-laundry-powder.htm.

 

 

Homemade Mouthwash:

Mix 2 ounces of Water

 1/4 Teaspoon of baking soda or Sea Salt

1 drop of Pure Peppermint Oil.

I boiled some water and just measured out what I needed.  I made enough to put fill up an old hydrogen peroxide bottle. I found this at http://www.ultimate-cosmetics.com/beauty/homemade-recipes/mouthwash.htm.

 

 

Homemade Shampoo:

Mix equal parts pure castile soap, my favorite is Dr. Bronner's in peppermint, with water.  Again, I boiled my water just to remove any unwanted stuff!  I then added a few drops of peppermint oil.  I will say that if you have a lot of hair, you will need to rinse very well and perhaps with cold water. Soap is a bit more difficult to get out than regular shampoo.  Also, if you have color in your hair, this will strip it.  Pure castile soap is really good for a lot of things, but hair color is not one of them according the the info I read.  This shampoo has been great on the boys' hair, and I love it on mine as long as I rinse well.  I have been using a little Apple Cider Vinegar as a rinse afterwards because it makes it easier to get a comb through it!

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/castile-soap-shampoo.html

 

You can also make pretty much any household cleaner you need using the following ingredients!

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Borax

Lemons

Olive Oil

Alcohol

Castile Soap

Here is a site that can give you more info if you are interested:

http://organizedhome.com/clean-house/pantry-recipes-homemade-cleaning-products?page=2

 

Homemade Deodorant:

Rub dry baking soda on armpit

Rub Regular Baby Powder on top of that

I played around with homemade deodorants before I came across this combo! I swear to you that it works better than even the store bought stuff.  The truth is that I am not much of a sweater, but it does help somewhat with that.  What amazes me is that even after a very long day, amazingly, I am not smelly:-) I even had Lyndon smell me (TMI alert, sorry).  He was very impressed! The big test came the other day when I ran.  Even after 4 miles, I was stinky free! I will continue to use it and update you if there are any changes! There was not website for this, I just played around with it!

 

As I do more homemade stuff, I will be sure to share!

Happy March!