I started this post...wrote quite a lot and then just erased it all because it was boring! I didn't even like writing it.
It's the heat. I'm spent.
I didn't even cook dinner - I made a tomato sandwich and let Little Hauss eat cold pizza (for the 2nd time today - dont' judge).
I've neglected laundry.
I didn't go to the grocery store.
I didn't wash the car.
I ate ice cream.
Maybe I'm not ready for summer. I can't even seem to function in this heat!
4.26.2009
4.22.2009
Freebies
So, I feel like I've turned into this crazed woman hunting down deals, coupons, and freebies, but I assure you, I haven't! I'm just on a roll and wanted to pass along a few more things!
First of all, in honor of Earth Day, Reynolds Wrap is now making foil completely of recycled aluminum! They are giving away a FREE roll TODAY ONLY!!! It's actually a rebate! But still, it ends up being FREE after you mail it in. Check it out at www.reynolds100.com and enter your info to print off the rebate form. Only one per household!
Another freebie is the reusable shopping bag from Kroger. You need to go to www.kroger.com and enter to win teh $1000 in free groceries!!! Who couldn't use that? So, in order to enter, you need to "design" a shopping bag for the contest. It doesn't take too much time and it's very simple. Once you enter that, you get a free bag!
Ok, this last one is interesting and I warn you that I've not tried it and my source was an E-mail forward, so I can't say if it is true! If it works as good as it says it will, it will be my new best friend for the next few months!
Use Listerine for bug spray? I know it sounds completely wacko, but at about $2 a bottle, it might be worth a try instead of those pricy yucky smelling bug sprays! So, the idea is to pour into a sprayer/sray bottle and douse the deck, furniture, door frames, swing sets, standing water, you name it! It did say to not spray directly on wood, like a door, but the frame instead! I'm anxious to see if it really does a good job! I'll let you know!
First of all, in honor of Earth Day, Reynolds Wrap is now making foil completely of recycled aluminum! They are giving away a FREE roll TODAY ONLY!!! It's actually a rebate! But still, it ends up being FREE after you mail it in. Check it out at www.reynolds100.com and enter your info to print off the rebate form. Only one per household!
Another freebie is the reusable shopping bag from Kroger. You need to go to www.kroger.com and enter to win teh $1000 in free groceries!!! Who couldn't use that? So, in order to enter, you need to "design" a shopping bag for the contest. It doesn't take too much time and it's very simple. Once you enter that, you get a free bag!
Ok, this last one is interesting and I warn you that I've not tried it and my source was an E-mail forward, so I can't say if it is true! If it works as good as it says it will, it will be my new best friend for the next few months!
Use Listerine for bug spray? I know it sounds completely wacko, but at about $2 a bottle, it might be worth a try instead of those pricy yucky smelling bug sprays! So, the idea is to pour into a sprayer/sray bottle and douse the deck, furniture, door frames, swing sets, standing water, you name it! It did say to not spray directly on wood, like a door, but the frame instead! I'm anxious to see if it really does a good job! I'll let you know!
Pretty in Pink
I'm going to be a aunt in September! September 7th no less - Little Hauss' birthday - more on that later. And I'll have a NIECE! My brother and his girlfriend just found out yesterday that they are having a little girl! I'm so excited. They are very excited too! My parents are thrilled because now they will have one of each to spoil. My mom is on her way up here today so I'm sure they will have a boat load of new girly things by the time she goes home on Sunday!
So, dad came in yesterday for work and took us all out to dinner to celebrate the good news. Little Hauss was full of himself as usual. He loves Sherry (my brother's girlfriend) and was attached to her hip the whole time. They gave us little ultrasound pictures and even gave one to Little Hauss! They told him the baby was a little girl and that they would be cousins and that she could possibly have the same birthday! He was ok with the girl part, but cousins is kind of tricky for him right now and he was less than thrilled about the sharing a birthday!
He's having a hard time figuring out how boys and girls can be cousins. He has told me that "they can't be cousins because he's a boy and she's a girl" when we were talking about some friends of ours. He only knows his cousin, who is a boy just like him. I think that'll be easier to deal with once she's here - but this birthday sharing business is gonna be crazy!
In my family, we share lots of birthdays - I share my birthday with my cousin's daughter, but thre are so many more! So, it is very possible that this little girl will in fact share her birthday with Little Hauss! I guess we'll just have to wait and see and deal with it when it comes!
Speaking of birthdays, this year will be his first "real big boy" birthday party. I want to invite friends of his from school and church, but don't really know if I can have all those people at the house. I also don't want to spend tons of money at a place to have it....so any suggestions? He's going to be 4, and there will be about 10-12 kids invited plus parents? I obviously want something that will be fun and not too crazy for me to deal with - like Chuck - E - Cheeze. I know it seems early, but like I said, I'm a planner!
So, dad came in yesterday for work and took us all out to dinner to celebrate the good news. Little Hauss was full of himself as usual. He loves Sherry (my brother's girlfriend) and was attached to her hip the whole time. They gave us little ultrasound pictures and even gave one to Little Hauss! They told him the baby was a little girl and that they would be cousins and that she could possibly have the same birthday! He was ok with the girl part, but cousins is kind of tricky for him right now and he was less than thrilled about the sharing a birthday!
He's having a hard time figuring out how boys and girls can be cousins. He has told me that "they can't be cousins because he's a boy and she's a girl" when we were talking about some friends of ours. He only knows his cousin, who is a boy just like him. I think that'll be easier to deal with once she's here - but this birthday sharing business is gonna be crazy!
In my family, we share lots of birthdays - I share my birthday with my cousin's daughter, but thre are so many more! So, it is very possible that this little girl will in fact share her birthday with Little Hauss! I guess we'll just have to wait and see and deal with it when it comes!
Speaking of birthdays, this year will be his first "real big boy" birthday party. I want to invite friends of his from school and church, but don't really know if I can have all those people at the house. I also don't want to spend tons of money at a place to have it....so any suggestions? He's going to be 4, and there will be about 10-12 kids invited plus parents? I obviously want something that will be fun and not too crazy for me to deal with - like Chuck - E - Cheeze. I know it seems early, but like I said, I'm a planner!
4.21.2009
Answers
To clarify on the new cleaning products, I haven't tried these solutions yet. I am using up all the other cleaners I have now before I start making these because I don't want to waste anything.
I have used baking soda and vinegar for other things before and have seen positive results. I am not a big fan of "anti" bacterial soaps and all that! I feel that a little bit of bacteria is useful and without it, there can actually be more sickeness and issues. I think that a little dirt never hurt anyone - in fact, its almost necessary to have a little so the body can learn to fight off the germs.
Also, I've got a few more things to add to my saving money list:
Foam soap - Little Hauss does so much better with the foam than the regular pump soap - and its a lot less messy. I just got the suds pump from Pampered Chef and it is amazing. I only use a fraction of liquid soap and then fill the rest with water - presto, foam soap. You can also try this with old bottles of the foam soap from places like Bath and Body Works or even just the drug store foam soap bottles (if they will open). Put about 1 inch or so of liquid soap (the PC suds pump gives you a fill line) and then fill with water - leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. Put lid on and gently shake/rock back and forth to mix. This little trick is cheap!!! I think I can buy a large refill soap container for about $5 and it'll last forever! So much better than spending at least $1 or more on each soap dispenser!
Teeth Whitening - Instead of spending tons of money on those kits and high priced procedures, try mixing baking soda and water to form a "paste" and brush with that. A dentist told me this once. A DENTIST TOLD ME THIS!!!! Now, it might not be as dramatic as the others, but it should definitely be noticable. Do this in addition to regular brushing!
Reuse Plastic Bags and Foil - I'm starting to sound way cheap I admit, but I can't stand throwing away ziplock bags and barely used foil! IF the bag contained something dry like cereal or snack crackers, then I have been known to wash it out and reuse it. Same with foil. IF it was used to just "cover" a dish in the oven or tent it to keep it warm, it can be rinsed and reused! I really prefer to use plastic containers for packing snacks and lunches. I try not to use bags if at all possible.
Ok. That's all I have. I think I've exhausted all my cheap tricks for now!
I'll keep you posted on whether or not these cleaning products really handle the job.
I have used baking soda and vinegar for other things before and have seen positive results. I am not a big fan of "anti" bacterial soaps and all that! I feel that a little bit of bacteria is useful and without it, there can actually be more sickeness and issues. I think that a little dirt never hurt anyone - in fact, its almost necessary to have a little so the body can learn to fight off the germs.
Also, I've got a few more things to add to my saving money list:
Foam soap - Little Hauss does so much better with the foam than the regular pump soap - and its a lot less messy. I just got the suds pump from Pampered Chef and it is amazing. I only use a fraction of liquid soap and then fill the rest with water - presto, foam soap. You can also try this with old bottles of the foam soap from places like Bath and Body Works or even just the drug store foam soap bottles (if they will open). Put about 1 inch or so of liquid soap (the PC suds pump gives you a fill line) and then fill with water - leaving about 1/2 inch at the top. Put lid on and gently shake/rock back and forth to mix. This little trick is cheap!!! I think I can buy a large refill soap container for about $5 and it'll last forever! So much better than spending at least $1 or more on each soap dispenser!
Teeth Whitening - Instead of spending tons of money on those kits and high priced procedures, try mixing baking soda and water to form a "paste" and brush with that. A dentist told me this once. A DENTIST TOLD ME THIS!!!! Now, it might not be as dramatic as the others, but it should definitely be noticable. Do this in addition to regular brushing!
Reuse Plastic Bags and Foil - I'm starting to sound way cheap I admit, but I can't stand throwing away ziplock bags and barely used foil! IF the bag contained something dry like cereal or snack crackers, then I have been known to wash it out and reuse it. Same with foil. IF it was used to just "cover" a dish in the oven or tent it to keep it warm, it can be rinsed and reused! I really prefer to use plastic containers for packing snacks and lunches. I try not to use bags if at all possible.
Ok. That's all I have. I think I've exhausted all my cheap tricks for now!
I'll keep you posted on whether or not these cleaning products really handle the job.
Clean Machine
Ok...here are the "recipes" I promised for the green - cleaning products:
You will need these basic ingredients for most household cleaning:
Baking Soda
White Distilled Vinegar
Liguid Detergent (soap)
Washing Soda - the one I've found is Arm & Hamer and this should not be confused with powdered detergent!
Bathroom Scrubber (bathtubs, etc)
1/2 c. baking soda
add liguid detergent to make a texture similar to frosting
use with sponge to clean
to store: add 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin and store in glass jar
Window Cleaner:
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. liquid detergent
3 tbsp. vinegar (white distilled)
2 cups water
Spray bottle
Shake until well mixed.
All Purpose:
1/2 tsp washing soda
dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot water
Spray bottle
Shake until well mixed.
Oven Cleaner:
1 cup or more baking soda
water
1 squirt or 2 of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water over bottom of oven. Cover with baking soda so surface is totally white. Sprinkle more water and let sit overnight. Wipe up mixture. Dab a bit of liquid detergent on sponge and wash remaining residue.
Furniture Polish:
1/2 tsp oil (olive)
1/4 c vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix in glass jar. Dab soft rag into solution and wipe on wood.
Good luck!
I will also post the bread recipe after I attempt it this weekend!!! I want to make sure its worth it first!
You will need these basic ingredients for most household cleaning:
Baking Soda
White Distilled Vinegar
Liguid Detergent (soap)
Washing Soda - the one I've found is Arm & Hamer and this should not be confused with powdered detergent!
Bathroom Scrubber (bathtubs, etc)
1/2 c. baking soda
add liguid detergent to make a texture similar to frosting
use with sponge to clean
to store: add 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin and store in glass jar
Window Cleaner:
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. liquid detergent
3 tbsp. vinegar (white distilled)
2 cups water
Spray bottle
Shake until well mixed.
All Purpose:
1/2 tsp washing soda
dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot water
Spray bottle
Shake until well mixed.
Oven Cleaner:
1 cup or more baking soda
water
1 squirt or 2 of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water over bottom of oven. Cover with baking soda so surface is totally white. Sprinkle more water and let sit overnight. Wipe up mixture. Dab a bit of liquid detergent on sponge and wash remaining residue.
Furniture Polish:
1/2 tsp oil (olive)
1/4 c vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix in glass jar. Dab soft rag into solution and wipe on wood.
Good luck!
I will also post the bread recipe after I attempt it this weekend!!! I want to make sure its worth it first!
4.20.2009
My new favorite color
Green! In honor of Earth Day, which is tomorrow, for those of you living under a rock! I'm not a tree hugger by any means, but I do want Little Hauss to be able to enjoy our planet for as long as possible. I'm also happy to save money however I can. There are few ideas I have that might not be genius by any means, but will allow us to do our part no matter how small they may seem!
Here are my goals for this year (yes, YEAR, because some might take time and a little extra cash upfront but will save tenfold in the long run):
1 - Start converting light bulbs to the CFL's - replacing when necessary
**CFL's last up to 10,000 hours compared to a regular incandescent light bulb which is 1,500 and uses 1/4 of wattage - 14 watts compared to 60
2 - Turning down hot water heater to 120 degrees from the normal 140
3 - "Air" dry or half dry clothing when possible. We have such a great space for our clothes to hang in the laundry area, so we should be taking advantage of this instead of using all that energy by using the dryer
4 - Install a 'low flow' showerhead
5 - Make my own cleaning supplies for windows, oven, all purpose, bathtub scrubbing, and even furniture polish - replacing when necessary. The basic ingredients for non-toxic cleaners are baking soda, vinegar, liquid soap/detergent and washing soap (powdered laundry detergent). I have "recipes" for these and will post them later.
6 - Try really hard to start unplugging unused items - laptop during the day, tv's, radios, kitchen appliances, etc. Sometimes this one is hard because Hubby works nights and we are on opposite schedules, but even most of the time will help.
The biggest reason for all the change is to try and save money and it doesn't hurt that it will help the environment at the same time!
Other things I plan to do that will save money:
1 - Make my own bread. I have a perfectly good bread machine that probably hasn't come out of the box in over 3 years, so I have found a whole wheat recipe with very few ingredients that I'll try out this weekend.
2 - Plan better menus. I love planning menus and I do fairly well with coordinating sale items (meats & veggies) with our weekly dinners, but we still have a lot of stuff in our pantry - some of which is opened and needs to be used before it goes bad. So, I am going to take an inventory of what items need to be used and try to incorporate them in our meals.
3 - Not eat out as often. We do fairly well with eating at home most nights, but sometimes we just don't want to cook - so I really want to maximize our eating out experiences. I plan to find out when local restaurants will have specials or buy one get one free/half off, look for coupons and also kid's eat free nights!
4 - Plant a very small, itty bitty garden....might just have tomatoes and fresh herbs in it, but at least its a start. I'm not quite the green thumb, but I love fresh veggies and herbs, so I thought I could try that for now and work my way up to more next year. If not, then there is always the farmer's market - grown locally and organic - and open every day in the summer, so I don't have to stock up weekly!
That's about all for now, but I feel that its a good start and like I said, planning on taking this next year to implement these things. It won't feel so overwhelming and I won't be wasting any of the items I already have to use (cleaning supplies and lightbulbs for example).
Some things that we already do but are good things for you all to try:
1 - wash clothes in cold water only
2 - only wash full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine
3 - don't leave water running (cleaning up kitchen or brushing teeth)
4 - don't flush EVERY time - "if its yellow, let it mellow, if its brown, flush it down" - kind of gross, but with tiny bladder, it wastes much less water by not flushing every single time
5 - turn off lights when you leave a room
6 - open your windows - don't run heat or a/c if not needed - fresh air is good for everyone
7 - use a programmable thermostat - and set a few degrees higher in summer and a few lower in winter - it really does make a big difference in your monthly bill
8 - get on a budget plan with your utility company/gas company - same monthly payment and ours actually went down last year by $10 a month - so that means, we saved $120 in utilities last year!! We are pretty sure it'll go down even more this year!
9 - Eat vegetarian or leftovers at least once a week - beans are the way to go!!! Very cheap and versatile.
10 - Use reusable shopping bags. I have 4-5 that are from all different stores. I take them ALL into the stores. I don't care that only ONE came from that particular store - they work and they hold lots more than regular plastic bags.
Enjoy your Earth Day and hopefully you and your families will implement some of these things as well!
Here are my goals for this year (yes, YEAR, because some might take time and a little extra cash upfront but will save tenfold in the long run):
1 - Start converting light bulbs to the CFL's - replacing when necessary
**CFL's last up to 10,000 hours compared to a regular incandescent light bulb which is 1,500 and uses 1/4 of wattage - 14 watts compared to 60
2 - Turning down hot water heater to 120 degrees from the normal 140
3 - "Air" dry or half dry clothing when possible. We have such a great space for our clothes to hang in the laundry area, so we should be taking advantage of this instead of using all that energy by using the dryer
4 - Install a 'low flow' showerhead
5 - Make my own cleaning supplies for windows, oven, all purpose, bathtub scrubbing, and even furniture polish - replacing when necessary. The basic ingredients for non-toxic cleaners are baking soda, vinegar, liquid soap/detergent and washing soap (powdered laundry detergent). I have "recipes" for these and will post them later.
6 - Try really hard to start unplugging unused items - laptop during the day, tv's, radios, kitchen appliances, etc. Sometimes this one is hard because Hubby works nights and we are on opposite schedules, but even most of the time will help.
The biggest reason for all the change is to try and save money and it doesn't hurt that it will help the environment at the same time!
Other things I plan to do that will save money:
1 - Make my own bread. I have a perfectly good bread machine that probably hasn't come out of the box in over 3 years, so I have found a whole wheat recipe with very few ingredients that I'll try out this weekend.
2 - Plan better menus. I love planning menus and I do fairly well with coordinating sale items (meats & veggies) with our weekly dinners, but we still have a lot of stuff in our pantry - some of which is opened and needs to be used before it goes bad. So, I am going to take an inventory of what items need to be used and try to incorporate them in our meals.
3 - Not eat out as often. We do fairly well with eating at home most nights, but sometimes we just don't want to cook - so I really want to maximize our eating out experiences. I plan to find out when local restaurants will have specials or buy one get one free/half off, look for coupons and also kid's eat free nights!
4 - Plant a very small, itty bitty garden....might just have tomatoes and fresh herbs in it, but at least its a start. I'm not quite the green thumb, but I love fresh veggies and herbs, so I thought I could try that for now and work my way up to more next year. If not, then there is always the farmer's market - grown locally and organic - and open every day in the summer, so I don't have to stock up weekly!
That's about all for now, but I feel that its a good start and like I said, planning on taking this next year to implement these things. It won't feel so overwhelming and I won't be wasting any of the items I already have to use (cleaning supplies and lightbulbs for example).
Some things that we already do but are good things for you all to try:
1 - wash clothes in cold water only
2 - only wash full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine
3 - don't leave water running (cleaning up kitchen or brushing teeth)
4 - don't flush EVERY time - "if its yellow, let it mellow, if its brown, flush it down" - kind of gross, but with tiny bladder, it wastes much less water by not flushing every single time
5 - turn off lights when you leave a room
6 - open your windows - don't run heat or a/c if not needed - fresh air is good for everyone
7 - use a programmable thermostat - and set a few degrees higher in summer and a few lower in winter - it really does make a big difference in your monthly bill
8 - get on a budget plan with your utility company/gas company - same monthly payment and ours actually went down last year by $10 a month - so that means, we saved $120 in utilities last year!! We are pretty sure it'll go down even more this year!
9 - Eat vegetarian or leftovers at least once a week - beans are the way to go!!! Very cheap and versatile.
10 - Use reusable shopping bags. I have 4-5 that are from all different stores. I take them ALL into the stores. I don't care that only ONE came from that particular store - they work and they hold lots more than regular plastic bags.
Enjoy your Earth Day and hopefully you and your families will implement some of these things as well!
4.16.2009
neVer forgeT
This is a day I'll never forget as long as I live. It is one of those days that I will know exactaly what I was doing when I heard the news - similar to the 9-11 events many years ago. I can tell you where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing when I found out!
Two years ago 32 wonderful and bright people lost their lives at Virginia Tech. Most students, some faculty, but all very special. ALL HOKIES!
Take time to tell your family and friends that you love them and make as many memories as possible beacuse you never know what the next day holds.
I'm proud to be a Hokie forever and always!
Two years ago 32 wonderful and bright people lost their lives at Virginia Tech. Most students, some faculty, but all very special. ALL HOKIES!
Take time to tell your family and friends that you love them and make as many memories as possible beacuse you never know what the next day holds.
I'm proud to be a Hokie forever and always!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
