More ways to save

I found this on Pinterest and had to share because it is the macdaddy on how to save!  It is more ways to save money every year from thebudgetdiet.com!

Reduce Your Bills• Call your utility companies to make sure you’re getting the best rate, and to make sure you really need all the services you’re paying for like call waiting or premium cable channels. A few phone calls usually yields savings of $15 a month.
• If you live in a deregulated state, make sure you’re shopping around for the best electricity rate! It’s easy! In Texas, go to PowerToChoose.org, enter your zip code, see rates, read the fine print and choose a provider. There’s no interruption to your service.
• Shop around and compare rates on auto and home insurance. Ask yourself if you could live with a higher deductible or different limits, and make sure you are taking advantage of all the discounts available to you (security system, good student, student away).
• Start using a clothesline and you’ll save about 6% on your electric bill plus your home will be quieter and cooler!
• Invest in a programmable thermostat…it will quickly pay for itself!
• If you’ve had a disruption to your cable or satellite service, call and ask for a refund! We had issues with our cable for a week, and a complaint phone call yielded a $50 credit on our bill. Legitimate complaints may also result in a credit on your cell phone bill.

Shop Smarter
• Stock up on discounted gift cards for places you normally shop. How does 15% off at JC Penny or Pier 1 sound? ABCGiftCards.com has a huge selection!
• If you shop online, start with Ebates.com – you’ll find coupon codes and earn cash back on every purchase!
• Make sure you’re taking advantage of discounts! Check out this list of 133 Military Discounts or 66 Teacher Discounts.
• Stop making impulse purchases! Get in the habit of asking yourself if it’s a need or a want.
• Shop garage sales, thrift stores, Craigslist, Freecycle and consignment shops first – you never know what treasures you may find!
• Try swapping instead of shopping. Invite your friends over and swap children’s clothes, toys, books and Halloween costumes. The average family saves $569 a year by swapping children’s clothes!
• Get in the habit of shopping Groupon and other deal sites. No matter what you’re shopping for, there’s a deal site for you! Sign up to receive the best daily deals. Try Tech Bargains for daily deals on laptops or Totsy for daily deals for babies, kids and moms. No matter what you’re shopping for, there’s likely a daily deal site to help you save money!
• Make sure you’re taking advantage of rewards programs at places you regularly shop like CVS, Kroger and Petco.
• Do you know the best times of the year to buy for maximum savings? Fall is the best time to buy a grill because stores need to make room for Christmas merchandise. Check out the Best Time To Buy Guide with listings by month.
• Consider homemade gifts and homemade Halloween costumes – you don’t have to be Martha Stewart with my ideas!
• Get in the habit of buying clothes during the end of season clearance.
• Be thankful for what you have instead of shopping for more!

Cut Food Costs
• Always plan meals, make a list and try to grocery shop once a week.
• Buy store brands, this alone will cut your grocery bill by 25%!
• Use The Grocery Game, Inc.to maximize your savings. The Grocery Game helps you combine coupons with sales for huge savings and even a few free items each week. You will save at least $50 a week, and you can get started with a free trial!
• Shop Costco or Sam’s for staples like milk, eggs, butter, cheese and sugar. This is where the real savings are. Remember, everything is not cheaper at a warehouse club.
• Stop buying bottled water! A case of bottled water is about $5 per week, $20 a month and $240 a year! Try a refillable bottle instead.
• Buy seasonal produce for best taste and savings.
• Did you know that Kroger sells rotisserie chickens for half price after 7:30? Stock up, chop up, freeze! Check your local grocery for their policy.
• Meijer sells all pre-sliced deli lunchmeat for half price after 8:30. See is your local grocery has a similar policy.
• Check your local bagel and donut shops, you can likely pick up a bargain after a certain time of the day! Our bagel shop sells 1 dozen for $5 after 2:00, and I’ve heard that Krispy Kreme sells a dozen donuts (the ones in the case) for $1 after midnight…that gives new meaning to a midnight snack!
• Eat out for less with deals from Restaurant.com, Groupon.com or discounted restaurant gift cards from PlasticJungle.com. Their latest deals can always be found on the right side of this page.
• Don’t miss out on over 100 Birthday Freebies from restaurants! How’s a $30 gift certificate to Benihanas sound?
• Discover all the Kids Eat Free offers.
• Are you taking advantage of Report Card Freebies?
• Eat in, not out! Those everyday trips to the drive-thru quickly add up – $7 a day for lunch = $35 a week, $140 a month, $1820 a year! Could you brown bag it to work a few days? Check out 5 easy ways to ditch the drive-thru.
• Make your own Starbucks and save about $3 a day, $21 a week, $84 a month, $1008 a year!
• Plant a garden and enjoy seasonal produce for a fraction of the cost.
• Learn to can fruits and veggies.
• Always check out the grocery clearance / managers specials…the deals are amazing!
• Cook from scratch…you’re paying way too much for convenience!
• Try this rule – only order water at restaurants.

Have Fun For Less
• Groupon.com is a great source for huge savings on fun things to do in your area like 62% off admission at the Houston Museum of Natural Science!
• Try a high school football game or theatre performance for a cheap evening out.
• How about breakfast and a movie? AMC theatres offer $6 movies before noon.
• Watch your old wedding video and family videos.
• Pull out your wedding album on your anniversary.
• Have a wine tasting night at home and discover your favorite cheap wine. Simply cover a few bottles with brown paper, taste and rate!
• Host a cooking school for your kids – it’s time to stop watching the Food Channel and start cooking!
• Game night is a great family tradition to start! For a fun twist, add silly bets like loser does the dishes!
• Create your own Wii Family Olympics by playing a different sport each night – ideal for winter break.
• Check out FactoryToursUSA.com for a state by state listing of free tours.
• Pizza Taste Test – buy assorted frozen pizzas, taste, rate and choose your new favorite.
• Start a family tradition of having ice cream sundaes on Saturday!
• Try Minute to Win It challenges at home.
• Bring back home birthday parties! You really don’t need to spend $300+ for an ice skating party or Build-A-Bear party.
• Enjoy the outdoors – take a hike, go for a bike ride, watch the sunset! Mother Nature has a lot of free fun to offer.
• If you’re a Bank of America customer, take advantage of free museum and zoo admission the first weekend of the month. Check their website for a listing of participating museums / zoos.
• When’s the last time you visited the library? Check out books, movies and enjoy free events.
• Let your kids get involved in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts or 4H for affordable fun!
• A neighborhood pot luck block party is one of my favorite memories, and it’s frugal fun at its finest!

Go Green and Save Some Green
• The Return of the Clothesline – Start using a clothesline or drying rack, and you’ll save nearly 6% on your monthly electric bill according to the Department of Energy…plus your house will be quieter & cooler! If your city or homeowners association prohibits clotheslines, your best option is a cloths drying rack (available at Target, Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond for about $30). If your monthly electric bill is $200, your friend the clothesline just saved you about $12 a month & $144 a year!
• Burn Calories, Not Gas – Walking or riding bikes is budget friendly, earth friendly and figure friendly…so, what do you have to lose? Maybe a few pounds???? Let’s here it for pedal power!
• Consider Carpools – Could you organize a carpool for work, school or after school activities? You’ll save both time and gas!
• Plan Ahead – Are you guilty of running errands every single day or making two trips to the store because you didn’t make a list? There’s more to life than errands, and planning ahead will save you both time and gas money.
• Slow Down – Driving 65 miles per hour uses 15% more gas than driving 55 miles per hour – that’s like paying 40 cents more per gallon! Of course, you’ll likely be the only one on the highway going 55!
• Pay Bills Online – Save trees, save stamps, save money!
• Find a Farmer’s Market – Discover your local farmer’s market, and your budget will love the prices and you’ll love the fresh taste of just picked produce! To find a farmer’s market near you, visit LocalHarvest.org and enter your zip code.
• Stop Junk Mail – Save trees, save your sanity! It only takes a minute to visit DMAChoice.org to remove your name from mailing lists for catalogs, insurance offers and more!
• Reusable Lunch Containers – Instead of a brown bag, carry a lunch box. Instead of zip top bags, invest in reusable bags. You’ll spend a little money upfront, but you’ll save money in the long run.
• Stop Buying Bottled Water – Bottled water has become the American way, and up until a few years ago…I was guilty of buying a 24-pack every single week! WOW…that’s $4 a week, $16 a month and $208 a year for WATER! Stop buying bottled water and start buying refillable bottles for your family to take to work, school and sports.
• Unplug – Phantom Electricity is the electricity that is used when a device is plugged in but not in use. For example…you leave your cell phone charger plugged in all the time, but you only charge your phone every few days…did you know that your charger is still using electricity when it is plugged in but not charging? This is “Phantom Electricity”, and little bits are being used throughout your home everyday hence the name “phantom.” Wasted electricity is not earth friendly, and wasted electricity is wasting your money!
• Recycle, Recycle, Recycle – If you’re not recycling, this is a great week to start! The first step is to have a system and make sure everybody in your family understands it! The Budget Diet girl’s system is two trash cans in the kitchen – one for recycling and one for trash. After a few weeks, recycling will become a habit, and your neighbors will be green with envy when you only have one small bag of trash each week!
• Homemade Cleaning Products – Make the switch to homemade cleaning products that cost pennies to make and clean just as well without harsh chemicals.
• Repurpose – Look twice at things before throwing them away! Could you cut off the fronts of some of your Christmas cards to use a gift tags next year? Could you paint that old piece of furniture or spray paint a chandelier to give it a new life?
• Compost!
• Check Craigslist for free plants…you’ll almost always find them!

Reduce Health & Fitness Expenses
• Are you taking advantage of your flex plan for pre-tax savings?
• Save money on prescriptions by avoiding “combo pills.” A combo pill combines more than one type of medication. For example, Lotrel is a blood pressure medicine that costs $70 a month for generic, but you could get a prescription for the two components (Amlodipine and Benazepril) for $6 each.
• Ask your doctor if your prescription might be cheaper from a Canadian pharmacy like CanadaDrug.com. I was able to get my eye drops for $9 instead of $150 simply because Canada offers a generic.
• Ask your doctor about any money saving prescription options…the last time I did this, we were given a bag full of samples! Ask and you just might receive!
• Order pet medications online from 1800PetMeds.com and you’ll save money! Simply place your order online, and they will contact your vet for the prescription. It’s one less errand you have to run this week! Costco, Sam’s and Walmart also offer pet medications for less than your vet.
• Order contact lenses online from DiscountContactLenses.com. It works just like PetMeds.com. Costco, Sam’s and Walgreen’s also offer discount contact lenses.
• Want a bargain massage? Try a massage therapy school! In Houston, Memorial Hermann Southwest offers a 1 hour massage for only $29, and tipping is not allowed!
• Check out FREE diet websites like SparkPeople.com and MyFitnessPal.com. Simply input your weight, your desired weight, and you’ll get a plan. These sites help you keep a food diary and keep count of calories, fat, protein and carbs. You’ll also find plenty of motivation, tips and support in their online forums.
• Get fit for free! Walk, ride bikes, check out my Pinterest Board of at home workouts or try exercise dvd’s. Average savings – at least $40 a month and $480 a year.

Travel More, Spend Less
• Deal first, destination second – this is The Budget Diet’s motto when it comes to saving on travel. It simply means don’t get your heart set on a destination, and then discover the deals don’t exist. Instead, be open-minded about a destination and get excited about great deals. Each Saturday, The Budget Diet publishes the Top 10 Budget Travel Deals.
• Did you know that discounted gift cards exist for travel? Recently, Costco had $300 American Airlines gift cards for only $269.99! How’s that for instant savings? Take a moment to peruse the huge selection of discounted gift cards at ABCGiftCards.com – you’ll find discounted gift cards for hotels, restaurants, shopping and more!
• Save on Cruises with VacationsToGo.com’s 90-day last minute ticker. It’s not unusual to find discounts of 75%!
• Consider a home exchange program like HomeExchange.com or AffordableTravelClub.com
• A road trip is always budget friendly! Plan a road trip to please everyone – you set the budget and distance parameters, and each member of the family plans a day!

More Ways to Save
• DIY – could you make it yourself or fix it yourself? Thanks to You Tube, there’s a video to teach you just about anything! You can even learn to fix a leaky toilet!
• Consider swapping babysitting or pet sitting with a neighbor.
• Cut your dry cleaning bill by switching to Costco Kirkland brand no-iron shirts. 5 shirts cost $79.95, and you’ll save about $250 a year on dry cleaning.
• Instead of a coin jar, try a $1 bill jar – you have to adjust for inflation, right?

Measurements

If your like me your in the middle of a recipe and you don't have the right measuring spoon or cup clean so what do you do wash it or wing it?  I have the measurement conversions that might help....


1 Tbsp. = 2 teasp

4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup

2 cups = 1 pint

4 cups = 1 quart OR

2 pints= 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon OR

16 cups = 1 gallon

Hope this helps!

Mother's Milk Tea-How to make it

1/2 cup nettle leaf, dried (a vitamin factory, high in calcium, iron, potassium, etc. -strengthens and tones entire system)

1/2 cup red raspberry leaf, dried (nourishing tonic for the reproductive system, high in calcium)

1/4 cup alfalfa leaf, dried (a superlative restorative tonic, rebuilding vitality and boosting milk
supply)

1/4 cup dandelion leaf, dried (beneficial for all conditions due to the wonderful source of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and micronutrients)

1/4 cup fennel seed (Increase milk production and tone the digestive system, curtailing colic and indigestion) – you could also substitute fennel with any of these seeds: anise, cumin, caraway, coriander or dill

1/4 cup blessed thistle, dried (Stimulates the milk flow and helps restore vitality to weary mothers)
ground cinnamon, to flavor

You can make as little or as much as you desire. I choose to make a larger batch at once and used 1/4 cup as my 1 part measurement, but you could cut the recipe in half as desired. This produced about 1 quart full of dried herbs. Combine herbs well and cover securely with a lid. Store in a dark cupboard as light will cause nutrition lose. Use about 1 tablespoon herbs per cup of boiling water. Allow to steep covered for 15 minutes before consuming. Best results if you consumed 3-5 cups per day. You can change this recipe as desired, if you do not have access to all these herbs. The best galactic herbs are nettle, alfalfa, blessed thistle, and red raspberry leaf. The other herbs add wonderful nutrition and are healing to the body. The herbs can be rather bland and grassy tasting on their own, so I added cinnamon (about 1-2 tsp for this quantity), which provided a delightful flavoring. You could try chamomile or lemon balm as an alternative. A teaspoon of honey tops it off for a refreshing tea beverage. I use my french press for this recipe with perfect results.

Ways to up your supply of breast milk

Oatmeal- a good bowl of oatmeal daily is an excellent means of increasing your milk supply.

Bump Up the Calcium – Loading up on calcium is very valuable.

Water – drink lots of water!

Rest – when the body is weary, it will not be so inclined to produce milk.

Fenugreek – I have been taking a fenugreek supplement in capsule form for its helpful benefits of increasing milk supply. Fenugreek can also be added to the mother’s milk tea listed above.
Here are a few tips from A Wise Woman’s Herbal for the Childbearing Years (page 85):

Apricots, asparagus, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, pecans and all leafy greens such a beet greens, Parsley, Watercress, and Dandelion leaves are considered helpful in increasing and sustaining lactation.

Borage leaves – The leaves of this herb are highly regarded as a tea for increasing milk flow. Half a cupful of borage tea at each nursing insures an abundant supply of milk, acts as a mild laxative, and soothes jangled nerves.

Fennel/Barley Water - Prepare barley water by soaking 1/2 cup pearled (regular) barley in 3 cups cold water overnight or by boiling for 25 minutes. Strain out barley and discard or add to a soup. Heat a cup or two of the barley water to boiling as needed, store the rest in the refrigerator. Pour 1 cup boiling barley water over 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and steep for no longer than 30 minutes. The combination not only increases the breast milk, but eases after-pains and settles the digestion of mom and babe.

Why we celebrate July 4th

Because of Maddox I know that in time he will want to know why we exactly celebrate July 4th.  Sure I remember things we are taught in school but I want to know the whole reason and pass that on to him.  We do live in a great country even if certain members of the government are making wrong decisions.

So after researching it here is what I found.....

 During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the 13 Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4

In Summary:  We celebrate July 4th, Independence Day because it is commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. 

We celebrate this day by fireworks, cookouts, basically being with friends and family!

Plans for Maddox

On July 7, 2013 Maddox will have a dedication at church.  I am excited about this date because when he turns 3 months old he will be dedicated back to God. 

I know God gave me Maddox.  My due date for Ashton was the same day we found out we were pregnant with Maddox.  I gave birth to Maddox on the day we had Ashton's memorial! 

The church is having a service dedicated to Maddox.  I am afraid only the church will be there and not much of our families or friends.  I realize those who will be there are going to be those that are meant to be.  I will be grateful for those that show up and for those that didn't I will not judge and hate or allow myself to feel hurt by it.

A child's prayer

I will get on my soap box.....

I absolutely hate when someone hurts a child!  Whether it is a mother or father that abuses them physically, mentally, emotionally, or someone that kills them!  A child is a precious gift from God, we as parents are responsible for these little minds to shape and mold them into what we think and hope would be a loving and caring adult. 

Examples are through out history of "parents" who think more of their self than the welfare of their children....Susan Smith, Casey Anthony, and now a new lady in the news that was mad that her son who was 3 years old stole a piece of gum without permission.  He was slammed up against the wall she claims by her boyfriend but she didn't take him to the hospital. 

So after looking at my infant son I wanted to say a prayer for all those innocent little faces that see rage from the one's that suppose to love them.

Dear Lord
Bless those little eyes
Bless those little hearts
That they may never know
That pain Satan causes


May they only see warmth
May they only know love
That a mother and father
should give.

Never seeing violence
Never seeing sadness
Never meeting their fate
from those they trust

Lord you know all those little tiny hearts that are hurt each day.  I pray Lord that they feel no pain, that they don't see the slap coming anymore, they don't tremble with fear afraid what have they done this time to be hurt again, that they don't have to hide from the monsters not under their bed but that are down the hall, that they don't hear the words that make them cry, they don't ever feel alone and abandon even with a house full of people. 

Thank you for my Maddox I am so blessed to have a little man, I know he is a gift from you and he means the world to me.  I only pray that every child feels the love that Maddox has, a whole family that adores him!   I could never imagine hurting him in any way and I pray for those parents who do!

In your precious name Jesus

Amen

My Christian world

I am by far the perfect Christian in fact I still get irritated and lash out at people I love, I have road rage, I let those bad words your not suppose to say occasionally, I am not always the best role model I can be.  What separates me from others is I know this about me I don't try to put myself as the perfect Christian in front of people and in reality I am far from it.  You get me flaws and all when you become my friend!

So what exactly do I believe in?  Some might say that is a loaded question, there are so many things to believe in to just pick a few is hard to do.  For instance I believe in love at first sight.  No not the in love that you base marriages on I am talking about loving someone based on just meeting them.  I also believe in treating animals with respect,  okay not spiders and creepy crawly things, but I will say this even the creepiest has a purpose in this world.  I also believe if you hurt a child you deserve to be hurt!  Sorry but that is just one thing I can not turn the other cheek on. 

Religiously I believe there is a God and I believe he sent his son Jesus here on Earth by way of Mary giving birth to him to die on a cross for us so that we may have eternal life in Heaven!  I believe in the ten commandments and I believe we should abide by them to the best of our ability!

The church I go to has a pastor and a back up pastor (one that is more or less training) I like his messages and on Sunday he spoke a message I never really thought of before.  He asked us all "Who is afraid of the dark?"  Only two people raised their hands.  He said you all should be because in the dark you can't see what your doing.  As a Christian not seeing where your going isn't good.  We need to always see where we are going.  We need the Sun (Son) to light our way to ensure we make the right decisions. 

As long s I strive to be the best Christian I can be I believe God is pleased with me, maybe not the kind of pleased that we think of but I think the kind that he is pleased I am doing my best and trying to show others Christianity isn't just a name it's a way of life/

SO WHAT MAKES A PERSON A CHRISTIAN

Well that is very simple you must

1,  Accept Christ into your life

2.  Let the past stay in the past

3.  Pray, talk to God as if he is a friend telling him what you think and what upsets you etc.  Pray for others pray for the government the world basically anything that would affect you

4,  Read the word of God, the Bible is a book showing that people have been through what we are before

5.  Join a church, a church is a united front that fights the world together so to speak!

6.  This one is important.....learn to love yourself!

7.  Surround yourself with positive people that will support your life as a Christian

8.  Remember you will be hated by non-Christians and there is nothing you can do about it, it is a fact of life but you have other Christians to have your back and most important God!

Remembering all these things will have you being the best Christian you can be!

5, 

Follow Up to the Getting Rid of Lice

I tried the one of the at home solutions for getting rid of lice and it worked the bugs fell out of her head dead!  The eggs they work on too but I noticed not all died.  So which one did I use....

Second tip
Saturate the head with cooking oil and cover head and leave over night then pour vinegar into shampoo and wash hair adding household salt to head and massage into hair with shampoo rub well add vinegar again before you wash hair then rinse then wash again then rinse again then put conditioner on wait a few seconds then rinse off the head lice fall off use hairdryer to dry hair then u can use a nit comb to comb hair through!

I used olive oil (Dollar Tree $1) covered it with an old shower cap.  Poured vinegar in her shampoo (Coconut Shampoo) and used household salt.  I also put the hairdryer on HIGH heat. 

It will take more than one treatment to get rid of eggs but it works!

Some of my organizing tips

Because Josh doesn't work at a company that he gets paid a lot I have to create ways to be crafty and organize our home using things we already have, things we purchase at the thrift store, or ideas that I see on pinterest.  Here are a few things I have used...

Cereal boxes are your friends you can cut them to as deep as your drawers painting them before storing your makeup, silverware, anything you have to put in the drawer.  You can cut them in any shape you need to fit.  Cost only what you paid for the paint.  You can also cut them to make magazine holders copying the design of the ones you see at the department store and then paint to match your desk.

Cans that you use for dinner.  I don't save every one but if I need one for a project I will.  You can use tuna cans as a paperclip holder for your desk and vegetable can for your pens.  Sterilizing first before you use.  I use a white vinegar and water mixture (half and half) but it won't take much just poor maybe three tablespoons in the vegetable cans of vinegar and about one in the tuna if smell is still present use another spoon full.  You can also use cans as seed starters for your garden. 

Toilet paper rolls.....I get grief on this one because who saves those?  I do and apparently it is catching on there are so many things you can use them for; art work, cord organizers, and seed starters just to name a few. I will talk about the cord organizers first, unused drop cords and anything with a cord fold it up and place in a toilet paper roll to keep in place.  You can also use paper towel rolls if need something longer.  Art work is creative and your imagination.  I am about to start my toilet paper art work and I am excited it is just one the projects I have going on.  The beauty of toilet paper seed starters they are biodegradable so you don't have to worry about them hurting the environment!

Egg cartons....there are two types you can save for different reasons,  The cardboard ones are good for seed starters as well.  The Styrofoam ones are good for storing earrings and rings in your jewelry boxes or drawer.  The Styrofoam are easier to paint.

Aluminum can tabs...Well I try to keep a lot of these because they are use for a lot of things.  First thing I keep them for is to hang pictures that the pieces has broken off on the back.  Second is you can put them on your hangers to keep outfits together.  You can also make jewelry out of them by placing ribbon through the one side and then through the other.  (I will give instructions in later blog)

So now you have some ideas for everyday household items that can help organize your home. 

What about thrift store shopping......my rule of thumb is always buy organizational items you see at the thrift store if you positively can use it!  For instance don't buy a magazine holder if you truly don't need it. 

Another rule of thumb for thrift store shopping is always think before you put an item back, that item may be useful with some hooks or new hardware.  For example over the door organizers never come with the hooks at the thrift store and if they do your lucky.  So I will still buy them because you can get the hooks (hooks that will work) at any hardware store. 

I will post more about thrift store shopping in a later post giving you all the tips I use!  

Getting Rid of Pests

Fire Ants:

• Hot water: pour hot water over the fire ant bed
• Cayenne Pepper: sprinkle 1/2 cup over ant bed.

Sugar Ants:

• Double sided tape: put tape along the edge of the countertops, or where sugar ants come in. You can even put a little sugar on the tape. The ants will go for the sugar and stick to the tape.

Roaches:

• 1/2 cup of Boric Acid and 4 teaspoons of sugar. Put a teaspoon of the mixture in different spots around the home. Change out the mixture every 3 months.

Marian says water attracts roaches. She recommends putting tape over the openings under sinks and keeping items under sinks dry.
Mosquitoes:

• Mix together 40 drops of Citronella oil mixed with 1/4 cup water. Spray mixture around doors or in the home to keep mosquitoes away.

Flies:

• Put water in plastic bags and hang from the ceiling or on the wall. Marian says when the flies see their shadow, they leave! ` 

livewellnetwork
 bug killer

Eggs arent just for eating Anymore you can.....

Nourishing Face Mask Pulverize dried egg shells with a mortar and pestle, then whisk the powder in with an egg white and use for a healthful, skin-tightening facial. Allow the face mask to dry before rinsing it off.

Treat Skin Irritations Drop an eggshell into a small container of apple cider vinegar and let it soak for a couple of days. Dab the mixture on minor skin irritations or on itchy skin.

Powerful Cleaner
Ground eggshells make a wonderful (and nontoxic!) abrasive for those tough-to-clean pots and pans. Mix them with a little soapy water for a powerful clean.
Hummingbird feeders tend to grow all sorts of nasty stuff. Clean it by first by rinsing with hot water. Then add some crushed egg shells, fill 1/2 way with water, and shake. The shells act as an abrasive, removing mold or other built-up gunk. Rinse well before re-filling with hummingbird food.
It’s almost impossible to get a scrub brush down the narrow neck of a thermos. Clean your thermos using the instructions above for hummingbird feeders

Garden Fertilizer Eggshells are rich in calcium and other minerals that help your garden thrive. Crush eggshells into tiny pieces and sprinkle into each hole before planting. Then, sprinkle additional shells around the base of your plants every two weeks.

Start Some Seedlings
Fill an egg carton with empty, rinsed eggshell halves and poke a hole in each one for drainage. Then add potting soil and one or two seeds to each shell. When the seedlings are big enough for transplanting outside, just crack the shell at the bottom and plant them, shell and all.

Pest Control
Crush eggshells and scatter them around your vegetables and flowers to fend off slugs, snails, and cutworms. These soft-bodied critters don’t like crawling over sharp pieces of shell. The smell of eggs will also deter deer.

House Plant Booster
Keep a mason jar of eggshells covered with water for watering indoor plants.

Cat Deterrent
Have a problem with cats using your garden as a litter box? Crushed up egg shells will keep them away, too. Just scatter shells in the areas that they frequent, and after stepping on those shells a few times, they’ll move on.

Better Tasting Coffee
Add some crushed eggshells to ground coffee before brewing it to make it taste less bitter. When you’re done, toss the grounds and shells on your compost heap!
  
Make Your Own Powdered Calcium Supplement
Skip the pills and simply bake your shells at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let them cool and grind them to a fine powder. Add your supplement (a teaspoon or less) to your favorite smoothie or juice once a day.

Make Your Own Sidewalk Chalk
What you need:

• Approximately five empty egg shells
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 teaspoon very hot water
• food coloring (for colored chalk)

Wash and dry the egg shells.
Crush the egg shell into a bowl and grind it until it is a powder. Make sure all the pieces are ground. Take out any big pieces before going on to the next step.
Mix the flour and hot water in another bowl. Then add 1 tablespoon egg shell powder and mix into a thick paste.
Add your favorite color food coloring. Just add a drop or two for colored chalk. If you want white chalk do not add anything.
Shape the paste into chalk sticks or press into soap molds for fun shapes. If making chalk sticks roll the sticks up tightly in a paper towel.
Let your chalk dry for 3 days.

Laundry Whitener
Some say that if you toss some shells in a mesh bag in your laundry, the gray tint to your whites will disappear.

Eggshell Candles
The next time you have eggs for breakfast, carefully crack the shells in half and save them as a base to fill with beeswax for candles. Just insert a wick, let the wax set and remove the peel


For most eggshell uses, it is better to make sure they are clean and free from bacteria. If you don’t wash the eggs thoroughly before using, bake the shells at 150 degrees Fahrenheit on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes

A-Z Journaling Ideas

This is a idea that I seen on Pinterest and put my own spin on it.  These are ideas to journal from A-Z each day using a letter of the alphabet and writing about it!  Here is my own personal list

A- Austin is my step son so A is for him.  I would write about him, his likes, his dislikes, when he was born, his earliest memory.  To make it fun do it like an interview as if he was famous!

B- Brian is my stepdad I would write about him so that my son Maddox would have that so he would know about his step pawpaw!  He won't call him step pawpaw just plain ol pawpaw but because he is my step dad I would say step on the interview because I plan on doing one for my real father that died in 2007

C- I could interview myself because ultimately all of this would be for Maddox to read and I would love to leave something behind from my prospective but if I chose to not use myself I would choose Camaro because that is my favorite car! 

D- I would chose from a couple of things What makes a daddy?  I could also use the subject Death because many people death scares them I could also use this to introduce Heaven and God.

E-  I could use Elephants, Egypt, or mostly anything that starts with an E.

F-  France, what makes a friend,

G- God  and Great Grandma

H- Hospitals

I- Italy

J- Josh

K- My mom Katherine

L- Love

M- Maddox himself

N- nesting

O- old vs young

P-puppy's

Q- Quebec

R- Railroad and trains

S- Miranda because she is his sister

T- time or

U- Ukraine

V- my dad Victor

W- water as in beaches

X- x rays

Y-yoyo's

Z-zebra

I will most likely change some of these depending on what is happening in my life but that is a sample remember my son is only 2 months old so all of these topics are new for him.


*** Note you could also take pictures of objects that look like the alphabet and then journal about that object.  For instance a tire swing might look like a Q or O then you could write about a tire swing and how you enjoyed it as a child. 

You could also use different places to show shapes and journal about the different places

5 Bible verses to teach your child

5 Bible Verses for Toddlers and Preschoolers to Memorize

My first time in college I had a wonderful Counselor/Advisor Clara Fowler.  She knew I had a lot going on in my life and she was a devout Christian woman.  One thing she did for me is had me to memorize scriptures and come back to her office and from memory recite the scripture.  It helped a lot for me I felt I was getting closer to God and I was learning God's word at the same time!  When I seen this on Pinterest I knew I had to make a blog about it! 




These verses are going to be the ones that this age group will will benefit from to overcome the natural tendencies that are demonstrated often during the toddler and preschool ages.



1.  Children Obey Your ParentsIn Ephesians 6:1, it reads, “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”2.  Be Kind to Others
In Romans 12:10, we find, ”Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”

3.  Loving Others
In John 13:34, we are commanded, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.In Romans 12:9, we are exhorted, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

4.  Sharing with Others
In Luke 6:31, we are instructed, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
5.  Forgiving Others
In Ephesians 4:32, in states, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

I plan on teaching Maddox these when he is old enough. 

A coupon book for any occassion

About two years ago or maybe three actually I didn't know what to get my stepson for Christmas I wanted to get something special for him but lack of money meant it would have to be homemade!

So what do you get a boy.....more importantly a boy that isn't your son biologically.......and your trying to impress because if you impress the kids the dad will appreciate it! 

I came up with a coupon book.

At this time he was living with us and I wanted to make it special!  You can make this for any holiday a birthday or just because.  You can put anything on it that makes it special for your kids or spouse, (yes you can make one for spouse just make it about dates and alone time instead of movie night and ice cream).

Examples of my coupon book are:

Good for one meal that you chose depending on if ingredients are available.

Good for one hookie day from school However, can not use during test day or when project is due...(I am blessed to say the kids never used this one)

Good for one dessert after dinner of your choice depending on if ingredients are available

Good for one movie of choice on movie night

Good for one game board or card on family night of your choice

Good for one free day if grounded

Good for one lazy day can only use if nothing was preplanned

****Note the reason you put the ingredients available is because if your kids are like mine when your about to cook dinner is when they will use the coupon and your pantry will be missing ingredients that you need therefore if they give you warning then you can plan and purchase if needed.

Also I am sure that many mothers won't include the hookie day but the way I see it we all get burned out on a routine that is never ending so it lets them just have fun one day when they should be in school so they can go back recharged and hopefully more attentive!

8 Tips for organzing your home

Organizing your home is the hardest thing to possibly do especially with kids!  I find it almost impossible.  Before kids I had a house where I knew where everything was.  I had a craft/office, a bedroom with a closet to die for (okay not really die for but I had the organization going on) and a kitchen and living room that had things where they were suppose to go, movies and books were alphabetized....it was just beautiful! 

Now that we have moved into a new house boxes everywhere and thanks to people helping there are things for the kitchen in things for the bathroom.  ( how to pack successfully is for another blog) Having a newborn doesn't help the situation but I will manage.  So again I went in search of how to organize my home, here is what I found....
***Note some of my thoughts are included***

1.   Throw away junk mail.
Throw away junk mail immediately. People get into a clutter problem when they don't sort their mail right away. Invest in an office paper shredder. This machine will help you destroy unwanted credit card applications efficiently.  Personally they make great bon fire starters.

2.   Get a bookcase and alphabetize it.
If you don't have a bookcase, then get one. Bookcases stores books and conveniently get them out of your way. They also give the room character. Organize books by genre, for instance, mystery books on one shelf and religious books on another shelf. Alphabetize books by author or title.  I have also labeled the shelves of what kind of books they have on it.  That way if one of the kids needs a specific book they will know what shelf it is on.

 3. Get a filing cabinet or an expanding file folder.
If you buy a file cabinet place it in your home office. Organize bills and policies alphabetically, for instance, place insurance papers under "I". If you don't have the space for a file cabinet or can't afford one, then buy an expanding file folder with the alphabet on the tabs. Organize your policies and bills the same way as you would a filing cabinet.  I have several of these the hardest part is remembering to put the papers in it!!!

4.  Make a schedule.
Schedule everything, for example, schedule cleaning times for bathrooms, living room, and dining room. Use a wall calendar or the calendar in Microsoft Outlook to keep up with your schedule.  (I will post a sample schedule in a later blog it will be the one I use)

5.  Have a yard sale.
Having a yard sale is perfect for people who have a lot of left over baby clothes. A yard sale is also perfect for getting rid of big items like sofas, mattresses, and old televisions.  I don't know about you I don't have time for this but if it means extra money I will make the time!  (I will post a later blog about making a yard sell successful!)

6.  Donate items.
If you don't want to go through the hassle of a yard sale, donate your items to Goodwill, Salvation Army, a homeless shelter, or a local church. It might be junk and unnecessary clutter to you, but it could be a saving grace to someone else.  I love donating to Goodwill and Hospice.  I know my possessions are going to a good cause....Now I have to remember not to purchase them again when I shop there!

7.  Think before buying something new.
There's no point in getting organized and throwing out unnecessary clutter if you're just going to mess up again by buying more stuff. If you don't need it, then don't buy it even if it's on sale.  Preaching to the choir here!!!  I buy what I think I need not what I need for sure!  That will be my late new years resolution!

8.  Go through kitchen cabinets.
Schedule a time to go through kitchen cabinets. Check expiration dates. Line up can goods with the label of the contents facing out. Group like can goods together. Take this time to assess glasses and plates. If you haven't used certain ones in a year, then get rid of them. If you have too many dishes for your household capacity, get rid of them as well.
By following these tips your home should be more organized and comfortable to live in. An organized home leads to an organized mind.  I will say I already do most of this I always group like items together it makes grocery shopping easier!


So now I have the list and personalized I hope anyone reading this will enjoy it too!

Tips for getting rid of Ants

Not only do we have lice we have ants too lol.  Our new home is in my opinion a very beautiful home with great potential to be more beautiful just one problem ANTS!!!  Ugh I hate any critter that crawls and I hate having them, so I did some research on how to get rid of them.  Hours of research I found a website that actually made sense so here it goes.

How to get rid of ants 
http://voices.yahoo.com/home-remedies-rid-ants-kitchen-8305877.html?cat=6

Clean your house
This first step is to clean the area of your home that the ants have taken over. Wipe everything down with soap and water or your favorite cleaning solution. Cleaning will help get up anything that might be attracting the ants to your home. If you discovered ants in your kitchen cabinet, pull everything out and clean thoroughly.

White Vinegar
If you want to get rid of ants in your home and don't have time to clean, white vinegar works wonders fast and effectively. Simply spread the white vinegar in the area affected by ants. This may include kitchen cabinets, shelves, corners etc. Ants will be gone within minutes of using white vinegar which has been a home remedy for killing ants for years. You can also wipe down everything with the vinegar to get rid of those little pests.

Cinnamon Powder
Another home remedy for killing ants is cinnamon powder. Sprinkle cinnamon powder on the trail the ants follow. The ants will follow the trail of powder and should never return.

Cucumber
Ants do not like the taste of cucumbers that makes this the perfect way to rid your home of ants. Place sliced cucumbers in the infected area. This will force the ants to leave because the taste is not very appealing to ants.

Table Salt
Your kitchen already has the home remedy to get rid of ants so why not put it to good use. Table salt mixed with boiling water and sprayed in corners of your home is an excellent way to rid your home of ants.

Dried Mint Leaves
Dried mint leaves are an effective way to get rid of ants in your home. Crush up the mint leaves and spread in the areas you have seen ants. If you don't have in dried mint leaves, you can use mint tea bags instead.

Borax or Soapy Water
Borax mixed with a sugar solution and sprayed in kitchen cabinets, closets, corners, etc is effective in killing ants and other small insects that invade your home. You can also sprinkle borax without the sugar solution to kill ants instantly. If you don't have borax, mix soap and water and spray directly on the ants or in the affected areas.

Exterminator
If you have used all the home remedies for getting rid of ants and they are still a problem call an exterminator.


There is one that they didn't mention I have always heard of drawing a line in chalk at the windows and doors and they will not cross it!  From experience at our other house they will not cross it however the only problem I found is if they want in they will find a way in even if it means crawling where there isn't chalk to get in but they will not crawl through it!  So I guess drawing a line pretty high up will outsmart them.  By the way that was for black ants our ants now are small fire ants. 

What has worked has been Cheyenne pepper and vinegar.  We haven't seen hardly any in our house now that we lined our step with Cheyenne pepper.  I also have used the vinegar by placing it in a spray bottle with equal parts water (makes a great cleaner but that is a different blog).  Spray on ant and watch them die!  I know gruesome but when they bite your foot a few times you become less tolerant for the critters!!!

Tips for getting rid of Lice

So my step daughter has beautiful thick hair that is a lice magnet!  She recently switched schools we weren't too happy with switching but we had to due to moving out of district of her old school.  Being at her old/new school for one week and she was infested with lice again!  It is like the school doesn't check the kids hair at all.  Every since then I have treated her hair again and again and again!  So here are some of my attempts and tricks I have gotten off the Internet and I will post recaps to let you know what worked and didn't.


First tip
Yes Listerine!!! Leave it in for about 2 hours but you must saturate the head then wash it out in the shower. Then take Selsun blue and saturate head with that and leave it in for about a half hour once again rinse hair out in the shower. I bought lice combs with a magnifying glass and went threw each strand of hair. Wash all bed linens, hats buy new brushes etc. . After spending hundreds of dollars and endless amount if time on her hair this is what worked and haven't had a problem since. I would also recommend in a week or so later even if theirs no live lice to repeat the Listerine to ensure no new eggs hatch because one lice will put you back in the same problem . Also for extra precautions I changed our linens daily for about a week
.
Second tip
Saturate the head with cooking oil and cover head and leave over night then pour vinegar into shampoo and wash hair adding household salt to head and massage into hair with shampoo rub well add vinegar again before you wash hair then rinse then wash again then rinse again then put conditioner on wait a few seconds then rinse off the head lice fall off use hairdryer to dry hair then u can use a nit comb to comb hair through!

Third tip
I have 3 girls and have tried Everything from over the counter generic and name brands. Then I contacted their physician for help, No luck with the prescription, I was still pulling live bugs out. Found some suggestions, I saturated their hair in baby oil and went through with a detangle comb then lice come, when I was confident I had most of the bugs I mixed vinegar in with their shampoo (suave rosemary and mint) and let them sit for an hour. sectioned their hair into quarters and went through with the comb again. Hope this helps. they each have a different hair type, one has thin straight hair, the second has very thick curly hair and my third has fine curly hair ;) Also make sure to treat the floors beds pillows stuffed animals clothing sofas and car seats
Fourth tip
After two bouts of lice in our family, I have tried a fair amount of things. First of all, when I had lice the first time, obviously the first thing I did was go buy some lice shampoo from the store.( I know, embarrassing). I treated my hair according to the instructions and when I started to nit, I was pulling out LIVE bugs! I did a second and different store treatment and still I got live bugs. Yuck!!! Someone who had had lice told me about using mouthwash. I will probably never buy lice shampoo again. Mouthwash worked awesome! You soak your hair with the mouthwash ( make sure it is saturated) and then put on a shower cap. You may need to put a towel around your neck to stop some of the dripping. Let it sit in your hair for 2 hours. After that rinse out the mouthwash and then rinse your hair with vinegar to loosen the glue on the nits. After you rinse out the vinegar than use some conditioner as a final step. Conditioner just helps ease the nitting process. Now comes the processes of nitting. I used the lice comb called nit free, but it might have a different name now. I never saw a live bug when nitting after using this treatment. I faithfully nit everyday for at least 7 days. After 7 days you could do another treatment if you wanted, but I felt after that many days of nitting and not finding any nits in the last few days that I was probably OK. I have read about using mayo or oil, but did not want to try to get all of that oily stuff out of the hair. This ways only drawback is that you smell like mouthwash:). By the way I use the yellow Listerine. Actually the off brand works fine too. Besides the treatment I was very obsessive about vacuuming and washing. Furniture, bedding, clothing, coats, boiling combs and hair stuff, etc. Necessary? I wasn't asking any chances. From now on you will probably always see mouthwash in my bathroom closet and my nit comb. Oh, and by the way, the cashier at the store won't take a step back when you purchase mouthwash:)

Fifth tip
There are two really effective remedies that I have tried that both kill lice and nits and dissolve the glue that holds the nits on the hair shaft.
The first remedy is lemon juice and baking soda. The mixture foams up, but keep stirring and apply to hair. Leave on for a few hours and wash hair. This remedy also kills fleas on your pets. Nits are extremely easy to remove.

The second home remedy is mouthwash. Completely saturate the hair with mouthwash. Wrap hair in plastic wrap or use shower cap. Leave in hair for at least one hour. Wash hair. Mouthwash kills lice and nits. This is the best remedy that I have tried for nit removal. The nits fall apart when you touch them and are easily combed out with a lice comb.

Okay so as I try them I will tell you how they work!

What Makes a Father?

God took the strength of a mountain
The majesty of a tree
The warmth of the summer sun
The calm of a quite sea
The generous soul of nature
The comforting arms of night
The wisdom of the ages
The power of the eagles flight
The joy of a morning in spring
The faith of a mustard seed
The patience of eternity
The depth of a family need
Then God combined these qualities
When there was nothing more to add
He knew his masterpiece was complete
And so he called it....Dad!

A New Begining

I decided to write another blog, being inspired by friends that have so much going on and still seem to do a blog very successfully.  I thought why couldn't I write a blog about being a new mommy.  I have always loved writing even as a kid, I would write in my journal or back then (in the old days) it was called a diary.  It was fun for me to write what all happened in my life each day.  Over the years I got lazy and would often miss days at a time. 

I recently found out I get my love of writing my thoughts and ideas from my mother.  She has kept a journal for years that she jots in every night, writing about the weather, if something happened with someone she loved, and anything else she wants to remember.  Writing, singing, and playing instruments is in my family heritage but I only seemed to got the writing gene. 

I am very excited about this new blog, I want Maddox to look back on it and realize that his mommy loved him and wrote about him often.  So with having said all that lets get started!