Things my kids say that tickle me green....

I know the saying is "tickle me pink" but I prefer green as a color... hence the title.

So, lately I've been writing down things Bean says that just make me laugh out loud, or sigh in contentment... or make my eyes bulge out of my head as I try NOT to laugh out loud... ;)

Here are a few:

July 5th of last year, the morning after the birth of Sprout. She comes in to the hospital with Hubbs and notes with interest, that the new baby is nursing. She climbs up onto the bed.
Bean: "Whacha doin' Muma?"
Me: "Well, I'm feeding Sprout. God made mummies a special milk that is just for babies."
Bean: "Huh." *pondering this new development* "Well, did He make it regular or chocolate?"
(Hubbs almost peed himself with amusement.)

Last month:
Bean: "Muma! What IS that?"
Me: "Well, I'm not quite sure..."
Bean: "It must be spider puke."
(I almost died laughing...)

Last week at the grocery:
Bean: "Muma!!! Ugh! What's that smell?"
Me: "It's the manure at the store across the street."
Bean: "What?! Muma, it's frog poop. Can't you tell?... Why are you laughing? What's funny??"
(Now, I tried not to laugh and didn't succeed well enough. I then thought of asking her why she would ask me, if it was so obviously frog poop...but I didn't.)

After herth birthday... "Muma. When we go to the fair next year for my birthday, i really want to ride the ferris wheel, so when I get to the top they can stop it and I can reach up to touch Jesus." (*crying*)

Upon seeing the ultrasound of Sprout, "Holy Mackerel!! It's a BABY!!" :)

Sprout on Mother's Day this past weekend... Waves his little hand at me and yells, "Muma! Muma!" *vehclempt* :)

Ya know, some days I tend to get caught up in what I'm doing... be it baking, cooking, laundry... and I'm exasperated or frustrated that my list of daily tasks isn't dwindling, but seems to be growing... but then one of my children will do or say something that just reminds me why I do what I do. For moments, or hours, of love and learning... of fulfillment and fun... of just being with my children and praising God for every minute I get with them.

Just yesterday, on our way to Mimi and Pipaw's house, we were jamming to "The Outsider's" by Need To Breathe... now, when I say jamming, I mean... stopped at a stoplight, headbanging, clapping our hands and waving our arms and totally rockin' out... well, I was... Bean and Sprout were shrieking with laughter in the backseat. :)

Homemade Pedialyte...

That's right! You can go and get a couple bucks worth of stuff at the store and make your own Pedialyte!! No more late night grocery runs!! No more $6 liters of electrolytes!! Yay!!

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt substitute*
1/2 tsp Salt*
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 Liter Water

Mix it all together and Chill. You can also mix in a sugar-free Kool Aid packet. Do not use a Kool Aid that needs extra sugar - sugar causes worse diarrhea. :( You can also use Crystal Lite.

By the way - This will taste quite salty to someone who does not need it. 

*Morton's makes a salt substitute called Lite... use 1 tsp instead of the salt and the substitute.

Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning it all for the daaaayyyyyy....

I am slowly weeding out our chemical cleaners and finding some wonderful alternatives online. Just last week I cleaned the bathtub so the nugglets could take a bath, and I used a harsh chemical cleaner. Hubbs came up over the stairs with said nugglets and started hacking... Now we are getting rid of them. Which is good, I've been trying to do it for a time now... Here is a website that has 66 All-Natural Cleaning Solutions. YES!!!!!

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/all-natural-cleaning-solutions-00000000011547/page6.html

Enjoy!

Yumminess Galore...

I love to try new foods, new recipes, new restaurants. Hubbs isn't as willing as I am, but he is fond of me, therefore fond of new food. ;) We set out Saturday with Bean and Sprout to make the trek to Trader Joe's. Now, the nearest TJ's is 1hr 45min away in Mass. Soooo worth it though. I make the haul once a month with nugglets in tow, but this was his first journey. He LOVED it! He found cheeses and ciabatta rolls and guacamole.... He found all natural/organic heaven. Which is great for me!! I didn't even have to "sell" it to him. Anyway, he came home (well, we ALL came home) with a new-found energy for "not-the-norm" recipes for us to make for dinners. I'm stoked! So far, we have tried Emeril's Portobello Mushroom-Bleu Cheese Burgers... scrumptastic!! It was like eating a meat pattie... but better!!! We didn't have bleu cheese, so we used feta and it was still amazing.  Recipe can be found here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/portobello-mushroom-blue-cheese-burgers-with-lemon-aioli-and-bitter-greens-recipe/index.html

I apologize. I still haven't figured out how to make the links in blue...???

So, last night we tried bestie's blogged Israeli Couscous with Swiss Chard and Feta... Wow. It was great! I was a bit skeptical at first, but we thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the nugglets mowed on the couscous...that's inspiring... her recipe is here:

http://godadoptedyou.blogspot.com/2010/04/swiss-chard-who-knew.html

Tonight we kept it simple... Black Bean Cheese Quesadillas.... still yummy! :)

Enjoy!!!

ps- I recognize that the pics lack a little something.... I never did say I was a photographer...

Airplanes, Puke, Pedialyte... Oh My!!

*phew*

What a week. It started on

Day One... Monday... 4 a.m.... Hubbs left for a business trip to Ft. Lauderdale. He quietly snuffled on both nugglets before he left, but of course, Bean woke up crying, thinking Daddy didn't give her the 5 snuffles he promised. After much Muma snuffling and Sprout's gooey kisses, she was ok (if you don't know what snuffling is, it's our version of snuggling... with little snuffle noises that produce mass amounts of giggles... usually... sometimes not).  There were a few melt-downs, but we prevailed.

Day Two... Tuesday... Sprout wakes up cranky and proceeds to puke his entire breakfast onto my living room carpet... greeeeaaaat... after 3 upchucks and refusal to eat, we embark on a journey to get pedialyte. I say journey because if you've ever tried to "just go to the store" with 2 nugglets, you know that that alone makes it a journey. Because of said puking, Bean had to miss dance lessons which promptly induced more melt-downs... BUT, I more than made up for it by making granola bars with chocolate chips... she stopped crying. Take that melt-down!! Muma wins! Muma wins! *enthusiastically dancing* Both nuggs finally went to bed after a puke session from Sprout, which means I got to do my exercising at 9:30 at night... go me.

Day Three...Wednesday... Up and at 'em at 6 am... not ok, but up and at 'em nonetheless... *sigh* Sprout kept down cheerios and Pedialyte, was in a cheery mood, so we decided to finally bathe our dirty selves and surprise Mimi with a visit at work. A fun visit, and "Meemster" was surprised. Yay! We met all the lovelies she works with, who "oohed" and "ahhed" over my nugglets. Which, by the way, maybe it's just me being a weirdo, but I immensely dislike people I don't know touchin' my nuggs. Hands off, Peeps!! They're mine, you no touchy! Back to the day at hand... we arrived home safely and had no melt-downs OR puke. Success is mine!!!

Day Four... Thursday... Hubbs comes home today. Whoop whoop! *happy dance*  Sprout woke up cranky today, which may be due to the fact that he was up all night... and up at 6:30! Ugh. Needless to say, he was asleep during our morning snuffle at 8:15.  Blessed me with time to shower... I even got to use lotion!! Yay! My skin rejoiced!!  We decided to surprise Hubbs and meet him at the airport when he flew in. We arrived at the airport with a few minutes to spare and proceeded to watch a little girl consume an orange soda. Now, I say this because she was little. As in, tried to talk to Bean, who didn't speak because we teach them not to talk to strangers unless Muma and Daddy say it's ok. I gave the go ahead and they promptly started gabbing. The aforementioned little girl divulged that it was her birthday tomorrow and she was turning 4... that's right drinking soda at 4. Did I mention it was Sunkist Orange Soda?? If any of you know me, you know that itis my vice... that and Slim Jims... I know, I know... I'm ashamed... Anywho, Sunkist is the only orange soda made that has added caffeine, and this 3-almost-4 year old little girl was swigging it it down. All I could think about was her stomach lining and tooth decay in 15 years... Uh, so yea... Hubbs came out, very surprised and nauseous... *sigh* I just can't win! 

We got home after a trip for Black beans and ginger ale (not to be eaten together... ewww!) and the family, sans me, all napped on and off for 2 1/2 hrs. Lucky ducks. I rocked both nuggs and got peed on in the process. I'm awesome. ;)


My only sane thought this week was: God doesn't give you more than you can handle. I repeated this to myself over and over...

So, that was my week in a very long-winded montage. Thanks for reading. and maybe laughing... at the peed on part. :)

The Button Down Dress...

Yet again inspired by the bestie, I set out and made my daughter, from here on out referred to as Bean, a dress made from one of my button down shirts. Success! Not only does she love it, but blue happens to be her fave color. Double whammy for me! (the good double whammy...)

Vintage Sheet Shower Curtain...

Hubbs' grandmother just blessed me with 3 bags of vintage material... That's right - 3 bags! I'm in heaven. I've actually had them since right before Christmas, but let's face it... With 2 kids, hubbs, a dog and the hateful cat... I've got my hands full. My bestie came up to NE for a visit over Easter and reminded me of all the wonderful things I can make with this material... woohoo! Here is the wonderful vintage sheet shower curtain I made...However, this beautiful sheet is from my MIL. Thanks, MIL! :)  I think I may add a handmade flower to one of the corners, but we shall see...

 

The blogged tutorial is:
http://www.katherinejalaty.com/2009/10/tutorial-vintage-sheet-shower-curtain.html

All Natural Underarm Deodorant

Here is also my revamped recipe for making deodorant. Even hubbs uses it... which says alot... He's a sweater... As in, he sweats a beastly amount... Not ok. ;) But now it is! He smells coconuty fresh and he himself loves it! We'll have to see how well it works, now that it's warming up outside...

Natural Deodorant

Ingredients:
5-6 Tbsp Coconut oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup tapioca starch
Combine equal portions of baking soda & tapioca starch. Then slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon until it maintains the substance you desire. It should be about the same texture as the store bought kind, solid but able to be applied easily. You can either scoop this into your old dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. We use containers from previously used deodorants. I squish it in and… WALLAH!

The original blog I found it on is: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/03/update-homemade-deoderant.html

Laundry Detergent... perfect for cloth dipes! :)

As you know, I try to do my share of "greenery"... we recycle, bake our own bread, make our own deodorant, body butter and laundry detergent.  We use cloth dipes, upcycle clothes and, one of my faves, have "clothing swaps" to get "new-to-me" clothing. *so chic*

Anyway, when hubbs and I started cloth diapering, we found that the detergent that is supposed to be used for the dipes was super expensive. Like, WHOA. Silly really, when you think about it. So, I set off on a journey of "detergent freedom".... I'm noticing I'm using a lot of quotes today... Go me!

Here is my recipe for laundry detergent. I revamped one I found, so that's why I say it's "mine". Enjoy!! The original recipe can be found here:

http://frugallygreen.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-make-your-own-laundry-soap.html

• Laundry Detergent 
• 5 gallon bucket 
• 1/2 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap  
• 1/2 cup Borax 
• 1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT baking soda – they’re different)

Step 1: Cut your bar of Fels Naptha Soap in two and finely grate one half of it.
Step 2: Put your grated soap in a pot with 6 cups of water and heat on low until the soap melts. Don't let the soap boil. Once all the soap is completely melted, add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens (almost as thick as honey). Remove from heat.
Step 3: Pour 4 cups of hot tap water into your bucket. Add the soap mixture and stir it up. Here's the point where you can add essential oil if you wanted. We add Tea Tree Oil. You don’t have to add any oils, it smells amazing either way.
Now add one gallon of hot tap water plus 6 more cups. I used an old gallon milk jug. Works perfectly.
Stir a spit more, then let it sit overnight.

Zoom, zoom, zoom....

and, no, I did not buy a mazda. We have been uber busy. Non-stop action for 5 days now. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, when all I have to do is make sure my house and kids are clean for our guests coming. HA! :)

Easter was great. We did our Resurrection Day Cookies... spectacular! Here they are: 

From ALL things through Christ... He strengthens me...

They were scrumdiddlyumptious! We had a fabulous time making them and reading scriptures while we did it.  I also happened upon a delectable Easter Bread. Here's that: 

From ALL things through Christ... He strengthens me...

Now, I do not mean to make your mouth water, so, my apologies... ok, maybe I did... a little...

Unfortunately, I dont have more time currently to blog. My kids are tearing the house apart... at least, the entertainment center.  Enjoy your Wednesday!!

renamed Resurrection Day cookies...

Again with the "dot dot dot"s.... Get used to it. :)

Easter in our house is still being mapped out, tradition-wise. Our daughter is 3 1/2, so that makes it enjoyable.  Whilst my hubbs was waiting to check our daughter in for her sunday school class this past Sunday, he came across a stack of papers for "Easter Story Cookies". VERY excited.  Here's the recipe:


Easter Story Cookies - renamed Resurrection Day Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. pecan halves
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
1 c. white sugar

Cooking Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 33 degrees F.
2. Place pecans in resealable plastic baggie. Proceed to crush pecans in to small bits. Read aloud John 19:1-3.
3. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into medium bowl. Read aloud John 19:28-30.
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. Read aloud John 10:10-11.
5. Sprinkle salt into the egg whites. Read aloud Luke 23:27.
6. So far, the mixture isn't too appetizing. Add 1 c. sugar. Read aloud Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 min until stiff peaks form. Read aloud Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
7. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Read aloud Matthew 27:57-60.
8. Place cookies into oven, close door, and turn oven off. Read aloud Matthew 27:65-66.
9. Go to bed. Read aloud John 16:20 and 22.
10. In the morning, open oven door and take out cookies. Read Matthew 28:1-9.



Needless to say, you can tell what we'll be doing on Saturday night. But last night, as my husband and I were getting the nugglets ready for bed, (this meaning he and I were pawing through the 4 loads of clean laundry sitting on my couch that needed to be folded, looking for jammies... don't judge... I folded it today)  a commercial came on with the easter bunny. Our daughter starts laughing and says, "Easter bunny? That's so silly. There isn't any special bunny for Easter." *sigh* We're doing something right!! We choose not to teach about the bunny. I grew up knowing that Easter is Resurrection Day (which is why I renamed the cookies), but I also think my muma always called it that to make sure we took a step back from the commercialized "easter". That's what we called it for as long as I can remember, and it's what we believe. Why would we want to foreshadow (is that even the right word? I always use words that are not what they're intended for) such a wonderful day - the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ - with a bunny who hides eggs and candy? On that note, we do provide a fun little path of m&m's from her bedroom door to a small basket with stickers and silly whatnots... so I'm not completely "uncommercialized" (niiiice).  And of course tomorrow night we're coloring eggs... but I'll be honest, if I could buy the coloring kits all year round, we'd be eating some funky eggs throughout all seasons.

On that note, the note of colored eggs and Jesus, I will end my first "real" montage... wrong word again? maybe... not sure... hmmm.....

So new....

This is all very new to me. I have many friends that blog, my best friend does. I, however, do not have a way with words, so bear with me... I'm using this blog as a sort of journal exercise for myself and my family. Keep tabs if you'd like. It's going to be about all kinds of, as my husband would say, "ness" in our lives. Hopefully, I don't bore you... maybe I will... *hehehe* As you can tell, I really love the "dot dot dot". It's my signature "thing". I also like air quotes...

I am a stay-at-home mum who likes to find new ways to save money, be green, and do it all with my family... and enjoy doing it together. We live in Maine, in our little "bungalow"...

So, journey with me on an adventure into my mind... it'll keep us all guessing... :)