Make Cleaning With Vinegar Smell Great!

So, I had a goal today to clean all of my floors. So far, it hasn't gone well. Both of my kids are sick and they seem to be doing what they do best; crying, crying, and more crying.

I still got the kitchen done though!

Anyways, as I was wondering what cleaner to use, I thought about how people love to use vinegar. I usually can't stand the smell. Well as I was looking up some information about vinegar, I saw that some people use vanilla extract to make is smell better.


This gave me a great idea! How many of you have several body splashes from Bath & Body Works or other numerous places that sell smelly-good stuff? I have several.


 As I was mixing the vinegar with water, I put about a tablespoon of my Bath & Body Works "Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin" body splash in it and TA DA! It was cleaner that smelled good and made my house smell amazing!!! I'm using the Pumpkin one for Fall, but I also have an Country Apple body splash for Spring and I am sure I could find one that smells like Christmas! Haha! Not to mention, now I could use all of those body splashes I paid for that I just don't use anymore! It's a cheap miracle!

I am sure that most of you use Vinegar as a natural cleaner/deodorizer and adding the body splash isn't so natural, but it uses things I can't ever sell. It makes me feel better knowing I am not wasting the money.

Alright, I am going to go feed my toddler and get to some more cleaning. It already smells great and my kitchen floor looks spectacular! Happy Cleaning!

My journey to loving my hair: My hair tutorial!

So I have had a few people ask me how I do my hair and I had been thinking about writing a hair tutorial. I just wasn't sure if people would actually read it AND I am not sure if it will work for people with straight hair. So, this could be quite a hair experiement. Alright, let us get started.

Ok, well this is what I started with. As you can see it is already semi-dry because I let it air dry a bit. That way it didn't take forever for me to blow dry it. As you can also see, I have naturally curly hair.

      To start, blow dry your hair. Make sure the roots are completely dry but let the ends stay semi-wet.

                                  

                                             Then, you will brush your hair into two sections.

  After that, twist the sections like the above picture and finish blow drying you hair while it is twisted.

 Afterwards, it will look like this. They are still very loose twists. At this point I usually spray Fizz-Ease Dream curls onto the twists. DO NOT UNRAVEL THEM YET.

You then get a flat iron and go over the twists. I usually stay on the twists for a few seconds each time I go over them. Make sure you go in the same direction as your hair twists and make sure the twists are tight while doing it!

      See the difference? The left twist is after blow drying. The right twist is after flat ironing.

    After doing this a couple of times and making sure my hair is completely dry, these are my results. Big fat curls. If some parts have a hard time curling, I can do chunks separately and get a better result.



After doing this technique a few times, I have really learned to love my hair. I have had such a hard time with it! This is inspired by another Pin on pinterest, but after I did that one my hair didn't turn out so good! I hope y'all enjoyed and I hope it works!

Getting Rid of the pacifier and introducing paci(comfort is normal).

Hey there, folks! So, for the past couple of days, I have taken the pacifier away from Lucy and only allowed her to have it during naptime or bedtime. Soon I will even wean her off of those times.  I personally feel that comfort is normal. Obviously,because it is comfort is something we want when we are born! A lot of moms believe in getting rid of the pacifier cold turkey, but I didn't feel that that was really the way I wanted to do things. I felt that in some sort of way, taking something so important to her and something that she has been attached to for almost two years could somehow set her up for not liking changes later on down the road. I hate some changes but I think that has to do with my genetics. Anyways, I feel that this is a change that can be less horrific than some might make it up to be if it is just a suttle change. I feel that when we have big changes in our lives, the Lord decides whether to throw us in or to let us put our toes in before we jump. And I think this is a change that can be suttle like putting our toes in to check the water temperature. So, I called this blog "Getting rid of the pacifier and introducing Paci", because my idea is to have take a stuffed animal that I know she loves and call it Paci. Everytime she asks for Paci I can say, "This is Paci now." and hand her the rabbit.  I have been doing this for a couple of days and things were going great until I LOST the rabbit I was using at the fair! Needless to say, today has been awful because she doesn't find as much comfort in the one I have been using. I had to order another Jellycat bashful bunny and those things are NOT cheap!! Also, to make this change suttle is by only allowing her to have it during naptime and bedtime right now. After we get the knew bunny and it has been a week of Lucy not having it all day, we will then start on her not having it at those times.


 This is the new one I bought her, but the one I lost was maroon with white speckles. It was so pretty! I hope and pray it makes another child very happy! Maybe the Lord felt someone needed a blessing that day.

Today, Lucy threw a fit because she found a pacifier in her toy box. I took it away from her and then cut the nipple off. Then, I gave it back to her to show the the pacifier is no longer functional and handed her the rabbit I have been using today. She cried for a very long time. It is tough, but to me is so worth it. I much rather wean her off the pacifier than a thumb. Not to mention, the method we have been using seems to be working so well. Honestly, this is the first time she has really thrown a fit about the pacifier. I think babies wanting to suckle is such a natural comforting thing and honestly, I feel that it is important that we encourage that when they are young. I think that if a baby wants his or her thumb or a pacifier, it is ok after such a hard journey into this world! I know some babies aren't for it, which is awesome for the parent, but a baby that wants something like a thumb or paci and doesn't get it, can be neglectful. That could be a bit harsh, but like I said, it is a babies natural desire just like eating and going to the bathroom and you certainly wouldn't take those away!! Again, talking about babies here, not my soon to be 2 year old. This is a good time to take it away as she becomes a big girl. I also think having her little sis around could be a help if I work it the right way. Maybe make Lucy feel extra special and different from her sister because Lainey is still a baby. I think when giving the Paci bunny to Lucy it is saying it's ok to be comforted (and it is something that she can grow out of that won't damage her in any way like a pacifier can do to her teeth) and maybe encourage her to decide to not want the paci anymore.

Anyways, getting rid of the pacifier is not my only goal this month. My other goal (scheduled after our Ohio trip) is to get her potty trained. I think she is ready and has the language skills needed for her to tell me when she needs to go. I read a blog about potty training in three days and I loved it because it really involved the toddler making decisions. For example, it said to go to the store and let your child choose her "big girl" underwear. I think that is so smart! I think it is awesome because it encourages kids to make decisions and to desire to go to the potty by themselves instead of just making them go. However, I do feel that potty training can be one of those things where we really have to work with our kids sometimes and really make them go. I think it just depends on your child. When I have babysat in the past I have babysat kids who found comfort in their diapers and didn't want to let them go. Still, any ideas that encourage our kids to make decisions for themselves is smart, because it encourages our kids to be there own person. Especially at a time where parents have so much control in their lives!

Anyways, I know this was a very opinionated post. I don't mind feedback as long as it is respectful! Thanks for letting me share!

Bar-B-Que Chicken made easy...

So, frozen chicken was on sale this week and I loaded up the cart with it. I always do that famous Pinterest recipe that I call "Salsa Chicken", but I needed to be able to do something new, too.

I had tried this recipe before with the cheap Kraft Bar-B-Que sauce and it was ok. Let me tell you it is ALL in the sauce. So, when you go to pick up some sauce make sure it is one you love. I am from Memphis. So, of course when I saw the "Sticky Fingers: Memphis Original" I had to try it!! It is actually VERY good and has a kick to it. I don't like my sauces too sweet!!

Anyways, when I thought to make this, I knew I was going to make it just like the salsa chicken. I got the chicken(still frozen) and only used half of the bag. I am using the other half for another recipe later in the week. If I wasn't doing that, I probably would have cooked all of the chicken. I put three breasts(still frozen) in the crockpot and poured a little over half the bottle of sauce on top. I put the crock pot on low and left it.

After about three hours this is what it looked like. I did a taste test and it is already nice and tender. Not all of the pieces were ready to be shredded, but I did the best I could.

I plan of going to the store and buying some cole slaw, but I am sure you can make your own if you wanted. I just haven't gotten to that point yet. The bottle of sauce was $2.50 (?) and the entire bag of chicken was $5.00. I would say that is a pretty cheap meal. Just think, if you were to use the entire bag of chicken, you would probably have some left overs! After making this with the cheap sauce, my husband said he liked it better than the regular Bar-B-Que. So I can't wait to see what he says about it with this delcious sauce!Thanks for letting me share!

My {not so} famous chili...

Time for payback. All of you that know Sammie and know what chili does to him, this is your chance to make this chili and get him back!!! This is a decently priced, ONE POT chili!!!

                                 

What you need:

-One big soup(?) pot
-Cheese grater
- 1Onion
- 2 cans of pinto beans
- 2 cans of great northern beans
- 1 Can of tomato juice
- 1 McKormic chili seasoning package
- 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. of ground beef
- Salt, garlic powder, chili powder



This is what you do:

This is a ONE pot chili! That means easy clean up and barely ANY mess! You can do this in the crock pot, but I would brown the meat in a pan and then put it in the crock pot.

Anyways, Start with the onion. One way to cut an onion and WITHOUT the tears is by using a cheese grater. Cut the onion in half and peel the outside. Do NOT cut off the ends. You will want the ends to hold on to because you will use the cheese grater to "cut" it up. Sammie doesn't like onion unless it is so small, you can't notice it in the meal. I used dried minced onion for the longest time and then got the idea to use a cheese grater.  The onion almost looks pureed after it is done. (I knew I should have gotten a pic. Sorry.)

Forgive the pot markings. They are always there no matter how many times I clean it. Anyways, after grating the onion into the pot, put the meat in and brown it! Mix the meat and onion well. While the meat is browning, do a once over with some chili powder and garlic powder. After the meat is brown, of course drain the grease, but you don't have to do it well. I keep a tiny bit in there to add flavor. I usually use the leanest meat I can find, too. So there isn't that much grease anyways.

After that, add the ENTIRE can of tomato juice. Sometimes I only add 3/4 of the can and put water in it. It all depends on what I have in my fridge. :) Then add the McKormick package, drain the excess juice from the cans of bean, and add beans. Don't fully drain the beans. I like a little bit of excess bean juice to add flavor...which might could explain some things.

Alright! After mixing everything together, bring the chili to a boil. I would suggest using a medium-high heat. You don't want anything to burn at the bottom. Stir frequently as it boils so that burning doesn't happen. I would also suggest boiling it about 10-20 minutes. It really depends on how much time you have. After it heats up a little bit, most of the time I take this moment to add more garlic and chili powder and salt if needed. Tomato juice already has plenty of sodium in it. So, you might not need to add salt. If you added some water though, you  most likely will need to.

I let it simmer the rest of the day. I stir it every once in a while so that things don't get cooked to the pan. If you go to work and are not a stay at home mom like me, that is why I suggested the crock pot(on high). The longer it cooks the better it will be!  Not to mention, the more it cooks, the more the flavors seem to just melt into each other! I like it when the beans are tender and the meat practically melts in your mouth. That is why I use pinto and great northern beans. I hate kidney beans and they always seem tough no matter how long you cook them. Also, feel free to use the recipe as a guide to make your own style of chili!

Thanks for letting me share! You can also feel free to share any suggestions of making it better or even what you do for your chili! If you use this recipe as a base for your own, please share that, too! I love hearing what other people do. Have a great day!!

Mean Girls (Part 2) and the 4th of July

So, after reading my previous post a couple of times, some questions came into my mind. I realized I didn't post anything about what I might be doing to prevent my girls from becoming "mean girls". So here goes:

First of all, I think it is going to help that they are so close in age. Lucy is the main one I am concerned about since we are so much alike. She has gotten a lot better since Lainey was born and can be very gentle with her sister. Sometimes though, she likes to yank the pacifier out of Lainey's mouth for kicks and giggles, just so she can try to get it back into her mouth. So, I guess just really encouraging acts of kindness between the two of them is my first thing. To really praise Lucy when she is gentle and/or actually gives Lainey her paci when she is crying!

My second thing, is really communicating/communicating "why". Kids really understand more than we give them credit for! They can really understand so much. So, when she is being unkind to Lainey or me, I really try to explain to her WHY it is mean. Even if I use big words, I feel that she understands me. I guess you could say I don't want to "dumb down" my kids just because they are young or kids. I am sure that could get positive and negative remarks, but I think communication is so important. I think it is so important that kids learn how to communicate their feelings rather than act out on them. I am by no means a perfect parent. I make mistakes and sometimes I yell even though I don't want to be a yeller. Or, I can lose patience and not communicate in a nice way. That brings me to my next point.

Third, I am trying to lead by example and it is easier said than done!!! I have two very loud children and one sounds like a pterodactyl! They can wear on my patience quickly. I have really learned to start taking deep breaths, praise(Praising the Lord for these gifts), and God's word. Sometimes all I need is silence. One time I was really having a hard time and was being very impatient with EVERYONE. At this point, I didn't want to be with anyone, not even friends. I didn't want to have to give to someone...if you know what I mean...all I wanted was some silence. So, at naptime one day, Sammie got irritated with me and I walked outside, read a couple of chapters from Proverbs and it helped me so much. What really helps me sometimes when I am reading my Bible are the notes that I have written in margins. Some of the notes contain my goals and desires for being a good and wise parent.

I guess the fourth thing would be proper discipline. This is so hard and I am not going to go to far into this. I am learning about this, too. I constantly pray for the wisdom and intutiveness I need to raise my kids. I am a really my harshest critic. Sometimes I don't feel like a very good mother and notice myself comparing myself to other mothers. I do my best when it comes to this. When she throws something at her sister and makes her cry, I will take the object away and spank her. I recently posted something about this on Facebook. So that is another reason why I won't go so far into it. I think prayer and asking God to mold and help me mold our children to be sweet is the major thing. I know that my girls are human beings and life is really learning by experience. That means I know they aren't going to be perfect, but I will do my best to encourage them to love and communicate well with people of all ages!

Are you still reading? Would you like to know what it is like to jump into a lake from 33ft?

I will be quick. To celebrate the fourth of July, we were invited by friends to go and hang out on a yacht. It was 133ft. long and 33ft high. When the boat was parked, I just climbed down the ladder and got into the lake. I had had one cocktail and was feeling relaxed. When I saw the boys start jumping into the water from the second story of the boat all I could think was, "I have got to try that." It was awesome! Well, after hanging out in the water a little while longer, someone got the idea to jump fromt the third story! Again, I told myself that I had to try it. When you jump from that high, you just can NOT think about it. I was glad I had something to relax me a little. I was one out of two girls to jump into the water from either story of the boat. Anyways, when I jumped in the feeling was just like the panic you feel when you are having a "falling dream". The three emotions I got were: panic, excitement, and elation! I literally thought "Am I going to hit the water?" When I did, I landed on my butt and it hurt a long time after that. It also lead to a huge bruise the size of soft ball on my rear end. O well! It was so worth it and I would encourage any one to do it if they have the chance!! You only live once!!

Hope all is well with everyone! Thanks for letting me share!

Mean Girls? And maybe a few tips.

Bullying seems to have started becoming popular. When I was younger, I believe I was the bully, not the one being bullied.  I might have had a few instances where someone was mean to me. That lead to me just being mean back. I once got sent to the principal's office. A girl had been making fun of my acne and that lead to me saying, "I rather have acne than butt breathe like you." Hahahaha. I still find it funny, even though I probably shouldn't. I don't think that is bullying though. I think bullying is when you get your class to surround someone who used to be your friend, heckle her, and kick her shoes. The image of that girl is still stuck in my and I hope it stays there. I do not want my girls to grow up as mean girls.

Recently, I was talking to my mom and I was going through some of the mean things (that could be considered bullying) and I had a realization. I realized that most of the time when I was acting that way, it wasn't my IDEA to treat people that way. It seemed that it was always someone else's idea and I wanted to look cool. So, I succumbed to peer pressure. I am by no means blaming these people. It was my decision to do it and then continue with my actions.  I know my kids aren't perfect, even though I think that the sun shines out of their butts, but I just don't want to be one of those moms where they think their kid could do no wrong. Anyways, I hope I can teach them the things they need to be sweet girls, but to know how and when to stand up for themselves. I don't want them to be suckers either...

Anyways, some people might think I am still a mean girl. I consider myself a very blunt person and I know that some might consider that "bitchy".  I am just not the kind of person that is going to tell you if something looks good if it doesn't! If you ask my opinion, you better REALLY want it because I am going to give it to you! :) Has anyone else noticed that when someone asks for an opinion or advice, they don't really want it anyways? People are still going to do things the way they want to anyways.

Alright, on to bigger and better things...

So, I was looking for a mattress pad for Lucy. Potty training will be soon approaching us and we will deifnitely need one.  Right now, I just couldn't stand that you could see the mattress through her pink sheets! I don't know why. It just seemed ghetto. Well, we do not have the money right now for a mattress pad. At least, we couldn't afford a good one that ranges in prices of 20-30 dollars. So, I ended up getting a twin size comforter that we have had forever and put in on the mattress and then used her flat sheet over the comforter. She doesn't really use covers and that flat sheet was becoming a pain in my toosh when I made the bed!! This was a cheap, quick fix. I was thinking of putting some kind of plastic underneath when potty training comes. I am sure the plastic would be cheaper and you couldn't hear it with that comforter over it! After I put all of that on, I covered it with the fitted sheet and it worked out great! Just an idea for you moms out there that are frugal!

I haven't really tried any new recipes lately. I know that since Lucy is on almond milk, instead of cow's milk, I have used sour cream in our mashed potatoes. We use sour cream more and usually have it on hand. However, I would not recommend using almond milk in your mashed potatoes. It doesn't taste terrible and some might like it, but I prefer the sour cream. It makes very tasty mashed taters! I will also say that lately, we have grilled a lot and have had some of the BEST burgers.  If you want a tasty burger you must mix the Kraft Fresh Takes with the meat! (Use the four cheese one for burgers) I also put a tiny bit of Allegro in it to make them moist and a little more flavorful when it comes to the grill. Not to mention, I usually don't eat meat for left overs because I can't stand the taste, but I ate a left over burger last night and it was still delicious!!

Anyways, thanks for letting me share with you! Hope everyone has a blessed day!!