Great stuff...

Some days I really just want to pull my hair out. Of course, then I would be bald, and it's hard to imagine me bald. Scary really. Anyway, this is one of those days. For the most part things went really well, and then in a span of about an hour, it all just went to crap.

Anyway, I did have a good morning. As many parents with light colored carpet know, red Kool-aid, kids, and carpet don't mix well. I have this yucky beige colored carpet throughout my house, I just don't like beige that well, although it's better than white, it still sucks. But, it's what I've got, at least for a few years.  Well, after only a year in the house, I have a myriad of red spots decorating said beige carpet throughout the living room. And nothing I tried would take it out, I thought it was destined just to have red spots. Had a professional come and clean it, said they were permanent and nothing would take it out. I gave up. Then a week or so ago I had an idea. Google. I don't know why it took me so long to do that, I mean, I google everything else, I'm on the computer most of the day for school, it just never crossed my mind. There are bunches of sites that come up and they all seemed to say similar things:
1. Dawn
2. Water
3. White cloths
4. Iron

It works!! Oh my gosh, it works. The first few spots I didn't have the iron nearly hot enough and it didn't work as good as it did once I got a nice hot cotton setting. And I got the stain wet with the soapy solution instead of just having the white cloths wet. So, you get a bowl of warm water, put 10 drops of dawn in it. Wet your cloth and the spot you want to work on, spread the cloth over the spot, and put the iron on top. Leave it 3-4 minutes, and then check, the red transfer's to the cloth!!! Do this repeatedly until most if not all of the stain is gone. They say you can then use spot shot and things, but I didn't have that, I just scrubbed a little more. I still have several spots to work on as this process took a while to perfect, but I'm so stoked that at least they aren't bright red spots anymore! If you are going to try something similar, I highly recommend trying it in an inconspicuous area to make sure you don't burn a spot in your carpet or something silly. I am by no means a professional, but it worked for me.

We had a new dinner courtesy of Pinterest tonight. Pepperoni roll-ups. They were inhaled before I could snap a picture, so you'll have to just imagine it.
1 can of refrigerator crescent rolls
Pepperoni (about 4 per roll)
2 string cheese sticks cut into 4 pieces each.
marinara, spaghetti, or pizza sauce for dipping

Place pepperoni's and cheese in each crescent roll before rolling up. Bake according to package directions. Warm sauce in separate bowl. Voila. Watch them disappear in minutes!

School is done for the semester, yay!! I can concentrate on Christmas stuff now. This semester was very trying and I know the hard stuff is still yet to come. I remember why I quit when I was young though. Of course it doesn't get easier, either. I'm not looking forward to next semester, but I'm going to try really hard not to think about it for a week or so.

'Til next time.

Oh Pinterest, how I love thee.......

.....let me count the ways....I'm not addicted to it as some, at least not yet anyway, however I have found TONS literally, tons of stuff that I want to try out. My first endeavor was homemade hand soap. Someone actually posted a link on Facebook and that's where I found the original recipe, but there are lots and lots of recipes on Pinterest. They are all basically the same with slight variations here or there. My first attempt was so-so in the success category. I definitely had liquid hand soap, but it was more in the consistency of snot. Nonetheless, it worked! And it made one whole gallon, which lasted me almost two months! With three bathrooms and a kitchen, 4 children and 2 adults, and as much as we wash our hands, that's pretty darn good. So, for $4.19 (the price of the bar of soap) we got about 7-8 weeks of soap. For the next batch, I decided the recipe definitely had to have the glycerin, so I ordered 16 oz for $4.35 from my most favorite essential oil supplier. And because I still have plenty of essential oils on hand (a small bottle lasts a long time) I didn't have to order any this time, but if you want a little scent in your soap (if it doesn't have any already), essential oils are safe for most sensitive skin, if blended in a carrier (soap included), they don't recommend rubbing the oils directly on the skin, they are too strong.


I won't go into what scents work best for what, that is an entirely different post and gets into aromatherapy, which is not my strong suit, I just know what scents I like. But some basics: tea tree is good for cleaning, as is eucalyptus (my personal favorite), lavender is relaxing (another favorite) while mint and peppermint are refreshing. The website I listed above has some awesome combination oils as well as individual, some are more expensive than others, it all varies with the market value.


The second batch worked out much better, although it's still a little bit stringy, I think that one more adjustment to the recipe and it will be as close to perfect as it gets without lots of added chemicals. And a gallon of soap, even in the refill bottles for about $4.30 is practically unheard of, even at Wal-Mart. In fact, if the next batch works as good as I hope, it will also be great shower quality soap, we all know how expensive that stuff is, at least the good stuff.


So, what do you need to do if you want to make good hand soap:


A pot that will hold a gallon of water without overflowing
Empty pump-type soap containers
Cheese grater
Container to hold the extra soap (1 use an empty 1 gallon ice cream pail)
Funnel
Large plastic spoon or ladel for stirring
handmixer or blender


1bar of soap: Castille soap (I like Dr. Bronner's and Target carries it in store and Amazon has it in bulk online), Yardley's, Mrs. Meyer's, Kiss My Face or any natural soap is great, but really you can use anything except Dove.
1-2 tbsp of glycerin (best deal is on the wholesale site, but you can get it at the pharmacy area of your grocery or drug store, they may have it behind the counter if it's not on the shelf)
1gallon of water


Grate bar of soap, warm your water on the stove, just before it boils mix soap, glycerin, and any essential oils you might want to use together until soap is melted. Once all combined it will look milky/hazy. Let sit 8-12 hours or overnight. Soap will thicken. If it becomes too thick to spoon, take your hand mixer and blend until you get a smoother consistence. Using your funnel ladel/spoon your soap into the pumps and pour the rest into your extra container, and there you have it! Lots of soap for a little $$.


I've also been trying lots of new recipes for family meals like the crockpot breakfast I posted last Sunday morning, and Crockpot potato soup in the crockpot on Monday. I have many many more to try, yay.


I've even added a bunch of crochet projects to my Store. I have a bunch more I want to offer, some really cute patterns I have to try out, but most of those will probably be worked on after Christmas as I have so many things I'm working on to get done by Christmas. Thankfully school for me will be done next week and I will only be schooling the kids half time through Christmas break, we aren't taking it completely off because there really is no good reason to not be doing something for most of those days, but they will be off when their dad is home for his 96's and that will be good. We are looking forward to those days together.


That's it for now, back to the research paper I go....

So I've been busy lately......

I think that should pretty much be the title of every blog post that I eventually get around to, lol. I have been very busy. I don't keep up with blogging the things I'm busy with as much as I would like to, either. But, on the other hand, I do facebook an awful lot, and yes, I just used Facebook as a verb, lol. Whether that is proper or not, I'm not too concerned. So, anyway, I should be working on putting together my Power Point that is due today or finishing the reading on the Chapter that I am taking a test on as well today, but alas, I promised this recipe to many of my friends and family. I'm going to be trying a bunch of new recipes the next couple of weeks and most of them utilize the crock-pot. I love my crock-pot, especially in the winter time, I should really use it more year round, because it's so easy to just put a bunch of stuff in it and let it get yummy all by itself. I'm all about fast and easy, while I am neither. ;0)

So, the breakfast recipe I found here. You need at the very least a 5 qt. crock pot for this recipe, but you could half it if yours is smaller. The recipe as written yeilds enough to feed at least 8 grown men who eat a lot, lol, maybe even 10. We have enough left over to feed us all for another breakfast. I made some tweaks just because that is what I do, lol. So basically my recipe was as follows:

2lbs. frozen hashbrowns

1/2 an onion, peeled and chopped (it says a whole onion, but we are not really onion people)

1tsp. minced garlic

1 small green pepper seeded and chopped

12 stripes of bacon

8 link sausage

2cups shredded cheese (I used a colby/cheddar blend, and 1/2 cup more because we are cheese people)

12 eggs (it seems like a lot, but it's not)

1cup whole milk (I used 1% and it was just fine)

1tsp dried dill (I wasn't sure about this, but did it anyway, and yes, it was yummy!)

1/2 tsp. salt (I use ground sea salt)

1/2 tsp. pepper (I use coarse ground black pepper)

I cut my bacon into one inch strips before cooking it just seemed easier than frying it, cooling it and THEN cutting it, and then I cut my sausage links into thirds (still frozen, be careful if you do this use the sharpest knife in your supply and watch your fingers so the sausage doesn't roll out from under the knife and you end up with finger in your breakfast. I saute'd all the meats first and then added the veggies and minced garlic when the meat was about 1/2 way cooked. Remove from heat. Drain juices, if any are left, if you use turkey bacon or sausage there won't be much, if any remaining fat. 

Spray your crock with PAM or other non stick spray. I don't recommend using the crock pot bags for this recipe, I'm not sure they would work very well, but someone might want to try it, I know it makes clean up of the crock pot easier. 

In separate bowl beat eggs, milk, dill, salt, and pepper until combined. 

Layer 1/3 of the hashbrowns in the bottom of the crock pot, then 1/3 of the meat on top of that, then 1/3 of the cheese, continue for two more layers, ending with a layer of cheese. Pour egg mixture over the top. I went back and forth instead of pouring it all in the middle to promote even cooking. Cover and cook on low overnight for 8-10 hours. Verify done-ness by sticking a thermometer in the middle of the casserole, it should reach at least 160 degrees F. Mine was about 175. Enjoy!

I will definitely share other recipes as I try them, and after finals are all done on the 15th I hope to have a bunch of crafty things to share as well... If you don't have Pintrest, I highly recommend it as I have found tons of good ideas and recipes there. If you need an invite let me know here or on Facebook and I will gladly send you one!

Til next time!

As valid today as it was then...

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation Whereas the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the supreme authority and just government of Almighty God in all the affairs of men and of nations, has by a resolution requested the President to designate and set apart a day for national prayer and humiliation; and
Whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord;
And, insomuch as we know that by His divine law nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.
It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do by this my proclamation designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. And I do hereby request all the people to abstain on that day from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite at their several places of public worship and their respective homes in keeping the day holy to the Lord and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the divine teachings that the united cry of the nation will be heard on high and answered with blessings no less than the pardon of our national sins and the restoration of our now divided and suffering country to its former happy condition of unity and peace. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this 30th day of March, A. D. 1863, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-seventh.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
By the President:
WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State .

Read more at the American Presidency Project: Abraham Lincoln: Proclamation 97 - Appointing a Day of National Humiliation, Fasting, and Prayer http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=69891#ixzz1aQrrk4Lf

I find it funny...

...when I look through Facebook at the friends list's of my friends looking for other people I know, and when I find someone, I think, "Oh my gosh, I remember when so and so did this....." and then I wonder if they would even remember me because we weren't best friends or anything, but we hung out with the same people and were kind of friends by association. I have a lot of those through the years, friends by association. Some of those became good friends and some just kind of faded off in the distance. I do wonder about them sometimes, but not enough to pick up the phone or add them to my friend's list. Sometimes, like I said, I'm not sure if they would even remember who the heck I am or if they would even want to. It's been really important for me to find as many family members as I can on Facebook, because I live so far away from the majority of them, and didn't grow up with them (well, not since I was 12 anyway), I just want to know how they all are. Some of them I send Christmas cards to, and I make half-hearted attempts at keeping in touch, but I'm not good at it. And for different reasons, there are strains on some familial ties, as much as I try to ignore them, I always wonder if I'm being ignored because of them, or because we never actually physically go see anyone. Traveling is hard and expensive, especially with four children, there is nothing I would like to do more than to take a trip to Minnesota and spend a couple of weeks there. My living grandparents aren't getting any younger, none of the family is. It feels like we need a good old fashioned family reunion. But, whenever we do get the chance to travel, we usually can't go that far, or it's to visit the hubby's family because we don't get to see them much either, and we have lived in the same time zone as my parents for several years now, so I always feel guilty even suggesting we go see my extended family. So, each year it gets put off. And now with me in school full time and him getting ready to start, it doesn't seem like it will get any easier. 

But, enough with my complaining. Until next time...

School

It's back to school time for all those kiddies in public school again. It's a little anti climactic for our household. Since we are home-schooling year round now, there really isn't a solid beginning or end. Of course I think it is much better this way, the kids really seem to enjoy learning and we can take trips whenever we want. But, I do like the deals when I can take advantage of them. Having new school supplies is fun, and since I'm in school now too, I get to actually use some things. Clothes, I have to be careful, there really isn't a huge reason to buy clothes, it's too hot still for them to wear the fall clothes and there is no point buying new summer clothes since it will only be "hot" for a few more months. So, I like to wait until after the back to school ruckus when the fall clothes start going on sale before I actually buy their cool weather clothes. Usually I can come up with some coupons from Old Navy or Children's Place and get more for less.

The one thing I do look forward to, is new books and curriculum for the kiddo's and now me. I get email from used curriculum groups all year long, and I pick up what I know I'm going to need for the next level whenever I find a good deal, but the majority of good deals come when new school year gets ready to start because so many people are ready to part with their things. Now, I would sell some of my curriculum, but alas, since I have two more to start school in the next few years, it makes no sense. I really can't part with anything until BooBoo gets some use out of it. I have come to realize though, that that is A LOT of books. I really need some kind of organizational units/shelving for all of my curriculum. I would really like the husband to make me something, but he has another project that he wants to work on, so I really don't have much to work with now, and won't for the foreseeable future. But, on the upside, I have finally gotten a system for keeping portfolio's for the kiddos and I have a computer program that I can enter all of their information and make report cards and all that other fun bookkeeping stuff that I haven't been able to do up until now. So, I'm at least going to go back to last fall to create the records, and that should be good since the oldest is just entering 6th grade this year.

I made it through my first summer semester of courses, and unbeknownst to me I took a course overload at 12 credits. Had I realized this was a course overload and how stressed out I would be for a few weeks, I may not have done it the way I did. But, I did. And I got 12 credits out of the way, so with my transfer credits I now have 24 of the 60 I need for my AA. I'm taking 14 more credits this fall. I have to pay for 1 class, which is 2 of those credits, but it will be less I should have to take in the summer then, if I stay on schedule. I don't know why they say that an AA is a 2 year degree and 12 credits is considered full time, because most AA's need 60 credits, and that doesn't break down into 4 semesters......But, hopefully I'm on the right track now and will graduate before the money runs out. Then I get to figure out how to pay for the BA, etc. I wish I could just stop there, but to do what I want to do, it's going to take more than that. Hopefully I will feel smarter by that time.....

31.....

I am reposting this from my Facebook notes since I haven't posted on my blog in a while.
_________________________

I've been watching for the last two days as my wall is filled with those mourning the loss of 31 American (I realize there were Afghani policemen on board as well, but for this post I am dealing with the number 31) military members from a terrible tragedy. And I've said my prayers for the family who are in the process of being notified of some of the worst news that can every come to a military family, and I thank God for my friends spouse's who are safe and sound and I prayed extra hard for those still there fighting. But the more posts I see, the more upset I start to get. While for most people, Afghanistan is a passing thought if they happen to hear about it on the news, for some people, it's never far from their conscious thoughts. And it's sad. It's so sad that it takes the deaths of an entire SEAL team and helicopter crew to make people wake up again. What about all the other men who died last week during combat operations?

 Sgt. William B. GrossPaniagua, 28, of Daly City, Calif., died July 31 in Kunar province, Afghanistan
 Pfc. Brice M. Scott, 22, of Columbus, Ga., died July 31 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Leon H. Lucas Jr., 32, of Wilson, N.C., died Aug. 1 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan
 Staff Sgt. Patrick R. Dolphin, 29, of Moscow, Pa., Sgt. Dennis E. Kancler, 26, of Brecksville, Ohio, and Sgt. Christopher M. Wrinkle, 29, of Dallastown, Pa., died July 31 while supporting combat operations in Herat province, Afghanistan
Staff Sgt. Kirk A. Owen, 37, of Sapulpa, Okla., died Aug. 2 in Paktia province, Afghanistan,
Spc. Barun Rai, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., died Aug. 3 in Logar province, Afghanistan
Pfc. Cody G. Baker, 19, of Holton, Kan.
Pfc. Gil I. Morales Del Valle, 21, of Jacksonville, Fla
Capt. Waid C. Ramsey, 41, of Red Bay, Ala., died Aug. 4 in Paktika province, Afghanistan
Sgt. Anthony Del Mar Peterson, 24, of Chelsea, Okla., died Aug. 4 in Paktia province, Afghanistan
Sgt. Daniel D. Gurr, 21, of Vernal, Utah, died Aug. 5 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan
Spc. Jinsu Lee, 34, of Chatsworth, Calif. died Aug. 5, in Kunar province, Afghanistan
Spc. Mark J. Downer, 23, of Warner Robins, Ga. died Aug. 5, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan

And all that went before them? 31 men at one time is a tragedy, but it's no more and no less than the other men and women who died doing their sworn duty for this Country. And what about the military left behind? The ones who have made serving their Country their career and are in the process of getting screwed out of their retirements by a government who doesn't give a rat's ass about them?! The same government who would rather keep the welfare vote than do right by those who put their lives on the line day after day?!? I haven't seen one post. Or how about the ones who are coming back after seeing their entire team blown away and trying to get help but are being told it's all in their head or they are disingenuous and just trying to bilk the government for all they can get? What about those guys who are told those things and they spiral further and further into their PTSD and depression and everyone ignores it until the guy finally puts a bullet in his head over the 4th of July weekend to stop the pain... We think if we ignore these things they aren't really happening and it will just go away?? Well, I'm sorry, but these things are happening, they are happening all around you. And you can only ignore it for so long. I don't care whether you agree with the war, don't think we should be over there, don't think we need a professional military, whatever. Care about it, and not just when a horrible tragedy occurs and we lose 31 people at once.

People think if we didn't have an all volunteer military, which includes about 13% of those who make it a career and provide the knowledge and experience to lead the rest through whatever we may face, either we wouldn't have an enemies and other Countries would just leave us alone.... If our ancestors had thought that way we might well still belong to England, or be speaking Spanish, German, or Japanese (not by choice). Hell, we could still become part of Communist China, as they own most of our treasury and provide most of the stuff we buy because it's too expensive to make it here...well, won't that be a thrill..... instead of being one of the greatest free nations in the world we can just fade a way as a forgotten memory circa 1984....but I digress....

I mourn the loss of those 31 men from that helicopter crash yesterday morning, the same way I mourn every casualty notice I see from the DOD, may you never know that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach that some wife, mother, sister, father, brother, son, daughter is feeling when that knock comes to their door... the way I can only imagine it must come.

And those of us whose spouses will never be the same some physically, some mentally, some both, that bond can never be broken. Our job is to be there for each other.

God Bless all our hero's. Every single one.