Cooped Up Crafts!

Yay! It's Friday! Moms are like, "And?" Lol! Friday is just another day like all the fabulous others. Mommas don't get weekends off!

With all this cold weather we've been having, all I have wanted to do is sit in my chair, watch the fire and cook. I have made some pretty scrumptious meals! Cold weather is cooking weather! 

Soups are something I really love to cook. They go far when you have a big crew and they're easy to reheat and serve as leftovers. If we don't eat it all for supper, bet we will have it for lunch the next day. Sorry, family. Lol! Also, I like feeding my kids vegetables and they're more inclined to eat vegetables if they're in a soup. 

I have really been making an effort to incorporate more fruits and vegetables with our meals. No matter what we have, I add a vegetable side with it. The kiddos may not like it, but they HAVE to try one bite. Then if they don't like it, I don't make them eat it. But you have to try it before you say you don't like it! Momma said so!

Cold weather also brings bored, cooped up kids. We don't do video games around here, so on days with bad weather, sometimes we like to do crafts. I keep a few blank canvases and things my kids can make for occasions like this. You can pick up a package of canvases, a few small bottles of acrylic paint and some brushes on your next grocery shopping trip to Walmart for less than $10. 

Rylie Cole saw a painting of an elephant and fell in love with it! She did a pretty good job at replicating it. 

Another good thing to buy to have on hand is yarn. Recently I was given a HUGE sack of yarn (Thanks, Terri!) and we have been using it like crazy. My thing is pom poms, and the kids like making them. They have made a big fuzzy rainbow pile of them for me (child labor for the win!) and then we will make stuff out of them.  The kids really enjoy making God's eyes. They have made them and hung them up throughout the house. It's a good way to pass the time on days when it's yucky out and it's SO much better than planting them in front of the television. Can I get an amen up in here?! It's a quiet activity they can do on their own and they're always so proud when they finish one. 

Here's an example of a kids' God's eye craft via Pinterest

Our most recent pom pom project was pom pom branches for our St. Patrick's Day mantle. 

If you would like to make your own and don't already have a pom pom maker, here is a link you may be interested in:

http://pinterest.com/pin/166633254932962998/

There are loads of whimsical yarn ideas on Pinterest. Here are a few you may like to incorporate into your own decor!

OBVIOUSLY I'm a girl who loves color, but not all yarn crafts have to be funky and colorful. You can choose whatever colors you like; there are still just as many pretty things to be made!

I hope you got some good ideas for keeping the kiddos, and yourself, occupied on bad weather days! Y'all enjoy your weekend!

❤️ Jennifer 

Laundry Detergent Recipe, Take 2!

Y'all! I had a WHOLE post typed up this morning and I deleted it. Grrrr! Second time's the charm. Here we go!

Last night the RCC Gang and I made a new batch of laundry detergent. I have made it a few other times and I have been extremely pleased with the outcome each time. The recipe I used this time is one I got from Amberly Houser at Hurricane Houser blog. 

Here is the recipe!

*1 box of Borax

*1 box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

*2 cups of baking soda

*3 bars of Fels Naptha (my store was out so I got Zote)

*5 pounds of Oxi Clean (you can use a generic to save more money)

*3 13.2oz bottles of Downy Unstobbales in-wash scent booster (I got a huge 36.2oz bottle at Sam's for $14.62) (you can use Gain or Purex too - the RCC Gang voted on the blue Downy. Majority rules. This time.)

Note: I used more Downy than required and my laundry still didn't have as much scent as I like. Next time I will just add some to each load to ensure enough gets in there. We like our clothes to smell goooood!

Gather your supplies. You will need a large container to store the detergent in. (I got a large glass cookie jar at Walmart a few years ago for around 10 bucks.)

A food processor, a knife, 2 trash bags, and if you have little helpers like mine, a referee shirt and a whistle. Possibly a Billy club if it gets out of control. 

Cut the bars of soap into small chunks and place into food processor with a scoop of Oxi so that your blades won't gunk up and get sticky. (Great tip, Amberly!) You will need to do a little a time to be sure it gets thoroughly ground. I have used my cheese grater before, but you could end up with undissolved chunks on your laundry. You want it to be ground into a fine powder. 

Already looks like Tide, huh?

After you have processed each small batch, dump it into a trash bag that is doubled with another trash bag incase one gets a hole in it. After all the bars of soap are chopped, dump in the remaining ingredients. Tightly hold the opening of the bags closed and roll it around on the carpet, gently. You do not want to have to clean up that mess! Once it is all combined, dump it into the jar you have chosen. (Yes, I still used the trash bags after I was done. No need to waste. Save that money, y'all!)  It only takes a small (2 tablespoon) scoop for each load. I used an old scoop I had, but there is a silver 2T coffee scoop at Walmart in the kitchen utensil aisle for a buck or two. 

Not including the optional Downy, I spent $21. This batch will last months and months. Possibly all year. And I do A LOT of laundry, y'all. I had gotten into the habit of buying a small ($5) bag of Tide Pods and a bottle of Downy ($4) each week instead of buying in bulk. I was spending around $30 for a one month supply. 

People have asked me before if it really works as well as I say it does. Well, have y'all SEEN my family?! These cats get dirty. Not just regular dirty. I'm talkin' super extreme country folk DIRTY. Their clothes always come out clean and fresh. I'd say it cleans just as well as, if not better, than Tide Pods. For tough stains I still spray on some Spray and Wash or something, just to be safe. 

So, for $21, you can make a HUGE batch of unscented detergent and just buy the in-wash scent boosters or fabric softener of your choice and save quite a bit of money. And with all that dinero you'll be saving, make a quick trip through the jewelry section and getcha a new pair of earrings or a cute necklace next time you hit the grocery store. You deserve it for all that laundry you've been doing! 

I hope y'all enjoy the recipe! 

❤️ Jenn

Parties for Penny Pinchers

Hello. Yep, you read that right. Not a whole lot of enthusiasm yet, but I'm getting caffeinated, so give me time. ::sigh:: Let me see, hello! Good glorious morning! Yep, coffee is working. 

So it's supposed to be "arctic-like" today. Yikes! I try not to make wasted trips to town (unless I just REALLY need a Diet Dr Pepper with coconut cream pie flavoring), so I'm going to try and hold off on the grocery store until RCC #1 has dance this evening. Reckon they'll still have milk and bread? I sure hope they do! All you Dooms Day Preppers, leave enough for my crew, aight?! When Caleb wakes up, I'm probably going to sweet talk him into firing up the fireplace. WHY can't I keep a fire going?! Don't get me wrong, I keep HIS fire going, just not my fireplace fires. It's a skilled craft that I am not skilled in. 

Last night, we had Remmi a little party. It was so simple and super and fab. Y'all Pittsburg people know we got an awesome new store (wow, easily entertained much?) way out here where we live and, sadly, I go there nearly every single day for something. It's 1.2 miles down the road, so I don't mind making trips to it. Shout out, DG! What what! I got the majority of the stuff for her party there. 

The paper fans & tissue balls ($1-2 per pack) the plates, cups, most of the food, and even some of her gifts. 

Yep, I'm that mom. Hey, they have some good stuff and I like to take advantage of it while I can, ya dig? The stuff I got her was actually pretty cool. One of the things I got her was a porcelain tea set ($5). I'd rather walk on tacks than buy those cheap plastic toys that fall apart in kids' hands. [And for the record, no, we do not go ape and buy our kids millions of gifts that they will play with for a week and not appreciate, just for the sake of them having something to rip open. In my opinion, that is ridiculous and that causes them to not appreciate their things because there is an abundance of toys. I don't want to rob them of their childhood, I just refuse to raise ungrateful children.] Last week I decided I wanted to make Rem a pretend stove for her birthday. She likes to "cook", so I figured she'd like it. I was wrong. She loves it! Jackpot! I bought a $10 nightstand at a store downtown (Max and Zoe's-thanks, Elance!) painted it with some leftover hot pink paint, painted "burners" on the top and Caleb screwed on some wooden drawer pulls to look like knobs. I'm not 100% happy with the way it turned out, simply because Caleb was gone working and I went ahead and painted it and could not/would not cut a perfect circle hole in the top for her to have a sink. I told my friend, "Rem doesn't have Pinterest, so she doesn't even know she's missing out on a sink!" I intended on making the drawer pull down like a real oven, well y'all know I put it off until it was too late and I couldn't. But it turned out pretty great and she was thrilled! Yay, Momma and Daddy! 

I've got about $20 in this and she couldn't be happier. I got a wire rack (from DG, of course) and put it in the top drawer so it's like an oven. All her fake food and dishes go in the bottom drawer. 

I actually went to Hobby Lobby last week to buy party supplies and put a bunch of stuff back because I knew "my dollar store" had most of it. Why pay more if you don't have to??? I ended up only getting two things there. No, I don't have a fever. I just like to save a little money, especially since I don't have deep pockets. Caleb hauls cows and is self-employeed, so we are usually either eating high on the hog or barely making it. I don't like the barely making it, but we make it work. That's life. Pull up your bootstraps and get on with it. I got the tassel garland ($4.99) and some little ice cream cups ($2.99) there. I got the Happy Birthday banner on clearance at Walmart for fifty cents! I love a good deal.

She wanted a bwoo cake, I made her a bwoo cake. We had punch, cookies, Olaf's noses (carrots), snowballs (marshmallows), and Nanna brought over fried chicken with all the sides! That was just perfect! 

The birthday girl blowing out her candle. 

I pray our babies always remember how special they are to us. I saw a quote once that said, 'Children are a poor man's riches'. Hmmm. Pretty accurate, don't ya think?

Last night while I was cleaning up, Rowdy asked me if he could have something homemade. That's a pretty cool thing for an 8 year old boy to ask for. Money does not make a great life. Sometimes it makes life easier, but not necessarily better. So the moral of the story is, you don't have to spend loads of money on your child to make them feel special. It's the effort and love you put into it. 

 Stay warm and cook something hearty for your family today!

❤️ Jennifer

Peanut Butter Pie and Bunting Tutorial

::In my Irish accent:: Top o' the morning to ya! I hope y'all had a fabulous weekend! We sho did! We went to the Yamboree, the parade, a White Trash Bash (I have the coolest friends!) and, as usual, Sunday Dinner at my in-laws'. 

Sadly, it wasn't too far of a stretch for us to get into character for the White Trash Bash lol! Y'all see that Roxie photobomb? Creeper baby. 

Every Sunday my mother-in-law cooks dinner after church and I usually bring a dessert. The past two Sundays in a row I have cooked. (You're slackin', Kelley.) Last Sunday I made a big pot of chili and yesterday I made a lasagne (homemade, duh) and a peanut butter pie. The lasagna recipe I use is the one on the back of the Great Value Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles. It's pretty delish. I started making that just about a year ago when my good friend, Marlea Hefner, brought us one for supper after RCC #5 was born. Marlea is a GOOD cook, y'all. And Rowdy flat out told me mine wasn't as good as hers. Thanks, champ. Lol! The peanut butter pie is super easy and I got the recipe off of Pinterest. 

*The Easiest Peanut Butter Pie

1 Oreo pie crust

1 cup PB

1 tub Cool Whip, thawed

1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Optional: crumbled Reese's candy, chocolate syrup, crushed Heath bar, etc.

Throw all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat it up like you want to beat up those people who cut you off in the McDonald's drive thru line. Spoon mixture into crust and refrigerate for uno hour. Top with optional candy pieces if your heart desires. (My heart loves extra sugar.)

My husband got home in the wee hours of the night, so you know I gotta feed him good. "Whatcha want, baby, a five dollar pizza or Sonic?" I'm totally kidding. I have no clue what I'm going to cook for supper. Maybe some Ritz Chicken (can you guess where I got the recipe? If you guessed Pinterest, you're right!). 

I am SO looking forward to Halloween and the Fall Fest and seeing my babies in their costumes and "testing" some of their candy! If you haven't got any decorations up yet, here's a quick little idea for ya! Take a few different prints/colors of fabric (I used 8) and cut them into 3"x3" squares. Sew all the squares together, leaving a small gap between each piece. You can put the fabric in whatever order you want. Once all your fabric is sewn together, cut your thread and hang up your cute new bunting and be prepared for people to be jealous of your awesome Halloween decorations. 

(And yes, that is a General Lee in the making on my mantle. Little redneck boys live here.)

Told ya. 

Well, there is a small mountain of laundry screaming my name. Or is that one of my kids... 

❤️ Jenny Jenn Jenn