Menu Plan Monday March 5- 11

Busted with mommy's tinted lip balm....again.

Denver Omelets, applesauce

Chicken stir-fry, rice

leftovers

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn

Chili

Crock-pot Chicken, rice, veggies

Chili mac, fruit medley

Things I Love Thursday {Releev}

About the time that my love story got ugly, I developed cold sores on my lips.  They were horrid, but I suffered through them handfuls of times.  Finally, I discovered this little miracle in a .2 oz bottle.  This microscopic bottle is completely worth its hefty price tag.  You all know me and my extreme distaste for paying full price, but I gladly forfeit my $20 for this little compound.

If you have had cold sores, you know that dreaded tingly feeling.  That is when you have to use this stuff.  You must apply it at the first indications of a cold sore developing, or its effectiveness is compromised.  In my experience, when used accordingly, it has completely arrested the development of the cold sore.  Compared to Abreva or Camphor-Phenique, it is hands down the best.

The product itself is a brown, runny liquid.  It is dispensed in a teeny plastic squeeze bottle, so I just give it a gentle squeeze, and smear my lips around till it covers all the tingly area.  It dries to a clear finish very quickly.  You are directed to apply it 2 to 4 times a day, and it's touted as a 1-day cold sore treatment, but I always give  it a couple days before I feel safe enough to not use it.

The toothpaste is a travel-size tube, so this give you a sense of the small size of the bottle.  I have had one that I used for over a year before it dried out.

For the record: Releev, and the company who produces it, is absolutely and blissfully ignorant of my existence on this planet, and I received no compensation for my hearty endorsement of their product.  

Tea with Eagles

I had a lunch date with a friend from church the other day.  She took me to Molly's Tea Room in Medina.  It was the perfect destination for a ladies' lunch date; their food good, the Victorian decor beyond charming.  On our way there, Anna nearly gave me a coronary with a loud exclamation of, "Ooooh, April!!!"

She pointed to a tree a hundred yards in front of us.  High in the branches were two very large birds, eagles in fact.  I was absolutely flummoxed.  I had no idea our great state of Ohio was home to a living national symbol. How cool is that?!

Zoomed in to the max optical zoom.  One of them even made a call while we sat and watched them.

The view from where we were in the van

It's hard to get a sense of the size of the eyrie from this shot, but it was large for a bird's nest!

A parting shot.

Menu Plan Monday February 27- March 4

Chillin' with an after-bath raisin snack

sloppy joes, roasted cauliflower

spaghetti with ham alfredo, mixed squash blend

mac 'n' cheese, Polish sausage, carrot sticks

white chili, bread/butter

chicken breasts, baked potato, veggies

leftovers

Spaghetti with tomato meat sauce, corn

Book Reviews {Put More Money in Your Pocket, Honey for a Child's Heart}

I've been working away at my reading list, and here's a couple short reviews from the ones I've finished.

Put More Money In Your Pocket was a good read if you are serious about making $500-$1000 extra per month. Starting from the initial brainstorm to the first customer, this book systematically lays out a simple formula for making your money-making venture actually happen.  The author provides practical steps for any venture, including worksheets, as you progress towards making your additional monthly income a reality.

Honey For Your Child's Heart really encouraged me to take seriously how I nourish my girls' minds and hearts. As parents, we alone are responsible to develop the intellect and soul, as well as the body of our offspring. The author reminds us that our resources and time are finite, and must therefore be reserved, not just for the good, but for the best.  She contends that the best books, including the Bible and classic literature, will open the imaginative portals of your child's mind to the noble, the good, the possible in this world.  Good literature will help to establish landmarks of right and wrong, good and evil, true and false.  Furthermore, I love how she validates and supports this point: the beautiful bonds of family are built by shared moments and memories, and reading books aloud and as a family is one important way to communicate your values through your book choices.  The book is two parts: the first is Mrs. Hunt's philosophy about nourishing your children's heart; the second is her book recommendations for each age level. I have already gone to the library in pursuit of several of her book recommendations, and found them heartily satisfactory!

The Knave of Hearts {Stolen Tarts...}

The queen of hearts she made some tarts

all on a summer's day;

The knave of hearts she stole those tarts

and took them clean away.

The king of hearts called for the tarts

and beat the knave full sore.

The knave of hearts brought back the tarts

and vowed she'd steal no more.

No Shampoo Saga {My Experience}

I'm a little nervous about this post.  It's a little weird, which may lead you to think that I'm a little weird.  Which may be true, but I may not want you to know that.  Read at your own risk, m'kay?  Thanks.

Ever heard of the "no shampoo" hair care alternative?  The first time I heard about it was on a crunchy, all-natural forum.  I rolled my eyes at the time, but now it has become a rather trendy movement.  I am by no means completely sold on the all-natural, organic movement, but this idea intrigues me.  The basic gist is that you quit washing your hair with commercial shampoos and conditioners, and you use a basic wash of dissolved baking soda with a rinse of diluted apple cider vinegar.

So I'm giving it a trial run. To be honest, I am not unhappy with my hair, I am just plain curious.  So January 27 was my last shower experience with shampoo. After three weeks, here's my research, opinion, and experience.

Why on earth would someone follow a no-shampoo hair regimen to begin with?  From what I could tell, it came down to these three basics:

1. To reduce exposure to harmful chemicals in hair products. ( Shampoos and conditioners generally have an ingredient called sodium laureth sulfate, sometimes shortened to SLS.  This chemical is easily absorbed through the skin and eyes, can store in quantity within organs, and can combine with nitrates that are present in the detergent as well, to create a potent carcinogen.)
2. To save money. (A box of baking soda costs $.38 and would last a decade or two.)
3. To restore the natural pH of their hair, as well as balance oil production from scalp glands.  (Shampoo is actually a detergent that strips all oils from the scalp and hair, disrupting and speeding up the natural production of oil, which acts as a natural barrier and moisturizer.)

Every post I have read guaranteed that there would a transition period from a week to up to 6 months.  Since I stay home every day, I figured transition wouldn't be bad.  Nobody but my husband, the occasional neighbor, and sometimes the mailman to scare off. The first week was rough, as I tried to figure out how to actually wash my hair with baking soda.  I finally discovered I wasn't using enough.  Once that was resolved, I determined to cut back on the number of times I actually washed my hair per week.  Right now, I wash my hair on Saturday and Tuesday.  I've always been an every day, or every other day kinda person.  The first time I went that long without washing my hair, it was not pretty.  Slick Willy to the max, my friends. 

It is getting better. I can't wait to wash my hair by Tuesday and Saturday, but I'm not a complete grease ball.  As far as hair texture goes, there hasn't been any perceptible change.  Many people comment that their hair has become very manageable and soft with reduction of frizz, hair that finally holds a curl and hairstyle well, and natural waves and curls that are more pronounced.  I haven't noticed any thing.  Yet.  They say you need to stick it out 2 months to see noticeable changes.  I'm giving it the full 2 months, and then I'll give my final analysis.

Here's my hair Monday afternoon--straight out of a pony tail.  I haven't washed it (with baking soda) since early Saturday morning.  Obviously, I couldn't be bothered with makeup today either...

My current regimen is 1 Tbsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 cup water.  I have it in a narrow opening squeeze bottle, so I just squeeze about 1/2 cup solution all over my head.  I scrub my scalp lightly with my fingers and massage my hair, then allow the solution to soak for a couple minutes before rinsing out.  That's it.  Some people recommend a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse for conditioning, but it made my hair greasy. 

Homemade Liquid Hand Soap {Tutorial}

I was super excited about trying this frugal recipe for homemade liquid hand soap after seeing a pin from The Farmer's Nest detailing how to make my own.

This project was super easy, hands-on time was minimal, and it cost a grand total of $1.50 for a whole gallon of  soap. 

Supplies you need:

bar of soap, glycerin, squirt of dishwashing liquid, water

I found glycerin in the first aid section at Wal-Mart.  This 6 oz. bottle cost $2.99, but I only used 1/6 of the bottle.

Set a gallon of water (16 cups) on the stovetop on medium heat. I recommend a non-coated pot, since you may use your mixing beaters later on; the beaters may scratch the non-stick coating.

Meanwhile, grate the soap.  I used my kitchen grater and bowl. It's just soap, right?  Excuse the scaly claw there; I'm not sure who that belongs to, but they may need to check out a recipe for homemade lotion. Just a thought.

 My helper decided this looked like fun, so she jumped in on the fun.

Once the bar is grated, stir the soap shavings into the gallon of water.

Add 2 Tbsp. (1 oz.) of glycerin to the soap mixture and a squirt of (hand) dishwashing liquid.  The dishwashing liquid is only added to enhance the suds factor.

Immediately after the ingredients have been added, the water will look cloudy and thin.  Now just put the lid on your pot, and allow the compound to marinate for 12-18 hours. 

I made mine around 3 p.m.  At 10 o'clock that night, it was still very watery, so I continued to let it sit.  By 9 o'clock the next morning, the mixture had thickened to a gel-like solid.

You may not need to, but I had to use a mixer to slowly add water until the consistency is similar to hand soap.  

Bottle it up!

Note: The kind of bar soap you begin with may affect your final result.  From what I've read, Dove seems to cause problems with thickening.  Also, the glycerin additive is a humectant that helps the skin draw the moisture in.  You may be able to get by without it completely.

Meal Plan February 20-26

I wish I could tell you what she was doing...

Meatball subs, salad
Crock Pot Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, carrots
Perfect Cheeseburgers, herbed potato chunks, mixed veggies
Spaghetti and meatballs, bread sticks, broccoli
Pepperoni Pizza Frittata
Leftovers
Eggs, English muffins

Something Fun Friday {Valentine's Day Cards}

Today I'm guest posting over at Cotton+Wood, a dear friend's sweet blog, so please go check out my love story!

In other news, the girls had a fabulous time making Valentine's Day cards one afternoon.  Grace really has stick people down flat. She's even starting to accessorize their faces with smiles in different colored markers.  These little milestones are so fun to watch.

Leah, on the other hand, has started accessorizing her own smile with different colored markers.  Lovely.