Mommy's Helpers: Paint Chip busy bag & homemade Cheez-Its.

I went to the library the other day and checked out a book called Blogging for Dummies.

Cause really, that's how I feel.  I am loving doing this so far, much more than I thought I would and it feels nice to have something that is kind of just for me, even tho I'm basically blogging about my family life etc.  I have yet to actually open the book but I'm hoping good things come out of it, like maybe my writing is miraculously better or it can teach me how to do HTML by osmosis or something.

If you haven't noticed the blog is currently under construction as well.  One of my good friends, all the way from 6th grade [!!!] who lives in Orange County is helping me spruce it up.  So be on the look out for changes!  I hope to figure this blogging thing out a little better for my sake and for the 10 people that read this regularly as well.  

Decided to make my first "Busy Bag" yesterday.  Busy Bags are basically something you make for Toddlers or young kids that have something fun in them that can keep them entertained, in theory, while you're at the doctor's office, out to eat, etc.  This one caught my eye, basically cause it looked easy & cheap.  My two key components for anything in life pretty much. 

Color Match Busy Bag!

2 of each color paint chip
Clothes Pins
Glue
Scissors
Container for finished project

Do I really have to explain this?  It's as easy as it looks and cheap!  On one of Andy's many trips to Lowe's I told him to snag me some paint chips.  I think if I was to make this again I would use the smaller long square ones just to make it even easier.
I was pretty proud of myself and feeling like a productive Mom when I made these for the boys yesterday, envisioning them playing peacefully all while learning the fine nuances of paint shade colors.
Instead when I let Oliver play with them this morning he ripped them apart with his teeth.
 I guess it did keep him busy.......

If clothespins & paint chips won't keep your Toddler busy you can always feed them!
I let Oliver have a Nutella fudgesicle this morning for breakfast just so I could clean the fridge & freezer.  Oh the things you do for peace.  Yesterday, again I was a better Mom yesterday, I made homemade Whole Wheat Cheez-Its.  Really they were for me, I LOVE Cheez-Its.  I always have.  When I was in middle school I wrote a poem about my love for them, oh yes the love was that deep.
These crackers only have 4 ingredients, are so much better for you
and I swear they taste just like the real thing!

Home-Made Cheez Its

1 1/2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar [or any cheese you want to try really!]
4 tbs. cold butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
Sea Salt

[1] Pulse all ingredients, except salt, in a food processor until well combined and start to form a ball, about 2 minutes.
[2] Knead on a floured surface to bring it all together.
[3] Place the dough between two sheets of waxed paper and use a rolling pin to get it about 1/8th of an inch thick.
[4] Use a pizza wheel or pastry cutter to cut dough into squares, I have a really shaky hand so mine were all different sizes, but whatever.
[5] Lay squares on a greased baking sheet, it makes a lot.  2 sheets is probably better if you don't want them too crowded.  They don't spread much tho.
[6] Using a fork poke holes in each square so you get that cool Cheez-It look and they don't puff up too much.
[7] Sprinkle evenly with sea salt.
[8] Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 18 minutes!

We pretty much ate all of these in one sitting.  They are addictive!

Relax is a four letter word.

Today I had an argument with my husband I've probably had at least 10, 20, 50 [??] times since the past 10 years we've been together. 

 And that is in my inability to relax I make everyone else feel like they can't either. 

And darn it, I hate to be wrong.  I really, really do.  But I do know this is a problem, I would love to relax!  I see other Moms that can watch a TV show in the middle of the day without getting up halfway through because they feel guilty that there are dirty dishes in the sink and the kids are just laying around.  But maybe it's a sign that I'm just not letting go enough, keeping God in control and just enjoying the blessings he has been so gracious as to give me.  My children, my husband, our time together.  We have worked hard to have a schedule in which we get that ever precious commodity that just seems so hard to come by, time.  And do I really want to throw it away stressing about every thing that still won't get done?  

No, I know the answer but it's figuring out how to make my brain understand it as well. 

We learned recently at one of our marriage classes that men have a "Nothing Box."  Seriously.  Where they can just tune out and think of just that, nothing.  I have no grasp of that concept. 

I feel like 5 minutes in my brain is just a constant stream of what I am doing, need to be doing, just did, should be doing, or didn't have enough time to do yesterday.  And it shouldn't be that.  5 minutes in my mind should be praise, worship, adoration, thankfulness for all God has given me.  I will never have a perfect home, perfect children, or be perfect.  I don't aspire to be.  But I do aspire to be able to let go of the mess, to sit with my kids in the midst of piles of laundry and read books.  To be able to laugh with them at the mess we made in the kitchen instead of thinking about how tiring it will be to clean it all up.

So I'll keep trying.  Keep praying for God to grant me his grace once again.  

To continue to let go for the sake of those who love me, and for myself.

  To love myself enough to make it happen.  

That being said....I refilled all my Febreeze bottles today.  I have a slight obsession with Febreeze but that stuff can get pricey!  And I'm not willing to give up the freshness of Febreeze.  Especially not with a semi-potty training toddler running around.  Found a few different recipes on-line and kind of tweaked them to make the one I like best!  For now anyways. 

Home Made Febreeze

[About 25 cents a bottle compared to $5.00!]

This mixture fills up a 32 oz. bottle.

So if you have smaller ones, like I do, just halve it.

1/8 cup white vinegar

1/8 cup of your favorite fabric softener, I used what was on sale.

1 tbs. baking soda

1-2 drops Lavender Essential Oil, only if you want a Lavender smell.

Hot Tap Water

[1] Pour all your ingredients into the bottle.

[2] Fill with hot tap water.

[3] Shake & spray! 

Kid Quip of the Day:

On Sunday at church during communion.

Lily: Did they just say drink his blood?!?!

Me: Yeah, but it's Jesus' blood.

Lily: Oh ok, I'll do it for him. 

The Hectic Homeschooler!

This morning while I'm going to the bathroom Lily comes in with the iPad.

Me: Hey!  I don't want you to take a picture of me while I'm going to the bathroom!

Lily: It's not a picture, it's a video.

Fail. 

As we enter into our second year of homeschooling I have come to learn, that I still have a lot to learn!

Right now we kind of un-school, we don't have a set curriculum and the kid's are still young enough where I think it's beneficial to just learn by doing, trying new things, learning character and how to be as people just as much as book smarts.

We try our best tho and as Lily enters the 1st grade and Jonas goes into Preschool I'd really like to get into a more set schedule of things, I'm sure adding a new baby to the mix in a few months will really help.  Sarcasm for those who can't tell. 

The past few weeks I've really been struggling with the choice to homeschool, I've just been feeling overwhelmed and it feels like something I'm failing at.  I think these are just normal feelings and when I stop to think about it enough I realize how much I love having my kids home with me and how good it feels to be the one to teach them what I feel is important.  

That being said, I do need to catch up!  My goal is to have Lily be a solid reader by the end of this year and I've been trying to think of some things to help with that.  I saw these Speak & Say balls on Pinterest to use at slumber parties with like Truth or Dare questions and I thought it would work well for other things.  So I made one with Kindergarten sight words & one with easy addition problems.  

This was a really cheap & easy project!  I found the balls at Wal-Mart for $1.68, even here in Hawaii and permanent markers are one of my many obsessions.  

With homeschooling comes more hectic-ness that already comes with having young children.

Especially one named Oliver Crash, that child has been testing my patience everyday!  

I now feel bad for telling people Jonas is my "hard" child, it seems Oliver came along to prove his Mother wrong.  

So yes, off course, but coffee!  One of my loves along with my family, sleep, and organization.

Recently figured out how to make my own coffee creamer and I am in love!  I always have the ingredients on hand and it has so much less junk than the bottled stuff, not to mention cheaper since a small bottle can cost $5 here and I go through it like water, literally.

So far I've made up these two recipes and can't wait to try more!  

You can really do whatever sounds good to you but this is what I had on hand for my first two batches.

Homemade Creamer

For the creamer base you will need:

A mason jar

Heavy Cream

Whole Milk [or skim if you want it a little lighter]

Depending on your size jar use equal parts heavy cream & milk, make sure you leave a good enough space for about 1/2 cup more liquid for add-ins.

Vanilla Honey:

2 tsps. Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Honey

Add to creamer base & shake well!  I like my coffee sweet so feel free to add a little more honey or sugar after you add creamer to coffee.

Maple Brown Sugar:

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup pure Maple Syrup

Add to base & again shake well!

The possibilities are endless really....can't wait to try some more!