Mud Kitchen Fun

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Mud Kitchen Collage

This weekend’s beautiful weather was perfect for our outdoor mud kitchen activity! With a few basic kitchen utensils and a couple of supplies from our pantry, Little Monkey had a play space that kept him entertained for quite some time.

Mud Kitchen

Here Are Supplies That We Used…
Bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Cupcake pan
Grill rack
Pie tins
Cookie cutters
Shovels
Popsicle sticks
Play kitchen supplies (pots and pans)
Shaker bottle (filled with dill weed)
Bowls
Beans- black beans, white beans, chili beans
Dried oatmeal
Rotini pasta noodles
Mud {We went to our cornfield and dug up dirt to mix with water}

Then Little Monkey went to work…

Mud Kitchen 2

Mud Kitchen 3

Mud Kitchen 4

Mud Kitchen 5

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“My Mission: Their Hearts For HIS Glory”

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Little Monkey: 3 years and 5 months old

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Thanks to Happy Hooligans for the inspiration.

Repurposing My Hanging Jewelry Organizer

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Today I decided to go through my jewelry collection and donate what I no longer wanted. I was left with an empty hanging organizer and a small amount of jewelry to keep. I got to thinking about how I could repurpose this organizer and came up with… a pocket chart for homeschooling!

Awhile back I saw this homemade pocket chart from Artisan des Arts and fell head over heels! I’ve been wanting to carve out the time to make something similar for Little Monkey, but as most things go, I just couldn’t get around to doing it… nearly impossible with my laundry pile that breeds in the night and my obsession with vacuuming the house five times a day! ;)

Thankfully the pocket chart idea came to me again and I have turned this jewelry organizer from a cluttery container…
photo (17)

…to a pocket chart that I can use with Little Monkey on a daily basis. ↓

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Front Window Pockets
Calendar- Day of the week, Month, Day, Year
Weather- Word card and matching picture card
Morning routine- Things that LM does by himself to get ready in the morning

Every day, LM gets to put the correct cards in place to show through the window pockets. (The rest are neatly tucked behind each card so they are easily accessible). There are several closed pockets and a large net pocket that I will use to keep my pocket card supplies in- extra index cards, etc.

photo (19)

Back Window Pockets
Counting practice- At this point, LM can rote count up to 20. He needs a little help after 15, but I think that being able to hold the card and see the numbers will help him tremendously.
Sight words- You can make your own or check out great sites like The Measured Mom.
His name- The pockets at the bottom are larger and I use these for working on spelling his name- first, middle, last, and suffix (he’s a Jr!)

The pocket chart is still a work in progress, but I’m happy that I was able to find a creative way to use the jewelry organizer!

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Little Monkey: 3 years and 5 months old

 

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The Promised Land

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We are just about settled into our new home now (((sigh of relief))). Our move from Virginia to Ohio was smooth, thanks to the help of our family.

Our family’s move to the outskirts of this small town in Ohio makes me feel like we are in a completely different universe than everyone else! I love it! Every time I go outside, the scenery just takes my breath away, so I couldn’t help but snap a few pictures to share with you.

Brook

DadDad LM Creek

cornfield

LM cornfield

Psalm 36

I find it funny that the person who put up the biggest fight to move away from the city {me} is now the one most in love with living in a small town. God is funny like that, isn’t He? ;)  I hope that wherever you are, you are finding His JOY in everything around you, too.

“Be still and know that I am God”
(Psalm 46:10)

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Homemade Sunscreen Lotion Bar

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PicMonkey Collage2

“Due to decades of professional and media misinformation, the typical American believes they should avoid the midday sun and need to use sunscreen before, and several times during, sun exposure.” (Dr. Mercola)

I personally believe that there are many benefits to Vitamin D from the sun, but… 

It’s also important to understand that “the skin around your eyes and your face is typically much thinner than other areas on your body and is a relatively small surface area so will not contribute much to vitamin D production. It is strongly recommended to protect this fragile area of your body as is at a much higher risk for cosmetic photo damage and premature wrinkling. You can use a safe sun block in this area or wear a cap that always keeps your eyes in the shade like I do when I am outside seeking to increase my vitamin D levels.” (source)

Are you looking for a healthy and safe alternative to store-bought sunscreens? Today I’m sharing my latest find- a recipe from Homemade Mommy for Homemade Sunscreen Lotion Bars. 

Homemade Sunscreen Lotion Bars via Homemade Mommy

According to Homemade Mommy’s site, this sunscreen is “about SPF 15-20 given the amount of zinc oxide added.” She also mentions that the bar goes on easily, isn’t overly greasy, and doesn’t turn your skin or clothes white from the zinc. I currently use coconut oil, which I have found to work great, but it is oily, so I’m excited to try this homemade recipe very soon!

Click HERE to read Homemade Mommy’s tutorial and readers’ comments.

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Homemade Carpet Powder {My Frugal Favorites}

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PicMonkey Collage2

Thanks to your kind comments about how our “Frugal Friday” posts have been useful, I am excited to start our series “My Frugal Favorites.” Over the next couple of weeks, we will be more of those easy-to-homemake projects that you love… and more often! So let’s get started…

While I do have my moments, I’m not really a neat freak, but I do love a clean home. It’s the place where my family can find peace, so I want to do my best to make sure everything is in order and clean.

We have two dogs. Two very hairy dogs. In addition to that, I’m a WAHM which means we are here all day. The carpet can get crazy with hair and other fun stuff in no time flat.

Vacuuming daily is a must and I use carpet powder deodorizer because I love how it makes our entire home smell wonderful. But we still wanted something less toxic to use in our home. I thought about adding essential oils to baking soda and went searching for a good ratio. Seems I was on the right track and came across other like-minded folks who knew just the right amount of essential oils to use in the mix. I came across this simple, two-ingredient mix from Keeper of the Home, and put it into a mason jar to store.

carpet powder

Here’s the easy peasy recipe:

  • 1/2 cup of baking soda
  • 20-40 drops of essential oil, your choice

Mix together and let it sit overnight. When it’s time to use, sprinkle on the carpet and let it sit for about 15 minutes or so before you vacuum it up.

I store our homemade carpet powder in a mason jar and I use a parmesan cheese container lid on the top of the jar to make it easier to sprinkle on the carpet. How simple (and frugal) is that!

Looking for an inexpensive carpet cleaner?
Remember those dogs I mentioned earlier? (sigh) Well, let’s just say I had to clean the carpet one day from something unpleasant. Eeeek! I cleaned up that awesomeness and decided to try our Homemade Laundry Detergent directly on the carpet. I let it soak on there for, well, who knows how long because I actually closed the door and forgot about it for a few hours! Once I remembered, I cleaned it up and WA-LA! It took away the stain, the smell, everything!!! (cue the Hallelujah chorus)

Hope you find these couple of frugal tips helpful in your home. Remember to stay tuned for  more homemade projects in this series.

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I Didn’t Understand Until I Became “Mommy”

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Early curfews.
Short phone calls.
Strict house rules.
No dating.

A complete nightmare to any high school girl. Especially for a boy-crazy, headstrong and independent-thinking high school girl.

The team behind that set of rules? My parents. The woman on that team? My mom. My teeny, tiny, barely 5 foot Filipino mom.

Most of my teenage life I spent battling with her. The two of us are pistols, firecrackers. We both have a surprisingly soft and gentle interior, but a protective outer shell that no one can penetrate. No one tells either one of us what to do. Our fights were ugly. Words stung. Hearts were bruised. Apologies were made. But I loved her and she loved me. That, we knew. But, as a teenager, you just never understand your parents and you always think you know better.

Our relationship dramatically changed once I became a believer. It’s funny that I prayed for the Lord to grow me and use me to do His work and to help others. Well, wouldn’t you know that He had work to do in my heart first, of course. Oh, the fight I put up with Him about humbling myself in my relationship with my mom! Remember that tough exterior shell? Yeah, turns out that there is Someone who can bust right through it ;) The Holy Spirit was working overtime with me, constantly convicting me of my attitude and disrespect towards her. He gave me His heart and His eyes towards my mom and I started seeing her and loving her in a new light.

Our relationship really began to turn into a mother-daughter friendship as my mom grew in her walk with Jesus, too, and I become a Mommy. Looking back, I suddenly was able to see with clarity my mom’s heart behind all of the rules that she laid down for me.

Recently, I was going through all of my old notes and cards and I came across a letter that my mom had written to my dad when I was a teenager. It was right in the middle of the rough years and my mom was afraid that I was on the verge of running away. For the record, I never seriously entertained it. I think it’s because I knew that home was where my mom was. Despite our disagreements, I always knew – even back then- that she had my best interests at heart.

Reading that letter, I felt her pain as her little girl, who once allowed her to hold her hand and guide her, pushed her away during the teenage years. And, yet, even when I pushed her away, she never stopped loving and supporting me. She never left my side.

Mom (with watermark)

I’m grateful for having Jesus in our lives. It’s because of Him that we have a redeemed mother-daughter relationship and friendship, and that we had a chance to make things right.

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Mama,

For my entire life, you have selflessly devoted your time, love and support to me (and now, also to my family). Thank you for always protecting me, especially when I didn’t even realize I needed the protection. I use to roll my eyes when people would say we are alike, but now I smile and I laugh because I know that it’s so true, and I love that! It’s because of you that I am the woman that I am today. You encourage me along the way as I step into my role as a Mommy. You cheer for me when I overcome an obstacle and your heart breaks right along with mine when I suffer and go through trials. How can I even begin to thank you for all that you do? I love you and I am so incredibly blessed to call you my Mama and my friend! Happy Mothers Day!

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Homemade Borax-Free Dishwasher Detergent (Free Printable)

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Did you catch my Frugal Friday post from last week on a Homemade Citrus Vinegar Cleaner? That very same recipe is the ingredient that packs a powerful punch in the homemade recipe I am sharing with you today.

We are getting ready to move into our new home and I am happy to announce that we will have a dishwasher (cue the Hallelujah chorus). I’ve been on the hunt for a dishwasher detergent that is homemade, safe to use, and inexpensive to make. The Homemade Borax-Free Dishwasher Detergent from My Healthy Green Family is just the one I was looking for. As always, please be sure to visit her page and read her tutorial and comments for more detailed information. She has all of the information on why she chose these specific ingredients and where you can find them.


(Source)

Homemade products take a little bit of patience to work with and some trial and error. This recipe that she shared is the revised version of her older recipe. I would suggest trying this out for the first time with a glass or two in the dishwasher and seeing what adjustments you can make.

Please help yourself to my printable 4×6 recipe card (save the image to your computer to print it out).

Homemade Borax-Free Dishwasher Detergent recipe card

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I’m Over At ‘Home School Tool Box’ Today!

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Lamentations 3

Today you can find me over at Home School Tool Box, sharing about encouragement and second chances…

“I collapsed onto a chair, put my head down in my hands and broke down in tears. In the midst of my preschooler’s tantrums and tears, there were breakfast dishes overflowing from the sink, the kitchen floor needed to be swept, and books, toys, and craft supplies were scattered throughout our entire home. I was exhausted beyond belief, and it was only 10:00 in the morning. How did our day get out of control so quickly?”

(Click to head over to Home School Tool Box for the rest of the article…)

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Homemade Citrus Vinegar Cleaner (Free printable recipe card)

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I’ve been on the hunt for a homemade natural cleaner. I normally use vinegar on certain things that I clean during the day. The smell of vinegar doesn’t bother me as much as it bothers other people (like my husband) and with the doors and windows open, our home airs out in no time. I still wanted to find a happy medium- something homemade, with natural ingredients, that cleans well and doesn’t make my house smell like a salad.

That’s where this simple recipe for Homemade Citrus Vinegar Cleaner from My Healthy Green Family comes into play. Please be sure to check out her tutorial and comments from readers in her community while you’re researching. 

Here are a few important things from her tutorial and comments:

  • This mix is shelf stable and lasts for months.
  • Make sure to follow the directions and store it undiluted.
  • When you prepare your spray bottle, that’s when you dilute it.

As far as the vinegar goes, there are a few things to note:

Help yourself to my 4×6 recipe card below. Save the image to your computer to print it out.

Homemade Citrus Vinegar Cleaner recipe card

This cleaner is also an ingredient in our Homemade Borax-Free Dishwasher Detergent.

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Do You Love Others Your Way Or This Way?

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Everyone loves 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It is so well known, often being the reading at weddings. But these verses are more than just cutesy sayings. They are not meant to be read on a special day and then forgotten. They are God’s instructions on how we are to love others in our daily lives.

To sum it up in one word… selflessly. I don’t know about you, but that’s not my strong suit. Oh, sure. It’s easy to love someone that’s… well, easy to love. That’s no problem. I got that covered! ;)

But what about loving someone when they hurt you, when they cut you down, belittle you… when they betray you? You know, when your loved one does something so hurtful and you just don’t think you can ever forgive them. What about Jesus’ call for us to show His love towards non-believers? (gulp!) That’s often a doozy for many of us. I mean, it’s tough to love on someone when they insult everything that you know to be true, when they insult your beliefs.

And I don’t mean showing the person love after they hurt you and have apologized. I mean loving them right there in the middle of all the hurt and pain you feel, recognizing that it is spiritual warfare at it’s ugliest and committing to take a stand in love against it.

In 1 Corinthians 13, we see the perfect model for how God calls us to selflessly love others, the mark of a true follower of Jesus (John 13:34-35). You see, without love, ministry has limited value (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Make it a habit to check in often with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and ask the Lord to reveal to you the attitude that He wants you to have towards others.

1 Corinthians checklist

“Now, which one of those would you say best describes you lately?”
(from the movie “What If”)

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