Favorite Websites

I thought I'd post some of my most favorite websites.  Some are blogs, some have products for sale, some are just great information or resources.  But I LOVE them and wanted to tell you.


Thrift Books is awesome.  I have a passion for books (and unfortunately not enough bookshelves... ), but I also don't like parting with my money.   Buying used books has been great for our family.  We save so much money and often times you can't tell the used from new.  There are plenty of used book sites out there like Amazon.  But they all charge shipping.  Up to $4 per book.  Thrift Books charges no shipping and in most cases is significantly cheaper than other sites.  They may not have what I need, but it's always where I go first.  


Every Day Minerals is one of my newest favorites.  I like makeup. It covers my blotchy, rosacea tainted skin.  And I love pretty colors!  But most makeup doesn't cover my flaws very well, or irritates my skin.  About a year ago I started using mineral powder foundation.  LOVE IT!  However, the store brands have so many fillers that I often found my skin itchy.  Some other high end brands are..  well...   pricey.  Every Day Minerals is awesome.  So many choices for any skin undertone.  I found it very effective, non-irritating, and magically covering.  Her eye shadows have real lasting power and a rainbow of colors.  And her prices?   Wonderfully affordable.  You even get a discount of 20% if you purchase 5 full sized products, which I just did.  Don't know which color foundation to choose?  She offers free sample kits of 5 shades to try.  You only pay $3 shipping.  




The Lettered Cottage.  My home is horribly "un-designed".  It's what you'd call...  umm....   we're too poor and busy raising 7 kids to have a definite style.  Or time to decorate.  Or money to do it.  Or the creativity to make it happen...  well you get the idea.  I know what I like when I see it.  I want my home to feel peaceful, simple, clean, inviting and not overly formal.  THIS is how I want my house to be.  They have stunning before and after photos that give me hope!  And while I haven't gotten to all the site content yet, they claim they do this all on little or no budget.  Amen.  Someday, my house will echo their work.  Sigh.  Just click on before and after on the menu bar.


The Pioneer Woman.  Ree Drummond is my hero.  She writes better than me, cooks better than me, does photography better than me, and probably home schools her kids better than me.  She's witty, talented, gracious, generous, and frankly honest.  Her frequent give aways are fun.  I subscribe and get her daily digest in my email in box.  When I grow up I want to be Ree Drummond.  If you want information on life, children, homeschooling, cooking, design, or a host of other topics, her blogs/website is the place to go.



All Recipes.  I'm a cookbook freak.  I collect cookbooks like some people collect coins, or shoes.  Yet for all the cookbooks I have, there are days I can't find what I need.  Or, more to the point, can't remember which cookbook that recipe is in.  It's hard getting old.  But, All Recipes is a very searchable site with lots of variations to make anyone happy.  Recipes can be scaled smaller or bigger, and you can even print off the recipes index card sized and ready to file.  Or, you can register for free and file your recipes in your virtual box.  Some days, it's a lifesaver (or dinner saver).  


Teach With Movies.  A friend sent me this link.  I don't know about you, but along with entertainment, sometimes I want my kids to actually learn something from the movies we watch...  without showing those boring documentaries we saw in school.  You know, the ones that for decades seemed to always be narrated by the SAME man.  (how is that even possible?).  Anyways, you can search for movies by topic.  And for a  very low yearly rate you can subscribe which opens resources like lesson plans and learning guides for over 300 movies!  It's genius.  


I hesitate to mention the next one.  For a few reasons.  One, it's kind of blatant self promotion (not that a blog isn't I guess, right?).  Second, it's not like that many people read my blog that it would really benefit me in any way. Third, my mentioning this tends to scare people away as if I will hunt you down and trap you like some stereo-typed version of a used care salesman.  Which puzzles me really.  Anyone who knows me knows I'm not like that.  A lot of people I know don't even know this about me (like I'm a secret agent or something), but I have a telecom and energy services business.  Few people know, because I clearly have a lot to learn about being in business!  I assure you it's legit.  Above board.  A lot of fun actually.  And my saving grace to not have to go back to work full time (because although I don't begrudge that choice to anyone...  it's not one I want to make).  


I simply broker services through arrangements with companies like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Dishnet, ADT security and other highly well known and reputable companies.  It won't cost you a penny more than you already pay for stuff you already use.  It makes my desire to stay home with my children a reality.  Check out what I have.  If you or someone you know is looking to switch or just renew services, PLEASE ask me first or send them my way.  I will love you forever and ever.  You may even find me at your door with a plate of warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies as a thank you!  Think about that.  Verizon never did that for you, huh?


Well, these are just a few of my favorite sites and I hope you find something useful on them.  Don't hesitate to shout out one of your favorites.  It might become one of mine!

It shouldn't be allowed

For moms to get sick I mean.  You know, the kind of sick where you just can't.  Do. Anything.  When mom stops it seems like the world stops, right?  I fought a slight cold all last week with the rest of my family.  Not a big deal.  Then on Monday morning this annoying, dry cough started.  I felt ok this morning...   but by lunch I had to crawl into bed.  Where I still am.  Trying to orchestrate dinner from here.  Thank goodness I have kids that can work a little magic in the kitchen.  Here's my list of the reasons why it's just not fair that moms get sick.  Ever.  


1.  We've already been through morning sickness at least once.  Isn't that enough?


2.  Kids run a little wild knowing we can't do a thing about it.


3.  I don't know about you, but I had plans for today.  And now I don't.


4.  It'll all be there waiting for us the next day though, won't it?


5.  Electric guitars are tough on bad headaches (ok, maybe that's just in my house).


6.  Mom takes care of everyone else, and it doesn't seem to work the other way around.


7.  Natural childbirth  (or not even) should exempt us forever.


8.  I had plans (did I already say that?)


9.  The house seems to grow in clutter before your eyes, and you're helpless to stop it.

The Womanly Art of Breadmaking

Today seemed like a good day to teach the little girls the womanly art of bread making.  Bread making is fun.  Especially for kids.  You get to dump lots of stuff into the mixer.  Yeast is fun to smell (not!).  Plus the idea of yeast "eating" the sugar and flour and then "burping" gas to make it grow...   you get a little gross out humor too.   It's also kind of cool that from a lump of flour, water, yeast and a few minor things, you can make FOOD!   


It today's fast paced world, where so many people don't even cook or share meals together, I think there are some valuable skills that need preserving.  You may not choose to make all your own bread all the time.  But it's good to know you can if you need to (store's closed, car won't start, lost your debit card....).  It's a good feeling to know in today's wacky economy and uncertain times, that you CAN control something.  You can rise above that mess a little bit and be self sufficient.  

We started with some wheat grinding today.  Our wheat grinder is ancient!  I mean, really, look at it!  It weighs a ton and everyone is deafened for the time it's running.   Fun, fun, fun though.  If you're a kid, the more noise the better, right?   

After all, Rapunzel must have made her own bread up in that tower, don't you think?   So now we have a nice batch of whole wheat flour (half red and half white...   because I'm in love with the white wheat, but can't bear to just waste the red).  Anyone out there want to trade me some hard white wheat for my hard red wheat?  *sigh*   I didn't think so. 




Natalie and Chloe both wanted to help and asked a lot of questions.  I have to admit...   I am not good at sharing my kitchen.  I'm usually short on time, I know exactly what I want to do and how I want it done, and I don't always have the patience to slow down and endure bigger messes so my kids can learn.  Especially in the kitchen. I know, terrible isn't it?  I'm trying though!  

They didn't even fight (much) over who got to dump what into the mixer.  I have to remember that even young kids are capable of SO much.  After one cupful of flour, I left Chloe alone to put on the lid and start the mixer while I was in another room.  Which she did.  With no problem.  

After all the mixing...   we're just waiting for the bread to rise....   
































and we're back!  Ok, so the girls had a good time kneading the bread (which we failed to get photos of).  

But this is the face of a girl who got to pummel some bread dough.

"You did not just touch my dough!"

"I am a force to be reckoned with!"  (and don't we all know it).  

So we got the bread into the pans.  I LOVE these long loaf pans.  They're shaped like the store-bought bread that most kids are familiar with (unless they've only known homemade).  I make at least 4 at a time and freeze them, which lasts for a week or two.  

I wish you could smell this....  mmmmmm......  it smells lovely in here!  Fresh baked bread.  YUM.  You know you want some  :)

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ACK!  Christmas break is over.  And. I'm. Not. Ready.   Not ready to run, run, run, run, run.  I SO enjoyed the slow and lazy pace (cause I'm a little lazy).  


Dropped off the 18yo for his first day of college.  With his Asperger's, his anxiety level was WAY up there, but I'm sure he'll do great!  Back to the daily routine (not entirely a bad thing), and off to dance class today.    


I hope your first week of the new year is a great one!  I plan to survive mine with my sanity intact.  

Soap Making

I love homemade soap as much as.....  baby's laughter, sushi, and peace and quiet (and that's a LOT).  There's just not much better than a bar of rich, creamy, bubbly homemade soap.  Soap that's lacking preservatives and harsh additives, not to mention that it retains all the natural glycerin that is stripped from commercial soaps.  Did you know that commercial bar soap is technically  detergent, and not  soap?  


I've been wanting to make another batch for a while, and finally got around to it today!  This particular batch is Almond and Honey.  Scented with pure essential oils only, and no color for this one....  it'll have a nice natural ivory color.  


These pictures are NOT a tutorial on how to make soap, or a step by step pictorial either.  Just a peek at the fun I had today!  Now, I just have to wait 3 weeks for it to cure and finish the saponification process so that it's nice and mild, and hard enough to be long lasting.  

Gathering all my stuff together....  soaping takes a good deal of things that should only be used for making soap.  You don't want to mix food with these spoons later!

A good scale is really important...  things need to be measured very carefully to fractions of ounces.

Mixing sodium hydroxide (lye) with water means protecting skin and a having a good ventilation source, like a stove vent fan.  It'll heat up instantly to about 200 degrees.  It cools down and the oils warm up to the right range before mixing.

Some of the oils are liquid, and some are solid at room temperature.  They need to be gently warmed to blend together.

No way to take photos myself, while actually combining the soap (mixing lye water and oils), but this is just poured into the wooden mold and covered in plastic.

Now the soap is covered and it will start to heat up again with the chemical reaction of base and acid (which means soap is really a salt).  After about 18 hours it's ready to remove from the mold (which I forgot to take a picture of).

These are the newly cut and trimmed bars.  Now, they go on a shelf to cure for several weeks as the chemical process continues.  The finished bars will be mild, hard, and ready to use.  They smell YUMMY!   Can't wait to use them!


Next week I'll be making Rosemary and Peppermint.  I'm going to try a green swirl through that one.  My swirling attempts haven't been so great before, but I think I know what I did wrong and I'm anxious to try it.