{Cleaning} Apron

To make it easier for the kids to do their cleaning jobs I made them Cleaning Aprons. The aprons have pockets to hold the cleaners & rags.


I had some jean material to use. Cut 2 pieces of fabric into a rectangle(23"x15"). Cut 2 pieces of fabric(23"x7") for the pocket strip. Nice & heavy Duty.


Sew around. I didn't sew a finished edge because they only use them once a week & with jean I like the "aged" look.

For the top to tie around waist:

Cut 1 piece of fabric (5"x65"). Fold in & iron.


Attach the "tie" to the top of the jean fabric. Starting at one end of the "tie" stitch across the top, side, bottom, then other side.


Finished.


You could also put grommets on the rags & use the office badge clips(found at Walmart) to attach to the apron. Pin It

JOY in Service

We took hold of the greatest SERVICE opportunity today.


Our friends [a few houses down] are moving back east. We are going to miss them. They are some of the most kind people we have come in contact with. Today the movers were packing up the last of their things.

The kids & I got our cleaning supplies(I buy my home friendly ones here) and headed down to do some cleaning.



I made these aprons awhile back to wear and hold their cleaning bottle & rag.

Tutorial to come.

I love the JOY that comes from helping others & seeing a Smile on their face. How Rewarding!

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Tin Foil Dinners

We've been up camping, a handful of times already, this year. One of our most favorite things about each camping trip is our first meal there- Tin Foil Dinners. Our kids even ask for them now, even when we are not camping. We love them!

HOW do YOU make your tin foil dinners? WHAT do YOU put in them? Please leave me a comment on this. I am always looking for new ideas.

HERE is how I make OURS...

Mine consist of these items:
Heavy Duty tin foil
Raw hamburger meat (lean ground beef)
Cream of mushroom soup
Potatos- peeled and cut small
Carrots- peeled and cut small
Frozen white corn
Dry onion flakes
Garlic salt- lots!
Pepper, olive oil, other herbs or spices I think of adding in, etc.

I peel and cut up the veggies (into small, bite-sized pieces so they will cook faster with the meat). I combine all the cut-up veggies, frozen corn, and dry onion flakes into a large bowl and mix them together with a little bit of olive oil.

I tear off a piece of tin foil and lay it flat. Then I spoon out some cream of mushroom soup (right from the can) and smear it onto the foil in the center. I put about a cup of veggies down first (on top of the soup).

Then I grab some raw hamburger and flatten it like a patty to put on top of the veggies. (Big enough to cover the veggies and about 1/2" thick. I sprinkle LOTS of garlic salt over the meat (and some pepper) and top it off with another cup of veggies. Then I dollup another spoonfull or two of soup over the veggies and fold up the foil to seal it all in. After wrapping it once, I get another piece of foil and wrap it again for better protection in the fire.

I make them big so we can all share. We cook these foil dinners right in our campfire. DELISH!! Clean-up is super easy with this meal. I love it for camping!! Do you make foil dinners too? What do you put in them??

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Summer Canning

I am finally done with my summer Canning!


I found this new Canning magazine from BHG(on stands til Aug 9th). LOVE it!


I was able to try 15 new recipes(some of my favs: nectarine vanilla/ blueberry pecan/ kiwi lime). I have already tried some of them & I have not been disappointed at all.

I LOVE Homemade Jam- it truly is the best!

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Being a {REAL} Mom

As part of my goals this summer I need to read a new book each week. Well, after I started reading this wonderful book(found @ Deseret Book but good deal here), I realized this one is a "work"book. This lady is amazing!


She breaks down 12 simple things we can do as mothers to be better[and more REAL] & to help our children be happy. Each Secret takes 21 days to form the habit of doing. So in the next 8 months or so I hope to accomplish having a greater perspective. I know it was meant for me right now. Lately I've been informing our children of ways they can change & do things. Nothing has really changed. Then after reading this book, its actually ME who needs to change so they will want to change & be happy.

I'm only on the first Secret & I've already had a few trials to put this secret to use. I'm grateful to have a notebook (my "Ponder Pad" as Carlene Tanner would say)to write down my thoughts/challenges/feelings.

I love Good Books that motivate you to act! Pin It

ToothPaste Drawer

As I was cleaning up & putting stuff away from the weekend, I happen to open this drawer to find this. . .

YIKES!


So to help in the Tooth Paste Disaster, I put those Sticky Tiles (from Lowes/HomeDepot) in the drawer like I did here. I know when the wood bubbles up from too much moisture that it is not going to last long.


I think we'll have to have the "clean up after yourself" talk AGAIN. I guess I have to give them some credit-after all, they are kids. Pin It

Swimming Pool Birthday Cake

For my son's 10th birthday 2 weeks ago, he had chosen to do a pool party. So I looked online for cake ideas, and was inspired by Google Images and Berry Blue Jell-o!!

I found a how-to video HERE...

This cake was so much fun and easy to make! Here is what I used for mine:

-2 White Cake Mixes (each made by adding 1/4 c inst. vanilla pudding, 1 1/4 c milk, 1/2 c veg. oil, 4 eggs, and a tsp of vanilla) and baked in 9x13 pans

-2 Boxes (4 serving size) Berry Blue Jell-O + 2 c boiling water

-Buttercream Frosting

-Food Coloring (opt.)

-Candy, Polly Pocket dolls, Paper umbrellas, wafer cookies, etc.

I did some things differently than the lady on the video...

I baked my cakes ahead of time and froze them overnight. I layered 2 cakes on top of one another. I tried and failed the first time with the "quick set" ice method for the jello. My advice is to let the jello cool to room temp, then poor into cake pool and refrigerate. I tinted the frosting a light gray color for around the pool. Polly Pockets are a perfect fit for this cake!

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KeyChain Collection

I LOVE to Travel.


Because of our business we usually have to travel in the spring &/or fall time. But if we go anywhere I always pick up a KeyChain to add to my collection!


I used an old cupboard door. I glued (with Mod Podge)on the craft wrapping paper. Then I used mini license plates(found at the scrapbook store) for each state with a nail to hang the keychains. Pin It

Perfect {Sunny Up} EGGS

My friend Holly shared a wonderful tip with me a while back on how to make perfect Sunny Side Up Eggs. I have been using this method ever since.


Spray your pan, crack your eggs into it, put 1 ice cube inside then put a lid on top. The steam from the ice cooks the egg. No need to flip it over. No broken yolks.


Perfect & Yummy! Pin It

Patriotic Brooch

A simple brooch to Celebrate the Fourth of July.


HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!! Pin It

SummerTime Goals

Even though SUMMER is filled with fun activities, its still great to keep invigorating the mind & working towards personal goals. This next month our kids will be setting some goals. As a reward for the goals met, they will be able to earn extra money to buy school clothes/shoes. (For each school year I usually set a budget & so anything beyond that has to be bought from them.)
Thanks Katie for finding this great idea!


I got a 12x12 piece of card stock paper. Divide the paper into four sections: 1-Physical 2-Spiritual 3-Educational 4-Other. Each area they need to set 2 goals. Not only could this give them a sense of accomplishment but hopefully some one on ones & a desire to continue goal setting(knowing its not just at the beginning of the calendar year). I stamped a circle for each day in the month of July for them to fill in or put a sticker on.

Here is what they came up with. I'm so excited for them!

[Possible Earnings $37.20=[4 areas X 2 goals each (.15 per goal) X 31 days] Pin It