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Amy and Meagan
June 2013 IPSY Glam Bag Reveal. I made this video a couple weeks ago and forgot to link it. :)...
6/27/2013
6/26/2013
How to save BIG on a new carseat
Everyone knows that I am "thrifty" (AKA cheap) but one area where I will not compromise quality are car seats. I don't mind buying things secondhand, but when it comes to carseats I would rather be safe than sorry.
I recently found two car seats on a yard sale site for a VERY good price. They were nearly $300 each new and the seller was asking $40 each. I considered it but ended up deciding that it wasn't worth it. The seller told me that the seats had never been in an accident, but I didn't know the person and I had no way of knowing if that was true or not. They didn't expire for several years, but it wasn't a risk that I was willing...
6/15/2013
DIY Compost Bin
I haven't been blogging much lately, but I actually have a good reason! I am having a lot of pregnancy problems (again) and have been pretty limited on what I can do. I haven't been doing a lot of projects lately, but this one is pretty fun! Maybe I just say that because I'm not really the one who did it. We had some extra dirt and no where to put it, so my husband decided to build a compost bin. My husband works a lot but has taken up woodworking a little bit in his spare time (something that his dad does too.) I wasn't able to find very good plans for building a compost bin, so we guessed. I don't recommend trying to do math in your head at...
6/11/2013
End of Year Teacher/Staff Gift Ideas
My son's last day of school was yesterday. He was so excited to be out, but wanted to do something nice for his teacher. I knew I had to find something reasonably inexpensive and easy to make. We decided on a decorated flower pot with a plant. Here is a loose tutorial on how we made it. I know this is probably too late for most parents, since schools are out or almost out everywhere already, but hopefully if you like the idea, you can use it next year. Just an FYI, I did not take these pictures with the intention of writing a tutorial, so I'm sorry that some steps are missing pictures.
Decorated Flower Pot
Materials
Materials:
*...
5/19/2013
May 2013 IPSY Glam Bag - VIDEO
This is my first month of the IPSY Glam Bag subscription. I am really happy with it! If you'd like to check it out, here is my referral link: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hfmwvd42imp5ix
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5/14/2013
Why Use Wool Diaper Covers?
If you are new to cloth diapering or if you are considering it, you may be curious about wool. Wool is used as a cover for cloth diapers. Wool covers can be in the form of soakers, shorties, longies, and a few other options. There are many variations of wool covers, but they all do the same thing. Wool keeps sheep dry, and it can keep your baby dry too! Wool is very breathable, so it even can be worn in the summer months. Wool that has not been chemically treated is not scratchy at all, it is actually very soft. Wool is able to absorb moisture without feeling damp, so it is ideal for heavy wetters, for naptime, or for bedtime. You can even use...
Organizing Kids Clothes
I am not going to pretend like I have all of this figured out, I don't! I am working on a system to keep my kids clothes purged and organized. With two kids and one on the way, the clothes really start piling up. I spent a few hours purging and organizing my kids clothes last weekend. This is what I came up with.
The best advice that I can give is that you probably don't need as much as you think you do. I have really simplified my kids clothes and it works a lot better. Go through your kids clothes and ask yourself these five questions.
1. Do you love it? If yes, keep it. If no, go on to #2
2. Do your kids love it? If your kid has a...
5/05/2013
Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop Review
Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop Review:
We recently did some renovation and purchased new hardwood bamboo floors. The floors look awesome when they are clean. The problem is between two kids and a dog, they get dirty really quickly! Anyone who has ever had hardwood or laminate floors knows that they start looking dirty before carpet does. That doesn't mean that carpet isn't just as dirty (gross) it just hides the dirt better. I had been using a Shark Steam Mop in my kitchen and bathrooms, but it just didn't cut it on the wood floors. I found the Rubbermaid Reveal on Amazon for $39.99. I was going to buy it on Amazon, but then I found...
5/04/2013
Today's Lunch: Gluten Free Lunch Ideas
This is a new blog feature that I am going to try to post 2-3 times per week. I will simply show you some gluten free lunch ideas. This is something that I have been asked about. They will usually be for kids, but sometimes I might post my lunch too.
Today's Lunch:
Gluten free chicken nuggets, smiley face fries, green beans, organic ketchup
This was Miki's lunch, Kainan's was exactly the same, but no fries (he doesn't like them.)
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5/01/2013
Easy DIY Disinfecting Cleaner
I haven't posted anything like this in a while. Here is a recipe for a very easy DIY disinfectant cleaner. Only two ingredients! All that you need is regular white vinegar and orange peels. Put the peels in a container with the vinegar and let it "infuse" for a while. I used a mason jar because I think they are pretty, but you could always just put the peels directly into a spray bottle with the vinegar. Use this spray anywhere, especially in the kitchen. The orange peels give it a nice smell, and vinegar is one of the best cleaners out there, enjoy!...
4/27/2013
The Many Uses of Baking Soda
I have been cleaning with natural products for quite some time now. Baking soda is one of my
favorite products for natural cleaning because it is cheap and it works great! I love baking soda for cleaning, but is is also a great bath and body product! I have a large box sitting in my bathroom, and I have been using it a lot. Before you get completely weirded out, just keep reading! It really works.
Baking soda as a face wash:
I have been using baking soda, a little water, and some coconut oil to wash my face. The coconut oil removes makeup, and the baking soda is an excellent cleanser for the skin. You really do not have to use baking...
4/26/2013
Gluten Free Bagels and Freezer Meals
You want to eat these!
I went to Wal-Mart in a different town today and found GLUTEN-FREE BAGELS! I have been craving bagels since.. um.. always, so this was wonderful news for me. I actually had a regular bagel a few weeks ago and it was NOT worth it. Every now and then I get this genius idea that maybe I can start eating gluten again and I will be fine, it never goes well for me. Anyway, this Wal-Mart didn't have a dry gluten free section (I was looking for granola bars) but oddly enough, they had a small section of gluten free foods in the freezer aisle. Neither Branson Wal-Mart has anything like this, in fact I have never seen one in any...
4/25/2013
Make Your Own Laundry Detergent - Part 2!
Back in 2010, Meagan wrote this post about making your own laundry soap. It was fairly popular, and we have sent several people to the post to check out how we make our laundry detergent. I made the liquid version once and I liked it but didn't love it. Meagan uses the powder version, and she swears by it. While I liked the liquid version, I wasn't completely comfortable having a large bucket of laundry soap on my laundry room floor. I used a lid, but it still didn't feel completely safe. I usually stock up on detergent during sales, but I had recently ran out and decided to make my own again. I found another variation on the homemade laundry...
