Purex Complete Crystals Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

Have you tried new Purex Crystals yet?  I just tried it out and I really like it!  My kids like to help with laundry and sometimes forget to add a dryer sheet.  I was glad to find a fabric softener that works best when put in at the beginning of the wash cycle, instead of having to wait for the rinse cycle or dryer.

Purex Complete Crystals Softeners are safe for all laundry and will not harm, wear down or discolor your fabrics like oil-based softeners. It is safe for all fabrics, including baby clothes, athletic wear, towels, and whites. Unlike other softeners, Crystals will:

• Preserve the flame retardant benefits of your children’s clothes
• Retain your athletic wear’s wicking ability which draws sweat away from your body
• Maintain your towels’ built-in ability to absorb water
• Keep your white clothing from yellowing and graying vs. using traditional softeners
The product won’t harm your clothes and is safe and convenient for the entire family!

Click here for more info and a coupon!
Interested?  Purex Crystals are available in three scents: Fresh Spring Waters TM, Lavender Blossom TM, and Tropical Splash TM. Purex Complete Crystals Softener is priced from $3.99 to $5.99 depending on retaile and is available in food, drug and mass retailers nationwide.  ( I found it at Walmart.  I like the lavendar scent best!)

OR....you can Win it: Three of you will win one bottle of Purex Crystals!!!

To Enter the Giveaway

MANDATORY ENTRY:
Tell me which Purex Crystals scent you'd love to try in the form below. (Fresh Spring Waters, Lavender Blossom, or Tropical Splash) This is required and must be done before the extra entries count!

EXTRA ENTRIES: You can do any of these things for an extra entry.  
Make sure to leave a separate comment for EACH thing you do.

* Subscribe to my blog via email / Follow my blog via Google/Friend Connect (find on my sidebar)
* Refer someone to my blog (leave a comment with their name).

Purex Complete Crystals Giveaway

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Contest Ends on 3/22/11. Winner will be chosen by random.org and announced March 23th. Winners will be notified by email with “You Have Won the Purex Crystals Giveaway” as the subject line as well as be announced on the blog. Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.  Entrants from the US are eligible.
Disclaimer/Disclosure: I received a sample as part of this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions stated are my own. Thanks to Purex for the review product and giveaway. 

Give away and Pampered Chef order 10% discount.

I will be giving away a Pampered Chef prize pack worth over $20.  ENTER BELOW:

 

Pampered Chef order

I will be placing an order on March 31st.

I will give you 10% off your ENTIRE order AND free shipping!!! (If you pick up in Murray)


You can order on my website:

www.pamperedchef.biz/cookitwithmindy

Just click on "SHOP" on the lower Left side. Choose option 1 (invited to a show) and type in "Lacey"

The 10% discount wont show up on the website, but I will make sure you get it...or you can email me your order.

If you don't want to pick up in Murray, you can still get 10% off your entire order!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks!~

Pampered Chef Giveaway Go to http://www.pamperedchef.biz/cookitwithmindy . Come back and tell me what your favorite Pampered Chef item is. For an extra entry, follow my blog. What's your favorite Pampered Chef Item? * What is your contact email address? * (Only used if your the winner) Do you follow this blog? Extra entry

Homeschooling in Utah 101

My girls in some of their "back to school clothes."

I don't claim to be an expert.  I am just trying my best.  Some days are good, some great....others not so good.  The reason for this post:  I often get asked How to get started in homeschooling.  Some of the information is Utah specific, but most can be adapted and used in any state.

HOMESCHOOLING 101 (by Mindy)

I love homeschooling because it gives us such flexibility. We can do school any time during the day. We can take vacations whenever we want. Aubrey missed the deadline and is a grade behind most kids her age, so I have actually been able to get her a grade ahead. Also, I can teach and explain things until I know they understand where in the public school, they have to move on (also, if they get the concept quickly, we can move on). There is rarely homework because we do everything during the day. So we have our evenings together as a family. I remember how mean kids were in school and that is another reason we homeschool. We still have MANY field trips and activities that we do with other homeschooling families. They get lots of social activities that way. There are TONS of yahoo groups that you can join. Some of my favorites are:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Murray_UT_Homeschool/  (This is the group I own and do all the planning).

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Utah-hs/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Utah-LDS-hs/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Utahhomeschool/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EastSideHS/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/besthomeschoolfieldtrips/    (Not just a Utah group)

There are TONS and TONS of homeschool groups that you can find for wherever you live. We always have lots of fieldtrips and get GREAT discounts for homeschool groups. Get signed up on these boards and get involved with the different groups. These are great support groups as well as great places to ask questions and get ideas.

We still get to participate in the pizza hut book it program.  http://www.bookitprogram.com/Enrollment/homeschool.asp

We also get a HUGE discount at LEGOLAND!! 
http://california.legoland.com/tickets/groups/education_programs/home_school_days/

And the subway fitness program 

http://www.subwayki ds.com/grownups/ classroom/ RandomActsOfFitn ess.aspx

We take field trips to Great Harvest bread, Sweet Candy company, Thanksgiving point, Clark Planetarium, Wheeler Farm and Farnsworth Farms.  We also have TONS of holiday parties.

 

I have read TONS and TONS of books about homeschooling. My favorites are:

What your _______ grader needs to know (they have all grades...even Kindergarten, etc.)

Homeschool your child for free. By Gold and Zielinski

The ultimate book of homeschooling ideas. By Linda dobson

Homeschooling step by step. By Gold and Zielinski

Essential Homeschooling. By Sherri Linsenbach

These books have great ideas of how to make your homeschooling work. It gives ideas of how to make it work when you have several ages that you are doing together. The things that I have found work well is I have some toys for Rachel to play with and I also have her pack n' play that I keep in my “school room” and when Rachel gets to “busy” I will let her play in the pack n' play. I do most of my 1 on 1 when Rachel naps. When she is up we cover topics that I can do with both of them (history/ geography, Social studies, arts, crafts, music, etc.) When we get into math and language and letters and the ones that I have to do one on one teaching, I do that while Rachel naps and I can dedicate all my attention to teaching.

The subjects that we cover are:

Arithmetic*

Language*

Letters (Phonics)*

History & Geography*

Health & Manners*

Science*

Spelling & Poetry*

Community people (social studies)*

Reading & Writing

Art & Music

We don't do all of these subjects every day. We do math, reading, language, writing every day....and do the others on different days along with the core subjects.  Sometimes we will just do a "unit" study and focus on JUST one of the "extra" subjects.

I use Abeka curriculum for all the subjects that have the * symbol. The arts and crafts, I just have some books of ideas and I also have an art appreciation book. For the Reading and writing, etc, I use a method called “The Writing Road to Reading” by Romalda Bishop Spalding. This method is FABULOUS! It takes some reading and planning on the teachers (parents) part to get the concept and figure out what your doing, but it is the BEST reading program ever. I have a set of beginning readers by EPS (Educators Publishing Service) called Primary Phonics.

There are other programs (Christian Libery Acadamy) that you can do the upper grades for and get High School credit (diploma) for. John knows more about that than I do. Let me know if you have any questions about that.

For the state of Utah, the only requirements are:

To educate your child at home, you must submit a signed affidavit each year to your school district. By submitting the affidavit, you are informing the school district that your child will attend a home school and receive instruction

• in the subjects the State Board of Education requires to be taught in public schools in accordance with law, and
• for the same length of time as children in public schools (180 days per year - 990 hours, 810 hours for first grade).
  

The Annual Exemption Process
The law states that you must submit your affidavit annually. Although the law doesn't dictate the time of year, this is usually done during the summer months.
The annual exemption process is very simple:

1. Provide an affidavit.
2. Get your affidavit notarized.
3. Deliver your affidavit to your school district (by mail or by hand).
4. Wait to receive your certificate of exemption from the school district.
   

Provide an Affidavit
Utah law allows you to submit your own affidavit. So, you are not required to use an affidavit provided by your school district. Although many school districts provide sample affidavits for you to use, we recommend that you provide your own or use one of the sample affidavits below.
Creating Your Own Affidavit
Creating your own homeschooling affidavit is not difficult. You can simply write a letter indicating that your child will attend a home school and receive instruction as required by law. That's it.
To avoid having your child's information made available in directory listings, you might consider adding a phrase indicating that you don't allow that (see the sample affidavits).
Sample Affidavits
The sample affidavits below can give you an idea of what a homeschooling affidavit looks like. You may use these sample affidavits or create your own. The first is an affidavit written in letter format; the latter is written as a form.

Download Sample Affidavit Letter (printable version)

Download Sample Affidavit Letter (editable version)

Download Sample Affidavit Form (printable version)

Download Sample Affidavit Form (editable version)

 
A Note About Using District Forms
If you choose to use an affidavit provided by your school district, be sure to carefully read the affidavit before signing it. Some school district forms may ask for information that is not required by law. For example, they may ask the reason you are educating your child at home, the curriculum you are using, etc. You are not required to provide this information. If you disagree with any of the language on the district's form, you can simply cross it out.

Get Your Affidavit Notarized
In Utah, an affidavit is required to be notarized. After you have created your affidavit, take it to a notary. Be sure to not sign your affidavit until you are before the notary. For free notary services, try your credit union or bank. Many cities provide free notary services too.

Deliver Your Affidavit to Your School District
Once your affidavit is notarized, either mail it to your school district or deliver it by hand. Be sure to make a copy of the notarized, signed affidavit for your records. When sending your affidavit by mail, you might consider sending it by certified mail to ensure that it gets there.

Wait to Receive Your Certificate of Exemption
Within 30 days of receiving your signed affidavit, your school district is required by law to issue you a certificate stating that your child is excused from attendance. Your school district cannot tell you no. Most school districts' certificates of exemption expire in June of each year.

Utah doesn't make you prove your hours or keep records or do standard testing. This is really nice! Some states are really sticky about that! I still do keep records though. I get the free teachers planning books from Lakeshore and I put my topics along the top and then I write what we do each day in each subject. It provides me with proof and it shows what we did for the year and I can reference it for the next child.

A GREAT website is: http://www.uhea.org/

It is the Utah Home Education Association website

Typical Course of Study and curriculum

As a source of information, World Book offers the results of ongoing research into curriculum requirements and standards. The learning levels include preschool through grade 12.

http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?curriculum

I spend about $100 on the Abeka books each year for each grade...but some of them can be reused by the next child so each following child will cost less. It doesn't have to cost that much either, you can get less if you are able to come up with the curriculum and ideas on your own. (you do save money by not having to buy all the “back to school clothes, backpacks, new/ namebrand stuff, etc)

Email me with any other questions you have and I would love to help you!

Update to the book slings/ holders

I finally got around to showing you what the finished project looks like from my previous post HERE.  These were really simple to sew.  I just cut my fabric to the length of the dowel less space to mount it in the brackets I picked up from LOWES (Like these).  Then I layed the fabric flat  (right side up) and folded it in half (right sides inside).  I stitched the end (so it was like a round tube) and then made it so the seam was in the middle rather than the end (still with the right sides in).  I stitched all the way around leaving a small spot to turn it back right side out.  After turning it, I stitched the end shut.  Then I just wrapped the top side of each end around backward (making the rod pocket) and sewed it down.  I put some ribbon across the seam and a bow.  I think they turned out cute!  My girls LOVE them!

This is Katelyn's.

It's nice because we don't have the clutter of books kicking around in their bed anymore....

  And falling down behind the bed and getting lost......and the library fines are *Hopefully* a think of the past!





This one is Aubrey's.  She is my AVID reader!  I can't keep up with her!  She LOVES her book holder because she can jam her 50 library books in and she is almost always reading about 3 books at a time (as you can see from her picture with 3 books being "marked").






I think in all it took me about an hour for both.

These have been great!

Deal Link up!

One of the blogs I love to read is freebies2deals.  Every other week, she lets businesses and bloggers link up their deals and giveaways.  I posted my 2 on there (Pampered Chef 10% off and Treasure Hunt give away).  You can check out all the great deals HERE.

Learning Treasures & a give away!

I have a dear friend that has created a wonderful line of pre-made treasure hunts.  My kids are EXTREMELY fond of doing treasure hunts and often beg me to make one up for them to do.  It is one of their favorite camping activities (They are usually...find a rock, pinecone, stick, etc).  I am so thankful for these super fun treasure hunts that are all ready to go.  All you have to do is stick them around the room (or the park, primary room, classroom, halls, etc) and make sure you keep the card #1 for you to start it.....and add a "treasure" with the last card.  THAT'S IT!

The cards are printed on nice, heavy cardstock and the graphics are FABULOUS!  Each treasure hunt starts out with a rhyme/ poem that tells them what the next picture card will be.  The last word is left out so the kids can guess the missing rhyming word.  I have used these treasure hunts in our homeschooling parties and they have also been used for primary parties.  The woman who created them is a retired teacher.  There are 10 treasure hunts to choose from! 

Check out the website:

http://www.learningtreasures.net

I will be giving one away!!!

If you would like to win one, go to the website and check them out.  Come back and fill out this entry form.  For an extra entry, let me know if you have one you would like to see made.  For another entry, follow my blog.  

Email address *

What is your favorite Treasure hunt? *

Do you have a suggestion for a theme of treasure hunt you would like? (extra entry)

Do you follow this blog?

• Yes (Extra entry)

Pampered Chef order

I will be placing an order on Feb 15th.

I will give you 10% off your ENTIRE order AND free shipping!!! (If you pick up in Murray)


You can order on my website:

www.pamperedchef.biz/cookitwithmindy

Just click on "SHOP" on the lower Left side. Choose option 1 (invited to a show) and type in my name (Mindy Reidhead)

The 10% discount wont show up on the website, but I will make sure you get it...or you can email me your order.

If you don't want to pick up in Murray, you can still get 10% off your entire order!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks!~

Do you laugh or cry?

I had a "fun" week with Rachel this week.  She has definitely broken into her "terrible 2" stride.

She has a STRONG opinion about what she wears...."No mommy!  PINK pants" or "Elmo shirt."

She also can be a picky eater.  She is funny though because she likes foods with FLAVOR....like SPICY!  We had a more "tame" type meal tonight for dinner and she wanted nothing to do with it, but give her a really spicy salsa and shes in heaven!  I just don't get it!

She likes to SNEAK treats from the candy bowl.  This week, she also grabbed a doughnut and ran away to her room to hide and eat as much as she could get away with before I got her.

On to the point of this post....I guess the culmination of the terrible 2's week was when I was getting my sharing time done and I had left Rachel alone for 5 minutes while I went in the other room and she got a little stool and put it by her dresser and got a brand new container of baby powder and proceeded to RE-DECORATE her room.

 Here she has her foot on the offending stool that started it all!

 The diaper genie even got a DUSTING. 

 Her doll house got re-decorated too.

 She filled her play kitchen sink with the baby powder......

 AND the stove!

 She thought it was fun to swirl her hand in it to make a big cloud (Thats when I stopped her).

What a MESS!!!!

 This is when I couldn't figure out whether to laugh or cry.  I decided that even though it wasn't funny THEN, it sure is now.  Hopefully you can have a good laugh at this too and the hour that Aubrey, Katelyn and I spent cleaning the mess that it took her 5 minutes to make.

Ahh yes, the terrible 2's!

My fifth Sunday sharing time is ready!

I got this super cute idea from Little LDS ideas.  The direct link to the "Scripture Bowl" idea is HERE.

This is my version of the idea.  I used legal sized hanging folders for the "field" and whiteout for the yard line markers.  I used a cricut to make the players, letters, football, numbers etc.  I printed the cards from her website onto colored cardstock that related with the color she used.  I am excited to see how the kids in Primary like it!  Here is the finished project:

There is a new "Daily Deal" site called No More Rack.

Right now, No More Rack (different from Beyond the Rack), is giving out FREE $10 Credits!  I have gotten some pretty sweet and free things from credits like this from other companies.  So, I would recommend that EVERYONE does this!

• Head over to No More Rack and enter in your info.
• Write down the little code it gives you.
• Then, click on your Account. And go to Redeem a Gift Card.
• Enter in the code you received. (Everyone's will be a little different)

Voila!  You will have your $10 credit that you can use in the future!  Every day they will have different deals at 10:00am MST.  They send you a daily email with the new free things each day, so just watch the sales til you find something fun....or better.....FREE!!!

neighbor gift ideas

I found this fun site with a bunch of suggestions for neighbor gifts...

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/12/holiday-gifts-from-kitchen.html


Here are a bunch of fun suggestions from people on a blog I read (freebies2deals.com)

http://www.freebies2deals.com/2010/12/ideas-for-neighbor-gifts-what-are-yours.html#comments

I found some fun chocolate molds that you fill with Chocolate and they have cute shapes then you push an oreo cookie in them....voila!  Chocolate covered oreos!  So cute and so yummy!

Also....for co workers...  A pampered chef orange peeler and an orange in a clear bag with a note  "hope your Christmas is 'a-pealing"

Places to see lights & Fun Christmas places in Utah

Places to See Christmas Lights in Utah

I’ve started a list of Christmas light displays around the state. Hopefully some of your can help me out. If you know of a great Christmas Light Display please leave a comment. Thanks.

Pay to See:

Hogle Zoo’s ZooLights is something you can’t go wrong with.  Plus, on Thursday’s December 9th, 16th and 23rd you’ll be able to get in to see ZooLights for $3.00 bucks. Just stop by any one of Northern Utah’s 45 Little Caesars and pick up a coupon for the $3.00 admission ZooLights (no purchase is necessary).  Hogle Zoo did tell me if you plan to go on the 23rd to try and get your coupon several days in advance, just in case they run out.


Enjoy the Festival of Lights at Wheeler Farm. Includes: wagon ride thru the lighted woods, warmth by the fire, and a visit with Santa. Fridays – Saturdays only from 6:00pm – 9:00pm December- 3rd-4th, 6th, 10th-11th, 13th, 17th- 18th. Tickets are $5.00 per person or $25.00 per family up to 6.


Enjoy a lighted riverboat ride on the lower Provo River with Clas Ropes. There are thousands of lights reflecting off the water, holiday scenes along the shore, and Christmas music on the boat.  Santa even comes to visit on his canoe. I’m doing this for the first time this year. I’m very excited!  Prices are $7.00 per person or $28.00 for a family.

Thanksgiving Point has a huge light display. Located in Lehi on 3003 Thanksgiving Way, Thanksgiving Points boasts  more than a mile of winding path through one million twinkling lights, giant animated holiday displays and illuminated trees, Holiday Lights is better than ever, blending the favorites of the past and the excitement of new displays. The Christmas Story, as illustrated by Simon Dewey, completes the experience with a beautiful and meaningful nativity. Cost is $8.00 per car so load it up.

FREE:

FREE! Head to Gardner Village with the kids and let them hunt down the list of elves. Find all the elves on this Scavenger Hunt list. Then take it to Afton’s for a yummy FREE treat!


FREE: How about Christmas Street. Located in Taylorsville this festive neighborhood has been decorating their street for what I believe to be around 20 years (It’s a guess. My kids were really little when we first went). Each is a  page in the book of The Night Before Christmas. Christmas Street is located on 3310 West Royal Wood Drive. I couldn’t find a web address. But, you can read more and see a video of previous year on EnjoyUtah.org. Again, I recommend you park and walk for this one. It’s a lot more fun. Thanks@EnjoyUtah.org


Perhaps my favorite is Winder Dairy. Take a drive down the historic Winder Lane. Then visit the Country store for some Hot Chocolate and Scones with fresh churned butter. Very fun! Winder Farms are located on 4400 West and 4100 South in West Valley City. LINK here for more information on Winder Farms. (note: There is a charge for the Hot Chocolate & Scones)


FREE: It wouldn’t be a Utah Christmas without Temple Square. This beautiful light display is a Holiday tradition and known  world wide.  As long as you’re downtown you may want to weigh in on Utah’s window display contest.  Do a little window shopping then vote for your favorite. LINK here to see which window displays are competing.

Individual Houses:

Christmas Utah is an animated Christmas Light Show synchronized to music. Christmas Utah runs from the weekend after Thanksgiving until New Years every year.  Christmas Utah is located in Murray on 5631 So. Whispering Pine (831 East). Traffic can get very heavy. We like to just park at the church and take a fun walk. You can follow Christmas Utah on their Facebook page LINK.


Pleasant Grove hosts a very ambitious family. Visit the Holdman house. Holdman’s house is located on 3183 Millcreek Road. The display is only available for the public to see on  Dec 8th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, & 26th. LINK here to visit their website and view some previous years light displays. LINK here to follow them on Facebook.




Thanks for the list: Coupons4Utah

Fabric Book Pocket/Sling {Fabric Book Holder} Tutorial

My Little Gems: Fabric Book Pocket/Sling {Fabric Book Holder} Tutorial


I think I will try this for my girls for Christmas this year!!

UPDATE:  I posted a completed project update HERE.

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme


TodaysMama (link to: http://bit.ly/tmwishlist) and GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.


1. What is your holiday wish for your family?

I always try to do too much for the holidays and squeeze in EVERY tradition.  I would love to focus more on the family and the meaning of Christmas rather than the hustle and bustle.  I hope to keep it simple.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?

 We get up and everyone can open their stockings while we wait for Grandpa to come over.  We have a fun morning opening presents and THEN have breakfast.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?

I would love the peace of mind that having debt paid off would bring.....or a nice "down payment" on the debt anyway....  I would love to not have to worry about those pesky credit cards anymore! 

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?

We love to go to temple square with a thermos of hot chocolate and homemade cookies.  We also try to make some homemade gifts with things we already have.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?

 We played speed (a card game) and double solitaire (but with everyone....so it became quadruple solitaire)

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?

We always got to open 1 gift on Christmas eve....it was always a new pair of pajamas.  I do this with my kids each year too!  (sometimes even Mom and Dad get some pj's)

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?

If money was no object, I would say send me to Hawaii....or Disneyland....I hear Disneyland is a great place to go at Christmas time!

8. Check out GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year? 

My hubby would like the new Donkey Kong Country Returns

My daughters would love nintendo DSI's

I love to play DDR so any of the dancing games would suit me just fine (Just dance 2, zumba, etc)

Whack Wraps

Whack Wraps

Whack-Wraps

• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
• 6 (10") whole wheat flour tortillas
• 1 lb. sliced smoked turkey
• 1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges drained
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup cashew pieces

Spread equal amounts of cream cheese over each tortilla. top with turkey slices, mandarin oranges, carrots, bell pepper, spinach and cashews. tightly roll up each tortilla, wrap securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes of more.

about 10 minutes before serving, slice each wrap into 6 pieces. secure each piece with a toothpick if desired. lay cut side down on a large platter and serve.

Kneaders Three Cheese Cauliflower Soup

Kneaders Three Cheese Cauliflower Soup

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup Butter
1 cup Green Onion
1 head Cauliflower
1½ TBSP Garlic
2¾ cup Cheddar Cheese
3 slices Pepper Jack Cheese
2 1/3 cup Shirley J's White Cheddar Base
2 qts Water (hot)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a pot, place butter, chopped green onion and cauliflower( just break apart. Leave in fairly large pieces).
2. Cook on Medium heat with the lid on stirring occasionally until vegetables are well cooked. About 25 min. The cauliflower will become very soft and you will then have bite size pieces in the soup.
3. Roast garlic in a pan until slightly brown. Add to vegetables and stir well.
4. Add hot water and Shirley J's white cheddar base mix. Using a whisk, stir until the Shirley J's in completely incorporated. Heat to 140 degrees.
5. Slowly add cheddar cheese and crumbled pepper jack into the pot. Stirring while adding.
6. Simmer soup until it reaches 160 degrees. About 10 min. 

Unfullfilled expections...

I have been in a funk lately!  I have all these great plans and wonderful ideas, but never seem to get them to go as planned.  We ran into a friend the other day that have a daughter that is about 5 months younger than Rachel.  Their little girl can talk circles around my sweet Rachel.  It made me feel like an under-achiever.  With homeschool, I make great lesson plans and have great activities planned, but pretty soon those fall by the wayside.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.  I don't think its that I have bit off more than I can chew.  I don't think its lack of sleep. 

I can't wait to take a girls day out next week.  I am really looking forward to it!  Park City, here we come!

I started a new piano student yesterday.  I hope it went well.  I haven't had many beginning students....most of my students come to me having had some lessons and its a guessing game to see where to start them.  This new student is an older beginner.  I think the lesson went well.  I love to teach piano lessons and see the accomplishment of students!

It seems that I set certain expectations for myself and when I don't meet them (as a Mom, Homeschool teacher, piano teacher, homemaker, financial planner, cook, cleaner, etc) I beat myself up.  I guess I just need to be easier on myself.  This is my goal.....Repeat after me:  I think I can!  I think I can!  I think I can!

reunion pictures

One mom's top picks for kids' book clubs - Book Reviews | GreatSchools

One mom's top picks for kids' book clubs - Book Reviews | GreatSchools

This is a great list of book club books!

This is my job description...

Family seeking a loving, homeschool teacher. This is a full-time position and applicant will be on call 24/7. There will be no private phone calls and no salary. Applicant must multitask and work well under pressure while maintaining a friendly, enthusiastic attitude. Applicant must serve multiple positions, such as: teacher, curriculum specialist, guidance counselor, social director, secretary, school nurse, bus driver, and janitor, in addition to all other “mom” jobs (Chef, Maid, etc.). Organizational and problem solving skills are a plus.

Benefits include: picking your own school hours, choosing your work uniform with the option of wearing your pajamas until noon, learning with your children all day – everyday, taking sick days without make-up work, no more participating in homework wars, and an unlimited supply of hugs and kisses.
If you are interested in working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, this is the position for you! For more information on this exciting opportunity to earn one-of-a-kind rewards, please apply in person today.

Katelyn in Mount Olympus water commercial

My cute Katelyn was in a commercial.....well her mouth was anyway.

Check it out here:

Katelyn in Mt. Olympus water commercial


They put her on a green screen and poked her head through.  She memorized the lines and said them to the prerecorded words.  Then they used the video of the baby and put Katelyn's mouth on him.  So fun!!

City Deals...Cool deal!

SO...... I have never bought anything from city deals...... until today.  I am super excited about some of the deals you can get!

Check it out:

http://www.citydeals.com/?ref=CDUMTE4OTU3

You can get gift certificates for TONS of fun places (entertainment, retail, restaurants, etc) and they are 50% off.  So you get a $20 G.C. for $10.

Super sweet deals to be had!

Black cow day tomorrow!

Homeschool is off to a good start!  We are reviewing this week.  I needed to see how much they forgot in the last month and a half that we have been off.  I am still trying to get my lesson plans finished and also get some fun field trips and activities planned!

There are so many random holidays...I will keep you updated on all the funny and weird holidays that we are celebrating this year.  Tomorrow will be a good one.....Its BLACK COW Rootbeer float day.

Here is some info on it:

This holiday is referred to as a "National" day., as all food & drink holidays are.   However, we did not find any congressional records or presidential proclamations for this day at this time. Even though we didn't, this is still a holiday that is publicized to celebrate. So have fun with it and celebrate it!

How is this holiday celebrated?

This holiday is celebrated by making yourself a root beer float and maybe a few more for family and friends! Yep that's what everyone does on this holiday.

What is Root Beef Float?

"Also known as a "black cow" or "brown cow" , the root beer float is traditionally made with vanilla ice cream and root beer, but can also be made with other flavors."

"In the United States and Canada, the chain A&W Restaurants are well known for their root beer floats. The definition of a black cow varies by region. For instance in some localities, a "root beer float" has strictly vanilla ice cream; a float made with root beer and chocolate ice cream is a "chocolate cow" or a "brown cow."

"The origin of the name "black cow" has always been of interest to food and beverage experts and apparently dates to August of 1893 in Cripple Creek, Colorado. Frank J. Wisner, owner of the Cripple Creek Cow Mountain Gold Mining Company had been producing a line of naturally flavored, naturally carbonated premium soda waters for the citizens of the then booming Cripple Creek gold mining district. He had been trying to create a special drink for the children of Cripple Creek and came up with an idea while staring out at his properties on Cow Mountain on a moonlit night. The full moon's glow on the snow capped Cow Mountain reminded him of a dollop of vanilla ice cream floating on top of his blackened Cow Mountain. As he told the story later, he was inspired by this view to hurry back to his bar and add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to the one soda water he produced that the children of Cripple Creek seemed to like best - Myers Avenue Red root beer - and served it the very next day. The drink was an instant hit. Originally named "Black Cow Mountain", the local children shortened this to "black cow". Wisner was known to say many times in his later years that if he had a nickel for every time someone ordered a black cow, he'd have been a rich man."


So there ya go! 

We begin school again...

Today is the day that we begin school again.  We took a short hiatus last month to gear up for school again.  The girls are really excited!  We started off by getting a new pair of school clothes....(PAJAMAS!!!)

The morning was spent reviewing where we left off....and getting a new round of spelling words.

I think this will be a great year for our homeschool!

I will go into detail more this afternoon....but I just wanted to get an update out there!!

Topaz mountain and Dugway geodes

What a fun and interesting weekend...

Here it is the middle of June and we had CcccccOLD weather.  We were out in the west desert in the RV camping this weekend.  We first went to topaz mountain.  Grandma and Grandpa met up with us out there.  We headed out Thursday afternoon.  The weather was nice (a little on the warmer side).  We got out there and it was WINDY!  We got some sprinkling rain here and there, but we weren't prepared for the COLD weather.  John and I found a geocache.  Then he took the girls to find another one.  In the process, he found a GREAT spot to get some topaz.  He came back with the girls and I went up there with him.  We spent about a half hour hiking to the spot and then about an hour and some change digging out some beautiful amber topaz.  We got some really pretty pieces.  NOW we know what were looking for!!!  Saturday morning the weather turned worse and my grandparents pulled out to go home.  We headed over to the Dugway Geode beds.  We had got some GPS coordinates from someone that we met on our last trip to topaz.  It was a crazy drive in...we even broke off a valve for the grey water.  We got there and it was EVEN WINDIER!!!  If thats even possible.  We found lots of pretty geodes that were broken open just sitting around.  We walked to the open holes (the pit) and found lots of people digging in the sides of the pit.  We were just kind of poking around when another group showed up.  They were expert geode diggers and they taught us what to look for and what to do.  They were really helpful and nice to the girls.  John started feeling sick so he took Rachel back for a nap.  We went and got some tools and started digging too.  We found some nice geodes but before too long, the wind got the best of us and we left.  We got on the road and headed home.

What a fun trip.

There are always funny things that happen that are memorable.  One of those was while we were driving on a deserted road in between topaz and geodes.  We come upon a car that is stopped on the side of the road and there is a lady standing in the middle of the road and they have a bench grinder sitting next to the car.  There is no way we can pass them.  We stop and ask if they needed help.  The man asked if we had a jack.  He said that his wasn't tall enough and they had been driving for hours on this flat tire......that they "fixed"..........................with.......................................... *wait for it*...................................chewed up gummy bears that they made a paste to "glue" the hole shut, electrical wire (extension cord) that they wrapped around the tire and in between the spokes to reinforce it, and duct tape.  They had been driving on this for quite a while.  They could only go 10 miles per hour.  They had only seen 1 other car besides us in 4 hours.  They asked the other people for a jack but theirs wasn't tall enough either.  WHY DIDN'T ANYONE THINK TO JUST PUT A ROCK UNDER THE JACK TO MAKE IT TALL ENOUGH????  We got them our jack and they got their spare tire put on and away they went...back to Texas.  Lol!!!

Cake Pops....ohhh!

Last month we had a ward auction and someone made these cute "Cake Pops."  I finally got the recipe from her and I am so excited to try them!  Here is a link:

http://www.bakerella.com/make-your-cupcakes-pop/

and

http://www.bakerella.com/red-velvet-cake-balls/

They are SOOOOoo Yummy!  I think I will have to try them today!

What can 10 years do?

Today as we celebrate our 10 year anniversary, I look back at the last 10 years and all that has happened.

What can 10 years do? 

1.  It changes cute kids into teenagers / adults (Johns younger brothers, for example).
2.  We have 3 cute kids of our own.
3.  We have gone to college.
4.  John has had many jobs.
5.  I have become a mom and worked on this job for almost 8 of those years.
6.  We have a home that we have been in for 7 years.
7.  We have grown as people...and grown UP!!
8.  We have made many choices....most good, some not so good.

My list can go on and on.....and as I ponder on this today, I will probably add to the list.

What has the last 10 years brought for you?

What will the next 10 bring?

The garden is done...FINALLY!

After slaving away for hours and hours over the course of a week and some change......THE GARDEN IS DONE!  I fought waist deep weeds.  Banished snails.  Toiled with snakes.  Wrestled the wild ground cloth.  Strong armed bark and dirt.  But alas, ITS DONE!  I spent almost the whole day in the garden yesterday.  I got everything (including seeds) planted!  Whew!  What an accomplishment.  I have a nice garden area...and a good sunburn....to show for it.

As I worked in the garden, I pondered why the prophet has said to plant a garden.  Here are my top 10 reasons:

10. To teach us hard work and...exercise.
9.  So we know how to grow our own food...*just in case*
8.  To teach us patience (helping the kids isn't easy).
7.  To spend time with our kids and family. (Yep, I let them help with the planting...took FOREVER!)
6.  To teach us to have patience (when the snails devouter my freshly planted things)
5.  To give us time to meditate as we do a mundane chore (weed pulling).
4.  To "ground" us....using our hands and body to work in the dirt makes us healthier.
3.  To help us understand the "life cycle"  (seed, sprout, grow, bear fruit, die).
2.  To give us a sense of accomplishment.
1.  To TORTURE US....*mwahh ha ha haaaa!*  (I have lots of sore muscles!)

Let me know if you have any ideas of why the prophet has asked us to plant a garden.

(I got the comments section fixed!)

Ideal Sugar cookies....

Ideal Sugar Cookies Martha Stewart Soft cookie dough loses its shape when moved; to retain crisp cut edges, refrigerate dough until firm before baking. Note: This recipe is adapted from "The Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook" (Oxmoor House, 2003.) So since I am frustrated with the customer "service" from smart (aka...dumb) cookie, I went looking for a recipe to replicate it.  I found this one and I am going to have to try it.  I will keep you posted!  :-)

Ingredients Makes 2 dozen. 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons brandy, or milk 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Royal Icing for Sugar Cookies, optional

Directions Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add egg, brandy, and vanilla; mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add reserved flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Transfer dough to a work surface. Shape into 2 discs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch in between. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Decorate with Royal Icing, optional.

SNOW!!??? It's the end of may....I'm crying out loud!

So this morning, I was going to go out and work on the garden some more.  I heard the rain on the roof and decided to take a short "nap" instead.  When I woke up, I found SNOW!!!  Luckily I hadn't planted anything..so I run to the back to check on my plants....YEP...buried in snow.  I quickly brush off the snow and try to find a spot out of the direct line of fire (snow).  Most will be ok....but one of my trays of plant was REEEEEALY covered.  That one is in the bathtub right now to thaw.  I hope they all pull through this!  I will be super mad if they die!  They cost so much and for mother nature to wipe out my garden for the summer (and all my fruit trees!) in one fatal swoop would just be mean!

Now I am trying to figure out: If April showers bring May flowers...what does May SNOW STORMS bring?! (and do I WANT to know?)

Great Idea: How to Make Hanging Tomato Planters With 2 Liter Pop Bottles

What a great idea!!!

 

Put your old 2-liter bottles to good use by keeping them out of the landfill and making cheap upside-down tomato planters. Even if you lack any gardening space at all, you can have fresh tomatoes throughout the growing season with these planters. They can hang from your porch, patio or a sunny window. Making soda bottle tomato planters is also a fun way to introduce children to gardening, while teaching them to be environmentally friendly.

 

Step 1

Remove the cap. Cut off the bottom of the soda bottles with a utility knife or scissors and discard them.

Step 2

Decorate the bottle, if you desire, by painting the outside with acrylic craft paint, or wrapping the bottle in colorful contact paper or duct tape.

Step 3

Punch three holes around the sides, spaced out evenly, approximately ½ inch from the top. Thread one piece of twine through each hole, pulling it through so that the ends meet evenly. Hang them over the outside of the planter.

Step 4

Have someone hold the soda bottle for you upside-down, or sit and hold the bottle between your knees. Remove a young, small tomato plant from its starter pot and turn it upside-down. Insert it into the bottle, threading the leaves and stems very carefully through the hole. Hold the root ball up so just the top fork of the plant is sticking out of the bottle spout.

Step 5

Stuff some cotton into the neck of the bottle around the stem to prevent soil from falling through. Add potting soil or your favorite tomato growing medium. When the soil is high enough to support the root ball, let go of it. Continue filling the bottle to the top.

Step 6

Remove the cotton carefully by pulling it out of the neck of the bottle.

Step 7

Gather the ends of the twine. Tie them around a sturdy bar or hook to hold up the planter.

I found this idea here: www.gardenguides.com

Smart Cookie company....not so smart!

So I had a great coupon from the "Entertainment Book."  It was for a new cookie store called "Smart Cookie" and its up by the new movie theater on Union Park Ave.  The coupon was for buy 6, get 6 free.  Cool!!!

I get there on a Saturday afternoon and there is only 2 girls working.  One finally comes out and starts helping customers.  I was #3 in line.  I ended up waiting for over 15 minutes...(Bad sign #1).  The second girl never came out to help.  I ordered my 12 cookies and noticed that they don't sell cookies by 6...they only sell by:
1 cookie= $2
4 cookies=$6
8 cookies= $10
12 cookies= $15

So since they didn't sell half dozen, I figured they would just do half price of the dozen.  WRONG!!!  (Bad sign #2).  They charged me for 4 and 2 singles....so $10....what a HUGE SAVINGS!!!  That wasn't a good deal at all!  I tried to explain to the workers that the half dozen would be better...but they looked at me like I was speaking in Swahili.

When I got home, I wrote to their company head quarters.  I got an email back (Bad sign #3):

Mindy,

I appreciate your comments and feedback. We're new to the Entertainment book just this year.

The employee you saw in the back would have been my baker, and she would have been baking. She's in-charge of all kitchen production. I apologize if you got caught in the middle of a big rush.  It happens from time to time.

As the new books are not yet printed, I have yet to see a printed copy of the coupon (I assume you got this coupon off their website?), but I'm fairly certain it says "Enjoy one complimentary 1/2 DOZEN _ COOKIES when a second 1/2 DOZEN _ COOKIES of equal or greater value is purchased".  You were charged $10 for 12, because our menu price is $10 for 6, or normally $15 for 1 dozen.

I apologize for the misunderstanding, but I think the offer is clearly stated.  Again, my apologies for causing any stress or unhappiness to you.

We hope to see you again.


SO,....I felt tricked!  They don't SELL a "Half dozen."  This was sneaky and misleading.  I wrote them back and told them I felt tricked.  They didn't seem to care!!

So..."Smart Cookie"......NOT SO SMART after all!!

P.S.  If your interested...the cookies are WONDERFUL!!!!!!  YUM!

Grand Canyon......or Oceanside, CA

On Sunday, we were on our way to the Grand Canyon for a week of hiking and camping when we got a call from John's parents. They called to see if we were still coming....it was snowing....they got 2 inches of snow in 30 minutes. We started to ponder if this would be a vacation we would regret. We were already on the road. If we go and its snowing, we would have to camp in our minivan....not too fun. The snow would melt and make the hiking trails muddy...again, not too fun.

We decided to make a course correction and go to California instead.

We went as far as Barstow and camped that night.

In the morning, we hurried to get to Lego land. It just so happened it was homeschool day...and it just so happened that I hadn't deleted the email from JANUARY! We ran to big lots and bought a printer to print out that email.

We had a fun day at legoland and camped at the beach in Carlsbad. We stayed on the beach for 3 nights. We played at the beach and in the ocean. Had tons of fun!

On Thursday we went to the Oceanside farmers market. We also found a super yummy fish market restaurant.

We stayed with family on Thursday and Friday. It was wonderful to catch up with them!

Saturday we drove home...what a long drive! It was about 95* in the car with no A/C.

What a fun trip!!!