Posting in the hopes of winning a giveaway!!!

How awesome would it be to win autographed books, a whole ebook series, and a $50 Amazon Gift Card? Pretty awesome for me, that's for sure! Especially since I rarely ever win anything lol!

The cover to one of the new books, definitely eye appealing and something I would read! Wish me luck!!

Helping Your Child Study Their Spelling Words...

     This past week I was helping my youngest son, Konnor (7), study his spelling words. We have a large white dry-erase board in our dining room area where I list all of his words for the week and he has to write them out 3 times everyday. Wednesday I decided to give him a mock spelling test. He still has problems with certain words so I say them in a sentence, enunciate when necessary, etc. No big deal, right? Ha! 
     
     He came home Friday a happy kid, he told me he made a really good grade on his spelling test. Of course we are all really proud of him and I told him his hard work paid off. Here's the funny part, he tells me "And I didn't spell 'people' with a 'u'!" We had to correct him a few times when he would write it out 'peuple'. I told him that was great and that practice makes perfect. He says "No mom, I remembered it because you never say 'I don't like YOU People' you always say 'I don't like thOse People'". Yup, he put a lot of emphasis on the 'YOU' and the 'O' in 'those'. I kind of laughed it off, thinking to myself 'Oh great, my son spells his words correctly while associating them with his mom's social problems', but hey, whatever works right? 

     Well then he informs me that he also spelled 'dent' correctly and I immediately cringe. He would write dent out as 'dint'. The difference in sounding out 'e's and 'i's is lost on him sometimes, so again I had given him a sentence enunciating the 'eh' in dent. Here was my sentence "There is a d-eh-nt in the van", in my mind I finished off that sentence with "And mom is p-i-ssed". Apparently I didn't say it just in my mind. Obviously, since both Konnor and my oldest, Kaleb, about fell off my bar stools laughing hysterically. 
     I decided NOT to ask him how he remembered the spelling on that one. I can only imagine the teacher saying "Okay, your next words is 'dent'" and Konnor smiling to himself while remembering his mom's minor fail in saying what's on her mind out loud.

     Moral of the story? Make practicing their spelling words funny, if not somewhat embarrassing. They are more likely to remember it if it made them laugh. 

*Disclaimer* Be aware that your child may repeat something you say that they found funny and used it to help them remember. Parent-Teacher Conferences here are right around the corner... Yea, I'll be attending fully aware that Konnor's teacher might want to ask me about our "studying style". 

;-) Happy Studying! ;-)    

"It's a miracle!" Bathtub Cleaner

Yes, I know it's been a little while since my last post and I apologize! Life has gotten busy and I've barely had time to think lately lol!
I wanted to post my absolute favorite bathtub cleaner recipe! It is fabulous! The best part? You only need 3 things!

*Side note*~~ With 3 kiddos, two dogs, and a mechanic hubby our bathtubs can get filthy. I don't mean just a little bit, but the "Oh my god please don't let anyone I know walk in here and see this!" kind of gross. And I have gone through almost every bathtub cleaner I could buy, all saying no scrub or super strong, etc. I'd still be in there, hours later, my arms killing me, getting a horrible migraine from the fumes, still trying to get that darn tub clean. Not anymore! ;-)


Have I mentioned my love for Pinterest yet? Oh yes, I have cheated on my husband regularly with that website lol! More often than not under the "DIY & Crafts" or "Food" section. He's not complaining, he gets to be my guinea pig with all the new recipes I find.

So I was scrolling through Pinterest one day, the DIY section that time, and came across a miracle bathtub cleaner recipe that boasted amazing results and NO scrubbing. "Haha, yea right!" I said to myself. But curiosity got the better of me and I decided to scope out the site to see what the "trick" was. After reading the post, looking at the pictures, and reading the reviews I knew I'd have to try it. If nothing else it was a good idea. I also had everything on hand and it would take me less than a minute to whip up the recipe.

Here it is:

1 empty spray bottle (I buy the industrial packs of spray bottles from SAMs club, I think they are 32-36oz or something)

Dawn Dish soap

White Distilled Vinegar

That's it!
Now just fill up the bottle with 1/2 dawn and 1/2 vinegar. Mix well. Ta-Da!

To use: Spray down your entire bathtub with this mixture, let sit 1 hour. After the hour is up get a wash cloth or sponge, wet with warm water and wipe out tub until all blue residue is gone. Voila!

Word of warning though, this stuff has a really strong vinegar odor. I have made the mistake of closing the bathroom door and then having to cover my face with a towel when I was trying to rinse the tub out because the smell was so strong! With the ease and effectiveness of this cleaner, I figure the strong smell is worth risking my sinuses :-)
It is still much better than not being able to smell for days after using bleach.

I don't have any pictures to represent how well this stuff works. All I can say is to make up a small amount and give it a shot! If you are like me and HAVE to see a picture of the before and after go to the link posted on this post. It is the exact one I went on Pinterest that convinced me to give it a try!

Happy Cleaning! :-)

Homemade Laundry Soap (Powder) $$$$$ Saver!!!

   




 On a thrifty note, I wanted to share my laundry soap recipe. My mom introduced me to homemade laundry soap years ago and I never got into it. In 2010 we moved to Wyoming and I found out I was pregnant with my youngest, Lilly. We all have sensitive skin and had been using those expensive "Free & Clear" detergents. Once Lilly was born, St. Paddy's day 2011, I didn't want to use any detergents that were harsh, and I really didn't want to spend crazy money on some brand name baby detergent. So I went about doing a bit of research, terrifying if you read about all the chemicals in about EVERY kind of laundry detergent out there and how flammable their ingredients are!
We originally started out only washing Lilly's clothes with this, over time we all switched and wouldn't consider going back! I am in love with this soap! Over time I have changed some things a bit, but it works great! 

I can't remember where I got the original version of my recipe, you can google it though and tons of sites will come up with mostly the same ingredients. 
Mine is a powder, if you head over to Jill's website (http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/homemade-solutions) she has a few recipes for liquid laundry soap that are pretty similar to mine just made in liquid form. She has TONS of other recipes on there and I love her site! If you are looking for a healthier homemade alternative to something definitely browse all of her stuff!

My laundry soap 2 ways:

1C Borax
1C Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1-1/2bars Ivory Soap

~~~~~~~~OR~~~~~~~~

1C Borax
1C Super Washing Soda
1C Baking Soda
1-1/2bars Ivory Soap


Get out your trusty food processor and be ready to amaze yourself with how fast and easy this is! 
Either recipe works great, I like the second one when I'm running low on ingredients and want to draw it out a bit. I also make 4 batches which will almost fill a gallon container and last about 6 months! First chop up the soap a little (this makes it easier on your food processor). Add a cup of one of the ingredients to the food processor, then the Ivory, then the last of your ingredients. Put the lid on and press start. When it is COMPLETELY blended, maybe a minute or two and all coarse powdery, then you are done! 
Keep it in an airtight container (moisture will make it clump) and use 1T per load, up to 2T for large, really dirty load. And you're done!
Yes it is that simple! 

Enjoy!!

All About King

    I have a love for Stephen King... Seriously. I have found property to purchase in Maine just so that I could "bump" into him, his wife, and their son (author of Horns). Some might call it "stalking", I call it a justifiable approach to meeting my all time favorite author and his family. Alas, I can't afford property in Maine, and we're military so I don't have a really good reason to head up that way (one day though... one day). I will just have to make do with my fantasy. 
    What is my fantasy you ask? I have had the same one for years lol! No, it's not blush worthy, or anything close to resembling some soft porn on any of the movie channels. Basically I am at a cozy little bookstore/cafe (the kind with giant super comfy couches and tons of pillows) surrounded by the smell of books and an fabulous cup of espresso. Sitting all around me are: Stephen King, Robert Englund (the ORIGINAL Freddy Krueger for those of you who are too young to remember), and Wes Craven. We are discussing our favorite scary movies, books, and nightmares. This is my "wet" dream ;-) 
    Occasionally the characters in my fantasy change, depends on my mood, but more often than not it's these three and me. I have grown up with these men and I cannot imagine my life, or my reaction, if they were suddenly no longer with us. *If anyone could arrange this fantasy for me, you have no idea how much I would love you! I would bow down and kiss your feet every time you walked by* 

    So, for today's blog I am talking about Stephen King, if I kept going with Wes and Robert we would be here all day. More specifically Stephen King's book Under The Dome becoming a tv series (click link for teaser). 
If you haven't read this book I strongly urge you to! It has tons of imagery, and a lot of pretense leading you into the story. Some parts might seem a bit long, but it is so worth it! I will warn you though, it is a big book. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I saw the preview for it during a Super Bowl commercial. Oh yea, I'm setting that baby up to record! I love watching anything Stephen King writes turned into a movie or series. I also get ridiculously excited when I see his cameo appearance (this has led to my game of "Where's the King?" when watching anything by him). 

    Quick breakdown of Under the Dome, small town suddenly gets covered by this "dome". No explanation, no reason, no way out (government conspiracy?, war?). Death, drugs, and drama in my opinion is a good summary. There are some other key factors in there but I am not going to spoil this for you guys. This book stays true to Stephen Kings' writing style and I loved every minute of it! Granted... I am biased, I love Stephen King. He could write a book about snails and I'd love it. This book is a great read though, which is why I'm super excited it will be a series soon! 

    I have been collecting Stephen King's books for years now. The first one I ever read I still have. Rose Madder, definitely still one of my all-time favorites! If we have to move, my Stephen King books get priority above all other books. No if's and's or but's about it. Anytime I'm at a thrift store, book swap, or something I look for anything by Stephen King. I have quite a few paperbacks, but have been trying to get all of his books in hard cover. I'm doing pretty well so far. I have also considered trying my hand at writing, I have tons of ideas. For my 27th birthday (I'm only admitting this now, I still state that I will remain 25 forever!) my hubby, Kris, bought me Stephen King's "On Writing". It's a memoir as well as a guide to writing. One of these days maybe you guys will see something I've written worthy of being shelved next to Stephen King. 

   Anyone have a favorite Stephen King story you'd like to share? How about anything background-wise that the average person may not know about Stephen King or any of his books? For example: Did you know that his wife, Tabitha, is pretty much the reason that Carrie didn't get trashed? Stephen balled it up and tossed it, thinking it wasn't any good. Tabitha pulled it out of the trash can, read it, and convinced him to finish writing it. Thank you Tabitha! 
Did you also know that Stephen King was hit by a van while he was out running one day? Once he was pretty well recovered he bought the van that hit him and burned it. All of this can be found in his book "On Writing" if anyone is interested! 

Apple Fritter Cake!

This recipe has been adapted from a wonderful pin I found on Pinterest. The original recipe from an awesome blog can be found here.

I must say, this recipe is absolutely fabulous! I'm always perusing Pinterest (wickedly addictive site!) finding new recipes, crafts, and whatnot to try. 

First things first, I did make this recipe exactly as stated the first time I made it. My family and friends LOVED it! But I had a few ideas, so the next time I made it (maybe a week later?) I added a few things here and there and subbed some stuff. 

The following is MY version of this recipe, but because I found it through another source, I feel it is only right for me to give them credit for leading me in the direction of an absolutely wonderful dessert!

Apple Fritter Cake~~>>Amber's Way  

Ingredients:

Filling: 

• 2 Braeburn Apples (peeled and diced)  
• 2/3C Granulated Sugar
• 1/2t cinnamon  
• Pinch of nutmeg  
• 4T cornstarch  
• 4t Water  

Crumb Mixture: 

• 1/3C Brown Sugar  
• 1/2t Cinnamon  

Cake:  

• 1/3C Butter  
• 3/4C Granulated Sugar  
• 1/2C All Natural Applesauce 
• 1t Vanilla extract  
• 2 eggs  
• 2-1/4C AP Flour  
• 1t baking powder 
• 1t baking soda
• 1t salt (omit if using butter with salt)  
• 1t Cinnamon  
• 1C Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt 

Glaze: 

• 2C Powdered Sugar  
• 1t Clear Vanilla extract  
• 6T milk

Directions: 
Combine ingredients for filling in medium saucepan. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until apples soften and sauce is thick. 
Mix crumb mixture in small bowl and set aside. 
 
Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 baking dish (glass works best!). Cream butter and sugar until fluffy (this step can take awhile, so toss it in the mixer, turn it on and walk away to prep the rest of your ingredients, you want this to be super fluffy and light!). Add applesauce and vanilla, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
 
Sift dry ingredients together. Add to mixer in three batches, alternating with yogurt making sure to end with adding dry ingredients. 
Pour half the batter in your baking dish. Sprinkle 2/3 of your crumb mixture on cake batter. Top with apple mixture (trying to spread it out as evenly as possible). Add the remaining cake batter (this part is tricky as the batter is NOT easy to spread, just do the best you can, it will still look and taste delicious! Trust me!). Top with remaining crumb mixture. 
 
Bake 40-45 minutes. 
 
During last 5 minutes of baking whip up the glaze. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven pour the glaze over top and let cool. 


~~~This is awesome right out of the oven (well... not RIGHT out of the oven. I don't think anyone could judge how well something tastes when their tastebuds get burned off). It is also terrific completely cooled!~~~
We have covered this dish and left it on the counter and ate it a day or two later (until it was gone, if you have a bunch of people over it won't last a day!). You can also put it in the fridge, I recommend placing it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to take the chill off though. 

This recipe is a bit involved and seems time consuming. It is totally worth it though! 
If you come up with any other alterations to any of the recipes I post please comment with them! I love trying out new things! :-)

  

First time blogger...

    Yes, I am a first time blogger, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Over time, I have pretty much turned Facebook into my own blog, so why not start one? A good friend suggested it in a comment tonight which just seemed too perfect since I had been tossing around the idea for awhile. So here it is! 
My name is Amber, I am an Air Force wife and mother to 3 wonderful kids, 2 dogs, a cat, 2 sucker fish (for now-they killed off our 3 long time bettas), and 6 budgies. I am 25 years old with 3 years experience ;-) and I love to do just about everything! I am currently in college working towards my nursing degree. That all being said, daily blogging may not happen. It's a nice thought but I am a busy woman, I will try to blog as often as I can though!
     Why have I been thinking about starting a blog? Let's just say that I hope to reach more people than I have on Facebook with tips, tricks, recipes, and how-to's. I love to cook/bake and I am always willing to share! I also make most of our own cleaning supplies for around the house (saves money AND much safer!), I love saving money (who doesn't right??), and I have an unusual sense of humor. I can find the random funny in just about anything, and having three kids (2 boys and a girl) funny usually happens several times a day. So why not share it? 
     I hope the things I post here are relate-able, helpful, insightful, and humorous for those following me!