SCHOOL! UGH!

Why I thought going to back to school was a good idea, I will never know! Between school, housework, kids, home school, hockey practice,figure skating lessons, pets, yard work, cooking, co-op, and sleeping I have no time for me. If all goes as planned I will be starting my student teaching January 2013, but taking 16 or more credit hours a semester is hard. So far I have 2 A's this semester and 4 more classes to go. I just needed to vent, I know I can get through this with a LOT of prayer! So my peeps keep sending them up for me :)

How to a Dutch (Inside Out) Braid

Today I am going to show you how to do a Dutch (inside out) braid. Braids are really big right now and my daughter loves to have her hair braided.This braid is easier for me than a regular french braid. My video was cut short to no more video memory on my phone, but you will get the point. I hope this video helps!

Such a PROUD Momma!

I have two wonderful children, and I am so proud of them. My son is nine and he has never been much of a sports kid. Sure he likes to watch it on tv or play ball with the kids next door, but he never really wanted to play organized sports. We tried soccer three times, basketball twice, and he wouldn't even attempt baseball. I follow multiple home school groups online and saw that the local ice rink had home school classes we decided that he would try it. The poor child had never had on any kind of skates before, but he was brave went out on the ice and has never stopped.
It has been over a year now and next season he will be playing on his first hockey team! I am so excited for him, but his father and I have never been hockey fans. We are from Kentucky so BASKETBALL is a must watch in our household. GO BIG BLUE!!! My husband and I have a lot to learn before this fall.
Last year when my daughter turned three she wanted to take ballet classes. She looked so cute in her tutu and  she was doing so well. When her brother started skating she would go sit at the ice rink with me and we would watch him. During his class time a lot of the figure skaters would come practice and take private lessons. Once she saw the figure skaters that was it, she QUIT ballet and was determined to start figure skating when she turned four.
She has now had six group lesson and her teacher said she is a doing better than most her age. She couldn't believe that she is only four and that she listens, tries so hard, and is fearless.
I am so proud of the both of them! I love them to the moon and back!!

How to Fishbone Braid

This is a short video on how to fish bone braid. Just so you know I am not a pro at this, but I think that it turned out pretty well.

Homemade Fabric Softener

My kids are doing some school work that I don't have to help them with. Since, I have  a few minutes to sit down I thought I would share my homemade fabric softener recipe with you.

Ingredients

• 15oz of hair conditioner ( I use Suave conditioner from Wal-Mart it is $0.97and you can use any scent)

• 6cups white vinegar

Heat the vinegar until warm and then mix in entire bottle of conditioner.
Put into a container
Use 2 tablespoons per load

Granola Bar Recipe

I have this great granola bar recipe, but I can't take credit a friend of mine found it on this wonderful blog Meal Planning Mommies http://mealplanningmommies.blogspot.com/2010/03/speical-granola-bars.html.
I tweaked it a little and my family and the nurses at one of the local hospitals love it. Keep in mind that you can add wheat germ, flax seed, raisins, nuts, or anything else you like. 

• 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup honey and a little extra to drizzle on top before you bake
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 small package semisweet chocolate chip 
• 1 small package of peanut butter chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc. 
3.   Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. (I used aluminum foil under it so that it would be easy to pick up later) Drizzle honey on top of bars before you bake.
4.  Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving. 

Taco Soup

I have made this recipe many, many times, and everyone loves it. This is one of the easiest and cheapest soups you can make. You can also make this a great vegetarian dish, just don't add the meat. You'll need:
1 pound ground hamburger, turkey, or chicken
1 can corn drained
1 can black beans drained and washed
1 can garbanzo beans drained and washed
1 can dark red kidney beans drained and washed
1 can great northern beans drained and washed
2 cans chili beans drained and washed
1 can dices tomato
2 packages of taco seasoning
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix
1 large tomato juice
1 small chopped onion
Preparation:
Brown the meat
Add all ingredients and cook on a low temperature slowly.
Top with sour cream and shredded cheese. Eat with tortilla chips.

My family likes to east the leftovers in a burrito shell. This soup makes great burritos. I hope you enjoy as much as we do!

How to make laundry detergent

I have been making most of my household cleaners, laundry detergent, liquid soap, and body wash. Many of my friends and family have been asking how, so here it is!
Let's start with the laundry detergent! I have seen so many recipes online for this I can even remember where I got it from. We have an HE washing machine and I always used liquid soap, but I love this even if it is powder. Just remember that this is not a real bubbly soap, but it gets your kids clothes clean. I have been using this since the middle of January 2012 and I still have over half of what I made, and we have a lot of laundry. You can find all of these things at Wal-Mart.
1 box of Borax (laundry detergent isle at your local grocery store)
1 box of Washing Soda (laundry detergent isle at your local grocery store)
2 bars of  Fels-naptha or Ivory Soap (this is laundry stain bars that is found in the laundry detergent isle)
1 large box of Baking Soda
Use a cheese grater or food process or to grate or finely chop the Fels-naptha or Ivory
then in a bucket mix everything together.
It only takes 2 tablespoons per load!

Me, me, and more about me!

Well, I am new to this and I really have no idea what I am doing. My cousin Kim said I should start a blog so here I am. I love reading blogs, but never really wanted to be a blogger until now. My life is kinda crazy, well it is really CRAZY (so am I but they love me anyway).
I am a wife of almost 10 years and I have 2 wonderful (rotten) children ages 4 and 9. As of right now my husband and I are both in school and we are also home schooling both of our children. My son plays hockey and my daughter is taking figure skating lessons. My husband also works a lot so I get to hold the fort down.
As a busy mother I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I would like to share that might make your life easier. I have also learned how to make a lot of my own things to save money.