Since doing my research on natural cleaner, I have also came across some great tips for kitchen storing, organizing, and cleaning. One of the topics that has really caught my interest is the things that are freezable and how long they will last in the freezer.
Did you know that you can freeze baking supplies? Like nuts, blocks of chocolate, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and many more.
I did not! I knew that they could be frozen, but I never thought to do it to keep them fresh and save them for other baking projects! Well... now I know!
Another thing I never really put much thought into is freezing diary products. Things such as cheese, milk, butter, and yogurt. Even though we go through all of these fast on a weekly basis, I still think it is such a great tip when going on vacation. Recently, Mr. Man, Baby A, and I went to Germany for 2 weeks. Our milk was going to expire while we were away, so I just threw it out. WHAT A WASTE! Had I realized I could freeze it, I definitely would have. It would have saved me from having to go grocery shopping immediately upon our return.
Is there anything that you freeze that is uncommon? or a bit sneaky?
Some of my favorite things to freeze is ripen bananas and other fruits for smoothies, baking goods, leftover meals, and vegetables (like spinach) to make juices or add to my smoothies!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
10 Month Update
I thought I would do a quick 10 month update. Baby A turned 10 months on February 10, 2012. She weighs 15.5 pounds and is about 26 inches long.
She has 3 teeth. 2 of them are on the bottom and she has 1 on top. She is now eating all table food with us and learning to chew and bite off pieces of food.
She is standing, but has not completely mastered standing on her own. Although she is very close.
She has started independently playing and digging through her toy baskets, which I love. She has always been independent, but the playing is even better. I am able to get more done around the house now.
We encourage her to climb when we are with her. She climbs to the top of the stairs every single night to go to her room for bedtime. She has not slipped yet.
She has become much more interested in baby dolls and teddy bears lately. I think because their arms and legs are so "grabbable" (if that is even a word). She loves ducks, pigs, and her vtech steering wheel.
She has learned how to make most of her toys do what they are suppose to do. For example, she has a ball popper. You push the top button and the balls flip around in the bottom part of it. She has figured it out and does it all the time. It is the same way with her other toys.
She still loves bath time, but it is hard to get her to stay sitting in the tub. She will sit on her bottom in the water without us holding her down now.
Her hair is super long, and we always have to pin it back with a bow.
She is still going to the sitters' on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so I can do school and things around the house. She only goes for 2-4 hours in the mornings. I couldn't go all day... I would miss her too much!
She is still waking in the night, about 1-3 times a night. Majority of the time, it is because of the loud dog that our neighbor has that is right at her bedroom window.
She wears mostly 9 month clothes, but she is starting to fit into some 12 month stuff.
She has started walking while holding our hands, which is so sweet!
She loves music, and has to have her music when we are in the car.
She still loves her books. She flips through them all the time. The ones that are touch and feel, she knows where to touch them.
She has started saying more syllables. She started saying "Mama" last month. Now she says just about every basic syllable.
I think that covers her for now!
Here's a picture:
She has 3 teeth. 2 of them are on the bottom and she has 1 on top. She is now eating all table food with us and learning to chew and bite off pieces of food.
She is standing, but has not completely mastered standing on her own. Although she is very close.
She has started independently playing and digging through her toy baskets, which I love. She has always been independent, but the playing is even better. I am able to get more done around the house now.
We encourage her to climb when we are with her. She climbs to the top of the stairs every single night to go to her room for bedtime. She has not slipped yet.
She has become much more interested in baby dolls and teddy bears lately. I think because their arms and legs are so "grabbable" (if that is even a word). She loves ducks, pigs, and her vtech steering wheel.
She has learned how to make most of her toys do what they are suppose to do. For example, she has a ball popper. You push the top button and the balls flip around in the bottom part of it. She has figured it out and does it all the time. It is the same way with her other toys.
She still loves bath time, but it is hard to get her to stay sitting in the tub. She will sit on her bottom in the water without us holding her down now.
Her hair is super long, and we always have to pin it back with a bow.
She is still going to the sitters' on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so I can do school and things around the house. She only goes for 2-4 hours in the mornings. I couldn't go all day... I would miss her too much!
She is still waking in the night, about 1-3 times a night. Majority of the time, it is because of the loud dog that our neighbor has that is right at her bedroom window.
She wears mostly 9 month clothes, but she is starting to fit into some 12 month stuff.
She has started walking while holding our hands, which is so sweet!
She loves music, and has to have her music when we are in the car.
She still loves her books. She flips through them all the time. The ones that are touch and feel, she knows where to touch them.
She has started saying more syllables. She started saying "Mama" last month. Now she says just about every basic syllable.
I think that covers her for now!
Here's a picture:
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Preparing for First Birthday: Thoughts
I swear from the time Baby A was born I was already beginning to think of party ideas to make her first birthday a happy and memorable one. I knew family was not going to be around (or I thought) and she wouldn't have any "friends", so I wanted to do something with her that would still be special but she would get more out of it.
My first choice was to take her on a Disney Cruise. After Mr. Man and I discussed it, we decided that she would be too young and possibly scared of the characters. Which then could end in disaster.
Then came the next thought. Disney World. Who doesn't think of that... especially me when that is where I wanted our honeymoon and it was where I spent my 15th birthday. Since we are in the UK, I went for EuroDisney. This thought then lead to Paris and France, and all these other fun thoughts of where we would be and what we would be doing.
From there came the thought of her outfit. Would it be warm or cold? Cold.... England, April, Spring = Cold. I started making hairbows and tutus, so I thought an adorable tutu and hairbow with an embroidered onesie. I could put black leggings underneath the tutu. But for me, that wasn't enough. It was too plain, too simple... and well, just not me.
As time went on, I decided to check out the website birthdayexpress.com. It has such a wide selection of party supplies, and people who are stationed here with us have ordered their children's birthday things from there. I decided to look at the different themes, and then I saw it! "Pink Poodle in Paris"! It was so adorable, so cute, and so me!
In the next birthday post, I will post some pictures that inspired me and where I am at with the planning process. I will also do a post on gift ideas as an idea and refresher for myself!
My first choice was to take her on a Disney Cruise. After Mr. Man and I discussed it, we decided that she would be too young and possibly scared of the characters. Which then could end in disaster.
Then came the next thought. Disney World. Who doesn't think of that... especially me when that is where I wanted our honeymoon and it was where I spent my 15th birthday. Since we are in the UK, I went for EuroDisney. This thought then lead to Paris and France, and all these other fun thoughts of where we would be and what we would be doing.
From there came the thought of her outfit. Would it be warm or cold? Cold.... England, April, Spring = Cold. I started making hairbows and tutus, so I thought an adorable tutu and hairbow with an embroidered onesie. I could put black leggings underneath the tutu. But for me, that wasn't enough. It was too plain, too simple... and well, just not me.
As time went on, I decided to check out the website birthdayexpress.com. It has such a wide selection of party supplies, and people who are stationed here with us have ordered their children's birthday things from there. I decided to look at the different themes, and then I saw it! "Pink Poodle in Paris"! It was so adorable, so cute, and so me!
In the next birthday post, I will post some pictures that inspired me and where I am at with the planning process. I will also do a post on gift ideas as an idea and refresher for myself!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Menu Plan Monday
I am back menu planning for the week. We have been back to doing this for a few weeks, but with travelling so much lately I had not taken the time to post our plans and such. I thought I would get back to it because typing it out also helps me to stay organized.
As always, I will post one of the recipes we have tried at the end of the week.
This week we are having:
Crockpot Chili
Korean Beef Tacos
Honey Garlic Chicken
Turkey Lasgana
Basic Burritos
Mac and Cheese with Baked Chicken Tenders
Roasted Chicken
We have been sticking with healthy and basic recipes because Baby A is now officially eating with us. Since she has only been eating with us for a couple of weeks, we are still being gentle with our food selection. She likes to eat with her hands and refuses anything off of a spoon, so I try to make all meals finger friendly for her.
I hope you enjoy this list, and it gives you some ideas. I always love reading other blogs for their recipe ideas!
As always, I will post one of the recipes we have tried at the end of the week.
This week we are having:
Crockpot Chili
Korean Beef Tacos
Honey Garlic Chicken
Turkey Lasgana
Basic Burritos
Mac and Cheese with Baked Chicken Tenders
Roasted Chicken
We have been sticking with healthy and basic recipes because Baby A is now officially eating with us. Since she has only been eating with us for a couple of weeks, we are still being gentle with our food selection. She likes to eat with her hands and refuses anything off of a spoon, so I try to make all meals finger friendly for her.
I hope you enjoy this list, and it gives you some ideas. I always love reading other blogs for their recipe ideas!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Natural Cleaners: Learning the Basics
Recently, I have gotten really big into making and using all natural cleaners for the house. I use all natural products for the baby, and I stick with the basics but for some reason I did not do this with me and Mr. Man's daily life. Why? Really, I have no clue. I guess it was an importance on my list until Baby A came along.
I thought I would share things as I learn them myself. I am hoping to have our house 80% all natural by the time we get ready to PCS at the end of the summer.
Here is some tips I have learned so far:
Baking Soda is a great naturally abrasive ingredient with mild alkaline properties, it’s also a natural deodorizer and stain remover, and it rinses easily, is completely non-toxic (no more dangers for kids and pets licking surfaces that you’ve cleaned) and it’s extremely affordable.
Vinegar is an all natural and mild acid, it’s also a known disinfectant that can remove stains, sanitize, and it’s also completely non-toxic and inexpensive. It should be noted that it shouldn’t be used on stone surfaces or acetate fabrics but there are many other natural cleaning methods that work for those surfaces.
Hydrogen Peroxide is also non-toxic (learn more about it and it’s many uses here) and is known to be a natural bleaching agent with disinfectant and stain removing properties. It’s also extremely inexpensive.
All Natural Tea Tree Oil And Grapefruit Oil (which have known antibacterial properties) And Lemon Juice (which naturally cuts grease and leaves a totally fresh scent) are also extremely helpful to have in your all-natural cleaning arsenal.
Now, I am learning on how to put them together to create the solution that I feel is suitable for me and my family! I will post some of them as I try them out!
Do you have any tips for all natural cleaners? Laundry detergent? Have you been brave enough to try changing your shampoo? Give me your tips!
I thought I would share things as I learn them myself. I am hoping to have our house 80% all natural by the time we get ready to PCS at the end of the summer.
Here is some tips I have learned so far:
Baking Soda is a great naturally abrasive ingredient with mild alkaline properties, it’s also a natural deodorizer and stain remover, and it rinses easily, is completely non-toxic (no more dangers for kids and pets licking surfaces that you’ve cleaned) and it’s extremely affordable.
Vinegar is an all natural and mild acid, it’s also a known disinfectant that can remove stains, sanitize, and it’s also completely non-toxic and inexpensive. It should be noted that it shouldn’t be used on stone surfaces or acetate fabrics but there are many other natural cleaning methods that work for those surfaces.
Hydrogen Peroxide is also non-toxic (learn more about it and it’s many uses here) and is known to be a natural bleaching agent with disinfectant and stain removing properties. It’s also extremely inexpensive.
All Natural Tea Tree Oil And Grapefruit Oil (which have known antibacterial properties) And Lemon Juice (which naturally cuts grease and leaves a totally fresh scent) are also extremely helpful to have in your all-natural cleaning arsenal.
Now, I am learning on how to put them together to create the solution that I feel is suitable for me and my family! I will post some of them as I try them out!
Do you have any tips for all natural cleaners? Laundry detergent? Have you been brave enough to try changing your shampoo? Give me your tips!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Thursday 5:
So, it's been a while since I have done a linky party. I haven't done one in ages because normally I am just not around and always miss the fun. The last time I did this one, it was done by someone else but with the same concept. It has migrated over to Flip Flops and Combat Bootshttp://www.flipflopsandcombatboots.net/. Someone I have been following since I started my blog over 2 years ago...
The words are:
Joyful
Excited
Grateful
Appreciative
Elated
1. I am Joyful that I have started an organizing project. I haven't given it a name or even started working on the binder, but I have been writing down my ideas. In preparation of our upcoming PCS! (August 2012)
2. I am Excited to plan my daughter's first birthday festivities! Birthday theme, outfits, photo session, gifts, and a vacation!
3. Even though we have not gotten our orders and we are will no longer be overseas, I am Grateful for the opportunities I have had while in the UK! And I am continuing to enjoy the last few months here.
4. I am an Appreciative person. I appreciate everything in life, and I always reflect on my adventures. This week - having my husband home by 5pm once this week. Yes, you heard me right. That is an odd thing for us!
5. I am Elated that my family have booked their flights to come see Baby A for her first birthday!
Now, you come join the fun!!
Summer Swap?
Does anyone know of a blogger who is doing a Summer Swap? I was involved in one last year, and I really enjoyed doing it so I thought I would search for another one or put one together myself.
If you know of someone who is hosting a Summer Swap, will you post their information in the comments so I can check it out? Please!
If there is none already being put together, would any of you be interested in one? In the past, different bloggers paired others up to receive a small package of their favorite summer essentials. There was things in it from nail polishes to tanning lotion to magazines. There is no limit to the fun that can be included in a small box! There would definitely be a price limit, and that would be set by the majority vote of those interested. I think we would at least 10 people interested in order for it to be successful.
Interested? Know of someone? Comment below.
Any tips, suggestions, etc please email me at CajunBombshell1@yahoo.com!
I would really love to do another one this year. I had such a great time, and I met so many new and fun people/bloggers!
If you know of someone who is hosting a Summer Swap, will you post their information in the comments so I can check it out? Please!
If there is none already being put together, would any of you be interested in one? In the past, different bloggers paired others up to receive a small package of their favorite summer essentials. There was things in it from nail polishes to tanning lotion to magazines. There is no limit to the fun that can be included in a small box! There would definitely be a price limit, and that would be set by the majority vote of those interested. I think we would at least 10 people interested in order for it to be successful.
Interested? Know of someone? Comment below.
Any tips, suggestions, etc please email me at CajunBombshell1@yahoo.com!
I would really love to do another one this year. I had such a great time, and I met so many new and fun people/bloggers!
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