Rains .. it Pours

All in a day of the crazy house ....

1. DH forgot to leave my $ so I could take to bank for kids tutition.
   
2. The laundry room backed up, I just had this done 5 March.
   
3. The insurance company needs info brought over to them.
   
4. The niece pooped her pants. *thud* I dontalikepottytraining
   
5. The new addition is DRIVING me nuts!!
   

All in 30 minute time frame!!

Now I am waiting on sewer people.

Have to got to Insurance Office

I am NOT going back to DH office to p/u $ that can wait til tomorrow.

Calgon ... Take me away!!

Loss of brain cells

*Oy* That is all I can say with the latest of my brain laps. Like I did not have enough on my plate, and then to go add:

I am completely NUTS!! I tell ya. But I got so wrapped up in son .. he just had me writing checks and out the door before I could use the brain I was given. *sigh* I am not sure what I am going to do. Almost a week later and she is still here. I had a couple people interested in taking her but they backed out. I keep trying to tell myself .. maybe this is the way it was meant to be. Maybe there is a purpose. I could return where she came from, but I am too cheap to lose my $$.

I just can't see it. I think I made a HUGE mistake. But since every time I try to find her a new home .. she stays. Driving me INSANE. Like I needed that help. I have a son, husband, niece, and teacher doing that on a full time bases. Why? Did I add another? haha ...

So here she is .. the newest member of this crazy household!!

Time for another TREK

We are having a TREK day.

I am taking neice & kid to zoo. Ride the train. Have a ball. Enjoy the day!! I will post later how the day went.

Enjoy the day!! You just never know!!

-----

They day was good. Until I loss my brain cells and brought home another thing to add to the craziness of this household. SHould have stayed at the over packed zoo longer and NOT went to Wal-Mart that passes the APA.

Fun Ideas that Won't Break the Bank

When the kids say "I'm bored", make some of these fun and inexpensive crafts! Not ready to spend a fortune on supplies? We've come up with some fun projects you can make with recycled materials from around the house. Here are some ideas to get you started!

MILK JUG BIRD FEEDERS

Rinse out an empty plastic gallon milk jug with lid. Cut a window in the front of the jug, and make two small poke holes for the perches. Insert pencils for perches and fill the bottom of the jug with bird seed.


JUICE CARTON CRAYON BOX

Wash and dry an empty cardboard juice carton and cut off the top. Using bits and pieces of masking tape, have the children tape up the entire carton, covering all sides, the more tape the better. Use crayons to color the masking tape box. The tape makes the box sturdier and will make a great crayon holder for their desk or dresser.

ALUMINUM CAN CRAFTS

Paint an empty and rinsed out tuna can with spray or acrylic paint. Decorate with glitter and glue, pom poms, buttons, lace, or stickers. These make cute holders for barrettes, pony tail holders, paper clips, rubber bands, keys, jewelry, or other small items. Using the same ideas, paint a soup or vegetable can to make a pen or pencil holder.

COFFEE CAN WISH BANK

Have the kids cut pictures from old magazines or draw pictures of something they want. Decorate the cans with glitter, the pictures, stickers or anything else you have

around. Cut a hole in the plastic top of the can for the kids to deposit money. Each time they add money to the can, they are contributing a little bit more to the "wish" item. A great way to teach kids to save money!

COFFEE CAN STILTS

Using two 1-pound coffee cans, turn each can upside down so that the plastic lid is on the bottom. Using a screwdriver, poke two holes, one on each side of the can. Using several strands of yarn braided or twisted together, or some rope, thread through holes in cans. Tie off inside the can. Cans can be decorated if you like.

JAR CANDLES

Save the stubs of candles. When you have several saved, melt them together in a double boiler. Color the wax by adding bits of crayon to the mixture. Pour the wax into glass jelly or mason jars or metal cans. Use cotton yarn for wicks, or

you can purchase a roll of wick at a craft store. Decorate the outside of the candle holder with acrylic paints.

MAGAZINE HOUSE

Using an old catalog or magazine, cut out pictures of chairs, tables, curtains, bathroom fixtures and other furnishings. Spread out a newspaper or large sheet of

drawing paper. Sketch an "open sided" house. Have children place the pictures of the furnishings in the rooms of their choice. They can cut out more pictures to redecorate their house, cut out pictures of people, toys, pets, anything they like!

ALPHABET CATALOG COLLAGE

Using old toy, clothing, and plant catalogs, have the kids cut out colorful pictures that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet. Assign different letters to each child.

Have them glue the pictures onto a piece of construction paper. Discuss the pictures afterward.

PAPER TOWEL RAIN MAKERS

Young kids love noise makers. Color, paint, and decorate paper towel rolls. Cover one end of a paper towel roll with waxed paper and close it off with a rubber band. Pour a handful or two of dried beans (split peas work well) in the open end, close open end the same as the other. Poke toothpicks through the rolls at different intervals to add a "rain shaker" sound.

PAPER TOWEL TUBE HOLDERS

Decorate a paper towel tube with paint, markers, glitter, stickers, construction paper and crayons. This becomes a colorful carrying tube. Roll their pictures up and put inside to take to their teacher, grandparents, friends, or relatives. Some special pictures could be for their Grandparents, a special aunt or uncle, or even for a brother or sister.

PAPER PLATE HOLDERS

Using two paper plates, cut one plate in half and place on top of the other plate (turn the half plate to form a pocket over the whole plate). Use a paper punch to make holes going around the outside of the plate. Use scraps of yarn and "sew" through the holes of the plate. Start and end at the top of the plate so that it can be extended about six inches and tied. Have your children color, paint or decorate their

plates. Now they have their very own place to put prized possessions, notes from Mom and dad, special pictures and more.

PAPER PLATE AQUARIUM

Color an underwater scene on the "eating" side of a paper plate. Glue goldfish crackers to the scene, a couple pieces of plastic plant for seaweed, and using glue and a little sand or soft dirt, make the sea floor. Using a second paper plate, cut a circle in the middle. Cut a circle of blue plastic wrap 1 inch in diameter larger than your hole in the plate. On the "eating" side of this plate, glue the blue plastic wrap so that it covers and overlaps the hole on the plate. Glue or staple both plates together with "eating" side toward the inside. Punch a hole in the top and string a piece of yarn through the hole to hang your aquarium from the ceiling.

TREASURE SHOE BOX

Decorate an old shoe box and lid with construction paper, markers, paint, glue and glitter, crayons, googly eyes, stickers, lace, doilies, or whatever else you can find. Be sure to put the child's name inside the lid. This box make a great box for treasures found out in the yard, on the way home from school, or anywhere else your children "hunt".

SHADOWBOXES

Pain the inside of a shoebox with black or dark blue poster or acrylic paint. Alternatively, you can glue black construction paper inside the box. Using white crayons or stickers, make a night scene with stars and the moon on the black background. Get creative, use small plastic toys to create a scene inside your shadowbox, or make your own with construction paper and glue. Cut out small pictures from coloring books and color and adhere to your scene. Hang a spaceship or shooting star with a piece of string and glue.

CARTOON STRIPS

make your very own cartoon adventure with crayons and a pad of paper. At the bottom of a pad, on each sheet, draw a figure (i.e., a dog). The first frame will be on the first page, second frame on the second page, and so on. Change the movement with each page. When you are finished, fan the pages with your thumb to see the show!

CREATE A STORY

If you have several children together, this can be great fun. Give each child two or three pieces of paper. Have them each drawer a picture and write a sentence. When finished, see if they can put it together to form a story. New pages can be created as you go along. A book cover can be made from two pieces of construction paper, a hole punch, and yarn.

NUMBER FUN

Pick a number from one to ten. Write it on a piece of paper. Ask the children to draw sets of things in that number. If the child get number four, have them draw four apples, four trees, four dogs, and so on. Have them color their pictures with crayons and markers.

ANIMAL JUMBLE

Using construction or white paper, ask each child to drawn a different body part of an animal, but to have their animal be a secret. For example, have one child draw the head, another draw the tail, another the legs and so on. let the children pick the animal they want to draw. When they are done have then put the animal together with tape or glue. Have fun coming up with a name for the animal (monk-dog-lion-potamus).

PET ROCKS

Find smooth, flat or round rocks. Be sure to clean off any dirt or sand and dry completely before starting. Paint with acrylic paints. Decorate faces by using google eyes, yarn for hair, markers, glitter, and any other tidbits you like.

BOOKMARKS

Great for back to school or as a gift to someone you love. Make fun bookmarks with construction paper, markers, paints, and stickers. You can also use glitter, sequins, lace, doilies, buttons, and any other little bric-a-brac you have laying about. Cut strips from construction paper, painting the construction paper will make it sturdier, or you can visit the local library or office supply to have them laminated for longer lasting use. To complete the bookmark, attach a tassel make from strands of yarn.

20 FUN IDEAS THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK

70 Uses for Vinegar

70 Uses for a Humble Jug of Vinegar
From KitchenCraftsNMore.net

Vinegar for personal care


Vinegar in the bath. Add one-half cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing and get double benefits: softer skin and a cleaner bathtub with less work!

Hair conditioner. Vinegar makes a simple, inexpensive conditioner for your hair and helps remove the sticky stuff shampoo can leave behind. About a tablespoon will do it.

Dandruff treatment. Simply pour a few tablespoons of vinegar on your hair and massage into your scalp. Wait a few minutes, then rinse and wash hair like normal. Try this for a few days until you see results.

Weight loss. Vinegar naturally helps to remove fat from the body. Apple cider vinegar is especially good for this. Drink some in a glass of water a few times a day. Add a little lemon or honey for a nicer flavor. This will also help reduce your appetite.

Dry skin repair. Smooth a little vinegar on cracked, dried skin to help it heal.

Clean dentures. Soak dentures overnight in Heinz White Vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

Facial spritzer. Mix apple cider vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio in a spray bottle. Refreshing!

Hair cleanser. Use one cup of vinegar in some warm water to rinse your hair after you shampoo. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantle and removes soap film and sebum oil.

Vinegar for cleaning



Glass cleaner. Mixed with water or simply sprayed full strength on glass and mirrors, vinegar does a great job quickly and easily. Spray on and wipe windows dry with crumpled-up newspapers, and watch your windows sparkle.

Car cleaner. Use vinegar full strength to polish car chrome with a cloth, and see it shine! Use it on your car’s windshield and windows, too.

Clean drinking glasses. Soak cloudy drinking glasses in warmed white vinegar for a few hours to remove the film. Simply wipe clean, rinse and dry.

Clean the washer. Periodically run a gallon of distilled vinegar through your washing machine to clean it thoroughly, get rid of soap scum and clear out the hoses. Run the machine through the warm water wash cycle empty and then add the vinegar during the rinse cycle.

Furniture polish. Make your own furniture polish with one part vinegar and three parts lemon oil or olive oil.

Remove price tags or stickers. Paint stickers with several coats of vinegar and let it soak in. Depending what you are removing them off, most will slide off easily but some may require a little heavier rubbing.

Clean the iron. Pour vinegar into your iron’s water compartment and let the iron steam itself clean. Remember to flush it with water when you are done.

Clean paintbrushes. Simmer paint brushes in pure vinegar, then wash in hot soapy water.

Wash walls. Wipe down your walls with a vinegar-water mixture, which helps absorb odors and clean surfaces.

Remove spots from glass. Use a vinegar-soaked cloth to remove spots from glassware or crystal.

Unclog drains. Pour boiling white vinegar down clogged drains to remove the clog.

Clean jars. Remove odors and stains from jars by cleaning them out with vinegar.

Clean old lunchboxes. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox overnight.

Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water.

Clean the tea pot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.

Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build-up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. This mixture will loosen splattered-on food and deodorize the microwave.

Remove smoke smells from clothing. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.

Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.

Remove stains from furniture and upholstery. Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes. Apply Heinz White Vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.

Natural air deodorizer. Heinz Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

Remove rust. Soak the rusted tool, bolt or spigot overnight in undiluted Heinz White Vinegar.

Clean the toilet bowl. Pour in one cup of Heinz White Vinegar, let stand for five minutes and flush.

Brighten fabrics. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Natural cleaning wipes. A cloth soaked with vinegar sanitizes kitchen counters, stove and bathroom surfaces. This is just as effective as antibacterial products and does not promote resistant strains of bacteria like commercial products can. This is also a cheaper and greener way to protect your loved ones.

Remove lint from laundry. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Remove grease from suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.

Remove perspiration stains from clothing. Apply one part vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.

Clean coffee or tea stains from china. A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from chinaware.

Clean coffeepots and coffee makers. Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the reservoir with vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished.

Longer-lasting pantyhose. Add one tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse water when washing, and your pantyhose will last longer.

Vinegar for food and cooking



Cheese storage. Cheese will last longer if you store it in a vinegar-soaked cloth.

Whiter cauliflower. Add a teaspoon or so of white vinegar to your cooking water while cooking cauliflower. It will retain a whiter color.

Stretch ketchup. Only have a little ketchup left in the bottle? Add a bit of vinegar and give it a good shake -- you'll have a bit more!

Boiling eggs. Add a bit of white vinegar to the water you're boiling your eggs in, and the shells won't crack.

Cooking cabbage. Add a bit of vinegar to the water you're cooking your cabbage in to remove that stinky cabbage smell.

Fluffier meringues. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar for every three egg whites, and you'll have fluffier meringues.

Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar overnight.

Unsticky rice. To cook rice without sticking, add a spoonful of vinegar.

Remove onion odors. Eliminate onion odor on your skin by rubbing vinegar on your fingers before and after slicing.

Disinfect and clean cutting boards. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by wiping with full-strength vinegar.

Make buttermilk. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand five minutes to thicken.

Vinegar for gardening and yard care



Clean clay pots. Remove white salt buildup on old clay pots by soaking them in full-strength vinegar.

Kill grass. Undiluted vinegar kills grass between bricks and sidewalk cracks.

Kill weeds. Spray full strength on weeds, but be careful not to spray it on the surrounding grass because it will kill that, too.

Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances and along other areas where ants are known to gather.

Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar in areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping or scratching.

Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.



Vinegar for health care



Soothe sore throats. Suffering from a sore throat? Mix a teaspoon of vinegar with a glass of water. Gargle with the mixture and then swallow.

Remove calluses. Try soaking your feet in a combination of white vinegar and warm water nightly, and watch your feet soften noticeably.

Sunburn and bee stings. Soak a washcloth in vinegar and gently apply it to sunburned skin for cool relief. Reapply as needed as it evaporates. Besides sunburn, vinegar also soothes the itch and irritation of bee stings.

Arthritis tonic. Take two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water several times a day.

Jellyfish stings. Dot the irritation with vinegar to relieve itching.

Sinus infections and head colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.

Wart removal. Mix one part Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion, and apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

Soothe an upset stomach. Drink two teaspoons of Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup of water to soothe an upset stomach.

Mosquito bites. Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Heinz Vinegar straight from the bottle.

Vinegar for pets and animals



Pet drinking water. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to your pet's drinking water to encourage a shinier coat and reduce odor.

Remove skunk odor. Use vinegar straight to remove skunk odor from your pet's fur.

Stop your cat's scratching furniture. Sprinkle or spray vinegar on areas you don't want the cat scratching.

Fish bowl cleaner. Eliminate that ugly deposit in the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.

Remove pet stains from carpets. Blot up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times with lukewarm water, and then apply a mixture of equal parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse and let dry.

Website of the Day --Math.Com

Math.Com

If you're like a lot of us needing help with math, check out our website of the day.

Math.Com offers free math lessons and homework help in areas like geometry, algebra, and even calculus.

There are tutorials, practice activites, games, and calculators.

Amazing

what can get done when you trap your child in a library away from TV, phone, playstation, and etc ..

He actually got everythng he needed to (except his science center .. waiting on email from teacher) up until Wednesdays due date. I am so proud of him. No more fighting this weekend. Well ... like I said we are waiting for an email from teacher. He was unsure of how to do this center. But some how I *think* she will not *see* the email until after Monday morning and he has to leave for school, and of COURSE she will mark it LATE. But not that he emailed (with reciept back) on Saturday .. no no .. can't be that. rofl. Whatever!! I will not let this rain on my parade about having all this work completed!!

I am bored out of mind though. I have been sitting here at library for over 5 hours. *yikes* . Least they have internet here and I can do things online.

So that is my happy news!!

5 Ways to Keep Cool

borrowed Creativehomeschooling

1. Avoid using your oven to cook food. Instead, try dishes that can be made in a crock pot, stove top or small toaster oven. If you DO HAVE to cook, pre-make the next day's meal at night, then just reheat in the microwave.

2. Get a DOOR ALARM! These little alarms can be bought for around $20. Whenever the door is open, it makes a very loud and IRRITATING sound until the door is closed. You'd be surprised how fast you WANT to close the door. Works great for winter time too. It's the modern version of yelling, "Close the door, we don't live in a barn!"

3. Place fans IN the windows at night. This is a very effective way to get your house cooled down for the next day. Just opening the windows at night won't bring much of the cool air in. Be sure to get the fans out FIRST THING in the morning and close all windows to keep cool air in! Otherwise, you will be blowing the rapidly warming air in.

4. Take a VERY cold bath/shower before going to bed or throughout the day. The longer you can stand to freeze yourself, the longer you will stay cool afterwards.

Tip! Kids have trouble sleeping from the heat? Try letting them go outside to play in the pool or sprinkler at night, just before bed. It's fun and will get them off to a good sleep.

5. Barbeque whenever possible! I usually grill up enough chicken to last 3 days for items such as: chicken sandwhiches (w/hamburger bun reheated in the toaster oven), grilled chicken salads and chicken pasta (tossed with olive oil, basil, garlic and parmesan).