My World - Made By Hand: I've taken over This Blessed Nest for the day...{+...

Check out this Mary Kay Pedicure Kit giveaway!

My World - Made By Hand: I've taken over This Blessed Nest for the day...{+...: " Come check me out... This Blessed Nest and while you are there you should totally check these out too... Tooth Fairy Door Pillow Talk..."

Saving $ Tips

Being church planter's and constantly thinking of ways to save money, I thought I would share with you some ways we save money, and in return it may help you and your family to save money.

With grocery shopping, we always menu plan for all 3 meals of each day. We look for what is on sale in the grocery store's weekly ad, and then try to find coupons to match those sales. Keep in mind, you can find organic coupons, and organic items do go on sale in most grocery stores. (There usually is a separate section for organic items). You don't have to eat completely unhealthy when staying on a cheap budget. We always have a vegetable or 2 in each dinner, and we like to get bananas and whatever fruit is on sale. You don't always have to make a fresh lunch. For our family, probably 2 or 3 lunches out of the week are our leftover dinner from the night before. Also, when you see something that is extra cheap on sale, don't be afraid to stock up. One week, generic beans (all varieties) were on sale 3 for a $1, so we got 9 cans.

We do not eat out, or order in (except for special occasions). You can make food cheaper and healthier. Plus it's more fun to have a family pizza/movie night when you make the pizza together. Great memories to have also!

Another way we save money, is I cut my husbands and my daughter's hair. It's actually kinda funny because my husband is so picky and complains each time he would come home from a hair cut and HATE it. But, now that I cut it he says it's better then when he got it professionally done (And I have no training/experience in cutting hair).

Another way we save is by hand washing my daughters clothes and some of me and my husbands clothes. Before we moved we owned a washer and dryer (oh how i miss them!!!). Now we live in a apartment building and it cost $1.75 for each the washer and dryer, costing $3.50 per load! And these are small loads mind you! So as long as you have liquid fabric softener, you can wash your clothes with detergent and softener, and hang dry your clothes on a drying rack, without them being hard. You may have to iron out wrinkles in some of the clothing items.

If you want to get very creative, some families make their own dish soap, laundry soap and cleaning products. I however, don't, but if you want the recipes go HERE

If you want to save on Gas, try this out! haha

Hope this was helpful!!



Tasty Thursday: Key Lime Pie

 

How Delicious does this look!! Yumm!!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 eggs
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
2/3 cup key lime juice

Directions:
1.Combine cookie or graham cracker crumbs with butter or margarine. Press into bottom and partially up sides of 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate.

2.In a large bowl, beat with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, lime peel, and cornstarch until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending just until smooth. Add key lime juice with mixer on low. Finish mixing by hand. Do not over beat, or cake will crack during baking. Pour batter into prepared crust.

3.Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 55 to 65 minutes, or until set. To minimize cracking, place a shallow pan half full of hot water on lower rack during baking.

4.Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with the door open at least 4 inches. Remove from oven. Refrigerate cake overnight, and up to three days.

Peanut Allergy, to home school or not to home school?

The fact that there are parent's outside of this school picketing just really bothers me. My daughter is 2 1/2 and has a severe peanut allergy, and my husband and I still haven't decided if we want her to go to school or be home schooled.  Anyway, back to this video, aren't kids suppose to be washing their hands anyway? And if taking precautions will save this little girls life, then why not take them. I mean, the parent's say that they are keeping the little girl in mind and her safety, but to me it seems like they don't want their kids to be bothered or inconvenienced with having a classmate with a life threatening allergy.

What are your thoughts? Good or bad I wanna hear them!

More Info on Peanut Allergies

Things going on in my world...

For over a month now, I have been waiting in anticipation for Spring to arrive. Now that it finally has, my daughter has a head cold. At first I thought it was allergies, but she is definitely sick. It makes me so sad, she rarely gets sick, and I wish I could be sick for her. Even though she is sick though, she is still a happy funny girl, such a trooper! For about 4 days straight she looks out her bedroom window and asks me if we can go out and play, and go to the playground. She'll just stand there starring out the window! Ugh, I hate being the "bad guy", but she needs to rest. Believe me, I would love to take her outside and get fresh air, but since she does get Spring allergies, I think that would add to her sickness and make her worse.
It's funny (or rather not so funny) how you wait and wait for something, and then when it finally gets here, you can't "have" it. Now, I'm not at all complaining because there will be plenty of other days for me to take Halie outside to play. I get to cuddle with my daughter reading her books, watching a movie, putting together puzzles and just get to relax with her. My world gets to slow down a little bit and it gives me more time to actually think and during this time I get to "recharge" my batteries.

Also, on a completely different note....I got excepted to Liberty University Online this week! I'm finally going back to school to finish getting my degree in Psychology- Christian Counseling! I'm soo excited! As of now I'm going back part time, but the idea of learning again makes me thrilled! My first class starts next month, and I have a feeling it will be here before I know it!

Check it out!

Easter is quickly approaching, so I have been thinking of different ways to teach Halie about the real reason for Easter. We'll still paint eggs and have a little egg hunt for her in our home or yard, but I want her to understand what Jesus did for us and that he is alive today! Grant it, she is only 2 1/2, but there's nothing wrong with starting early!

Tasty Thursday: Black bean & corn Chimichangas

Ingredients:
6- 10in Tortillas
1/2 cup of Chopped onion
1- 15oz Can of black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 Can corn (drained)
1 Medium tomato chopped
1/2 cup Salsa
1/4 cup Cilantro

Toppings:
Shredded mexican cheese
Salsa
Sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. wrap tortillas in foil, heat in the oven for 5 mins. Meanwhile, for the filling, coat an unheated large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, cook 5 mins or until tender, stirring occasionally. Then add black beans, using a fork or masher, mash beans slightly. Stir in corn, chopped tomato, and salsa. Heat through. stir in cilantro.

To assemble, spoon about 1/2 cup of filling onto each tortilla, just below the center. fold bottom edge of tortilla up & over filling. fold opposite sides in and over filling. Roll up from bottom, if neccesart secure with toothpicks. Place filled tortillas in baking dish, seam side down. Coat top and sides with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Apply Toppings and serve!

Serves 6

Tips & Tricks Tuesday: Spring Cleaning II

Pull the trash can over and dump lingering leftovers, spoiled food, and open bottles of condiments, like grill marinade from last summer. You could remove all the glass shelves and bins and wash them or give them a fast once-over with a wet cloth or sponge. Don't forget fingerprints and splatters on the door front and handle. A fresh box of baking soda absorbs odors, too.

Burned-on blobs welded to the bottom of your oven can give off odors and smoke. If you have time to run a self-cleaning cycle — even a short two-hour one — it's your best bet (and you can go do something else while it works). If not, just focus on the worst stains. Take a metal spatula and gently chip off any loose pieces — with any luck, this alone might do the trick. If not, liberally spritz with full-strength ammonia from a spray bottle. Leave it for at least five minutes, then sprinkle on enough baking soda to completely cover the stain; add just a few drops of white vinegar. Let it bubble for a minute or two, then whisk away the grime with a scrub sponge. Rinse with a clean, wet, regular sponge.

Pull out kitchen appliances and living room furniture to wash floor & walls behind as well as all sides of appliances (inside & out); Steam clean furniture if possible.

Review all bedding items, linens and towels, are they getting threadbare and won’t make it through the next few months? Too stained? Either cut them into cleaning rags, pack away for craft and repurposing projects they can be used for or trash them.

Planting tip:
If you plant your flower beds in a dimond pattern rather than straight rows, they'll look fuller faster.

Easter: How do you celebrate & why?

With Easter coming up, I thought I would do a post to see what you and your family do for Easter and how you celebrate it and why? On a blog I follow, the writer asked her followers do this and as I was reading the responses I was amazed at how different everyone's answers are. In your answer, include if you...

• Paint Easter Eggs
• Have/go to an egg hunt
• Take your kids to see the Easter bunny
• Go to an Easter church service