Still bugged!

So I can't believe that I am still bugged about this!  Valentines has come and gone and I still feel upset about this.  I could not find any valentine colored M&M's!  WHAT'S THE DEAL!!!  Come to find out they are passing off green M&M's as the new love chocolate.  Supposedly all green M&M's are an aphrodisiac.  If you ask me it's a cheap way to get out of having to supply the world with red, pink, and white M&M's.  

This Is What Happens When . . .

This is what happens when you are in a hurry and trying to get dinner ready.  You end up with broken glass all over the place, crying kids wondering when dinners going to be ready, and having to throw away a loaf of homemade cinnamon bread and a loaf of homemade wheat bread because they are covered in shards of glass. 

The Newest Addition to Our Family

Our second used dryer died!  Just like the first one.  So rather than continuing to put money into old dryers we just decided to go and get new machines.  So this is what we found.  We had been hang drying our clothes for about 2 weeks until we came across the right deal and it ended up being worth the wait!  Thanks to the Presidents Weekend Sales we got a pretty good deal.  And I just have to say how much I love these new machines.  The best part is that they play a little song at the end of each load rather than buzz at you.  I find myself wanting to do a load of laundry just to hear the diddy at the end of the load! :)  Anyways, highly recommend the LG washer and dryer for those of you in the market for a new washer and dryer.  

Dance Preparation

So I have a new calling.  I am the first counselor in the primary presidency.  Now this is quite a change from the no responsibility calling I had before of primary pianist.  I have to admit I am pretty intimidated standing in front of all these kids.  They are amazing.  They have such strong testimonies and faith.  I should have them teach me.  It is truly a humbling experience.  So far it has been really fun though.  We just had a Daddy Daughter Valentines Dance for all the dads and girls in the ward.  It was awesome.  Everyone had a great time and I have pictures posted below of the evening. 

Here are the centerpieces for the tables

Here is the back drop for pictures 

This is the best shot I could get of the dance floor.  The primary president made this awesome sign to hang across the stage that says sweetheart with lights.  So cute.  Then there were red and pink giant pom poms hanging from the ceiling.  Hard to describe, but so cute!

The tasty treats

More tasty treats

And here is the drink fountain.  It would not work.  We tried jiggling the plug, unplugging it and plugging it back in, but nothing.

So we decided to scrap the whole fountain thing.  We took apart the top section, grabbed a ladle and thought we could just have a fancy punch bowl that lit up.

Then, a few minutes later, we were working on other things and the motor started running.  So we hurried to put the pieces back on and it worked for the rest of the evening.  We all joked that it started working even before we said the opening prayer.  It must have been the prayer in our hearts that Heavenly Father answered.  :)

Getting Ready for the Dance

The girls were so funny about getting ready for the dance!  They didn't want their dad to see them until they were all ready.  So we went upstairs and did the final touches on their hair, painted fingernails, and put on some makeup.  They were beaming from ear to ear.  Then they wanted to have their pictures taken complete with silly pictures with sunglasses.  Here they are right before heading downstairs to see daddy . . .

The Daddy Daughter Valentines Dance

Here are my two sweet girls and there awesome dad at the daddy daughter valentines dance!  Let me tell you, it was the sweetest thing ever to watch my two girls get to have a special night with just their dad.  It brought a tear to my eye to see how big they are getting.  They had a great time and I hope this becomes a yearly tradition.  Don't worry Carson . . . there is a mother son soccer game in the summer!  :)  

Daddy and his girls

Daddy dancing a slow dance with Hailey

No small feat dancing with two girls, especially with one that wants to be held.

At the beginning of the dance all of the dads were way into it . . . totally dancing away!  But about half way through you could tell they were getting tired and this is what you'd see.  All the dads on the outskirts of the dance floor . . .

and all the girls dancing away.  Don't you wish you could bottle up all that energy and sell it.  You'd make a fortune, especially with the Green Movement! :)

Here is Emma talking with one of her good friends.  This little girls is so sweet.  When they first started sunbeams they were in different classes, but this little girls was so sad when they had to go to class because Emma couldn't go with her that she was in tears.  So they ended up moving her into Emma's class.  So cute!

Some of the older girls got up on stage to dance and Hailey wanted to join in.  Here is Hailey learning some sweet moves from the older girls in primary.  She was getting way into it.  

Can I just say how much I love my kids?  They bring me so many smiles each and every day!  Granted there are days that are filled with tears and those tears aren't always from my kids, but overall we have so much fun and I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything!

Field Trip to the Dentist Office!

We had an awesome field trip to the dentist today!  I highly recommend doing this before going to an actual dentist appointment.  My kids, I am ashamed to admit, have never been to the dentist because they have always been so freaked out.  But today was the perfect opportunity to introduce them to what a dentist office is really like.  At first, all three of them hid behind me.  But after awhile they really warmed up and even let me take there picture of them sitting in the dentist chair.  I am really glad we went and Hailey was so excited to get the little hand held flossers so she can be "just like Uncle Jordan!"  So cute!

As Promised . . . here are the cleaning products!

So here are the ingredients I use the most when I make my own cleaners.  

Spray Bottles

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Dish Detergent

Tea Tree Oil (I buy mine at a health food store, but I have seen it at Walmart.)

Essential oil (optional, i sometimes use sweet orange, pictured above.)

I have seen people use things such as Ammonia, borax, and washing soda, but these are things that all need to be kept out of the hands of little ones.  So for this reason I choose not to use them.  The whole point for me to do this is to use something that is effective and I can keep in the cabinet without having to worry about kids drinking or having them get it on their hands.  Now I have to admit I do have clorox wipes in the cabinet for that emergency bathroom experience.  Those that have had any experience with kids knows what I am talking about.  But for my other stuff the following recipes are what I use.

All Purpose Cleaner:

I mix about 1 1/2 cups vinegar with 1/2 cup water and a few drops of liquid dish detergent.  I put it a spray bottle and use it for all my counters.  It works great at cutting grease, but it does have a heavy smell of vinegar, but it goes away pretty quickly.

Antibacterial Spray:

I use a smaller spray bottle for this.  I fill it with water and then put a few drops of tea tree oil in it.  Every time you use it you need to shake it well to distribute the oil.  I use this after I have cleaned the counters with the all purpose cleaner.

Window Cleaner:

For every 4 cups water add 1/3 cup vinegar.  Put in a spray bottle and use like you would any commercial spray cleaner.  You can also add your favorite essential oil to scent it if you like.

Your Own Febreeze:

I am obsessed with wanting my house to smell good, so this is a good economical way to make your own febreeze.  In a clean spray bottle, place a couple tablespoons of your favorite liquid fabric softener.  Then fill with water, leaving about an inch from space from the top.  Gently shake, then use as you would febreeze.

Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner:

Great for disinfecting the bathroom when your family has the flu!

1 cup baking soda

2 tbsp liquid soap

2 tsp tea tree essential oil

1 tsp peppermint essential oil

1 tbsp white vinegar (optional)

In a bowl, add baking soda then liquid soap. Mix well until the baking soda forms a paste. If it is still too crumbly, add slightly more liquid soap until it forms a paste, as some liquid soaps are more "liquidy" than others. Next, add essential oils, mixing well, then add vinegar.

To use, put a small amount on your bathroom sponge to scrub down your toilet seat, shower, bathtub, sink and counter. Rinse out your sponge, and go over it again with clean water.

I hope this is what people are looking for.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask.  And if you are looking for anything else let me know!

I PROMISE!!!

I have had a lot of people express interest in what I use for homemade cleaners.  So I promise tomorrow I will post that!!  Just thought I would let you know!

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Is anyone else as bummed as I am that winter is going to last another 6 weeks.  LAME!!!  So anyways, for a homeschool/family activity we talked about groundhogs day and made these little groundhogs.  All it is is a paper cup cut in half and then wrapped with green felt.  Then I took an old fashioned clothes pin (you could use a popsicle stick, but this was all I had on hand), and cover that with brown felt.  Attach a couple of googly eyes and cut a small hole in the bottom of the cup for the stick.  And there you have it!  A groundhog complete with hole that can come in and out as he pleases.  That is whenever he doesn't see his shadow.

A New Food

Here is Carson trying a cucumber for the first time! I think he liked it.  At least for today.  But what was funny is that when he saw I was taking his picture he ran over to the wall where I take the girls homeschool pictures.  Too cute!!!  He is a smart one.  I think it's good thing he hasn't really started talking yet cause once he does I am in TROUBLE!!!

My New Best Friend

This is my new best friend!  I used to wake up sore every morning and now, that is a thing of the past.  I love this new memory foam topper!  If you don't have one, get one!  They are amazing!