Friday, July 24, 2015

Friday Favorites!

1. My Homemade Chai Tea Latte!!!
I love Starbucks, but when I can't get there or just want to enjoy my favs at home, I recreate them. One of my favorite drinks there is the Chai Tea Latte! Here's how I make it:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
Stash Chai Spice Black Tea
1-2 TBSP sugar (I know, bad...but so good)
1-2 TBSP heavy whipping cream
1/4-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

So you give or take where you like- I go all the way with it- if I have one of these I want it full force.


























































Boil water in a glass measuring cup (2 min. microwaves is good).
Pour boiling water over tea bag in your mug.
Let steep for about 3 min.
Add sugar and cinnamon, stir.
Add cream, stir.

Sip and enjoy!



2. Along the same lines, I also love Apple Cider Vinegar....to drink! Hi, I'm Robyn and I'm an ACV-aholic! I was reading Mix and Match Blog last week and I couldn't believe it was one of Shay's weird things. My kids go around asking people if they like Apple Cider Vinegar like me. Kamri and Kaci think it's really gross and stinks. Kylie actually likes it! It's supposed to be great for cleansing your digestive system. Also, My Meme drinks it when she gets muscle cramps and they go away! There are many wonderful attributes of ACV... Anyway, this is the way I prepare it:

Heat 1 C water to boiling (I use the same glass measuring cup as I mentioned earlier.

Add in 1 tbsp honey

Add in 2 tbsp Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

Add in a splash of lemon juice or lemon oil.


Pour that mix into a tumbler to go with a straw, and add in 1 C water. This brings you to 16oz.





















I drink at least one and sometimes 2 per day. The cold water mixed makes it more bearable to drink and not quite as hot as it started out. I have to drink it hot/warm not cold. The reason for boiling first is because the honey dissolves great in hot water. So yum, and good for you!






3. It's so hot and I'm enjoying summer but...
Next up is one of my favorite gifts from last Christmas. Mamas just know what to get!
It's this scarf hanger from IKEA. Looks like you can only get it in store but wanted to include the pic because mine is loaded down! Love how much it holds! And they're really easy to slide in and out if the holesand it takes up so little space hanging in the closet!!
























That's what it looks like new
































That's what it looks like in use!





4:










This is one of my favorite spots to sit - in Kamris room! I love this chair, so comfy! This one is out if stock but there are similar ones here.









5. And because it's summer and we have used this so much... this is some good stuff for those annoying ant, Mosquito, tiny bug bites!




























6. I don't know about you but I'm particular about my kitchen towels. There are many of them that just do not mop up or absorb wet stuff from the counters. Well I found these at Marshall's or TJ Maxx and they are perfect Bar Mops! If you see them there, snatch up a few packs! You'll love em!










7. I got these new flip flops this week and they're perfect they're flat, can be dressy casual or just casual, because of the nautical stripe and gold medallion detail. I got em from Palais Royal- on sale for $19.99, plus I had a 40% coupon! Score!







And just for kicks ;) this was my view as I sat in the porch swing enjoying some coffee...






Just something so peaceful about nature! Love the back yard!

7. Just for laughs!





Bahahahahaha! So true! ;)


And for some reason this Little Richard song came back to me earlier this week. Pat and I love to sing this one and joke around with it- it's one his dad had a record of and he learned from him. So fun to good around with. I leave you with "hebe jee-bies!" Said the bad luck baby put the ganks on me!


Little Richard

Have a great weekend!!!

Posted using BlogPress

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Tea Parties & Journals











I always want the memories of my girls this young,
when tea parties were so magical and so much fun!

I love them, I love them from head to toe.
I love how God made them, this I know!

One day soon they may not want tea parties, with pretend food and water.
They'll find delight in other things this world has to offer.

I just pray this simple prayer before I go to sleep:
"Dear Lord, let them be little. Let them stay kind and sweet."

And though the grass fades and the flower withers.
I'll have my journals to remind us of the time they were littles.




Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Homemade Laundry Detergent

One way I save money is by making my own liquid laundry soap.





I have used DIY laundry detergent for a few years off and on. I use the recipe from the Duggar family blog. I especially like it for Kylie, my little one because she has eczema and it doesn't irritate her skin. For her clothes I do a separate bucket and don't add in the essential oil.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap
(Front or top load machine-best value)
Ingredients:

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar*
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda**
½ Cup Borax

Directions:

-Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

Use 1/2 to 1Cup depending on size of load.




Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Funny Business

So I had a moms night out last night and we cracked up, as usual! In honor of all things funny, I'm sharing some funny quotes I found on Pinterest! Hope they make you at least smile and maybe even LOL!






I really believed this when I was little!






Bahahahahaha!





Fo' real!





Totally me- I jump when pat walks around the corner in the house. He always says, "I live here too." ;)







Awww! Sweetness!





Heeheehee!





Nuff said!





Ain't that the truth!






Happens to all of us!






Funny!





I'm sayin yall! This one is so true it's not even funny sometimes!

Have a great day- hope you get to laugh out loud today!

Monday, July 20, 2015

Weekly WrapUp

We started off the same as most weeks this summer- BPZ. This is just a cozy little time with friends learning a little more about God's word, kid style...acting out stories and puppet shows and crafts. It's basically an abbreviated VBS.

We've been helping (or having fun) moving stuff around at Memaw's new house. Such a nice place and an open floor plan for us all to be able to visit and drink coffee and such ;) i don't know about you, but for me, there's no place like moms! No matter where she lives it would always be a comfort zone. A place of peace and refuge from anything life throws your way. She makes the home. The home doesn't make her. She's always ready to give up her time to sit, drink coffee, chat, and listen....and no matter what, we always bust a gut at some point. We just like to laugh and totally 'get' each other- like read minds, lol! I sure hope my girls always come back to me like that when they're grown. We have such a special bond!

Took the girls to the new minion movie....it wasn't my favorite. I just thought the previous ones were much more funny for the kids. This one was a little more harsh and I can't even remember one part that I totally cracked up at. But a few of the girls seemed to like it ok- I think they just all agreed with each other because I've seen them way more excited coming out of other movies. Like Escape From Planet Earth, one of their favorites.
Anyway, we were going to go to chick fil a after but it was that crazy "dress like a cow day" and it was packed.... So we went to the less desirable, yet still fun place to play, McDonald's.





































We sort of needed to be out of the house this week to give pat some peace and quiet to study. He took his test on Friday.
We spent the week literally either at Memaw's doing odds and ends, or shopping...

We also had a cute little birthday party to attend at the American Girl Store. The girls had fun and added several things to their wish list. But I said it was like having 10 kids with me instead of 5! Those American Girl dolls are like little people, only babies you have to take great care of! We almost had a full on meltdown before we even got on the road for over an hour. We first had to make sure everyone had their doll, had her fully dressed and hair fixed. Then we couldn't find one of the dolls ballet shoes she was supposed to wear! Oh my word, we searched all over the place! Finally found it and left 30 min later than I planned!
When we got there, after parking further away than I'd like, we were trying to cross the street. Me and the "10" kids, one 6 year old who decides to wear those hard plastic Cinderella dress up shoes. Against my better judgement I let her. My fun mom voice spoke up in my head and won. Anyway, so we look both ways and a car stopped to let us go, or so I thought. But as we're crossing the street, she sped up! I shoed the children up with me and stared her down as she stopped abruptly, rolled down her window and said in a rather southern voice, "oh I'm sorry, I wan't gonna run over y'all!" Oh yeah ya coulda fooled me! Anyway after we walked on, all the girls could not stop laughin' about that lady and her craziness!
So we sat down and had a nice tea party. We had a few laughs about the star-shaped sandwiches which we're quite sure no kid would like. But we loved everything else!
After it was over we walked through the store and eventually I needed a Starbucks before we left to go home. The kind lady said it was just down the way. Well kind lady, when you have 5 tired kids, 1 in plastic dress up shoes with her toes scrunched up and aching with blisters, 5 American Girl dolls that need someone to hold them, and 1 beat mama...my definition of "just down the way" is not quite the same as yours. Anyway, we made it there! I got my coffee and the kids all got a drink... So now we had the task of walking all the way back down the way we came! Only this time, instead of only extra dolls to carry, I also had the hand of the girl in the Cinderella slippers, 2 or 3 dolls, my chai tea latte balancing a chocolate shake on top of it, and a big mama purse I should have cleaned out months ago!
We laughed all the way out from delirium.
We got to the sauna, I mean car, buckled up, took a deep breath and headed back into the rat race trying to get home. Overall it was a really fun day!





























It was really a rather uneventful week overall, but busy nonetheless. Kylie's last pair of good glasses broke, so she's back in her old ones with the old rx, which means I had to go buy new ones- no fun, and the lady working obviously needed a day off- and I'll leave it at that :)

I found a few great deals this weekend:
Palais Royal has a deal you bring in any gently used clothing and get a $10 coupon. How about decluttering and donating several things. Then you have $10 to use there.

























I found these 3 books at Target Dollar Spot! The girls have seen the "Little Women" series on the Smile of a Child Network so they have a little background for these Junior books. I'm reading these to them at night before bed, alternating with our Bible Reading Club.


























A little game of Wahoo, with Pat before he started his studies again! His very own hand-carved, wood burned and painted wahoo board. He even made his own wood dice to coordinate the matching marbles. Ain't that boy somethin'!

























Just some more Crazy Sand fun! Love that stuff!
























And a little sidewalk chalk fun:





















And this was on our menu this past week:



















Sunday was sooo hot! After church and eating though, it started raining and I found these cuties playing outside:


































Hope you all had a great week!
Don't forget to pray for our nation throughout your week- we need it y'all, as optimistic as I am:














Linking up at Flour Me with Love

Posted using BlogPress






Friday, July 17, 2015

Friday Favorites

1. We did this craft at Bible Power Zone this week and the kids really liked it:














Top copy














Bottom copy stapled with only the heart for them to color in.





























Lay the top copy that's not colored in back on top of the one you colored in- make sure the hearts line up- then paint oil on the top heart. The colors start to show thru and the kids love that aspect. Pretty cool!

2.my crazies decided teasing would be fun!
















3. Remember how I save the girls clothes... See my post on that here.
Here's a dress they all 3 got to wear at 3 years old- loved that dress! Oldest to youngest:
















Kamri (2007)

















Kaci (2011)

















Kylie (2014)


4. Three food related favorites:
















If you haven't tried these, you're missing out! I use them as the name suggests, when I'm headed out the door "on the go"!

















Another favorite anytime: banana with Almond Butter. Since I have had almond butter, I tell ya, I can't stand peanut butter anymore.

















These Rubbermaid glass wear storage containers, I love. Great for leftover anything because you can just pop the lid off and reheat in the dish.

5. I just discovered you can have collaborators on your Pinterest boards. I was invited to pin for Coffee Recipes and then I created one for others to pin to: Simple Meals, because we all could use more Simple Meal ideas, right?
You can see those boards @robynmarrie on Pinterest.


7. goodreads! I knew about this a ing time ago, but just rediscovered it and love it! Sort of like a mini book club without discussions but you can rate them and then follow and see book recommendations from friends. I like that when I see one I want to read I can mark it to remember for later! Check it out!














6.Blogs you may have missed from the week:

Last weeks weekly WrapUp

I joined BlogLovin! I love it- it let's you read all your favorite blogs in one place! You just click the little black button that says 'bloglovin' to join! And it's free!!!'

There will always be somebody better than you! Read this post to find out more...

Playroom Trauma...



Happy Friday y'all!!!
Linking up!

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Never say never (playroom trauma)























"Yes, hello! We need help!"




















I thought I had decluttered last year! Well guess what, it's time to declutter again! I have 2 girls who love to play and hate to clean up! It seriously takes them about 5 minutes or less to make this mess. I am trying to get them under control but it ain't happening! What usually happens is the oldest one who hasn't played with any of it, can't stand the mess, so she rips through there like a bandit and cleans up her sisters messes. Well while that's very kind of her, I don't think it's helping to teach the littles to clean up. They have got to have less to start with then it won't be so overwhelming!




























I see their kitchen is open for business- I think I'll grab a bite and chew on it a while...





















Hmmm... Memories, huh?! I think I better get rid of some more things so they can really enjoy a few treasures in here.
This doesn't happen overnight. Accumulating so many toys. I thought my kids would never have 'too many toys' like some spoiled brats! Be ware ;) Never say never. I've said never before. "I'll never drive a minivan"... Guess what? I love my minivan now!
"I'll never let this new clean house get cluttered up"... Ate my words there plenty!
"I'll never let my kids have___" be careful - they'll probably get it ;)
"Life will be so much better when I make our computer room into a playroom for the girls".... Hmmm, not so much. Well yes, it's nicer that the mess is in here but I'm not gonna lie and say these things don't walk right out of this room! No sirry!
I'll never get angry at my children's messes: well let's just say I may have said this a time or 2:






Bahahahahaha!

Anyway, just wanted to keep it real here. We all have our mess somewhere. Now, guess I better get to decluttering!
Hopefully I can share a newly refreshed playroom soon.
I'm not making promises though. I'll never say never and I'll never make a promise - I may not be able to keep.;)










This is one treasure I'm keeping!The girls and I have had so much fun with these! Mad Libs I found at Old Navy.... I mean the tooth fairy found at Old Navy, and delivered under the pillow ;).

And lest I grow weary of the children and their mess: