Smelly Laundry?

Has anyone else ever been faced with this problem? You wash and dry your laundry and then you pull a t-shirt out of the drawer, slip it on and go, "Phew who let the dog in? And did she roll in poop?" Well, everyone in this house has. It was becoming a common problem of clothes coming out of the laundry stinky. Didn't matter if I used my homemade soap or bought soap. The result was the same. Now you can blame it on the six stinky people in our house, or the dog beds I wash weekly or my lineman's filthy work clothes, but something was causing the stink.  

So where did I go? To the Internet of course and found the easiest solution. Add a little vinegar to the rinse cycle. That's it. I pour in the fabric softener bowl and it never fails. Clean smelling washer and laundry. You may smell a little vinegar in the washing machine but you do not smell vinegar in your clothing at all. Cheap and simple solution to my conundrum.

Linking to:

Tip Junkie

The Stories of A2Z

Savvy Southern Style

Raising Homemakers

The Easter Beagle Has Crashed

Looked out back to see this. A little someone or maybe the Easter Beagle has discovered my stash of plastic Easter eggs. But you know I just love looking at it. It is like spring burst forth on our patio. 

Thought I would leave them until today, when that little someone could put them back in their basket.

Little ones: Do they leave messes or beautiful creations? Well, that all depends on how much sleep mommy had last night and how good the coffee is this morning and I would say the coffee is excellent.

I have learned a lot in my almost twenty years of parenting. Things like this honestly used to freak me out at times but now I know it is a hiccup in my day. Something to look back and see the beauty in. I am blessed all these years later to have another little one in our home. To relive this season again is often surreal. To see the joy in a little ones eyes at a basket of colorful eggs is a gift and one I don't take lightly. That is if the coffee is good and I am rested. 

Linking to:
Pink Saturday

Frugal Challenge Update- Meatless Meals

I know I always start off these posts by mentioning the rising prices of food and goods, but have you seen the price of food? It is really getting hard to feed a family and stay on a tight grocery budget. Now my family loves meat like anybody else but we usually have one or two meatless meals per week to give our bodies a rest and to also save money on buying meat. So the question remains, "Can you feed a carnivorous family meatless meals and fill them up?" The answer is yes. To help save money in our home my husband and I are committing ourselves to a minimum of two meatless dinners per week.

Just tonight we had one of our favorite meatless meals of bean tostadas with all the fixins. I chop up olives and lots of veggies and top with sour cream, avocado and cheese and of course salsa. Everyone makes their own and it is a fun meal. Beans are a wonderful source of protein and are filling as well.
One of our favorite summer dishes is black bean salad. Served with cut up fruit and herb bread, it makes a wonderful light summer supper. The recipe is below. Another Mexican favorite is cheese enchiladas. I will make a pan with chopped sauteed veggies added to the enchiladas and a plain cheese pan for those that don't want the veggies ones.

Soups are a wonderful meatless option. One of our favorites is potato cheese soup. Here is my recipe for how to make is easily with leftover mashed potatoes. Veggies soups are another healthy option.

Pasta dishes are great family fillers. One I like to make is just what my mom used to call Mac Bake. She would boil up any kind of macaroni or noodles she had on hand, mix with spaghetti sauce and top with grated cheese. This was a favorite of mine as a child.

I have recently started experimenting with lentil dishes. Our German relatives make a lentil gravy that is so simple but addictive. I will get the recipe and share it soon. One recipe I will share soon is a lentil and green olive salad.

Here is the recipe for my Corn and Black Bean Salad
1 can black beans rinsed and drained well
1/2 c. chopped cilantro (We love cilantro so I use it generously)
1 c. frozen corn (I love to use fresh corn on the cob from leftovers if I have it)
      -Do not cook the frozen corn. Take the frozen corn and let it thaw and drain well.
2 tblsp.  finely chopped red onion
1 chopped cucumber
1 diced tomato (add just before serving)
Juice from 2 limes
Drizzle with olive oil
1/4-1/2 tsp. cumin (season to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for at least two hours. Add tomatoes at the end and toss.

Linking to:
Time Warp Wife
Take A Look Tuesday
All Thingz Related
Foodie Friday

Colors of Summer

The other day my hubby and I went to Bed Bath & Beyond to buy some curtains and I found these. Aren't these straws just the colors of summer. Had to have them.

Placed them in my ball jar for a cheery bouquet.

They just scream to be used with a snow cone. Oh, to get the snowcone machine out. You know it's summer when the snowcone machine is fired up.

Linking to:

Coastal Charm

All Thingz Related

The Blackberry Vine

Rednesday

The Simplest of Gifts

Sometimes the simplest gifts from others are just wonderful little surprises. My daughter came home from a student's home to bring me these...

Meyers lemons, the best lemons in the world and fresh eggs from backyard chickens. If I wasn't trying to watch it so much, I think I would wip up a Lemon Chiffon Cake.

Home is....

Love. Corny but it is true. It is where we come at the end of each trying day back to those that love us most.

A place where we seek shelter from the outside world. Where we can rest and re energize for the next day.

Home is where the light is always left on. Loved ones waiting for us to welcome us home. I always ask my kids and hubby how their days went. I try to give them a chance to debrief. Let it out if they have had a bad day.

Home is a place of beauty. Simple is all that is required but a clean and orderly home is a pleasure to come home to. After a busy day outside the home, we want to come home to order and calm.

Home is where we need to remember to value the ones we love the most. I know my family will love me no matter what but I also know that my attitude sets the tone for my home. If I am patient and calm, then the kids will follow suit. If I am stressed and snapping at them, then everyone is stressed. We must try hardest to speak kindly to the ones we love. I tell my girls that words do hurt and you have to watch how you speak to others. We want to leave behind beauty not bitterness when we leave our family. None of us is perfect but it sure makes a difference.

Linking to:

BNOTP     A Stroll Thru Life

Keeping it Simple

Homestead Revival

The House in the Roses

Homemaker Mondays

Coastal Charm

Cozy Corners-Outside

My back yard and patio is my favorite place in all of our home. It has cozy corners that I love to sit and relax in and have some lunch or look through magazines. A place to unwind.

The vines are coming back and my morning coffee spot is already for the summer.

Chimes are a necessity for me. They block unwanted noises and sing with the breezes.

The fountain has been cleaned and is now running whenever we are out there.

A space to get away without getting away. We could all use that with our busy lives.

Sunday love. A day with my family enjoying the yard and sun and a barbecue for later.

Linking to:
Seasonal Sundays         My Romantic Home
An Oregon Cottage      The Gypsys Corner
Sunday Showcase
Masterpiece Mondays
BNOTP
The House in the Roses
It's So Very Cheri

Free Treat for Your Dog

You know that movie "Life with Marley?" Well, that is my life only it is called, "Life with Sandy." This pound rescue dog that we have had nine years, yes nine, and still thinks she is a puppy. After loads of money spent on a trainer years ago, and her shaking her head at this dog, we have managed to make it almost a decade with this girl. Burning off her energy and keeping her routine is vital to all of us. She needs to expend loads of energy and large chew bones help and the occasional treat above. That's right, an empty peanut butter jar. We had bought those heavy Kongs before and filled with p. butter but then one day I thought let me just give this to the dog. What you get is an hour of Sandy trying to get the p. butter out of the jar and an hour of her being still. Now I have never had her break or crack the plastic jars. You'd have to know your dog. When she is done I just throw in the recycle bin.

Lightening Up

A couple of weeks ago I decided I needed to get serious about eating better and shedding a few pounds after all the holidays. No more, "Oh there's a cookie, I think I will eat three." I have been doing well and getting out there and walking everyday. I literally feel lighter. Concentrating on eating lean proteins and lots of fruits and veggies. I have a carb addiction and I needed to break that.

Above is a salad I came up with and everyone in the house loved it so I thought I would share.

Chopped Greek Salad

Now, I didn't measure anything but just chopped up what I had so you can decide what and how much you want to add of the veggies.

Chopped Sugar Snap Peas

Chopped Bell Peppers

Chopped Zucchini

Chopped Cucumber

Chopped Green Olives

About a 1/4 cup or more if you like of Feta Cheese

A Drizzle of Olive Oil

Juice from one Lemon

salt and pepper

Toss and let sit for a few minutes and enjoy. I have ate it three times this week I enjoy it so much. I added diced chicken one day for a complete meal.

Linking to:

Bargain Hunting with Laurie

Foodie Friday

Friday Potluck

Saturday Night Special

Cherished Treasures

Lamb Around

Finding Balance

Back home! Just got in from three wonderful days spent up with my hubby staying at his hotel. Three days to just be. That's it, just be. I didn't have to take care of kids or stop the dog from barking or anything but what I wanted to do. I felt utterly indulged. Starbucks, shopping, pool, nap, dinner out.

It just felt so good to be still. I purposely didn't take my laptop or camera. Wouldn't have taken the cell phone except I felt if one of my kids broke a leg, I should know.

All this time makes me think of how little time I spend on being still and finding balance. It is so hard to do as women. We multi task even when we shouldn't be. I rarely give myself a break and it takes its toll. We become grumpier, tired and worn down. I know I need to, but the needs of everyone else always seem to come first.

I think I will do this more often as it has been years since I was away sans kids. Three to be exact. I have an almost three year old so that explains the three years.

To renew oneself is so important to our mental and physical being. I missed me. Ha-ha!

Anyway, let's move on. Came home to these lovelies.

The lettuce has popped up and is in need of thinning.

Purple and yellow. Need I say more.

Take time to just be! 

Linking to:

Time Warp Wife

Thankful Thursday

Catch a Glimpse

Savvy Southern Style

Open House

Thoughtful Thursday

My Romantic Home

Common Ground

Tidy Mom

Seasonal Sundays

Old Is Gold

I love old things. I am sure you can tell that by now. I love to collect presidential items and have started picking up a few old postcards, but the nicest surprise came from a dear friend when she sent me this beauty of

a card she found at a local shop near her.   

The card was sent in 1920 to a recipient in the town my friend actually lives in.

Though I love my old treasures, I use them if I can.

I found this old grain sifter, a real conversation piece, as no one knows what it is.

Just What We Needed

I cannot begin to tell you how nice my weekend with my hubby was. He has worked on a job out of town for seven months and only makes it home for a night or two a week. It is wearing on us. We don't like to be apart. He took a few days off and came home to us and we just had such a wonderful time. Nothing special.

Just family time.

My little one filled her rain boots to water the plants.

We of course went to the nursery.

But mostly we did a lot of this...

And moved at a snails pace.

And I enjoyed just watching this. Dad and Q playing in her kitchen.

Girls if your hubby throws his socks on the floor everyday and you complain about it, stop and pick them up as gift to him. It means he is there with you. I want to pick up more dirty socks. Oh, I can't wait until this job wraps up. 

I am actually off to spend a few days with him at his hotel since it is spring break here and the kids won't need me as much. Thank goodness for grandparents.

Linking to:

A Delightsome Life

Coastal Charm

BNOTP

A Stroll Thru Life

Thankful Thursday

A Tiny Break

Taking a little break for a few days to focus on my hubby who works out of town and who I dearly miss. I called him on Thursday and told him to take a few days off and get home to me. Yep I did. I needed to be near him. And thankfully he made it happen. Yeah! See you all in a few.

Coffee Time

Ever have one of those weeks where by Wednesday you already feel you lived the week twice? It is Thursday and life has been so crazy busy this week that I just need my coffee. Yep, I am weak and it is what keeps me going. I admit my addiction but boy does that first cup in the morning taste good. A small treat in life to savor before another crazy day starts around here.

For me it is a time of reflection and a chance to organize my day.

Linking to:
BNOTP
Rednesday
My Cottage Charm
My Romantic Home

Vintage Garden

A garden is so much more than plants and trees and grass. It is being surrounded by the things we use and enjoy while we are outdoors. Mine is a simple garden and I love my vintage tools and touches.

I love old watering cans. Works of art in a yard.

Old andirons found in my parents garage. My father was a mason and said they came from some huge fireplace he repaired.

An old green bucket that now holds pansies.

This area of my yard holds all my garden tools. This old galvanized bucket holds whatever I need to lug around the garden. I dare say it will outlast any plastic bucket you'd buy today.

Old rusted shovels, long past their use are now decor for my shed.

These were used in this very yard by my husband's grandmother, a prolific gardener and planter of way too many orange trees.

Vintage dining.

Our cast iron bench that is so heavy it takes two to move it and a not so vintage kitty.

Linking to:
Vintage Thingie Thursday
Lily-Rose Cottage
Brambleberry Cottage
My Romantic Home
The Thrifty Groove
Sat. Night Special