WFM: Doctor's Office Entertainment

Whose kids get all kinds of naughty waiting at the doctor's office?

**raises hand**

These tricks keep them busy and out of trouble much longer than the books in the rooms. My kids always go through those within the first 3 minutes. And you don't need to pack a large bag of goodies!

1. Take Crayons!
My kids love to color on the paper they use to cover the examination table. They have nice large surface to keep them busy (and from running out of room). No harm is done since they throw the paper away after your visit. As an added bonus, the pictures can help a shy child break the ice with the doctors and/or nurse.

2. Dry Erase Markers!
My boys also love the idea of coloring on the mirror in the room. This holds special thrill for them since it is kind of a taboo activity. The marker wipes right off with a paper towel -- no Windex needed! If you're worried, you can take glass wipes to clean off the mirror. Don't forget to be kind and wipe the mirror off when you're finished! =)

Works For Me: Summer Lemonade

Some things for me just scream summer. Lemonade is one of those things.

I LOVE homemade lemonade. I know you can buy the powdered stuff, but why should you when I'm giving you a delicious, simple recipe?

Feel free to use the bottled juice if you don't have access to fresh lemons. Trust me. It's worth it. You can also substitute lime juice if you prefer.

Summer Lemonade

For one gallon of lemonade:

2 c. sugar

2 c. water

1 1/2 c. lemon juice

We're gonna start with a simple syrup. In a saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the sugar is fully dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool.

Once cooled, add the lemon juice and enough water to make one gallon. Serve over ice and enjoy!

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For more Works For Me, visit We Are That Family.

Works For Me: Cutting melons

Growing up, my mom always sliced melons. We'd just eat the fruit right out of the rind or cut it out of the slice. I continued this as an adult, opting to slice melon before cutting it out of the rind.

It was a lot of work, but I didn't know any better. I was oblivious. Last year that changed.

My smart and talented friend Sarah recently graduated from a Hospitality and Food Management Program. Last year at a Fourth of July cookout, I watched her cut a watermelon, and my life was changed.

**Thank you Sarah. You changed my life**

First, you need to wash your melon well to remove any extra dirt or anything else that might be hanging out on your rind.

Now that your melon is clean, lay it on a cutting board or other clean surface and cut off the ends.

Now go ahead and stand her up on one of those flat surfaces you just made.

Starting just inside the white edge of the rind, cut down towards the cutting board removing the rind. You may not quite get it all in one swipe. That's okay. You can always go back and trim. Continue around the entire melon.

Once, you get all of the rind off, cut the melon in halves or quarters to make it more manageable.

The only thing left is to cube or slice the melon how you like.

Refrigerate any uneaten portion of the melon. Then, go get a pedicure with all the time you saved.

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For more Works For Me, visit We Are That Family.

Works For Me: Using Heels

If you're anything like me, you don't like the heels from a loaf of bread. To be honest, there was nothing I could find them useful for except toast.

And my kids and husband aren't fans either.

Throwing them out to the birds when I'm not in the mood for toast is okay, but I'm not a fan of wasting food either. I know, I know, I'm hard to please.

Then the clouds parted and the birds sang and I had a vision, a great idea. Okay not really, I just turned the pages of a magazine. And I'm pretty certain the only noise in the background was arguing children.

------- Are you tired of me wasting your time yet? -------

Instead of tossing our heels, now I turn them inside out when I make sandwiches.

Really, that's it. I've fooled my pickiest eaters, namely, my husband and youngest son. I know what's happening, and I can't tell a taste difference.

Plus, it will make you laugh when you "pull one over" on the proclaimed heel hater in your life.

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For more Works For Me, visit We Are That Family.

WFMW: Line drying on a hanger

Maybe it's the country girl in me, but I love drying my clothes outdoors. They just smell so much cleaner. Aside from that, it helps to keep my house cooler and saves me a little money on electricity. And well, it just seems natural to me.

That said, sometimes it can take forever. I don't have much of a clothesline, so space is at a premium. I really like to put more than one load on at a time. By putting my wet clothes on a hanger before I put them on the line, I save space.



It also makes putting the laundry away much easier. Which is a good thing because my ottoman can really pile up quick with clean clothes.

To make this work at our home, I keep empty hangers in the laundry room. We don't have a fancy rod or anything for the hangers. I hang mine on pipe. Fancy I know. A bin on the dryer would work just as well. Generally, I just use closepins as markers to keep the clothes from sliding into each other.

On windy days, I clip them like this to keep them from blowing away.

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For more Works for Me, visit We Are That Family.

WFMW: Oatmeal Bars

These bars are so yummy and versataile. Really you can add just about anything to this recipe for a delicious bar -- nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, chocolate chips. Plus, their quick and inexpensive to make.

Oatmeal Bars

1 c flour

1 c oats

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 c brown sugar

1 stick (1/2 c) butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c nuts, fruit, or chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and egg. Add flour, baking powder, and oats. Stir in fruit/nuts/chips. Press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool in pan before cutting and removing. Enjoy!

Mmmm!

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For more Works For Me, this week is recipe edition, check out We Are That Family.

Works For Me: Good Advice

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

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For more Works For Me, visit We Are That Family.

WFMW: Peeing in the yard

No it's not a typo. You read it right.

Hi my name is Beulah. I have two boys, and I let them pee in the yard. Thank you.

Sometimes I encourage it. Like when my oldest son was potty training, but we were never near a public restroom when nature called. Let's just say, he saw a lot of parking lot action.

Or when our single bathroom is otherwise occupied, I shoo them to the backyard.

The little one eagerly goes out with the dog.

It can be a little embarassing for the hubby. Like when the little one dropped his drawers at the park. I wish I'd been able to capture those little cheeks for you. That and the look on the hubby's face.

Now if I could only get them to pee in the toilet rather than on it . . .

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For more Works For Me posts, visit We Are That Family.

Works for Me: Puzzle Storage

My kids love puzzles, and that's fine with me. I'd much rather see them huddled together in the floor trying to find out which piece goes where than in front of a video game.

However, they always destroy the puzzle boxes. ALWAYS. At my house, we're luck if the box lasts being opened. I can't explain it. It's just the way it is.

We tried several options to remedy the destruction. I've laminated puzzle boxes with packing tape and contact paper. We've tried ziploc bags. All to no evail.

Then it hit me. Really. Ziploc bags don't stack well.

Now, we use plastic storage containers, the sandwich size. They are much easier for the kids to open and close, and they stack up so nicely on their bookcase. And they are much more durable which in my house is a neccessity.

My oldest son once disassembled a mattress. No joke.

The cost for the investment is minimal. I recently got two ten packs of containers at Wally world for about $3. The only downside is losing the puzzle picture, but I'm thinking about snapping pictures of the puzzles and either sticking them to the box top or laminating them to put inside (with contact paper).

What about you? What toy challenges/solutions do you have?

For more Works for Me tips visit We Are That Family.

Works For Me: Coupon Organizing

Finally the post you've all been waiting for . . . drum roll please . . . my coupon organizing system complete with photos. Thanks to my friend Brandy for planting the seed for this idea!

What you'll need:

** 3 ring binder

** binder inserts designed to hold baseball cards

** tabbed dividers

** zippered pouch (optional)

** plastic folder inserts or sheet protectors (optional)

The first thing you'll need to do is to decide what categories you'd like to divide your coupons into. My categories are:

** grocery

** bath and body

** medicine and vitamins

** personal care

** household

** pets

** misc

Here's a closeup if you're interested.

Once you get your tabs all figured out, it's time to put them in the binder. Behind each tab you'll want to place several of the baseball card inserts.

Now that you have your inserts installed, you're ready to put your coupons in them. I like to fold the coupons so I can see the value in the front and the expiration date in the back.

Finally, I like to put a zippered pouch in the front. I use this to keep track of reciepts.

I use the folder inserts to hold store specific coupons like for CVS and Walgreens. Sheet protectors are great for holding copies of your store's coupon policies. These are nice to have if there are questions at the store.

Visit here for more Works For Me Wednesday posts.

Works for Me: Dutch Baby

On the weekends, I have a ridiculously hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Every Saturday, I develop an acute case of the lazies. On those days, I need to come up with a quick and easy meal (brunch) to whip out for everyone.

This recipe is super easy and quick, and it's a delicious way to make use of the spring berries just coming into season.

Dutch Baby

1/2 c flour

2 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 TBSP butter

Preheat oven to 450. Beat eggs, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add in milk and vanilla. Fold in flour. Melt butter in a pie pan in the oven. Brush up sides to prevent sticking. Pour in batter. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Once finished, the pancake will form a basket shape that can be filled with fresh or frozen (thawed) fruit or preserves and dusted with powdered sugar. My boys' favorite is fresh strawberries.

You can check out the rest of the Works for Me Wednesday posts over here

Works for Me: Leaving notes on the mirror

Leaving notes for myself on the bathroom mirror really works for me. I simply use a dry erase marker to write down whatever it is that I need to remember to do or to remind my husband of things as well.

Why?

1. I need to write things down in order to remember them. I love lists, but they don't work if I don't look at them.

2. If it's in the bathroom mirror, I'll look at it several times a day. I stare right at it when I was my hands!

3. Being in the bathroom, it's also harder to ignore. Again, I stare right at it. Plus, my mind is normally not as cluttered when I'm in there as well.

This would also work great for an entry-way mirror in your home. Beware though. Many guests will come to you in your home with raised eyebrows wondering, "Why do you have TRASH written on your bathroom mirror?" Easy peasy. "I wanted to make sure the toter made it to the street, so the garbage man could haul our garbage away."

Makes sense, right? Go check out the rest of the Works for Me Wednesday posts over here.

Works For Me: Many Uses of Peroxide

I received this as an email today. I thought it was worth passing along. Using peroxide is both frugal and sustainable. We do use some of these methods in our home, but there were just as many that were new to me. I hope you find some useful to you as well. **Note, peroxide can be purchased in XL sizes at some drug stores and medical supply centers.**

Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's Chlorine, folks! Peroxide was invented during WWI. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals.

Some great household uses for peroxide:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash...

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe down your counter tops, or spray it on the counters directly.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to Kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of Peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. Put half a bottle of peroxide into your bathwater to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

11. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water.Repeat if necessary.

12. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.

For more Works for Me posts, visit We are THAT family here.

Works for Me: Freezing the cookie dough

I have a sweets problem, so an entire batch of cookies at my house is a bad idea. I can't make myself stop eating them. It's sad, I know.

So, instead of baking an entire batch of cookies, I just bake what we'll eat that night or day and freeze the rest.

I use one of these guys to portion out the dough easily. I then freeze the little balls on a cookie sheet or cutting board. Once they are frozen, I transfer them to a freezer bag with the bake temperature and cooking time.

This means we have fresh cookies. I only have to prep once. And I can control myself.

For more Works for Me posts, visit We are THAT family here.

Works For Me: Easy Snacks

For easy snacks at our house, I have a drawer in the kitchen set aside for non perishable snacks. I buy things in bulk, and divide them into portions using snack size ziploc bags. It really works for us to have something we can grab and go when we will be out of the house. It's also nice to have snacks that the kids can get to if I am busy with something else.

Things like dried fruit, pretzels, nuts, cereal (cheerios and chex) are staples in the drawer as well as any things that I may have picked up on as good deals. Right now we have a lot of Kashi bars, and I'll be adding PopTarts as well thanks to this great deal at Target (thanks Crystal!). For the kiddos, I'll be separating the Tarts into one per snack bag.

I also dedicate a drawer in the fridge for things like cheese, diced meat, veggies, and fruit. While the cheese and meat are perishable, you can make up a large batch of each and freeze them. This would benefit you in having all of the work done ahead of time, and you would be able to just transfer the amount you would use down the the refrigerator each week. Grapes and bananas both freeze well. They make yummy treats frozen, or you can transfer them to the freezer just as easily.

For more Work for Me posts visit We are THAT family here.

Works for Me: Microfiber cloths

Microfiber cloths for cleaning work for me. I use them in place of paper towels for cleaning and dusting around the house. I also love these as dish cloths. They scrub like nobody's business, and they don't harbor things like sponges do. Personally, I am not a fan of bulky dish cloths, so I cut my microfiber cloths into quarters when I buy them.

They hold their shape without being sewn or hemmed. Perfect for folks like me who couldn't be bothered to do such a thing. I'd want to, but I'd just not get it done. Then I'd agonize about my lack of motivation....you get the picture. =) I've also read about other folks using these as mop heads for their Swiffers.

In addition to being easy to use, the cloths will save you a ton of money if you use them in place of single use materials. Since you are washing them and reusing them, they are also a sustainable choice. My microfiber cloths have held up really well. I've been using the same quartered cloth for about four years.

If you have a Harbor Freight Tools near you, they currently have a coupon in their ad for microfiber cloths. I believe you were able to buy a four pack for $4.99 -- that's about what one would cost at WalMart.

Share what works for you or read more posts over at Rocks In My Dryer every Wednesday!

Works For Me: Juice Jelly

I love to cook and make things. It can be a sickness sometimes. I've always wanted to try making jelly, but to be honest, it was more than a little terrifying.

Really, I had absolutely no desire to boil, mash, repeat, push pulp through a sieve, you get the picture. It just seemed like so much work! Yet, in my heart I longed for a solution. Grocery store jelly is good, but I've never been exactly impressed with the idea of feeding my kids a ton of high fructose corn syrup, etc. Despite the commercials trying to convince us otherwise, that stuff ain't natural.

Don't believe me? Come hang out with my kids after they've had a good dose or too. **Not recommended for the faint of heart. Don't say I didn't warn you!**

Then I stumbled across this post by Mary over at Owlhaven. I was intrigued (and slighty jealous of the old fashioned juicer). Jelly from juice. Who knew?

I couldn't find pectin packets in her measurement, but I did find a recipe with my pectin measure in my faithful Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook! I was still nervous, but I decided it was now or never.

The jelly was delicious! It turned out wonderfully and was incredibly easy to make, just like Mary promised. I've made more batches since and given jars away to friends. The jelly also made a great hostess gift tucked in beside a batch of homemade applesauce for a Halloween party we attended. I really like Old Orchard juice. I've used it with great success, and the juice combinations they offer are so fun! My latest batch was Blueberry Pomgranite. Mmmm!

Can you guess what my frugal holiday gifts are? =) Here's the recipe. It can be doubled with good results, but do not attempt to triple it unless your going for the syrup effect.

Homemade Juice Jelly

4 cups 100% juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1.75 ounce box pectin

4 1/2 cups sugar

To prep: Wash jars, lids, and rings well. If you are using old jars, be sure your rings are free of rust and your lids are to new to ensure proper sealing. Fill your canning pot with water leaving space for the jars (your water will rise when you add them). Don't worry, you don't need a fancy pot. I just use a deep stainless steel pot with a lid I bought at Kmart. It works perfectly! Add a slosh of vinegar. It saves your jars and your pan from water spots and mineral build up. Lay out a towel at your work station to hold your clean jars and to use as a landing pad for the hot jars once they are processed. Dip your lids, rings, and jars in the hot water to sterilize them. Be sure you have all of your materials ready. It's best to have your sugar pre-measured, as you won't really have time once it gets going.

Jelly time: Pour fruit juice and lemon juice in a deep kettle or dutch oven. Sprinkle with pectin. Let stand for about 2 minutes. Stir to dissolve. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar. Return to a full boil. Boil hard 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Quickly skim off any foam that may have formed with a spoon. Ladel into your hot jars (5 half pint size, about 8 jelly jars, or a dozen mini jars plus a half pint). Be sure to leave about a 1/2 inch headspace from top. Wipe off any jelly that may have spilled on the rim. Put on lids and rings. Tighten well--this is when your towel will come in handy. Gently place your jars into your canning pot. Process for 12 minutes. Begin your timer once your water returns to a boil. Remove jars and let cool until set. As they cool, you may be lucky enough to hear nice pingeing sounds. If you're like me, they'll pinge when you leave the room. =)

Some hints: Your jelly may take up to 2 weeks to fully set. That's okay.

Resist the urge to retighten your lids. You'll run the risk of breaking the seal and ruining all your hard work.

If your lids don't seal well, you can reprocess your jelly within 24 hours, or move it to the fridge or freezer.

If you decide to try the jelly, let me know! I'd love to hear how it works our for you. My kids love it, and my youngest son will only eat "mommy's jelly" now. Talk about a compiment! And as I said before, the homemade jelly makes a wonderful frugal gift!

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