Cleaning with Vinegar (and other household products)

In recent desperation to clean out my dishwasher, and not wanting to do the whole "hands and knees scrub," I turned to vinegar.  I'd read about using vinegar to clean but never tried it.  Well,  I'm a convert now!  Using vinegar to clean is more economical (a jug of vinegar is a few bucks -- much less than a bottle of pretty much any cleaning product).  It's healthier than all those chemicals (especially with kids and dogs around!) and, it's much less smelly, in my opinion (it seems to go away quickly, at any rate).

Anyhow, I've been reading things online, but some mixed results - some people say "do this" while others say "that won't work."  So I'm posting, here, the ones which I have tried and found to be successful.  I'll keep adding as I find more.  Feel free to comment with things you've done -- but only if you have tried it successfully, please!

1.  The dishwasher:  I simply filled the detergent slot with distilled white vinegar and ran it on a hot water cycle.  The dishwasher was cleaner than it had been when we moved in.  Very minimal vinegar smell, too!

2.  The microwave:  mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in microwavable bowl.  Turn on microwave and let heat until mixture boils for a while (I let it go for 5 minutes).  Then remove the bowl (hot pads!) and use a paper towel or a rag to just wipe down the inside of the microwave.  Easy Peasy.  

3.  Deodorize dog beds between washing:  I have mixed a solution of 1 part water, 1 part white vinegar and keep it in a spray bottle.  Then, whenever the dog beds get a little stinky, I mist them and that generally keeps for a few days.  (This can also work with other stinky fabrics...but do a spot test first!)

4.  Removing tomato stains from plastic:  while this didn't remove ALL traces, it certainly removed a lot, so I'm sharing.  Put a little dish detergent in the dish and spread it around well (I just used my hands), then use an ice cube and rub it around the entire dish, like you are cleaning the dish with the ice cube.  Lastly, put white vinegar on a rag/paper towel and wipe around the dish.  Rinse well.  

5.  Scrubbing the bathroom:  I mixed 1 part white vinegar with equal part baking soda (remember high school science - this will foam!  get a big bowl!), then dropped in a few drops of dish detergent.  Scrubbed the grout in the tile, the mildew off the shower curtain, soap scum in the tub, the toilet (inside and out;  I let the mixture sit in the toilet for a while and soak, too)  and the countertops.  You might need to wipe down areas with a wet cloth, after to 'rinse' them.  (Bonus:  usually after a good bathroom scrubbing, my husband comes home and wrinkles up his nose to the smell...NOT this time! Yay!)

More coming....what have YOU tried?


  

Tom Turkey Toddler Craft (recycled materials)

The best ideas sometimes come from nothing.  Like the empty toilet paper roll my son refused to stop playing with...so I decided to turn it into a craft.  Made things up as I went, but it turned out adorable, so I thought I'd post it!

Finished Product

Basic structure supplies

1.  Collect supplies:  an empty toilet paper roll, a paper plate (cut off just below half way), cardboard corners for feet and beak (I used the 'protective corners' off a picture frame I had just purchased - worked perfectly!), paint (brown, red, orange, yellow), a red puff ball and few pieces of red yarn, a brown puff ball for the top of the head, google eyes and feathers (if you happen to have them on hand).

Painting the Body Brown.

2.  Paint.  The toilet paper roll turns brown, the feet and beak orange.  Do one color at a time!  

Painting the feather fan (paper plate)

3.  Paint the paper plate.  We used 3 colors, working from dark to light:  red then orange then yellow.  We let each coat dry in between (play time!!).

Modge Podge 

4.  After all paint has dried.  Apply modge podge to all (this is a step for Mommy or Daddy - probably not your toddler...!).  I used glossy but you could use whatever you have on hand.  Let this dry over night.

Assemble

5.  Assemble as shown.  I used a pipe cleaner to attach the body to the feathers, as well as tacky glue.  Once all the glue has tried, glue feathers on the back (not the front - don't want to cover up all that awesome painting!  My little guy had a ton of fun with the glue and feathers.  Made a huge mess, but had a ton of fun.  Ha!

Waddle 1

Waddle 2

6.  To make the waddle, I just put some glue on a small red puff ball and wrapped 3 pieces of red yarn around it.  I used a forth piece of red yarn to tie around the others keeping them tight around the ball.  Once the glue dried, I glued it up under the beak and tucked the ends up underneath.  

7.  Lastly - once all glue is dried.  Pop on those google eyes and - you're done!  Tom Turkey is ready to grace your Thanksgiving Table.  Happy Turkey Day!

Finished Product - Happy Thanksgiving!!

Ideas for filling Advent Calendars

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a holiday junkie.  And now that I finally  have a little one to share it with, I'm oozing Christmas spirit -- already.  

Well, about a year ago I started making Aaron an advent calendar with small pockets for every day leading up to Christmas.  It took me a full year to finish it (well, I took a few months off when moving cross country), but it's finally done and I have turned my mind to figuring out how to fill those pockets before December 1.  There are some obvious things, but I also like the idea of doing and giving rather than just receiving, so I wanted more than just candy and cheap gifts that will break in 10 minutes (or less).  So, I've dug around online and found lots of good ideas so I compiled them, along with my own thoughts and here's a list of ideas.  There are, of course, tons of other things that could be done.  These are just a few of my favorites to get your imaginations going.  Obviously some of them are for older kids, but it's still fun to think ahead.  Have fun!  (And if YOU have any other ideas, please add comments!  This is a list that can keep growing!)

THINGS TO DO (put a slip of paper or a hint in the calendar)

• Go shopping and have the child choose something the like to purchase and to give to charity.
• Make holiday cards to give to nursing homes or children’s wards of hospitals or send to soldiers abroad or veterans.
• Have child help to collect gently used toys and clothes to give to charity.
• Make/give out secret gifts to neighbors.  Don’t put a tag on it - just leave it on the doorstep.
• Watch a Holiday Video and follow up with an activity or craft/coloring page.
• Make homemade cookies and decorate.
• Make homemade ornaments for your tree and to give out to others (or both).
• Go to a local holiday light display.
• Attend a special event (The Nutcracker, a puppet show, etc)
• Visit Santa (see if you can find somewhere besides a mall to avoid the ‘gimme gimmes).
• Study how other cultures celebrate Christmas (or different time periods).
• Wrap Christmas Presents for other family members.
• Have a candlelit dinner where everyone helps cook. Special treat like sparkling cider.
• Have hot cocoa for breakfast!
• Put together a package of treats for soldiers overseas.
• Make a gingerbread house.
• Write a letter to Santa and send it.
• Coloring sheets (make your own??)
•  ‘coupons’ for other things (a trip ice skating, an amusement park, etc.)
•   indoor picnic by the Christmas tree
•  drive around town and look at Christmas lights
• make pinecone bird feeder
•   make a bookmark and read a book (matching)
•  a silly holiday joke!
• Ask a question which they have to think about during the day and answer at the end, with reasons why (dinner is a good time to answer these, especially with multiple kids).  Suggestions:  What is your favorite ornament on our tree and why?  What are 3 things you like best about your brother/sister?  Make up a story that you think feels like a new ‘holiday’ story.
• Put in a miscellaneous item and they have to make up a holiday-story based on that item.
• ‘badges’ that they are to award to other people throughout the day/week
• Sing Christmas Carols
• Give a holiday joke and see if they can come up with an answer.  Or give several!
• title of a Christmas book to read (new or a favorite from years past)
•  Do a craft: A quick Google Search will bring up hundreds of ideas, or check out Oriental Trading (catalog or online) – they have cheap crafts which you can also easily re-create for yourself – have fun and be creative!   A few ideas:  paper chain, paper snowflakes to cover a wall or window, a bookmark for favorite holiday book, a bird feeder, make your own wrapping paper, make hand-print mittens every year to show how child has grown…..  There are so many possibilities here, it’s endless. 

GIFTS TO GIVE (small gifts just for fun):

•       Chrismas Socks
•       Candy, of course
•       Cookie Cutter
•       Cards for games (old maid, go fish, etc)
•       Erasers 
•       Action figures/small dolls/finger puppets
•       Matchbox cars 
•       Jewelry / small lip gloss or other cosmetic
•       Art supplies (crayons, play dough, chalk)
•       Stickers  
•       Bath toys or bath crayons
•       An ornament for their own tree
•       Erasers, fake tattoos, etc
•       Hit the $1 aisle at Target or Michaels or the Dollar store
•      A ‘note’ from an elf or Mrs. Claus
•       Coupons (they can cash in for something – a movie, or something special, some other time during the year – maybe include a ‘price cap’ though.)

LONG TERM IDEAS (mostly for older kids): 

• a treasure map with clues to a big gift at the end of the week/month
• parts of a big craft (pieces of a gingerbread house, legos for a big lego set, etc), 
• lego word game (glue a word to each lego and give in order, so they can figure out the sentence – which leads to a big prize)
• Learn how a different culture celebrates the Winter Holiday.  Pick a new culture every day or every other day.  Read stories, make a craft and eat ‘traditional’ food.

DATE SPECIFIC CELEBRATIONS There are many more, including some really strange ones (look online) - I'm just listing a few.  These dates could lend to learning AND fun - read books or do crafts or project which relate to that specific celebration and maybe even cook a meal which relates.  

• DECEMBER 4:  NATIONAL COOKIE DAY.  That one's a no-brainer.
• DECEMBER 5:  INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY
• DECEMBER 6 – ST. NICHOLAS DAY: Read about the celebration beforehand (there are several, including The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving), then bring the story to life by filling some (paper) wooden shoes with small goodies and handing them out to friends.
• DECEMBER 8:  BODHI DAY (The day Buddha experienced enlightenment)
• DECEMBER 9:  WORLDWIDE CANDLE LIGHTING DAY:  This day celebrates children (or others) who have passed by lighting a candle.  A great time for a candle=lit dinner, talking about those who have passed and perhaps telling fun/happy stories about the departed.
• DECEMBER HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
• DECEMBER 13:  SAINT LUCIA DAY (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
• DECEMBER 16:  NATIONAL CHOCOLATE COVERED ANYTHING DAY.  Another no-brainer.
• DECEMBER 20-22:  YULE / WINTER SOLSTICE.  The Shortest Day:  Celebrating the Winter Solstice)
• VARIES:  HANUKKAH  (2012:  Dec 8-16, 2013:  Nov. 27 – Dec. 5, 2014:  Dec 16-24).  Book:  8 Winter Nights:  A Family Hanukkah Book
• DECEMBER 24: Make a list of love and appreciation. Sit down as a family tonight and spend some time talking about what you love and appreciate about every person. Be sure to have someone take notes, then give the notes to each family member – they could provide just the pick-me-up someone needs on a bad day.  Good idea for Christmas Eve – then the lists can be read Christmas morning.
• KWANZA STARTS DEC. 26 but could be introduced earlier.  Book:  Kwanzaa for Young People and Everyone Else
• BOXING DAY IS DEC. 26 (Australian, English, Irish, Canadian) - traditionally a day when servants (etc) would receive boxes of gifts from their superiors.

EMERGENCY CARD FOR BABY / TODDLER

As Hurricane Sandy bore down on us last week, I became worried about what would happen should we have to evacuate our home...and...more-so...what would happen if I was separated from my child!??!?  The news/emergency reports kept saying things like "ensure your child knows your phone numbers and names/phone numbers of out of town contacts."  But my son is not even 2 yet and he can't tell anyone any of those things - if someone found him, or I was unable to speak, how would he get to family?  

So I made him an emergency card and printed it out.  I created it like the template shown in the image and printed it, then folded it in half (so it was credit card sized) and used clear packing tape (in the absence of a laminator) to seal it.  

Then, I put one copy in the glove box of my car, one copy in my wallet and another one I attached to a mesh belt which would fit around my son's waist, should we have to evacuate.  (the belt I made using strapping like used on a backpack and a latch like you find on high chair straps - so it's flexible but he can't get it off himself).  

Luckily, I didn't need this.  But I'm glad I made them, and still have them ready, just in case.  

You can call me paranoid.  But I slept better that night.   

ps:  I went ahead and made identical ones for my husband and myself too. Why not?  

Rubber Mulch Box

Maybe it's just because I have a boy, but my child LOVES playing in dirt and sand and, and, and....

So, as winter approaches we wondered what to do with his sandbox!  We have plenty of room in our basement, but we didn't want to use sand (too hard to clean up inside), didn't want to use rice as we had before (because the basement is a bit damp at times, so rice could get really gross!).  So after having an empty sandbox sitting in the basement for 2 months, my husband came up with the idea of getting a few bags of that rubber mulch (like wood chips but rubber)!  It's splendid!!  We went thru it to find any bad pieces or long strings, but 2 bags filled our sandbox and our L.O. is having an absolute blast.  

Mommy might even get a few books read this winter!  Hooray!

Perfect Homemade Play Dough

Perfect Homemade Play Dough


Why buy expensive (and STINKY) "Play Doh" when you can easily and quickly make your own. I have tried a number of recipes over the last year and this one is, hands-down, the best. It has the texture of the store bought stuff, but without the smell. And best of all, it's all made from eatable ingredients, so if your LO is at all like mine, when he/she puts it in his/her mouth, it won't be dangerous. It won't taste good, that's for sure (Aaron says it's "gucky") but it won't hurt them!

The whole process takes about 10 minutes (depends somewhat on how many colors you want to mix).

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour (white)
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt 
1 tbsp cream of tarter 
2 tbsp. veggie oil 
food dye - your choice of colors


TO MAKE:
~Pour all ingredients into a pan and turn on stove to medium to medium-high heat. 
~Stir constantly over medium heat until a dough ball forms by pulling away from the sides of the pan. 
~Remove from pan and let cool a few minutes. 
~Knead dough for a few minutes until smooth. 
~Add drops of food coloring and knead to blend (this can get messy so make sure you do it on a non-porous surface in case the dye goes flying). Start with a few drops and add until you get your desired color.
~Store in sealed plastic container. Should last for at least 3 months. 
~This recipe usually comes out to 4 fist-sized balls.

The SWITCH WITCH!

Switch Witch for (unwanted) Halloween Candy

A friend just turned me on to the idea of a SWITCH WITCH at Halloween (I was complaining about not wanting my LO to get all that candy).   

The SWITCH WITCH (I think she's related to the Toothfaerie), if you haven't heard of her, comes after Halloween and visits kids rooms and takes their trick or treat candy (they leave it for her, outside their bedroom door, naturally).  And in the place of the candy, she leaves a treat - a book or a toy or something fun.  

Obviously, this isn't for kids who already know the Halloween-Candy-Connection, but for one like mine who hasn't experienced the candy, it sounds great!  

And THEN I'll give the candy back, through Operation Gratitude, to go into care packages for US Military Abroad.

Problem.  Solved.

Aah....back to working on the costume.


http://www.operationgratitude.com/