Cleaning Tip: Oven


To clean up spills in your oven, sprinkle the spills immediately with salt. When the oven has cooled, brush away the burnt-on food with a damp sponge.






Easy Pound Cake Recipe

This was easy and so so YUMMY!


Grandmother's Pound Cake II
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
Servings: 30

"This recipe is over 100 years old and is the original kind of pound cake: it contains 1 pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour and contains no salt, baking powder or flavoring (but flavoring such as vanilla extract or almond extract can be added if desired!)"
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups butter
3 cups white sugar
6 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 8x4 inch loaf pans, then line with parchment paper.
2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.
3.Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. After removing them from the oven, immediately loosen cake edges with a knife. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans. Strip off the parchment paper and cool completely on wire racks.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 Allrecipes.comPrinted from Allrecipes.com 5/17/2012

Beauty Tip



1. At Home Manicure - Mix one cup of warm water and the juice of one-half lemon. Soak your fingertips for five minutes. Rinse and pat dry, pushing back cuticles. Rub lemon peel against your nails, back and forth vigorously. Finish by buffing with a soft cloth.

2. Your nail polish will always be smooth and easy to apply it you store it in the refrigerator. Frosted nail polish will not separate. However, if it has hardened or is gummy, place the bottle in a pan of boiling water. The polish will be like new.

Easy, Quick Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken


Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Servings: 4

"A creamy honey mustard basting sauce gets added zip from steak sauce."
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon steak sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves
DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat the grill for medium heat.
2.In a shallow bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and steak sauce. Set aside a small amount of the honey mustard sauce for basting, and dip the chicken into the remaining sauce to coat.
3.Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken over indirect heat for 18 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until juices run clear. Baste occasionally with the reserved sauce during the last 10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning!
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 Allrecipes.comPrinted from Allrecipes.com 5/17/2012


This is one of my go-to sites when I need a good recipe that I usually can count on.
http://allrecipes.com

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

I Love this book and highly recommend it for Preschool through even First Grade. It is fun to read with the rhythmic and repetitive phrases which are enjoyable and easy for children to pick up and help you read along. Below is a link to the Book put to music and animated pictures.

I also found a great website if you are looking to do this book in your classroom or even at home. Hubbard's Cupboard is a great website and I highly recommend it. She just inspires me. I also have a link to her site along the right side of the blog.


Her websites goal:
Hubbard's Cupboard is a website designed to be a resource for early childhood educators and parents.

But her most important thought that I 
wholeheartedly agree with is:
"If you find ideas and information that is useful for you and your children, please give all the praise, glory, and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank Him for the time, resources, and desire for making this website possible."
http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/chicka_chicka_boom_boom.html


Chicka Chicka Boom Boom 

By Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault
Illustrated By Lois Ehlert


About the book:
In this bright and lively rhyme, the letters of the alphabet race each other to the top of the coconut tree. When X, Y and Z finally scramble up the trunk, however, the weight is too much, and down they all tumble in a colorful chaotic heap: "Chicka Chicka . . . BOOM! BOOM!" All the family members race to help, as one by one the letters recover in amusingly battered fashion. Poor stubbed toe E has a swollen appendage, while F sports a jaunty Band-Aid and P is indeed black-eyed. As the tropic sun goes down and a radiant full moon appears, indomitable A leaps out of bed, double-daring his colleagues to another treetop race. This nonsense verse delights with its deceptively simple narrative and with the repetition of such catchy phrases as "skit skat skoodle doot." Ehlert's bold color scheme, complete with hot pink and orange borders, matches the crazy mood perfectly. Children will revel in seeing the familiar alphabet transported into this madcap adventure. Ages 2-6. 
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Courtesy of Publishers Weekly.



Thought this was cute.

alana_hodgson's photostream


Cleaning Tip


To disinfect smelly sponges, wash sponge thoroughly, then microwave it while it is wet, for a short period. When you see steam from the sponge, the bacteria in the sponge will be dead. Remove carefully, it will be hot! Wash the sponge thoroughly before use. **Make sure the sponge has no metal components!**

Mother's Love


Being a Mother is one of the most rewarding and, at times, thankless jobs, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I adore my children and am humbled daily at what a precious gift from God each of them are to me. I have had amazing examples in my life of wonderful mothers including my own.  My Mother's greatest gift to me was knowing that she will always love me and teach me that our Lord Jesus will always love me.

If I can express that to my children...that I will always love them, and then pass on that God will always love them no matter what... would be a great accomplishment in my life.  A Mother's love is like no other and I'm thankful each day that God has given me the privilege to be a Mother. May this weekend be filled with joy, love and remembering your Mother, grandmother or those who have influenced you and have blessed you in many ways. 


Mother's Love
There is no love, like a mother's love,
no stronger bond on earth...
like the precious bond that comes from God,
to a mother, when she gives birth.

A mother's love is forever strong,
never changing for all time...
and when her children need her most,
a mother's love will shine.

God bless these special mothers,
God bless them every one...
for all the tears and heartache,
and for the special work they've done.

When her days on earth are over,
a mother's love lives on...
through many generations,
with God's blessings on each one.

Be thankful for our mothers,
for they love with a higher love...
from the power God has given,
and the strength from up above.
- Anonymous

Take time this weekend to say how much you care to those special women in your life and remember those who are no longer with you!








See what the 1000 Moms Project is all about here:

1000 Moms Project

Teacher Appreciation Part 2

These were my Teacher Appreciation gifts this year. I had the privilege to help find gifts to give to the entire staff as well as personal gifts for my daughters teachers. I found ideas online and on Pinterest and tweaked it to work for the gifts I purchased.


Teacher Appreciation week: May 7- 11, 2012


First:
I found reusable coffee cups and attached a note that said: "Thanks a Latte for all you do!"
The Teacher printout I purchased from Urban Bliss:


Second: 
I Found a really cute Lunch tote at Marshalls and filled it with Energy bars, trail mix, granola bars, a drink and of course a little chocolate. I attached the tag that said: "Thanks for putting so much "Energy"  into _____ Year!" The company Thirty-One has really great lunch totes so if you plan ahead for next year you could order it from them and then get the teachers initials embroidered on the front to personalize the gift.


Third:
I purchased at my favorite store Michael’s notepads and pencils that coordinate. I found these items in the bins by the registers  that have all the dollar items or now $1.50(They may be located in different ares at each store). In the past I have also bought a bunch of notepads, notecards, pencils, pens that all coordinate and put them together as a bundle for a gift.
I attached a note that said: "Take NOTE we think you're awesome!"




These are just some ideas. I always enjoy creating something fun to enjoy and show grattitude. Happy Creating!!