Crafting

Quick Compost and Container Garden for Earth Day

reused coffee can for plants

Quick Compost Container Gardening:   Today is Earth Day a great day to get outdoors and celebrate the glory of earth.  I decided to plant some seeds so I can have  a bountiful summer.  With my dogs a low garden is not my first choice because everything get trampled.  This year I am returning to my Raised beds.  Which have strawberries and lettuce in them since the like shallow soil.  Plus I am planting Roma tomatoes in containers and squash in my front yard.

The tomatoes I am starting from seed. I wanted to reuse and recycle some containers.

  • I  did a quick blend of organic material to add to my soil  I bended apple core, egg shells, banana peel, coffee grounds, and coffee for the liquid- in my Nutria bullet.  Then added the mixture to my soil.

quick compost

 

  • It looks like this after blending.. like a disgusting dirt organic smoothie

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  • I am recycling an old coffee can.   I painted it a bright color, using a screw driver and hammer  knock some drainage holes.

reused coffee can for plants

  • Painted the can  leaving the lid on top not wanting the paint to touch the soil

 

reused coffee can for plants

  • Filled it with a reused broke butter dish for allow the excess water to drain.

reused coffee can for plants

  • Planted the seeds.
  • I then I put the remaining seeds into a egg carton to start the germination process to be transfer to containers later.

reused coffee can for plants

Here are some great ideas to use as planting container:

  • old food containers
  • old rubber boots
  • tires
  • old suitcases
  • old pallets
  • old globes from light fixtures
  • wash basins
  • milk jugs

quick compost

Be sure to check out my post on a Raised Pallet Garden

Raised Garden

Cooking, LIfe, Marriage, Parenting

Dinner Rules & Menu Planing

Dinner rules

Menu Planning I always try to make dinner a sit down event  in my house.  I might get a little lazy on Saturday but I really like the connect time with my kids.  As my children get older I always have a few rules for dinner:

Dinner Rules:

  • No Phones or text
  • Respect everyone’s time to speak
  • Have a story to share about your day
  • You must ask your parents how was their day and listen
  • Use your napkins not your pants
  • 3 bit rule- you must try everything (one try, taste, and one to decide) Food is not always cooked the same so you still have to try
  • Do not feed the dog from the table during dinner (Unless it is pizza crust and Mom is doing it)
  • No leaning back in your chair
  • Mom (and dad) gets a hug before and after dinner
  • You must eat your vegetables (I don’t care if you say you are a carnivore)
  • You must have 3 bites of meat (I dot care if you say you are a vegetarian-  and you are not you eat Bacon)
  • If you cant say anything nice then don’t say anything at all
  • No bodily function at the table (teen boy)
  • Share and answer the Question “One thing that made you smile today”
  • Everyone cleans their plate and puts in dishwasher
  • Tell the cook how good the food was and thank her for a great meal

 

This week is busy my son is on stage crew for the middle school play and we have to get out the door.

 Meal Planning

Monday: Blue Ribbon Chilli  (this recipe is my undefeated chilli recipe)

Tuesday: Perogies and sauage

Wednesday: Baked Chicken legs  (pinned over 1.7K times)

Thursday: Bake Ravioli (Play Night)

Friday: Easy Fish and Couscous

fish

I am linking up with Organizing Junkie and Motivation Monday Link up

 

 

 

Product Reviews

Protect the Bees with Whole Foods

whole_foods_1_013_0011-15Protect the Bees with Whole Foods  A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to learn about bees and the affect on our food with Whole Foods share the buzz.   I know that you have heard that honey bees are not doing well,  that they are threaten by the environment and pesticides.   Yes they are but do you know that you can help them recover.

Easy ways to help the bees:

  • Think about when you use pesticide on your lawn.   If you have seen bees or butterflies it might because you and your neighbors are using too much pesticide.  Holding off on using these chemical
  • Plant Flowers, mikweed, fruits, and vegetables.
  • Corn that are gmo’s can affect the bees so even if you neighbors garden
  • Healthy soil= healthy food = healthy humans

Without the pollinators in our world many of the foods on our salad would not be available.  Check out this Whole Foods article

I loved learning about the how the pollinators and how they affect our food.   Plus adding the rewards of bees honey to our food is so delicious.

Cheese and honey are amazing. cheese and honey

Whole food offers local honey from bee keepers in your area.  Some people take a teaspoon local honey everyday to help with there pollen allergies.   I am loving this honey right now and my husband is taking the honey to help with his seasonal allergies.

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I have to say one of my favorite things I tried was the Borsari which is $6.00 at my local whole foods.  I love this spice it has pollinators in it, a little lavender, salt, and other spices.  It is strong but a family favorite, I have been using on salads, meats, fish.   I love it on a tomato sandwich.

spices

 

Whole Food is offering many brands that help protect the bees purchase these during april and donation will be made to help protect the bees.

products that protect the bees

Cascadian Farms, Almond Breeze and Almond Butter  have all pledge to helping save the bees.

I also leaned about the Rodale Institute located outside Allentown PA.  that is a farm that is dedicated to creating practical farming practices to make the grown food health and sustainable. to lean more check out the Organic Manifesto.

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There is so much to learn about bees and the affect on the food we eat.

Healthy soil= healthy food = healthy humans

Disclosure: I received a gift bag for attending this event.

 

 

 

Cooking, Product Reviews

V8 Smoothie Recipe

v8 smoothie

V8 Smoothie-  I received the V8 new vegetable juices for a review. These are great drinks  For moms who struggle with getting their kids to eat their healthy, V8® just introduced four new vegetable blend juices: Healthy Greens, Purple Power, Golden Goodness, and Carrot Mango.  When they arrived I knew they would make an easy smoothie.

So I added the frozen banana I always have in my fridge, put in my nutri bullet,  and viola smoothies.  My kids loved. With no cutting up veggies so I handed it to my teen as he left for the bus.

V8 smoothie

The new juices are now available in multi-serve 46 oz ($3.99) and single-serve 12 oz ($1) sizes at major grocery and C-store locations nationwide.

Crafted with real vegetables and fruits, each favor is packed with essential antioxidant vitamins A, C and E and provide a reliable source of daily vegetables. An 8 oz serving contains:
• 1 full serving (1/2 cup) of vegetables*
• An excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A (20% DV), C (100% DV), and E (20% DV)
• 60 calories or less
• No added sugar, preservatives or artificial colors and flavors
*8 fl oz provides 1 serving (1/2 cup) of vegetables. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 2 ½ cups of a variety of vegetables per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.

 

v8

Meal Planning 4/12

Monday: Sweet Potato Chicken Soup

Tuesday: Venison and Broccli

Wednesday: Pizza

Thursday: Scallops stirfry

Friday: Easy Bake Ravioli baked ravioli

I am linking up with Organizing Junkie and Motivation Monday Link up

 

LIfe, Product Reviews

Make money with your cell phone : Groupon Snap app

save snap

Groupon  Snap App Want to Save ! I have to share I signed up for Snap by Groupon which is get paid on what you buy everyday. Review offers before you go into the store.  You shop, then scan your receipt with your cell app & they pay you for items you shopped for.

Plus!  You can use your coupons at the store,  then come home and save more.

.. Does not matter where you shop & does not have to be a specific brand on many of the offers

This week Groupon Snap App offers

1 dozen eggs get $.25 back
any bag of Easter candy $1.00 back
any laundry detergent $1.00 back
any paper towels $1.00 back
any can of soup $1.00 back
any dish soap $1.00 back

They send you a check when you reach $20…  which will not be hard to do.

Click here to learn more

https://snap.groupon.com/app?ref=a204079df82d1605

Disclosure : This link does credit my account it is an offer to member  for sharing

LIfe, Marriage, Product Reviews

Soul Sessions by Carson Cage

Thank you to Soul Sessions for sponsoring this post. Visit Amazon.com to purchase this book.

streaming sunlight

Soul Sessions by Carson Cage  Have you every felt like when you met someone that it was like you knew them forever even though you only just met?  Have you ever felt instantly draw to someone, that in that moment to just knew?  Carson Cage novel Soul Sessions makes you think about these chance meetings.  Are you predestine to meet your soul mate,  have you met these soul mate’s in another life?

soul session by carson cage

In the book Soul Sessions the main character Nick Dalton is feeling lost, and depressed after missing a doomed airplane flight.   Feeling survivors guilt he falls in to depression not really seeing the value in his life.  Nick feels no real connection with anyone. Nick lives a life of making money and having emotionless relationships.

After spending the weekend with college friends, one of his friends recommends he sees a therapist Katrina DuMont.  Nick starts see the therapist and begins to trust in “the process”.  As a team in therapy,  Katrina  and Nick explore a new age therapies of past lives. Katrina has Nick explore his past lives, finding he has had deep connections and felt real love.  Seeing his past lives love through their eyes of a slave and  dock worker Nick learns what he has missed in his own current life as Nick.   That is where the story gets good.

The author Carson Gage has been interested in the mysteries of life and death since the age of seven, when he survived being run over by a speeding car. This experience led him on a journey of discovery for answers to some of life’s biggest questions.soul sessions by Carson Cage

I have to say I had  a hard time at first getting in this book,  my physical surroundings were the problem.  This is not a book you can read why watching your daughters volleyball practice, or in a room with other people.  Because the Soul Sessions has nuances that take time to build the story, you need the quiet place to think and relate to the book.   Once I sat down, snuggled in my bed with a cup of tea and kids quieted down.  I loved it!  It makes you look at your own life and makes you questions those connections of soul mates.  There were times it moved me to tears and the goosebumps down my whole body.   So I would say yes, read it.

This is a book to add to your kindle list.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Product Reviews

The Dovekeepers

disclosuredovekeepers

I was fortune to receive an advance screening copy of “The Dovekeepers” which airs March 31 and April 1 (9:00pm ET/PT) on CBS.  The movie staring Cote de Pablo, Rachel Brosnahan, Kathryn Prescott, Diego Boneta and Sam Neill Star was really worth watching, because it recounts the tale of strong women defying the odds to tell their story was very insightful.

Based on Alice Hoffman’s Bestselling Historical Novel About a Group of Extraordinary Women Whose Lives Intersect In a Fight for Survival at the Siege of Masada in 70 C.E. THE DOVEKEEPERS, a four-hour limited event series from executive producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, will be broadcast Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1, 2015 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

The project stars Cote de Pablo, Rachel Brosnahan and Kathryn Prescott in the title dovekeeper roles, Sam Neill as first-century Jewish scholar and historian Josephus, and Diego Boneta as a star warrior of the Jewish army at Masada. The series is based on Alice Hoffman’s bestselling, critically acclaimed historical novel about a group of extraordinary women whose lives intersect in a fight for survival at the siege of Masada.

Set in ancient Israel, THE DOVEKEEPERS is based on the true events at Masada in 70 C.E. After being forced out of their home in Jerusalem by the Romans, 900 Jews were ensconced in a fortress at Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. Besieged at Masada, the Jews held out for months against the vast Roman armies. The project will recount the events from the perspective of a few extraordinary women who arrive at Masada with unique backstories, but a common bond for survival. Additionally, these women, who work together daily as dovekeepers, are all concealing substantial secrets.

dovekeepers

Hoffman’s novel was published in 2011 by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, earning the New York Times’ bestseller status and widespread critical acclaim, including being hailed by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison as “a major contribution to 21st century literature.”

THE DOVEKEEPERS will be brought to television from executive producers Roma Downey and multiple Emmy Award winner Mark Burnett (SURVIVOR, “The Voice”), the production team behind the Emmy-nominated 10-hour miniseries “The Bible,” which scored big ratings for the History Channel in March 2013, and the feature “Son of God.”

dovekeepersFrank Siracusa, John Weber and Yves Simoneau also serve as executive producers, with Simoneau directing. Ann Peacock adapted the novel for the screen.  THE DOVEKEEPERS is the first project from CBS Entertainment and CBS Television Studios’ Limited Series and Event Programming unit. It is a co-production between CBS Television Studios and LightWorkers Media, a division of United Artists Media Group.

 

Twitter:  @TheDovekeepers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDovekeepers

Instagram:  @dovekeeperscbs

Tun in to the DoveKeepers on CBS

Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1, 2015 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

photo credit:  Courtesy CBS Television Network

Crafting

How to make a iphone neck holder

4 Comments

ipod neck holder

How to make a iphone neck holder : So I like to work hand free while listen or talking on my cell phone.  So a few years back I made a phone case neck holder that allows me to talk or listen to my cell phone hands free.   Decided to share the pattern and how to make one with you.

How to make a Ipod neck holder

  • Strap 2″x30″ fabric A cut 1
  • Body 5″x10″ Fabric A  cut 1 and Fabric B cut 2
  • Closure 2″x 5″ Fabric B cut 1
  • 1 ” Velcro

Print out of cut parts at bottom of post

  1. Cut piecesiphone neck holder
  2. Take closure strap, fold long ways and sew as showniphone neck holder iphone neck holder
  3. Turn and press
  4. Take strap, fold, sew and turn if you attach a ribbon to one end , sew inside tube and pull makes turning a small strap much easier, cut ribbon off once the strapped was turned. iphone neck holderiphone neck holder
  5. Press strap, set to side
  6. Take body placing wrong side together, place in closure strap at short end sandwiched between the layers.iphone neck holder
  7. Sew around the edged leaving and opening to turn the bodyipod_neck_holder_1_013_0011-11
  8. Clip corners, turn body and press
  9. Add Velcro on strap and body so they match upiphone neck holder
  10. Fold and place neck strap at an angle between the body layers and sewiphone neck holder

The Neck holder is great for hands free talking on the phone ass Headphones and do dishes while you listen to your music.

ipod_neck_holder_1_013_0011-3-3ipod neck holderipod neck holder

ipod holder

Enjoy

 

Cooking

Easy Mushroom Onion Soup

1 Comment

easy mushroom onion soup

Welcome spring.. it is still cold. So I am still making soup. My Easy Mushroom soup is so simple and so yummy your family will love it.  Even my son who loves the flavor of onions but not a fan of slimey onions is a fan of this soup. By  adding the mushrooms it adds an earthiness and filling to the soup.  Mushrooms cholesterol free are a great source of vitamin B and help to reduce cancer so eat up. Mushrooms are also a vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antibiotics and antioxidants. Here is an article more about mushrooms benefits .

Easy Mushroom Onion Soup

  • 6 onions
  • 4 lb of mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 10 cups of water
  • 1 32oz of veggie or beef stock
  • 2 tablespoon of  concentrate beef or vegetable

 

  1. Slice onions thin
  2. In a large stock pot salute onions with butter salt and pepper, when translucent add mushrooms
  3. When mushrooms are golden add stock and water
  4. Add beef concentrate
  5. Add salt and pepper
  6. Cook till broth becomes flavorful  30min to an hour.. the longer the cook the better

Try eating with fresh soft Pretzels  and Cheese (provolone or swiss)

Great to freeze for later use.

easy mushroom onion soup

Menu Planning:

Monday : Perogies and Kielbasa

Tuesday: Dinner Out

Wednesday : Chicken Fingers

Thursday: Mushroom Onion soup

Friday : Pizza

Have a great Week

Linking up to Organizing Junkie and Motivation Monday

 

Philadelphia, Product Reviews

Annie in Philadelphia

disclousure statementAnnie

Annie in Philadelphia: When I was  8years old  the musical Annie premiered on Broadway. My parents got me the record of Andrea McCardel belting out lungs tomorrow tomorrow I love ya tomorrow.   My friend and I would sing it is a hard knock life over and over again.  My sister would sing maybe far away … Then the day came My grandmother took my mom, sister, and me to see the live performance.  It was magical the the girl, the set, the dog.  I drank in every second, it sparked a true love of musical theater in me that continues to this day.

Annie is a musical that transcends time little girls and boys love the songs.

annie

This  past week we were fortunate to attend an Annie preview event for the up coming Annie Broadway’s  show that is coming to Philadelphia March 17-22, 2015.  It is the classic version with all the song and red dress. Everything that you would loved and want to share with your children.

Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin, this production of ANNIE will be a brand new incarnation of the iconic original. Featuring book and score by Tony AwardR-winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, ANNIE includes such unforgettable songs as “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” and “I Don’t Need Anything But You,” plus the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”

Check out the tickets and show times here

Save 50% on select tickets to ANNIE with promo code SANDY *

https://tickets.kimmelcenter.org/APO/apo.aspx?apo_no=SANDY

* Discount available on select Family Circle and Amphitheatre seats for the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening performances of ANNIE. Offer not valid on previously purchased tickets and may not be combined with any other offer. ALL SALES FINAL. No exchanges or refunds. Offer may be revoked without notice. Limit 8 tickets per person. Additional fees will apply.

annie Annie_1_013_0011-9

See you at the show