Toddler Tidal Wave

The other morning Matt planned to start work 1/2 hour later than usual so I had decided to sleep in and was pretty excited!  It was a nice thought, but at 6 am (the usual time I get up) I heard "Mama! Mama! MAMA!!!" coming through the baby monitor.  So much for my sleeping in!  I got up, went to get Carson where he presently tells me "I pooped."  Yeah, I could tell :)  I ended up having to give him a bath as well, his second bath in less than 12 hours.

Don't let his charming smile fool you! :)

I got in the shower and that is when the Tidal Wave hit.  Apparently Carson can now open doors and can be very ornery.  I would have sworn that Carson had wheels on his feet!  He was a whirlwind of destruction.  During my 7 minute shower he successfully:

- Poured the dog's completely full water bowl all over the floor
- Managed to find my glasses and seriously bend the frames
- Rearranged the picture/candles in the bathroom
- Put his V-smile computer into the kitchen sink (sink had some water in it)
- Put a football in the kitchen sink
- Get something all over his pants requiring a change of clothes

When I got out of the shower I caught him in the midst of putting my pretty berries down the drain.  I wasn't too pleased about the prospect of a berry clogged sink and little did I know of all the other surprises the Carson Tidal Wave had for me!  I guess it just goes to show why I always like to be in and out of the shower before Matt leaves the house! 

Hope you have had a good weekend and that no Tidal Waves crash your place :)

Dryer Ball

Some of you may be looking at this and wondering exactly what I have pictured and others probably recognize that they are dryer balls right off.  Dryer balls are cool little balls that you toss in the dryer with your clothes instead of a dryer sheet.  Dryer balls are used over and over usually for 6 months or more.  The #1 reason I use dryer balls is because they decrease the drying time of your clothes and save on your energy bill.  Dryer balls are also a natural method of fabric softening, fluffing and reducing static cling on your clothes so you don't need to use a dryer sheet.  I think you would notice the biggest difference if you were going from no dryer sheet to using a dryer ball, but if you are currently using dryer sheets the difference will be very minimal or perhaps slightly less.  Depending on what I am drying I will still use a dryer sheet especially in the winter.  For me I find that a single dryer ball alone is not enough to reduce static in the dry winter months.  Dryer balls have no added scents or chemicals, fabulous if you have sensitive skin.

The blue plastic dryer ball was my first dryer ball purchase, I got it mega cheap, in a two-pack for a buck at my local dollar store.  I like these because they are so inexpensive and work.  The things I don't like as well is that the plastic balls are hard and make 'clunk' sounds as they hit the sides of the dryer. 

The second dryer ball I purchased was the 100% felted wool dryer ball I found at B Lime, a local green store.  I like the wool dryer ball the best because it is soft and will not bonk into the sides of the dryer as the dryer turns like the plastic balls do.  It is also a completely renewable, a locally made product, sold at a local store which I think is cool.  Over time the wool dryer ball develops little pills on the balls similar to a sweater but the effectiveness is unchanged.  This product was more expensive, $9.00 for one, but still way cheaper than 6 months worth of dryer sheets!  B Lime does have an online store if you are interested ;)

If you are looking for a way to decrease your energy bill try these out! 

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Matt and I are big hot sauce fans.  The more the better for us and this soup is dead on for a hot sauce fan!  Nearly a full cup of Frank's hot sauce to this soup making it Buffalo Chicken heaven  :)  I originally saw this over at What's Megan Making.  Megan admitted that she wasn't a hot sauce fan and had toned down the amount of hot sauce in hers, so I headed to where she had the original recipe from to make sure Matt and I got the full effect :)  I added potato and omitted the celery but that's just our personal preferences.  My only disappointment with this soup was that I couldn't taste the Velveeta, of course with that much hot sauce what did I expect? :)

Buffalo Chicken Soup  Source: What's Megan Making & All Recipes

Ingredients:

4 bunches green onion, chopped

6 stalks celery, chopped (I omitted)

1/2 C  butter

1/2 C flour

1 1/2 C milk

1 1/2 C chicken broth

4 C chicken, cooked and diced

2 1/2 C potato, cooked and cubed (not in original recipe)

3/4-1 C hot sauce

8 oz. Velveeta

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:

1. In a soup pot, saute onions and celery in butter until tender.

2. Stir in flour, mixing until smooth.

3. Slowly add milk and chicken broth.

4. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally until the cheese has melted and soup is hot.

Linked to: Countdown to 2011- Soups at Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

I love chocolate, Lincoln loves chocolate, Matt loves chocolate and Carson well, he really doesn't care about chocolate at all.  He shies away from brownies and refuses any and all chocolate ice cream.  He will however eat M & M's and Reese's.  I was in the mood for peanut butter and oatmeal and made these cookies thinking my little man would like them a whole lot.  Boy, was I right! 

It is not often I make a dessert without throwing in some chocolate chips and to be honest I was very tempted to do that here but I am glad I didn't.  If you have a non-chocolate fan in your family they will love these.  I used a Monster cookie dough recipe, omitted all the chocolate chips and added a single Reese's in the center.  The cookies have a nice chewy texture.  The addition of a Reese's in the center is enough to keep your chocolate lovers satisfied.

Reese's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies  Source: Mennonite Kitchen Delights

Ingredients:


1/2 C butter
1 1/4 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 C peanut butter
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 C oatmeal
2 tsp vanilla
2 bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups


Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a mixer combine butter, sugars and eggs; beat well.
3. Add remaining ingredients except Reese's.
4. Scoop cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and press a Reese's into the center.
5. Bake for 12 minutes.

Italian Beef

I don't know about you, but I LOVE just about anything I can make in my crock pot!  If you have a busy day of Christmas shopping or decorating nothing beats having dinner ready to go when you are.  This Italian Beef  is so yummy and so simple.  A great dish for a large group or party! 

Italian Beef  Source: An 'A' For Effort

Ingredients:

3 lb roast

2 pkgs Italian dressing mix (or 3T of my Homemade Italian Dressing Mix)

2 C water

 Directions:   

1. Place roast in crock pot.

2. Combine Italian dressing mix and water, pour over the roast.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

4. Remove roast and shred using two forks.

5. Return meat to crock pot and combine with the cooking juices.

6. Serve on hoagie buns with mozzarella.

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

I needed Italian Dressing Mix for a recipe this week and because I knew how easy it is to make your spice mixes (check out my  Ranch Dressing Mix) I decided to make it rather than buy a pre-made packet.  I had to purchase celery salt for this recipe, but had all of the other spices in my cabinet already.  I bet you probably will as well :)  Be sure you shake up the container before using this mix because the powders and dried herbs tend to settle and separate.

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix  Source: All Recipes

Ingredients:

1 T garlic salt

1 T onion powder

1 T white sugar

2 T dried oregano

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 T dried parsley

1/4 tsp celery salt

1 tsp lemon pepper salt

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In small air tight container combine all ingredients.

*To make into a dressing: Whisk together 1/4 C white vinegar, 2/3 C oil, 2 T water and 2 T of the dry mix.