Super Healthy Kids Hits Another Home Run!

So, I've blogged before about my love for the Super Healthy Kids site. It continues to impress me. They have ideas that are actually SUPER easy and very simple ways to make your grocery shopping simple and the food you buy healthy for your family. I recently got an email update with the following info. I was already doing most of what was recommended in my shopping, but thought that the resource might be very helpful to some moms just starting out on the healthier meal plan route.
The following came straight from the email sent to me by Super Healthy Kids. I'd recommend you going to their site and taking a look around for other GREAT ideas on feeding your family right.

5 Ways To Eat Less Sugar!

I'm noticing in our house lately the effects on added sugar on my kids, and even myself. When we consume excessive sugar, I can almost always guarantee the next day every one is moody, sluggish, and we are more likely to get sick (particularly with sinus congestion). I've actually been keeping records to document this phenomenon and it has happened almost 100% of the time!
So, I've put together a short list on how you can minimize the effects of sugar for your kids?

1. Be a label checker! Just yesterday, I was turning yogurt containers over at the grocery store. One Greek Yogurt, 6 ounce container contained 20 grams of sugar! The plain Greek yogurt had 7 grams! You could further argue by checking the ingredients, that the extra 13 grams had to come from added sugars, rather than milk sugars.
2. Cook foods yourself. Rather than purchasing storebought muffins or baked goods, bake them yourself. You can always cut the sugar called for in a recipe by half without having much impact on the texture of the outcome. The flavor of course will change, but who needs super sweet? I can tell when I may have gone a little far on cutting back on the sugar when my kids eat what I've made and say, "This tastes like nothing!". ha ha. Funny thing though, they still eat it!
3. Keep Low Sugar Snacks Accessible. Rather than 'fruit snacks' or even Graham crackers, keep carrots and cheese, hard boiled eggs, or nuts and seeds. When we eat foods that are not sweet, somehow we are more satisfied. The sweeter our snacks, the more we want to eat!
4. Never, Never, Never buy cereal that is over 6 grams of sugar per serving! Your kids don't need it! Especially when you can find cereal that contains 1 or 2 grams of sugar, then you can add berries or bananas to it.
5. Prevent the biggest source of added sugar of all by not even bringing them into your house: sugar sweetened drinks. Make your own juice, check for 100% juice, or implement a water only policy at home!

There is never a need for added sugar in a child's diet. Make sure all their sugars are coming from natural fruit sources and you will notice a difference in your kids health and behavior!
I will say this. The moment I started doing this in my home all the kids(at the time it was just the two oldest girls) started staying healthier! When we start to slip up or it's birthday season and they've had more sugar I can start to tell it's time to look at their diet. Such a simple way to improve the overall health of your family!!

Also, I KNOW you mommas with Littles will LOVE this section on ideas for a simple healthy snack time.

Friday Ideas

So, I thought I'd include a few ideas that I use in our house from time to time. Take em or leave em.=)

1. Set the table for breakfast before you go to bed. This will save time the next morning and give you a little smile when you walk into the kitchen still sleepy and out of it the next morning.
2. Put clothes in the closet in color order. We use ROY G BIV Pink, white, brown, black. When I put the clothes in it takes a little more time, but in the long run it saves so much time when looking for something to wear. It's a big hit for my color blind husband that needs help picking out clothes for the girls. It ALSO helps Olivia pick out things that are at least the same color. We let her pick out most of her own clothes...=)
3. Always have everyone grab everything they've brought INTO the car when they get OUT. This keeps your car looking nice and clean all the time.
4. When cleaning your house always go in the same order. For instance work in clockwise direction beginning in the same room each time. This will help things run smoothly and quickly.
5. When cleaning a room always work from top to bottom.
6. When cleaning a room make piles that need to go into other rooms, but don't take them until the room is finished. This will save LOTS of time and keep you from getting side-tracked.
7. Spray air freshener before your husband comes home from work. He'll think you've been cleaning all day!=)
8. Always make your bed before you leave your bedroom in the morning. You'll be so glad you did. I promise.
9. Pick a day to run errands and make notes throughout the week so that you have a plan on errand day. Figure out the best rout and the best time to get things done fastest. Try to stay away from lunch time if possible. There is always so much traffic at that time of the day.
10. Make your own invitations. You can make the cutest things by looking online at ideas then using the computer and a printer to make them. You'll love them and so will other people.=)

Have a good weekend!

Even the Little Things

SO, I have to tell you a story! Actually, I'll just copy and paste the email I recently sent. If you don't know what the Rhea Lana sale is it's a consignment even that happens twice a year where consigners bring their kids stuff to sale. It's a great way to get cute clothes for CHEAP! My mom and I went yesterday to the pre-sale because my great friend Tina Fae gave me an extra pass!! Anyway, I was so excited about my buys I emailed the head boss lady herself, RHEA LANA! HA! Anyway, I'll just let you read it and see the picture below!

Hi! I just wanted to let you know what a blessing the Rhea Lana sale is to my family!

We are expecting our FOURTH child in early February. Our fourth child born in FIVE years! I'm sure you realize what an expense it is outfitting this tribe of Little's. In the past weeks we've been browsing online boutiques for a cute gender neutral baby bedding set for the new baby. After several weeks of looking, I locked in on one set in particular that I really liked. We decided that we needed wait to buy it (even though I was REALLY ready to buy and start setting up the room) because it was an added cost we weren't ready to take on quite yet.
Yesterday, before entering the sale, I prayed that God would allow us to find some good bargains so that I could be the best steward of our money. As I entered the sale I was blown away by the great items for sale and the time that must have gone in to the sale as a whole to make it such a high quality event. After looking through all the specialty stores, we went into the main sale and I went back to the bedding to look around at what was there. I started to cry when to my utter amazement I picked up, in a new package, the EXACT bedding set that only days before I was set on buying full-price at an expensive online boutique. The cost was a fraction of the price I would have paid. I snatched it up and shouted(out loud)PRAISE THE LORD!=) Those around me probably thought I was crazy! After shopping around for a while we faced the long(but worth it) line and I happily paid for my God-send baby bedding! I just wanted to thank you for making this opportunity possible for my family. I'm so thankful to you and your volunteer staff that was happy alongside me yesterday that I'd found such a jewel.
Thanks again!
Leslie Smittle

SO, wanna see it?

If the baby is a boy we are going to use royal blue and kelly green to go along with it. If it's a girl we'll use pink and red accents. I'm so excited about my good buy and seriously, feel so thankful that God gave me such a sweet blessing. He really does care about the little things in life too.

Cast ALL of your cares on Him. He cares for you. It's true.

I'm gearing up for another week of school. We also have a few other things going on. I'll be wrapping up our current book club and getting ready for the new one. There's still time for you to join us if you are interested. We'll be reading through the book "The New Eve" by Robert Lewis. Several of us have heard it's good, so we're going to check it out. Anyway, we meet on Tuesday's at 7. If you'd like to join us send me an email at smittlefamily at yahoo dot com and I'll get you some more information. I've also got to go pick up the pictures we recently had made. I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Please keep Rachel and "Hannah" in your prayers. There are great things happening and I KNOW it's because there are people praying. Thanks so much!!

Smittle Family Meal List

So, I thought since my blog has been so serious this week I'd lighten things up a bit and post my menu list. There are several meals that we've recently added that aren't on here yet, but you'll get the gist of it. If there are any items you'd like to get the recipe for just leave a comment and I'll get it to you.
When I'm making out our monthly menu I simply print this puppy out and highlight the ones that we'll have. Because all the side are already on there I know what all I'll need to buy. I have a monthly grocery list I've made too, but I won't bore you with that one. It does make shopping easier to have that though, because there are several things that I know I'll need to buy each month. ANYWAY, here it is!=) You'll notice we have mostly chicken meals and that's because we eat mostly chicken. I don't eat beef while I'm pregnant because it makes me sick, so that leave us eating mostly chicken, fish, and pork MOST of the time.=)

Chicken Meals
Crispy Herb Baked Chicken, veggie, bread
Easy Parmesan Gralic Chicken, pasta, veggie, bread
Herbed Chicken and potatoes, veggie, bread
Raspberry Chicken, rice, veggie, bread
Chicken Alfredo, veggie, bread
Tender Chicken nuggets, carrots w/ ranch
Onion Chicken, veggie, bread
Italian Chicken, rice, veggie, bread
Skillet Chicken and Parmesan
Chicken Roll-ups, rice, veggies, bread
Chicken Parmesan, spaghetti, veggie, bread
Teriyaki Chicken, rice, veggie, bread
BBQ Chicken, French fries, veggie
Chicken with Chicken rice, veggie, bread
Chicken with Broccoli rice, veggie, bread
Baked Chicken, veggie, bread
Chicken con Queso, tortilla chips, salsa
Loaded Chicken, veggie, bread
Chicken Wraps, veggie
Foil Packet Chicken
Ranch Chicken and Potatoes
Cheesy Chicken Taco Casserole, salsa, cheese dip
Poppy Seed Chicken, rice, veggie
Lemon Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Pork Meals
BBQ Pork loin, French fries, veggie
Italian crusted pork loin, pasta, veggie, bread
lemon pepper pork chops, rice, veggie, bread
Italian crusted pork chops, veggie, bread
Pork chop and potato casserole, veggie, bread
Smothered pork loin, rice, veggie, bread

Beef and Steak Meals
Tatertot casserole, veggie
Spaghetti, meat, veggie, bread
Lasagna rolls, veggie, bread
Hamburgers, fries
Chili, crackers, cheese, and Fritos
Cheeseburger pie
Roast, potatoes, carrots, veggie, bread
steak stir fry, rice, bread
steak, potatoes, veggie, bread
Sis kabobs
Meal-in-one

Other Meals(These meals are fast and EASY)
Mac-N-Cheese
Fish sticks
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Mozzarella Sandwiches and pizza sauce
Hot Ham, Turkey, and Cheese Wrap-up
Pizza Sandwiches and sauce
Tilapia, Rice and veggies W/ Bread
Salmon, rice, and veggies w/ bread
Breakfast
Pizza Kit
Cheese Quesadillas, salsa

Getting ready to start something new

For the past several years I've tried to do some things on the side to make us a little spending money. I consign, sell stuff we aren't using, sell other people's stuff that they don't want, paint, make invitations, take pictures, and the most recent and favorite-organize!
I'm trying to figure out how to really get going on this whole organizing thing. I've always kept an organized house, and recently, people have started asking for help. I LOVE to do THEIR organizing too. SO, I'm thinking this could be a great way to help pay off our debts faster and give me something fun to do other than rearrange my sock drawer for the 100th time.=) The problem is that I'm not sure what my time is worth and I'm not sure how to get started and how to get the word out. For now, I'm telling you.=)
I'm also trying to think of a catchy name for myself. I keep thinking something along the lines of being a girls best friend since I'm going to be doing the dirty work around her house. Something like that. I don't know! Anyway, just getting my thoughts out.

Oh How I love thee, Chick-fil-A

I don't know anything about that guy, so don't hold it against me if you go to his website and he's not good. I just saw this on another site and thought it went well with today's post.

TODAY was Chick-fil-A Cow Appreciation Day!!

FREE FOOD IF YOU DRESS LIKE A COW!!!

So of course I went all out and had my crew dressed fit to kill. Ha! Saying that makes me laugh since we were dressed as cows...anyway!

So here we are.

This is the girls front and back. Taheet!=)

Addison decided to crawl into the picture without her clothes at the last minute! WHOOPS!

My dear sweet husband being a good sport with our lovely heifers.

Me. I was the "black cow" of the family. Ha!

Addison looking SOOO cute! She actually seemed to like her outfit.

We had such a great night. I'm so so thankful to Chick-fil-A for doing something like this so that my family could enjoy a special treat tonight. We LOVE Chick-fil-A!!!

So I've had people asking for my recipe for my laundry detergent. I stole it from the Duggars. It's very simple, but a little more time consuming than I thought it would be. Mostly because I had to use a fork to grate the soap because we didn't have anything else to use.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

• 4 Cups hot tap water
• 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar(We sub Ivory for the soap. Just make sure it isn't scented)
• 1 Cup Washing Soda
• ½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Make sure all the soap is melted completely. You also need to make sure it doesn't start to boil. Just stay with it stirring until all the soap is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-The next morning the soap will be thick and gel-like. Stir out all clumps. Fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with the soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

TIP: You can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.

This is the one that we use. We just leave the 5 gal. bucket out in the garage and use it to fill the containers as needed. You don't have to make it all up at once.

Here is the powder version. I'm not sure that anyone would want this one, but if powder is your thing, here you go!

Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine

• 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
• 1 Cup Washing Soda
• ½ Cup Borax
  

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)

I'm also including these. We use the first one.


Inexpensive Fabric Softener Recipes

Recipe #1

1 Cup White VinegarAdd vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

Recipe #2
1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener4 Inexpensive sponges, cut in half
Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

If you have any questions let me know! Enjoy saving money!!