Julie B Green

Officially in our Tiny House

2015-10-15T06:38:00.000-05:00

Oh goodness does it feel amazing! We have been officially moved in for over 2 weeks. I didn't know I could be so happy. So far the space isn't an issue. Six people in 943 square feet seems a little daunting but it really is so bright and open that it seems bigger. Even though space wise it's working, we still have lots of boxes. Twice a week people raid my trash pile because I set out almost everything I let go unless it has gone to friends or family. I have done really well at letting go and purging, but there is still a lot to do.

We have already gotten used to not having cable. We ditched it and just have internet so we can stream movies and watch Netflix. We are just a couple blocks from the library and have found that we can get almost all of the new releases for free! Sure there is a waiting list but it is well worth it. The little kids have a playmate across the street and spend most days and evenings outside. I love that they are getting good and filthy and playing hard.

I am really looking forward to getting all of the boxes emptied and to pick up a paint brush again. I have lots of little projects to finish before Ellie's birthday next month. It's been nice getting to make memories in our sweet little house now that the move part is over. Life is good!

Pictures to come...I just need to finish painting!

Easy Breakfast To Go: Yogurt Parfaits

2015-08-31T04:00:00.000-05:00

These are easily one of my favorite breakfasts. The combinations are endless and they can be made in a variety of containers to fit your needs. They are perfect in a coffee cup with a lid to go with my husband or in a sweet, pretty cup to savor myself after dropping the kids off at school. I can send them with the kids to school if they are craving a home breakfast but just didn't get ready in time. My oldest will take them on the bus. You can even prep them for a yummy summer or after school snack.

Simply layer your ingredients one at a time until you get to the top and enjoy!

Things we like to add to our yogurt and granola:

Blueberries
Blackberries
Shredded Coconut
Chocolate Chips
Bananas
Peanut Butter Chips
Almonds
Walnuts
Strawberries
Kiwi
Peaches
Dried cranberries
Raisins
Chopped dried apricot

5 Minute DIY Mason Jar Make-up Brush Holder

2015-08-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

I love my makeup brush holder. It even made the cut to move into the new house. The sweet little patterned jelly jars are some leftovers from my mason jar chandelier and I believe at one point I got them to make homemade jelly. I still haven't made homemade jelly or jam or preserves. Someday.

I choose an antique white spray paint that I already had, oh my am I cheap. I sprayed the inside and top first and let it dry. Then I turned it upside down and did 2 good coats. After that was dry I did a little touch up spray on the rim just to be safe. That's it. Took maybe 5 minutes of actual work, my kind of DIY! I ordered some mirror effect spray paint and I can't wait to use it...I just have to finish the whole moving thing.

Downsizing Part 3- It's Crunch Time

2015-08-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Moving is so rough. Moving, school starting and the Expedition breaking down, whoa mama! Now lets add in that we just started school and all of those germs have entered my house rendering my poor overworked husband exhausted with a sore throat. We are officially living in our Tiny House! It is already starting to feel like home. It's just not finished and ready and its a little bit overwhelming.

We have 22 days to wrap up the old house. We still have things to sort and move and let go. I have been really diligent about only moving in things that were absolute yes's. It is helping to be diligent, but it also makes it take longer. Dale has cut everything and started building the bunk beds, but they aren't finished. He could barely move yesterday so hopefully by the end of the week he is feeling better and will wrap them up this weekend. I am about 1/3 of the way done with painting. The priority to finish painting has shifted to finishing moving the yes things and wrapping up the old house.

They say it takes about 3 months to adjust to living in a smaller house. I think by then we will be really settled. The space hasn't been an issue so far, but we haven't brought over any toys yet.

More to come!

This was one of the things the old owners left. It was found in the walls when they were renovating.

Downsizing: Part 2 of who knows how many

2015-08-10T06:18:00.000-05:00

We close today. Today!!!! I am thrilled. I think they were almost at the point of asking for blood samples and my first born. I jumped and jumped and jumped. Dale said it was like having a baby, he did 5% and I did the other 95%. He is so having the next baby.

We rented a storage unit. We have moved our garage and studio shelving in and have started to dismantle furniture. School starts in 10 days. It all feels super chaotic. I'm trying not to freak out.

Since we are only moving in things to the new house that have a purpose and a place, the only thing that is going in the storage unit is family furniture, keepsakes and tools. We don't have a garage at our new house and tools are kind of a big deal to the husband. I don't want to keep anything in storage that doesn't have a reason to be stored either. So it is a double purge. Even the storage unit has purpose.

So that's where we are at. Things should start moving along now. We can start painting and moving things in. Dale is working on the bunk bed plans and I have looked at more paint samples than I can even believe. I can't wait to get in and make it a home and be settled. It is so hot here that really the only thing the kids can do is play inside or swim. It's brutal moving weather but we are dealing. Working in the garage is like being in a sauna. Hopefully it has the same effects.

Big Moves: Downsizing and the choice to move to a Tiny House

2015-07-28T06:29:00.000-05:00

We made a huge choice to downsize from our 2500+ sq ft. house to a 943 sq ft. 1905 bungalow in the heart of our town. I'm sure people think we are crazy going from 5 bedrooms to 2, but honestly I couldn't be more excited. While it is not the tiniest tiny house, for a family of 6 I think it fits the description!

Many discussions and lots of debating over whether or not this was feasible. We talked as husband and wife. We talked with the oldest kids. The numbers are pretty fantastic and financially we will be making a huge gain. We talked over basic financials with the oldest kids. We talked logistics. It was really important to make this decision together. Everyone is on board.

We won't close for another couple of weeks, but we have already started to downsize. It is sometimes really hard and overwhelming. We are planning on having an indoor garage sale once we start to actually move into the new house. Until then my first order of business was to get the scanner hooked up so that I could begin to scan paperwork, art work and anything else that I wanted to keep but not store. If you have already been doing this then you are ahead of the game. I wish I had started this years ago, but here we are. It's been nice to sort things and put them into a scan and keep or scan and toss pile. That way I can knock it out a bit at a time. I am finding that there are less things I want to keep than anticipated.

The next order of business is going through closets and purging. This has actually been pretty fun. We will do another purge before the actual move, but the first one resulted in over 4 big bags to Goodwill. I am currently going through my moms things. It is a strange thing to have the belongings of someones entire life in your possession and rather overwhelming. We have a shop and studio in our backyard and most of my mothers things are in the studio. Sometimes I just break down and cry. It's the hardest part of this, but I am so glad I am able to do it and let go.

I have purged the bathrooms and will be purging the mass amount of kitchen items stored in too much cabinet space. I have 8 glass pie plates and I think 2 or 3 angel food cake pans, I have never even made an angel food cake as an adult, I have simply inherited the pans. I mean really. I also have an insane amount of pyrex and a rice cooker (I still can't make rice in that damn thing), I'm not sure I can get rid of my coffee cups, so I may have to figure out how to make that work.

It is a huge move. I can't wait to get in and show you guys! It's going to be awesome!

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

2015-07-15T05:35:00.000-05:00

Really this should be called Hand Heaven in a Jar. It's my new favorite hand scrub and its a cinch to make. I use it every time I make bread, which lately is every couple of days.

You need:

Epsom Salt 3/4 cup
White Sugar 1/4 cup
Coconut Oil 1/4 cup liquid (just warm it in the microwave)
Zest and juice of one small lemon

Let it sit for a few days before using. The lemon juice breaks down the salt and makes it not as coarse. It smells divine. This makes such a fun little gift for Christmas, birthdays or as a hostess gift.

Why Playing in the Rain is Good for Your Child

2015-07-08T03:01:00.000-05:00

We are getting some much needed summer rain and today I let the kids play in it. That is the nice thing about summer rain, its usually pretty warm outside also. I remember as a child my mother letting me play in the rain and I adored it. There is something about rain that I have always enjoyed and my kids do too.

Why is rain play good for your child? Here is a list of reasons why I let my kids play in the rain.

1. It encourages a different kind of interaction with nature. Watching water run down leaves, create little streams and collect as drops on the plants puts things into a different perspective. We also like to watch the robin that lives at our house and the other birds dig for worms after a good rain.

2. They aren't going to get sick. That's just an old wives tale. The truth is, being indoors more when weather is bad and the close contact with others is what causes people to catch colds. Your immune system isn't weakened by simply getting wet in a warm summer rain, or we wouldn't be able to take showers. After being stuck indoors, the fresh air and running around is good for them.

3. It teaches them to be adventurous. So many times we are trying to stay out of the rain or worried about getting caught in it. Playing in it teaches them spontaneity and adventure. Go ahead and get out there too.

4. It's really fun. It really is fun and they always tell me I'm the best mom ever. If they have been inside all day it is a great release. Jumping in puddles, opening their mouth wide to catch rain drops and finding worms are all great examples of rain joy. Then we have early baths, towel snuggle hugs and sometimes even popcorn, hot chocolate and a movie.

5. It's an opportunity to learn about weather safety. This is especially helpful in tornado alley. We learn about what to do if there is thunder, lightning or high winds and what type of rain is okay to play in. I have also taught them about creek flooding and why we don't play at the creek when it rains. Science guys, it makes me happy.

Do you let your kids play in the rain? What is your favorite thing to let them play with in the rain?

Celebrating Mom

2015-06-24T05:53:00.000-05:00

This year marked two years since my mother passed away. I really wanted to honor her this year, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I actually did really well on the day, but was feeling rather depressed the day after. Dale was on his annual fishing trip so it was just me and the kiddos. Ethan was being a tween and said some stuff that made me take him to his grandparents, Jack stayed too. It ended up being okay. We each grieve in our own ways, which in the moment can be hard to deal with. We had a nice lesson in how to convey things tactfully without making your mom want to knock you out.

So, me and the girls off on an adventure. We headed to Main St. and went to the chocolate shop for treats. The roses had all started to wilt and had petals falling off. Regan could have spent all day gathering up rose petals. Then we headed to a little boutique and got marbles and pretty soap. Mom lived on Main St for a while when she sold her house before she retired. She would take the kids to the chocolate shop for chocolate covered marshmallows and she had quite the marble collection. I keep them in a mason jar in the window sill at the kitchen sink.

We went to the thrift store and looked around. We ended up scoring a brand new, tags on bathing suit for Ellie for $2.50 and a brand new shirt for either one of the girls for another $2.50. Not too shabby. When I was a kid I pretty much lived on thrift store clothes. There was a neat little thrift store on Main St. and it had old creaky floors and we would spend what seemed like forever in there. Everything was super cheap and there were usually some really neat things. Totally different from today's more commercialized stores, but we had fun nonetheless. We went home and picked up one of Mom's baskets and a pair of scissors for each of us. We went down to the creek by our house and picked thistles and wild flowers. Her cottage was decorated in purple and I had thistles in mason jars at her funeral. They really start to bloom around the end of May and early June. Every time I see one I am reminded of her. We took our finds home and made bouquets, carefully!

We went to the grocery store to pick up some groceries and get a treat for after dinner. Strawberry shortcake for the win! Then it was movie and snuggle time. I was so glad I decided to celebrate her with my girls. She would have loved every minute of it. I still struggle with her being gone and I imagine I always will, but being able to celebrate her and even being able to allow myself to still grieve the loss is okay.

First Day of Summer

2015-06-10T06:56:00.000-05:00

Rain, rain and more rain. For the first few days of summer vacation it just rained. So we did what any fun family would do and played in the rain, hung out in pajamas, watched movies (Harry Potter marathon), played video games and built forts. It was awesome. I am so grateful that I get to be home with them this summer. I think they really needed their mom back.

Jack is super serious about pillow forts between the couch and ottoman.

Last Day of School Fun

2015-06-09T06:51:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure who was more excited for school to be over this year, the kids or me. I think maybe me this year. You see, we didn't get into the Pre-K next to our elementary for Jack. We had to drive about 8 miles round trip twice a day. I know, its not much, but we live within walking distance to the elementary. Just a pain. So next year the youngest will all be at one school!! I am so excited for next year.

We celebrated by going out for donuts at a local doughnut place. I love their donuts. We ran into Ellie's teacher which I think kind of made Ellie's morning. She adored her teacher this year. I did too. The doughnut shop has a neat chalk board corner inside and the kids usually get in some coloring time.

I am ready for summertime and they are too. We tried to get a group pic, but gave up in favor of eating the doughnuts. Good choice.

The Cave Tour at Silver Dollar City

2015-05-27T04:00:00.000-05:00

The Cave Tour at Silver Dollar City is hands down one of my favorite things to do at Silver Dollar City. I love the excitement and the accomplishment I feel every time I finish it. Here are some tips to make it fun for your kids and easier on you.

Get in line and then go to the bathroom. I know this seems counter intuitive but it works. Tours leave every thirty minutes. Your goal is to get there 5-10 minutes after a tour leaves (assuming you don't make the first one). You should be able to get in line and then go to the restroom before the next tour starts. This way there is minimal wait time in the line.
It's okay to let them play on your phone while you wait. I would love to say that the scenes that they have filled with history and facts kept my kids entertained, but they didn't. Four and five year olds just don't care about history yet.
Don't refill your drinks before you get in line. In fact, make sure they are empty. You won't be able to take them on the tour and you will be less likely to drink them right before the tour. There aren't any bathrooms in the cave. You also won't be sloshing them around either.
There are a lot of stairs and a lot of walking, this is not the time to wear the cute shoes.
Be at the back of the line. This way you aren't holding it up. It also frees you to take pictures that don't include photo bombers.
Have fun. Enjoy the beauty. Ask them questions along the way.
I save this for the last day. This is the only thing we do in the park. We get in, do they cave tour, refill our cups for the car and get any last minute snack for the car. I promise it will make them tired and they will take a really great nap in the car!

Easy Whole30 Meal in 10 Minutes

2015-05-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Okay so I must confess that I only made it 12 days on my first Whole30. I think I would have done much better if I had been better prepared. I jumped in to do it concurrently with a friend, who read the book and was ready to go. She did fantastic and lost 15 lbs in 30 days. She looked and felt amazing when she was done (I am still so proud of her!!!). I lost 6 lbs in 12 days. I cannot wait to do it again, but I have learned that I need to give myself plenty of prep time and I also need meals that I can make for my whole family. Cooking for just myself and then making a separate meal for them was not working. It made me feel like I was being punished. I am also rather cranky without cream in my coffee and I was having a really hard time making the transition to nights with sub par coffee. Below is my favorite meal that everyone wanted to eat. It was also one of the easiest so I/we ended up eating it quite a few times in 12 days. It's also something I continue to make because even though it is simple, it is very delicious!

Shopping list:
Chicken breasts
Olive Oil
Assorted bell peppers
Onion
Avocado
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the chicken breasts into strips or chunks and add to a heated saute pan on medium with a little bit of olive oil and salt/pepper to taste. While the chicken is cooking cut up peppers and onions and add them to the chicken about 4 minutes in. Continue to let the chicken cook and peppers and onions to get tender. While that is cooking another 3-4 minutes cut up avocados into wedges. There you have it. A delicious, fast dinner that follows the Whole30 guidelines that will fill you up. If you aren't on Whole30, add a piece of bread or a pita to the mix. For the kids I would add some fresh fruit on the side.

I could usually make this meal in less than 10 minutes because I would prep my onions, peppers and chicken breast and have my cutting done ahead of time. That has really been the key to being able to stick to healthy eating in general. When I don't prep I tend to make things that are less healthy. This is a good go to recipe to add to my rotation.

What is your favorite Whole30 recipe?

Homemade Laundry Soap: Tried and True Recipe

2015-05-25T03:11:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that there are tons of recipes now for homemade laundry soap? It can be so overwhelming! I have been making and modifying mine for years now. You used to have to order Fels Naptha online where I live, I've been making mine for that long! My recipe is pretty basic and best of all, it works! I just had someone tell me today how nice I smelled too, bonus!

Ingredients:

2 bars of Fels Naptha (grated)
1 box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
1 box of Borax
1 tub of Oxiclean
1 container of laundry beads (your choice for smell)

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. That's it.

I just recently started adding the laundry beads. I love them. The best part is you don't overuse them, which I would tend to do using them independently. The hardest part is grating the soap and mixing it up, but you only have to do that every 3 or 4 months so the trade off is pretty good. It also gives you a pretty decent triceps workout. Every little bit counts right? It only takes a tablespoon per load, but you can add more if you have something that is especially soiled.

Top 18 Travel Tips for Driving with Kids

2015-05-19T23:43:00.000-05:00

I recently had a friend post on Facebook looking for advice on driving across country with their three kids when they move later this year. I think I could have written a book! Two years ago we traveled from OK to OR and back again in 10 days and the kids were 10,7,4 and 3. Oh my word, it was fun and we survived! So I compiled a list just for you with my travel tips. They don't involve wrapping up small gifts for each hour you are in the car (this mama doesn't have time for that, but I am totally impressed if you do) and I don't bribe for good behavior, you should be good because it's the right thing to do. Kids today are lucky they have all these fun devices to play on!

DVD's. Okay this one is a no brainer right? If you don't have one, ask your friends or family if they have one you could borrow, barter or rent. Did you know that you don't have to pack any of your own DVD's? We used Redbox the whole time! You can download their mobile app and plan your gas/food/breaks for places that have them. Wal-Mart's usually do and while I am not a Wal-Mart shopper on the norm, it will suffice when we are traveling!
A sturdy kid potty. The kind that you use to potty train with. This one is similar to the one I have, but they don't make mine anymore (what? why???). The point is for it to be small and compact without a back, so you can put it in a re-usable shopping bag with wipes, toilet paper, clorox wipes and extra plastic shopping bags. If it doesn't have a back then you can use it too. Middle of nowhere, you better believe I used it! Some of the best stops were in the middle of nowhere doing business in the woods.
Extra clothes in zip lock bags for when there is an accident. If its pee or vomit, you don't want that leaking out of a bag you tie up.
A positive attitude and a sense of adventure. If you are nervous, they will see right through you.
Snacks that your kids normally eat. Some people say to bring lots of candy or treats. The last thing I want in the car is my kid on a sugar high who then gets a tummy ache. No thanks!
Markers if its summer time. Crayons if its winter.
I let them pick new coloring/activities themselves. Sometimes when I pick something for them they aren't as into it as I thought they would be.
Are we there yet? Give them the schedule. Very important for my oldest to know where we are going and when we would get there. You can even download a map app for them to look at or print off your own "map" coloring pages.
Plan rest stops for parks if the weather is nice or Chick-Fil-A for an inside day. A lot of times its more about moving around then it is about eating for the kids. We stopped once outside of Colorado and the sky was so big and blue and beautiful I could have stayed right there forever. Those are the times when memories are made.
Wear comfortable clothes (ones that would be okay to sleep in) and shoes that are easy to get on and off. Regan was a big fan of wearing her pajamas all day. Worked for me. She was happy and it really felt like a vacation I think for her.
Don't try to fit too many miles into one day. I know that I could travel with just me and the hubs and crank out a ton of miles and be fine...the kids just get cranky, which is no fun for anyone.
Try and book hotels with pools. Again, this is just so they have a place to move around. It's often hard to sleep after you've been in the car all day. This really wears them out so they (and you) can get some solid sleep.
Eat dinner in your hotel if you are just beat and not up for social graces. We found a local pizza shop in a small town in Idaho and had a party in our room one late night. It was great pizza, we didn't care if they ate in bed and everyone was happy.
Instead of buying more stuff for them to do in the car you can let them purchase a new game. movie or app for their tablet. They only get paid apps when they get a gift card or something in our house. Let them know ahead of time what their app purchase amount limit is.
Bring an inflatable air mattress for the hotel if you have a bunch of kids. I don't think we have ever checked in as 2 adults and 4 kids. Mainly because they will tell us that we need two rooms. I don't think so! Especially when we are just passing through. A couple of good quality air mattresses that fill up on their own (you just plug them in) really serve us well. The kids already have extra blankets and pillows so we just bring a couple up with us. It also helps that the kids can have their own space. Sometimes you don't get good sleep when you share.
If they have a breakfast buffet in the morning and its been a late night, usually the hubs and our oldest child, will go down and load up as much as they can, bring it up and then go back and do it again. That way we don't miss breakfast because we are still getting kids (or myself) ready and you can have breakfast in bed! Pack up and eat at the same time. No rushing and no forgetting stuff.
Keep electronics in one spot and have a reusable checklist for each stop. You could even have an electronics bag that houses all electronics upon pack up. We totally left a tablet at a non-Disney hotel in Anaheim and of course cleaning never found it. At the point we realized it was left, we wouldn't have made it home on time if we had doubled back.
A small container for the laundromat with essentials. Use an empty drink mix container to put dryer sheets, detergent pods and quarters in. If you need to use the laundry at the hotel or because someone barfed all over their car seat cover you will be totally prepared to stop, strip and wash. You can also pack lighter and/or arrive home with clean clothes by doing laundry as you go! We stayed in a hotel off of Hwy 1 and grabbed a six pack from a convenience store and hit the laundry mat. Best beers and we were good to go with clean clothes for the rest of the trip.

The boys at the potty break spot.

Can you survive? You betcha. And if all those don't work, take turns driving and sitting in the passenger seat with headphones in. And remember that its not just about the destination, but the journey as well.

On her way to the potty break spot in her pajamas and shoes. It was a breathtaking potty break!

The BEST Homemade Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

2015-05-18T19:47:00.000-05:00

Seriously this frosting is so good I could eat it straight out of the bowl and frost everything in sight. It is addictive, rich and so creamy. I made so many batches to get the right combination of chocolate to make it taste amazing.

Ingredients:

2 sticks of salted butter at room temp
4-6 cups of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons or so of vanilla extract (don't be thrifty on this and get the good stuff, no imitation)
1/2 cup of Hershey's Cocoa Powder
2 Squares of Ghiradelli Baking Chocolate (the semi-sweet kind big bar)
1 tablespoon or so of milk or half and half

What you do:

It is really helpful to have a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer but if you don't you can do this in a bowl with a regular mixer, no problem, you're going to get a nice arm workout!

If your butter is cold you can soften it by unwrapping and putting it in the microwave on 50% power for 10 sec intervals. Making sure it doesn't melt is crucial, so don't do anything else while you do this!

Put your butter in your mixer and let it whip on medium speed for about 5 minutes, stop and scrape the sides once or twice.
While it is beating, melt the chocolate squares carefully in the microwave (half power, short intervals) until it is just melted all the way through. Make sure that there are no lumps.
Add the vanilla and melted chocolate to the butter.
Add the 1/2 cup of Hershey's Cocoa Powder
Once the cocoa powder has been incorporated add the powdered sugar (minimum 4 cups) 1/2 cup at a time. After 2 cups of powdered sugar add in the milk (or half and half). You can add more than 4 cups if you need more frosting. Just keep alternating powdered sugar and milk.

Depending on how you like your frosting (thicker, thinner) alternate adding milk and powdered sugar until you get the consistency that you are after. If it doesn't have enough chocolate for your tastes add more cocoa powder 1/8 cup at a time, although this is pretty perfect to me. Frosting is never an exact measurement for me. Cupcake baking is another story, chemistry is not forgiving!

Airstream Progress: Gutting, floors, must haves

2015-05-18T03:11:00.003-05:00

We worked tirelessly to get at minimum the floors installed for our first camping trip in our 1978 Argosy Airstream we have affectionately named Three Magee. We took her to the bones and thankfully there wasn't much underbelly damage. The hardest part of gutting for us was taking off the wheel wells! Here are some of the things we did and what we did on our first trip!

Once we had everything out we checked and sealed any leaks. This part is super important, nobody wants to get wet or deal with water damage. We will be testing to see if we got them all soon, more on that later. We purchased a bunch of insulation and decided to go with a higher grade so that we would save on heating and cooling costs and make it easier to maintain a comfortable temperature. Even on a 50-60 degree day it would get really warm in there without the insulation and walls in. We really wanted to be able to go anywhere without temperature limitations. We tucked the insulation in and began cutting the floors using old flooring as cutting guides. We did not place our plywood under the shell (like when it was built). We didn't measure it correctly somewhere and ended up with a one inch gap going across the width of the trailer. We were putting in some serious time on it and well, I guess we only measured once. It was around 2 a.m on the day we were supposed to be leaving so we MacGuyver'd it and made what reminds me of a door way threshold cover. Dale made it nice and smooth so it wouldn't be too bothersome. It sure worked for the first trip, but we will have to go in and fix it.

After we got the floor in we set to getting the electrical hooked back up and getting all of the outlets and wires duct taped to the walls. We made sure that no one would accidentally electrocute themselves and that it would be kid friendly! We assembled a futon at the front for Dale and I to sleep on and pulled 2 of the kids mattresses down from their rooms instead of using air mattresses. We also had a cot that we put on one side. Best purchase ever was a mini-fridge. It was the most convenient thing to have. We put a spare TV on top of the fridge and brought a cable cord. I strung up Christmas lights and had pretty bedding and put some rugs down.

It was super rainy before we got there and during, which means mud. The spot we reserved was a muddy mess and not big enough to put our pergola in front of the door...which I've decided would have made the trip much more pleasant. I brought our outdoor rugs and they helped with the mud control, but it would have made a huge difference if we had had the pergola in front of the door. I was so glad that we brought the TV. It rained just after we finished cooking dinner over the fire on the first night and we snuggled up and watched movies together and listened to the rain. Everyone was so tired from walking all day that they pretty much crashed.

Here are the must haves for the next trip, which we hope to take at the end of summer. Walls up and painted. Bunk beds for the kids. This one is a biggie. Of course when they are at home they want to share beds and have slumber parties. You would have thought we were torturing them this time! I want to leave it open so that they can see out of their bunks towards the TV. I have always wanted it to feel open, and I think this will really help with that. I really want the toilet back in. Just for those early morning trips to the bathroom. A kitchen sink. Okay this one isn't so much a need as a want. I am definitely an outdoor kinda girl, but it would have been so much easier to have done dishes inside and have a nice place to wash my hands for things like contacts or teeth brushing. Curtains or some major window tinting. Changing while laying down or putting a sheet up only cut it because I knew it was only for a few days. I found some neat tutorials on new curtain rods. Now I just have to settle on some fabric!

Now for my wants. At first I didn't really care if we had a shower, but if we are going to put the toilet back in and since we have a practically brand new hot water heater, I say why not. We had originally planned on reconfiguring it to have the bathroom in the middle and the bunks all the way pushed to the back, but snuggle family movies totally trumped that. For me glamping and camping isn't necessarily about removing electronics, for the daytime sure, but at night, I just want some peace and quiet and to be able to relax together. Especially if it's raining! I really want to have cute coordinating bedding for the kids. I also want some pretty light fixtures. We ditched the 70's and I am not looking back! I also want it to have more storage and shelving. There were so many times that I just really wanted a hook or a shelf to put things. We were kind of living out of totes and suitcases. Maybe storage is a need! With the bunks and storage we will have walking space which is at a premium when you are confined to 24 ft!

What worked. The futon worked great. I don't know if it will be the last thing we have there, but it made for a decent nights sleep. There was still plenty of room back there if we decided to put a fresh water tank in behind it like what had been in there originally. I loved the functionality of it and being able to have a couch or a bed. It was also really light weight so moving it was a breeze. We got a great little space heater too. It worked perfectly to heat the whole place, as long as the kids didn't mess with the buttons...which for sure happened. I was happily surprised with how warm it was and the temperatures were in the 40's. I also was so glad we got a mini fridge. It just made it feel more like a little home and it was great to have things like milk for cereal.

We had a pretty good time. I can't wait to get some more done and take her out again.

We stayed at the Silver Dollar City Wilderness Campground. I would totally stay there again. The showers were decent, but hopefully next time I will have my own.

Lots and lots of insulation.

He worked so, so hard!

Bare bones, but a floor and mattresses.

You can see the standing pools of water! Our pergola was amazing, I just wish it would have been in front of our door. That would have made all the difference.

Those black pants on Jack are the reason you pack spare clothes no matter what. Let's just say I'm a ninja.

These two were total best buds.

Quick! Selfie time!

I love doing the cave tour.

This is the moment right before the shit hit the fan and we went from having the best day to whine city.

Love this one!

More next time about what to pack and tips for traveling with kids.

5 Ways to Make Your Morning Routine Less Stressful {with kids}

2015-04-02T10:35:00.000-05:00

I have been getting kids up and out the door for what seems like forever. It is sometimes the most excruciating thing I have to do all day. On some days I would rather walk across a room covered in Lego pieces. That bad! So lets make it a bit easier. I can't calm all of the "but I don't wannas" and the "she looked at me" drama but I can help you to get it go a bit more smoothly.

1- Pick out their clothes the night before. Have your kids help you pick out their clothes either for the week on Sunday night, or every night before you go to bed, with the shoes they want to wear, because shoes like to mysteriously walk away when you are trying to find them at the last minute in the morning.

2- Make lunches ahead of time. If you make their lunch, do it the night before. I have been known to procrastinate this. It never works in my favor to do it in the morning. It also helps to have an extra lunch box and drink container for the one that forgot theirs at school.

3- Load and Go Area. Have a dedicated place for backpacks and coats. Have them look at the weather and put anything they will need next to their backpack. This is a really great time to sign folders and read all of those science project is due tomorrow notes.

4- Me Time. Wake up 20 minutes earlier than you normally do. Okay, I am the worst at actually getting up earlier than I'm supposed to. Hell, I struggle with getting out of bed at any appointed time. I am a self proclaimed night owl living in an early birds house. I hate it, but when I give myself that extra 20 minutes things really seem to go much more smoothly and I am more calm. Or maybe it's because I've had my coffee earlier.

5- No TV. Leave the TV off. That is unless they are all done and waiting. The kids know that I am more than willing to let them watch TV if they have eaten their breakfast, got dressed and brushed their hair and teeth. Only then. TV's have some insane, mind controlling laser that makes it to where they can't do anything without their eyes glued to the screen like little zombies. I consider it more of an incentive than a bribe. It's understood that it will happen if they do what they are supposed to but I don't ever use it to get them to move their keister.

Do you have anything that works really well for you?

Here they are on a successful morning where they did exactly what they were supposed to do!!

Hearty Sausage and Potato Soup

2015-01-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

I love a good soup. This one I got help from my little dude Jack. He has mastered the art of holding the handle and stirring. Love this guy! On these cold January days I think a good hearty soup is just what you need at the end of the day. You can make this in about 30 minutes.

What you need:

3 large or 5 medium potatoes
1 roll of pork sausage
Chicken stock or bouillon cube (1)
Bag of frozen soup/stew veggies (my bag had carrots, celery, onions and potatoes) or fresh versions of these
Salt and pepper to taste
A pot to boil potatoes
Potato Peeler
Knife/cutting block
Large soup pot (I use my big Le Crueset)

Directions:

Start by peeling your potatoes. Cut them into bite size chunks and put them into the pot you are going to boil them in. Cover them with water until you have approximately 1 inch over the potatoes and but them on high heat to boil. They should be done in about 20 minutes. After you have the potatoes started, break the sausage into chunks and cook over medium heat in your large soup pot. Once it is cooked you add the frozen veggies, one bullion cube and one cup of water (or one cup of stock). Turn down your heat to medium low and cover until potatoes are done cooking, stirring occasionally. When the potatoes are done, add the entire pot to your sausage and veggies. Now you can add your salt and pepper to taste.

Easy right? The kids gobble it up. It is so quiet at the dinner table when we have this soup!

Prep stage: Sausage cooked, bullion and veggies added.

Happy Hunger Games {Free Printable PDF Banner}

2015-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Hunger Games! We love the Hunger Games so much in our house that Ethan's last birthday was Hunger Game themed. You can read more about the party here. Today I am giving away the Hunger Games banner we made for his party (click on the link under the picture to download)! It is a burlap background with black letters. Simple and sweet! If you want a custom made printable burlap banner visit our Etsy shop Three Magee.

Download Here!!!

Popsicle Stick Snowman: Winter Craft {Ornament}

2015-01-14T17:09:00.001-06:00

I did these as the 2nd grade homeroom mom last year. For real, easy and fun! The kids had a great time...even the boys. You can also make these into ornaments!

Supplies:

Felt- lots of different colors maybe 8-10 sheets total
Popsicle Sticks
White Craft Paint or white spray paint (easier)
Black and Colored Sharpee's
Scissors
Twine, String or Ribbon (if making an ornament)
Hot Glue Gun

Directions:

This took a little bit of prep work, but you could do it the night before and be just fine giving it 20-30 minutes. First I painted about 40 of the popsicle sticks front and back. I realized later it would have taken way less time to spray paint them. Lesson learned just for you! While the paint was drying I cut out scarves and hats from the felt. If you know you are going to make ornaments you can go ahead and either hot glue the loop of twine/string/ribbon on for them, or you can pre-cut them so they can pick later.

When I was at the school I set up a table at the class party and had kids come up two at a time. Each kid would pick a hat, scarf and ornament ribbon. I would hot glue the hat and ornament ribbon on (I have a mini glue gun that doesn't get super hot and it was just me using it). Then each child would draw the face and buttons and tie the scarf on.

This worked for a couple of reasons. The kids really enjoyed getting to make something that was unique. They still got to eat the party food at their desk and talk with one another. By second grade they really just want to talk and relax. I got to spend (even if just for a few minutes) almost one on one time with each student in the class. It was more personal that way! Kids love to have you gush over their choices or talk about who they are going to give it to. Some children really just need someone to pay attention to them. That was my favorite part!

Ten on Ten: January 2015

2015-01-10T20:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Ten on Ten!! One of my blogging goals for the year was to do this every month this year! I love when the 10th is on a Saturday, more interesting stuff seems to happen then. I am also doing Project 365 (one photo everyday!!) and will be posting a monthly super picture here. So, are you ready??? Here they are:

9ish I quit the Keurig and I'm officially my mother.

10- Getting her Lego on.

11-Photo by Jack: Game time. It was close, they lost by 1 point!

12- Started the Pizza dough

1- Oh Bread. I make all of our sandwich bread now. Delicious baking therapy.

2- My mom's copy. Read after bread.

3- Movie time. Cast Away

4- She shares my love for bread.

5- Homemade pizza for dinner!

6- She was so proud of her pie!

Coconut Oil Waffles

2014-12-26T21:08:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness. I have never in my life been asked for more waffles than I was this past Sunday. Everyone wants more and more and more of these. So I happily obliged and we had breakfast for dinner again. Now homemade is relative here. Homemade to me is making them with my waffle iron instead of pulling them out of the freezer and putting it in the toaster. I love Krusteaz Belgian Waffle Mix (no paid sponsorship or affiliation here I just love it, but I wouldn't be upset if they sent me a free box or some coupons!). I change up their recipe and add coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. The result is a sweeter and healthier option. Which according to my family is amazing! I also use the Coconut Oil Pam spray for the waffle maker for an added touch of yum.

DIY: Blonde Hair to Brown {Hair Rescue!!}

2014-12-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

I confess. I have made some really poor choices concerning my hair. But lets not reflect on the past too much. I had a bad experience with going blonde. Let's just say I could see my hair breaking off as it was being blow dried at the salon and I spent the last two months babying it, going sulfate free, doing hair masks and doing just about everything I could to save it from breaking any further. I ended up with some really awful roots. It was getting really bad. I thought about doing the ombre look and nixed it. I was terrified to go to someone new and worried that any permanent color would do hard core permanent damage. So I researched and read what I could. I watched videos and I went for a combination of all of those things. I'm going to share my knowledge with you!

So, a little hair background. Hair color is like the primary colors. Red is red, blonde is yellow and brunette is blue. So if you have blonde hair and you put a brunette color on it what would you get? Green. Yellow and blue makes green. I've had that before. It's not pretty. In order to not get green you need to add the red back into your hair first. Which is the scary part as you will see below. I also found out that using permanent hair color creates lines in your hair. So every time you dye your hair it creates a little faint line of where you dyed it before. That's not cool.Solution, use the semi-permanent. It is much easier on your hair and since it fades you aren't left with the line.

What I did, step by step:

I actually bought 4 boxes of color, but only used 3. I have a lot of hair. So I knew I would want plenty to cover with. I ended up only using 1 box of the red and then 2 of the brown. It is really important to cover your ears and around your hairline with vaseline or lotion before starting. You don't want any to get dye to get on your skin and this will help you from having brown ears. You also need either a couple of baby wipes or a washcloth that is wet and ready for any oops drips you might have. An applicator brush (about a dollar) help to give your color a more professional look and really help to get your roots covered. I also like to mix my color in a disposable bowl. Makes cleanup super easy.

I started off by putting the red back in my hair (Clairol Natural Instincts 16 Spiced Tea). I ended up only needing one box. I did not dye my roots, I only did the places that were blonde first and then anything else. Rinse and blow dry. I remained calm and didn't panic, you will want to panic. Ellie made up a song about having Fozzie Bear Hair. I took a break and put the kids to bed. Then I mixed together my 2 boxes of brown (Clairol Natural Instincts 5C). I put it around my hairline first. Next I applied it to my roots, working from front to back from my temple to crown and then the back from side to side from the top of my head down to my neck. Lastly I filled the length of my hair and piled it on top of my head in a bun. Wait, rinse, condition, blow dry, admire your handy work. Only cost me $18 bucks. I've gotten more compliments on this hair than I did going to the salon and spending upwards of $80!!

When it was looking pretty good all blonde and cute, fried but cute.

With some serious growth.

OMG. Don't Panic. DON'T PANIC that you have Fozzie Bear Hair.

Brunette Fab!!

So much better than before!

My Kind of Co-Sleeping

2014-12-06T22:32:00.001-06:00

As my kids get older we seem to spend more Saturday nights in front of the fire discovering movies together. We have the fireplace going, stockings hung, cozy lights and my loves all snuggled in around each other. Falling asleep on the couch is my kind of co-sleeping. Saturday nights with these guys is my favorite.