House of Helton

Back to School - Organization

2013-08-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me (and hasn't seen my house recently) knows that I love organization. I.Love.It. But, after a crazy and busy summer, I am finding it difficult to get back into the swing of things and get our family on a school schedule and routine. Here are some great tips that I have found for making sure the transition is easy.

1. Get a bedtime and waking up routine set NOW! Like yesterday! If your kids (and you) don't have a set bedtime, back-to-school is going to be pure torture!!! Think about this for a minute. You, as an adult, can't acclimate to a new sleep schedule in one night - so your kids FOR SURE can't. Check out this link from Huffpost on how much sleep you need, the dangers of sleep deprivation, and more.

- to help a kiddo get ready for bed, have a set bedtime routine (bath, reading, quiet time, etc.).

2. School Supplies. Normally, by this time of year I have school supplies purchased, and placed neatly into backpacks. I have worked throughout the summer to acquire things here and there, so I always have extra for the teachers, and my pocketbook isn't flattened all at once. Take some time to get things organized. Check your list, and check it again. Get everything in order and ready for the start of school.

3. Calendar!!! This is a HUGE thing in our house. I have a calendar in my purse, one at work, and two in the kitchen. It's a lot to keep track of, but I don't want to forget anything!!! Take a moment to check out your school website, if they have one, and look at the school calendar to make note of any important dates. Mark them on your calendar now, so you don't over-schedule your family by accident.

4. Does your kiddo take medication during school hours? If so, get that all together, in the original boxes, and have it sitting out and ready to take to the school nurse on open house. This will save a ton of headache later, and eliminate the possibility of you forgetting to send it and your kiddo not having it when they need it.

5. Food List. Make a list of quick and healthy foods you can prepare for breakfast and lunches. If you have this handy it will help your mornings go more smoothly... trust me. We do easy stuff for breakfast - homemade frozen waffles or pancakes, pop tarts, homemade frozen muffins, cereal, granola bars, etc. For lunches, we stick to stuff like PBJ Sandwiches (check with your school to see if these are allowed), fruit, veggie dippers, pretzels or homemade popcorn, fruit snacks, and/or granola bars. We prepare all lunches the night before, as much as we can, and have them sitting in the fridge or on the counter ready to be tossed into lunch boxes in the morning.

6. Lay out expectations before hand. If you expect your child to get up, brush teeth, get dressed, and eat before they are allowed to watch tv - tell them before hand. Make them a checklist and put it in a page protector or laminate it, so they can look at it each morning. If they can't read, use pictures. If you expect your child to come home and sit straight down for homework (which I don't recommend - I'll explain later) then tell them that before school starts. Be clear and concise, but realistic. Remember they are children, you are the adult; don't give your child expectations they can't achieve or you will just have a headache later.

The easiest way for me to prepare for school is to think back to the previous year to all the things we had to do and make a list. Then I prioritize them by importance and tackle it one bite at a time. This should be an exciting time for you and your kids. If you are stressed and grouchy, they will be too.

What are your best tips for getting organized for the new school year?

Tomorrow: Easy and Healthy School Lunch ideas!

Next Monday: The best products for your home to keep you organized during school!!

Ch-Ch-Changes!!

2012-09-05T12:46:00.005-05:00

If you read House of Helton on blogger or are subscribed to us via blogger, we are making some changes that will affect the way you read our updates!!!

We have switched to a new site and format.

Please check out www.houseofhelton.com to subscribe to our updates and follow us on our new site!!!

Book Giveaway!!!!

2012-09-02T19:13:00.002-05:00

In honor of football season I will be giving away the new book Men of Sunday: How Faith Guides the Players, Coaches, and Wives of the NFL written by Curis Eichelberger.

To win this book all you have to do is tell me your favorite NFL team, player, or coach... and why. Share this status on facebook to get an extra entry. Share and like the facebook page and blogs to get extra entries as well. :)

My review of this book:

As the wife of a football lover I was anxious to read this book. I was instantly drawn into this book by the stories from those mentioned in the book. My favorite part of this book is when the author shares a story from Mike Singletary, former Chicago Bears middle linebacker. Singletary recalls the struggle he felt with being a Christian and yet deliberately harming other players. He shares that he was considering leaving the game, stating "... Singletary found himself at a crossroads: Could he be the Christian he aspired to be and still play the game he loved? (Echelberger, 2012, p. 27) He shares that ultimately he felt it was his job to be the best he could be at the job God put in-front of him, and shares Psalm 139 as the chapter that helped him make this choice.

This entire book is an amazing account of faith throughout the sport of football. In another part, the author shares a story from Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck shares that for much of his early career in the NFL he was met with negative attitudes toward Christians from coaches and other players. He shares that it wasn't until he was drafted to the Green Bay Packers in 1998 that he found a group of men that were strong in their faith and showed him that Christians could be competitive and still be Godly and love their opponents.

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys football and is looking for Godly role models.

Reader Question: Technology

2012-08-30T22:48:00.000-05:00

Another great reader question! Thanks to R.W. for sending this one in.

Do you find it odd that some people are fun and lively through facebook, text, or email and yet in person they aren't as fun? Even with people that are older and haven't always had this technology, this seems to be a problem. Thoughts?

Such a good question!!! I see this a lot and have thought the same thing... but I think I might be one of those people that are less "fun" when I'm not speaking through technology. I'm not much of a "small-talk" person... in fact, I hate it. Through technology I don't have to partake in that, I can just move forward to the funny and charming me. :) I do, however, think that I communicate better via written/typed word. I have time to think of my thoughts, write and erase, and then come up with something super witty. I don't have to think on the spot... so yeah, I kinda love communication through technology. My only problem? Grammer and spelling... thank heavens for those little red lines while I type. ;-)

My fear, though, is that in 10 years we are going to have a large batch of people who are unable to communicate verbally because they spend their life connected... me included. Or, that we are going to have C.E.O's that only type in text speak... which drives me INSANE!!! It is literally one of my biggest pet peeves, and I will hide people on facebook that write like that. It does not make you appear smart or funny, it makes you appear lazy and illiterate.

Okay, enough of that...

What do you guys think? Is this a problem? Do you find it odd that some personalities are different face-to-face than they are in the virtual world? And how can we "disconnect" and work on our people skills again?

EASY Artisan Bread

2012-08-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Artisan Bread from The Italian Dish

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and had to try it. IT.IS.SO.EASY. I'm talking even-a-kid-could-make-it kind of easy. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE artisan bread. I am talking, might marry it if I could kind of love... anyway...

Artisan bread is great because it has a yummy crunchy outside and soft airy inside.

Here's the recipe!

3 cup warm water - warmed to 100*
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt

Mix until dissolved.

Add:
6 1/2 cups unsifted flour.

Mix until all flour is mixed in. Dough will be sticky. (I mixed mine in my Kitchen Aide stand mixer for about 2 minutes, it was done... easy, right.)

Place dough in a covered, but not airtight, container and let rise for 2 hours. Dough will have doubled (or more) and will start to collapse in the container.

Cut off 1/4 of the dough shape into a ball. As you are shaping it, stretch the top of the dough around to the bottom and tuck it under. This is VERY important as it creates a "gluten cloak" with a tight top surface.

The cutting, shaping, stretching step. From The Italian Dish

Place on GREASED wax paper. It is important to grease the wax paper, or it will stick. You can cook it on the wax paper, I didn't, but you can.

Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450* for AT LEAST 20 minutes, along with a pan on the bottom rack. This pan will be used for a "steam bath" for the bread, to help with the crunchy outside-soft inside.

** Side note... make sure the pan you preheat isn't glass, or it will break when you pour the water in...

After the oven is preheated, place your dough on a well seasoned, and greased stone pan (found at any kitchen store, walmart, target, or Pampered Chef). Fill the heated pan with hot water, and place bread in oven on rack above heated pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes... until bread is golden on the outside.

That's it. Done.

The rest of the dough will keep for 14 days in the fridge... so you can have all the yummy delicious bread that you want for 2 weeks. woo hoo!!!

I'm going to buy some cheddar cheese today to try with this as a topping. My kids have requested a cinnamon version, my husband mentioned Italian seasonings, and I may try some pumpkin for the fall.

What would be your favorite flavor?

Mothers of Preschoolers

2012-08-26T19:10:00.004-05:00

Well, it's that time of year that MOPS is starting back up again!! If you don't know what MOPS is, it is a wonderful group for mothers. MOPS saved my sanity, literally!! I want to share the story of how that happened, and I invite any other MOPS moms to share their story as well.

I joined Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) 5 years ago when my daughter Caylie was a baby. I was at a place in my life where I was at the end of my rope. I had a 4 year old son, who was basically a good child, but still a typical 4 year old. And then I had my daughter, who while I loved her tested my strength and patience on a daily basis. My daughter was born at a time when I had decided I wasn't quite ready to have another child... obviously God had other plans, ha ha. When she was born she had some stomach issues that caused her to be frequently fussy (don't believe me, ask my mother and mother-in-law, or my husband)... we're talking sleep for 45 minutes at a time and cry for most of the rest of her awake time. I was constantly tired and drained, and in need of a break... but, with no friends in the area I was lonely. Even though I was married, I was lonely.

When I joined MOPS I was burnt out, tired, and in desperate need of friends... women who knew what I was experiencing. I found just this. MOPS became a place of rest and refuge for me, a place where I found the women who are now my best-friends, and the place where I could speak freely about the challenges that come with motherhood and being a wife.

I honestly believe that without MOPS I would be in a really terrible place in my life emotionally and mentally. MOPS saved me.

Our MOPS group is starting back up on Sept 4th at 6pm at Southern Heights Christian Church, and offer FREE CHILDCARE for preschool aged children and I am so excited to be a part of the Steering Team this year, and be in a position of helping other women come to our group. If you don't live in the Lebanon, MO area and want to find a MOPS group of your own check out www.mops.org for more information about local groups.

In honor of this I am giving away a set of 3 books from mops.org.

Momsense
Dwelling
and Mom Connection (the newest book)

How can you have a chance at winning these books???

Leave a comment here or on the facebook page telling me how a friend (or group of friends) helped you when you were a new mom or dad. Let me know that you follow the blog, the facebook page, and twitter for extra entries.

Follow up to "what happens when God says no"

2012-08-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I wrote about what we do when God says no. As this week has gone by I have continued to be actively involved in the situation I spoke of in terms of prayer and other ways. I have also seen another situation unfolding with some friends and their adoption. Both of these situations have been very good, and very different, examples of how God uses us when things don't go as planned.

In one situation I saw people reacting with hurt, anger, and resentment. In the other, I saw friends reacting with hurt, but also falling into the arms of the God they trust and love and leaning on him. I haven't spoken with these friends, but I have been praying for them, and I want to tell my friends that God is using them in bigger ways then they might imagine. Hearts are being touched in ways that are beyond the scope of their immediate circle of friends.

I have gotten a number of emails since my last post on this topic and all have been touching to read; each a different example of how someone came through a situation where things didn't go as planned. Also, each a different example of how religious faith, or an absence of religious faith, has played into their situation. I am thankful to have read each of these emails and I encourage my readers to continue to submit their stories; I love to read each and every one of them.

As I have read these emails, I have wondered and observed how religious faith makes a difference in reaction to certain situations. But, I am curious what my readers think.

Do you think that religious faith, or absence of religious faith, makes a difference in how an individual or group reacts to certain situations? Which do you think makes the biggest impact, and is most helpful?

Parent Rap Video Link

2012-08-24T08:57:00.001-05:00

http://www.dump.com/parentsrap/

This is hilarious!!! Check it out! :)

Reader Question

2012-08-24T08:42:00.000-05:00

I am so excited because I had another reader email me a question to post on the blog. I am even more excited because this question is something that has been a struggle in my life in the last few weeks, so I am excited to post a couple thoughts and hear other reader's opinions on the matter.

Q:
Dear House of Helton,
I have a question for you to post to your site, if you would. I have someone in my life that I recently had a quarrel with. There was fault on both sides, and I have tried reaching out to my friend to resolve the situation. However, he is not responding to any of my messages. My friend is a Christian, and someone that is looked up to in our area for their Christianity. However, my friend is not doing what the Bible commands, which is to talk to someone that you have a problem with. I don't know how to approach this, or how to get my friend to talk to me. Do you or your readers have any suggestions?
M.G

This is a great question, and I want to thank M.G. for writing. I am not really sure how to respond to this question, because I have been struggling with this VERY thing in my life. This is a really difficult thing, because you can't force someone to do the right thing, as you can't force someone to talk to you.

Your friend is going to have to come to terms with this in their own time. If they are a Christian, they will be convicted of this at some point. My guess is that pride and self-righteousness are at play here. However, you have to look at your own heart too and see why you are so eager to speak to this person. Are you really willing to talk to this person because it's the right thing to do, or because you want to "get your side out" and let them have it? If you truly want to resolve the situation then you can do nothing but wait, your heart is in the right place and no one can fault you for your friend's unwillingness. But, if you want to meet for the latter reasons then you have to get your heart in the right place before you can even attempt reconciliation.

I am struggling with this in my life right now, and it is so hard not to shout from the rooftops how I feel I was wronged. But, I can't do that. If I do, then I am bringing myself down to the level of the other person. In my situation, I feel that my heart is right, and I truly just want to talk to my friend and come to a place of peace. I have spent many sleepless nights thinking about, fretting about, crying about, and just being confused over the situation in my life. Like you, I feel that my friend is not living the Christian life they are professing. But, it's not my place to judge that. I decided a couple weeks ago that if I need to be the scapegoat for this person to protect their image, then I can do that. The people in my life that really know me, have already come to me and said that they know my heart and they are supportive of me. This situation has opened my eyes to things and people around me, and has strengthened certain relationships in my life. So, for that I am thankful.

I'm sorry I don't have better advice for you!! ha ha But, let's see if our readers do. :)

What are your thoughts? I think this is something that many people struggle with. I would love to hear your thoughts on the question! :) Post them here or on our facebook page!!

A Friend Loves At All Times

2012-08-21T21:18:00.000-05:00

I had a reader ask me to post a question. She wanted to know when is the time in a friendship when you decide that you are putting more into the relationship than your friend is?

Have you ever had a relationship in which you feel as though you are always the one to call, always the one to text, always the one to email?

I am going to admit something here... I am not a very good friend. I am the friend that waits for others to call. (Don't believe me just as my friend from Florida...) I want so badly to be liked that I hate the fear of rejection that comes with calling someone else to see if they want to do something. I am the friend that says, "let's get together sometime!" And then, the next time I see you, a year later I say, "let's get together sometime."

This is something that I work on continuously... and something that I fear will never be fully completed in me. Although, I do have to say that I am getting better. I have had friends whom have stopped asking me to do things, and I don't blame them.

The Bible tells us that a friend loves at all times. To many this means that we love in the good, the bad, the happy, and the sad. This means you love your friends when they can't love themselves. But, does that love have a limit? And, maybe not just the love, but your willingness to always be the one putting out the effort.

I have really been thinking and praying about this for the last few weeks since my friend spoke to me about it, and I am just not sure how I feel. On one hand, if I am in her situation I don't want to be the one always making the effort. However, on the other hand I know that for me, personally, I don't want my friends to give up on me.

So, what do you think? When do you call it quits and let your friend do the reaching out, rather than always being the one to reach out?

Yummy Pizza Loaf

2012-08-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

YUMMY PIZZA BREAD

This recipe is a favorite in our house... and it's super easy!!

1 french bread loaf
1 block mozzarella cheese (soft low moisture block)
Pepperoni or Canadian Bacon

Sauce:
1 small can tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme

Cut bread loaf in half length-wise. Shred cheese. Place pepperoni or Canadian bacon (or meat of your choice) on the bread, then top with shredded cheese. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

While bread is cooking mix sauce ingredients in a sauce pan or microwave safe dish and heat. If heating on stove, heat on medium heat stirring occasionally until warm. If using microwave, heat for 1 minute 30 seconds, stopping once to stir.

Cut into small slices and serve with sauce!!

What happens when God says no?

2012-08-20T17:10:00.000-05:00

I have been praying the last few days over my feelings on a situation that is unfolding around me. As this situation was unfolding around me, my heart was sad for those involved. I wanted to pray for this situation, but I didn't want to just pray "God make this better." I wanted to pray what God wanted me to pray for. So, I sat down, opened my heart, and really listened to how the Holy Spirit was directing me to pray. In those moments I realized a few things.

Sometimes we want so badly for something to happen that we forget to allow God to lead us. As life happens around us we tend to get caught up in "keeping up with the Joneses," as the saying goes. We then become selfish, greedy little creatures and we fail to see the bigger picture. We get angry with God when the answer isn't what we want, and we tend to throw a tantrum when things don't go our way.

This is why we are the "children" and God is the "father."

He can see the bigger picture!!

He knows what is happening in the future and how our current situation may or may not affect that. He knows what is best for us, even when our eyes are clouded by hurt, pain, and disappointment.

I often hear people expressing their anger at God for the way something has turned out; almost as if we are entitled to whatever it is that we want. God never says that he will always say yes to us. He never promises us a life free from hurt, pain, or disappointment. God tells us to seek his heart in all matters, and that if our desires are the desires of HIS heart then he will grant us the desires of our heart. Make sense? Basically, God will grant us the desires of our heart if our desires are in line with his will. If not, then God might say no.

These thoughts made me think of my children. Sometimes I tell my children no. Sometimes, okay many times, they get mad and cry. But, they can't see the bigger picture. They can't see that something better is coming... or maybe it's not, maybe the answer is just no, and maybe they don't need to know the reason why the answer is no.

Maybe God's answer for us sometimes is no, or not right now. Maybe his answer is "I have something better in store."

Have you had a situation where God has told you no, or not right now? How did you handle that?

It's that time of year...

2012-08-19T13:34:00.003-05:00

I LOVE dressing up!! I don't mean fancy pretty dresses and heels. I mean fun, costumey, theater type dressing up. I love it!! So, of course I love Halloween because it means I get to dress up and I get to dress my kids up. Of course, they don't let me pick their costumes anymore, but I still love it!

I don't like to have store bought run-of-the-mill costumes. I want something fun and creative. Like the time my son was a Got Milk ad. He had jeans, a white shirt with black letting that said "Got Milk" and a white "milk mustache" it was really zinc oxide. Last year I was Snookie from the Jersey Shore. The picture doesn't really capture how orange I really was!!! I was ORANGE!! It was fantastic!!

So, this year I am preparing early, I am hitting pinterest with my pen and paper, and my pinning finger. I will pin all the great ideas and start setting the stage by planting seeds in my children... "don't you want to be _____" or "wouldn't it be neat if you were ____ for Halloween this year?" I think my daughter may have her heart set on being a Barbie this year... :( Oh well, I can work with that!

So, here are some pictures of what we at House of Helton think would make great Halloween Costumes. Let us know what you think!!

You could be Snookie, with Conan O'Brian and Belle...

You could go the traditional route and be something scary... a ghost, a skeleton, etc.

Or, you could be a superhero...

Or a puppy....

You could be Bret Michaels....

Or, a sports fan for your favorite team....

Or, maybe you would like to kick it 80's style...

Or maybe you want to be a Naked Cowboy...

Or, his evil counterpart the Naked Indian...

The choice really is yours... just be creative and have fun with it!! And, after Halloween, share your pictures here with us!!

What's your best/favorite Halloween Costume idea??

Book Giveaway Winner!!!!

2012-08-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Winner of Tough Guys and Drama Queens: how not to get blindsided by your child's teen years by Mark Gregston is.....

Coral Sode!!!!!!

Congrats Coral!!

Readers, you can follow Mark Gregston on facebook and twitter to see about his upcoming endeavors!!!

School and New Routines

2012-08-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ahhh... school routines. I am a person that craves routine and order, so the schedule that comes with each new school year feeds my soul in a way that most people don't understand. I have thrown myself into my new routine very quickly. In two days I have cleaned my garage, a portion of my house (which you might not be able to tell now), and done a large majority of stuff for work. Yes, I love routines and schedules.

This is something that most people don't understand or care about. For example, at work today I was being teased because I have my family lists organized by color based on number of visits needed, and then I have them organized by month based on who I need to see. This is something that makes me happy. I mean, really deep down inside makes my heart smile.

In my perfect world, my husband and children would understand my need for order and organization, and they would do each and everything the way I want them done. But alas, we don't live in a perfect world... so this means that my perfectionist, type A personality will then start to throw a temper tantrum. She will cross her arms and sit down in the middle of the floor and pout when things are done the way she likes. And then.... nothing gets done. You see, I have this bad habit of "my way or no way" thinking...

So, until the world can do everything as I would like them to be done, I will sit and dream about a time in my life when I could organize things the way I wanted. My teenage years, when my closet was organized by sleeve length, and then by color within sleeve length. aaaahhhhhh.....

What's your biggest struggle in the household department?

Budgeting 101

2012-08-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Let me start this post by saying that I am NOT good at budgeting and managing money. Thankfully for me, I have a husband that is really great at saving money. However, my mother did teach me a few things about managing a household budget, and today we are going to talk about those things.
Here are the things my mother taught me:

1. Know your income and expenses. - this is key in any budget. If you spend more than you make then you will never get ahead.
2. Balance your checkbook - daily if needed!! Anytime you spend money, balance your checkbook. Admission: I am not good at this. I have great difficulty managing my checkbook. :( But, I have a goal to get better at this.
3. Keep track! - Make a list, check it twice, then check it off. Each month I sit down and look at my weeks. I write each week (or payday) in one spot and the bills I need to pay that week, with the amount. This helps me to see how much money I have coming in and going out each week.

I have attached a few printables to this post that I use in my budgeting. Feel free to print these and use them as you see fit in your budgeting.

Budget - on this list simply write your income and expenses. There are blank spots to add the things that you need that aren't listed (credit cards, etc).

Monthly Bill List - This is a simple list of your bills. Write the bill name, the amount of the bill, how often it's due, and when it's due. This is a good master list for being able to keep track of your bills.

Monthly Bill Checklist - This is an AWESOME checklist that my mother created and I copied and re-created. Just write the bill name, and then under each month write the amount that is due for that month. When you pay the bill for the month cross it off or highlight it. This helps you to see what bills have and haven't been paid for the month.

Have a document that you want created to help with home management? Send me an email at houseofhelton@gmail.com and I can work with you to create your perfect documents!

Book Review - Tough Guys and Drama Queens

2012-08-13T14:05:00.000-05:00

I review books for the website www.booksneeze.com . Through this site I am given free books in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was recently given the book Tough Guys and Drama Queens: How not to get blindsided by your child's teen years. This book is written by Mark Gregston.

I have to say that raising to overly dramatic children made me very excited to get this book and read it. I am always ready and willing to see what others say about surviving the years coming up. I was not disappointed by this book.

The book is divided into three sections.

What's So Different About Today's Culture?
Parenting Practices To Avoid
Parenting Practices That Really Work

Each section contains easy and practical tips for raising children through the teen years without losing your mind. It is all written with a very humorous outlook, including the introduction "What Duck Hunting Taught Me about Adolescence."

I found this book to be a great read, but most of the practices I already implement in my parenting. Things like not expecting perfection, setting clear boundaries and punishments, fostering independence, and stop controlling. I did however love the sections on gender differences and picking your battles. I also loved the extra's in this book on conversation starters, and how to discuss conflict.

This book would be great for anyone struggling with tough teenagers, or someone that is coming up on these years who doesn't know what might be coming up.

Would you be interested in winning this book??

Leave your comment here with your toughest challenge as a parent or what you dread about the teen years. Get extra entries for letting me know you follow on the blog, facebook, and twitter. Recommend this page to a friend and get extra entries when they follow too!!!

Book Review - Richest Kids in America

2012-08-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

I recently had the great pleasure of speaking with a wonderful man named Jeff Rivera. Jeff works along side some of the greatest talents in the industry. I have worked with Jeff in past, and this time when Jeff contacted me he wanted to share a great new book by popular author Mark Victor Hansen.

You might recognize Mark Victor Hansen's name as co-author of the popular book series Chicken Soup for the Soul. Mark has recently created a new and exciting book titled Richest Kids in America, and was eager to share it with me in exchange for a review.

Richest Kids in America is a great book with exciting stories from some of the most successful entrepreneual children in our country. Richest Kids takes a similar approach as Hansen's previous works, in that it shares personal stories from the successful children featured throughout the text. Covering topics such as using your passions and creativity to create a business this book is an inspirational text with tons of useful information.

The best part of this text comes at the end of the book in a section titled "Resources to Riches." In this section Hansen shares some of the best places to network and find financing, as well as great programs for businesses.

This is a fantastic and quick read, at only 169 pages. I would recommend this book to anyone out there! Check out the link to Hansen's page www.GoRichKids.com

In the next few weeks we will have more to come from Hansen, so stay tuned!! :)

Fancy Pants

2012-08-09T07:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, I have this issue... I hate my thighs. Really. Hate. Them. I also have another issue... I am short and curvy. This means that normal "women's" pants/shorts are too long for me and make me look a little like PeeWee Herman (pants to armpits); and "juniors" pants that are closer to the right size are TOO SHORT and make me look like a hoochie. So... what's a girls to do? Two words...

PINTEREST AND UPCYCLE!

So, here we have a regular pair of jean shorts... (that I dyed darker with rit dye). And some basic lace.

This process is very simple and easy. Starting at your inner seam on each leg, sew lace around the hem of each leg. Easy, peasy, lemon-squeezy! New shorts with a couple added inches... no more booty.

Fall Wreaths

2012-08-08T17:07:00.000-05:00

Fall Wreaths

I love fall wreaths... I love wreaths in general. I don't generally make wreaths, because I would go overboard and spend hundreds of dollars making them. However, I like to look at them. So, this year I am determined to make a budget friendly wreath. I scoured the internet for photos to see what kind I wanted and these are my top six photos. As time gets closer to fall I will post a picture and instructions of my own creation.

Have a fall wreath you want to share? Email me a picture at houseofhelton@gmail.com and maybe I will feature your wreath on my site!!

Hanging by a "heart" string...

2012-08-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

Isn't it amazing how something so small and insignificant can cause so much anxiety and stress? For the last few months (about 7) my sweet daughter has been fighting headaches. We, with the help of our amazing pediatrician, decided that it was finally time to bite the bullet and do something. Before this they had been sporadic and with no common cause. We had previously decided together with our doctor to treat symptoms as needed and only become concerned if things became worse or didn't subside after allergy season.

Well, two weeks ago we went in for something else and a conversation about headaches came up. We decided on that day that it was time to start tracking them and decide on a better treatment plan. We were to track symptoms, treatment, triggers, and any other important information for two weeks and return to discuss the results. Today was that two week tracking mark and we returned. Our doctor looked over the sheets we had brought with us, and checked out our daughter. I became concerned when he started asking her to change positions and was counting her heart rate, but as always he kept a cool and calm face. (Something that I am so thankful for, but can't quite possess as well as he does.) After a few moments he explained that our girl was having an irregular heart rate when she changed positions and he wished to do an EKG to follow-up.

Her headaches were a thought of the past, and my own heart started to sink as I ran silently through all the possibilities of what could be happening with our baby. My husbands family suffers from a genetic heart condition that can be very troublesome and even fatal, so my mind began to wander and my anxiety level went through the roof. Sensing my concern (a.k.a panic and over thinking), he explained what he thought it was - a big long name I can't remember or understand that sounded a thousand times worse than it was - and basically it is caused by dehydration. So, an EKG, some prayers, and a few calls to the husband later, our pediatrician explained that her heart muscles look well but her heart rate was causing some concern. This set my mind immediately at ease because I knew that it wasn't the family condition, if the heart muscle was okay.

Our plan of action is to basically give her water on a schedule like we would medicine. He gave us some meds for her headaches as well, and we return in four weeks to see how things have progressed.

As I left the office and drove home God spoke a verse to my heart.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

God was reminding me that he is bigger than anything that comes our way and that he is the ultimate healer. So, for the next four weeks we will pray, hydrate, and document, knowing that our God is greater.

DANCE!!

2012-08-06T16:54:00.000-05:00

I have a picture in my mind of title. Napoleon Dynamite when I posted that post title. hee hee... I love to dance. I'm probably not as good at it as I like, but still I like it.

So, I want to join a flash mob... anyone want to join me??

www.flashmob.com

Authenticity

2012-08-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Webster's Dictionary describes authenticity as being "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character." Seems easy, right? Sure, just be yourself. And yet, authenticity is one of the things that I struggle with and desire the most in my life. There are so many places and situations in our daily lives where we are expected to act a certain way, to say certain things. For instance, you can't walk into a church and drop the F-bomb... well I suppose you could, but people might look at you with shock and disgust.

When I started writing this blog, oh so long ago, I did it in a effort to have an outlet for my own thoughts. A place where I could really be me, without limits. And still, even here on my own personal blog I find myself questioning what I write. "Am I saying something that will offend someone else?" "Am I going to far?" Sometimes, yes. But, should I be afraid of that? I struggle with being me, and I suppose to a degree I always have. And why?

For as long as I can remember I have been told that I am "the life of the party." People laugh at me, or with me... I'm not really sure which, but either way they are laughing and it makes me feel good. I have on occassion had people tell me that I am "as good as it gets." I have even had people tell me that my smile makes their day... which baffles me because my smile is the one part of me that causes the most self-doubt... but that's for another blog post.

Anyway, I seem to be pleasing to most people, and for most of my life I seem to have been able to master the art of being pleasing. I think as a defense mechanism I learned to be pleasing so people would want to be around me and not run away. Again, for another post. However, in spite of being reassured throughout my life that I am a pretty awesome person, I have this inner dialogue that is unrelenting. It tells me on a daily basis, that I am not good enough. That people do not think I am funny, and they are in-fact laughing at me. It tells me that my opinions are stupid, and that I don't matter. It tells me that I am a worthless mom, a terrible wife, undesirable... the list goes on and on.

So, where does that authenticity come in? How can you be authentic when you have so much self-doubt? I suppose, show it. I had a conversation with a friend a few days ago in which we discussed this very thing. I told her about something I had read where an author challenged people to be real. He said, "when someone asks you how you are, answer them with how you really are. If you are having a bad day, say so." Can you imagine? I have pictured it something like this:

Me: "Hi friend! How are you?"
Friend: "I'm great! how are you?"
Me: "Well, I'm not great. My kids are crabby, I think my husband might hate me. I have the worst gas. On top of that I have a really busy work schedule, and I just want to stay at home in bed."
Friend: silence. friend walks away as she deletes my number from her phone.

Yep, that's about how that would go... don't you think? So, as I struggle for authenticity in my life, and on this blog, I hope that you can bear with me. Some days I might fly through this with ease, being unabashedly real. And still, other days I may fail at this miserably. But, I am going to try. I am challenging myself to be real, honest, and authentic as often as possible. So, the next time you ask me how I'm doing... be prepared!

I welcome your comments! :)

Leader of the Pack

2012-08-01T14:25:00.004-05:00

Well, my boys left bright and early this morning for their "man trip" to see the Green Bay Packers. I thought I would be super sad to see them go, but tiredness won out and I ended up falling quickly back to sleep. Today has been so busy that I haven't had time to miss them... ask me again tonight when the house is quiet and dark, and my bed is empty.

When my boys left this morning I started thinking (on my way to bed) about how excited our little man was to create this memory with his daddy. And it made me think of what my favorite vacation memory from childhood is. My quest was small, as my family didn't have the opportunity to take many vacations. But, I think my favorite is a family reunion for my step-dad's family.

I'm not sure why this is my favorite, as his family is generally a bit cantankerous. But, this memory stands out as wonderful in my mind. I just remember having such a great time, and laughing, and playing. Yes, it was nice.

I'm looking forward to spending some girl time with our little princess. Saturday will be her day. She gets to pick everything we do on Saturday. And her first pick is the zoo. I am excited for her to have her day. And tomorrow night I am having a pinterest party at my house, so for now I will retire to the maids quarters and continue my cleaning. "Cinderelly, Cinderelly...."

What is your favorite vacation memory from childhood?

Creamy Mac-N-Cheese

2012-07-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

This recipe is a favorite in our house, and it's so easy to make.

Ingredients:

4 cooked cups noodles, boiled and drained (I use whatever kind I have on hand)

1 cup shredded low moisture mozzerella cheese

4 tbsp butter or margarine

1 cup milk

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

grated parm cheese (optional)

In a pan (or double broiler) melt butter, add milk and cheese, stir continuously until cheese is melted. Add spices and noodles. Mix until noodles are coated. Pour into casserole pan and bake at 350 about 20 minutes or until cheese is browned on top. You may top with grated parm cheese if you want before baking.

What are your favorite comfort foods? Share them here!