Don'tcha Want Some Matcha

I am a mother of four, and as such, I am usually lacking in the area of mental focus and energy. This leaves me longing for a shot of caffeine, which couldn't be worse for my health. I do take multi-vitamins and drink Shakeology, but it doesn't always cut through the fog. Therefore, I am a huge fan of the antioxidants found in green tea powder. Now, the problem comes from me being Latter-Day Saint and not drinking fermented drinks! So, how do I get the benefits from all natural green tea, without the fermented process? Two words ... Matcha Powder

Matcha, pronounced MA-cha, is from Camellia sinensis and it has not been through the fermented process. When it is ground into a fine powder, it can be added to any recipe for a natural boost to the metabolism, increased focus, and fight against the aging process.

I was given a package of Organic Matcha from Kiss Me Organics and urged to try it with several recipes. This product is ONLY available on Amazon. I am putting a link up here, and then down at the bottom of my page for easier ordering!



The first thing I noticed in their shake recipes was they only use 2 tsp of Matcha. The don't have Shakeology on there, so I made my own. I used one scoop of Strawberry Shakeology (regular), 2 tsp Matcha, 1 cup milk, and 1/2 cup of ice. Put it all in the blender and mixed until smoothe. I must say, it was mighty tasty!

After that, I decided to try a few more recipes. I made the orange cocktail, butter cookies, and honey butter (extraordinary yummy) to go on some homemade biscuits!

Orange Matcha Cocktail

So, what's my verdict?

Matcha is completely worth the investment. A little goes a LONG way so make sure you don't scoop with a heavy hand. I have enjoyed the benefits that come with the green tea, without having to sacrifice my beliefs with fermented beverages. I also love that I can have the health benefits of green tea, without consuming green tea!

Note, the daily dose of Organic Matcha is 1/2 to 1 tsp a day. The powder has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or disorder. Please consult with a physician if you are taking any medication or have a health condition. While I saw results with the product, results may vary. However, it is 100% guaranteed for the first 30-days!

Clean Oven - Without the Chemicals

I know I am not alone in HATING the chore of cleaning the oven. I also hate that it smells SO bad and then you have to stick your head into the oven to scrub the back part, which causes you to inhale the fumes. I was delighted to find something that works wonders on a filthy stove.

You will need:

• Vinegar
• Water
• Baking Soda
• Iodized Salt

To start, you will want to mix the vinegar and water in a spray bottle. You want 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Take the racks out of the oven and spray the vinegar water all over the oven surface. Next, sprinkle baking soda over the vinegar and focus on the spots with heavy grease stains. Sprinkle the salt over the baking soda, and then spray another coating of vinegar water. Let it sit overnight to allow the vinegar and baking soda to work.

The next morning, take a sponge that has a scour side and some warm soapy water. Wipe off the baking soda mixture, scrubbing where it is needed. That's it!

Mine will need another treatment as soon as I have my massive baking task done later this week (or next weekend). The best part about this is I did not have to worry about where my children were because it is not toxic.

Uncharted Territory Equals Learning Experience

We LOVE cloth diapering. It saves us SO much money and it is SO easy. However, it does not come without an occasional complication. Sometimes those complications are figuring out which diaper is best for your baby, what the best night time solution is, fabrics your child is sensitive to, etc. However, we hit a new issue for us. Monkey was diagnosed with a bacterial infection on her bum. Now she is being treated with Bactroban. I am aggravated at myself and aggravated with how it occurred. Most importantly though, we have learned and are moving on. So, I thought I would share my learning experience so you don't need to go through the same thing!


First, it is important to note that staph, just like yeast, is possible at any time so what I am going to tell you is a wise routine to perform on a routine basis. Once a month would be ideal.

When I get a used diaper from a friend or swap board, I ALWAYS run it through my wash with my homemade laundry detergent. I assumed that since I was using hot water and my detergent had oxyclean in it, it was being disinfected. I was SO wrong. My apartment complex regulates the heat of the hot water so it doesn't get hot enough to kill yeast, staph, and other evils ... nor does oxyclean disinfect. So, here is my new routine that will be performed at each wash until the staph is cleared up, and then once a month afterwards.

Disinfecting:

Method #1 -

Boil your diaper or insert. Even better ... hang them in the sun to dry afterwards and let the sun burn all the ickies off of them

Method #2 -

Tea Tree Oil (the method I am going with) put into the washer when water is filling. Make sure you get the GOOD stuff. It is a disinfectant. Fill the washer with hot water, put in a couple tablespoons, and then load the diapers. If your washer has an extra rinse cycle ... use it.

Method #3 -

Hydrogen peroxide ... use like tea tree oil but wait for the agitator to start to activate the peroxide. Then add diapers. Again, make sure you run an extra rinse.

Method #4 -

Bleach ... this is the method I used but won't next time. Bleach LINGERS in clothing so unless you have the time to run a bazillion rinses after the wash, don't use this method. However, you can agitate the diapers (especially by hand) in extremely diluted bleach water .. a little bleach goes a LONG way. Using more doesn't make it work any better ... just makes getting it out that much harder. Then wash as normal, with extra rinses. I even did 2 rinses before starting the wash. I just feel like I can still smell the bleach in the diapers.



So ... any questions? Ask me, if I don't know them, I will find them out!

Support WAH Businesses

Many people ask me: "if you can sew, why do you buy other people's handmade stuff."


To that, I have two responses. The first is because I am lazy in areas and secondly because I support WAH businesses. WAH being Work at Home. So, yes, I can make diapers, and wipes, and tutus, and more ... BUT it is TIME CONSUMING. I really don't have time to make everything I need in the time I need it in. So, I support friends who have started their own business. Fluff Planet is my all time FAVORITE go to. I also love ELH diapers. The business I was using for tutus and bows, in my opinion, has very poor business practice so I will no longer use her services. There are many others to chose from.

Anyway, onto my love for Fluff Planet. They make diapers and for every diaper they sell, they donate an equivalent amount of diapers to a mom who does not have the money for diapers. I say equivalent because they have gotten bogged down with so many custom orders and that they haven't had time to sew more diapers. HOWEVER, they donate prefolds and covers which is GREAT for moms to use. I love the concept so much that I have signed up for TWO of their Item of the Month clubs. One is a cloth-diaper friendly club and the other is an eco-friendly club. Last month I got my first shipment. I want to talk about what I got.


The first item I got was a Heavenly Healer. The cover is interchangeable so if I want, I can purchase different covers to match outfits or moods. It can be heated up in the microwave for 30 seconds or placed in the freezer to serve as an ice pack. 'But wait ... there's more!' This rice pack is special ... it contains essential oils. Mine is grapefruit ginger. It is nice because suffering from IBS, I have many intestinal and stomach issues that ginger REALLY helps with. I can't wait to order another with some different essential oils.


My second item was a wipe case with 5 of Fluff Planet's wipes in it. There are a few special things about this wipe case. The first is it is Dr. Seuss ... and it is March. What a better way to celebrate his birthday?!  Also, what many do NOT know ... we are still switching Chloe over to the Dr. Suess theme. She was due in March and we had hoped to have that theme from day one but didn't quite happen that way. So now we are looking at small designs for her in that area. Anyway ... onto the goodies.



Mine is flannel/terry cloth. These are made from receiving blankets and upcycled baby washclothes. Love them ... for me. The Dr. Seuss wipes are flannel/OBV. They are SO incredibly soft and LOOOOOVE them for baby bum. She NEVER screams, they are super smooth, and get the job done.



okay, so let's wrap up.

Yes, I am FULLY capable of sewing my own goodies for my baby. No, I don't want to; nor do I have time to! I love supporting my friends and have participated in their auctions with purchasing and this next auction, I will be a vender in the auction. Such exciting times. I have already paid for my April IOTM so will be stalking the mailman in a few short weeks!

Menu 2012 Week 8

I am back to making my menus weekly. This is the last week where I won't know exactly which veggies and sides I will have because I am getting a produce box starting on Friday. I am so excited and it is all thanks to a company called Fresh Connect KC. You can place your order each week, or set up a standing order. They have shelf stable items such as honey and jam; they have breads, dairy, eggs, meats and finally produce. I am currently getting a small box of produce and eggs each week and meat every two weeks. For more information on the company, feel free to visit their webpage at Fresh Connect KC or their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/freshconnectkc.


Sunday - Meal with Family in Paola

Monday - Planet Sub (kids eat free - thanks kcmetromoms.com

Tuesday - Steak & Shrimp smothered in Parmesan Cheese Sauce, served with steamed veggies

Wednesday - Hamburgers & French Fries

Thursday - Chicken Wings & Stuffed Mushrooms

Friday - Pork Chops & Rice, served with steamed veggies

Saturday - Roast, served with steamed veggies, mashed potatoes and gravy