HOMEMADE BABY FOOD

Cooking for Baby Making your own baby food really can save you money. There is no reason to "do it all at once." For our little daughter, we would make dinner for the family and save out some vegetables or fruits (cut up and boiled with water). No added salt or sugars. Then we took an immersion blender and mashed them up and put them in ice cube trays. To feed my baby during dinner, I would take a couple of ice cubes from a previous night's meal and thaw them in the microwave (being careful of hot spots). After dinner, the "new" cubes would be frozen and put into their respective bags (one for veggies and one for fruits). It's really no harder than that.

~Laurabeth G.

Book Organizer

I just saw a really cool orgainzer for book on I'm an Organizer Junkie.

The Organizer Junkie posted a tip from Mrs. Jones and her very clever storage idea for coloring books and crayons! I think it's is VERY creative.

Check out her blog... Mrs. Jones !

FREEZER FOOD

RICE
Cook large quantities of rice when you have time. Freeze for six months.
Reheat rice by microwaving on high 1 to 3 minutes or until hot.

MEATLOAF
When making meatloaf, bake it in muffin tins and freeze the extras for another meal.

ROLLS
Make rolls instead of bread, again, freezing the extra.

CASSEROLES
By making two small casseroles instead of one large one, it's easier to freeze one. Also, a way to save space in the freezer, and not having to put your casserole dish in there tool...just line your casserole with foil, then, after baking it, just lift out the foil lining, wrap and freeze that.

MILK
Buy a 1/2 or gallon of milk when it's on sale, but you can't drink it all before it spoils? Pour most of it into Ziploc's round 2-cup containers, leaving about1/2 inch of head space, and freeze it. I shake the container before using the thawed milk, and nothing is thrown away.

Kid's CRAFTS

"When the kids art supplies began to get out of control, I had to get the stuff off the floor and the kitchen table. I began to consider the unused spaces in my home, and came up with a solution that takes up very little space, but yields mondo storage capacity for small items. It is a behind-the-door pantry rack that installs in about 15 minutes. I think I'm going to install one on the back of every door in my house now!

Thanks to Gear Freak for submitting this tip!" - from Clutter Control Freak

STAINS & CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Blood on Clothing

Don't use hot water, it will only set the stain.
Use hydrogen peroxide and rinse with cold water and repeat.

Found the info below here.
Stove: Cream of tartar & vinegar paste
Weeds: Vinegar & lemon juice
Carpet stains: 3 tablespoons dish soap, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon ammonia, 3/4 cup water, mix to foamy consistancy and use only the foam on carpet
Clothing stains: automotive hand cleaner (white)
Silver: 1 tablespoon water softner, 1 tablespoon salt. Mix in hot water in either a foil pan or place in glass pan with foil on the bottom. (Foil must touch the silver)
Ink on clothes: Spray heavy with hair spray (soak) then rub with bar soap and rinse in cold water
Scuff marks on the floor: Toothpaste
Markers: Spray with hair spray heavily and wipe up
Sneakers: Ammonia in spray bottle, spray on sneakers and wipe off
Grass stains on clothes: Spray ammonia then rub with toothbrush and rinse in cold water
Faucets: Wet cloth with vinegar
White patio furniture: Bleach and dish soap
Tubs: Make a paste of cream of tartar with hydrogen peroxide and clean stains out of tubs and sinks