Water Beads!

These things are AWESOME!

So I saw all over Pinterest this summer these things called water beads.  It looked weird and strange and like yeah right, I'm not doing that.  Its all in the "sensory" play experience whatever that I think is a different way to say having fun touching things.  When you're probably supposed to be doing something else. But I'm always on the lookout for activities that help the preschoolers work on their fine motor skills and keep them occupied/playing in a calm manner, i.e. legos.  What a wonder the legos are for these guys.

So end of summer I'm shopping in Dollar Tree and I see a "magical" vase with "magical" beads - water beads for a dollar.  Ok, I will get it and try it.  They could be neat.  If not, I only wasted a dollar.  I got the multi-pack with 3 different colors including clear.  They start out tiny and you add water to them and they grow to their full size in 6 to 8 hours.  They end up being about marble size.  There was apparently some other product that started marble size and grew to be like small ball size which was dangerous because little kids eat them and then they expand in their stomachs and block off essentials organs.  They have been recalled. Good thing!

So these things ended up being awesome!!!  They feel so cool, and its just some sort of I don't know, it feels like gel but not sticky like gel.  Its just water left on your hands.  The best color is the clear ones because they disappear in the water.  I've heard of other preschools using them for play and the kids have to search for them in the water with their hands.  I love showing these beads off to everyone and they all love them! Some high school girls were playing for a few minutes and I had to kick them out so they wouldn't miss class.

water beads!

So here is my problem with them.  I've had the beads hydrated for about 3 weeks now and the kids play with them almost everyday.  Guess what happened? Yup, they got gross.  I think its mold growing on them.  I took a test batch and soaked some in rubbing alcohol (they dissolved) and the other in hand sanitizer (they are still intact but the mold seems to be too.  I have taken my whole batch and am washing it with soap and water and will lay it out to dry on towels over the weekend.  I'm hoping this will stop the molding.  I might try a test batch with bleach, see what that does.  I researched online and found that most people smash them after a few weeks, or freeze them which is awesome but then they break apart.  I really don't want to waste all my money by destroying them, but I will if thats my only option.  I also read that if you let them dry out they won't mold, maybe that's a regular drying out??

look closely, see the brown moldy spots?

So I will let you know what happens with my beads.  I highly recommend these things, the kids LOVE them and so do adults and there are so many science, math, and other applications for them in your classroom.  Yay for Sensory!!!

 

 

 

my collection..about $3 worth

Update 10/27:  I have sad news.  All those beautiful beads you saw there (above) grew moldy and gross.  Like actual fuzzy mold.  Ick.  So they were tossed in the garbage when the preschoolers wouldn't see.  (sad face).  I did some more research and found that, yes, you need to let them dry regularly so they won't mold.  I had a new batch of pink ones that I let dry and they didn't get as bad.  They were also from Dollar General and there were a lot more, but they did not get as big.

"them are like princesses... because them are so beautiful!"

The kids loved playing with these too.  I rinsed them and let them dry spread out on the tops of these plastic tubs and after a couple of weeks they had shrunk down to their original teeny tiny size! This past week the kids had fun putting some back in the water and watching them grow again. 

Lesson learned - make sure to let them dry and don't buy a bunch all at once because you will run out of room and containers to dry them and they will get moldy.  Also I don't recommend dumping the leftover broken ones in your sink, the bits will stick together and clog it up.  I have been flushing the bits down the toilet or in the garbage.  Just keep in mind if they dry they will shrink and then if they are exposed to moisture again they will expand, which could be bad in some locations. 

WATER BEADS!

More Americorps - the Northwest

Vampires!

   Also when I was in Americorps I rented a car and drove from Sacramento, Ca to Forks, Washington...yes, because of the Twilight books.  I read the books before the movie, saw Twilight (book) in a library in Florida and was like, hmmm, ok, I'll read this teeny bopper book.  I enjoyed it.  I hate the movies.  I strongly dislike Kristen Stewart and think she cannot act and that Robert guy does NOT look like Edward and ugh! what a way to ruin things.  Tangent.  SOOOO I wanted to visit the small town and what better way to do that then drag my 2 teammates along and hit some awesome sights along the way?  We had a blast.  I only wish I had taken more pix of Seattle.  I think I was saving my battery or memory or both for Forks.  So, part 1, the trip up.

Redwood forest on the coast of California

view inside one of those crazy trees

herd of some animal we saw, no idea what they are

sometimes the drive way quite spooky

beach..west coast...Pacific ocean ya'll!

catching some rays (notice the layers of clothing) and the California plate..what what?!

cool rock

some bear statue...I don't know if this was warning you there were bears, the size of bears, or some sort of tribute to appease the bears and keep them away...it is California

another neat beach view on a rainy day

stuck in traffic jam, almost in Seattle! notice the lovely license plate blurring...you're welcome

One picture of Seattle! See the crazy totem pole thing? So neat.  Also, that hospital in the background to the left is where Grey's Anatomy happens.  True story*

This is that fish-place where the workers have tons of fun and throw fish.  I saw it in some motivational video for some job..I'll try to find it online..almost across the street from here is the first Starbucks! So wish I had taken a picture

Seattle Bay  (Actually I have not clue if it is called that. I shall go research now.)  Puget Sound - haha, I think I knew that

As you can see, these pictures were taken in April. 2008.  That is all.

*not true story, I just made that up.

Death Valley

Surprise!
K, so I was totally gonna share pictures from the hammock in spring, but I cannot find them! And in my search I came across theses pictures I took at the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley while I was in Americorps.  It was so worth the very long drive down the gravel road there, the rented SUV, and the trip home in the dark almost out of gas and thinking we saw a UFO, when really it was the moon rising.  Ha!

As you can see, I had the date stamp on there. Useful for remembering but kinda messes up the picture

A sailing stone! If you don't know about these, look it up, so fascinating

we got there a little before the sunset, but it went behind those mountains fast!

I'm being all scientific and studious...here is a rock, hmmmm

now I was being artsy with the black and white.  No, I don't know those people

All these pix were with my old camera (also red) not as great as my teammate's Cannon Powershot which made me want the one I got for Christmas last year, yay!
   As you can see, I took these in March, I was wearing shorts, it is Death Valley after all, I hear it gets pretty hot there.

Allons-y!

Sunrise I saw one day on my way to work.  The picture never comes out as awesome as it looks in real life.

I like this one better even though you can't really see the sun, its got some of the foggy mist that was all over the fields that day.  Gorgeous.

 

That's it. Happy Tuesday!

Bonfired

I Love My Camera!

   So I got my wonderful camera from my wonderful husband at Christmas.  Last Christmas.  No, not this past Christmas (I forget what I got....wait, I'll remember......wait for it.....wait for IT.....nope, can't remember...I'll come back to this)* but the Christmas before that.  I have had this camera for a year and a half now.  And I have taken a few (thousand) pictures with it.  Pix of landscape, foliage, people, stars, flowers, clouds, cats, kids, babies, and even (um, trying to think of something zany here) a bug!  I recently figured out how to do black and white, and therefore many other color varieties, in like May.  My camera does some fun zoom and focus stuff that I don't have much control over, I just know how to press buttons.  But somehow, last night, I accessed hitherto-for unknown wonderments of my camera!!!!  I can do fish eye lens! I can do toy camera! I can do multiple shots! There is a setting for kids and pets! There is a setting that looks like a parrot that says it is for super vibrant color - I guess they are including the green parrot in that.  Most of these cool things I didn't get to really use because it was getting dark and we were having a bonfire...then I found it.

Nighttime setting.
Ooooooh man.

Taking pictures of a fire normally, the fire is kinda a blur type thing.  Not with nighttime setting!! I got some SUPER AWESOME pictures!! Like individual flames! Like, what? I took that picture? Me? Wow! Are you ready for this? I don't think you are.  I will start you out slowly, with a nice sunset and blah bonfire.  Hold on to your hats.  I don't care if you are wearing a hat or not...go get a hat and hold on to it.  Ready?
(read the captions in a little girly dreamy voice.  Until you get to the crazy pictures ... don't worry, you'll know)

la la la, nice sunset

getting the fire going, la la la

ho hum, blurry picture, cool

getting rather dark now

whoa! look at those flames!

Boom! Fire!

Can you feel the heat? Smell the smoke? How's that hat doing?

 I told you! Awesome, right? Oh man.  Then I discovered long exposure!!! Tried to take a picture of some stars.  It was a black picture.  Then I tried the cars going by...neato.

car

I can't wait to try the other programs! My cats are gonna be so annoyed with me tomorrow!!

 *I forgot I was supposed to be remembering.  Ok, I got a Nook! Wow. Can't believe that took me that long cuz I love my Nook and hmmmm, maybe I should look for its secret section of unknown wonderments.

Thing 1 and Thing 2

I have a thing!

Hello again.  I am fully recovered from my sickness, thanks for asking.  Sadly, as a result, the results from the 30 day challenge are disappointing today, as I missed 4ish days of exercise.  So the 30 day challenge has been extended to 35 days! Commence cheering! Excellent.  Cease cheering!!

I have been getting sooooooooo many comments and requests from all my followers out there.*  "Put up more pictures please!" "We want to see more pictures!" "Stop being so funny, I keep peeing my pants!" and "You are awesome!"  So your requests have been heard, filed, and ignored.  Except the picture one.  I will put up more pictures! Starting today I will put up a daily picture for your visual enjoyment and photographic cataloging of my life's moments!

 Ok, truthfully I'm doing this as one of my "things."  See, I am a procrastinator at heart.  If there is something I don't like doing, I try to avoid it or put it off as long as possible.  Things that are not my favorite things to do:
making sandwiches
brushing my teeth
emptying the dishwasher
folding/putting away laundry
exercising
etc.

So I try to trick myself into doing these things by coming up with games, timing myself, or rewarding myself.  Examples - I race against my old time to try to make my husband's lunch - my fastest so far unbeatable time? 3 minutes and 8 seconds.  I read a book or watch a show while brushing my teeth for 5 minutes.  I watch a show while folding and putting away laundry.  I came up with the 30 day challenge which is one of the few things that has helped me be consistent with exercising. I haven't found anything to make emptying the dishwasher more bearable.  Mostly I'll put it off until my husband does it. :)

I want to make more blog entries but usually procrastinate about it......SOOOO I decided to put a picture up everyday! That is my blogging thing! Not that I don't like to blog, I just forget to or don't know what to write about.   Excited? Me too! Here are pictures for 2, count 'em, 2 days! You're welcome

Friday, August 2nd

this is what my porch looked like after a 2 and a 3 year old finished drawing with chalk.  They are quite enthusiastic

The hand prints are my favorite...this was all their idea.

 Saturday, August 3rd

blueberry bushes - yum!

Gorgeous view from the farm where we picked blueberries, Ed's Acres.

Happy weekend!

*False - I only get comments from my good friend, Sailor Moon.  What's up with that, people? I love comments!

Cough Cough

I am Sick! (mauve is the colour of danger)
   I woke up early this morning FREEZING cold.  So I'm running around piling on winter clothes, turning off fans, and shivering in bed trying to draw heat from my husband (who is like a space heater).  I dreamt feverish dreams of recurring looping things that never resolve themselves and it was winter and snowing. That's always how I dream when I have a fever.  Its not very restful.  I also dreamt I visited my family and while I was in the bathroom my husband left and when I finally got a hold of him he said he was at Roberts visiting college friends!  I got a ride home from his old neighbor in his sweet old convertible.  It was also cold then.

   I blame many things for these dreams and my sickness:
1. Netflix for allowing me to watch most anything anytime including late into the night
2. Candycrush for being so addicting
3. party where I saw my husband's old neighbor
4. former high school student who is going to be attending Roberts
5.  laptop for being so convenient to watch netflix and hulu on
6. kids I watch for probably infecting me (but its totally worth it)
7. Hulu for having America's Next Top Model (which I've already seen) and Moone Boy (ditto)

love this kid and this show!

I've spent most of today lounging on the couch, alternating between being cold and hot, dealing with a headache and aching back, and watching Dr. Who on Netflix.

not as scary as in 28 days later, just as mad though

 From the beginning.  I love his craziness and was so excited to see Simon Pegg.

Love him!

Also being waited on hand and foot by a very wonderful husband and being cuddled with by big and loveable orange cat Maxxis.

Maxxis is very big and very cuddly

Also watched a few Top Gear episodes.

some say his sweat can clean precious metals

Hopefully I feel better tomorrow, I have paint to buy for our new bathroom!!
Prayers appreciated.

Challenge Accepted!

                                         sweet new watch that should be somewhere in the middle of the post

Bragging Time!

   I am so excited.  As I sit here calmly with a blah expression on my face. No really, I am.  I am the new face of Sami's 30 Day Weight Loss Challenge!!  The challenge isn't over and I started it so I'm basically paying myself.  I have yet to receive a paycheck. I'm starting to think it might be a scam.
   Ok, but seriously.  Three weeks ago, I was getting frustrated with my laziness, tiredness, and lack of exercise.  It was summer and I was barely riding the bike, definitely not jogging, and just generally being lame.  I decided to challenge myself to walk for 30 minutes* everyday** for 30 days***.
   I weighed myself and got my waist measurement and wrote it down and decided to do that once a week since I've heard weight fluctuates daily and I didn't want to get discouraged.  If nothing much happened, great, fine, at least I got some exercise.  But I was hoping Something would happen.  And oh boy.  Something did.  I sprayed a dog with pepper spray, that's what happened!
   I was pretty good and pretty bland the first week.  Most days I got 30 minutes in, a few were 20 minutes on the treadmill (I just get so bored! And the computer screen keeps going to sleep after 10 minutes when I'm watching netflix!) One day was swimming in the pool, but I actually did "laps" and stuff.  First measurement I had lost a couple pounds and 1 inch!+
  Oh man! I was excited and prepared to watch the pounds fall off!  I attacked the next week with gusto! And the week attacked back - it was mega hot! On hot days, I would usually try to get up early so the heat wasn't so bad.  But when it is 90% humidity the heat is bad at ANYTIME.  So I just sweated through it and drank a cold beverage when I got home and showered.  Not any less sweating than I was doing normally.  I had also read an article in one of those woman's magazines that I got for FREE from the local library and therefore didn't mind the toddler niece "reading" and ripping it up next to me poolside.  She had a lot of fun and kept looking over at me to make sure I was still doing what she was doing.  So cute. Anyway, the article talked about how it was better for a fat burning workout to vary your walking speed than just walk same speed for the whole workout. They had this lovely timetable of:
  3 minutes warm up - slowish walk
4 mins moderate walking
4 mins fast walking/hard breathing
and repeat the 4 mins 3 times and then 3 minute cool down.
   I tried this.  It was difficult.  Because I usually walk fairly fast and it doesn't wind me.  I have to be running to be breathing hard.  In order to walk "fast" I'm basically jogging cuz my legs can't go any faster in the walking way.  And I have to pump my arms ridiculously to make myself go faster.  So people mock me.  Like my husband.  But I still do it.  When he isn't there to watch me. The worst part was trying to time myself on my teeny analog watch with colored numbers in some of the spaces. Some didn't have numbers at all so I did a lot of guessing.
  Second week down, as well as the weight (yay!) and the inches stayed the same! Ok, at least I didn't gain any.  Side note, during this time, I did not change my eating habits.  I bought a box of mini snickers ice cream bars, ok? Also its summer, so I'm eating s'mores and BBQ and hot dogs and soft pretzels (actually no, but I wish), etc. 
  Third week, I'm gonna go to the store, mostly for Starbucks and ice cream and a watch with a stopwatch or something!  Monday morning constitutional...I spray a dog!  Then go to the store and get the previous mentioned things!  Sweet new bright green watch, on clearance, with big digital numbers and stopwatch!
   I mostly do the interval (as I call it, it might really be called something else) walking but if I'm sick of it I just walk normal.  Better than nothing.  Also, some days I get really excited and just start jogging.  Usually its when I'm wearing my running shoes and a dog is chasing me! Just kidding about the dog.  I just spray them. 
  SO now 3 weeks down and I have lost a total of 3 inches!!!! and 6 pounds!!!!  I am so excited and wanted to share this wondrous news of a nice, simple, easy to do and easy on you workout that works! At least for now.  I might have to step things up after a bit once my body gets used to it, but whatever! Now I'm off to have my coffee and eat a bagel with cream cheese! OH yea, carbs and dairy/fat.  YUM.  Those mini ice cream bars are also calling my name.  At 9:30 in the morning.  Boodles?! This is what spell check says when I wanted to write toodles.  Boodles. Apparently its a restaurant and a type of gin.
Boodles!

*I try as much as possible, but if there is a day where time-wise I can only do 20 or 25 mins, then I do that cuz something is better than nothing. 
**Yes yes.  Even Sunday.  Why not?  I still eat ice cream on Sundays! Especially on Sundaes!! hahahaha
***I have nothing to say about this, I just didn't want the days to feel left out.
+results not typical. Actually they may be.  I have no idea.

German Girl's Response to a German Dog - HALT!!!!! (say it with a German accent)

HALT! Don't be mad when I use it.
*Caution* This blog is full of assumptions and maybe be frightening to some dogs

   I bought Halt! Dog pepper spray from a nearby store, after researching it online, about a year or so ago.  I live in a rural area and often walk, jog, or bike the country roads near me for exercise.  There are many dogs living at houses along ALL the routes I could take.  After living here for a year and having dogs from certain houses chase me across and down the street while biking or jogging, I decided to get this spray.  I was tired of changing my running route because of dogs that I knew would come after me and owners who would stand at their door casually calling the dogs name as it charged me. 

   Since getting the spray, I have not had any dogs charge me -as if they knew I had it -until today.  Two dogs I've never seen before were roaming free in a parking lot near the road. I got my spray in my hand, ready, just in case.  After walking a bit more I saw the owner standing there, 10 feet or so from the dogs.  The dogs saw me, and the big black and brown one* barks and starts charging me, and the littler starts to follow him.  The owner's+ response? "No!  no!" It didn't work.  My  first thought was, cross the road, maybe they won't, but the dog was too close, coming fast, I didn't want to turn my back to him** and knew I couldn't give my full attention to crossing the street.  I figured better to have to spray the dog than possibly get hit by a car.***  The dog keeps coming, growling.  He was about a foot from me, with no intention of turning around when I sprayed him right in the face.  It was about a 2 second spray, enough time for it to register and he backed off.  The smaller dog took one more step towards me; I pointed the bottle at his face.  He decided to turn around and so escaped unharmed.  I continued walking.  The next part is my "favorite" (not really).

The owner says, incredulously, "Is that pepper spray?" 
My response "Yeah."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah.  Put your dog on a leash"

Realizing she is concerned about the dog's health, I try to reassure her.  "He'll be fine.  He'll be ok."

   Seriously?! Your dog (which I think was a Rottweiler but I don't want to stereotype dog breeds, just saying it was big, brown and black and scary looking) was inches from me while I'm walking ON THE ROAD and you can't believe I just sprayed him with pepper spray.
    Now I know that not all dogs attack.  But I also know that dogs attack.  (My sister has bite mark scars on her arm to prove it and my friend had a recent experience with a LEASHED dog actually biting his leg...it was a small dog and he's a tough guy so it didn't break the skin, but there you go).  And I had never seen this dog before so I had no clue what he was gonna do.

   I want to scream and shake these people.  New York is full of laws.  One of them is to have the dog on a leash.  Especially if roaming free.  Especially if prone to chasing people across the street barking like it wants to tear their flesh from their bones.  ESPECIALLY if roaming free in a parking lot in the middle of town out for the morning potty break (I am assuming here.  Maybe the girl likes standing outside in her pjs with her purse yelling at dogs that maybe she doesn't even own).  Isn't the reason we have these laws so that people will obey them and the world will be a more perfect place?  Don't let me get started on that.  But ok, leashes are annoying.  Fine. Great. Good.  Then train the dog to actually listen when you call it.  That's kinda your responsibility as an owner.
   Now these dogs did not cross the street to come after me but there are many others that have.  My thought at the time is, what if there is a car coming?  Do the owners not care that their dog recklessly runs across the road to scare an "attacker"**** which could cause their dog to get hit by a car??? I am actually providing a service to these dogs.  I am (hopefully) teaching them to not chase people because the people might have scary stinging stuff that shoots out of their appendages and thereby saving their lives by keeping them from crossing the road.  You are welcome!

   My favorite thing is the dog that caused me to get the spray in the first place, "Michael" (as I am once again assuming his name is because that is what the owner says in a voice like the girl calling Mr. Skinner to the manager's office in "Hot Fuzz").   I don't know if the dog had some other incident happen or they realized that I carry spray or something as I habitually get it ready in my hand ANY time I go by their house.  But they seem to be more conscious of the dog now.  If they see us coming down the road and the dog is out, they call him and then try to bribe him to listen with the promise of a "cookie!"  Unless they changed his name to "Michael Cookie."  So NOW that dog has been trained to respond to people going by with barks and charging and he will get a cookie!!!  Well, maybe if he just barks and then runs to the owner for a cookie, that is a better response. 

Wow.  I feel better getting this all out there.  Now I have to avoid that route for a different reason. The "owner".

Extra side note.  I just rubbed my eye with the hand that had sprayed the Halt!  The corner of my eye is slightly stingy.   The spraying happened an hour and a half ago.  Make sure to wash your hands after.  Oh, and the spray didn't get in my face at all, as I have heard it might.   So yay!

*not a picture of the actual dog, obviously, as the dog I deterred did not have a collar on. Also it wasn't THAT scary looking.
+ I am assuming she owned the dogs.  It may have been her boyfriends (again assuming) dogs.
** I do not know for sure it was a boy...I didn't have the time to check...I am assuming here.
***I mean me get hit by a car.  I won't tell you that I was hoping a car would come to stop the dog for me.
****Once again assuming this is how the dog views me, based on his/her response to me.

Off to get more spray! I don't want to run out next time!!

Homemade Bubbles!

I hate spending money..when I don't have to.  I love spending it on clothes!!  But buying bottles and bottles of bubbles so kids can dump it as they try to blow bubbles? No thanks!  I've found a few recipes and actually tried one today.   It uses only corn syrup, water, and dish soap.  I tried to blow a few bubbles after and it seems to work great.  Tomorrow it will be tested by children.  The recipe can be found here.  Here we go...

I used Method dish soap (love that stuff!) since that's what I had on hand and was excited for the lovely orange smell.  Boy, I was not disappointed! The kitchen smells delicious!!

The brew was quite warm. I poured it in the large purple container..it was the perfect amount, just about 3 cups, but the plastic felt very warm and I was afraid it might melt it.  So the bubble brew is chilling in the fridge...I recommend this step before pouring it in any plastic container.

I can't wait to try this out (hopefully the rain goes away tomorrow) and I'm really hoping it will still smell like delicious clementines!

~I am Sami

Toy Testers

I would like to propose a new group of testers.  Preschoolers.  Specifically ages 4 to young 5 years old.  These young ones have the ability to find the most dangerous, destructive, and/or annoying use of toys within a 30 second time period.  Simply hand a group of 3 to 6 preschoolers the toy you want to test, preferably in a large empty space (to limit damage to other nearby items or furniture) and quickly back away, preferably to a safe location...like a bunker. 

If you feel the need to, start a timer.  I GUARANTEE within one minute something will have been damaged or completely broken, someone will have been hit with a toy or child propelled by a toy, and someone will be crying...probably you. 

Think I'm exaggerating? Being dramatic? A little too cynical of these wonderful children?  I give you 3 examples. Here we go.

A. Hula Hoops
Fun, fairly safe, family toy, right? Wrong! These are weapons of torture, quickly used to trip fellow 4 year-olds who are trying to run away, clothesline anyone who survived the tripping, and slam into the face/nose of the ever optimistic teacher.  
     Oh come now, you say.  Surely a hollow plastic hoop can't hurt that much. Wrong, again! It hurts.  Like the dickens.  Try not to cry while your eyes are stinging and nose feels like its bleeding and you gently chide the young ones to be careful, don't swing it at your friends' faces, it hurts.  Still doubtful? Come on over, I'll show you how it feels.  As if all this isn't enough, the hooligans little ones quickly invented a "game" that I am sure is used for nefarious purposes, such as making one kid hand over all his snacks and lego-playing privileges for the rest of his life.  All the children are forced to stand inside the hula hoop. At some indiscernible signal the group starts spinning around faster and faster until someone inevitably trips and the whole group, trapped in the hoop, crash down on top of one another.  There are always cackles of laughter, probably to hide the pain. 

B. Tennis Balls
You know, those small fuzzy, yellow rubber balls? Good for wholesome activities like bouncing, rolling along the floor, and calmly kicking to a friend, right? Wrong! Even without rackets, bats, or sticks of any kind, these balls are immediately put to the test by flinging them at the closest friend.  The friend tries to run away, which must trigger some sort of animalistic chase instinct and prompts the flinger to, once again, cackle with laughter and chase the "friend" while flinging as many tennis balls as possible at him.  These balls even cause damage when being cleaned up.  Friends are taunted when they have an insignificant number of them collected (any number less than 1) and the inequalities of the amount each child has is frequently pointed out and apparently is the worst thing in the world.
     "He has 3!!!! I only have 2. :G" ( That is the best extreme sad face I could make).

C. Jump Ropes
You know, the fun pieces of string with hard wooden or plastic handles attached to each end, sometimes with deadly plastic beads strung the whole length of the rope?? Ok, just kidding.  I can realize the damage and pain these bad boys will inflict.  I will not even entertain the idea of letting a preschooler within 10 feet of these.  Except the one I use when we cross the street.  But that's obviously the linkage system in our class train.  Everyone knows that.  And that I'm always the engine.  

I hope this has enlightened you.  And no, I do not despise these kids.  I love them. But they are dangerous, and that needs to be recognized.  Also they have this untapped talent that I think someone should be making use of.  Just saying.

-I am Sami

Quick and Easy Recipes

One of two of my favorite easy and simple meals.  Both require chicken and a few simple ingredients.
Here you go:

Baked Chicken Fajitas
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 medium onion, cut into thin strips
1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed

In a 13x9 in baking dish coated with cooking spray, combine the chicken, tomatoes, onion, and peppers.  Combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, and salt.  Drizzle over chicken mixture, toos to coat.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.  Spoon onto tortillas; fold in sides. YIELD: 6 servings

Sami Notes
1. I don't use the can of tomatoes and green chilies, hubby doesn't like tomatoes. It still tastes great.
2. I use double green pepper, I don't waste my money on the red. It still tastes great.
3. I use either size of tortillas.  I like to add stuff in the fajitas like cheese, sour cream, fresh spinach, salsa, guacamole, maybe rice.  It still tastes great.
4. I use two thin chicken breast for just the hubs and me, if there are any leftovers they taste great in quesadillas! It still tastes great.

Sami Tips
* To save time and money, I buy a big "pack" of onions and/or peppers at Aldi ( i <3 Aldi) and cut it all up in one sitting and freeze in old (washed) lunch meat containers. Then I just break or chisel out what I need for the recipe and use it frozen.  It cooks up fine.  When it thaws the veggies will be squishy, so don't use in place of fresh veggies if you need that crispness.

Recipe Deux Soon...

-I am Sami

Nevada - Americorps Time

I'm trying to remember all the places Blue 5 went and all the things we did during our time in Nevada, both Reno and Henderson.  I need your help and photos! (well, I would like the photos...Chau, this means you!!  I gotta go dig up mine also)  Here's what I can remember now, not sure about the dates - help with that would also be awesome.  Thanks Blue 5!!


Reno
lived in bunk bed housing (weird)
helped sort things at donation center near Fernley, NV
worked on houses affected by flood in Fernely, NV
lived in sketchy hotel
pulled cottonwoods out of ground and replanted
took out irrigation system
removed tumbleweeds from area near creek
lived in a church (I remember being sick there)
built irrigation ramps out of rocks in a wash
surveyed people on wash usage
anything else??

Henderson
"swanky" apartments
camped and worked at Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge
 -cattail clearing, also cut/pulled weeds out of stream to help it flow
 - learned about Devils Hole pupfish - they're doing well!
camped and worked at Lake Mohave picking brassica..to forever haunt our dreams
worked at Lake Mead picking brassica
visited Death Valley and Racetrack Playa - where we "saw" a UFO - actually the moon - and almost ran out of gas
I can't remember much else besides brassica...and the various ways to try to keep from going insane while picking the stuff

DiY Gifts

I know...its a little past Christmas

I have been meaning to post the Christmas gifts I made this year, since there were quite a few and they turned out so well and I want to be able to brag on pinterest and there isn't too much room in the comments section for explanations.  So here we go...

Potholder - First is the potholder I made for Dad.  I found some sailboat home decor fabric on sale at Jo-Anns in, like, October?? and knew I could figure out something for a gift.  Dad has a sailboat and has guaranteed himself gifts made with or from or for sailboats for the next...oh...rest of his life.   I put off making this because I was dreading how difficult it would be, but it really wasn't! He seemed happy with it and I'm hoping he can use it on his boat (if he ever gets to take it out).

Initial Tee - Next we have the tee shirt for the little guys in the family.  It has the letter of his first name, which is made from a tee shirt that his dad (my brother) and I both had.  I spent a few hours embroidering "sprinkles" onto it.  Then, I sewed the letter on a simple shirt from Wal-Mart in his size and presto present-o!  I know the other nephew I made one for LOVES his shirt and I am guessing that because every time I see him he is wearing it.

Play Mat Road - This was easy and fun.  For the back I used a checkered material.  I tried to get fabrics that look like things - water, grass, jungle with cutesy animals, and the grey could be buildings or stone roads.  There was some sweet building fabric I found online, but it was sold out - Black Saturday strikes again!  I got a few vehicles "matchbox" cars (including a fire truck and tractor cuz I had an inside line that the kid LOVES firetrucks).  Notice the Angry Bird car?  Yeah, I am the awesome Aunt who is tuned in to current kid stuff.  Kinda.  Angry Birds is still a thing, right?

Story Bots Tee - Yup.  Did it myself.  No link here to find the tutorial for this.  Cuz I made it up! Well, kinda.  I found out that you can use freezer paper to make cool stencils for fabric. I also found out about Story Bots from the brother whose taste for clothing is only one of our similarities. We are also related (spoiler alert).  Side note - if you do not know about Story Bots that means that you are probably not the parents of or spend much time around children ages 3 to 10? I know the preschoolers love these videos.  Too much.  This shirt was also a big hit and the cause of tears for the poor child who did NOT get this shirt as a present, so maybe two of them would have been a better idea.

That's all the pictures I have access to now.  Maybe more to follow? I am enjoying my week off, as you can see, and keeping really busy.

-I am Sami

Conversations With a Preschooler

Princesses and Their Clothing Rules

Preschooler: Daddy says princesses can wear pants.
Me (confused but curious): Yeah, sure.  Princesses can wear pants.
Preschooler: No. They only wear dresses.
Me (catching on): Oh.  Well some princesses wear pants.  There is a princess in England who wears pants a lot.
Preschooler: No.  Princesses don't wear pants.

I was shut down.  I can only imagine the original conversation where dad is trying to explain to the 4 year old how she can wear pants (probably because that is all that was clean and/or it was 30 degrees outside), not just dresses and the immediate fight that ensued.  Poor dad.  It was only later that I remembered a very famous princess every little girl probably knows about who does wear pants.  But also not much else.  So I didn't bring in the picture for proof.

-I am Sami

Wash Your Mouth Out!

Homemade Powdered Laundry Soap
I thought I should kick off my foray into the blogging world with a super exciting post..about laundry soap!! Yay!!

Ok, truthfully, I wanted a way to keep the recipe I use online somewhere so I can pin it and find it on pinterest.  So here is the recipe I stole from somewhere and have a hard time finding it when I want to.  Anyway, this is for the non-liquid version. I've been using this soap for a few months now and it's great! It doesn't get every stain out, but it cleans the clothes and is sooooo cheap.  I keep Tide on hand for extra tough stains..but I bought that bottle like a year ago and its only half gone.  Here we go...
Powder:

• 1/3 bar fels naptha, finely grated
• 1/2 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup borax

Mix in a small container. Use 1 Tbsp. per wash load.

I mixed up a double batch and kept it in an old OxiClean container with an old medicine measuring cup (that I thoroughly cleaned) marked at the 1 tablespoon line.  I use a little more for bigger or dirtier load.  I recommend shaking the mix up as things tend to settle.

Researching homemade soap, there was much debate about powdered soap messing with septic tanks.  Some say yes, others say, what? you are crazy..stop crawling around in the septic tank!  So far no problems, and I make sure to put water in the machine first, then detergent, and swirl things around a bit to make sure it gets dissolved. 

Side note...I just grated up 3 bars of fels naptha, which gave me about 4 cups of soap.  So dividing that into 1/3 bar would be about 1/3 cup and a third of 1/3 cup. I was never great with fractions.  So a little more than a third cup would be about right.  Or maybe I will just mix up a triple batch...hmmmm.

Keep it real, ya'll (I'm experimenting with post signatures...maybe I should use...
-I am Sami