Easiest Hoppin Johns Recipe EVER

Since Daniel can't seem to get enough of this I've decided to finally write down the recipe

1 small onion
1 green bell pepper
2 cans black eyed peas, drained
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon green onions or chives

Mix together in stock pot, bring to boil then turn to low and let simmer for 45 minutes. Can be served with rice or corn bread.

Enjoy!

Make up Tips of the Day

I'm not even sure the last time I wore make up BUT it's always nice to know how to do it :)

Conceal, Conceal but only a little
-Apply moisturizer in the morning then mix just a tad with your foundation. For a lightweight, flawless look dab only on dark spots and blemishes. This way the skin will look nice and breathable. Oh and don;t forget to blend

Easy on the eyes
-Use an eyelash curler on clean, dry lashes then use a waterproof mascara to give yourself a refreshed, awake look

Give your hair the wave
-If you have fuller locks, wrap a 1 inch section of dry hair around a curling iron (1 inch barrel preferred) and hold for 10-15 seconds. Then rub a dime size or less amount of frizz- taming product between your palms and finger comb your hair to loosen the curls and add your favorite polish. (I like Kiehls brand) Repeat the barrel wrap if it seems too frizzy.

Cold Weather Fun?

Over the past 2 days it has snowed over a foot. Personally I'm not a big fan of the cold, snow or being outside in the winter but my daughter is! We tried to go sledding yesterday and it didnt quite work out so here are some tips to making the most of your cold weather fun.

-Bundle up! Nothing stops the fun like not being able to feel your toes!
-Check the area! Make sure there are no obstacles or debris in the way and stay away from roads.
-Opt for safety. If the hill is steep, try a helmet. Also don't pull the sled with an ATV or other motorized vehicle.
-Inflatable sleds go fast than plastic. Likewise flat bottom sleds will go faster than their grooved bottom counter parts. That's why we have a plastic, groove bottomed sled :)
- If you see you're about to hit something and can't control the sled then roll off of it. Being hurt by a roll is probably better than being hit by a truck or tree.
-Although you will go faster if you are on your knees it's completely unsafe. The safest way is to sit with your legs in front of you and use the sled's rope to help steer.
-Packed snow is preferred over new fallen snow. Trust me on this. Packing a run is easy as long as you keep to the same path every time.
-Want the fastest ride? Wax the areas of your sled that come in contact with the snow. Beeswax will work (save the bees!!) or you can purchase sled wax at specialty stores.

Already Planning for the Holidays!

This past holiday season was like a blur. Everything happened way too fast and I felt like we were in such a rush! This year will be different so I've already thought about a schedule :)

Last weekend in November: Get out Decorations, Buy Tree! (This year we waited and didn't get the tree until the Second week in December. It's so much nicer to have it around longer)

Dec. 1: Put up outside decor

Dec. 2: Elf arrives (Start preplanning his locations in November)

Dec. 5: Send out holiday cards! (Start collecting addresses in early November)

Dec. 11: Start planning kids activities

Dec. 15: Mail out gifts!!

Dec. 20: Buy everything needed for Christmas dinners, this way that allows enough time for the "oops I forgot this!" moments.

Last week of school: Wrap presents during the day!

If it aint broke...

So many things to do, ornaments to glue back together, buttons to sew back on...

After a run in with a leaky battery in one of my child's toys, here is a quick tip on how to safely clean it up and hopefully salvage the toy! (only to be done in a well ventilated area)

1. Put on Gloves
2. Cover area with Newspaper
3. Mix one part Baking Soda to two parts water
4. Apply evenly to area with a q-tip
5. Let it sit on the area for 3-5 minutes, laying face down so that any excess with fall away.
6. Remove substance with wet q-tip
7. Follow up with a dry q-tip to make sure no residue remains.

No headboard? No problem!

I havent seen a head board that I like is quite some time. Our current one looks like it's on loan from the 1970's beach collection. With this in mind, is one even needed? Here are some other ideas instead:




Of course if i ever see this one in real life, all beats are off because it will be mine!

Zinc

I've seen a lot of uses for zinc but what really works? Women suffering from symptoms of anger and depression experienced considerable relief after ingesting 7 mg of zinc daily over ten weeks. At least this is what a new study finds. Another study suggests that zinc used for the common cold does not work and there were no noticeable relief from those cold symptoms once zinc was taken.

I guess I can use all of those homeopathic zinc pills that I bought for a cold, now for those long winter months! Other good sources of zinc include lean beef, crab and baked beans.