Homemade Marshmallows~ Fun Treat and Gift

Friday is usually my least busy day, last Friday I had just enough time to whip these up!

We are packaging some up for a couple of friends and enjoying the rest. They are SO much better than store bought! This particular recipe doesn't use corn syrup, that was a plus for me!

I found the complete recipe here

Pretty basic ingredients

Water

3 Packets of Gelatin

Sugar

Evaporated Milk

Vanilla

Powdered Sugar

Corn Starch

I did add something, it really makes all the difference! This 1 little ingredient makes them so whimsical and perfect!

Edible Glitter! If only the pictures showed all the sparkle!
You can see a little but not nearly as much as in real life!

These would be perfect at a princess of FROZEN party! 

 

 *Olaf Approved Snow Bricks

We just packed some in a mason jar, perfect for your hair lady, neighbor, get well soon, etc. Easy and homemade and who doesn't love marshmallows?!

You can alter the flavor by swapping vanilla for other flavors. I wanted basic vanilla this time.

You can add some food coloring into the first step for colored marshmallows too!

 

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Organizing Friday~ 4 Easy Steps!

I am going to share with you what I did last week and what my plan is for this week is, but first, the basic steps I take when organizing.

1. Stuff that goes together or is the same, stays together. 
All the CD's are in one place. All the cleaning supplies, all the linens etc.

2. Give it a HOME

A place for everything, everything in it's place (sometimes)

3. Make the space work for you

If you need a basket, storage, whatever it takes to make it work in it's designated space, do that.

4. Label, tag, name

Whatever you call it, don't leave a box or bin full of unknown. Save yourself some time later on, label that bin or box or basket.

That's it! Those are the only 4 steps it takes to organize anything.

I maybe shouldn't have called it organizing, it was more just put together. We don't use our front entry much, we typically use the garage, but I am thinking I could do a little more sprucing up out here to make it feel a little more inviting, maybe a basket underneath the bench or something. I will have to see what I can find at the thrift shops.

This week I am working on the kids drop zone. 

It's a makeshift mud area in the garage. It has been used and abused for months now. Hasn't been set straight since we moved in. 

Those shoes need a good purge and sorting. The whole thing needs some cleaning and I need to follow my own advice and LABEL the baskets and bins. The boys especially don't care which basket they throw their mittens and gardening gloves into.

Before long this might be too small! Once Hawkins needs a shoe bin we might need to reconfigure this set up. But for now, in this rental, we will make it work.

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Prepping for a Good Morning~Night Routine

Today I am sharing how I prep to make my mornings smooth,well smoother anyway.

In my planner I use these super cute daily docket pages from Miss Tiina.

There are 6 areas besides water on the page. I like to use them for 

~Cleaning

~Appointments

~To Do's for the day

~Looking forward, appointments etc.

~Encouragement, quotes, scripture

~Everything else

Some of these are partially filled out before hand but I like to do as much as I can while I am wide awake the night before, I am less likely to miss something that way.

I have HORRIBLE penmanship.

 Anything to make mornings run smoother. These are a few things I do at night. It doesn't take long, only about 20 minutes total, including tidying the kitchen. Waking up to a mostly clean kitchen is SO worth the 5-10 minutes it takes at night.

• Fill out my Daily Docket for the next day (also throughout the day)
• Prep my coffee
• Lay out clothes
• Set out breakfast stuff
• Write in notebooks
• Get laundry ready
• Pack some of lunch stuff
• Quick kitchen tidy 
• Check dinner plan, anything need to thaw?

 What can you do in the evening to make your morning better?

Maybe only once a week prepping is more your style? Living Well Spending Less shared this 3 hour Sunday prep that might work for you!

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Morning Routine for busy Mom's

My routine hasn't changed much over the years, it works for me for the most part.

And NO way does this happen everyday. Anyone who says every morning runs this smooth is fibbing or has super powers. This is how my morning runs on a perfect day. Most days there is a varying amount that gets done, out of order some days and none of it on those bad days. Those are all ok with me. I just like to have a vision of what the perfect morning would be like. How can you work towards something if you don't know what it is. Right now, with a 3 month old it's really hit or miss on what happens in the morning.

That is my basic morning, I have a much more detailed list in my planner. But it's probably too detailed and specific to work for anyone else.

What does your perfect Mommy morning look like? Ya know, other than sleeping in. Do you have a routine? If not, here are some tips on getting started!

1. Write down what MUST be done before it's time to go, detailed.

2. Figure out how long that will take you (then add 10-20 minutes just to be safe) 
If you have to leave by 8 and it's 90 minutes worth of work, you know what time that alarm needs to go off!

3.Write down the things you WANT to do in the mornings. Adjust your time to reflect those items.
If that leaves your alarm at an hour you just cannot accept, some of those want items can wait.
 OR
Try prepping some of those MUST do items the night before, leaving time in the morning for some of those WANT items!

4. Practice, refine and make it work.
For me it wasn't easy to just pop up at 4:45 one day. I slowly started moving it back about 30 minutes until I had it easier most days then moved it back again. 

I am going to share my weeknight prep list soon!

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