Lego Party Part 1

It’s been a while since a post but that’s because I have so many exciting things going on. For starters, my son is turning 5 in just about a month and we’ve been brainstorming and starting to get ready for his party. I felt like all my hard work and awesomeness needed to be documented somehwere (if only for myself) so I am here now, laying it out!

We decided to (obviously) go with a Lego theme. It’s kinda been his mainstay for the last year and he’s definitely come to have an obsession with them, which is great because…. science and engineering, right?

After doing some basic research and getting a general idea of what I wanted to do, I decided to start by buying some mini figures for favors. This is a problem however, because at the store they’re like $4 each… expensive when you have over 10 kids! What’d I do?

Went to eBay! I found this Chinese seller who has all these knock off Lego Minifigs (not Lego brand but you’d never know the difference). I got 14 for $15.00. And they aren’t the weird ones, they’re like the cool ones – Ninjago, Superheroes… it was a STEAL. The only downside? It took about a MONTH to come from China – so if you get these…order early!!!

Here is the seller’s eBay page.  

$ 15 for 14 mini-figs

There are also many, many free tutorials and “how I did it’s” online for Lego themed parties. The first one I came across talked about Lego masks – which is…intriguing, but ultimately creepy…. but my son liked it, so we are having them printed for the kids. A bit too Buffalo Bill for me, but hey – they’re 5, whatevs. The link to download the masks is here. I am getting these printed on cardstock just for durability. Maybe one day I’ll invest in a laminator and then I won’t have to get things printed at the UPS Store…

$ 0 (if printed at home)

I am planning on making up our invitations and other printed stuff. There is a great free Lego font called Lego Thick that you can download here..

$ 0

We’ve decided to have a coloring station at the party where the kids can color their own mini-figure people. I printed a generous amount of these pages at my house (read: FREE).

You can get the download here.I didn’t mind that it had a website watermark name and stuff, but some people might, in which case you could probably edit it out in Photoshop, but – in my case, “aint nobody got time for that.”

$ 0

But apparently I have time to draw Lego faces on yellow cups. I bought 3 sets of 8 cups at the dollar store because I know how kids can get at parties, losing their cups, wanting new ones… I asked a friend of mine if it was insane of me to draw faces on each cup to be cute. She said “No way that’s awesome!”. However, completing this project I felt super insane for doing it… but it’s cute, and I had some time to kill while my daughter was napping.

$1 for 8 cups x 3 = $3

So these bad boys were on eBay for $25 for 10. They’re lego necklaces. That price is INSANE for a party favor. No way was I going to pay that. I grabbed my son’s big box of Legos, grabbed out about 20 bricks, grabbed my husband’s drill and went to town. BOOM – freebie! (I had the elastic for the necklace part)

$0

More to come, because I’m a crazy party planner, but I figured I’d leave you with this! This is the Pinata that I started:

I love Dr. Bronner!

Seriously. If he was still alive and maybe not super crazy I’d totally want to be friends with him. He’s a little too crazy for even me, which is saying something. He’s also German, which gives me the creeps…but he makes good soap!

Bronner was a German immigrant who hung out in Escondido, California. (Emanuel Bronner died March 1997  in Escondido at age 89.) He’s not an MD or strictly speaking a rabbi, but claims he’s got the equivalent of a PhD in chemistry, which I guess makes him a master chemist. He’s also not your average soap maker. Whereas Messrs. Procter and Gamble dream (well, dreamt) of enzymes and long-chain fatty acids, Bronner dreams of world peace.

Bronner wants to convince mankind of the virtues of the “All-One-God-Faith,” which, together with the “Moral ABC,” his answer to the Ten Commandments, will unite the human race. The details of this can be a bit hard to follow. For example: “Replace half-true Socialist-fluoride poison & tax-slavery with full-truth, work-speech-press & profitsharing Socialaction! All-One! So, help build 4 billion Hannibal wind-power plants, charging 96 billion battery-banks, powering every car-factory-farm-home-monorail & pump, watering Babylon-roof-gardens & 800 billion Israel-Milorganite fruit trees, guarded by Swiss 6000 year Universal Military Training,” etc.

Bronner has had an eventful life. The son of a Jewish German soap maker, he emigrated to the U.S. and pleaded with his father to do the same when the Nazis came to power. The old man refused. One day Bronner got a postcard with the words, “You were right. — Your loving father.” He never heard from his parents again.

Initially settling in the midwest, Bronner married the illegitimate daughter of a nun, who eventually became suicidal and died in a mental hospital. (He says she was tortured by the hospital guards.) He also began devising his plan for world peace. Fittingly, he took to the soapbox to promote it. One of his listeners, Fred Walcher, was so inspired that in 1945 he had himself crucified in Chicago in order to publicize the plan. (He survived.)

Later Bronner was arrested while trying to promote his plan at the University of Chicago and was committed to a mental hospital. He escaped three times, finally fleeing to California in 1947. He’s been there cranking out soap and soap labels ever since.

Despite his eccentricities, Dr. Bronner has built his soap company into a prosperous concern, mostly by sheer force of personality. In the early days he would set up a table at health food conventions. If a dealer strayed within ten feet, Bronner would pounce and not let go until he’d gotten an order.

But things didn’t really take off until he was discovered by the counterculture during the 60s. With the aid of his sons Jim and Ralph, who handle production and sales, he currently sells some 400,000 gallons of liquid soap and 600,000 pounds of bar soap a year. He says he’s now worth $6 million — not bad, he notes drily, for somebody who’s supposedly nuts.

I use the Castille soap for everything. Really… almost everything.

I wash my floors with it, I bathe my kids and dog with it, I even use it to clean the toilet. It’s magic. Hey, see what I did there?

Now, for your pleasure, the easy read of the Dr. Bronner label! Enjoy!

Dr. Bronner’s SUPERMILD 18-in-1
Contains: Potassium solution, Coconut-Jojoba-Olive Oils.
No Perfume – 100% Pure
Pure Castile Soap
No Detergents
No Synthetics! None!
100% Biodegradable!

1. Always dilute for Shave-Shampoo-Massage-Dental-Soap Bath!
2. The mildest plain pure Baby Castile Soap made!
3. 1% & 99% hot water = facial pack, shampoo, hair conditioner!
4. A dash in glass water = breath freshening pure soap.
5. For massage, dilute 1 part in 10 parts hot water! Not oil!
6. Supermild soap like a lotion for the most delicate skin.
7. Dilute with hot water to clean & freshen from head to toe!
8. Supermild oil soap for Dispensers – Uniforms – Baby – Beach!
9. 3 dashes in water rinse most Sprays OFF Fruits & Vegetables!
10. Synthetics make suds good, but 100% natural soap is better!
HEALTH IS OUR GREATEST WEALTH, “K” (C) 1973 “ALL-ONE”
DON’T DRINK SOAP! KEEP OUT OF EYE! DILUTE! DILUTE! OK!

Guaranteed since 1948 by Einstein-Hellbronner ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH, INC.
Dr. Emmanuel H. Bronner Associates, SMMC, Soapmaker Master Chemist & Essene
Rabbi
Escondido, Box 28, Cal. 92033
Made in USA
4 oz:36 8 oz:24 16 oz:12 32 oz:12 1/2 Gal:8 Gal:4

Also on the main part of the label, but set off to the side:
Enjoy only 2 cosmetics, enough sleep & Dr. Bronner’s ‘Magic Soap’ to clean
body-mind-soul-spirit instantly uniting One! All-One! Absolute cleanliness
is Godliness! For facial packs, scalp & soothing body rub, add dash on bath
towel in sink of hot water. Wring out. Lay over face & scalp. Massage with
fingertips. Repeat 3 or 4 times ’til arms, Legs & all are rubbed, always
towards the heart. Rinse towel in plain hot water and massage again.
Breathe deeply! Health is Wealth. Within 9 minutes you feel fresh,
mint-clean, saving 90% of your hot water & soap, ready to teach the whole
Human race the Moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith! For we’re All-One or none!
ALL-ONE! ALL-ONE! ALL-ONE!

HEALTHY HUNZA-TYPE FOOD

Try Dr. Bronner’s Calcium Malt, Balanced Mineral Seasoning, Mineral
Bouillon, Corn Sesame, Sal Suds & Bar Soaps

And then, to finish off the main part of the label, this text appears
sideways:
TO SIMPLIFY & ENJOY LIFE MORE, DILUTE 1/2 OZ. OR 2 SQUIRTS OF THIS PURE
CASTILE SOAP WITH 2 GALLONS OR SINKFUL HOT WATER, THEN TOWEL MASSAGE A
FACIAL PACK, THEN WRING TOWEL OUT & FINGERTIP MASSAGE YOUR HAIR & SCALP.
ENJOY THE CREAMY EMOLLIENT LATHER ON BABY, BATH, BEACH, BODY, DENTURES,
MINT DEODORANT, SHAVING, MOUTHWASH-SILK-WOOL-PETS-DIAPERS-CAR-HAND & FOOT
SOAP.

pH8 = Mildest soap Made! God – made Eggwhite pH9

Athletes Foot: Soap, Dry, Apply Dry. OK!

100% CRUELTY-FREE

DILUTE: ENJOY 1 SOAP for 18 DIFFERENT USES! GUARANTEED NO SYNTHETIC
PEPPERMINT OILS & 100% VEGETARIAN. SUPERMILD CASTILE HAS OUTSTANDING WATER
SOFTENING & CLEANSING POWERS. PREFERABLE TO HARSH SOAP & DEFATTENING
SYNTHETICS. IT DOES NOT CUT DIRT, BUT DISSOLVES IT. IT IS THE MILDEST, MOST
PLEASANT SOAP YOU EVER USED OR MONEY BACK! ENJOY BODY RUB TO STIMULATE BODY
MIND-SOUL-SPIRIT AND TEACH THE ESSENE MORAL ABC UNITING ALL FREE IN THE
SHEPHERD-ASTRONOMER ISRAEL’S GREATEST ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH! GET $3 ESSENE
SCROLLS.

DILUTE IT…REFILL FROM GALLON OR DRUM AT STORE! OK!

The rest of the label’s pinky vastness is full of tiny messages. I’ll start
with the stuff that’s sideways on the label:

“The 2nd coming of God’s Law” Mohammed’s Arabs, 1948, found Israel
Dead-Sea-Scrolls & Einstein’s “Hillel” prove that as certain as no
6-year-old can grow up free without the abc, so certain can no 12-year old
survive free without the Moral ABC mason, tent & sandalmaker, Rabbi Hillel
taught carpenter Jesus to unite all mankind free in our Eternal Father’s
great All-One-God-Faith! For we’re All-One or none: “Listen Children
Eternal Father Eternally One!” Exceptions? None!

99. Thos. Paine: An Army of Principles can penetrate where an army of
soldiers cannot! It will succeed where diplomacy may fail! It will always
inspire-evolve-unite the Human race where any other weapon
divides-distorts-decays “ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH” Inspired by the Messiah,
Halley’s Comet, the Blazing Star of Abraham-Israel-Bethlehem & Mohammed!

For who else but God gave man this sensuous passion, Love that can spark
mere dust to life! Revealing beauty in our Eternal Father’s fashion,
poetry, uniting All-One, all brave, all life! Who else but God! Who else!
Each day, like a bird, perfect thyself first! Have courage and smile my
friend! Think & act 10 years ahead! And the man without fault? He’s dead!
Do one thing at a time! Work hard. Get done! Then teach the Moral ABC that
unites all mankind free! Love is like a willful bird! Do you want it? It
flies away! Yet when you least expect it’s bliss, it turns around & it’s
here to stay! For centuries, man struggles, half asleep, half living,
small, jealous, bickering with mountains of red tape! To be awakened the
night God chose giving His great reward for hard work: poetry-unity-love,
evolving man above, above the ape! Passions that quicken your senses,
fulfill, quench the thirst of lonesome years! Yet the sun has shadows,
learn to control your will, to enjoy life-long happiness, not tears! For
God alone knows man’s far distant future! Towards which love’s unfailing
light shows clear the upward path to brotherhood-peace! Great tasks to
nurture, with strength and knowledge happiness can last! Love when
conquered after years of toil-sweat-blood, love can strike like greased
lightning sent by God to spark mere dust to intense blazing fire and create
new Love, faith-hope-guts-strength as only God Inspire! Unite the Human
race in our Eternal Father’s great All-One-God-Faith, as all mankind desire!

Ok, now here’s what is written horizontally down the label (each paragraph
is separated by a horizontal line):
Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Who else but God gave man Love that can
spark mere dust to life! Poetry, uniting All-One! All brave! All life! Who
else but God! “Listen Children Eternal Father Eternally One!”
Einstein, 1939, after Nazis & Commies united, proposed spacebombs that
destroy all, unless we finally teach the Moral ABC’s the real Rabbi Hillel
taught Jesus to unite all in All-One-God-Faith. As teach astronomers
Abraham-Israel-Moses-Buddha-Hillel-Jesus-Spinoza-Paine-Sagan & Mohammed,
inspired every 76 years, 6000 years by the Messenger of God’;s Law, the
sign of the Messiah, Halley’s Comet: “WE’RE ALL ONE OR NONE!” “THERE IS NO
GOD BUT GOD!” “TEACH LOVE THY ENEMY!” “LISTEN CHILDREN ETERNAL FATHER
ETERNALLY ONE!” Israel-Moses-Buddha-Jesus-Mohammed: ONE! ALL ONE!
1st: If I’m not for me, who am I? Nobody! 2nd: Yet, if I’m only for me,
what am I? Nothing! 3rd: If not now, when? Once more: Unless
constructive-selfish I work hard, like Mark Spitz, perfecting first me,
absolute nothing can help perfect me! 4th: Only hard work-God’s law can
save us, but if we teach only our clan? We’re all hated then! So, we must
teach friend & enemy, the whole Human race, the full-truth, hard-work, free
speech. press-&-profitsharing Moral ABC’s All-One-God-Faith,
lightning-like, 6-billion-strong, for we’re All-One or none!
All-One-God-Faith, as teach the African shepherd-astronomers Abraham &
Israel, for 6000-years, since the year 1: “LISTEN CHILDREN ETERNAL FATHER
ETERNALLY ONE!” – WE’RE ONE! ALL-ONE! EXCEPTIONS ETERNALLY? NONE! ABSOLUTE
NONE!
5th: Whatever unites mankind is better than whatever divides us! Yet, if
absolute-unselfish I am not for me, I am nothing but classless, raceless,
starving masses, never free nor brave! Only if constructive-selfish I work
hard perfecting first me, like Mark Spitz-arctic
owls-penguin-pilot-cat-swallow-beaver, bee, can I teach the MORAL ABC’S
ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH, that lightning-like unites the Human race! For we’re
ALL-ONE OR NONE! ALL-ONE! “LISTEN CHILDREN ETERNAL FATHER ETERNALLY ONE!”
EXCEPTIONS ETERNALLY? ABSOLUTE NONE!
6th: Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Balanced food for
body-mind-soul-spirit is our medicine! Full-truth our God, half-truth our
enemy, hard work our salvation, unity our goal, free speech our weapon,
All-One our soul, self-discipline the key to love, uniting All-One above!
Above! So, when your fellow man you measure, take him at his best, with
that lever, lift him higher, overlook the rest! For we’re All-One or none!
As teach for 6000 yrs. astronomers Abraham & Israel: “LISTEN CHILDREN
ETERNAL FATHER ETERNALLY ONE!”
7th: Each swallow works hard to be perfect
pilot-provider-builder-trainer-teacher-lover-mate, no half-true hate! So,
each day like a bird, perfect thyself first! Have courage and smile my
friend. Think and act 10 years ahead! And the man without fault? He’s dead!
Do one thing at a time, work hard! Get done! Then teach friend & enemy the
Moral ABC that unites all mankind free! Uniting One! All-One! Face the
world with a smile, life is always worthwhile! To the fearless are given
crowns, keep out of the past, disappointments won’t last! Help unite
mankind, or we’re wandering clowns! Diligent preparation, precede…
spectacular restoration! So, help teach the whole Human race, the Moral
ABC’s All-One-God-Faith, lightning-like, for we’re All-One or none! All-One!

(Note – there is no 8th.)

9th: Free Speech is man’s only weapon against half-truth, that denies free
speech to smear-slay-slander-tax-enslave. Full-truth, our only God, unites
all mankind brave, if 10 men guard free speech, brave! “If every one
religion unites all mankind, it will be by omitting all irrelevancies &
redundancies, added unto the Faith in One-Almighty, all-embracing,
ever-loving, ever-evolving, ever-recreating Eternal God, & by ABSOLUTE
NOTHING ELSE!” America’s founding father, Thomas Paine, 8 books, suppressed
since 1799!
10th: Thank God we don’t descend down from the perfect Adam & Eve to sinful
sinner, brother’s keeper, divided slave! Thank God! United, hard-working
trained brave, from dust we ascend up! Thank God for that! Our brother’s
teacher of the Moral ABC, mason-tent-&-sandalmaker Hillel, taught carpenter
Jesus to unite all mankind free! With it, every Human being created on
God’s Spaceship Earth, can evolve united,
inspired-raised-trained-skilled-disciplined, guided lightning-like by a new
birth! Without it… we destroy God’s Spaceship Earth!
11th: Essene & Chinese birth controls must reduce birth or Easter Isle type
overpopulation destroys God’s Spaceship Earth! God’s law prevents all
conception below pH3. Therefore, Essene contracepted for 400 years with
rosehips, pH2! So, absolute clean, apply vaseline oil, butter or cream,
insert teaspoonful juicy lemon pulp, pH2. O.K.! Next day, douche with qt.
soapy water, pH8, restoring pH5 balance God made! Eggwhite is pH9. Dr.
Bronner’s soap, pH8, guaranteed the mildest made; below pH8 soaps
biodegradable, synthetic-sulfides cannot. At conception, 10 grams contain
100 million humans! or… 10 HUMANS IN 1 INVISIBLE MICROGRAM – SMALLER THAN
DUST!
12th: A great teacher, must first, a self-supporting hardworker be, like
Alesen-Baeck-Carnegie-Cousteau-Hammer-Liebman-Paine-Pike-Sanger-Spinoza-Stra
uss-Szasz-Wilke-Yadin-Zamenhof, or he’ll turn our greatest teaching into
spades, to bury our people! “All people!”, added Carpenter Jesus entering
manhood! Manhood! but, for 2000 years, we Rabbis never teach the Moral ABC
the real Rabbi Hillel taught Jesus, to unite the Human race in our Eternal
Father’s great ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH! For we’re ALL-ONE OR NONE! ALL-ONE! For
example: Einstein’s Rabbi Levey evicted us from his University Princeton
“Hillel Foundation”, when we asked: “You agree, of course, that Hillel’s
hard work-speech-press-&-profitsharing Moral ABC, unites the Human race in
our Eternal Father’s great ALL-ONE-GOD-FAITH! The exact opposite to
Marxist-Socialism, that does demoralize-divide-decay the whole human race
today!
13th: “Knowing the full-truth that unites all, and not teaching all, is
deathly guilt.” learned Jesus entering manhood! Manhood! But Marx, grandson
of 2 Rabbis, learned half-truth Ashamed, Marx wrote 1844: “One World
Without Jews,” causing 66 million murders, many tortured-blinded,
terrorism! But Gorbachev found: “Surely God on high gave us enough wisdom
to unite all nations!” What an apology we Rabbis owe all nations for not
teaching the Moral ABC’s All-One-God-Faith, the real Rabbi Hillel taught
Jesus to unite the human race! For we’re All-One or none! All-One! All-One!
“Listen Children Eternal Father Eternally One!” These are the days my
friend, we know they’ll never end! We’ll work-sing-dance-love, marching on!
Marching on! We live God’s law today, we win free speech OK! With
full-truth our only God, we rally-raise-unite All-One! All-One! Exceptions
Eternally? None!
All-One-God-Faith started 1000 acre Calif. rain-forest with 1 trillion
trees God’s spaceship Earth can survive! Our 13 Essene Birth Control
Patents prevent overpopulation, save life! So in our town with 19 people
start a chapter of astronomers Israel 6000 year great All-One-God-Faith.
Send $10 for 10: $3 for 1 Moral ABC scrolls. 6 billion unite all free!
Instead of bombs, 6 billion scrolls unite the Human race instantly in
ALL-ONE GOD-FAITH! P.O. Box 28, Escondido, 92033 CA (760) 743-2211. ALL-ONE!

Finally, the following text is off by itself in a box:
CLEOPATRA’S TEACHER OF ABSOLUTE LOVE: THE “ABC” OF MAMA CAT;” WITH THE
SWALLOW’S 10 DISCIPLINES ABOVE; THE ARCTIC WHITE OWL’S BIRTH-CONTROLLED LOVE!
Arctic White Owls by Birth-Control survive: the female does not go into
heat until she sees three full months of frozen food for her young ones to
survive! Putting to shame our welfare-state, with its untrained masses,
enslaved by Marxist half-truth hate! Beavers, by family teamwork, stay
alive! Building dams, surviving the toughest winters without any welfare
help to enjoy life! Bees, once each year, drop three percent drone
parasites from hive! How else can life ascend-evolve-survive?
Cleopatra’s Art of Love, evolved Egypt’s Civilization 10,000 years back,
based on the God-Inspired “ABC of Mama Cat: Automatically, instinctively,
each Mama Cat teaches her young ones from the moment of Birth: 1st:
Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! 2nd: Constructive-selfish, build,
protect and raise food, home, young! 3rd: Absolute teamwork fertilizes
God’s Earth! 4th: Absolute harmony with God’s timing, easy birth! 5th:
Mother’s Love-discipline, joy, strength, praise! 6th: Father’s
stern-discipline, off titties when raised! 7th: Hardworking
self-discipline, brave! 8th: God’s instinct-discipline, save! 9th: Absolute
self-reliance! Nine lives! Strength, to carry on! 10th: Absolute dignity,
beauty, relaxation, fun! 11th: Absolute tenacity gets it done! 12th:
Absolute perfect sense of direction, ESP! 13th: Free, brave! No Marxist
slave! Mama Cat’s ABC of Love and the Swallow’s Song inspired by the
Kingdom of God’s law! All-One! Above! Above!
All swallows evolve united to perfect pilots by full-truth, hard work,
God’s law, trained brave! No slave! Brave! Always evolving-united, free in
All-One-God-Faith! Hardworking, self-disciplined, no
parasite-blackmail-welfare-slave! Therefore, brave we live to
teach-work-love-inspire-unite! All-One! Win Victory! Help get it done!
Teach to unite All-One! All-One! All-One! For these are the days my friend,
we know they’ll never end! We’ll work-sing-dance-love marching on! Marching
on! We’ll teach how to Love God’s Way! We’ll fight for it, OK! For we’re
young and sure to unite All-One! All-One!
All freedom loving children hate the word “Discipline!” Yet,
self-discipline is the key to freedom! Without it, even the most brilliant
head remains useless, ineffective, small! How basic is self-discipline?
Anthropologist, Margaret Mead, found Arctic Timberwolves litter abandoned,
the mother probably killed: “So, we put the timberwolf pups with our
Daschund mother, since she only had one pup of her own. She raised the
timberwolves. Within three months, they were twice as large as their foster
mother.
Now, when we threw a chunk of raw meat into the kennel, the pups attacked
it ravenously, like timberwolves, but one grunt from their Daschund mother,
and they jumped back, stood still like a soldier at attention, waiting
obediently until the Daschund mother had eaten her fill, then with a loving
grunt she gave them permission to go back and eat!”
That illustration of love-discipline was amazing; but any wild animal, bird
or bee, has that self-discipline down to a “T”, or there is no survival!
This proves we must replace, with The Moral ABC, our Marxist welfare state,
or we won’t survive free! We perish by half-true hate! Learn the Moral ABC
to unite free: You Must Decide! 1st: Work hard to perfect thyself! 2nd:
United-loving, armed-brave! 3rd: To teach all, every slave! 4th: The Moral
ABC, 6 billion strong, with Essene Birth-Control, a trillion Isreal-system
fruit trees and “How to Love.” lightning-like uniting all free! All-One!
Above! Above. With half-truth, slavery, barbarism gone! Evolving-united,
inspired-guided by full-truth, hard work, God’s Law, Eternally One!
All-One! All-One!

Barley Bean Tomato Soup – Slow Cooker Style!

In my crock pot right now! Can’t wait for dinnertime….the garlic smells so good on a nice winter day like today!

This is a little different of a version from beef/barley soup – since that has meat and well, you know…

 

Ingredients

1 cup beans (give or take) – I used Kidney and Pinto
8 cups water with 3 tbs Better Than Bouillon Vegetable paste
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped

Kosher salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ounce mushrooms, crumbled if large, optional
One 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice
3 cups cleaned baby spinach leaves (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

1. Put 8 cups water, the beans, barley, garlic, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf, 11/2 tablespoons salt, Italian seasoning, some pepper and mushrooms in a slow cooker.
2. Squeeze the tomatoes through your hands over the pot to break them down, and add with their juices.
3. Cover and cook on high until the beans are quite tender and the soup is thick, about 8 hours.
4. Add the spinach and cheese, and stir until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Why I love Braggs’ Liquid Aminos

So I have a love affair with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos that started about a year ago when I was at my local Coop and the person working suggested I try it. I was really skeptical. I decided to try it – since it was relatively cheap (around $5 for a big bottle). Long story short (or not?) – I’ve never looked back. Regular soy sauce tastes super gross to my family and I now since we’ve started using this. It’s Vegan, and it doesn’t nearly have as much salt as regular soy sauce or tamari.

I put this stuff on everything; rice, bananas, soups, salads, casseroles, fish – OK maybe not bananas but you get the idea.

There are 20 standard amino acids that our bodies need to function normally. Twelve amino acids are manufactured by the human body, and eight, called essential amino acids, must come from our diets. You need all 20 amino acids because they are the building blocks of our organs and tissues. In order to obtain the essential amino acids your body doesn’t make on its own, you need to consume protein. Animal sources of protein (milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, and seafood) contain all the essential amino acids. Vegetarians or vegans can get all their amino acids by eating complete proteins — a vegetarian protein source plus a whole grain (such as rice and beans). Braggs advertises itself as a great vegetariansource for amino acids.

So for your viewing pleasure – I am putting some of the FAQ’s from the Braggs’ website about this stuff because it’s amazing and I think you should start using it too!

What are Amino Acids?

Amino Acids are the building blocks of all our organs and tissues. They are also the building blocks from which different food proteins are constructed. When we eat a protein food, such as meat or soybeans, the natural hydrochloric acid in the stomach digests the protein, releasing the Amino Acids. They are the link between the food we eat and assimilation for our body tissue. Lack of adequate Amino Acids may make it impossible for the vitamins and minerals to perform their specific duties.

What is the difference between Bragg Liquid Aminos and regular Soy Sauce?

Bragg Liquid Aminos is a healthy alternative to Soy and Tamari sauce. No table salt or preservatives are added.

Are the soybeans used for Bragg Liquid Aminos genetically engineered?

Our Liquid Aminos are third party certified non-GMO. GMO soybeans are produced by Monsanto, and sold under the brand name Roundup Ready. These soybeans are altered to resist the herbicide glyphosate, and have been available since 1995. Bragg Live Foods buys its Liquid Aminos ingredients from a combine soy operation which, in turn, buys the soybeans from numerous sources in the central part of the United States. No Roundup Ready soybeans are purchased as part of this collective method, nore are they used in Bragg products.

If there is no salt in the Liquid Aminos, where does the salty taste come from?

The salty taste comes from the soybeans that are used to make Bragg Liquid Aminos. There is no salt added of any kind (land or sea). The naturally occurring sodium from the soybeans is approx. 160 mg. per 1/2 tsp.

Should Bragg Liquid Aminos be refrigerated?

Bragg Liquid Aminos does not need to be refrigerated, either before or after opening/using, as it has a 3-5 year shelf life. However, we recommend that you keep the product out of direct sunlight, in a relatively cool location.

Which Amino Acids does Bragg Liquid Aminos contain?

Bragg Liquid Amino contains following essential Amino Acids: Arginine * Aspartic * Lysine * Glutamic * Serine * Threonine * Alanine * Glycine * Proline * Isoleucine * Methionine * Valine * Phenylalanine * Tyrosine * Leucine.

Bragg Liquid Aminos contains NO artificial color, flavor or preservatives. Yipee!!

kale chips win the day!

My daughter ate these up like it was chocolate or something. Crazy! This is so easy to make. I know there are recipes out there that use dehydrators. I’m sure those versions are much better than mine – but the quick and dirty is usually how I like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale
• kosher (or table salt)
• olive oil

1. Preheat an oven to 395.
2. With scissors cut kale into bite size pieces. Make sure you cut them OFF the stems (those are really tough). Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes depending on your oven.

These don’t keep too well, so I suggest eating them within a few hours. If your house is like mine – that probably won’t be a problem. These are usually gone in about 10 minutes or less. Enjoy!!

Why I coupon…

I have some friends of mine who think I’m totally nuts for spending time cutting out coupons and going through the weekly periodicals from the paper to the local stores. But let me tell you this… I save about 50 – 60 % on my total grocery bill by spending about 2 hours per week doing coupon-related things.

Now, in Vermont they don’t have the same laws as other states so you’ll almost never see a Vermonter on one of those Extreme Couponing shows. The people on those shows are generally from the mid-west or south where they have outrageous coupon policies and can actually MAKE money when they go shopping. Unfortunately for us here in New England, we can’t.

My g0-to for awesome coupon advice started out being Krazy Coupon Lady. Although, now that I’ve been doing it for a few years I have decided that she isn’t the best for my family’s lifestyle. She has some really good stuff on there though – and I especially like her table of contents and pages for printing out to make a binder.

Ultimately, I ended up making my own TOC and printing my own pages because there were categories that she didn’t include that I needed to, and likewise – things I needed to omit. For example, she has a few pages that focus a lot on processed food, frozen, etc. and we don’t really eat that stuff unless there is a coupon and it’s not half terrible.

I’m listing my top tips for anyone who might be interested in starting to coupon – or anyone who might want to get a little more serious about it. Not that I’m some EXPERT or something, but I figured some of these things you may not necessarily think about.

1. You will find the best food deals at drugstores and the best medicine deals at grocery stores. Seriously. I do a majority of my dry-food shopping at places like Rite Aid and Kinney Drugs. They have amazing deals every week that will beat any Price Chopper. Walgreens (if you have one locally) is another great one. They have coupons in the paper usually, too.
2. Buy at least 2 of each paper with coupons on Sunday. If you find a really good deal on something you use a lot or that you love, you’ll wish you bought 20 of them to get the coupon. Trust me, I’ve bought one of a paper with a coupon I had been waiting for, and was cursing myself for not getting the lot of them. I suppose you could go back to the store later that day but that kind of defeats the purpose and uses more gas.
3. Coupon sites will tell you to keep all the coupons, even those for Depends or Cat Food (assuming you aren’t incontinent or have a cat). I say don’t – this is a huge waste of time, space, and energy. Only clip coupons of things you’ll actually use and need.
4. Shop at least 1x a week & don’t feel pressured to use your coupons right away. I have a hard time with this one. I will clip a coupon and feel like I need to use it the next time I go shopping. Unless it’s on a sale that day, don’t use it unless you can’t live without it. It pays (literally) to wait for something to go on sale and use a coupon on top of that.
5. Don’t be embarrassed to bring a binder into the store. The first time I was serious and brought my binder in, I actually had a mild panic attack in the car beforehand. It can bring up emotions of embarrassment, shame, etc… to spiraling into convincing yourself that people will think you’re “poor” for using coupons. I actually had a few times that I was so overwhelmed with these feelings I didn’t bring my coupons in and paid full price for things. What a stupid thing to do. At the end of the day, no one cares about you and what you do or don’t do in the supermarket. It should be inspiring to other people to see someone who cares about what they’re spending.

Related articles

• How to Organize Your Coupons (livingrichwithcoupons.com)
• The Best on-line Coupon Sites (rashedmosharraf.wordpress.com)

 

 

Coconut Oil Deodorant

I’m so excited! I just tried this out – like, literally right now and it works great!! Here is my recipe, followed by my story.

• 6 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
• essential oils (optional)

1. Mix baking soda and arrowroot together in medium sized bowl
2. Mix in coconut oil with a fork until well blended
3. Add oils if desired
4. Store in a small glass/plastic jar or old deodorant container (I used a Ziplock container)

So I decided to try this after having gone about a year without using a deoderant at all. My body had adjusted and I didn’t sweat hardly at all, and I didn’t smell. About a month ago I had a party to go to, and I decided that I should be safe rather than sorry, and slapped on some of my commercial deoderant. Blehh! Since then I’ve been sweating and smelling like crazy. I decided that while I try to get my body back to how it was before I would use this more natural deoderant. So far it’s working great and I feel nice and refreshed! I didn’t add any essential oils because I just like the way coconut oil smells on its own. If I were to add anything – maybe Geranium? Let me know what you think if you try this out. This recipe made me about 6  months or so worth, and since I had everything already in my house was practically FREE!

Related articles

• I Like To Think My Pits Don’t Stink… Cause They Don’t! They Really Don’t! Just Smell Them! You’ll See! (houseofjars.com)
• Natural Diaper Rash Cream (CD Safe!) (actuallyperfect.wordpress.com)

Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup

So we just made this soup last night and it was amazing. My husband slapped together some grilled cheese sandwiches and we were in business! This soup is so good you’ll want to drink it. It’s perfect for a winter day, or to bring to lunch in a thermos!

Basically, I just threw everything into my crock pot. I could give you some one at a time step bologna but honestly, that’s just what I did. Here is what you’ll need:

• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 can whole tomatoes
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/2 can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 2 cups milk (I used almond milk)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup water

I threw it all in, and put it on high for 4 hours. Took it out and blended it until it was smooth and put it back in my crock for 45 minutes. PERFECTION!

You could put basil or cheese on the top when it’s done – but honestly I think it’s just fine how it is.

 

Natural Baby Powder

So this recipe might scare some people for it’s complexity – but rest assured, it has been fine tuned and tested for many years. Do not let the ingredients overwhelm you, and trust me – it works very well.

Ready? OK.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Arrowroot Powder

Sugar Shaker for storage

That’s it. You’re done. Sprinkle it on the bum and continue with your day. Easy, right?

Some regular baby powder contain talc, which can cause cancer and is yucky when inhaled. This is a food-grade product, and is super safe and easy on the skin. It’s also SUPER CHEAP!

Natural Diaper Rash Cream (CD Safe!)

So the title says CD safe – and this is – however I would like to caution and advise strongly that you use a barrier such as a scrap piece of flannel or fleece or minky between the bum and the diaper. I say this only because I have had some absorbency issues in the past. Nothing like the infamous stinky-fish-smell with commercial diaper cream…. no no… this stuff doesn’t smell at all afterwards! It’s awesome!! I also use it on myself sometimes if I have a patch of dry skin or something.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
  
• 1 tablespoon calendula flowers
  
• 1 tablespoon chamomile flowers
  
• 1/4 cup shea butter (I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs because it is raw and unrefined so it has anti-fungal properties)
• 1-2 tsp arrowroot powder

1. Heat a couple inches of water over medium high heat in a small sauce pan. Melt the coconut oil in a glass bowl above the boiling water.
2. Add the calendula and chamomile flowers and keep the heat going on low/medium for at least an hour or until coconut oil has started to turn yellow and smells of chamomile and calendula.
3. Make sure to check the water level often and make sure it hasn’t  evaporated.
4. Carefully strain the flowers out, reserving as much of the coconut oil as possible. Make sure all visible pieces of the flower have been removed.
5. Using a small blender (I use my Baby Bullet), mix the coconut oil with the shea butter and arrowroot until it forms a thick paste.

Seriously, a little goes a long way with this stuff!! It’s not like the commercial stuff where a tube is gone in my house in about 2 days with a bad rash. And remember to use a liner/barrier with this!!

Related articles

• The Benefits of Coconut Oil (thecreatordeems.wordpress.com)
• 42 Healing Uses for Coconut Oil (realfoodhealsblog.wordpress.com)