Happy Child

Have you ever tried to make your child do something that he/she didn't want to do and you would say "Just do it because I said so"? I have and let me tell you, he/she will not agree to do it. I have decided to change my tactic and instead of telling him/her to just do it, I would say "It would help me out a lot if you could do it for me." That statement alone makes them want to do it because he/she feels like they are helping you out. Even though I have been a parent for almost 10 years, I have noticed that today's generation need to feel wanted and helpful. Just thought I'd share that with you!

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone! So far we are 9 days into the new year, and it seems to be great so far! I know that it has been a long time since I have posted anything, but this year I plan on posting more.

I am trying to get my act together and try to make money on the internet. So far I have made money using some apps on my phone.

Some good ones to try are:

Fetch Rewards - Just take a picture of your receipt and submit it and earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Mobile Performance Meter - This app runs in the background and you earn points to redeem for gift cards (Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy, Groupon, etc.)

Rakuten - Earn rebates on your purchases online. (Amazon, eBay, Puritan’s Pride, Walmart, etc.)

Give these apps a try and you could earn some money just by doing the things you always do. Granted you may not earn a ton of money, but you will get some. Every little bit helps right!

Until next time!

How to Make Money From Home

I know that surviving on a one income household is hard, but throw into the mix two kids, and it is even harder. Thankfully we have a roof over our heads and are able to eat daily. But there are times when you wish you want to treat yourself or your family a little vacation. While doing surveys and selling on eBay are some ways to make money, it just isn't enough. So why not try selling crafts you have made, or trying to sell your books that you don't read anymore. It may not be a lot of money, but hey, you will get someone who will want to buy your stuff. I have tried to do all these things, and I tell ya, I have made about $300 in 3 months. Granted it isn't a whole bunch of money, but at least I got rid of some of my stuff and made money on it. I may not be as creative as others on the internet when it comes to making money, but at least I'm trying to see what will work for me. I have bought (regrettably) many eBooks on how to make money on the internet, and a lot of times it was just links to another site that wanted to charge me more money so that I could join an "exclusive" site. Definitely not worth it. So I thought, why not just try to make money trying to declutter my home, and also selling stuff I have crocheted. So far, for me it is working, not making tons of money, but at least I can afford to splurge just a little bit. If you have any other ideas on how to make money at home, please feel free to post comments on it. Thanks!

Take Surveys and Earn Money

This is a great way to earn some money! You will not earn a lot of money right away, but as long as you do answer the surveys daily, it will add up! Plus if you refer your friends, you can earn money that way as well. So let's help each other out and click on my referral link! Thanks! :) http://www.surveysavvy.com/?m=2071162

Gluten Free Pancakes

Ingredients

Chickpea Pancakes

1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
5 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Faux-Goulash Beef Filling

1 lbs marbled round steak cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chili pepper, seeded and sliced (optional)
1 large yellow onions, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon cup sweet Hungarian paprika
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
1 small red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 small yellow pepper, seeded and diced

Directions

Filling

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and fry the meat until it's nicely browned.

Place the meat into a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid and cook until browned evenly.

Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and lower heat.

Add the chili, garlic and the onions and fry until they have softened.

Add onions to the meat in the pot.

Stir in the the paprika, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne, broth and wine.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Cook for about an hour.

Cover the pot and cook for another two hours or until the meat is tender. Check and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

Chickpea Pancakes

Sift chickpea flour through a strainer to remove any lumps.

Add 1 and 1/2 cups lukewarm water to a bowl.

Whisk the flour, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper into the warm water.

Let the batter sit on the counter, covered by a towel, for a few minutes or up to 12 hours.

Place a large skillet on medium-high heat and grease it well with olive oil.

Pour batter into pan to create pancakes that are about 4-6 inches across.

When the top begins to dry out, flip.

Cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Fill with beef filling, fresh chopped peppers and fresh parsley.

Original Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe Recipe found at Grandmothers Kitchen Recipes.

Apple Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Streusel Topping
3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter, chilled
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a small bowl combine flour and baking powder.

Beat eggs, milk and vanilla in another small bowl.

In a large mixing bowl combine sugar and butter; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy.

Alternately add flour mixture and egg mixture, beating well after each addition; end with flour mixture.

Spread into prepared cake pan.

Arrange apple slices on top, gently pressing into batter.

Bake for 20 minutes.

While the cake bakes, make the streusel topping by combining flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Cut in 2 tablespoons butter until crumbly.

Remove cake from oven, sprinkle top with streusel topping.

Sprinkle chopped pecans over top.

Bake for 15 to 18 more minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on wire rack.

Original Apple Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe Recipe found at Grandmothers Kitchen Recipes.

Homemade Bubble recipe

Here is a nice cheap alternative to buying bubbles in the store. 1/2 cup dish washing liquid 2 cups water 4 tablespoons glycerin Mix altogether and enjoy! The longer you let the mixture set, the longer the bubbles seem to last.

51 Year old Doug Hutchison marries a 16 Year Old!!

Now I'm pretty open minded about May-December marriages...but this one may be pushing the envelope a bit too far. From just hearing about the story, I would say that no parent should consent to the marriage of their 16 year old to a 50 year old. But then I saw the pictures of Courtney Alexis Stodden and Doug Hutchison...makes you wonder if she really is only 16 years old. But regardless of her looks, I don't think that she is mature enough to handle married life...some 30 - 50 year olds still aren't ready. But hey who can stop "true love".

How to Find the Perfect Gift For Your Father

Father's day is coming up, and we all know how difficult it is to find that perfect gift. Whether it's his birthday coming up or a gift 'just because', choosing the perfect gift for Dad isn't always obvious. While you could resort to the tie, cufflinks, and baseball cap, there are a lot more interesting things you could get for him. Here are some ideas.

1. Spend time with him. Time is definitely the greatest gift of all and something we each have the power to bestow. Spend time with him doing things you know he'll appreciate, such as going for a walk, climb, or hike together; going fishing, cycling, or sailing together; watching a movie together; visiting an art gallery or museum; attending a sports match. Choose whatever you're sure he'll enjoy and make sure there is time to just chill and talk together.

2. Fulfill his dreams. If you're able to afford an expensive gift, try an experience gift. This sort of gift involves purchasing an experience that is not your ordinary activity. Think racing a car on a racetrack, skydiving from a plane, going for a balloon ride, taking a fighter pilot flight, doing a bungee jump, etc. You know your Dad best, so you'll know what experience he would find simply awesome and breathtaking. While it's costly, it will be a gift he's never going to forget!

3. Bring someone into his life who he hasn't seen for ages. Arrange for an old army buddy, a long lost school friend, a cherished and admired mentor, or someone else he cares about to turn up for the day. Organize the travel, the accommodation, and the day's activities so that it all proceeds according to plan. Be sure to call this person another name when talking to family about them, so that your Dad is thrown off the scent! Great ways to get in contact with that person might be through facebook.

4. Give a gift that keeps arriving. Month clubs can bring many surprises to Dad's door, with monthly shipments of all sorts of goodies such as chocolate, books, cigars, wine, cookies, pies, barbecue sauces, gourmet delicacies, and other delights. It's not something he's likely to arrange for himself, so indulge him.

5. Write him a letter of thanks and appreciation. while this isn't something that costs money, it is priceless and he'll love it. Thank him for the things he has done for you and be sure to specify precise things that have happened in the past year in which you felt he has supported you, cared for you, and made you feel special. Tell him that you're proud of him and that you're incredibly happy to have him as your Dad. This is the sort of gift that will make his day.

6. Do something he has been asking you to do but you haven't yet done. Clean out the pool or gutters, sweep the yard, put away your junk, bring him the quotes or information he's been asking for, show him your trip photos, etc. Whatever it is that you've been putting off doing at his request, do it!

7. Consider a corny gift. Once in a while, a gift that's a little saccharin sweet but fun can go down well, especially in tandem with a decent gift. Such gifts can be mugs, t-shirts, badges, and other trinkets that have messages about great dads, and similarly worded Dad pride. Have fun with this one and give it in the spirit of having a laugh together.

Earn money while shopping online

Are you like me and like to shop online? Well then, I have some good news for you! I just recently stumbled upon this site that lets you earn rebates, or in this case, ebates when you purchase items online at certain stores. It even works on ebay! Just make sure you sign up for this offer here - Click here! I like it that you get cash back instead of having to redeem points towards other gift cards, like some other sites. This is definitely a site I will be using every time I shop online!!
Ebates