Helpful Hints

This month I went to a Relief Society activity was a lot of fun (they're always fun!) and very useful. We all sat around and shared advice and hints that made life easier and I thought I share some that may be of some use for you too!

• Freeze grapes on a sheet then place them into a Ziploc bag for a nice frozen treat. I hadn't heard of this before but Colton loves them!
•  When parenting (especially parenting teens), say to your child “I wonder if . . . you've thought about this ... you considered this” when giving advice; much better than telling a child what to do. I tried this on Joe the other day and it worked pretty well. 
•  Remedy for stinging nettle: find three different leaves (any kind) and crush them together to get some
  “juice,” rub it on and it will reduce the sting. I don't think I've ever been stung by stinging nettle, but I'll for sure try this if I ever do.
•  For a great place to catch lots of fish: Ephraim Canyon Seely Creek!! Have any of y'all ever been there? I plan on going after I have the baby!
•  Read your scriptures daily before allowing yourself to read other materials. This is a good rule to follow. 
•  Make-up removers: baby shampoo (like Johnson's and Johnson's) will remove mascara. Cetaphil Lotion (or a similar type lotion) removes makeup; then add more as a moisturizer. I've been using the baby shampoo since I heard this and it works perfectly!!
• How to make eye lashes thicker: (as per YouTube) Use a curler and curl in three places – base, middle, top or base and pump it 5 times. You can use two different kinds of mascara for synergy (drug store brands are quite acceptable). Zigzag mascara starting at base (side to side all the way up), then put another coat on – multiple coats give a very full, thick look (up to 12! coats). NOTE: – Open your mouth while you apply so you won't blink!!! This is another one I started doing after the activity and it really does work! 
•  Whenever you get “ring around collar,” 409 cleaner is a degreaser and works well. On white clothes,
  Tilex (it contains bleach) works (use at your own risk but tip giver does this all the time and never has had a problem). I started using 409 on all stains on our clothes and EVERYTHING has come out! I'm a huge fan now. I haven't tried the Tilex yet.
•  Toothpaste that has baking soda in it on a toothbrush works to clean diamonds/jewelry. It works!
•  For smoothies – put yogurt that is about to expire in freezer trays and freeze for later use in drinks. Same with any fruit that is close to going bad. I do this with fruit but hadn't thought about the yogurt. Genius!
•  Ice cube trays are your friend – freeze chicken broth and put them in a Ziploc after frozen. Works for juice from lemons, limes, etc. Again, genius!
•  When traveling, and kids say “How much longer?” “Are we there yet” “my brother‟s touching me” – Be prepared by giving kids a roll of quarters (dimes, nickels or pennies work too) at the beginning of the trip – Say: “This is all yours and you can spend it any way you like when we „get there‟ – if you say anything negative, it will cost you a quarter (or whatever the denomination is).” Anytime you need an extra stop to the bathroom, it costs one quarter, if you say “he‟s looking at me,” it costs one quarter. It helps keep them happy! One of the best ideas I've ever heard!!
•  Repairman for washing machine recommends that if you have HE (high energy) washers, use much less soap – many need repairs because too much soap is used. 1 Tablespoon of HE soap powder is enough for any size load. And, lower spins clean clothes better. We just bought new washer/dryer for the new house and I'll definitely be following this rule.
• FINGER PAINTING FOR KIDS: 1 cup Ivory flakes; 1 TB. oil; add food coloring – whip and let the
  children have a ball. I don't know what Ivory flakes are but I'm going to look for them next time I'm at Walmart.
•  When baby is through eating, and the tray is a mess, put soap bubbles on the tray to entertain the child; this cleans the tray too. Wonderful idea!
•  For foaming hand soap, put regular soap in the empty original pump container (water it down a bit) for a cheap refill. We only use foaming hand soap here and I'm so glad to know that there's a cheap refill out there.