Do your preschoolers use a ton of chapstick?  Mine do!  And I needed an alternative to help their cracking lips (gotta love winter weather) and something that I felt safe with them ingesting.  I was inspired after reading about a friend who mixed shortening and a juice mix to create a yummy edible lip balm.  We adapted it slightly.  We like a “harder” solution – here’s what we made, and my kids love it!
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What you will need make your own edible lip balm:

1/2 a cup of vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon of …

My house has clutter, lots of clutter and I am often in awe of some of those super organized mommas!  Nicole from Restrained Chaos has offered to guest post a few of her organization tips… I love them!  They are cheap and easy!  Hope you can take and glean from them as I have.  Here is Nicole in her own words:
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Now, I can’t give the key to total organization. This is not because it’s a secret from Martha Stewart’s vault or hidden in a remote (and very clean) monastery …

Are you feeling the post-holiday belt crunch?  I know our budget is a bit tighter each winter.  One of my favorite ways to save is through hounding our local discount grocery store (aka Bent and Dents).  Most of the food is at or near its expiration date, and many of the cans or boxes are beat up, but often I can find food for half the price it would be at the regular grocery store.  Be sure to check the food before you eat it to make sure that it …

Found this recipe on the Duggar’s website.  It is a great and cheap alternative – especially useful for those with skin sensitivities as it is dye and fragrance-free.  I’ll have to try this when we run out of detergent!
Ingredients needed:
Very hot water
Ivory Soap
Washing soda (or soda ash)
Borax
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Instructions:
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder …

We are a family that needs eyesight correction, and lots of it!  Buying glasses at full price can really break the budget.  I was beyond thrilled to have discovered Zenni Optical.  You don’t even need a current prescription (although that is always advised).  We have bought over 12 pairs of glasses from them in the past two years and have yet to be disappointed.  Where else can I buy 4 pairs of glasses with AR coated lenses for roughly $50?  I love finding deals!
Here is a site that explains how …

Someone sent me a link to Rad Rags.  I loved the concept and decided to make my own.  They are really easy to make and cost less than a dollar per diaper!  My hubby prefers “Rags” to using prefolds as all you have to do is lay the insert in place.   This method of diapering makes cloth diapering an affordable and easy option!
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Items needed:
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Dish towels (100% cotton and pre-washed)
Scraps of flannel, velour, microfiber fabric, cotton corduroy, knit jersey, etc.  (I got mine from the scrap section at Joanns fabric)

Instructions:
Fold …

Here are a couple of quick ideas to stretch some of your preschool budget:
If you want to use a workbook and be able to re-use it get a couple of page protectors.  You’ll need to cut open the side and bottom so it will open wide and be able to slip onto the book’s pages or lay flat across the spine.  Then you can use crayons, dry-erase, or washable markers on the plastic and just wipe with a tissue for the crayon or dry-erase or a wet-wipe for the washable markers.
Check …

I love this casserole.  It is so versatile.  You can make it with almost anything.  This is a great way to use your leftovers.  This is taken from the CDKitchen.
Ingredients:
8 ounces sour cream
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Choose a Sauce:
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom soup, condensed — undiluted
10 3/4 ounces cream of celery soup, condensed — undiluted
10 3/4 ounces cream of chicken soup, condensed — undiluted
10 3/4 ounces cheddar cheese soup — undiluted
29 ounces diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano — undrained

Choose a vegetable:
14 1/2 …

Sports drinks can get pretty expensive, especially if your family drinks it as fast as mine does. This recipe was shared with me last summer and my family has been loving it ever since! It’s extremely inexpensive and easy to make and it tastes exactly like Gatorade and contains the same hydrating properties!
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Homemade Gatorade:
1 envelope of unsweetened kool-aid
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 quarts of cold water
Add all to a 2 quart pitcher, mix, chill and enjoy! It’s that simple and you can experiment with all the different …

Like most families, we love to save money. But once the kids are out of school, it’s sometimes hard to keep them entertained without spending. Each spring, I sit down with my kids and together we compile a list of fun things to do for the summer. It’s a great way to get the kids involved, and give them some things to look forward to this summer.
Hit the web
Check out some local websites and see what kinds of activities are being offered. Your local library, park district, museums and even …