I'm coming back!

I've been off for a while...a LONG while, but I'm going to try to get back into it! We got pregnant and found out in May and not a week later I was struck with the horrible horrible Morning Sickness. It was a long treck through July and into August but I managed to pull out of it! I don't want to jinx myself here but I feel pretty darn good right now...aside from the fact that it's a little difficult to bend over to pick things up and roll off the couch or out of bed but I can deal with that :) I will be back later to post pictures and other fun things that have gone on in the Campbell Family in the past few months! Have a fantastic day!!

“Green” Cleaning

A friend of mine posted these recipes and I wanted to pass them on for those of you who are looking for things around the house to use for cleaning! Enjoy and feel free to comment with any other recipes you’ve tried that have worked!

All Purpose Cleaner
This works good for cleaning the table and counters, washing windows, mopping the floor, cleaning the toilet, etc...
Ingredients:
White distilled vinegar
Water
Directions:
1. Mix 1/2 part vinegar to one part water in spray bottle.
2. As an added boost, add in essential oils of lavender, tea tree, rosemary or citrus.
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Carpet Freshener
Ingredients:
Corn Starch
Essential oils if you'd like it smelling good.
Directions:
1.Fill sugar shaker bottle with cornstarch. If you're using essential oils, sprinkle a few drops in and shake well till mixed.
2.Sprinkle cornstarch on carpet and let sit for 15-20 minutes then vacuum.
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Carpet Stain Remover
I've combined a couple things I saw online and changed some ratios. This actually got 4 year old stains off my carpet! Yippee!!!
Ingredients:
Very warm water
Shampoo
All purpose cleaner with lavendar essential oil
Directions:
1. Use 3oz very warm water and 2 oz shampoo.
2. Place in spray bottle and swirl till combined.
3. Spray the shampoo mixture on carpet stains - not too much or it will be almost impossible to clean up. Let sit for 3 minutes (this is important).
4. Scrub with a nice scrubbing brush, then spray with all purpose cleaner.
5. Scrub again and then use a dry cloth to wipe away an excess soap/water.
You may need to spray a couple more times with the all purpose cleaner to get the soap suds out. Just keep working it with a dry cloth
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Dishwasher Cleaner
This is best done once a month as a maintenance. However, I used my dishwasher for at least a year before I did this. It worked great!
Ingredients:
White distilled vinegar
Directions:
1.Get a 1 cup measure and fill with vinegar.
2.Place on bottom rack of dishwasher and run a hot, long cycle.
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Drain Cleaner
Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Directions:
1. Dump 1/2 cup baking soda down drain.
2. Pour 1/2 cup vinegar down after baking soda.
This will clear most drains by itself. I had a very horribly bad clog in our sink. I waited till things started bubbling up into the sink and skimmed them out. I kept repeating pouring down baking soda, then vinegar and skimming things out till it stopped working - then I took a plunger and with 3 good plunges, my drain ran free.
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Furniture Polish
I have yet to use this one - I'm just waiting for mine to run out.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup lemon juice
Directions:
1. Put into glass jar with mister sprayer - you can find these at health food stores.
2. Shake well to incorporate.
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Laundry Detergent
Ingredients:
2 1/2 ounces bath soap, grated into flakes - approx. 1/2 bar fells naptha or castile.
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
Directions:
1. Mix together and keep in closed container.
2. Use one tablespoon per load.
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Metal Cleaner
I have not used these but found it online here. Let me know if any work for you
*Aluminum: using a soft cloth, clean with a solution of cream of tartar and water.
*Brass or bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or vinegar and salt solution.
*Chrome: polish with baby oil, vinegar, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifor aluminum foil shiny side out.
*Copper: soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. For tougher jobs, sprinkle baking soda or lemon juice on a soft cloth, then wipe. For copper cookware, sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub.
*Gold: clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, vinegar, and flour.
*Silver: line a pan with aluminum foil and fill with water; add a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil and immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth.
*Stainless steel: clean with a cl

oth dampened with undiluted white vinegar, or olive oil. For stainless cookware, mix 4 tbs baking soda in 1 qt water, and apply using a soft cloth. Wipe dry using a clean cloth.
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Mold and Mildew Cleaner
Ingredients:
White distilled vinegar
Essential oils - Lavender or tea tree are best
Directions:
1. Put vinegar full strength in a spray bottle.
2. Add several drops of essential oil

and swirl bottle together.
3. Use full strength on affected area. There is no need to rinse.
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Soft Scrub 1
Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Water
Directions:
1.Sprinkle area with

baking soda and moisten with water or your vinegar/water solution.
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Soft Scrub 2
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Baking Soda
Liquid dish soap
Directions:
1. Pour baking soda in bowl.
2. Squeeze enough dish soap in to make a paste and stir.

Happy Spring!

How beautiful it’s been outside!  We love it when Spring comes…the  flowers are coming up, the sticks and leftover leaves are all over the yard (but we have fun cleaning them up) and the beautiful sun with NO WINTER COATS!  We’ve been spending a lot of time outside lately and the girls are loving every minute of it.  We' have got to spend time at the park with out friends and it’s been wonderful!

  

Is it necessary?

All the negativity in this world…

Seems like everything these days is based around negativity.  It seems like everyone is bashing Obama or our government in general; gossiping about who’s pregnant or who cheated on their husband or who they were seen with and well…surely that means they’re up to no good. :(  It makes me sad.

 

Is it worth it?...

I don’t think so.  We live such a short life, do you really want to fill it with all the negatives?  I don’t.  It’s awesome to see what a reaction you can get from a stranger by smiling at them, holding the door for them or just simply asking if they need any help. 

Is it worth being angry at your friend for not calling you back when they said they would, when in all reality they probably got busy and forgot or it got too late…instead it would be much more pleasant for you to get together and play some cards.

 

Try it…

For the next week (start small) make it a goal of yours to

**smile at 1 new person a day 

**think twice before you say a negative comment about anyone or anything…is it THAT important?

**hug a family member, friend or stranger at LEAST once a day

 

I think all of these things are important to living a happier life for you and everyone you come in contact with. 

It’s Friday, enjoy yourself.  Live life to the fullest and take advantage of every pleasant moment you get.

I’m so excited!

 

 

I have taken the plunge and decided to be a Scentsy consultant!  I am extremely excited about this…truly.   I love the products, and I also believe that this can grow to be a great business.

 

First off… it was extremely simple to sign up.  I simply went to my friend Erica’s website (mine is www.BrookeCampbell.scentsy.us) and was able to “Join her Team” straight from there.  You would think that selling something with so many scents that you would have a ton of heavy candles to carry around.  NOPE.   The starter kit comes with a sample of each scent in a small container that all fits in a small tub with a handle for easier carrying.  Definitely not heavy.  That along with some catalogs and order forms and a warmer or two…you’ve got it made.  Doesn’t take up much room at all!

 

Second…the starter kit comes with 3 months of your website for free!  I think the website is a great way to get your info out and allow your friends/family/clients to order and view what Scentsy has available.  I also have decided that everyone who goes through my scents will get a catalog to keep.  This way they can mark in their catalog which scents they  LOVE    LIKE  and   HATE.  This way when their scent bars have run out, they have a quick reference to which ones they might want to try out.

 

Third…FREE SHIPPING on orders over $150.  This is for a party or just for you.  Yep you heard it right FREE SHIPPING!  Doesn’t seem like any kind of business like this offers such thing. 

 

Please, I ask you to check out my site, sign up to receive my newsletter and contact me to host a party or basket party!  Thank you for all your support!  I hope that this will give me the chance for some extra income to give me the chance to continue staying home with our girls!

 

Before I end I also want to tell you about a basket party.  A basket party is when you take the small samples of each scent to work or to a family event so that everyone can smell them. 

THE SUN IS SHINING!!!

I can’t believe it, the sun is shining and it was 36 degrees when I got home from preschool at 11:45!  I am so tired of the cold, the ice and the snow that has been on the ground since November.  The kids got to go outside to play at preschool and we’re on the way to being able to see grass in this town before May!

 

Corey’s cousin, Nikki, and her family came to visit us this weekend!  We had a great time with them.  We met them at Get-A-Way bar in Manley for lunch (seemed like a good idea at the time).  The food was wonderful but the lady was not very pleasant and the floor was SOOOO dirty…gross.  The floor was so dirty that when I picked my purse up off the floor and set it on my lap, I had a coating of dust/dirt on my legs.  It was disgusting.  Anyways, we got our fried food and awesomely fat burgers and although the only drinks were in bottles or can, we had a great time hanging out with them.  After the girls played in the house and watched a Barbie movie, we went up to the skating rink.  Everyone had skates on including Nikki and Mauro!  What a wonderful time we had with them.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful afternoon and enjoy the sun.  Smile at your neighbor and strangers that walk by!  Happy Tuesday everyone!

Double Stroller Giveaway

A friend of mine, Megan, is hosting a giveaway on her blog...head on over and check her out!

www.newlywednewlybred.com/2010/02/kolcraft-contours-options-tandem.html

My Pretty Princesses

The girls LOVE to play dress-up so I decided to make them tutus.  They love them!  They twirl and spin, play and sleep all in their tutus.  Here’s some fun action shots!

 

Don’t ask where the posing came from.

Hy-Vee Cake Competition

On Tuesday Jordyn and I went to the Mall of the Bluffs to watch Sharon (my aunt) in the cake competition.  This was the first time I had been to something like this and it reminded of what you see on tv!  It was awesome to see so many talented women decorating.  They had 3 hours to complete a 3 tiered cake, 12 (maybe 18, I don’t remember) cupcakes into a cake, full sheet cake, 1/2 sheet cake, and 12 cookies.  I think that’s all it was!  Sharon did a Halloween theme and she did amazing, she even had steam around the set and coming out of the haunted house’s smoke stack.  She’s awesome!  Jordyn was a trooper throughout.  She did fall asleep during the last 45 minutes or so and kept calling Sharon Grandma, it was cute :)

   

If you want to see the rest of my pictures, check out these two albums:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=156887&id=500471015&l=36f6bb6090

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=156662&id=500471015&l=c3fc4a6faa

New Years Day 2010!

My cousin, Laine Stahr was flying from Tennessee to Colorado in a US Army UH 60 Blackhawk on New Years Day and got to land it on his parents farm “Stahr Hill” in the bean field just down the road from my Dad’s house!   It was about 5 degrees out that day and windy but many people anxiously waited their arrival!  I took lots of pictures so be prepared! (surprise surprise!)

 

Waisting time :)

Waiting for the Blackhawk

Dad’s Place

 

Dad’s place in the background

Laine walking up

People coming to greet Laine

 

More people

 

Grandma and Laine

 

Grandma, Laine and Dale

 

Cars lined up

 

More Cars (the rest were parked around front)

 

**Thanks Laine for landing and letting us all check things out.  This was a great opportunity to see you and get a small idea of what you do!