Tuesday, June 22, 2010

We're moving again!

We're moving into our new house for a few weeks, so I won't be posting. I will try to post again soon with some new pictures. It is a great house, 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, on 1/3 acre. We are super excited to have more room! It is on a quiet cul-de-sac, so should be nice for kids. So we will be getting settled for the rest of the summer...

Monday, June 21, 2010

Curly hair tips

So I have been thinking about all I have learned about taking care of my curly hair over the past few years, and thought I would share it with a few people. It all began when my sister Nina gave me a great book for Christmas several years ago, called "Curly Girl: A Celebration of curls, how to cut them, care for them, love them and set them free". In the book, the author Lorraine Massey discusses how to care for curly hair, and that it is totally different than straight hair. It is generally dryer, and needs more moisture. Many, many women (and men) in the world today have curly hair, and do not know how to style it. Many beauticians do not know how to cut or style curly hair. In beauty school, curly hair is not discussed, or taught how to cut. (my beautician confirmed this). So unless your stylist has curly hair herself, she may not know how to deal with your curly hair. Also, I have become involved with a few websites online that give tips and ideas about styling curly hair, and they sell products. (I have not tried any of them though, because they are too expensive!)




Here is my list of tips that I have learned so far...

1. Do not wash the length of your hair with shampoo. It contains harsh chemicals, such as sodium laureth sulfate and sodium laurel sulfate, which are harsh cleaners used for floor cleaning. The Curly Girl book recommends no shampoo at all in your hair, ever. I did not like this after trying it for two weeks, found my scalp to be greasy and scaly. So I do a gentle shampoo on my scalp only, and conditioner in the length.

2. Try using a gentle shampoo and conditioner. Several of the websites below have great tips for common brands (such as Suave) which sell great poo & cond. If you want to try a more natural product on your hair, use baking soda to wash with-- it makes your hair squeaky clean! Also you can rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar, and it really does clarify your hair and scalp. (I know, it sounds weird, but it works!)

3. Style your hair with gel only, no hair spray, mousse or hair dryer. I had a tough time with this at first, but I've found great results with no hair spray (it contains alcohol, also bad, very drying) I also used to blow dry or diffuse my hair, which was bad for it. It was always dry and fly-away. Now it is not like that at all. Try it-- you might be surprised!

4. When you are done with your shower, rinse your hair with a cool water rinse to seal in moisture.

5. Try drying your hair with a t-shirt or micro-fiber towel (I found one at Wal-mart and the $1 store). The websites below have tips on how to wrap your hair to dry it.

6. Use a satin pillowcase to reduce frizz.

7. DO not use hair brushes (may seem strange, but for ultra-curly hair, fingers are the best brush)

8. Wash your hair less, it can be a drying process in itself. Use products with no bad alcohols in the gels, and hair sprays. Use shampoos, conditioners, treatments etc that are designed for dry hair because they are designed to hydrate the hair therefore preventing frizz.

9. Avoid parting down the middle of the hair. Instead, to part the hair, imagine an invisible line from the brow arch and part your hair to the side.

10. Do not layer unless you have been with your stylist for some time and know they know how to layer curly hair.Bad alcohols are: ethanol, SD alcohol, SD alcohol 40, Alcohol Denat., propanol, propyl alchol and isopropyl alcohol (a.k.a. rubbing alcohol!)Look at your shampoo and conditioners and try to find one that does not use: sulfates (sodium laureth or sodium laurel), silicone/ silixane, mineral oil, alcohol and waxes. Good items in products are: proteins, PVP/ PA peg-silicone (it is water soluble). 

I have been doing this different regimen for my hair for a few years and my hair has never felt or looked healthier!

Websites: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0761123008/youngladieschris (Curly girl book)http://www.ylcf.org/gotcurl/curlycare.htm 

Got curl? The curly pagehttp://www.longhairloom.com/ fun styling tips for long hair, curly or straighthttp://www.naturallycurly.com/ where curls come to life! 

Find your curl type, find a curly stylist, etc., lots of great info!!


"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12: 7

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Cheese-olive-onion Open Face

Here is one of my Mother-in-Law's recipes... I wanted to make this for dinner tonight, but we didn't have french bread, and that really is the best for this sandwich.

1 loaf french bread
2 cups cheese, grated (cheddar or jack)
1/2 c black olives, chopped
1/2 c green onions, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp seasoning salt

Slice french bread into 1/2" slices. Set aside. In medium mixing bowl combine cheese, olives, green onion, mayo & seasoning salt. Top each slice of bread with spoonfuls of cheese mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve hot.

5-Minute Chocolate Cake in a Mug!

Cake all finished in the mug... a little gooey...
a BIGGER mug is best!

Dumped out into a bowl...
I've made this cake twice and it is delicious! I got it in an email, and the first time I had no ice cream. It definitely needs a scoop of ice cream with it. It is messy to make, but SO good!

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT ! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?

Add ice cream and share, if you must! :-D
Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Bethany is 18 months!

Where does the time go?! How can it be? Our baby girl is growing, growing, growing! She has been walking for about 6-7 weeks, and is not running yet! She still trips a lot, especially over the rugs, poor girl! At 18 months, Bethany is: pouring (water in tub), using a spoon on her own (I don't give her a fork much), dancing, stacking blocks, cleaning up toys, and talking some. Here are the words she says: Mama, Dada, Ra-Ra, Bubba, Mow-Mow (Mallory), ice, ball, shoe, baby, ee-ee (pretty), miw (milk), bye-bye, hi, how-are-you (ho-ah-oo) and other words I know I am forgetting! She is a very sweet girl, and lots of fun!

She is learning her body parts, and can point to them if you ask her where they are, such as eye, nose, mouth, ear, tongue, teeth, head, hair, hand, foot, toes, etc,. We are working on arm, leg, knee and elbow!

She is also learning the sounds that animals make, such as a dog says "uf-uf" and duck says "wa-wa". It is so cute! I've tried getting her to say other ones, and she will occasionally. She has said moo for a cow before. This is such a fun age and I love getting to know her little personality! She is a blessing to our family and we thank God for her life!

On a side note, I have always taken pictures of my kids in the same spot each month (on their birth-day of the month, Bethany was the 7th) until age 2. From one month-12 months, they only have a diaper, and from 13-24 months they are dressed in the outfit they wear that day. I love seeing the photos side-by-side in a scrapbook, it's amazing how they change. I have done this since Rebekah was one month old! In the second year, the hair is the biggest difference! So this is Bethany's "couch photo" for 18 months, even though the couch is different this month! The hat photo is one of my favorites!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Caleb has had a great season of baseball!


Caleb has had a great season of baseball this Spring as a Kansas State Wildcat. He has made some very strong plays, caught a lot of balls, made several really good throws and had lots of great hits. He has grown this past year in height as well as ability. He has a few more practices and a few more games left, until fall ball that is!


We are very proud of Caleb and the season he has had. Enjoy the pictures of his hitting and fielding!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...