How To Make Two Ingredient Dollar Tree Slime

 My kids are huge arts and crafts lovers. The older ones are known for going on YouTube to and finding slime recipes that never really workout for them. That is when I decided to start researching slime and trying out different slime recipes. 

As a mom of 5, I don't have all day to sit around and measure out slime (which I hate by the way) ingredients and I literally will not do that. So when searching for recipes, I looked for the cheapest ones that required the least amount of ingredients. I came across an online article about slime you can make with only ingredients from Dollar Tree and decided to try it out!

I ran out to Dollar Tree and picked up some cheap conditioner and corn starch. That is it people. You can add food coloring and sparkles or whatever you want, if you want. I had food coloring at home so decided not to buy anymore (why would I want extra of anything the kids can use to destroy stuff). I picked up the cheapest corn starch and Suave conditioner (I got green apple in hopes of good smelling slime), checked out and went home to see how it works. 

The first batch was a total disaster. The article I found had terrible measurements and it turned into a big sticky mess. So I decided to play around with it and see if I could figure out the right amount of ingredients to make this 2 ingredient Dollar Store slime a success. And guess what, it worked!!

So give it a try, promise your kids will love it. Oh, AND, get the good smelling conditioner. It literally makes the slime smell AMAZING! The slime is super soft too!

So now you are getting annoyed, just get to recipe. Am I right? LOL

Here you go!

SLIME RECIPE

- In a bowl mix
- 1 cup of conditioner 
- 2 cups of corn starch
- Once you have it all mixed, add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Since I used green apple conditioner, the color was already green and did not require any food coloring! 
And, it keeps well in a plastic bag or wrapped in plastic wrap.

Have fun friends!
-Laura 

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Family Movie Night With Addams Family

When I divorced my ex husband, I decide to start Friday night family movie and pizza night. Every Friday we do a movie and pizza, no matter what. It was so important for me to give them something to count on when he was not there (and ironically, is not again...eye roll).

Every week we pick a movie to watch and even re watch some of the movies. One of our recent favorites is the new The Addams Family movie! If you are a fan of the original, you can't miss this animated version! With a family of 7, it can be difficult to find something EVERYONE agrees on and this particular one has been a hit with all of the kids and even such a nostalgic favorite for Payton and me.

One of my favorite parts of The Addams Family movie was how it demonstrated that being unique is okay. With a family full of different personalities, it can be such an important reminders for home life and school life. Not only that, I loved how it should that every family dynamic can be different, but effective which can be so important this day and age. It is a great reminder to not compare ourselves and our lives to those of other people.

The story line really followed the original! It was exciting for me to watch and re-live, as an adult, with my children! Sharing memories from my past in a new and exciting way for them to be entertained is so important to me!

If you haven't seen The Addams Family from Universal Entertainment, you are missing out! It is super easy to find on Blu Ray or DVD at your local Walmart on shelves or Walmart Online!

-Laura

Hands On Family Fun With Allessimo Puzzles

*This post is sponsored by Allessimo Puzzles. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Anyone else not a fan of electronics for kids? If I am in a room with someone asking this questions, my hand is FLYING in the air. When, and if, Keegan gets any screen time, he completely zones in on it and life turns into a literal nightmare (Yay, autism!). We decided that it really shows how none of them should have screen time and VERY limited television time. So, now what do we do with our free time? Lots of reading, outdoor play, board games and hands on activities. Which makes  Allessimo Puzzles a HUGE hit in our house.

Have you heard of Allessimo Puzzles before? If not let me give you a quick run down on their puzzles. Allessimo Puzzles are 3D puzzles that your children (or you) get to build and paint all on their own! All parts are included in each box, along with the directions, paint and paintbrush. There are tons of different buildable objects so everyone is able to pick something different! These puzzles are a perfect STEM activity for our home!

So how exactly do they work?

First thing, they are approved for ages 5 and up. Keegan is 5 and did require help building his puzzles. He was able to paint them completely on his own. Building them was very easy and a great way for me to get him to follow the directions and see the outcome of following directions. This can be a huge struggle for us with Keegan. With Autism, comes him wanting to do things his way or no way. Allessimo Puzzles is helping him realize that he does have to bend on this a bit.

So how are the pieces packaged?

There are typically 2 wooden boards in your box. The wooden boards contain cut out pieces that become your object when all put together. Our first one to do, was Keegan's favorite, a dinosaur! It was easy to follow the steps to connect all of the pieces and that brought our dinosaur to life! Allessimo Puzzles very obviously took their time creating these puzzles, making sure each one has pieces that perfectly fit together and end in an exciting masterpiece for the kids.

As if building your own 3D puzzles isn't exciting enough, it is paintable as well! I set up a white table cloth (I typically keep several of these on hand for projects), opened the paint, grabbed an old cloth and a cup of water and set the table up for Keegan to paint his Allessimo Puzzle. He LOVED it. It was funny to watch because he talked to himself as he painted, I thought it was the cutest act ever.

Once Keegan perfected his dinosaur, we set it up in his room for him to have on display for all of his visitors. His best friend, who doubles as our neighbor, came over and loved Keegan's creations. Keegan was so proud, he decided to give it to his best friend!! How ADORABLE is that?

RUNNN and get these! Even if you do allow screen time, they are perfect for any family and hands on activities that help with moto skills, patience and following directions, is a win for any family!!

Make sure you tag me on Instagram is your family creates their own Allessimo 3D Puzzles!!


-Laura

Noturaverage Simple Ways To Make Self Care A Priority

Let's face it, sometimes as moms, when we are busy and overwhelmed, self care is the first thing we push to the back burner. Why do we do this? Why do fail to realize that putting ourselves last is really putting everyone else last as well. Our natural instinct, as care givers, is to put other people's needs in front of our own. What we don't realize is how we are hurting EVERYONE by doing this.

A mom who is extra tired, feeling down, unfit, eating unhealthy or mentally strained needs a refresh. Putting yourself first, in regulation, helps you have the energy and strength to take care of everyone else! Think of it this way, when you take the time to eat healthy foods that fuel your body and not fast food, how much better do you feel? I have to say, I spent many years not caring what I put into my body! I recently started making it a priority, in simple easy ways, and WOW! The change is insane.

So, I have decided to put together 10 super simple and attainable ways to take care of yourself. These are things you can quickly and easily do every day that will not only make you feel better emotionally, but help you physically as well.

1. As mentioned already, food is key! Really, I know processed foods and a quick bite when out seems like the simpler option. WRONG! These foods are harder for your body to digest! You are assisting in exhausting your self EVERYDAY you eat these foods. Two times a week, I meal prep EASY and healthy foods for myself. I procrastinated doing this for YEARS, why? Literally, pure laziness. I felt meal prepping took longer. I was so wrong and if you are living this way, you are too.

When meal prepping, I not only prep my lunches, but I pre-prep veggies for dinner and to go with my breakfasts!

2. Wake up early. Seriously? YES! I wake up before my kids every day! I sit down and make myself a daily to-do list or take a look at our weekly/monthly list and see what I can do to get it done. Crossing things off of a list is soooo satisfying for me (VIRGO here). If this isn't a huge deal to you, think of it this way, getting things done and seeing your progress is SO important for mindset. Trust me, starting your day off organized, will make you feel way better.

3. Daily affirmations are a real thing. Ok, Laura in the past, would read this and call whoever is writing this dumb. I am serious, that is how small minded and unbelieving I was in the power of positivity. WRONG again I was. Every morning, before the kids get up, after I work on my lists, I made a new list. This list is positive thoughts about myself and things I am thankful for. When everything is going wrong, which is all the time if you are me, it is important to remind yourself of these things. I do it daily to start off in the right frame of mind.

4. Make sure to get some sort of exercise in. This is a huge struggle for me. When I don't work out, I don't feel as good and being under a year in on a total hip replacement (leading to hives and autoimmune disease) has made this IMPOSSIBLE some days. Even on those days I try to do something, anything, to get myself moving a bit. When I am in a bad flare, I do just a bit of core work or arms only. Your workout does not have to be hours long and this huge sweat sesh! I try to get my workouts done in the morning when Payton is working, on his days off, we like to work out in the evening together. My workouts are SHORT. I do not over push my body because of my health issues, but I DO get it moving! Sometimes I do only a mile on the bike or treadmill. Some days I take the kids to the park and chase them around. I have to say, my favorite workouts are my kid free ones, but no matter what, I do SOMETHING.

5. Get up and get ready everyday. Do not sit in your pajamas, this will never help you feel motivated. Get dressed! It doesn't have to be fancy or special or anything. Some days, my getting dressed is yoga pants and a big shirt, some days its a super cute outfit. No matter what I get dress, I brush my hair, I do my makeup, I get ready! Trust me, this will make you feel so much better, even if you do not plan to leave the house.

6. Girl, Wash Your Face. No really, I know we all love the book, but I  mean this, WASH your face. Put lotion on every night. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, skin included. Make it a routine to wash the day away before bed every night and morning. You won't regret this one.

7. Speaking of the book, read it, and other books! You don't have to read for hours a day either. Just read a chapter, or a few pages, whatever you can do. Set your phone down and FEED your mind. It is so good to step away for a bit and get lost in a book. And no, it does not have to be a self help style book! I love mysteries and read them ALL the time!

8. Say "no" to people! This one is hard for me, REALLY hard for me. I naturally want to help everyone and it, at one point in my life, was impossible to say no to anyone. Maybe that is how I ended up on such an abusive marriage? Who knows. When I finally started loving myself and putting myself and my needs on the radar, I started finding it easier to say "no" when I just can't.

9. Have some alone time. I know all of you aren't stay at home moms like myself. I used to work full time (up until my hip replacement, April 2019) and even that was stressful and didn't give me time alone. The "away" time was full of work pressures. Time to yourself can seem impossible, I know, I don't even go to the grocery store alone anymore! But it doesn't have to be out of the house! Take a bath, get your workout in, wake up early, whatever you find the best way is, do it!! Even if it is just scrolling Pinterest alone for an hour!

10. LOVE YOURSELF. Let me say it again, love you! I don't feel I need to really tell you why this is important and I can't tell you how to do this. You have to find a way to realize just how amazing and special you are. DO IT!

So I know, 10 things to do everyday seems like a lot, right? It isn't. Some of these take just a few minutes. A few minutes that you will spend on Instagram (ME), a few minutes that you will sit in an unhealthy state of mind stressing (AGAIN, ME), a few minutes that you will blankly stare at the TV (ME, AGAIN). Take the time and DO IT! It takes 30 days to create a habit, make you your habit.

-Laura

Noturaverage Easy and Delicious Oven Roasted Pears

Hey everyone!! Can we take a moment to talk about how excited I am for this recipe?! Oven roasted, dairy free, HEALTHY, oven roasted pears AND they are all organic! On top of that, these pears follow the Whole30 diet and are a simple and quick way to get a little treat **If you are in the 1st 30 days, they recommend NO honey, my Doctor did tell me she was okay with local/organic, but be advised!

So are you ready to make it for yourself?! I made a batch big enough for my entire family. So keep in mind, the recipe is for several people. Don't worry, they store well in the fridge and can quickly be reheated as a treat anytime of the day. 

First thing, preheat the over to 375 degrees and get an oven safe pan heating with 1/4 a cup of dairy free butter. I use Country Crock Plant Butter for mine. Heat over medium heat. While the butter melted, I got my pears ready.

I used 4 organic pears, I know there are several breeds of pairs and any kind will work. I cut each pear into 4 pieces, lengthwise. Don't forget to cut the ends off and take out any seeds.

Before adding the pears to your pan, add 4 tablespoons of honey. I always use only local honey and recommend the same to you. Local honey has so many benefits to your health and local economy.

Once your honey is added, put your pears in on one of the meat sides. Sear both sides for a few minutes then put it in the oven. Set a timer for 40 minutes. Half way through (at 20 minutes) flip your pears to the opposite meat side of your fruit.

With 10 minutes left, mix your yogurt up. I used an entire container (aprox 2 cups) of Forager Organic Dairy-Free Cashewmilk Yogurt (this particular one was on sale which was why I picked it). I like Cashew or Almond Yogurt. Measure your yogurt into a large bowl. Mince up a small handful of fresh mint leaves (it should come to about 2 tablespoons). Add the mint, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of your local honey to the yogurt and mix well.

By now your pears should be done and looking like golden perfection. Doesn't your house smell like all things amazing?! Let your pears cool a bit and enjoy! I prepare my plate with the pears on the bottom and yogurt dripped over the top, it is better than ice cream. And garnish with a mint sprig (if entertaining).

Enjoy y'all! Thank me for this one later, trust me, you will!

- Laura

*** Again, if you are in the first 30 days of the Whole 30 diet, some people recommend NOT adding honey. You can easily make this with NO honey. If you opt to use honey, make sure you use organic, local honey! I did not ever cut this, I have terrible allergies and local honey is SO good for this!

My List Of Must Watch Netflix Orginal Shows

 Let's face it, if you don't watch Netflix, you must be living under a rock. I  mean who doesn't have a Netflix subscription? But what do you do when you finish your favorite series? Time to find a new one, trust me there are plenty to pick from.

Once I had caught up on all of my favorite TV shows (Grey's Anatomy, The Office, Walking Dead), it was time to pick something new. I don't know about anyone else, but I NEVER know what to watch, literally. I always want to find something really good, but read titles and can't find something. When Netflix started making their own shows and movies, it broadened the to watch door so much, but now settling on something is even more difficult!

I decided to go through and compile a list of my FAVORITE Netflix Original shows! I watched tons, and tons of only originals to pick only my top FIVE favorites Netflix Originals! Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

1. You

There was so much hype around this show, it took me awhile to buckle to watching a "fad" show. Boy was I missing out! This show will keep you drawn in and watching, never knowing what plot twist they will throw your way! This is by far my favorite Netflix Original Series to date.

Joe is the best kind of creepy, am I right? LOL. His "innocent" crushes and "sweet" behaviors will have you questioning every relationship you have ever had.

2. Stranger Things

When season 1 ended, I didn't think Netflix could top it. Ha, joke was on me. If you are one of the few out there who has yet to check out this Netflix Original, I suggest you change that as quickly as possible! Trust me on this, it is great, my older kids love it too!

Eleven may not be what we are used to watching, but definitely holds our interest throughout the entire show!

3. Mindhunter

As a Virgo who is highly detail oriented, I couldn't resist watching this. Netflix deserves a round of applause, because Mindhunter was amazingly written with detail lovers in mind while keeping twists and reveals at a maximum.

This one is based on a true story, so keep that in mind when watching!
4. The Witcher

With a Game Of Thrones original vibe, this is one you do not want to miss. From Episode 1 of this Netflix Original, I was hooked. When I first say it listed, I had expected The Witcher to be a "knock off" GOT. WRONG. The casting was excellent and the story was great, but you knew that from the books already, right?

5.  The Crown

I love movies and shows that are about this era, Queen Elizabeth II. Netflix didn't pull back at all on this one with a huge budget, the cast, wardrobe and effects are amazing. For anyone who loves this era, it is a must watch Netflix original!

I could go on and on and on. Netflix and their originals have only continues to get better and better, but these are my favorite 5 at this point in time.

Happy watching my friends!

-Laura

Noturaverage Easy Whole 30 Salmon With Kale & Sweet Potato

As most of you know, I am working really hard at sticking to the Whole 30 diet this year. I have found with my autoimmune issues and hives, this diet is optimal and helps reduce outbreaks. I find I am better at sticking to a diet if I meal prep. So I ordered some reusable BPA free meal prep containers and made a plan!

This week, I prepped all of my lunches. I wanted to do it Sunday, but with Wildcard playoffs yesterday, I failed to do so. So this morning, I made it a priority to get everything all ready for me to stick to my lunches this week. 

So here is what I used for this weeks lunches. 5 small, peeled, Organic sweet potatoes. I diced them with 1/2 an organic diced onions. I cooked these together in a cast iron pan with County Crock Plant Based Butter and a bit of garlic Chosen Foods cooking spray. I sautéed them and then set aside. 

In the same pan, I sautéed 2 cups of organic kale and 2 cups organic spinach with the other half of the onion. As you can tell, I love onions! Adding them is optional, so if you aren't a fan, don't use them. I added about 2 tablespoons more of the plant based butter and sprayed more of the Chosen Foods cooking spray - garlic. 

While those were cooking, I got 4 pieces of wild caught Alaskan Salmon out. In a separate pan, I sprayed a bit of garlic Chosen Foods spray to the bottom of the pan and on top of the salmon. I then sprinkled salt, pepper, and dill on top of the salmon. I cooked it from frozen since I didn't dethaw it yesterday. I covered the man and cooked it on medium heat for about 16 minutes. 

Once everything was done, I put it all in my meal prep containers and they are waiting for me to start eating tomorrow! 

Next week, I plan to make 5 days worth on Sunday. Follow along for my new lunch recipes weekly. 

-Laura