An Uninspired Respite

Me, in my blogging spot

To all the Lemon Tree huggers out there...I love you! Thanks for visiting and enjoying this blog. I have had a blast creating and posting to this fun project of mine.

However, lately I am, to say the least, a bit uninspired. Please forgive me. I personally blame it on the hormones that are so out of whack in this pregnancy and that have my brain in a constant fog. I don't think it's fair to you or to this blog to just post randomness for the sake of a post that isn't really original or inspired. And I'm not finding the time right now to search the blogger world for the cool ideas that are already out there. I want each post to mean something to me and you.

This is not the end of the Lemon Tree. I know Linda's Lips still has plenty to share! I just want to be honest and let you all know that posts won't be all that often for a little while. Unless, of course, you all want to send in more ideas...which is the reason I created this blog...to hear from you.

Thanks again for all of your support and don't be strangers for heaven's sake!

Guest Post: Fun Halloween Dinner!

My sister in law, Jenn, made the cutest Halloween dinner for her kids! I love this idea and I am excited to make it for my girls. She carved the bell peppers like pumpkins and then filled them with spaghetti...so fun and cute!

Kierstin, Utah

The Tank Half Full

This wise piece of advice is one I learned from my father. He always urged me to keep my car's gas tank half full at all times. I've tried. I too sometimes push the limit and ride until I'm gliding on hope with the gauge under the "E". Hey, nobody's perfect. As of late I have made a better effort to fill my car whenever I see it is half full. This way I won't be left wanting if an emergency occurs, not to mention I feel like I'm spending less on gas because I never feel the pricey sting of filling up the entire tank in one stop.

It's something worth considering, especially if you are one who is often caught off guard when you look down to see the "E" light blaring at you and find yourself praying your car will make it to the nearest station.

From Linda's Lips: Baking Soda Exfoliator

I don't know about you, but this time of year I find my skin beginning to flake and get really dry. One of my favorite (and really inexpensive) ways to exfoliate my skin is by using baking soda.

Make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate the skin. Rinse clean. This is gentle enough for daily use, and doesn't strip away your skins natural oils.

Slice of Oprah: Produce Cleaner

You know that foggy film left from pesticides and whatnot on most store-bought fruits and veges? This easily made spray will get rid of it and ensure they are squeaky clean:

Sophie Uliano's Veggie Cleaner Spray
1 cup water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 Tbsp baking soda
20 drops grapefruit seed extract (at any local health food store)

Just spray it on your produce, wait 5-10 minutes, wash, and no more pesticides.

CLICK HERE to see the actual information on Oprah's website.

Halloween Mummy Dogs

It has become a tradition for our family to make hot dog mummies on Halloween as our trick-or-treat night dinner. They are easy, yummy, and fun. What you need is:

Pillsbury crescent dough
Hot dogs

Unroll the crescent dough, and gently push all the seams together. Then cut it lengthwise into strips. Cut your hot dogs to your desired size. Wrap the dough strips around your hot dogs and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cook for the time stated on the crescent roll package, until they are golden brown and enjoy.

What are some of your fun Halloween traditions?
CLICK HERE to submit your family tradition to the Lemon Tree.

Plastic Bags In A Box

This little tip came from Linda's Lips to me, literally. She recently discovered and shared with me that you can put all of your plastic grocery bags into an empty kleenex box to keep them neat and tidy. My bags were frightfully everywhere in the bottom of my pantry so I was anxious to put this idea into action. LOVE IT. It's so much neater and makes so much sense.

Slice of Oprah: "I Am Special"

Oprah has had a couple of recent episodes on the new documentary Waiting for Superman. It was created in the hopes that we as communities will demand, support, and help create better schools. Very eye opening to me. One of the teachers in the documentary was being interviewed on Oprah and he talked about how he has his kids look at each other and say "I am special" so that they begin to really believe it and therefore believe they can achieve anything.

My daughter, Kaela, asked me the other day in the car if I liked how I looked when I was a kid. It took me off guard and in talking to her I discovered that she is already starting to become self-conscious of the way she looks. She thinks everyone else at school has such beautifully shaped faces and that hers is just, as she said, "round and boring". What!? Does this already happen at age 6? Crazy. So, when the teacher on Oprah said he makes his kids say they're special, I knew this was something that would bless my little Kaela.

Now as I'm doing her hair before school, I have her say "I am special" to herself in the mirror. Her face immediately brightens and she can't help but smile a little each time she says it. I'm hoping that the more she says it to herself, the sooner she will truly believe it.

Guest Post: Easy Freezer Cookie Dough

I usually make a double batch of cookies and don't want to cook them all since they'll easily disappear from the counter and easily reappear as extra inches on my body. I really enjoy having dough on hand to throw in the oven for a quick after school surprise when the kids come home, an after dinner sweet, or treat for a friend.

Once you've made your preferred amount, roll the rest of the dough in balls and freeze on a cookie sheet. You can then put the frozen balls in a zip lock for easy use when the next craving strikes.

Stephanie, Arkansas

From Linda's Lips: Microwave madness

I don't know what it is lately, but I have been noticing the inside of people's microwaves.

Ewww! Ugh! and seriously, Gross!

Seriously friends, this is one of the easiest fixes in the kitchen. Grab a clean dishrag, get it wet with cool water and wring it out. Pop that baby into your microwave on high for 30 seconds. When the timer beeps, grab the steamy dishrag and wipe the inside of your microwave oven clean. It's that easy. Unless, perhaps you have serious layers of crud. Then you may have to try it twice. No excuses now!

Keep the microwave clean friends. That's all I have to say today.