Thrifty Tip #11 - Dryer Sheets

There are lots of ideas out there for DIY dryer sheets or things that can take the place of dryer sheets.  One thing I saw on pinterest was to soak a washcloth in fabric softener and put that in the dryer.  Another pin said to use a ball of aluminum foil.  We get our dryer sheets from the dollar store and they work fine.  I make my own fabric softener but I've heard that you shouldn't use fabric softener on towels because it makes them lose their absorbancy.  And I've also heard that dryer sheets and fabric softener cause built up on the lint trap that can lead to fires.

Then my mom told me a trick she had been using and liked.  Tennis balls.  She throws 2 tennis balls into the dryer with her clothes and that's it.  She loves it.  So, while I was at Tar-jay this weekend, I grabbed a container of tennis balls for $2.  Then I went home and did the laundry.  I put all three balls in the dryer with a load of clothes.  I'm not sure, but I think it helped them dry faster.  And the towels were definitley fluffy.  I think I will keep this trick.  the balls make a lot of noise bouncing around in the dryer, so if your dryer is close to where you sleep or watch TV, know that you'll hear them.  I can use the tennis balls for a while, so I guess that's money in our pocket too.  But I don't think I'm ready to give up my DIY fabric softener just yet...

Cheers!

 

 

That's my down comforter in there.  Should be nice and fluffy when it comes out!

Body wash

I have to share a discovery I made this past week with you because I'm really excited about it.  Since we moved to a house that is significantly smaller than the one we had in Georgia, unpacking has been slow.  Around Wednesday, I finally got to opening a box that has been sitting in my bathroom for a month.  I knew what was in it, but hadn't had the motivation to unpack it because I didn't where the stuff was going to go.  When I went through it, I discovered that I only had one body wash left in my collection of bath products.  This. Was. Huge.  I promised myself over a year ago that I could not buy any more body wash until I went through my collection (it had grown pretty obscene).  I actually stuck to this rule and used almost my ENTIRE supply!  Go me.

Hey, it's the little things, you know?  Now, on to the lotion collection...

Cheers!

The lone survivor

Then and Now

I try to take really good care of my hair.  When I found these pics while unpacking, I realized that I'm doing a pretty good job of it.  Now, if I can just find my crimper...

Cheers!

And this is just one of my favorite pics of me as a kid.  Just thought I'd share.  ;)

PS:  I've had different hair cuts and styles since 1989, I just decided to stick with what works a few years ago. :)

Walton Rocks Beach

A couple weekends ago, we FINALLY spent some time at the beach.  We went back to the dog beach because I liked that it wasn't really crowded and the beach was big.  It was really windy but hot.  We got blasted by sand a few times, which I chalked up to getting exfoliated (which I needed anyway).  We didn't take our boys because they didn't really like the beach the first time we went.  There were lots of dogs and most of them ran up to say hi, which we didn't mind.  There were also really cute little crabs digging holes in the sand near us.  We didn't stay for very long but it was nice to just lay on a beach for a couple hours.  We're going to try and not repeat beaches from now on since there are so many to choose from.  I want to find a good place to go swimming.  I love our new beach life.

Cheers!

Selfie on the beach!  I got my bathing suit for $10 at Old Navy

He doesn't take serious pictures

I tried something new out in the sun.  This "browning lotion" had good reviews and is supposed to be all natural, although a little pricey.  I didn't see a big difference after the hour it recommended, but I'm going to stick with it.  I can't be pasty white now that I live in Florida.  Has anyone tried it?  Any safe recommendations for getting some color?

#tbt Post: MI Christmas 2012

I always spend Christmas in MI.  Always.  To me, Christmas means cold, snow, fires, getting bundled up and the Griswolds.  All of our family is in MI and almost all of our friends are too.  So, I have to go home ("home" for me will always be MI).  We managed to do a lot on our visit in 2012.  And we got snow.  Really pretty, fluffy white snow.  Just like it should be.  :)  Here are the highlights.

Cheers

Snowing before Christmas.  Its gonna stick!

 Putting on new Christmas presents

Miss Maddy loves her new marching band themed ride!

My Aunt Karen made us a polish lunch complete with kielbasa and pirogis

My Dad and I love coney

Kim getting her 8th? tattoo

My turn

Besties for life!

Then we went shopping :)

Hit the after Christmas sales hard

Good thing we don't have to get Maddy...

But my FAVORITE part of Christmas break was learning to shoot.  Lately, knowing how to shoot a gun has become very important to me.  I want to be able to protect my family.  My dad took us and I'm happy to say that Kevin and I are pretty good.  Sniper Schwemmin hit dead center his first shot.  Ever.  With a gun.  Insert eye roll here...  Take away message, don't mess with the Kendi Haus.

 

Stories from the Train - Week 1

When we decided to live 5 miles from Mandi's job, we knew there was a possibility that I would find a job more than 50 miles away. Turns out the actual distance is 75 miles. Fortunately 70 miles of that is straight down I-95 and traffic here isn't anything like Atlanta, so the drive takes about an hour and fifteen minutes in the morning and about an hour and a half in the evening. The only problem is that I would be putting 150 miles on my car everyday and Jeeps aren't exactly known for their fuel economy. When I drove down to campus for my interview I noticed a commuter train running along the side of the freeway. I filed that bit of information away in case I got the job and then looked into it right after I got the offer. The train runs from the north end of West Palm Beach all the way down to the Miami airport and it has a stop near campus. I did the math and figured that taking the train will save about $150 a month, even though my commute will take considerably longer (about two hours now). There is a bus route that connects campus with the train station and I learned during my orientation that FAU pays the fare for students and staff. I decided to ride the train a few times before taking the plunge and buying a monthly pass. That first week on the train was a doozy. Here are the highlights from that week (I'm hoping this will become a regular feature of the blog):

Tuesday (Day 1):
A girl on the morning bus ride from the train station was regaling everyone within earshot (the entire bus) about how fast her toenails grow. Not really the conversation I wanted to start my day with. I learned that it is necessary to keep the headphones on all the way to the office.

The trip home was one for the history books. The bus from campus was late, so I ended up missing my train. On top of that, the next train was also late. The train option wasn't looking good at this point. But that was nothing compared to what happened on the train. A woman sitting behind me was having a very loud phone conversation with who I presumed to be her father. From what I gather, her father and her daughter had gone to the grocery store to buy some needed items. The daughter had assured her mother that she knew what she needed to get, but she apparently did not get the right items. The mother proceeded to cuss out her daughter because she bought the wrong frozen pizzas and crackers. The conversation got pretty heated and the father hung up on her at one point. She happened to be going to my stop and as we were walking to the stairs I heard her say something about how "he knows my voice carries and I wasn't really angry." Mmm hmm.

Wednesday (Day 2):
I made the decision the savings outweighed the potential headaches of a longer commute and delays from late trains/buses, so I needed to get my discounted monthly pass. Not an easy feat. Because it was a discounted pass, I had to go to one of three stations that sell the passes so I could get my picture taken. One of the stations was the station before my normal stop, so I left early and took the train before my normal train to give myself enough time to take care of my pass before my normal train got to the station. I wasn't expecting the woman to take my picture through the glass at the ticket window. But she did. It is by far the worst ID picture I have ever had. But I got my discount pass.

While on the bus to the train station that afternoon a girl was talking with a friend on the phone about gummy bears. As I listened to the conversation it became clear that she wasn't really talking about gummy bears. The first clue was her comment about not wanting to get addicted to gummy bears. Kind of a strange thing to say. But then she talked about how she liked to have some gummy bears before bed because they helped her relax. Sounds to me like she was partaking of something a little stronger than gummy bears.

Thursday (Day 3):
I witnessed a guy sit down next to a stranger, start up a conversation with her, and proceed to flirt with her. And it wasn't creepy. I was incredibly impressed.

Edmund Fitzgerald

 It's a Michigan thing...

Happy Halloween!

I didn't dress up this year.  I had to work late and I think I missed most of the trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood.  So, it was kind of a bummer.  But we did have a pumpkin decorating contest at work today.  It was not what I expected at all.  Those people mean business...

Here are the winners.  

And Happy Halloween from the Kendi Haus!

Third place

Second Place - "How Pumpkin Pies are Made"

First Place

There were science themed pumpkins too, but the judges didn't like them.  We're just a research institute after all...

Kendi's Kitchen: One Pan Sausage and Veggies

This is another recipe found on Pinterest.  The picture is what sold me.  It's pretty straight forward but a little time consuming.  I recommend making this as a nice Sunday dinner.  I tried it again during the week for dinner and it was a little stressful.  We ate kinda late that night.

Cheers!

One Pan Sausage and Veggies

4 sausages (beef or pork - we use mild Italian)
1 pound potatoes
1/2 pound carrots
1/2 bell pepper
1 large onion
1 fennel bulb
2 garlic cloves (I use like 5)
2 tbsp oil
freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/2 cup chicken broth (we used the powdered bouillon)
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I added some more after the first 45 minutes)

**Note:  You can use what ever veggies you like.  The original recipe lists the veggies I have hear and I followed what she did.  But I'm sure you could switch it up with different stuff and it would taste just as good.**

Chop and peel all the veggies and garlic.  Put all the veggies in a roasting pan.  Make sure they are mixed up.  In a bowl, mix oil, garlic, chicken broth and Italian herbs.  Pour mixture over veggies and toss them a little.  Try to coat as many as possible, but don't be too serious about it.  Salt and pepper the top.  Cover with foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes at 450.  While veggies are cooking, brown the sausage in a pan.  You don't have to cook them completely, just get them brown.  Cut the sausages in half.  After 45 minutes, the veggies should be fork tender.  If not, put them back in the oven for a few more minutes.  Place sausage on top of veggies and drizzle the balsamic vinegar over everything.  Put back in over, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.  After 15 minutes, flip sausage and get some of the juices in the bottom of pan and pour over everything again (I just grab the balsamic again and drizzle everything again).  Cook for remaining time.  

To me, this is Fall in a pan.  And it makes the most amazing leftovers.  Enjoy!

Stats:
Time: 2 hrs
Cost:  around $8 depending on veggie prices and what you like
Servings:  4
Leftovers:  yes

Ingredients

Adding the sausage to the cooked veggies

Crazy

Just us.  Being silly.  Way before that whole Miley Cyrus tongue thing.

Cheers!

One Stop Shop

The PSL civic center has a One Stop Shop every month in the parking garage.  I went to check it out today.  I thought it would be bigger.  I thought there would be more crafts.  I was hoping to get some Christmas shopping done.  I didn't get anything that I was looking for, mainly a new furniture DIY, but I did take home this cute mini globe for $2.  It looks great with our leather bound books and antique bookcase.  And it reminds me of my Aunt Karen.  She loves globes.  :)

Cheers!

I-75 Highlights

We've been traveling up and down 75 a lot lately.  I've been down this road so many times in my life, I know it by heart.  With the invention of Instagram, I decided to pass the drive by taking pics of all the fun things I see from the freeway.  Here's what caught my eye...

Cheers!

TN

Florence, KY

KY

Lima, OH.  For all the Gleeks.

KY

TN mountains

 

No road trip is complete without the The Barrel

OH

OH

 TN

 And my favorite highlight...

Couch 2 5K - Week 2

Last week we completed the second set of running in our couch to 5K program.  I had moments where the running was easy and moments when it wasn't.  Not sure that I will be "a runner" when this is all over, but I enjoy the time with Kevin.  We haven't really lost weight yet, but we haven't gained anything either, so I guess that's a win.  :)

Cheers!

Week 2

Food Truck Invasion

Every second Friday of the month is the Food Truck Invasion at the PSL Civic Center.  While in ATL, I wanted to go to the food truck park but never had the chance.  Well, I wasn't going to miss this opportunity in FL.  Food trucks have really upped their game.  It's not fair food anymore.  Sure, you still get elephant ears and pizza and fries, but you can now get BBQ, fish, wraps, Mediterranean, Mexican food and so much more.  There were so many choices, I had a hard time deciding.  And the food trucks change every month.  There is also a DJ.  It seems like people in PSL like to get together and hang out and the Civic Center provides a lot of opportunities for them to so.  I can't wait to have visitors so we can go and check out the food trucks.  :)

Cheers!

Retro Halloween

Every third Saturday of the month, the Minsky Gym near our house has a community garage sale.  Since Kevin had to work yesterday, I went to check it out.  I love garage sales.  I had high hopes of finding some treasures to decorate with.  It was smaller than I was hoping and I wasn't having any luck until the very last booth, where I saw these...

Vintage paper Halloween decorations!  I remember my mom putting these up in our house in Taylor.  And I know they are getting more popular now, which means they are getting expensive.  The lady sold them to me for 10 cents each.  I didn't even have to bargain!  I almost feel guilty about the price since they go for much more on Ebay.  I got $1.50 worth.  I decorated when I got home.  :)  

Learned this from my MIL.  She decorates the windows and cabinets of her house like this.

Love this skeleton

Here's the outside!  Now, all I need are Trick-or-Treaters!  PS: those ghosts glow in the dark

You'll notice Chester peeking out the window.  He and Freeman do that a lot.  And it's about time I introduce Pepe, our albino flamingo and Louis, our bookworm turtle.  They have been with us since our first house in GA.  I'm hoping to get a girl for Pepe soon.  And please ignore the weeds.  We're taking care of them today.  :)

Cheers!

Happy Sweetest Day!

It may be a holiday that only MI celebrates, but I love the tradition.  It started in a very special way and I like that it's such a MI thing.  We were able celebrate with candy from MI too!  I found some Sanders candies at TJ Maxx and we have a Kilwins not far from home.  I love that we are able to get MI things while we are on the other side of the country...

Cheers!

Things I will miss about GA

Needless to say, there is a reason(s) I left GA.  But, there are things I really enjoyed and will miss.  Here is my list of things I wish I could take with me or that I would recommend to people.

Cheers!


Your Dekalb Farmer's Market

I've talked about this place many times here on Haus of Kendi.  It saved us lots of money, helped us lose 50 lbs last summer and has made us healthier.  All things that are important to me.  I will somehow find a way to make it to this market when I head up north.  Even if I have to go out of my way, it's that good.

The Local 7

Best burgers in GA.  Small little place in Tucker but the staff was always nice and they always had the game on.  If you go, get the sliders with the Local 7 sauce.  You won't regret it.

Mellow Mushroom

I know it's a chain, but it's still amazing pizza and you can't get it outside GA (or there are very few locations outside GA).  For around $20, Kevin and I would get a medium pizza with green peppers and onions and the cheesy bread.  We always had leftovers for lunch the next day.  Bonus.

Stone Mountain

It's just an awesome place to be outside.  There is something for everyone and I've never meet a person that hates it.  Climbing the mountain is a right of passage for all who live in GA.

Scott's Antique Market

Another deal, this time for the home.  We found so many good things here each month.  Sometimes, we just went to look around and get ideas.  If you love antiques, this is a must for you.  It happens the second weekend of the month and it's huge.  Another thing I will go out of my way to visit in the future.

Kudzu Antique Market

If you're on your way to YDFM, make a stop at Kudzu.  It's another antique store but with a lot of character.  We went there a lot to get ideas and find gifts.  I was really sorry to say goodbye to this place...

Chick-Fil-A

If you've been here you know.  If you haven't been here, than you need to find out. 

QwikTrip

It's more than a gas station, it's an experience.  If you're on the road or running late, you don't have to worry about getting a crappy meal here quickly.  They have nice food like sandwiches and salads, yogurt and bakery items.  I prefer to go here to grab something fast than any where else.  So many choices, you forget you're at a gas station.  And you can tell the staff really like their jobs.

Consignment

There are LOTS of consignment stores in ATL.  And they are good.  I found many a deal on Saturdays spent going through all the racks of clothes.  And I probably made over $500 selling clothes to them over a year...

Our Rental House

It was big and beautiful and made me feel like a grown up.  The yard was perfect for the dogs and the neighborhood was old and quiet with lots of trees.  If we would have stayed in GA, I would have considered buying it.  It needed some love, but I will definitely miss you 314 Sassafras Ln...
 

But what I will miss the most are all the new friends we made.  We will be ready for visitors soon and I hope you all will make a trip down here to go to the beach.  See you soon!