Works for me Wednesday

It's time for a Wednesday tip! To see lots of good ideas, visit Kristen at We are THAT Family.


My tip is something I've heard about before, but never had a chance to try. However, last week I had cellulitis in my ankle. It was really warm and uncomfortable, and the urgent care Dr said it would be a good idea to put an ice pack on it. I don't have any ice packs in the house, but I remembered reading that a bag of frozen peas works well in a pinch.
I took the bag and wrapped a towel around it. The peas made it easy to wrap around my ankle and it really did help. I would put it back in the freezer if it started thawing.
Of course - when this was done I had to throw them away, but it was a small price to pay for an ice pack.
Hope you don't need this hint anytime soon, but if you do - it really works!
PS - the ankle is doing much better! I'm still on antibiotics for a few days.

Works for me Wednesday

Today is works for me Wednesday and I am going to share something I have been doing for years. (Boy, I sound old when I say that!) I buy my groceries every 2 weeks because my husband is paid every other week. Before I go out, I plan 2 weeks worth of meals and write it down in one of those monthly planners that have a square for every day. I then make my grocery list accordingly. If something should come up, and we don't have a particular meal during that period, I insert it into the next 2 week schedule when I work on it. If I am having trouble thinking of something to make, I can look back a few months for ideas. I keep these planners near my recipe box in the kitchen and have a few years worth to look back at. I've also looked back at them to see when we have done something as a family, because if we are going to be going somewhere and aren't having supper at home, I write that down instead of a meal plan. I find this very helpful when I have worked, so I don't have to come home and figure out what's for supper!

If you want more idea's visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer, and don't forget to sign up for the free giveaway below!

Works for me Wednesday

Strawberry season is here (and almost gone, I'm afraid). I love strawberries. I love them fresh, I love them mashed, I love them on shortcake. That brings me to what works for me. I think this is something my Mom did, so maybe a lot of people do this, but when I am ready to prepare strawberries for shortcake, I hull and wash them. I then use a pastry blender to slice them. It cuts through them easily and the berries don't seem to get stuck on it like they do when I use a masher. Try it and enjoy your shortcake while you can! For more ideas visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer.

Works for me Wednesday

This is something I have been doing for quite a while. I don't know if other people already do this, but it saves me a lot of time. When I buy hamburger to be used later, instead of freezing it, I brown the whole amount right away. I then drain it, and rinse it with hot water. Next I package it in 1 or 2 pound packages and freeze it. When I need it, it thaws quickly and it has very little grease. Even better - you only have to deal with the mess once. It works for me! For more tips check out Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer

Paint touch ups

You know how nice a room looks when it is freshly painted? However - it doesn't last long. It seems that soon there are scatches or nicks in the new paint and who wants to drag out and open that gallon pail? We have found a new product that makes it easier to touch up these spots. It is made by Rubbermaid and we found it in the paint department of our favorite local store! It's a little plastic container that holds about a cup of paint. It has a small roller on top that may be used if you want. (It removes easily to be cleaned). The top snaps on tight to keep the paint fresh. If you fill it when you paint the room, touch ups are a breeze. It works for me!