Hair By Ellie!

ES Urban Hair Salon- Hair by Ellie http://esurbanhair.com/

I will start this blog by letting you know that I am not allowed to cut my hair- it is not that I chose not to cut my hair- I'm not allowed. For any feminist that are out there cringing, in our marriage we have certain "rules" for example; he doesn't leave the toilet seat up, I don't cut my hair- everybody wins!

My friend Ellie started working at ES Urban Hair on 16th St. and Indian School a few months ago and has been trying to build her clientele so I decided to stop in for a trim. Before I went I told my niece Erica where I was headed only to find out that I was not "cool enough" to be there. "I'll warn you now Sophia- the walls are black and have spray paint all over them- I can't picture you there. You may walk out with a mohawk!" I told her I totally trusted Ellie so I really didn't care where I was headed I was going to help my buddy out.

Walking up to this salon, I already had this impression in my head of what it was "supposed" to look like. I have to tell you I  was pleasantly surprised! Located between a Goodwill and a bakery tucked into this tiny corner, was the cutest salon I've seen! Somewhere between the last time Erica had been there and now the place has been totally remodeled.  With different  wall paper in every room, art hanging everywhere, and 70's inspired lamps throughout there was so much to look at!

Ellie gave me a little tour and then got to work! I have to tell you that I usually trim my own hair because I have had too many occasions where my trim turned into a "cut". Ellie did exactly as I asked straightened out my "not so handy" work, and gave me a few more layers. I also have to add that she gave me a conditioning treatment that I am still loving a few days later- my hair has been sleek ever since. End result= I LOVED it! I am loving these layers so much that I may actually start getting my hair done here on a regular basis!

p.s. I have to add if you love cats you will love the "salon cat", if on the other hand like me you are TOTALLY allergic take some Benedryl before you go you will thank me later!

The Love Dare Part 1

So this week I went out and bought the book The Love Dare, written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick it is a 40 day challenge and according to the back of the book will help you "learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage." If you have never heard of  the book, there is a movie named Fireproof that it was based off of. Anyways, I bought this book- Kiohud grudgingly accepted (but I don't think he has actually started yet)... So here is my progress so far I have decided to update you every 5 days (this may take longer to post than 5 days since Kiohud works every other day). Also, I should note that if you want to do the "Love Dare" you should go out and buy the book since what I will be posting on here is just a glimpse of what the book has to offer..


Day 1: Love is Patient- Dare: Say nothing negative- basically if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all... This was pretty was for me since I am more of an optimist I ususally don't say much that is negative..

Day 2: Love is Kind- In addition to saying nothing negative you are to do at least one unexpected gesture of kindness... I decided my "act of kindness" would be to wash Kiohud's car for him. I took it in to get washed and even went out and bought him some air freshners. I was home when I saw some dirty spots on the seat so I came in and got a wash rag- Kiohud followed me out and said "Oh, great what did you spill in my car?" haha- I guess I don't do that enough! I also wrote a note and left it on his steering wheel telling him how much I appreciated him (an extra girly detail).

Day 3: Love is Not Selfish- Buy your spouse something that says "I was thinking of you today"  Ok, so this day I have to admit I didn't go as "out" as I should have- The kids had been sick all week and I was coming down with whatever they had so on my trip to the pharmacy I bought Kiohud some Lemonheads and Black Forest Gummy Bears- 2 of his favorite snacks only to find out that he was fasting candy! That's was about all of the energy I had that day...

Day 4: Love is Thoughtful- Contact your spouse during the day with no agenda other than to ask how they are doing and if there is anything you can do for them. Again, I do this probably 4-5 times a day- the only difference is this time I did have an "agenda" to complete my dare for the day! I did feel guilty about that..

Day 5: Love is Not Rude- Ask your spouse to tell you 3 things that cause him to be uncomfortable or irritated with you- you are not allowed to attack or justify your behavior. Ok, so Kiohud had a total field day with this! First, he made me wait the entire 24 hours after initally saying "Oh wait, I have a good one but let me compile a list first!" Then he told me the only thing he could really think of was that I never put the keys away when I got home- ok, so that's not too bad and I half annoy my self when I do it because I have to search for the keys when I am going some where- I will work on fixing this... Oh, and he came up to me today and said how many things do I have to tell you again? I am still working on my 3 things... TIMES UP Kiohud- it was a one day dare!!!!

And that completes my 5 days! I am enjoying this challenge and it's a good thing after 10 years to be reminded every now and then on how to treat and appreciate your spouse!

Keep you posted on the rest of this "dare" and if Kiohud jumps on board I'll let you know how it goes for him too! :)

Cake Pops!

I have been wanting to learn how to make a cake pops for awhile- for those of you who don't know what a cake pop is it's basically a cake shaped as a lollipop. I think they are so cute but when I looked up the recipe awhile back it looked sooo confusing! Then I saw this infomercial- I am not an infomercial-kind of girl but since I have been wanting to make these, I was instantly attracted to this one... Bake POPS so for $28, you get not 1 but 2 sets of Bake Pops- I was sold on the idea but not the price, since I only needed 1 and didn't want to pay $28 for it. I then found it on sale at Walgreen's of $13! YAY! Not only could I try it, but if it turned out to be a total flop,it would make returning it a lot easier...

Ok, so in this box comes the pan to make the cake pops, 20 sticks, the little yellow things that hold the pans together while baking and of course instructions:

To make the cake pops you need:  Any cake mix, frosting, and your choice of decorations:

So directions are pretty easy: Prepare cake mix according to directions (we always substitute apple sauce for oil to reduce calories and make it heart friendly :) ) Then pour into the pan which should be lightly sprayed with oil on both sides.

Then put the lid on and fasten together with the little yellow tabs.

Put into the oven, here is where the directions went off a little the directions called for 25-30 mins but after 18 I could smell "cooked cake" I pulled out and sure enough they were done, had I waited I would have had "burnt pops"

Let completely cool before opening- Jacob waited patiently...

Here is what they look like once cooked:

Put a little frosting on your stick before you insert to get it to hold on a little better- They were really easy and kid friendly- they popped right out with no sticking and in perfect form.

Decorate as you wish, today we went kid friendly and as easy as possible just plain frosting and sprinkles- next time I'd like to try actual melted chocolate...

End result: We loved them- very user friendly, easy, quick and cute. Things I will probably change next time are: I will probably get sticks that are a little thicker since these were not the sturdiest (might try Popsicle sticks) Also, as I said I will probably try a harder chocolate base.

Enjoy! :)

Start Your Own Business!

At your request- here are some basic things you should know when starting your very own business!

1. What is your motive?- Know your motive/s- write them down, this may seem silly but this will be good for reference later especially if times get tough!

2. Know your talents- Don't start a business in something you have no interest in just because it will "make money". Do what you LOVE! If you don't know what you are good at ask friends and family- chances are they have already identified your talents for you! :)

3. RESEARCH!-  Know what kind of business you are getting in to, costs, your market, and your competition.

4. Find Resources- This may be tough, do you need financing? Employees? Equipment? Suppliers? Where will you get all of the resources? Compile a list so that you are not stuck a few months down the road.

5. Lifestyle Changes- This comes with ANY business. Sacrifices will have to be made, are you willing to make them? Schedule changes, late nights- make sure every one in your home is on the same page so there are no surprises later on.

6. Money- Do you have enough money to keep your business running? Most businesses take a year or two to yield a profit. Many people go into business expecting it to take only a few months and are stressed when they have to compensate with their personal accounts. Plan ahead so this doesn't happen to you!

 7. Network- Networking with people in similar industries can usually lead to business and good advise. People in the same industry are usually willing to share what did or did not work for them to help you avoid mistakes. Take time to network- you won't regret it!

8. Give it your all!- Going into your own business is hard work! Be prepared to give it your all with no or little rewards in the beginning.

9. Timing- As they say "timing is everything"! Make sure it is the right time for you and your market to launch your business.



My motive to start a business was easy, I wanted to actually see my children grow up. Working a very demanding job that required many hours of overtime I felt as though I missed so much! I prayed and God told me it was time. I put together my business plan and formed Sanderson Enterprises L.L.C., it would be a year before I could actually quit my job. Working for yourself is not always easy. You don't get holiday, vacation or sick pay and in the beginning- you don't get paid at all! For me it took a lot of invested money and time before I saw any profit. Hard work and persistence paid off for me and I was able to quit my "real" job. There are some hard days (and a lot of good days), but in the end I'm fulfilling my motives and I'm here for every milestone that my children reach.

 I know that this sounds like a lot of work and it is but I will sum it up for you by saying, I would never go back to the 9-5! :)

I would encourage anyone that has a dream to go for it! It may not be easy but it will be worth it in the end! Good luck my friends! :)

Tortillas! :)

There are few days as good as this in the Sanderson home. Here, despite what you may have heard about Mexican women tortillas only get homemade about twice a year. Always for my brother's birthday (he is in the NAVY and this is his birthday request every year) and whenever else my mom musters up the energy to make them. Since we will probably never make tortillas FOR you, I have decided to share the recipe with you- after all somethings are too good to keep to yourself! :)

Makes 5 dozen

Ingredients:

5 pounds of flour my mom will ONLY use La Pina

3 teaspoons of salt

a pinch of baking powder- I know this isn't very recipe friendly but that's how we Mexicans do it!

3 3/4 cups of water

1 1/2 cups of lard

a cast iron skillet (comal)



1. Mix all of the ingredients until a ball of dough forms. 



Dough should look like this.

 2. Preheat your cast iron skillet to medium high. Separate dough into little balls. Roll them until smooth.

3. Lightly flour your ball. With a rolling pin roll into your desired size. This will take practice! Do not be surprised if they look anything but the shape of a tortilla in the beginning!

4. Gently place your tortilla on the cast iron skillet.

5. Turn once one side is cooked- it should look like:

6. When both sides are cooked your tortilla is done!

7. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm while they cook.

Continue until all of your tortillas are done- this may take awhile...

Tortillas should be stored in a zip-lock bag in the fridge to be preserved.

Enjoy! :)

Date Night!

I LOVE date nights! Soon after Emily was born for some reason I felt guilty having dates with Kiohud. He would ask me to dinner or a movie and I felt so guilty leaving my baby home! That went on for a little while and I noticed how much I missed getting away. Being home with the kids all day it is really easy to forget you have an identity that is not "mom". By getting away for a few hours a week (usually it's more like every other week) Kiohud and I have time to sit and catch up on everything else. We talk goals, buisness, life, and just enjoy each other's company without any interuptions. I love spending this time with my best friend! Oh, and did I mention- I get to dress up?! (for my outfit selection click on the fashion tab)

This week's date night Kiohud and I went to see a small independent film called More Than Frybread at  the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino. This date doubled as an oppurtunity for Kiohud to network with filmakers which we are always excited for. We actually arrived later than expected since we wanted to have a nice dinner before the film but we underestimated rush hour heading east. I have never been to this new hotel- I was surprised at how big and beautiful it was. If you know me, you know how cheap I am and so I don't usually hang out in casinos since I figure odds are against me- I'm there to LOSE money! I do however like the dining there since the restraunts are usually amazing.

Anyways, the movie was good. It was a comedy about a frybread competition- it had a lot of Native humor that most non-natives wouldn't get but I've been married to one long enough so that it was funny. Afterwards, we went out and Kiohud was able to meet with the producer of that film and another filmmaker so that was awesome. Mission accomplished- keep your fingers crossed!

By now we were starving- we met up with some friends Joe (Kiohud is currently working with him on the film Villalobos) and his wife Bernadette. We ended up opting for Fatburger inside of the hotel since we were too hungry to wait on anything. Joe and his wife were hilarious and we laughed and talked for a good while. Afterwards, Kiohud and I walked around the hotel and took some pics. And that was our date...

I have to add that I will be sure to check prices on restraunts from now on- we had reservations for Shulas Steakhouse I assumed prices would be the average nice steakhouse $100 per couple, I came home and checked the menu to see what we'd missed and it was $100 per person! That's a little too pricey for a non-celabratory dinner! So all in all, it was a good date not our typical- but we had fun! :)

Tax Deductions!

Ok, so it's that time year again-time for taxes. Some of you love it but for me- well, lets just say it's a scary feeling. (taxes aren't nearly as fun when you have your own business) :( Anyways, I have been reading everything possible and called my accountant too many times so I figured I'd save you all some time (and hopefully money) and share with you some of the tax deductions I found!

Deductions:

Education: up to $2500 in student loan interest, up to $4,000 in tuition and fees, and you also may qualify for the Hope Credit!

Teachers: You can write off up to $250 for any expenses on your materials that you pay out of pocket.

Energy Credit: Money spent on energy-saving home improvements, for example solar panels

Moving:Did you move more than 50 miles to be closer to your job? You can write it off the moving expense!

Child Care: For children under 13

Dependent care: For those taking care of the elderly

Medical Expenses: Only if it exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income

Mileage: Please note this is not for driving TO work. This expense is when using your vehicle for work, medical, moving, or for charitable reasons.

Donations: Another reason to give to charity! Tithes or money given to church, school, and even clothing, furniture or car donations can all be written off. (To a non-profit organization)

Please know that if you chose to take any of these deductions it is very important to keep your receipts! The IRS now requires receipts for any deductions taken. The IRS has up to 3 years to audit any taxes, so keep them in a file.

That is all I have for now, I will update with anything else I find. Feel free to comment in the section below if you have any other good tips!

Good Luck! :)

 Disclaimer: I am not an accountant most of the knowledge I have in this area is either from many hours of reading or talking to my personal accountant. This reading is for informational purposes only. If you have questions on your personal taxes, please consult a tax professional.