Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

I know, I know, I am a tree hugger of sorts! I also have not liked buying so much laundry detergent month after month and wishing I could have those dollars for something else we need at Target (like wonderful trinkets from the dollar section that the kids beg for!!! Ha!) And I love doing anything I can to preserve this beautiful earth God gave us.

So after Christmas, I googled "make your own laundry detergent" just to see how hard it is. It is soooo easy!!!!! Only takes 3 ingredients that last a LONG time and are way cheaper than laundry detergent! So, I've now done it twice and probably won't need to make another batch until the end of February! It works great, takes about 20 minutes to make, and makes a larger quantity than the large plastic bottle we were buying. I love not having to spend so much to wash what seems to be an endless amount of laundry, and I love not filling our recycling box with those huge detergent bottles!

I thought I would pass along how to do it in case anyone else wants to try!

Here's what it takes:

This and more info is from this homemade laundry soap website.

Homemade Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap (some people use Ivory)

½ or 1 cup washing soda (I use 1 cup)

½ or 1 cup borax powder (I use 1 cup)

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use ½ cup per load.

Hope you find this helpful! Happy laundry!

Basketball, Doctor and 100th Day of School

Last week was very slow mainly due to the passing around of a lovely virus! There was fever, coughing and congestion for all the kids. Unfortunately, Madeline's turned into a double ear infection. She woke up from a nap on Saturday crying so hard that her ears hurt. Off to Le Bonheur Urgent Care we went. She was so uncomfortable; she finally fell asleep in the room waiting for the doctor with Nora Jones on the I-Phone! Thank you, Nora!

Sweet girl...

Almost forgot to mention, Madeline also had a cardiology appointment on Friday... she got a good report! The pulmonary pressures look the same as they did in mid December. So, they will keep her medicine the same and see us back the beginning of May! Praises for sure!

Sunday afternoon, Eli had his first basketball practice. Tim took him while I stayed home with the girls. He said he had never seen Eli so excited about any activity he's ever done! It is so fun to find something they really enjoy doing! Here he is....

While Eli was at basketball, Madeline learned how to weave on this loom Nonna and Dada gave her for Christmas. So fun and great that she is already feeling better!

Poor Susanna, though... you can see in this picture that she did not feel good. We were trying to let the virus run its course, but by Sunday, she was feeling so puny....

Off Eli and I went to Le Bonheur Urgent Care and Madeline went with Tim to a birthday party for a boy in her class. Turned out Susanna has a sinus infection. Sweet girl...

Waiting for the doctor is always an adventure....thank goodness for these tiny bubble containers I had in my purse! Non gave them to me after she went to a wedding... she asked the bride if she could take a few extra for me to have for the kids!!! So cute .. and so helpful in times like these!

We also had fun with this train dice game that Nonna and Dada gave us from the Casey Jones village. Eli and I played the game, and Susanna had fun picking up and dumping the dice to put them back in the canister... hey, whatever it takes, right?!

Monday morning... we are off to a better start to the week. Madeline is definitely feeling better, and Susanna a little bit! We are so thankful Eli never got a fever and only had congestion. He is feeling pretty well!

Today is the 100th day of school! They are celebrating by eating 100 things for snack and dressing up like someone who is 100 years old! This was fun! She has pearls, a "shawl" and gray hair!

Have a great Monday!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Dessa!

Today is our sister-in-law, Vadessa's birthday!!!!!

Happy, happy day!

Vadessa and Steven (Tim's middle brother) were married before Tim and I met. When I met Tim's family for the first time, Vadessa and I hit it off right away. We went out to dinner that weekend just the four of us, and I knew we would be fast friends. She is a wonderful listener and friend and has been a great source of advice when we are in the throws of a parenting "challenge." I really don't know what I'd do without her. Vadessa is determined and strong, and we love her dearly!

We love you, Aunt Dessa! Hope you have a wonderful day on your day off and are able to relax and treat yourself! Here are some of our favorite pics with you!

Madeline's favorite - getting pedicures and manicures from Aunt Dessa!

Three beautiful girls!

A "girls lunch!"

Susanna's first birthday!

Eli's fourth birthday ...

So cute! This was taken this past November!

Love Birds!

Lauren Ashley and Parker's birthday ...

Getting some good cuddles from Sus!

Hanging out on Christmas Day...

What a beautiful family!

Happy Birthday!

Susanna's First Day

Last Thursday was Susanna's first day at Special Kids and Families! We fell in love with this program when Madeline was 18 months old. We always say, "Le Bonheur saved her life, but Special Kids and Families improved the quality of her life." Truly, it did. She had never been to a Mother's Day Out program, had very few babysitters and was really sad to be away from me. Most programs wouldn't take her with a feeding tube and were full day - we really didn't want a program that long, and with a feeding tube, what would she do for lunch at a full day program? I knew Special Kids existed from when I used to teach Special Ed; some of my students had gone through it. We decided to try it. It made all the difference in transitioning Madeline to being away from me for a few hours, me feeling comfortable leaving her with an educated (about health concerns), nurturing and intentional staff, and just the overall feeling of normalcy.

We, of course, wanted Eli to go there, too. He loved it and did great! We are sad when the 3rd birthday rolls around, in a way, because that's when they "age out" of Special Kids and have to go to another preschool!

So, now here we are with our third child to go through the program!

Here she is all packed and ready!

She went right up to the door - so excited to go in!

Could not even stop to take her coat off before she started playing!

With our wonderful teacher, Ms. Linda (Madeline and Eli had her, too!). What an amazing feeling to leave her with no crying and just know that she is going to be happy, learn so much and be well cared for!

I said "goodbye" to her, and it was like no big deal - she did great! What a happy first day!

Here's a funny video I took a while ago. Since this is my Susanna post, I wanted to include it!

Happy Monday!

Happy Birthday, Mimi

Today is my mom's 65th birthday!!!!!

We wish we could be there to give you big hugs in person! The kids were so excited to sing to you and Susanna kept saying, "Mimi, Mimi," as we looked at pictures to post here.

Clearly, they love their Mimi!

Here are some of our favorite recent pictures with you!

We love you, Mimi!

We hope you have a wonderful birthday!