This is from the website: http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/, with notes from my friend, Jenny. Happy laundering! :-)
Powdered Laundry Detergent - Recipe #4
2 Soap (finely grated)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
Use 2 tablespoons per full load.
Additional tips from Jenny:
- I grate my soap using a cheese grater, then put it in a food processor to get it finer.
-I found a little tablespoon measuring tin cup (looks like a shot glass) -- which most hold about 4 tablespoons, so you use just 1/2 of it for each load (2 tablespoons), some more for very soiled loads. Just put the small glass in your container to act as the scoop!
-There will be nooooo suds! Bubbles don't do the work, it's the ingredients in the powder!
-Put the powder in the washer before you put your laundry in it, so that the soap dissolves, you can put some warm/hot water in it to make it work faster, then use cold in the rest of the washer to save more money!
-Call your local markets before shopping for the ingredients---so that you're not wasting money going from Walmart/Wegmans/Giant like I did....
-use vinegar (2 tablespoons/load) as the fabric softener (I know it sounds wierd), but it actually does a few things for you. It neutralizes any of those funky odors from towels and washclothes (ya know the smell--it's aweful). AND--it is cheaper than regular fabric softener! AND--it will keep the bar soap from clogging your pipes from soap scum build up. I've used it and it's great. I was hesitant the first few times because once the washer does the first spin cylce, it releases the vinegar (as it does softener) and it smells a little 'vinegary'. BUT--once the washer fills up with water and does it's rinse thing, the clothes come out fine! I usually hang my laundry out (again to save money AND because they smell so darn good!)
-I also cut my fabric softener sheets in half--and use them over and over again until there is nothing left to them! I use the sheets mostly for the smell--since I'm already using the vinegar....
-Use oxyclean if you feel that your whites aren't just quite white enough----a lot of people use it with regular detergent.
-If you have an HE or front loading machine, there are recipes on the tipnut--read through the comments and someone has one posted.
You will need:
-Borax
-Arm and Hammer WASHING soda (not baking soda--these are entirely two differnt things).
-And BAR soap (Ivory, Zote, Fels Naptha, Irish Sping, Zest)--no soap with oils!! (like Oil of Olay and Dove). Just pick one that you like the smell of--a lot of people use Fels Naptha (old time washboard soap) but I havn't found it anywhere around here. So, I use Irish Spring (yum!!)
The cost? About 6.00 for the above.....
How long will it last? about 1 month for 1 batch, for a family of 5, average of 9 loads of laundry/week, it ends up being about 40-50 loads/batch for the measly cost of 3.00/batch.
So--3.00 vs. 12 or 15 for yummy smelling Tide....
which will you choose?
Advantages: you can make it when you want to, no money spent on gas, no big plastic containers to recycle, you know what is in it--and just knowing you made it yourself.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Something Green
A friend recently told us about this super easy recipe to make our own laundry detergent. Not only does it work but it saves money! You can do 40-50 loads of laundry for $3! Get out! All it takes is Borax, Washing Soda and Soap!
A and I made up our first batch today. I have to say it was one of the first times in our marriage that I was truly sad to realize that we don't have enough dirty clothes to do laundry! ;-) I can't wait to try it out our new recipe! I guess A and I might just have to play outside some more, dirty our clothes, and well... wash them up! :-)
Going green!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
PS: Band-aid Sticker
We've never had to use a Band-aid on our girl. Well, maybe once when I trimmed her nails too close to the skin when she was a wee-girl, and even then it was hard to put it on her finger. I have friends whose children love Band-aids so much that they go on their dolls, books, chairs, etc.
I thought yesterday would be the start of the Band-aid revolution, and that soon all of our stuffties would be sporting Band-aids as part of their regular attire. A pinched her finger in a door and I could tell that it REALLY hurt. Once we made sure all was okay, I thought having a Band-aid on it might help to alleviate extra pain when she'd touch things with her finger. I took her to the closet, explained that a Band-aid was kind of like a sticker, but it was to go on her finger to help it feel better. She knew right away that Band-aids in no way were supposed to go on our fingers! I could tell by her face, "Mama, really, how many times have we played with stickers; we don't wear them, silly!" So, she took the Band-aid and gently placed it on the floor. I figured if her finger was functioning well, we didn't really need the Band-aid anyway. So, off we went to play.
Well, since that incident, whenever A finds her sticker from the market, she walks it to the closet door and places it on the floor, right where she put the Band-aid sticker. She's so funny.
The things she learns
The other day we were reading a book to A about a car and a man named Sam. It was really sweet. She loved it! The one page read, "I love my car. I keep my car clean." A reached over my lap to touch the couch. She was moving her hand in a circular motion. Ah ha! She was cleaning the couch! It was so sweet.
Yesterday we went to playdate at a neighbor's house and the mom brought out dish towels for the girls to use for twirling and dancing. A looked at the towel she was handed and immediately began to clean the floor, couch, etc. I just had to laugh!
Can you tell part of our day always involves cleaning something? ;-)
HA
Yesterday we went to playdate at a neighbor's house and the mom brought out dish towels for the girls to use for twirling and dancing. A looked at the towel she was handed and immediately began to clean the floor, couch, etc. I just had to laugh!
Can you tell part of our day always involves cleaning something? ;-)
HA
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Mirror to My Heart
We recently acquired an old dresser mirror from S’s family. The house it came from takes excellent care of everything in their home, so we didn’t give it a thought to clean the mirror. We brought it home, put it on display and went on with our lives.
Some days I would look at the mirror and think, “Wow, it sure is a shame that the mirror isn’t in better condition.” Just yesterday I was cleaning the house and I decided to clean the mirror. It wiped completely clean!! It was gorgeous! I just sat on the floor dumbfounded.
Isn’t it the same with sin? Sometimes we give into temptation, thinking it’s just how we are and not believing that the battle has already been won by what Christ accomplished on the cross. We are no longer slaves to sin. Temptation surrounds us daily but there is promised victory in Christ!
We believe that His death accomplished salvation for us, but we forget that it also achieved victory over sin. Sometimes I think we’re okay with being dirty mirrors. We’re used to things being a little cloudy and we’re not sure what it would be like to be shiny and clean. But hasn’t He called us clean? Hasn’t He washed us? For what? To bring Him glory and honor.
The other day I was looking forward to a planned family outing. I made a nice meal and then A and I went outside to wait for S to arrive. Minutes turned into a half hour and then an hour. And as the seconds ticked by, my frustrations grew greater and greater until I had to excuse myself, go into the kitchen and release all my frustration to the Lord. God is so good and was gracious to calm my spirit; I am confident that I had all I needed in that moment to live a godly life and to make wise decisions. But, I also kind of liked the other side. As much as I wanted to be forgiving and gracious to S, I also wanted him to know my disappointment.
John 3:19 says that men love darkness more than light. Unfortunately this is part of our reality with sin. We like darkness and still want a little piece of that action. It somehow feels right to participate in it. Well, for a moment. But, it’s not right and God calls us to a higher path.
Paul David Tripp says, “We are not free to handle difficulties in whatever way seems best to us. When we are wronged, the thing of highest importance is not that we feel satisfied or avenged, but that we respond according to God’s plan and for His glory.” (War of Words, 164). What a challenge. I need to be dealing with situations as a servant of the Most High.
S did not need to be reprimanded when he walked in the door. Grace would have been a little bit nicer and would have provided a much more comforting cover of his head from the troubles of the world. Not to mention, God was using Him in unique ways while I sat at home grumbling instead of considering what God was doing in my heart. And, He desired to carry it out to completion. I stopped just a little too soon. My vision was clouded by my frustration.
Not only do we need to respond redemptively to the big situations in life, but also the little day-to-day ones, too. 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
I want to offer my heart, my mouth, my thoughts, everything as instruments for righteousness. I really believe the mirror can be clean. I cling to that hope. And, I want to stop being okay with the dirt, the grime and the sin. Its hold on me has been broken in Christ! I want to live in that reality.
Thanks for being gracious, S. And, thanks for calling me to a higher standard when I delight in sin, especially when I try to excuse it.
Some days I would look at the mirror and think, “Wow, it sure is a shame that the mirror isn’t in better condition.” Just yesterday I was cleaning the house and I decided to clean the mirror. It wiped completely clean!! It was gorgeous! I just sat on the floor dumbfounded.
Isn’t it the same with sin? Sometimes we give into temptation, thinking it’s just how we are and not believing that the battle has already been won by what Christ accomplished on the cross. We are no longer slaves to sin. Temptation surrounds us daily but there is promised victory in Christ!
We believe that His death accomplished salvation for us, but we forget that it also achieved victory over sin. Sometimes I think we’re okay with being dirty mirrors. We’re used to things being a little cloudy and we’re not sure what it would be like to be shiny and clean. But hasn’t He called us clean? Hasn’t He washed us? For what? To bring Him glory and honor.
The other day I was looking forward to a planned family outing. I made a nice meal and then A and I went outside to wait for S to arrive. Minutes turned into a half hour and then an hour. And as the seconds ticked by, my frustrations grew greater and greater until I had to excuse myself, go into the kitchen and release all my frustration to the Lord. God is so good and was gracious to calm my spirit; I am confident that I had all I needed in that moment to live a godly life and to make wise decisions. But, I also kind of liked the other side. As much as I wanted to be forgiving and gracious to S, I also wanted him to know my disappointment.
John 3:19 says that men love darkness more than light. Unfortunately this is part of our reality with sin. We like darkness and still want a little piece of that action. It somehow feels right to participate in it. Well, for a moment. But, it’s not right and God calls us to a higher path.
Paul David Tripp says, “We are not free to handle difficulties in whatever way seems best to us. When we are wronged, the thing of highest importance is not that we feel satisfied or avenged, but that we respond according to God’s plan and for His glory.” (War of Words, 164). What a challenge. I need to be dealing with situations as a servant of the Most High.
S did not need to be reprimanded when he walked in the door. Grace would have been a little bit nicer and would have provided a much more comforting cover of his head from the troubles of the world. Not to mention, God was using Him in unique ways while I sat at home grumbling instead of considering what God was doing in my heart. And, He desired to carry it out to completion. I stopped just a little too soon. My vision was clouded by my frustration.
Not only do we need to respond redemptively to the big situations in life, but also the little day-to-day ones, too. 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
I want to offer my heart, my mouth, my thoughts, everything as instruments for righteousness. I really believe the mirror can be clean. I cling to that hope. And, I want to stop being okay with the dirt, the grime and the sin. Its hold on me has been broken in Christ! I want to live in that reality.
Thanks for being gracious, S. And, thanks for calling me to a higher standard when I delight in sin, especially when I try to excuse it.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
First Words
These are some of A's first words:
Bob (Papa)
Mom (Mama)
She says her own name perfectly!!
Esss (Yes)
Nooo (No)
Nan (Banana)
App (Apple)
Boo (Book)
It's fun; she has a very sweet little voice. :-)
Bob (Papa)
Mom (Mama)
She says her own name perfectly!!
Esss (Yes)
Nooo (No)
Nan (Banana)
App (Apple)
Boo (Book)
It's fun; she has a very sweet little voice. :-)
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Bun Pun and Putting a Face on Postmodernism
So there I was sitting in class last night, not making a peep when "this" occurs. My professor was asking us some questions, in fun, about what we envisioned when we heard the word "librarian". People were telling stories of the librarians they knew growing up. You know, the classic glasses-low-on-nose, "SHHHH-kind of librarians". We were all laughing because we could all think of such examples. That was until this came out of her mouth . . . ;-)
She said, "The classic librarian you picture is probably meek and mild, going into the profession to be sequestered in a little space, wearing a bun and glasses." As the words rolled off her tongue, it was almost as if we all realized I was that person. I was wearing a bun, had glasses on, and was meek and mild! LOL Oh my goodness; it was quite hilarious. Although no one made a peep, I was bursting inside with laughter!
The funniest thing about it was just that morning I had said to S how I was thinking about cutting my hair and he said he loves when I wear it in a bun. So, upon hearing this funny story, he took full responsibility. ha
On a more serious note, I'm grateful for the experience of being exposed to the thoughts and perspectives that exist in the Postmodern world. It's been neat to put a face on it and learn more about the beliefs that prevail in our culture. Postmodernism seems so accepting, agreeable, and popular. And as much as all ways of thinking are deemed "acceptable", claiming exclusivity to one way is an entirely different story. What a unique setting today to communicate exclusive claims from a holy God.
She said, "The classic librarian you picture is probably meek and mild, going into the profession to be sequestered in a little space, wearing a bun and glasses." As the words rolled off her tongue, it was almost as if we all realized I was that person. I was wearing a bun, had glasses on, and was meek and mild! LOL Oh my goodness; it was quite hilarious. Although no one made a peep, I was bursting inside with laughter!
The funniest thing about it was just that morning I had said to S how I was thinking about cutting my hair and he said he loves when I wear it in a bun. So, upon hearing this funny story, he took full responsibility. ha
On a more serious note, I'm grateful for the experience of being exposed to the thoughts and perspectives that exist in the Postmodern world. It's been neat to put a face on it and learn more about the beliefs that prevail in our culture. Postmodernism seems so accepting, agreeable, and popular. And as much as all ways of thinking are deemed "acceptable", claiming exclusivity to one way is an entirely different story. What a unique setting today to communicate exclusive claims from a holy God.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Minutes, Half Hour, Gone
I need to go prep dinner and do some schoolwork, but figure the best way to not get so behind on here is to actually write from time to time.
A has been doing so well in her big bed!! We’re so proud of her! Time has just placed this toddler before us. She has preferences, thoughts, and perspectives. She is such an individual and yet so like us, too.
I took a photo of A today outside and with her hair all pulled back, and her head and expression looked just like she did in a picture when she was about 7 months old. It was precious to have a gift like that arrive this morning in our front yard. I don’t ever desire to go back in time, but I love being reminded of her younger days. Each year and stage is so unique and a tremendous blessing.
Another detail I’m so thrilled about is that we seem to have an answer! Since A was a small baby, she’s always had chronic stomach pains. They’ve gotten increasingly worse over time, sometimes lasting for days, with many tears along the way. No one seemed terribly alarmed by these pains, but more recently they became rather difficult for all of us to watch. If there is a solution to a problem, should we not seek it? We sensed there was a solution and began praying for wisdom to know what it was. Of course, all along S had an idea of what it could be. Let it me known, he is right 99.8% of the time. ;-)
I finally called the pediatrician again and they agreed with us that she might be lactose intolerant. We’re taking a week off dairy and if that doesn’t help, we’ll keep looking for other causes. It’s pleasant to be going somewhere instead of saying at the same place.
~~Another thing we’re considering these days is homeschooling. It’s been on my heart for a long time, but I honestly never really felt equipped or qualified. A dear friend, though, often encourages me that our wisdom comes from Lord and I need to spend less time searching for all the answers and more time listening to Him. I don’t have to have all the information in my head right now. God can prepare and equip me and by His strength and leading, I can do whatever He places before me.
Why homeschooling? Well, we sense that A will be a very self-disciplined and motivated individual, and she’s also very good at keeping herself occupied creatively. She’s also a very good listener and has a great attention to details. Above all this, though, we’ve seen many tremendous examples of families who homeschool,\ and we sense that it might be a very good fit for our family. We echo the pros and cons Jodi has shared in her blog on homeschooling (http://theyoungpages.com/jodis_blog/), and we are keeping similar lists in our heads and home. We’ll continue to pray for wisdom and trust that God will faithfully guide.
I’ve always known that our family will be very close and dear to each other. I just didn’t realize it might entail spending every day at home with my girl. ;-) A fire has burst in my heart to consider this new possibility! I would love it. God creates us specifically and specially tailored for how He will use us, and if this is one way He’ll use me, I will gladly accept.
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