Thursday, July 22, 2010

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I feel so domestic! I have been meaning to make this post for awhile now and I kept forgetting. We finally ran out of our last batch of homemade laundry detergent so I decided today would be the day to make more and post about it.

Okay so here is what you will need:
Water
Zote soap ( but I hear any bar of soap will do)
Borax
Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
5 gallon bucket


So to start you take a pan and boil 4 cups of water in it. While you are waiting for the water to boil you grade your bar of soap.


Then you turn down the stove to medium after the water has come to a boil and slowly start to add a little bit of your grated soap at a time. Continue to stir it until it all melts and turns into hot soapy water. By the way its way hot, I burnt my finger when it splashed on me so watch out!


This next step I think is easiest done in the bathtub. You take you 5 gallon bucket of water and fill it up half way with hot tap water. Then you are going to add 1 cup of Arm and Hammer washing soda, stir until it has dissolved. Next you will add 1/2 a cup of Borax and do the same. Last you will add your soapy water mixture to the bucket and stir. Fill the bucket the rest of the way and stir. Then you cover and let it sit for 24 hours. When you are done you will have a more solidified mixture.

Be sure to stir the mixture before every use. What I do is take my old laundry detergent bottle and just fill it with my mixture so I don't have a 5 gallon bucket next to my washing machine. Now if you want your laundry detergent to be extra strong you can leave the mixture just like this and use 1 cup per load. Another option is to fill your old laundry detergent bottle half way with water and then the rest with your mixture. This works just as well. Just make sure to shake the bottle before each use either way.


This works out to be about 2 dollars per 5/10 gallons depending on how you use it. Saves TONS of money and works awesome too!!

Those of you that try it let me know how it goes :)

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Cooking with Mommy






I LOVE this little girl. She is at such a fun stage in her life. Not that I don't love every stage, but this one is extra fun. She is talking so much more, or should I say is making sense so much more. Recently my mom sent her an apron so tonight I let her help me make dinner. Here are a few pictures of our fun.

Monday, July 5, 2010

My Love Hate relationship with Life!

I love life, I have said it many times but I have such an amazing husband. I don't know where I would be with out his constant love and support. I also have an amazing Daughter who everyday gives me reason after reason to laugh and smile. But life isn't always easy. Last week I got a call from a local clinic saying that they were slow and wanted to know if I wanted to come in for a Ultrasound. They had a couple of girls that came to work with their Mom that wanted to see one. So I jumped at the chance. I had been a little nervous since I got pregnant because of the last one ending in a miscarriage. I started worrying a little extra after our trip to Utah because I wasn't feeling sick anymore. So I was very happy to finally get some piece of mind at this ultrasound. Unfortunately that isn't what I got, right away I knew something was wrong, our little baby no longer had a heartbeat. Instead of dwelling on all the details of it again in this post I will just say that we are doing okay. Brett and I are of course sad, but I know my Heavenly Father has a plan for me and my family. I really feel his comfort and know that it will all work out. That doesn't mean I don't have my moment of tears, but I have good friends and family and I am not alone. Tomorrow morning is my D&C, It will be nice to put this behind me and just focus on the family that I have for awhile. Thanks again to everyone for your love and support!