They're Growing up SO FAST!

So, while out on a picnic with my boys yesterday I realized that it has now been a month since I was in New York visiting family. AND how much John has grown since then!! John is now a master of putting his toys in his mouth, he's rolling over from his tummy to his back, and almost from his back to tummy (if only that arm didn't get in the way!). He can sit up for a short time and longer if he supports his upper body with his arms. He's eating cereal. He wants to be a part of everything now. I have a lot of trouble nursing him when others are in the room, particularly his brother, and out in public because he wants to turn around and look at everything.

Made Some Laundry Soap

So, I finally ran out of commercial laundry detergent and got to make some of my own with the recipe I posted a while back. According to my calculations, it cost me only 66 cents to make the 2 gallons of soap. Here's how I came to that.

At Walmart 1 box of 20 Mule Team Borax is $2.67 for a 76oz box (ok, yes I gave in and went to Hellmart, but Dave was watching the kids so I could get in and out quickly). 1/2 cup of the powder weighs 3.5 ozs which is about 21.715 1/2 cup portions. $2.67 divided by 21.715 is about $0.12.

At Tops 1 bar of Fels Naptha is $1.11, only 1/3 of which is needed for the recipe. $1.11 divided by 3 is $0.37. (Though Publix carries it for $0.99 I found out today)

At Publix 1 box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda is $2.29 for a 55 oz box. 1/2 cup weighs about 4.2ozs, so there are 13.095 1/2 cup portions in a box, and therefore $0.17 per 1/2 cup.

So there it is....$0.12 + $0.37 + $0.17 is $0.66 for 2 gallons of laundry detergent. WOW! Now let's just see if the detergent actually works.... I'll let you know, as I have a couple little boys clothes and diapers to wash tomorrow.

** A NEXT DAY NOTE.... this morning when I woke up I found that my soap had gel'ed quite a bit, much more than the described "egg-white" consistancy from the recipe. It was much more of a solid gel, which proved a problem in transferring it into my recycled laundry soap containers. I found an old paint stir stick and gave it a good stir and got the gel to break down a bit, enough to be able to transfer, but still quite clumpy. Here is the link to the recipe I used...
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm.
The cap from my old containers measured just over 1/2 cup (which is the recommended amt to use per load), so if I use just under a capful per load it should be a good measure of how much soap to use.

A Conversation with a 3-year-old

In the morning.....
Child: Mama, are we going swimming tomorrow?
Me: No, but you're going swimming today.
Child: Are we going swimming today?
Me: Yes, after jumpin beans with Hayden.
Child: Are we going swimming with Hayden?
Me: No, after Hayden, after your nap, you're going swimming with Miss Amie.
Child: Miss Amie's coming!!!
Me: No, YOU are going swimming at Miss Amie's house.
Child: Are we going swimming with Miss Amie tomorrow?
Me: No, you are going swimming with Miss Amie today.

About 5 minutes later.....
Child: Are we going swimming Mama?
Me: Yes
Child: Are we going swimming tomorrow?
Me: No, swimming is today after your nap.
Child: Are we going swimming today?
Me: Yes you are going swimming with Miss Amie.
Child: Am I going swimming with miss Amie?
Me: Yes, you are going swimming with Miss AMie.
Child: Are we going swimming now?
Me: No, now we are going to play with Hayden.
Child: Is Hayden going swimming?
Me: No, After Hayden you are going swimming with Miss Amie.
Child: Are we going to Miss Amie's OLD house?
Me: No, we're going to Miss Amie's NEW house.
Child: Miss Amie's NEW house?
Me: Yes.
Child: Mama, can we go swimming at Miss Amie's NEW house?
Me: Yes. (whew, I thought he finally got it)

Some time later.....this time a good 10-15 minutes.
Child: Mama, are we going swimming on Saturday?
Me: Saturday is tomorrow, so no.
Child: Are we going swimming tomorrow?
Me: No, but we can go swimming on Sunday.
Child: Are we going swimming on Sunday?
Me: If you're a good boy.
Child: Are we going swimming on Saturday?
Me: No, we are not, Saturday is cleaning day.
Child: Are we going swimming on Sunday?
Me: Yes, after church if you are a good boy tomorrow.
Finally child gets distracted by a non-swimming object and stops asking...for a few minutes.

Can you sense a trend? A little boy who loves the water and has learned that there are words for periods of time, but doesn't understand exactly how long each time period is, and a mama who is going absolutely crazy!!!!

Week Update and Photos

This week has been pretty busy. We've been to Jumpin' Beans, twice to the library, twice swimming at the Y, to a playdate at the park, to a farewell party for our friends, and will have more jumpin and swimming today. We finally replaced the stolen lawn mower and I am sore today from mowing through the forest that was our yard. We got the call from Dave's new job that his background check was completed, and so he will start working on July 4th. We're taking advantage of Dave's week off to go up next Wed to surprise his Grandad (Wed is his birthday) for a few days. I'm looking forward to this weekend to be more uneventful so I can get some housework and reading done. Here are a few photos I took at the Y.

BFF

Ashley and I took our boys to Jumpin' Beans yesterday to spend some time together. Our friends are moving next week to Nashville. Hayden was Seth's very first best friend. Here is Seth with Hayden after our playdate. I have been telling Seth that Hayden is moving to a new house in a new place, but I'm not so sure he understands. These next few months will be very confusing for him, as there will be a lot of changes happening in his life.

The WonderPowder

During my trip up to NY, my Mom gave me a book called Baking Soda, Over 500 Uses You've Probably Never Thought of, by Vicky Lansky. I must say I was quite impressed and very strangely excited as I read it. (Yes I realize what a HUGE dork that makes me). Baking Soda is a natural product and does not polute or affect the environment at all. Anyhow, I suggest keeping a few boxes of Baking Soda in your home as it is extremely useful. Here are some of the Uses....

1. On your counters, sprinkle some soda and a little lemon juice or vinegar and scrub them clean. The soda will remove tea bag , mustard or juice spill stains and deoderize at the same time
2. Out of deoderant? Rub some baking soda under your arms as a back-up until you get some, the powder will absorb some moisture and deoderize.
3. Unclog your drain by pouring 1 cup of soda down, then follow with 1 cup of hot vinegar.
4. We all know a box of soda in your fridge eliminates odors.
5. Make a paste of baking soda and water and spread over rusty appliances, nuts or bolts to remove the rust.
6. Pre-treat laundry stains with a paste of soda and water.
7. Remove build-up in your hair from sprays and concentrated shampoos by mixing 1 tsp soda with your shampoo in your hand and wash and condition as usual.
8. Mix 1/2 tsp soda in a cup of water and rinse your mouth to eliminate onion and garlic smells.
9. Whiten your teeth and remove stains with a mixture of 1/2 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp soda. Apply paste with a q-tip, brush teeth with water and rinse.
10. Have heartburn? Mix 1/2 tsp of soda in 1/2 glass of water and drink. The soda works to neutralize the acidity in your stomach. **though medical precautions should be considered before taking any home remedy!!
11. Treat symptoms of UTIs or Vaginitis by soaking in a bath with soda in it.
12. Treat a stuff nose by mixing 1/4 tsp soda with 1 tbs of water and put a few drops in each nostril.
13. Remove tape residue left on windows with a paste of baking soda and water.

Ok, those are a few of my favorites. Enjoy!

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah- a book review

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is about a young teen boy from Sierra Leone. He's caught in the middle of the war in his country between rebel forces and the Army. Separated from his family during an attack on his village, he wanders for months from village to village trying to avoid the horrors of the rebel forces. But eventually out of starvation and a need to belong again to a group he, at the age of 13 joins the Army to fight the rebels and revenge the deaths of his family. 2 years later the Army sends him and several other young soldiers to a rehabiliation center sponsored by UNICEF to help the children cope with the horrors of what they have seen and done. Ishmael Beah is now 27 and living in the US, and this book is his story of what happened in his life.

A very impressive book. Astonishing. It brings to life what people of my generation have gone through in other countries, and makes me appreciate how fortunate I am to be living in this wonderful country. Though, not all that entertaining. I'd compare reading this book to watching the movie Shindler's List. You do it for the experience, and to grasp an understanding of what it might be like to go through the experience that this person did. It was at times difficult to read, and is not a book for those who have weak stomachs or get upset by gore. ButI think it was definitely worth the experience and I feel it's important to read to have a more global and first count understanding of what is going on in other parts of the world.