Final Blog of 2012

With 2012 coming to a close, the world will hold its breathe with anticipation and cheer as the clock strikes twelve.  New Years Eve is traditionally a time for celebration, reflection, renewal and change.  We get to look beyond, probe deep, and understand what lies at the heart of what matters to us.

As the year ends, this time is an opportunity to abandon everything that was less than perfect and start fresh.  I'm NOT talking about setting a bunch of New Year Resolutions that you will not be able to keep.  That's been tried, tested and proven to be lacking.  I've never been able to keep one longer than 3 weeks anyway. 

There's something about a New Year, a new beginning, and a fresh start that encourages us to make a change for the New Year.  It's a powerful feeling to know you have another fresh year ahead of you and you can choose what you do with it and reflect on where you want to go next.

2012 has been rough for me spiritually, emotionally and physically so in the final hours of the year, a few thoughts have occurred to me as an appropriate means to close out this year and start fresh with the next, especially since I will begin an extensive Daniel's fast tomorrow.

1. Throw out the bad feelings, the unwanted emotions and the outdated viewpoints.  All that room for a fresh attitude will be a refreshing change and a chance to view things with a brand new attitude.

2. Take a look at priorities and daily distractions, and make sure that you spend your valuable time where you want to and where it will do the most good. 

3. Think about situations, good, bad and indifferent.  Understand desires and get in touch with basic needs.  It's time!!

4. Recognize who you are and be true to yourself.  It's imperative!!

I hope everyone has a blessed and prosperous new year!

DIY Laundry Detergent

It has taken me a few months of reading blog after blog, seeing pin after pin and reading comment after comment before I finally decided to jump on the band wagon and make my own laundry detergent.  I am very particular (OCD) about laundry detergent.  It has to smell good and get dirty clothes (from teenage boys) clean!  I read multiple blogs and recipes until I decided on one I would use.  

Here are all the ingredients I purchased.......all for about $35......and this recipe should last us around 9-12 months, which makes me very happy!  Now I won't be spending $10-12 every 3-4 weeks on laundry detergent.

1 box of Borax (4 lb 12 oz)

1 box of Pure Baking Soda (4 lb)

1 box of Super Washing Soda (3 lb 7 oz)

2 bars of Fels-Naptha (you can also use Zote Soap but I got my ingredients at Walmart and they don't carry Zote Soap)

1 bottle of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener (55 oz - this is purely optional but like I said  I like my laundry to smell good and I hang dry a lot of our clothes)

1 container of Oxi Clean (3 lb - this is also purely optional but I used it because our clothes have to be clean)

1 container to mix and store all the ingredients

If you opt to not use the Purex Crystals and Oxi Clean, it will obviously lower the cost of ingredients.  If you have coupons, which I didn't, that will also lower the cost.

Now, before you mix everything together you have to grate the soap.  This took me about 30 minutes and definitely built some muscles grating!  

Once the soap is all grated you can start layering all the ingredients in a large container.  I poured a little bit of each, then stirred and repeated until it was all mixed together.  Then I put some in the Purex container to use since the cap is just the right measurement we need to do one load of laundry.

I just got finished with 2 loads of laundry and have to say that I will never buy laundry detergent again!  Now I need to find a good recipe for homemade body wash.  LOL

Christmas Day

Sad looking tree but that's what happens when you are so busy and don't have a chance to put it up until a week and half before Christmas.

Believe it or not, I had to wake Joshua up because at 9 a.m. he was still sleeping.  LOL

P-nut was not about to wait and decided he was taking his Christmas presents! 

Hump Day Humor

A little hump day humor!  

Failed Attempt But Still Yummy

Sooooo......my daughter decided she wanted to make a gingerbread house so she bought the following kit.  Piece of cake, right?  LOL

When she opened the box, the house was already broken.  They don't do a very good job at packaging those things.  In my opinion, they need a better QA process.  LOL 

She made the frosting anyway and we tried to put it back together.

This was the end result!  The roof would not stay up but it was still good to eat. 

J

 

Just Because

I had a rough and emotional day today. When I got home tonight, these flowers were waiting for me. My daughter had bought them when she got off work. I am truly thankful for a daughter who is sensitive to the needs of others.

Snowman Poop

I had the day off today and this is what I did with a few hours of my time.  The kids had a youth Christmas party tonight so I decided to make a small gift for all of the kids in attendance.

Here are all of the supplies I had, bought or printed for the gifts (well, not the coffee cup LOL).

Made a little progress.....the poem is glued on the inside of what will be the cover.

This is the poem.

All of the packages of tic-tacs have been glued on the inside covers.

All of the stickers have been added to the front cover and the ribbon glued to the back.

Making progress tying all the ribbon to close the covers.

All of the ribbons have been tied......all 56 of them!  

My daughter sent me a text a little while ago and said everyone thought they were cute and funny!

Another Pinterest success! Woo hoo!!!