In my quest to save money on cleaners, I decided to try homemade laundry detergent and homemade dishwasher detergent. Now, a lot of people do this to be eco-friendly and such. I don't care so much about that, I care more about the money saving. (Let's be honest here...) The cool thing is that both detergents use similar ingredients; so while you may feel like you're spending a chunk to buy the main ingredients, they make A LOT of each. When it works out to just pennies per load, I'd say it's worth it!! And if you're not doing the loads and loads of laundry & dishes that I'm doing for five (almost six...eik!) of us, then it would last even longer! :)
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
Back when we lived in our apartment, I took my friend Camille's nudging and started making my own liquid laundry detergent. We really, really liked it! After we bought our house last May, my twins suddenly started vomiting and didn't stop for about a month. (Gross) Didn't have time to make detergent, it was easier to just buy it since I was constantly washing blankets, towels, clothes, pillows, etc. A month or so ago, I decided we would try again. I did some research and read in several places that powdered homemade detergent works better in HE machines, which we have now. It would also work great in a top loader and takes up a LOT less storage space than the liquid. I can't always find all of the ingredients at Wal-Mart but grocery stores (Harmons, Smiths/Kroger) usually have them. Here's my version of several recipes combined. ha
1 bar Fels-Naptha or Zote laundry soap, grated (prep a few days before - see instructions)
1 cup Arm & Hammer washing soda (not baking soda!)
1 cup Borax
1/2 cup OxiClean (I didn't use this the first time and thought it was still great)
To make the soap as small as possible (so it will dissolve better) I grated it, spread it out on a pan and set it on top of my fridge to dry out for a couple of days. Bonus - my kitchen smelled awesome! Once it's a bit dry, pulse it in the blender.
Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse in blender till well combined. DO NOT TAKE OFF THE LID YET! Let the mix sit for a few minutes until the dust dies down - just trust me on this one.
Put in an airtight container with a scoop. I usually stir or shake it up before I use it. Use 1-2 Tbsp per load in an HE machine, maybe a little more as needed in a top loader. **I should probably note that I usually pre-treat bad spots with Shout....even when I used Tide, I felt like I needed to do that. And I use Costco brand fabric softener.
DISHWASHER DETERGENT
There are lots of recipes floating around! Most all for several packets of lemonade mix....I think that's weird. And citric acid, the other option, isn't always easy to come by. Since we have hard water out here in Utah, I opted to use a can of Lemi Shine instead. Here's my version:
2 cups Arm & Hammer washing soda (not baking soda!)
2 cup Borax
1 cup kosher salt (not iodized, epsom, etc)
1 container Lemi Shine
Combine well and store in airtight container. I usually stir or shake it up before I use it. Use 1 Tbsp per load, up to 2 Tbsp if you have really hard water like us folks in Riverton, UT. If you have a pre-wash section of your dispenser, put a little of the 1-2 Tbsp in there.
As far as rinse aids, you have a couple of options there, too. I happened to have some Great Value brand 'Jet Dry' already that I've been using up. However, I've also used white vinegar...put about 1/2 cup in the bottom of the dishwasher before you start it up. Works like a charm!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Sick
Eleven weeks pregnant and I'm just now actually getting sick...this has definitely been the weirdest pregnancy so far!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Summer updates
I can't believe that summer is over. Here in Utah, we'll probably have snow by the end of October. BLECH!!! So, to keep me happy, here are some pictures and fun captions about more of our summer. :)
At the end of August, my parents came out to visit. Dad stayed for a long weekend so he could see Abby's first soccer game of the season. He's not the type to just sit around and visit and so, of course, lots of projects were finished. :) He helped Zac remove the nasty water feature from our front yard, fixed lots of bike/stroller tires, painted our garage and lots of other random to-do list things. The coolest one, though....he taught Abby to ride her bike with no training wheels!!! YEA!!
As I mentioned, Abby started fall soccer. This is her third season and we decided to keep her in the Draper league for now so she could play with her bff, Jordan. Three of the other kids on our team this year have played with Abby & Gus in the past, so that's been fun, too. Here's a little video; not much Abby action, but she's there!
Sadly, Grampa went home. I love my dad and it was so nice to have him out here to visit and help out around our house. Come back soon, Grampa!!
Good news = we got to keep Grams for a few more weeks! Mom just flew home Wednesday and, I must say, I've broken down a few times since. While it is nice to have just us in our house, I really miss having another grown up to talk to. Mom always helps me with sewing and crafty projects and I love getting to spend time with her. I do pretty well being out here until we have visitors or a holiday comes around; then I usually have multiple melt downs. :( Mom got to be here for some pretty cool stuff, including:
Abby's first day of kindergarten!! Here's the annual pose in front of the school sign:
Lining up along the wall when the bell rang, waiting for Mrs. Johnson
Blowing kisses to parents before going inside
Heading inside - she didn't even look back! She was so excited to go to kindergarten (it helped that her friend, Sabrina, is in her class). Abby loves school and learning new things. Definitely an amazing little girl! :)
Last, but certainly not least, the twins got their first haircuts! My friend Jessica cuts hair out of her house and she gave the babies their first trims. We probably took about two inches off each, just to shape it all up. They needed it pretty badly and look so cute and grown up with their shorter locks! :) They didn't let me get too many good pictures but here are a few:
Cami went first and Emma piddled around, getting in to Jessica's stuff. These two don't know how to leave stuff alone, they want to check out everything!
My sweet Camers was so good for her haircut. She's the only one of my girls that is semi-cooperative when it comes to hair.
Pretty girl!!
Miss Emma is not a fan of having her hair combed, styled or even touched. I'm amazed that she did as well as she did with Jessica cutting it.
She was seriously in need of a cut, too. Emma has always had this little section of hair that was longer than the rest. It hasn't shown as much since her hair has gotten longer but she needed a trim.
Blurry shot of the finished product:
So there's a few highlights of our last few weeks. More to come!! :)
At the end of August, my parents came out to visit. Dad stayed for a long weekend so he could see Abby's first soccer game of the season. He's not the type to just sit around and visit and so, of course, lots of projects were finished. :) He helped Zac remove the nasty water feature from our front yard, fixed lots of bike/stroller tires, painted our garage and lots of other random to-do list things. The coolest one, though....he taught Abby to ride her bike with no training wheels!!! YEA!!
As I mentioned, Abby started fall soccer. This is her third season and we decided to keep her in the Draper league for now so she could play with her bff, Jordan. Three of the other kids on our team this year have played with Abby & Gus in the past, so that's been fun, too. Here's a little video; not much Abby action, but she's there!
Sadly, Grampa went home. I love my dad and it was so nice to have him out here to visit and help out around our house. Come back soon, Grampa!!
Good news = we got to keep Grams for a few more weeks! Mom just flew home Wednesday and, I must say, I've broken down a few times since. While it is nice to have just us in our house, I really miss having another grown up to talk to. Mom always helps me with sewing and crafty projects and I love getting to spend time with her. I do pretty well being out here until we have visitors or a holiday comes around; then I usually have multiple melt downs. :( Mom got to be here for some pretty cool stuff, including:
Abby's first day of kindergarten!! Here's the annual pose in front of the school sign:
Lining up along the wall when the bell rang, waiting for Mrs. Johnson
Blowing kisses to parents before going inside
Heading inside - she didn't even look back! She was so excited to go to kindergarten (it helped that her friend, Sabrina, is in her class). Abby loves school and learning new things. Definitely an amazing little girl! :)
Last, but certainly not least, the twins got their first haircuts! My friend Jessica cuts hair out of her house and she gave the babies their first trims. We probably took about two inches off each, just to shape it all up. They needed it pretty badly and look so cute and grown up with their shorter locks! :) They didn't let me get too many good pictures but here are a few:
Cami went first and Emma piddled around, getting in to Jessica's stuff. These two don't know how to leave stuff alone, they want to check out everything!
My sweet Camers was so good for her haircut. She's the only one of my girls that is semi-cooperative when it comes to hair.
Pretty girl!!
Miss Emma is not a fan of having her hair combed, styled or even touched. I'm amazed that she did as well as she did with Jessica cutting it.
She was seriously in need of a cut, too. Emma has always had this little section of hair that was longer than the rest. It hasn't shown as much since her hair has gotten longer but she needed a trim.
Blurry shot of the finished product:
So there's a few highlights of our last few weeks. More to come!! :)
Monday, August 08, 2011
HELP!
Does anybody know how to change the main gmail address on your Blogger account? It's linked to one that we don't really use anymore and I'd like to link it to my gmail so that I can possibly blog from my phone.....help!
I'm still alive!!
I am so ashamed. I seriously do want to blog. Our internet situation has been crazy since we've moved - my desktop is set up downstairs and our current router isn't strong enough to reach down there (or I need a special cord...or something like that. haha). That makes Zac's laptop our only internet option. I can Facebook and check email from my phone during the day but rarely actually have time to get on the real computer until the kids are in bed. By that time, Zac needs the laptop to do his homework. So....no computer time for me. :(
Things are still crazy around here - I am starting to think that will never change. haha We took the twins to the GI and they haven't had any problems with their tummies since. I guess it scared them straight! :) Soooo grateful that's over...we washed enough sheets, blankets, towels, clothes and carseat covers for a lifetime!!
Zac, as I mentioned is still working on his MBA. I thought that finishing school was hard when we were newlyweds but doing it with three small kids, a wife and a full time job is really a lot! He's doing well so far - but we appreciate any positive thoughts you might have! :)
So far, we've had two sets of guests in our new house! Meemaw and Pa (Zac's grandma and her hubby) came to visit earlier this summer for a couple of days on their way back home to AR from CA. We loved having them - I always tell Zac that, besides him, Meemaw is one of the greatest things I got from our marriage. :) The girls loved having the company and so did we. It was right in the middle of the babies tummy issues and it was so nice for Zac and me to have someone else to talk to and something to focus on besides our own problems! :)
Then during the last two weeks in July Zac's parents and sisters came to visit. They took a couple day detour to Denver (Abby went, too!) and then we did some fun things around Utah. Pawpaw and Zac built a swingset for the girls' birthdays, we shopped, took a day trip to Capitol Reef/Goblin State Park, fixed up my front flower bed and just hung out. Definitely a fun visit! During all of this, we asked my MIL to take some family pics of us. Unfortunately, we decided to take them in the afternoon, which isn't my girls' best time of day. But we did manage to get some fun shots, hope you enjoy them!!
That should do for now. I PROMISE to update again by the end of the week! :) I'm also hoping to get some new recipes up on my food blog, I've tried some yummy stuff lately. Leave me some comment love and let me know how y'all are doing!
We started off on the couch, in all our Razorback gear. GO HOGS!!!!
(We have to represent the Hogs in Utah!)
WOOOO, PIG SOOIE!!!!
After the couch idea went downhill (I'll post those pics later!) we decided to try the stairs. It's the girls' favorite place to hangout and we thought it might add a fun element. Crazy might be a better word. :)
Abby insisted that we have a picture of us together. I love this girl!
And pretty much head over heels for this guy. :)
We never get just normal pics...always have to add something goofy!
Always showing off his big mouth....
....and Kirsten was not impressed. :)
Silly siblings!!
Things are still crazy around here - I am starting to think that will never change. haha We took the twins to the GI and they haven't had any problems with their tummies since. I guess it scared them straight! :) Soooo grateful that's over...we washed enough sheets, blankets, towels, clothes and carseat covers for a lifetime!!
Zac, as I mentioned is still working on his MBA. I thought that finishing school was hard when we were newlyweds but doing it with three small kids, a wife and a full time job is really a lot! He's doing well so far - but we appreciate any positive thoughts you might have! :)
So far, we've had two sets of guests in our new house! Meemaw and Pa (Zac's grandma and her hubby) came to visit earlier this summer for a couple of days on their way back home to AR from CA. We loved having them - I always tell Zac that, besides him, Meemaw is one of the greatest things I got from our marriage. :) The girls loved having the company and so did we. It was right in the middle of the babies tummy issues and it was so nice for Zac and me to have someone else to talk to and something to focus on besides our own problems! :)
Then during the last two weeks in July Zac's parents and sisters came to visit. They took a couple day detour to Denver (Abby went, too!) and then we did some fun things around Utah. Pawpaw and Zac built a swingset for the girls' birthdays, we shopped, took a day trip to Capitol Reef/Goblin State Park, fixed up my front flower bed and just hung out. Definitely a fun visit! During all of this, we asked my MIL to take some family pics of us. Unfortunately, we decided to take them in the afternoon, which isn't my girls' best time of day. But we did manage to get some fun shots, hope you enjoy them!!
That should do for now. I PROMISE to update again by the end of the week! :) I'm also hoping to get some new recipes up on my food blog, I've tried some yummy stuff lately. Leave me some comment love and let me know how y'all are doing!
We started off on the couch, in all our Razorback gear. GO HOGS!!!!
(We have to represent the Hogs in Utah!)
WOOOO, PIG SOOIE!!!!
After the couch idea went downhill (I'll post those pics later!) we decided to try the stairs. It's the girls' favorite place to hangout and we thought it might add a fun element. Crazy might be a better word. :)
Abby insisted that we have a picture of us together. I love this girl!
And pretty much head over heels for this guy. :)
We never get just normal pics...always have to add something goofy!
Always showing off his big mouth....
....and Kirsten was not impressed. :)
Silly siblings!!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Holy cow....
That's the nicest way to say how we've been doing lately. :) Here's a look at our last few months...
We looked and looked and looked at houses. After finally giving up on what we thought was our dream house in Pleasant Grove, we found an awesome deal in Riverton. We offered on it the same day we saw it. Someone else offered the same day but we got it! A couple of days after we got it under contract, we were at the house with Mark, our realtor, taking measurements. In the middle of our time there, in walked another realtor to show the house. She was very confused about why we were there and Mark quickly informed her that the house was under contract! :)
We closed on May 3 and moved in that weekend. We had originally planned to take our time moving. But Zac decided to start classes for his MBA and we needed to get moved before that started. We were so sad to leave our friends in Draper but we've been so fortunate here in Riverton. We have amazing people in our neighborhood and at church. Our cul-de-sac has several little girls, which thrills Abby!!
Two weeks ago I was driving to work and was side swiped by some idiot that wasn't looking before he switched lanes. End results = wretched headache from knocking the window frame, messed up neck and back, and a totaled van. I'm so very grateful that the kids weren't with me and that things weren't worse....but it sure has made a mess of the last couple of weeks for us! We just got another van today (same exact model, just a different color - dark blue) and are working on getting all the medical stuff lined up.
Another bit of craziness....some sort of stomach issue has been bothering us, especially the babies. Cami and Emma (more Emma) have been vomiting and had diarrhea off and on for over a month. After a few trips to the pediatrician and one visit to the ER, we're still not 100% sure what's going on. Things got better for a few days, then it all started over. We have another appt next week and are going to get in with a pediatric GI dr as soon as we can.
As crazy as things have been, we are trying hard to see the Lord's hand in our life. We have been so blessed that the car accident wasn't more serious, that we were able to find a van for just the right price and we have fabulous friends and family who are so loving and supportive. Although Zac and I have both had a few meltdowns, we are trying to stay positive and trust that things will work out for the best.
Well, that's a brief update. i'm hoping to get some pictures and some more fun information up soon. So stay tuned! :)
We looked and looked and looked at houses. After finally giving up on what we thought was our dream house in Pleasant Grove, we found an awesome deal in Riverton. We offered on it the same day we saw it. Someone else offered the same day but we got it! A couple of days after we got it under contract, we were at the house with Mark, our realtor, taking measurements. In the middle of our time there, in walked another realtor to show the house. She was very confused about why we were there and Mark quickly informed her that the house was under contract! :)
We closed on May 3 and moved in that weekend. We had originally planned to take our time moving. But Zac decided to start classes for his MBA and we needed to get moved before that started. We were so sad to leave our friends in Draper but we've been so fortunate here in Riverton. We have amazing people in our neighborhood and at church. Our cul-de-sac has several little girls, which thrills Abby!!
Two weeks ago I was driving to work and was side swiped by some idiot that wasn't looking before he switched lanes. End results = wretched headache from knocking the window frame, messed up neck and back, and a totaled van. I'm so very grateful that the kids weren't with me and that things weren't worse....but it sure has made a mess of the last couple of weeks for us! We just got another van today (same exact model, just a different color - dark blue) and are working on getting all the medical stuff lined up.
Another bit of craziness....some sort of stomach issue has been bothering us, especially the babies. Cami and Emma (more Emma) have been vomiting and had diarrhea off and on for over a month. After a few trips to the pediatrician and one visit to the ER, we're still not 100% sure what's going on. Things got better for a few days, then it all started over. We have another appt next week and are going to get in with a pediatric GI dr as soon as we can.
As crazy as things have been, we are trying hard to see the Lord's hand in our life. We have been so blessed that the car accident wasn't more serious, that we were able to find a van for just the right price and we have fabulous friends and family who are so loving and supportive. Although Zac and I have both had a few meltdowns, we are trying to stay positive and trust that things will work out for the best.
Well, that's a brief update. i'm hoping to get some pictures and some more fun information up soon. So stay tuned! :)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Updates
Another random-ish post, mostly for updates.
When Abby said her prayers tonight, my heart melted! "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Please help us love Jesus. Please help us all know in our hearts that everybody is special, that Jesus made us all special." LOVE this girl and this age. She's so innocent and unassuming. She loves everyone and loves to make others happy. Sure, she has her moments like any kid but she really is so tender hearted.
We have put offers on two houses this week (that brings the total to three). One is in Draper and would keep us in the same school for Abby (I really want that one!). It is close enough that I could keep my crossing guard job, which would be nice. The other one is in Riverton, just a few miles from here. It's a nice house with more space than the one in Draper....not far from either of our jobs. We are also thinking about putting offers on at least on more. Hopefully we'll hear something this weekend and be able to start making a decision. :)
Things have been going pretty well at 1800contacts. I've been so nervous since we started actually taking phone calls yesterday and it's bugged me. I finally figured it out today when I was coaching with Emma, our trainer. It's been so long since I've felt new and 'uneducated.' I was in banking for six years - even though I switched banks, they're all pretty similar. By the time I left US Bank, I rarely had to ask questions about things, I just knew my stuff. And I've been a sahm for a few years now - I'm pretty comfortable with my abilities there. :) So this humbling experience of being new and not knowing my stuff is not my favorite thing!! But our trainer has been super supportive and has made me feel really good. She told me that I've got the friendliness and the personality - I just need to learn the products and get comfortable. "That's a much better thing than somebody that knows the products but is mean to customers!" is what she added. hahaha Not trying to brag on myself - I guess I just feel the need to boost my self esteem a bit since this whole experience has been so rough on me. I'm probably making it harder on myself but I think that's just what we women do. :)
Zac is doing well at work, too. He should be starting his MBA program in the next few weeks. Combine that with my new job and the house situation and we are accepting any and all prayers we can get!!
The twins are growing quickly and developing their own little personalities. They are happy girls, just like their big sister. Emma is a little parrot and tries to say most everything we do. She says all kinds of things: thank you, hello, backpack (Dora), map (Dora), shoe, socks, bye bye, two, up, down, touchdown...all kinds of fun stuff. She loves to hug, cuddle and be right in the middle of things! (She and Abby have a lot in common with their Aunt Kirsten.) :)
Cami doesn't talk quite as much (doesn't really need to with two big mouth sisters!) but she says plenty: touchdown, thank you, all done, bye bye, eye (she can point to her eyes, ears, nose and mouth). She is a great little helper and is so good at understanding and following simple directions, such as 'bring me your shoes.' She's a little clumsy, though. :) She has a tendency to not pay attention and walk into things or trip over the carpet. She loves to give kisses and is a super sweet girl.
As hectic as life is, I feel so very blessed to have the wonderful family that the Lord has given me. I love my amazing husband and I am so blessed to have such wonderful baby girls. Life is good!!
When Abby said her prayers tonight, my heart melted! "Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Please help us love Jesus. Please help us all know in our hearts that everybody is special, that Jesus made us all special." LOVE this girl and this age. She's so innocent and unassuming. She loves everyone and loves to make others happy. Sure, she has her moments like any kid but she really is so tender hearted.
We have put offers on two houses this week (that brings the total to three). One is in Draper and would keep us in the same school for Abby (I really want that one!). It is close enough that I could keep my crossing guard job, which would be nice. The other one is in Riverton, just a few miles from here. It's a nice house with more space than the one in Draper....not far from either of our jobs. We are also thinking about putting offers on at least on more. Hopefully we'll hear something this weekend and be able to start making a decision. :)
Things have been going pretty well at 1800contacts. I've been so nervous since we started actually taking phone calls yesterday and it's bugged me. I finally figured it out today when I was coaching with Emma, our trainer. It's been so long since I've felt new and 'uneducated.' I was in banking for six years - even though I switched banks, they're all pretty similar. By the time I left US Bank, I rarely had to ask questions about things, I just knew my stuff. And I've been a sahm for a few years now - I'm pretty comfortable with my abilities there. :) So this humbling experience of being new and not knowing my stuff is not my favorite thing!! But our trainer has been super supportive and has made me feel really good. She told me that I've got the friendliness and the personality - I just need to learn the products and get comfortable. "That's a much better thing than somebody that knows the products but is mean to customers!" is what she added. hahaha Not trying to brag on myself - I guess I just feel the need to boost my self esteem a bit since this whole experience has been so rough on me. I'm probably making it harder on myself but I think that's just what we women do. :)
Zac is doing well at work, too. He should be starting his MBA program in the next few weeks. Combine that with my new job and the house situation and we are accepting any and all prayers we can get!!
The twins are growing quickly and developing their own little personalities. They are happy girls, just like their big sister. Emma is a little parrot and tries to say most everything we do. She says all kinds of things: thank you, hello, backpack (Dora), map (Dora), shoe, socks, bye bye, two, up, down, touchdown...all kinds of fun stuff. She loves to hug, cuddle and be right in the middle of things! (She and Abby have a lot in common with their Aunt Kirsten.) :)
Cami doesn't talk quite as much (doesn't really need to with two big mouth sisters!) but she says plenty: touchdown, thank you, all done, bye bye, eye (she can point to her eyes, ears, nose and mouth). She is a great little helper and is so good at understanding and following simple directions, such as 'bring me your shoes.' She's a little clumsy, though. :) She has a tendency to not pay attention and walk into things or trip over the carpet. She loves to give kisses and is a super sweet girl.
As hectic as life is, I feel so very blessed to have the wonderful family that the Lord has given me. I love my amazing husband and I am so blessed to have such wonderful baby girls. Life is good!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)