The Laundry Soap Experiment

 Estelle wrote in her blog about taking the plunge and attempting to make her own liquid laundry soap. Curious, I looked at the links/recipes that she posted, and came to the conclusion that I too wanted to give making our own soap a try. I bought up all of the ingredients during on the the daycare "field trips" to No Frills around the corner, and while the kids were sleeping that day, I grated the soap. It looked like cheese. (my bar of soap choice was  the Linda Bar, and its yellow)

I was telling my mom and dad about this venture as well, so I am going to post my picture version. (its major easy, but its fun to have a visual too)

Here is the recipe Estelle found on the Duggar Family's Website.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

 They have a whole bunch of neat recipes to try. I'm excited.

By the way... the soap works fine in our Kenmore high efficiency washer too. The soap it's self is very low-sudsing.

Ikea's Rail Systems

We bought Stephen an Ikea Train Set  for his birthday,Ikea and his Grandma bought him the additional tracks you can get for an add on (the ten pack) Ikea

For the life of me, I COULD NOT get this thing to work out... UNTIL... I introduced the needle nose plyers to one of the pieces (the one that makes a Y)... I took out the male peg, and put it onto the other side of the piece (I wish I took set by step pictures, but I was way into it to get the camera).
Anyway, I figured it out.


Incase anyone is keeping score....
Julie 1
Ikea 0

Fresh Walls

This weekend I painted our daycare space, our main living room/sitting area.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE! From a deep rusty-red to a "rain forest dew" green!
With the help of my personal colour consultant/mother-in-law/interior designer, we picked out a paint colour via Skype, and here we are!
The colour is 2146-50 from Benjamin Moore. (Rainforest Dew)
What prompted the change was wanting to make the children's space is bright and cheery.
I don't have to turn on as many lights on dull days either (today it is raining, and normally, our playroom is dark, and somewhat dingy for playing in...) Admittedly, I got some paint on the desk (in picture)... so I ended up painting it as well... but I like the way it turned out.

Melting!

Last week we had a great day for snowman building in the daycare. It was a Thursday, so we had only 4 kids.... a perfect number for rolling, stacking and patting down Mr. snowman (and his lady friend).
Well, our little snowy friends are STILL kicking around (despite receiving 8 full days of sunshine and mild temperatures...)

I just wanted to post the progress of the thaw. The kids keep on saying: "Oh-oh...There they go.. uh-oh", while looking out the front window at them. Funny. Last night we laid them both down, and put a blanket over them.

Accomplishment

Everyone loves the feeling of accomplishment.

For me... it's almost as good as a surprise. (and as much as I say I don't like them... I do!)

You know, looking at 5 basketfuls of freshly folded laundry (AND putting it away), the look on someone's face after they bite into a freshly baked goodie (most of the time, their eyes are closed, and they mutter MMMMmmmm really slowly), or looking at an entire room once claimed as "THE JUNK ROOM" which is now transformed into a neatly organized, functioning space.

The sound of "AAAhhhh".
*The post-chugging-lemonaide-on-a-hot-day AAAhhhhh*

Well.

This is what I am looking to do for me this year.

Accomplishment.

Surprise Yourself

I had said to myself that I would take 15 minutes/day to just relax.... well heating up the same cup of tea 5 times isn't exactually the most ideal way to "relax".
hahah.
Realistic it was... 15 minutes is pretty easy right?

Life is about choice, and I accept and embrace the choices our family has made. I am so fortunate to be at home with an awesome little boy, surrounded by 3 or 4 of his friends on a daily basis (and be paid!). I get to freely make up our schedules, choose our meals, and plan our outings. I am entrusted with the most precious gifts that God has given parents... their child. It's an honour I take very seriously.

That said... our house is in constant "wipe down mode", you can often skate across the floors on a lego or truck of choice, and we are rarely without someone who has a stinky bottom that needs changing.

I take it all with a smile and hand on my heart.