Frugal

This is a recipe that I don't remember the source but absolutely looooove! Homemade Laundry Soap. It is fantastic for little Chunky Monkey and his super-sensitive-skinned brother Baby Love. And honest-to-goodness it makes your clothes soooo soft. Although it's good for mine and the kid's clothes, I don't use it for DH's work clothes. So try it out for yourself..

*Laundry Soap*

1 c Borax

1c Washing Soda

1 Bar of Fels-Naptha grated

The Washing Soda is made by Arm & Hammer (Meijer), the Fels-Naptha (VG's) and Borax get mixed up. I put mine in a large Rubber Maid cylinder. The orig. recipe calls for 2-3T, but I like to use 4T.

*Fridgerator Cleaner (interior)*

Spray Bottle with White Vinegar and H2O

Vinegar is fantastic at killing mold or anything else grungy.

*Window Cleaner*

1c Alcohol

1c Water

1T Vinegar

I love the fact that this leaves my windows streak-free. I also like using newspaper (black & white, no glossy paper) to wipe the widows down.

*Dry-Erase Board Cleaner*

Any type of tooth "paste." -No gels. Get a paper towel damp, squeeze a little paste on it and voile, a clean, minty smelling board!

*Wheat Bread*

We love whole wheat bread but don't care for the prices. I've found a bread outlet on Hill Rd. that sells Sara Lee bread for only $0.70 a loaf. I usually grab about 10 loaves and throw them in the deep freeze. They thaw wonderfully.

*Food Co-op/Beef*

There are local organic farms who will allow you for a fee, join their working or non-working coop. You purchase shares and then as the harvest comes in, you get your share. I have not joined one yet. It's hard to find a co-op w/ an opening. We buy our beef from a farmer who raises organic cattle. It's the best I have had and the leanest. Since we can't eat a whole cow, we go in on it with friends or family. We buy it at slaughter time, the beginning of fall and keep it in our deep freeze.

*Compost*

Yes, I have been teased about this. I don't like to waste a thing. My compost pile is growing this year. I figure it will make my garden soil richer naturally and I'm keeping biodegradable out of our land fills. So if you have a garden or garden with pots and have a little corner in the back of your yard, composting is a great thing.

*Rain Water*

We have a run-off from the garage and last year I put a large plastic garbage bin there to collect rain water for the garden. You can do the same thing if you have gutter drain thingies. I haven't yet figured out a watering "system" yet, but used the water regularly with my watering can. The key is to keep it covered and dump it if it's getting weird stuff growing or getting bugs in it.

Well I guess that's enough for now. If you have any ideas, please share. I'm sorry I can't give sources for all the ideas. I've learned them over the years and honestly don't know where I picked up all this stuff.

Sick Chunky Monkey

Our Chunky Monkey is sick. He puked around 2 a.m., hence this post at 3:55 a.m. Can't sleep. He just went from being a fat, happy baby to a sad, sad one. He's been struggling with staying "regular" so if any of you has some ideas, shoot me an email. I've tried prunes, Karo syrup and water, juice, applesauce; finally I had to resort to the dreaded suppository. When he puked on me in bed I was thankful that I had the shower curtain down. (I keep a shower curtain under the mattress pad. Great for kids potty training or the surprise up-chucker.) I woke up DH to help me get Baby Love out of bed before he rolled in the mess. My DH is great. He helped me bathe Chunky Monkey and that warm water helped him get cleaned out. Sorry to be so graphic, I figure if you've seen any television in the last 6 years, you've seen and heard a lot worse... So after we got him cleaned up DH prayed over him. I can't imagine being a single parent. Being a parent is a 24 hr. job. There are no paid holidays, sick days. Just 24/7 and overtime. But I love my job and am glad that this is what I get to do for a lot more years to come, Lord willing. So as soon as this "bug" gets outta his system I hope to post again. I'm thinking of a Top Ten Money Saving List. Talk to you later.

DIY

Oh how I love Menards! Even Baby Love knows the Menards song. We have him sing it often.

Here is my brand spankin' new French Door installed a la Mr. Ryan. He's the guy that puts up our doors and he's very good at it. I found him via my BFF, Tracey.

And here is the new vent and we're measuring for baseboards and quarter round. DH and I have been trying to get this stuff done at night when the little munchkins, or as Amber (the little girl I used to nanny for) would say, mukchins.

I love our old little house, despite what some have said, I think it is absolutely perfect. My creaky staircase gives me a nice warm feeling. And our old cast iron tub make me feel like a princess when I am having my royal soak. DH and I have enjoyed spending time together fixing it up. And isn't that what makes a home,

the love that you find there...

Simply Sarah