The adventures of an airline pilot, a stay-at-home (part time single) mom, and a little boy who has forever changed their lives...
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Homeade Laundry Detergent and "All Purpose Cleaner"
Homeade Laundry Soap
Ingredients
1/3 bar Fels Naptha
1/2 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)
1/2 cup Borax (20 Mule Team)
A large bucket, about 2 gallon size
Container to store the soap
Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use 1/2 cup per load.
Few things about the soap...
-It will not be a solid gel. It will look kind of watery. Just shake before use.
-You can also add a few drops of an essential oil for a different scent. I love the soapy scent myself and can't use any fragrance on Benjamin's cloth diapers. You can find all of these ingredients at a local grocery store, Target, etc! It will average to about .01 per load. Not too bad!
"All purpose cleaner" Recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap (you can buy at Target, I love peppermint!)
2 tablespoons White Vinegar
16 oz. Hot water
1 teaspoon Borax
Cheap spray bottle
Mix vinegar, borax and hot water in bottle and shake until dissolved. Add liquid soap and shake. Done! I love this cleaner! I use it in my kitchen, bathrooms, dusting, and on my floors! I love that I can wash the floors and let Benjamin crawl around without any harsh chemicals absorbing into his skin!
Ingredients
1/3 bar Fels Naptha
1/2 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)
1/2 cup Borax (20 Mule Team)
A large bucket, about 2 gallon size
Container to store the soap
Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. You use 1/2 cup per load.
Few things about the soap...
-It will not be a solid gel. It will look kind of watery. Just shake before use.
-You can also add a few drops of an essential oil for a different scent. I love the soapy scent myself and can't use any fragrance on Benjamin's cloth diapers. You can find all of these ingredients at a local grocery store, Target, etc! It will average to about .01 per load. Not too bad!
"All purpose cleaner" Recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap (you can buy at Target, I love peppermint!)
2 tablespoons White Vinegar
16 oz. Hot water
1 teaspoon Borax
Cheap spray bottle
Mix vinegar, borax and hot water in bottle and shake until dissolved. Add liquid soap and shake. Done! I love this cleaner! I use it in my kitchen, bathrooms, dusting, and on my floors! I love that I can wash the floors and let Benjamin crawl around without any harsh chemicals absorbing into his skin!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Happy 3'rd of May!
Many of you know our lives are far from normal when it comes to Andy not having the typical 9-5 job. He is usually flying on the weekends, so our days together fall sometime during the week. This past Monday was *our* Saturday. We spent the day in Sewickley (just about 5 minutes down the road for all you Northern Michiganders). We found a new park for Benjamin, ate outside at neat little local restaurant, walked around the town, and found the house of former Penguin player, Mario Lemiuex! (Oh, and Andy took us for ice cream that night as well!) We had a nice family day!
The War Memorial Park in Sewickley
snapped some pictures of the Sewickley hopsital where Benjamin was born as we were walking by... good memories.
We ate at the Sewickley Hotel outside on the deck. Benjamin was suprisingly content the entire meal! (I just found this pic online)
Andy was kind enough to point out the security camera AFTER I took the pictures of his house (Mario Lemieux)! I already felt like a stalker... We think we saw Sidney Crosby's SUV in the driveway, too!
YUM, YUM!
The War Memorial Park in Sewickley
snapped some pictures of the Sewickley hopsital where Benjamin was born as we were walking by... good memories.
We ate at the Sewickley Hotel outside on the deck. Benjamin was suprisingly content the entire meal! (I just found this pic online)
Andy was kind enough to point out the security camera AFTER I took the pictures of his house (Mario Lemieux)! I already felt like a stalker... We think we saw Sidney Crosby's SUV in the driveway, too!
YUM, YUM!
Thanks for the swing, Aunt Amy!
Benjamin received a Little Tykes Swing for his 1'st birthday from Aunt Amy. After debating on which tree would work, Andy used his boy scout tricks and it's now hanging in our backyard. Benjamin LOVES it! He laughes hysterically... to the point of hiccups! So darn cute. Thanks, Aunt Amy!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Bad Mommy Moments...
I was running the bath water tonight for Benjamin when I looked up and noticed he was playing with the toilet. The toilet water to be exact. So many nights I struggle to run the bath water and undress him while he tries to pull out all of the drawers, open the cupboard door, unravel the entire roll of toilet paper (you get the idea). Some nights are easier than others. Tonight, I let the poor child play in toilet water. The kid LOVES water! It can't really be that bad, can it? I'll admit... I took the easy way out. But, it was so much easier than fighting him, and he had a huge smile on his face!
During bathtime I started thinking of all my "bad mommy moments". My list is small, but i'm confident it will grow. Here is what I could come up with. (this is like confession)
-skipped lotion time after baths a couple nights in a row and we ended up with dry patches.
-skipped meal time and headed to the rocking chair to nurse because I didn't feel like cooking.
-the time I let him play with an unopened soda can and we ended up with stitches... Oh, wait. That was his father. (Oh please, one time I pinched his skin in the seatbelt and didn't hear the end of it for weeks!)
Speaking of stitches... here is a picture of Benjamin the night we brought him home from the ER. Poor baby is still smiling!
By the way, the stitches are all out! The doctor did a great job and he is healing wonderfully, thank goodness!
Here are some "happier" pictures of playtime!
"Can I go with you, Dad?"
Taking a little swim.
I love you, Benjamin!
During bathtime I started thinking of all my "bad mommy moments". My list is small, but i'm confident it will grow. Here is what I could come up with. (this is like confession)
-skipped lotion time after baths a couple nights in a row and we ended up with dry patches.
-skipped meal time and headed to the rocking chair to nurse because I didn't feel like cooking.
-the time I let him play with an unopened soda can and we ended up with stitches... Oh, wait. That was his father. (Oh please, one time I pinched his skin in the seatbelt and didn't hear the end of it for weeks!)
Speaking of stitches... here is a picture of Benjamin the night we brought him home from the ER. Poor baby is still smiling!
By the way, the stitches are all out! The doctor did a great job and he is healing wonderfully, thank goodness!
Here are some "happier" pictures of playtime!
"Can I go with you, Dad?"
Taking a little swim.
I love you, Benjamin!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Happy 1'st Birthday, Benjamin!
Wow! One year old. We have officially entered "toddlerhood"!
Andy and I took Benjamin to the Pittsburgh Zoo, his first Pirate game at PNC Park, and had a great birthday party with lots of family and friends. Thank you to everyone who helped make his day special!
Andy and I took Benjamin to the Pittsburgh Zoo, his first Pirate game at PNC Park, and had a great birthday party with lots of family and friends. Thank you to everyone who helped make his day special!
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