Summer's Vacation Is Almost Here!

I can hardly believe that summer vacation is only a day away! My two oldest kids have one day left and then they'll be home all summer. A part of me is super excited to have more time with them to do fun projects, spend time in the pool and go on our summer family vacation. But the other part of me is a bit anxious about it.  I am a list maker and have made a list of fun projects but I also have a list of educational subjects to go over with them regularly so that they don't lose the knowledge and skills they've been working so hard at retaining this school year. Because seriously, anyone who takes an 80 day break from something is bound to lose or at least be a bit rusty at it when they return. My goal as a mother is to give my kids the best opportunity to be successful in life.  I believe that means teaching my kids about Jesus, giving them responsibility and showing them respect so that they will in turn respect others. And I'm hoping that in the process my kids make lasting loving memories during their childhood. Here is the summer list so far!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I am always interested in new affordable ways to make my family healthier and to stretch our dollar further.  Whether that include food recipes, cleaning products, TV shows, exercise routines, etc.  With all of the toxins in our world due to chemicals for cleaning, pesticides and preservatives in our food I've decided to try out homemade laundry detergent.  My sweet friend Vanessa gave me the recipe that she's been using for quite awhile for her family.  One of her kiddos has skin sensitivity and this laundry recipe has done wonders for her.  So, I decided to give it a try... I am very sensitive to smells and I LOVE my Tide, Oxi Clean, Downy, and Unstoppables.  Wow, just typing out the cleaners I use makes it even more real just how much my family's skin is exposed to unnecessary chemicals.  Thankfully my family doesn't have any serious skin issues.  I made the laundry detergent and gave it a whirl... it smelled great! I've probably done about a dozen loads from clothing to towels to sheets and everything smells great.  I do kinda miss the Downy softener smell so on occasion I think that I'll add that but it is definitely much nicer on my pocket book than the cost of a huge jug of liquid tide from Costco.
Here is Vanessa's recipe that she shared with me:
2 1/2 cups Borax
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Fels-Naptha Bar (grated- use a cheese grater)
*All ingredients can be purchased at Winco
Mix everything together and store in a sealed container. Use 1/8 cup per load!

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!

Playroom Work In Progress

Our children's "playroom" is really our family room but in an effort to try and herd all of their toys into one area we call it the "play area".  In my last post I mentioned beginning to organize the toys into bins and laminating labels for each bin.  This new toy cabinet previously held our exercise equipment and was off limits to the kiddos.  But now it's their toy cabinet and I am hoping that clean-up will be easier for both the kids and me.  

As you can see it is still a work in progress, I need another bin for the extra toys on the top left and I need to do something about those electric cords inside the cabinet!  When that's done I'll post an updated photo. 

On a side note, often times I find it such a challenge to get any projects accomplished in a "timely manor" with four kiddos or when the hubby is on duty for 48 hours or more.  I don't know about you but I have a very long list of DIY projects that I'd LOVE to spend my time on but during this season of my life I've been entrusted to four beautiful children that require my undivided attention.  One day all too soon my kids will be all grown up and I'll want the chaos back and messy rooms back and the snuggles back.  Our days are precious.  This time is irreplaceable and a gift from God.  None of us know how long we have here on Earth and I believe that the two biggest resources we have are our time and our money.  I don't want to squander either of those so when I'm feeling unaccomplished I remind myself that I have been blessed with four children, a supportive husband and and a place that we call home.  The simple accomplishment of getting three meals on the table everyday can be just as successful as cleaning the whole house, completing a DIY project, keeping up with a bible study, getting to the gym, having a play date, etc, etc.  If you are having a challenging day just remind yourself that today is a gift and tomorrow isn't guaranteed, love the time you have and make the most of it.

Thanks for stopping by!