Homeade Laundry soap recipe

Here is the recipe I was taught by a friend (thanks Lisa<3) and it works great is easy to make and save us alot of $$$!!!!!!!!!!!

Things you need to get:



•5 gallon bucket with a lid


•cheap cheese grater


•box of Borax


•package of ivory white bar soap


•box of washing soda(good luck finding it in Lebanon, had to go to brownsburg)


•small bottle of liquid detergent of your choice(this is optional, just for scent)


RECIPE:


1 qt water


2 C borax


2C washing soda


2 C or bars of ivory bars (grated)


Boil the qt of water and dissolve the ivory soap , stir until totally dissolved.


Poor into bucket, add the borax and washing soda, stir well, add the optional bottle of detergent, stir, add 2 gallons of hot water, stir, done, easy enough! Stir each time u use it, it may gel.


Enjoy !

Fall is here and I am loving it!!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I LOVE fall! I love pumpkins, sweatshirts, great weather.....just to name a few!
We are through 9 weeks of homeschooling and its going great, I am amazed and thrilled about how Jack and I's relationship is even better than before, he is realizing that I am not such an uncool mom, and we are really enjoying each other. I am really enjoying the relaxed lifestyle that homeschooling brings to me, we are on our time and we get done what we are suppose to, and most of the time we are ahead of schedule, but it is so stress free and fun! I am learning so many things with him that I either forgot, or never learned in the first place!!
We are in a homeschooling group and have fun going to CROSS (its called) every other thursday we meet and have P.E, Math pentathlon and Art classes and Marcus does a preschool class and we have had fun field trips and many more to come. Its been nice getting to know more families with similar beliefs and a christian lifestyle that homeschool too!
 Now if we could just get our house sold and get to the country before winter sets in, I am starting to wonder if thats going to happen:(  but all things aside, life is good, and I am blessed beyond measure.
 My dad had a cancer scare, he is recovering and they think he is cancer free after surgery, praise GOD! It is funny how we go along with life and something like this happens and it rocks our world as we know it, it makes you think and pray like never before and then with Gods grace, we can look back and thank Him for answered prayers, and get back to our daily life and just go on. I pray that we do not have to visit anything like this again fora very long time if ever!
I am having fun hanging with my family and watching the leaves fall!
I am sharing a fun fall pumpkin poem that I recently came across(thanks Julie Mark), enjoy:

P  is for the people that Jesus came to save
U is for the unconditional love to each he gave
M is for the message that we should all be sharing
P  is for the priceless gift God above gave us, he is caring
K is for the King of Kings
I  is for the insight that He brings  
N is for the nails in His hands
S is for the Savior who gave His life so that we could stand

So when you see a pumpkin, don't think about some guy named Jack. Instead remember Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords who one day IS coming back!

TIME FOR SCHOOL!!!!!!! Home Style:)

I cannot believe how fast the summer has flown by! But Its time for my homeschooling venture to begin! I have successfully downloaded Jacks programs and  begun preparing for our first year! I am very excited about teaching him at home and I think it will strenghten the family! But anyway, we are ready to begin starting tuesday!!
This month has been so crazy that I haven't even thought if blogging! But I know I needed to update!
My little guys have been playing outside everyday and love to ride their bikes, and being on a high traffic corner, I have to watch their every move! Since moving here in March, it has been nice being free from the financial burden, but we quickly realized that our yard was too small for 3 young boys and we need more space, so we have started looking in the country! Call me crazy but I have had a sudden urge to garden, raise chickens and live the country life! So lets hope another move is on the horizon for the fortner five!!
So many things start this week! School, preschool and awana! I am looking forward to a very inspiring fall!
I am looking for some new recipes for my meal planning and some fun recipes for saving money, I just learned how to make my own laundry soap, how fun and a great way to save money, I would like to learn to do more fun homemade things....any ideas????

Summertime

I am sooo glad summer is finally here! We have been busy the last month and I haven't been blogging! May closed out Marcus's preschool and Jack's 5th grade year, wow I cannot believe how fast the year has went by! Jacks final elementary career ended with a great 5th grade rendition of a Grease classic (so cool), Awards day where he recieved a presidential academic award for getting all A's and B's his elementary career, and student council award. The last day of school we had the 5th grade picnic at the park, it was fun but also sad to see the year come to a close, the young boy phases into pre-teen status:( .
We have been to the lake and done some fishing and putt putting, garage saling. Here at home daddy built the boys a big new playset outside, played outdoors ALOT, signed up for swim lessons for Marcus and Ben, getting ready for VBS, went to the drive-in movies for the first time with the kids and are about to build a mini barn for more storage, phew....all this in about 3 weeks time!! I told you we have been BUSY:)
I am thoroughly enjoying staying at home fulltime with the boys, it is exactly where I want to be.
I will have to admit that I am missing my old neighborhood and our big yard, but not the high house payment or taxes. It is an adjustment for all of us. And I know that it is all part of the big plan and the sacrifices we make now will all be worth it in the long run! We all have our health, happiness, financial stablility(for once, LOL) and eachother! I am BLESSED:)

Livin' the SIMPLE life and lovin' it!!

This is my 3rd week of being a stay at home domestic diva and I am loving it!! We have been in our new little abode for a month too and I also love it!! Life is so much simpler it seems. A smaller house means less to clean and organize but also means I have to stay up on it hourly, to insure that it does stay that way, LOL!! But I love it! I am even enjoying cooking more, I am trying some new and different recipes that we are enjoying, I have enjoyed cooking more the last couple of weeks than I ever have, oh the bliss!! I hope it lasts:)
I have not left myself time for my blog and I feel like it is being neglected, but now as I have cubed steak in the oven, potatoes and beans boiling on the stove and I have a few minutes to update!
It is unreal the stress level right now for me, almost at a zero, what a cool blessing!! I recommemd simplifying to anyone who is desiring the low stress life! Its amazing!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Come on,  start living the simple life,  give up those things that for years you felt you had to have but are definitely NOT necessary in life, examples(from personal experience): Large house with big mortgage and high taxes, new cars with high car payments, all the name brand clothes (esp for the kiddos), Dining out too much, buying to many unecessary toys for you and the kids,and using credit cards, and  not tracking your spending ect.... you get the just!
We did the Dave Ramsey program a couple of years ago with a small group bible study, it was life changing (in many ways) and as I started to apply his teaching for financial peace it really hit home, that we here living way above our means and would always be in financial bondage if we didn't change our ways and start a major pay down on our ever growing debt!! The stess I was having was so unecessary that we had to change something!
Well we went in head first and started by paying things off that we could- little by little using Dave's plan and the more we payed down the more it made me want to keep going!! It also meant changing the way we did things, like, using credit cards and eating out too much. Having a budget and sticking with it, is also necessary for staying on track. We now even have an emergency fund so if something happens we don't have to go into debt to fix it.  If you don't have the cash to buy it and you don't need it, pass on it. As time went on, I was amazed how we could live and be happy without buying the extra's, in fact, it was more satisfying to cut back and take charge of your spending than buying stuff ever was! Don't get me wrong, I am no expert and every once in awhile I splurge on something I don't need and should have passed on, LOL.
 I never imagined that selling our home, paying off our vehicles (and driving older ones, but hey, we OWN them:)and living with-in our means would be so attainable and so life changing!! I can't give Dave all the credit, without God's guidance and wisdom through prayer, He was the giver of Grace the I so desperately need, with HIM all things are possible!!

Mommy, honey, maid, domestic diva, taxi driver, teacher, cook, ect......

Well its officially here, I am now a proud stay at home mama! For eleven years I have waited patiently for this day in time!! It came upon me so quickly that I didn't even have the time to really think about it ot let it sink in, but its here and I am enjoying EVERY minute of it!! I will have to say that being a stay at home mom is way harder  than any job out there! Way more multi-tasking expected out of you and no room for error or failure, these are your children and hubby you are working for and you want to do your best for them! But we just don't think of it that way, we just wake up in the morning (sometimes a little too early, thanks Marcus) and get right into mommy mode and start the day, everyday brings some kind of different, you just have to ride the ride and enjoy it, there is no way to get off of this type of ride, LOL!! Starting in the fall I will have another job to add to my list, teacher, as I begin homeschooling Jack this year. Do you think I will get a raise then? Kidding;)

No time, No time!!

Well, we moved, and wow what a job!! We are all settled in to the new pad, its alot smaller but its very comfortable and very affordable!! And it was worth it, the debts are getting smaller and smaller, and tomorrow is my last day at work, I was going to work longer to get more stable in the new house, but circumstances are making it sooner than later, but I am glad to be able to be home with the boys for spring break and this summer for sure! Things work out for a reason and I am thankful for that and the support of my family!!
Well gotta go, things to do and people to see! God Bless:)