Just call me Laura Stewart

I'm having one of those moments when my chest is s a little puffed out and my head is the size of watermelon! I'm quite proud of myself. Maybe I should go back just a little bit. I found a link to a site called Pinterest. There I found all kinds of things to distract me from the things I was supposed to be doing. Among them was this Pin for sheet storage that I just thought was genius so Martha Stewart and it even had a link to the Martha Stewart video for fitted sheet folding which I promptly pinned. (pinterset lingo). I pulled out all the sheets and reorganized away. Now of course my sheets in their cases don't look that neat and nice but the concept works and it solved some problems I was having with sheet storage, so I'm happy.

For years I've been wanting to try my hand at making hand soap, laundry soap, candles and pretty much anything I can make on my own. I have this fascination with all things homemade. Well with rocketing prices I finally decided to try it. I had already research hundreds of recipes for laundry detergent and hand soap. So I had it narrowed down and honestly I took advice from several peoples posts, including my friend who posted her recipe on facebook, and kind made our own. Same with the hand soap. Last night armed with my recipes, all my ingredients and my hubby we ventured in to the world of Laura Ingles days of making your own soaps.

My liquid soap was a little runnier than I wanted but works really well. Works for dishes, hand soap and yes you could even bath the kids with it. It's wonderful! I stored in the cutest little Better Homes & Gardens canning jars. So cute Doug is designing little cute labels for them.

The liquid laundry soap turned out fabulous! I was so proud! I used it today and it is wonderful! It was easier than I thought it would be.

Next was the dishwasher powder, which by the way is fabulous! Super easy and to me easily rivals the name brands.

All in all it was I'd say it was a great success! I'm feeling very frugal and Martha Stewarty!
Next on my list is fabric softener, Bug Spray (off) and anything else I can find to do!  So, I'm totally addicted to Pinterest! There is a ton of cool stuff on there and I'm loving every second! 

Here are some links that I pulled from in my search

Laundry Soap1 
Laundry Soap2
Dishwasher Powder1
Dishwasher Powder2
Liquid Hand Soap - in my research I found this was the easiest recipe out there for what I wanted.

How Hard Is It? Really?

This is my vent post! There are some disadvantages to being surrounded by all boys. Truthfully they are slobs although admittedly I can be somewhat of a slob also. Here is my how can is it really list, in no particular order.

How hard is it to:

1.  Put the new roll of toilet paper on the holder and throw away the empty roll.

2. To close the shower curtain when you get out of the shower. I hate mildew

3. To hit the laundry basket when you take off your clothes

4. Unload the dishwasher or load it for that matter

5. Fold a basket of laundry that has been waiting for you to fold it for a week.

6. Put your shoes IN the shoe basket

7. Put the books back on the bookcase.

8. Put your clothes in the actual drawer that they go in.

9. Put the movies and games back in their case and the case back on the bookcase.

10. Hang up your towels!

These are a few of my pet peeves that I am finding are driving me increasingly batso! I mean really. It isn't that hard.

I find that there are just not enough hours in the day. I'm having to become very task oriented in order to get anything done. I have to have a clear plan for the day and make myself stay on track or else I just don't get anything done. I'm finding this schedule so difficult to feel rested. I slept last night and woke up this morning tired. Go figure.

Next post...... Things I wish!

I am blameless.... Well at least this time

So the other night we are all sitting in the living room doing our various forms of entertainment when Doug lets off of fart not a small fart but a big fat noisy fart. First words out of Andy's mouth is "gross mom!" Hey that was not me! Doug of course is dying laughing that mommy gets blamed for his fart. My kids don't believe me that it wasn't me. Ummm I am a lady I don't fart out loud! I may on occasion fluff out loud but never fart. Who heard of such a ghastly thing! 

This has to be the difference between raising boys and girls. I have a sister and I don't remember farts being so talked about growing up but now it is the topic of lots of conversations in our house. I have to admit that I am succumbing to the boy topics in my house. It's hard to not be pulled into their gross conversations. I feel like I am losing my ladyship status a little more everyday! :) My mother would be mortified! She didn't raise us to be so crude! I have tried to introduce a little culture into my house full of vary levels of testosterone but to no avail. The second they even smell classical music or a classic movie they scatter faster than cockroaches in light. I literally think they can smell for at least an hour before I even think it.

Alas I am the Lone Estrogen. I feel like I need a sidekick now. The Lone Ranger and Tonto meets The Lone Estrogen and Meno (short for menopause). I guarantee estrogen and menopause win that duel! Apparently I will need to be more sneaky when it comes to introducing culture into my clan. Hey maybe I'll make it mandatory homework! *evil laugh* I can do that. I'm mom and teacher!

Motivated Moms

Motivated Moms is a printable chore planning system to help you have a clean and organized home and still have time for yourself! Motivated Moms is a great idea for anyone who would like an easy system to help them to know what to do each day. Just consult the list, do the work, check it off for the day and enjoy your free time!

I have this chore program I used to use it all the time years ago when I had my other house and I was the sec. at the church. Now that we've moved into our own place again I pulled out the good ole Motivated Moms and printed it out, put it neatly in it's nice binder and waited. And waited and waited. Disclaimer **** this does not come with the motivation to actually do the chores. I pulled out the nice notebook with the perfectly organized chore plan and stared at it. I got tired just reading it so I did the next logical thing and went to bed. 

Of course this is not a flaw in the motivated moms program (which is quite wonderful) but a flaw in myself. I did manage to spray the shower curtain down this morning before hitting the sack. Oh I did find something interesting before I went to bed that was a tad bit disturbing to me. 

I can not for whatever reason get this picture to be right side up. I've tried everything. But I'm reading the cereal box after pouring the cereal and I'm liking the calories, trans fat, I get to the cholesterol, it says omg cholesterol! Seriously! ROFL! OMW that slays me. It's an excellent source of vitamins & minerals but omg that cholesterol!  ROFL!

Omg Cholestreol!