Special treat

Annabelle is fresh from a sleep over at grandma and grandpa's house last night. Because it was daylight savings today and they had to get up early for church, Annabelle and Grandpa took a nap this afternoon.   Guess who's now not the least bit tired.

Often times as mothers we feel less than.  We don't make the right choices.  We don't do enough.  We aren't enough.  As for me I am not here enough, when I am here I am not present enough.  I am often preoccupied (with making breakfast/lunch/dinner, doing laundry, paying bills, planning errands, etc).  It sounds silly to say it outloud.  I know my family loves me and thinks I am plenty.  

I treasure nights like tonight when we get to steal a few moments to just BE TOGETHER.

I need to remember these times when I get down on myself about all the other times.  I am here. I am present.  She will remeber these times as well as the others.  

This is life and all we can do is to live it to the fullest each day!  

(while still maintaining a household).

Syrup, our favorite morning sugar

We go through a lot of syrup around here.  I have two kids, and a husband who all eat syrup almost every morning.  I hate feeding them all of those chemicals and spending all that money.  My mom found a recipe for homemade syrup, so yes, I too made some homemade syrup.  Super easy and surprisingly tasty.

This only took me a few minutes and made about 16 oz (I doubled the recipe).  Water, sugar, corn syrup and Imitation Maple flavoring.  I didn't do the exact math but this recipe only costs cents to make.  Now I am excited to mess with the recipe and try to cut or substitute some of the sugar. Any suggestions? 

2 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Water

1 teaspoon Maple Extract

Bring water and sugar to a slow boil Over low heat, stirring constantly.  Don't let it come to a rolling boil as that would cause crystals.  Remove.from heat.  As it cools, add the flavoring.  Transfer to a storage container.  Store in the refrigerator.  For thicker syrup replacenhalf.of the water with corn syrup.

I hate washing my face

I am very good about washing my face in the shower in the morning, with a great cleanser, and taking care of my face.  When I am not showering, I hate washing my face.  I hate washcloths, I hate splashing water on my face, I hate the whole process.  But, as a woman, I know how important it is to wash off the day before going to bed.  I was delighted many years ago to find those pre moistened face wipes.  They have been my go to item for some time now.  I have tried many brands, and have my favorites, but it has always bothered me how much they cost.  I have tried to make myself use a wash cloth and cleanser, and I just don't do it.  I was excited many months ago to see a post come across Pinterest about making your own face wipes at home.  Again, it has taken me too long to actually create them, but I am out of the store bought kind and refused to buy more until I tried making my own. 

The post I read had instructions on using a full roll of paper towel and cutting it in half.  That just seemed too messy to me, and would really bother me to have uneven edges.  I thought of using these nice and soft hand towels instead.  I found them on sale for $2.50.  I will keep my eye out for the right container to hold them, but for now, my upcycled coffee container fit them just fine. 

Most of the store bought pre moistened wipes only come in 30 packs.  There are 60 of these towels so I am already at a savings. 

Two cups room temperature water that has been previously boiled.  Dissolve 1 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil in the water.  I decided to use a few drops of some essential oil, Serenity anyone? 

To get the towels wet enough I had to more than double the amount of liquid I made.  I used 5 cups of water and 5 tablespoons of coconut oil to get them properly moistened.  I think next time I will half the amount of coconut oil.  After testing my concoction I am pleased, but do feel that it is a tad bit oily.  They smell heavenly and I will see how they fair moistness wise throughout the next month or two. 

A link to the original post.

http://www.homemademamas.net/2012/09/makeup-removing-cloths.html

Homemade Laundry Soap...I am my mother's daughter

I grew up hearing stories of my mom making all kinds of homemade things, as all good Montana wives and mothers did.  As convenience has won out over the past generation, many of us have lost touch with those recipes and processes.  Well, tonight I decided that wasn't going to be me any more.

Several months ago a few of us at work got to talking about homemade items.  A fellow nurse, a recent transplant from Michigan, told us that she made her own laundry soap.  We were all aghast!  What?  How?  How much?  She had received her recipe as a wedding gift from her aunt, and she assured us that it was easy, cheap and ended with a great product.  I am embarrassed to say how long it has been that I have had both the recipe and the ingredients, but have lacked the time to dedicate to this.  Well, we have been out of laundry soap around here for, hmm, about two weeks and so necessity is the mother of invention.  I had a few minutes tonight to myself, and so I went for it.  I am pleased to report it was fun, easy and very rewarding! 
The recipe follows in its entirety is at the bottom of this post.

I started by cutting up a bar of Fels Naptha soap.  I found this bar at Walmart and it was only $1!  Heidi (my coworker) said she didn't grate it but just cut it up into small pieces.  I think next time I will grate it, as I couldn't get some of the bigger pieces to melt completely, so my laundry soap has some chunks.

 

  After adding the Borax and washing soda.  This stuff smelled heavenly...I wanted to take a bath in it!

 The brew!  We used the empty laundry detergent bottle to store it.  This recipe made almost a whole 6 Liters.  This bottle of all natural laundry detergent usually costs me $15 at Sams. 

This brew only cost me $1.50 and 45 minutes of my time.  Now I am so excited to do laundry!

It just keeps getting better...

It has become very apprent lately that Heath and I are very happy and very blessed.  We feel that our marriage just keeps getting better and better.  We have learned how to communicate, how our strengths and weaknesses compliment each other and how to overlook those small annoyances.  We are by no means perfect, and it is not all hearts and flowers all the time, but it is good and just keeps getting better. 

I look forward to spending the next year and a half together, saving and planing a wild 10 year anniversary trip, then a twent-five, fifty, and God willing a seventy-fifth wedding anniversary.  

I love you Heath, I have since I was 18 years old and will until I am 118!  You are my best friend, my partner in life and in crime ; ) I look forward to raising these crazy kids with you, watching them bloom into amazing adults (like us) and start their own families. We are going to be that grandpa and grandma that kiss to gross out our grand kids.  I look forward to a lifetime of memories we are yet to create. Thank you for being in this with me.  

I'm 33!

I didn't mind turning 30.  In some ways I felt like I had finally arrived.  30 seemed respectable to me. 30 seemed like I wouldn't be treated like I was a kid, and that I would be respected.  Now I am 33!  I am officially mid thirties.  I am LOVING it!  I feel established, I feel settled.  The next step is 40, but I have a lot of years before I have to face that one.

Today I am 33.  I have never felt this sure of myself, confident or comfortable in my skin.  I go forward in this world knowing the things I believe in have been evaluated as my own ideals, and not because that was just the way I was taught. I am raising children, with my husband, whom I chose, and we are raising them with our ideals.  We have a strong foundation, spiritually, financially, mentally, emotionally and physically.  I feel grateful.  I see the beauty each day.  I am happy.

As I embark on this exciting year, I pause to enjoy this day.  I pause to honor the place where I am.  I pause to celebrate me!

Goal setting is very important. "If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time".

This year I want to focus on being an admirable person.  It isn't about the outside looking in, but more about me making choices in everything that I can be proud of, and wouldn't be embarrassed about if someone knew.  My cookie binge eating around the holidays, not admirable!  My tendency to be a distracted driver (texting, entering things on my to do list, in my calendar, etc), is REALLY not admirable.  My strong work ethic, or extreme honesty? Admirable!  It is about me owning every decision and action and being able to be proud.  I have two sets of small eyes that watch everything I do, and hear everything I say. What do I want them to see? Hear? What kind of example do I want to set for them?

This year I will not text and drive.  This year I will read at least 12 books.  This year I will be punctual.  This year I will continue to work towards my weight goal.  This year I will be a admirable woman!

Conclusion of the 32nd Year

Tonight is the last night of my 32nd year of life.  This year has been by far the most growth filled, exceptional, accomplishment laden year. I am proud. Last year I laid out several audacious but well thought out goals.  I was very clear on what I wanted, and carefully built myself a road map to accomplish those goals. It is amazing how far I have come. This is the first time I have ever concluded a year feeling like I am a better more whole person because of the goals I laid out and worked towards, and stuck to the entire year. Most years I couldn't have told you what my goals were the year previous.  

This year we paid off all of my student loans, making us DEBT FREE but the house.  We have successfully cashed flowed our lives including ALL of Heath's tuition.  We are slowly building our emergency fund to that six month of expenses number. That will take us awhile longer.

  I lost 20 pounds!  I missed my overall goal by 10 pounds but have to give myself some slack as these are the 10 pounds I have ALWAYS had. Its baby fat, but not Annabelle's or Logan's, it's Mine.  I am struggling with some major hormonal changes as Logan just weened within the last month or so.  That goal will roll over, and that's ok.

I completed a sprint triathlon.  And I wasn't last!  I don't know if I will become a triathlete but I have my eye on doing the Longmont Triathlon in June and the Tri for a Cure in August.  We will see.  It's an expensive sport and I'm a little afraid of being bit by the bug.  

I feel much healthier than I did a year ago. I am much better and clearer about making me a priority. I have figured out where I fit into my life. I am just as important, if not more important than everyone else.  I slow down when I need to, I put my yoga and meditation practice as a priority and not an afterthought.  I excercise regularly.  I eat well.  I give myself the freedom to sit and read that book instead of do the dishes/laundry/pick up the house etc. I am becoming ok with the chaos, or at least owning the part that I can and dismissing the rest.  I got away for a meditation retreat this year with plans for more in the future.  I take baths often to relax and unwind.  I have blogged, all year!  It is a source of expression and freedom. I have a beautiful anonymous audience who listens, and somehow validates me.  I have a to do list that includes future post ideas.  I have never been a good journalour but somehow this comes more easily, and I look forward to my time, in the bath, with my glass of wine/cup of tea some candles and blogger.  

So here's to an amazing 32nd year. It will go down as the year that changed everything.  I learned how to set attainable goals. How to put me first.  How to set an intention for the day. How to roll with the punches and how to be a beautiful woman.  I am excited about the coming year, and all the potential.  How amazing will I be by this time next year?!  Answer: AMAZING!