Sunday Drive

I found this song on Tangle and had to post it . . . we LOVE our Sunday drives - really any day drives. We have been known to jump in the car and let the kids pick right or left for a few hours before heading back home. It is amazing how little we know of where we live and God's beauty all around us. I hope you take the time to enjoy what God has put all around you.



Have a wonderful day everyone - Lisa

Just another wonderful reminder . . .

Just another wonderful reminder from the Lord of why I am where He has me at this moment in my life. Little girl decided to pack a lunch for her and Bubby. She laid out the tablecloth, packed a wonderful lunch complete with apples, baby carrots, left over pizza, and Doritos. Of course she also brought out the books so Bubby could do a little reading to her as well. It is moments like this - on days like these that I take a deep breath and say, "Thank you God for allowing me to be right here - right now."
What an amazing God we serve!

I pray each of us will enjoy the gentle reminders God gives us throughout our days. Have a blessed day everyone - Lisa

Laundry Soap Recipe

For those of you who might be interested in making your own laundry soap here is the recipe that I use. Now before you totally think I have lost it - it is really not that hard and it works GREAT. A 5 GALLON bucket of laundry soap cost me around $3.50 to make and it usually lasts about 6 MONTHS and we do A LOT of laundry around here. So here is the recipe. This recipe is off of the Duggar Family website.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups - hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap (can also use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars)
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax (this can be bought at most Wal-Marts)

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons for scent. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

Just a few of my own personal notes. . . . Super Washing Soda is toxic - so be sure to keep it any place other than the kitchen and make sure kids cannot reach it. It is not the same as Arm and Hammer baking soda - completely different thing. If you try to substitute baking soda for washing soda the laundry soap with not thicken and will not work properly. Also I thought I could make my soap smell really nice as I am spoiled and like my laundry smelling like anything other than clothes :-) so I tried to use Caress soap - don't waste your money the smell will not be there. It still cleans fine, but no heavenly scent.

I am now use ZOTE laundry soap - you can order it online as well, we have a Mexican Market that I can get it from here, but like stated above there are other soaps that will work just fine.

To grate the soap I use my food processor - it does a great job and since it is just soap you are grating it will not be dangerous for food after.

I hope you all give this a try. I think you will really enjoy the results and the savings.

Have a wonderful day everyone - Lisa

Moments Like These

It is in moments like these that I am reminded how incredibly BLESSED I am. I am so thankful that Avery has a "Big Bubby" to take care of her and to help her grow into the young lady that God wants her to be. It is truly humbling when you walk in the living room and your 9 year old boy is on his knees by the couch praying for his sister because she is getting in trouble for disobeying and if that wasn't enough for the tears to start flowing, he goes to bed and prays that her heart with turn to God and she will get saved "because she is going to learn the hard way Mom if she doesn't give her heart to God". I have no other words to say other than I LOVE being these two kids' Mommy !!!!

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3-5)

Have a wonderful day everyone - Lisa

Just Because . . . .

Just because . . . for no other reason than the fact that I love these pictures of our "little princess" doing her handwriting. They have desks, they have a table, but somehow they always chose to do their work at ANY spot other than these two places.



Have a wonderful day everyone - Lisa

Astronomy and our Amazing God. . . .

I think one of the best things about homeshooling is how much you learn along with the kiddos. I am so thankful that everything our children our being taught can be backed up with the WORD of GOD ! ! ! It is so refreshing when you look at the world through God's eyes and not man's textbooks/theories. God's word is FULL of truth and promises and amazing facts - we just need to be willing to open it up and teach from it. I thank God that even through the difficult days (and yes we really do have difficult days around here) that God is faithful to take my selfish eyes off of myself and place them back on the greater picture-HIS GLORY!!!

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Pictures at the Park

It is working . . . well sort of , but hey I will take what I can get. I really wanted to get some nice pictures of the kids at the park, but with two very goofy kiddos that is almost impossible. Still the last one isn't too bad - so I will consider the adventure a success.

Have a wonderful day everyone - Lisa