lucky

I just came across this AMAZING singer/songwriter on YouTube and am downloading her album on iTunes immediately. Her name is Danna Richards and she is uber talented. She was/is writing one original song every day for a year (had to take a break so she could work extra shifts to afford to move to LA).  If you haven't already, check her out here and here.

This song isn't available on iTunes yet, but I enjoy it on the YouTube for now.





This song, Where You Are, is avalible here on iTunes.  Perfection.

homemade laundry soap

For quite a while now, we've been using homemade laundry soap.  It has been a HUGE money saver since I was kind of a Tide snob. I would only buy it on sale with a coupon but still, it gets pricey.  When you are doing laundry for a family of five, plus all the farm clothes and Chad's work clothes, it adds up.

Anywho, I came across the Duggar family recipe for laundry soap.  I had actually found it years ago but it wasn't until I saw a how-to video on YouTube that I tried it.  Her recipe halves the duggars, so instead of 5 gallons of concentrated soap, it only makes 2 1/2 gallons.  I never had a place to store five gallons of soap, but half was doable.

I don't know if the people that read this blog are really going to want to try this, but I figure I'll post the recipe just in case!  Now keep in mind, this makes 2 1/2 gallons of concentrated soap so it will yield 5 gallons of actual laundry soap.

(She's kind of rambly in the beginning--skip to 2:37 to see the process)

2 cups water

1/2 bar Fells Naptha soap-grated

1/2 cup Super Washing Soda

1/4 cup Borax
2 gallons and 1/2 gallon hot water

Boil 2 cups water. Add grated Fells Naptha soap slowly. Stir until melted.  Fill bucket with 2 gallons hot water and add the melted soap.  Add the Washing Soda and Borax and mix until dissolved.  Add 1/2 gallon hot water.  Add essential oil (optional).  Cover and let sit for 24 hours.  Fill your laundry soap container half full of the soap and the rest of the way with water.  Shake before each use.

*A couple of tips: Fells Naptha can be found in your grocery store or in WalMart by the fabric softeners. Grate the soap as fine as you can.  Add in slowly to boiling water or it will clump up and take longer to melt.  I have never used any essential oils.  If you use as-is, your laundry won't have a smell which is fine.  Chad just so happened to have a 2 1/2 gallon jug with a lid, so that's where I store my concentrated soap.  I use a 2 Quart Rubbermaid container as my soap jug which works great for measuring half soap, half water to fill.  You could also use an empty Tide container or whatever you use.

I have found washing my clothes in warm water works best with this soap.  I tried using cold, but I don't think the soap works as good.  My clothes were coming out dingy.  I also use OxyClean in every load.

I love it and it has saved us a ton of money on laundry soap.  With me not earning a paycheck, I have to make our money stretch.



re-post

I'm posting the snowball fight video again in hopes that this time, everyone can see it!

lime

snowball fight!

Jack is in the blue, Alex is in red. Benny is the tiny guy in red =)

randomness and snow

Here are some pictures from practice last Saturday. Keep in mind, I'm on the other side of the glass, hence the cruddy quality.

He's getting better every time! 

The other day Ben was super tired (don't thing he got a nap) and not even a chip could keep him awake. He was falling asleep mid-bite =)

Today it snowed. I guess I should be happy it waited until November for our first measurable snowfall, but I'm not. It was pretty to see the snow, but I'm just not ready.

Chad had to take a couple of steers to be butchered and of course it had to be today. He made it there okay and almost made it home but as he was slowing to turn into our barn driveway the truck wanted to veer towards a post. He kept going straight and drove over to the grain bin to check on it (we combined our corn last Sun./Mon. and now we have the burner on to dry it). When he came back, cattle trailer still in tow, he slowed to make the turn again but this time slid in the ditch. So with a little help from our tractor, tow chain, and a helpful neighbor we (they) got the truck out of the ditch. All this hassle with the snow which will be gone tomorrow. That's Wisconsin for ya.

The two biggest trees we have (30+ years old) still have almost all their leaves so when we got this heavy, wet snow the limbs were touching the ground. Luckily we only lost one small branch from the tree in the back.  The weather looks good for the rest of the week which is good because we still have potatoes to dig!

alex on ice

Papa Dave took Alex to open skate on Saturday. They have these plastic pushers or scooters there to help people who don't know how to skate and Alex grabs one every time.  This time, he did the whole open skate all on his own. I am so proud of him! I know he can do it but I think he likes that with a pusher, he can go faster. Papa Dave skated too and only fell once! (shh, don't tell)  =)

I finally have some photos of him at his hockey practice, but wanted to get this up first. Post with the pics coming soon!

trick-or-treat

The weather was so-so, around 50 degrees. We've had better, but we've also had way worse. The boys and I went around with Chad's sister and husband and their three kids just like we have for 6+ years. It went well and the kids behaved fairly well this year. It was a long night but they had fun and got a ton of candy. They got so much in fact that Jack's pumpkin handle broke when we walked into the house because there was so much candy in it. Here's the only shot of Chucky, Batman, and the black Spiderman (I know he's called something but I have no idea what it is).

Absolutely no one knew who (or what) Ben was. Am I really that old that nobody remembers Childs Play? It wasn't the most accurate costume but I thought it was close enough. We texted my mom a picture of Ben the night before Halloween with his "stitches" because he wanted to scare Nana. Well it worked because she thought it was real. Woops! Should have known better because we all know Halloween is mothers most favorite holiday =) Maybe he will be a puppy next year!

And of course, we had to stop at the DQ for the customary Halloween Dilly Bar. Jack is wearing some here!