Homemade Laundry Soap

Right before Christmas I realized that I was out of laundry soap. I hate hate hate buying things like this. There are so many things that I would rather spend my money on. That very same day I found a recipe online for laundry soap on this blog http://cuegly.blogspot.com/. I went right to the store and bought all the stuff-which only cost me around $6 total. It was so easy, I will never buy the store stuff again. It actually worked better than the soap I had been using and it smells really great. I was worried about my kids skin getting irritated, but I have been using it for over a month now and have not noticed anything different. Here is the recipe if anyone else wants to try it. I got all the stuff from my Frys Marketplace.

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 cup washing soda
½ cup Borax
*
Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use one tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.
*
Yields: three cups detergent (approximately 40 loads).

I even made me a cute little container to hold it in. It makes doing the laundry just a little better (very little, but every bit helps right!!).

Christmas

We had such a great Christmas this year. I made the girls some Christmas dresses and Owen a tie to wear for our Family pictures. I seriously had to take about 100 pictures for a decent one of all the kids-here is the best one.

On Christmas Eve, Santa came and filled the stockings and left some fun presents.

Olivia woke up first and waited in our room until she was practically crying because she couldn't wait any longer. So we woke up Abby and Owen and went to open presents. Owens favorite part was the dum-dums in his stocking. He loved them!!!

Abby was just so cute opening her presents. She got so excited for every one. Olivia was more excited to watch Abby open her presents then opening her own.

It is so fun being the Mom now that my kids are old enough to "get" Christmas, but still young enough to really enjoy the spirit of Christmas. We had a great Christmas this year!!

Baby Shower

I am posting this in my blog because I know that there are a few blog stalkers out there. We are having a baby shower for my sister Sara, who is having twins, on Dec 29th in the evening. If any of you are interested in coming, email me your address and I will get you an invite. My email is aelledge13@yahoo.com. I know that she would love to see you, even if it has been awhile, so don't be shy!!!

Favorite Christmas Toys

Two years ago I saw this little peoples Nativity at Walmart (it has more parts, but I couldn't find them).

It has since become the favorite Christmas decoration for the girls, especially Abby. She spends all day playing with these guys. She loves that she knows their names and she will read them stories and carry them around the house. I have found the Baby Jesus stuffed in her pocket many times already this year. So last week when Alex was at Target, he saw this playmobile set he bought it and gave it to the girls.

They were beyond excited. It is so funny to hear them play with them, especially when there is drama. Mary and Joseph have broken up many times already this week (I have no idea where Olivia gets this idea, but it is popular when she plays Barbies also). I love that my kids know that we celebrate Christmas because of the Baby Jesus and that they know all the people involved in that amazing story. I hope that these continue to be a favorite at our house.

An unrelated, but funny picture. I asked Abby what she was doing and she told me "family means nobody gets left behind" I guess we have been watching too much Lilo and Stitch!!! This picture cracks me up-no pun intended Ariel!!!

Run-Don't Walk!!!

Seriously, I was so excited when I saw this. Our budget lately doesn't include many fast food stops, especially the more pricey ones like Panda Express. Now I can make this at home any day!!! We tried this last night for dinner and it was awesome!! Even Olivia said that it was so spicy, but she couldn't stop eating because it was so good. Go out and get some today-we got ours at Costco.

Sisters!!

Just tonight after we put the girls to bed, I kept hearing them in their room giggling. Olivia would say something and Abby would laugh so hard. It was cute, but I really wanted them to fall asleep already. I turned to Alex and said, " I really wish they would just be quiet and fall asleep". To this he replied-" I wonder how many times your Mom said that about you and your sister". Well played dear husband!!!

I remember so many times being threatened with sleeping outside with the goats if I didn't stop talking and go to sleep. So, sorry Mom for never listing and sorry Sara for constantly keeping you up talking and laughing. Don't think that I have stopped either. Alex knows that when I say I'm going to bed-it really means that 30 minutes later I will stop talking about my day and finally fall asleep. I think that it is at times like that that he really wonders what he got himself into 9 years ago when he asked me to marry him!!

Halloween

So, I have been a little behind lately. I think I have had the flu or something for the last 2 weeks. Every time I start to feel better, I try and do to much and it shuts me back down. So that is my excuse for being 3 weeks late posting Halloween pictures.

Olivia informed me about 2 months ago that she wanted to be Taylor Swift for Halloween. She was very concerned that her hair didn't look the same and that she was too short to look like TS. It took a lot of convincing that she didn't have to look JUST like her, just close enough. She turned out very happy with the costume, so that is all that mattered!! Abby wore the little bo peep costume that I made for Olivia a few years ago. Olivia was little bo peep and Abby was a little sheep. Abby was very upset that Owen didn't fit the little sheep costume, until we found her little sheep doll that Grandma gave her a few years ago. That made everything better. So, I debated for a long time about Owens costume. I really hoped that the sheep costume would fit him, but when we got out the Halloween stuff, it was way too small. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a costume that he would wear for 30 minutes. Then I found on one of my craft blogs this cute little peter pan costume and I have almost all of the felt already so I got busy. I think it turned out so cute, and though he looks less than impressed, he kept it on all night and didn't take off the hat once. Has anyone else noticed how similar peter pan and robin hood dress. Olivia pointed that one out to me and kept calling Owen Robin Hoood. Luckily, my Mom could come with me to the ward Halloween party because Alex was out hunting again-he always seems to miss the Halloween parties.

Owen really wanted a muffin!! How cute is that face!!

We went trick or treating on Halloween night with some friends in the neighborhood, but I didn't take a single picture that night-what a horrible mom!!! They had so much fun and got a lot of candy that we are still rationing!! Olivia is already planning her costume for next year.