Hooray for clean dishes!

I've been trying to switch over to more eco-friendly, less chemical cleaners for our home. It is taking a while, because I'm determined to finish up what we had first. While I don't want to purchase more commercial chemical cleaners for my house, I also don't want to be wasteful. It's a weird, fine line. A line I've been pondering lately and plan to post about more soon.

But for now, I wanted to share the BEST dishwasher detergent I've ever used. And I MADE it!

I ran out of my store-bought kind and decided today was the day. I marched out to grab the few ingredients I didn't already have on hand, mixed a big batch, and put it in the dishwasher.

I put a little too much in, but when the rinse cycle was finished I peeked in to find dish perfection. And this is saying something, because I was out of rinse aid. Any detergent I've ever tried in this dishwasher leaves a terrible film if I don't hang one of those rinse aid baskets. Well, the basket has been empty for a few cycles now, but this new detergent rinsed wonderfully.

The recipe came from Passionate Homemaking, and can be found here. She has some other awesome recipes too!

1/2 c. Dr. Bronner's Sals Suds
1/2 c. Water
1/2 c. White Vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil

Mix it all together, cover & store indefinitely. Use 1 Tbsp. for a load of dishes.

I multiplied everything by 4 to make a big batch, and stored it in a plastic rubbermaid canister that I used to keep extra sugar in. I know it's not a completely eco-friendly glass container, but I am reusing something and it didn't cost me anything extra, so I'm completely okay with it!

I'm so excited about this recipe!


And one more thing: for those of you who might be wondering about the "green-ness" of using your dishwasher verses handwashing, check out this link. I was feeling guilty about filling up my dishwasher so often rather than just washing by hand, but this makes me feel better!

Too funny not to repost!

This was originally posted here. I didn't write it, but I can SO identify with it. And I'm totally adding Suburban Snapshots to my blog roll! Are you ready? Here goes:

Why Having a Toddler is Like Being at a Frat Party

10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There's always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It's best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone's going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You've got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There's definitely going to be a fight.

3. You're not sure whether anything you're doing is right, you just hope it won't get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

There are some other funny additions in the comments of the original post. My favorite? "Everyone has to use their hands to go up the stairs." These all pretty much sum up our house these days! And I wouldn't trade any of it. Okay, some of it. But you know what I mean...

Thanks, Anna, for sharing this with me!

Happy Father's Day!

My girls have a wonderful father! I have a wonderful father!

They both deserve a wonderful day.

Here are the words from the Hallmark card I got for my hubby. I like writing, but I could not have better summed up this stage of our lives:

You and I
both know those days...
When the alarm clock
goes off way too early
after a night with a kid
who can't sleep...
When the morning routine
includes a whole house search
for someone's left shoe,
and everybody's late
to wherever they have to be...

When pulling together dinner
means a stop off for fast food,
and when one bedtime story
just isn't enough to do the trick.
Sure, we have days
that feel longer than they should,
but we get through them together
and that makes all the difference.

So bring on the late nights
and the missing shoes-
as long as we're sharing the fun,
it really is fun for everyone.



Happy Father's Day!

Song for Sunday:

If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out. It was fast paced, funny, and touching. Both Big and Little Sisters sat enthralled through the entire movie. It's by far the best Toy Story movie of them all!

You've Got a Friend in Me
By Randy Newman

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
Just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together and we see it through
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I am
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
But none of them will ever love you the way I do
It's me and you
And as the years go by
Boys, our friendship will never die
You're gonna see
It's our destiny
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Return of Rather Than...

Last night I was all set to write the rantiest (yes, I think I made that word up) blog post in the world. Okay, probably not in the world, but maybe in my world. Or at least in my blog world, which mostly consists of couponing advice and Christian mommy blogs.

But there are a few of you who rant from time to time, and I love you for it.

And I was all set to outrant you all.

But I was too tired. A nearly three-and-a-half-hour bedtime battle (in which I was repeatedly tag teamed) zapped the rant right out of me. I wrote some fussy status on facebook and sent a few whiny text messages to the Hubs, but I didn't have the energy to rant.

And I'm glad. Because now, rather than ranting, I can try to have some perspective.

Back in November, when I was overwhelmed and numb and just beginning to realize I needed to do something to save my sanity, I wrote this post. I found ways to be thankful in my less-than-perfect circumstances.

Yesterday, I tried to embrace (another) evening at home alone with the girls by playing lots and making pancakes for dinner. Big Sis had skipped her nap and hasn't been sleeping, so by dinnertime she was a mess. She had no patience for anything, including the pancakes, which were too fluffy (?!) and wouldn't stay on her fork. She cried and hit the table or threw something after. every. single. bite.

I took numerous deep breaths and tried to remind her that a lot of her troubles were about her attitude. Instead of getting angry about her fork issues, why not be thankful for yummy fluffy pancakes? Why not thank God that we have food at all? Why not be thankful for a mom who made you something special and soft so you could swallow it easily per your request?!?

Fast forward to today, as I thought "I need to work on a blog post. I've got so many things to rant about, this will be good..." and that lesson I prayed my four-year-old would learn echoed in my thoughts.

It was joined by another lesson I've been learning: the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about change and fruit in our lives is sometimes uncomfortable. It takes practice, something I've never really liked to do. God has reminded me over and over that each small challenge I face during the day has the potential to help me build character. IF I choose to respond accordingly.

So, that long explanation was just to say that I'm trying, with God's help, to turn each rant into a "rather than":

1. Rather than spending any more time complaining about bedtime battles, I'm trying to be thankful that my children have warm beds and a safe place to sleep, and that they have the energy and strength (and persistence) to fight me. I'm also using it as a reminder to pray that they will soon learn to channel such determination to less, er, frustrating endeavors.
2. Rather than complaining that I've gained back some of the weight I lost post-IUD because I've been stress eating, dining out or staying home by myself at night, I choose to thank God that I have the problem of too much- instead of too little- to eat. I will also use this as a reminder not only to try to take better care of myself, but to pray and provide for those whose problems are not flabby bellies, but rather empty ones.
3. Rather than lamenting my three dead baskets of marigolds (no hanging basket has ever survived a summer on my direct-sunlight front porch) I will celebrate the one that remains (and try to keep it alive).
4. Rather than fuss about being a "softball widow" or complain because my husband is gone nearly every night, I will thank God for a husband who is out late at night because he is serving and ministering to others, and who tries to make the most of the time he does have at home.
5. Rather than griping about the red and blue popsicle stains on my guest room comforter, I will be glad that I have a husband who stayed home with two sick kiddos so I could work my teensy part-time job, and who remembered to give them a snack. (Oh yeah, and I'm also just thankful for bomb pops- they put regular frozen treats to shame!)
   
6. Rather than stewing over the continual parade of roofers who keep ringing our doorbell and shoving fliers into our door, I'll be thankful that "storm damage" for us involves the loss of a few shingles, rather than our home or our lives.
   
7. Rather than feeling cooped up inside, I'll remember the great opportunity and responsibility it is to be a mom, even when it is less than glamorous. (Is it ever really glamorous? Maybe for Angelina Jolie...)
8. Rather than getting discouraged by financial hardships brought on by two surgeries in two months, I'm trying to be thankful that we have insurance to help with some of the expense and steady jobs to offer a glimmer of hope of paying the balance soon. Many others are not so fortunate.
9. Rather than getting bent out of shape because Sophie is currently laying on my nice, what we call "decoration blanket" (which means DO NOT cover up with this throw, it is not for you) and making it smell like dog feet, I'm just happy she is not chewing up something she shouldn't or barking to prematurely end naptime.
10. And finally: Rather than beating myself up over my (many) shortcomings as a mom, I will bask in the love and forgiveness offered to me by a God who loves me in spite of the messiness of me. How He loves us! I was reminded of this after watching the following video about this song by John Mark McMillan, which Shaun Groves shared on his blog. Enjoy.
    

Fun Photos from my Phone #2

Big girl bed= Big pain in the butt

Yesterday, with Little Sister at school and Hubby home, we all tackled some big projects around the house. My Mom and I took on the big task of cleaning up and assembling a big, sturdy bunk bed we got from friends.

My hope was that maybe a big girl bed would help Little Sister overcome her (newly returned) sleep troubles. I remembered the nights we tucked her into a big girl bed at my Auntie Ann's before heading to Disney; she felt so grown up that she didn't move a muscle until morning.

This time, not so much. For one thing, she was SUPER excited- like that little boy in the Disney vacation commercial. Then, she couldn't get used to not seeing Big Sis. Nor could she get used to hearing her every time she moved. She wanted to jump on the bed (of course) but bumped her head on the top bunk. She played with the new blankets and throw pillows and found any other reason to stay awake she could.

Big Sister had troubles of her own. For one thing, she was a little afraid of climbing down, so we had to practice over and over and over. The number of stuffed animals in her bed is ridiculous, so she had to deal with trying to keep them all in place. And at one point she bumped her head on the wall- the noise so loud that I had to climb up and check on/console her.

THEN, Little Sis wanted to see what we were doing, so she stood up and tried to climb on her railing. She did a somersault and fell out of bed. Both girls had to be comforted and reminded about the rules of bunk bedtime.

Finally, after lots of talking, giggling, bouncing, tossing, turning, fussing,(them) singing, cuddling, scolding, and praying (us) they settled in to sleep.

Little Sister woke up a few times in the night, no doubt the result of being in a strange place, but they slept well and slept in.

But tonight, Little Sis had to fuss herself to sleep in her crib again. She was just too overtired to settle in any other way. Maybe once I get her back on a decent sleep schedule, she'll be ready to lay down and sleep in her new bed.

Tonight, I stayed in her big girl bed for about a half an hour, and then ended up leaving her in her crib. I snuck in after a while, took the blanket off of her head (?!) and made sure she was snug and safe. Then I took Big Sis to bed. A few minutes later, I had to remove Little Sister's foot/leg from between the crib rails and comfort her. Still later, I heard Big Sister singing loudly over the monitor and had to go in to tell her to SHUSH! And just now, I had to go in with a flashlight to find a missing teddy bear.

Now, as I said, Little Sis is overtired. And Big Sis is loopy on pain meds. So I'm not ready to give up yet.

But boy, this whole big girl bed thing sure is a big pain!