Homemade Laundry detergent, Who would have thought!

The other day I decided to try to make my own laundry detergent. I have looked at several recipes on various occassions but I always decided against it as I didn't have the time or I figured it would be too messy and how well could it work afterall. I finally broke down and decided to try it with my I phone in hand I googeled several different recipes before I decided on one and tweaked it a little to my liking. Here is what I used.

2 cups Borax (found in the laundry section at Kroger and also at Ace Hardware)
2 cups of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (also found at the above named places)
2 cups of Fels naptha bar soap finely grated(I also made my powder detergent with bonner's bar soap which I got at HEB and both worked well, I have heard you can use Ivory, and Zote Bars of soap as well.

First I took a cheese grater and used the fine blade for hard cheeses and grated it over a bowl.

Then I took 4 cups of water and brought it to a boil, added the grated bar of soap and mixed until all of the soap melted into the water.

In a 4 gallon bucket I added the remaining dry ingredients and poured my melted soap and water into the bucket. I stirred well until everything was well mixed and then added 40 cups of warm water to the mixture and stirred for a few minutes.

Let the mixture sit for 24 hours and then mix well again. It will seperate and you will have to mix it up well. At this point I poured it into pint sized mason jars and sealed for storage. I use 14 - 1/2 a cup depending on size of load and filth. I have a HE top loader and it works well. There are very little if any suds from this detergent and I have had no issues. If you want an extra boost you can add some oxyclean but I have not needed it so far. As a stain treater, I wet the stain and rub my fels naptha bar of soap on it and then put it in the laundry.

This has saved a lot of money and makes you feel great when you know you are doing your part for the planet and your family but not rinsing harmful chemicals down the drain.

I think it costs a couple of cents per load, and I do scent it with essential oils. I have used lavender and vanilla, tee tree oil(which is great for cleansing) and also vanilla. I add just 2 or 3 drops to each pint sized jar and shake well. DONT use too much as it will over power you.

I hope you enjoy and give it a try it was simple and only took about 10 minutes from start to finish the very first time I made it.

Hey there Stranger!

My beautiful Children, what a blessing!

Wow it's been a long time since I last wrote. I have too much to update to put it all in one post so be on the look out for more posts in the next day or two.

We survived our first year of middle school with straight A's and got a fabulous beginer bassoon player out of the experience. Megan my second in line, finished 5th grade with wonderful grades, great friends, and a smile. She was nervous about middle school starting this year and we had a rough go of it at first but she is doing very well and is coming into her own. Francesco made it through Kindergarten though I was not sure at first if we would make it. Francesco is just as smart as the girls but his interests lie elsewhere and it was challenging getting him to take an interest in reading and spelling. Once I called in Dad to start working with him in the evenings thigns went much better and he seems to respond well to Antoine working with him. I think they both enjoy the time together. He is still more interested in climbing and running and honestly I am still not sure traditional school as it exists here, is the best environment for him to thrive in but for the moment that is where we are (I dream of homeschooling them but at the present time, Antoine and I are not on the same page). This is something I continue to pray about.

Over the past 12 3/4 years I have changed and grown in a lot of ways as a parent. I started out as a very idealistic parent who tried to make things fair and help my kids in any way I could. Sometimes that included swooping in to save the day setteling disputes for them, bringing forgotten homework up to school, conferenceing with teachers for everything that upset them and me, bringing their lunches to school regularly because they didn't have time to make them(poor time management), and other little things like that. What I have come to realize now is that once in awhile it is okay but when I choose to bail them out of a situation they have gotten themselves into because of lack of planning or just being lazy or irresponsible, I rob them of an opportunity to learn a lesson from the natural consequences that arise.

It is a struggle to sit back and watch your kids fall short, go hungry for an afternoon, or get in trouble but it is a necessary lesson in life and part of the process of growing up and maturing. If not now, then later they will have to learn this lesson and the consequences stand to be much greater as they get older. I love my children with all of my heart and I want to see them succeed. However I don't want to raise a bunch of kids that feel entitled to everything and don't know how to take responsibility for their own actions. When the girls were young I meant well doing all the chores and everything for them but I watched as they grew and saw how they expected things and didn't want to take part in the work and responsibility that comes with being a part of a family.

Things are better now and we are still a work in progress but I believe that noticing the issue and changing my patterns and behavior will trickle down to them. I am very blessed that I have such great children, who know how to be respectful, and really don't give me problems, hother then the typical fights amoungst siblings and sassing us back at home once in awhile which comes with a big consequence.

I think as mothers we do our best and I am continually searching for thigns that work for our family. I learn and grow as a parent alongside my children and husband. I fall short all the time but I do my best and I have my families best interests at heart.