The quest for frugality!

My lastest and favorite homemade cleaning supplies right now are the all-purpose cleaner and the window cleaner I found... the recipes are from Mary Jane Farms magazine.

The all purpose cleaner is WONDERFUL! you can create the smell you want by trying different scents of liquid castile soap in the mixture... I currently am using a lemon/almond scent and I am LOVING it! (personally I think this stuff works as well as 409 or fantastic and it only costs 30 cents to make 12-16 oz!!!!)

1 TBS WHITE VINEGAR
1 TBS LEMON JUICE
1 TBS LIQUID CASTILE SOAP
1 TBS BORAX
1 CUP DISTILLED H2O
(ESSENTIAL OILS - OPTIONAL)

(MIX AND PUT IN SPRAY BOTTLE)

The window cleaner is also really nice, the small bit of liquid castile soap makes a glass conditioner of sorts (the old windows at the ranch are thankful for sure!) It cleans like a dream and sort of revives the glass itself! (Currently I am using a peppermint castile soap and it helps cut the vinegar smell,plus it costs 5 cents for 16 oz!)

1/4 tsp -1/2 tsp LIQUID CASTILE SOAP
3 TBS WHITE VINEGAR
2 CUPS DISTILLED WATER

(MIX AND PUT IN SPRAY BOTTLE... SHAKE GENTLY BEFORE USE)


so, hope some of you try these and enjoy them! I am having such fun! and saving money while getting a fabulous, natural product... how great!

Sweet Summer

Some summer sweets and funnies...

Boaz my sweet with his head bandage... he took a nasty spill into the corner of a wall! learning to walk is treacherous!
We laughed for a good 20 minutes at gabriel my busy bee after Denver encouraged him to get "really dirty" in the field one night. he was rolling and laying in the dust, this picture is AFTER we blew him off with the air hose. I practically had to deep clean the bath tub after he got out!!! :)
This is a regular face from Boaz... especially if tickled or if Gabriel does something funny :)
The harvest line up complete with the working men :) Daddy (Denver) and Poppy (Monty)


Harvest has gone well this year, the crops are not good for anyone, but we are still very thankful to our Lord and Savior for keeping us afloat! His tender mercies and abundant blessings are the RICHES in our lives! We are truly thankful and blessed.

Being a Frugal and Fullfilled homemaker... (proverbs 31 woman!)

Hello all! I told some of you that I would post some information on making your own laundry soap... I was fortunate enough to get this recipe from a friend and fellow homemaker who is VERY inspiring in her frugal endeavors... :) not only is this recipe incredibly HYPOALLERGENIC it has almost NO smell so you can add essential oils or just use the dryer sheets you like for what smell you would like :)

IN A LARGE POT (ONE YOU ONLY USE FOR SOAP/CLEANER MAKING PREFERABLY)

4 QT WATER
(MEDIUM HEAT ON BURNER)
ADD- 1/2 C 20 MULE TEAM BORAX (SODIUM BORATE)
1/2 C ARM & HAMMER WASHING SODA (SODIUM CARBONATE)
STIR AND ADD 1/3 TO 1/2 C GRATED UP BAR OF FELS-NAPTHA

STIR UNTIL DISSOLVED... POUR INTO A 5 GALLON BUCKET AND ADDWATER TILL YOU REACH THE 3 GAL MARK.
AFTER IT COOLS YOU CAN POUR IT INTO OLD LAUNDRY CONTAINERS OR GALLON JUGS AND FILL MOST OF THE WAY UP WITH WATER (SORTA UNTIL IT'S THE CONSISTENCY YOU WANT)

IT WILL WANT TO GEL UP SO YOU CAN EASILY SHAKE IT WHEN YOU USE THESE KINDS OF CONTAINERS.

IT'S SORT OF A CAN'T MESS IT UP THING... IF IT'S A BIT RUNNY JUST USE MORE WHEN YOU DO YOUR LAUNDRY... USUALLY A 1/3 TO 1/2 C PER LOAD IS JUST RIGHT.
SUPPLIES:
LARGE PAN FOR COOKING
LARGE SPOON
5 GAL BUCKET
FUNNEL
OLD LAUNDRY CONTAINERS OR GALLON JUGS
ARM & HAMMER WASHING SODA
GRATED FELS NAPTHA BARS
20 MULE TEAM BORAX


Oh and I almost forgot... I just cleaned my washing machine to sparkling clean by running a hot load with 2 cups of white vinegar. AMAZING :)

THANKFULNESS

Just thinking about being thankful for where we are lately. God is so faithful and we are once again nearing harvest... I always think about the blessing of being able to stay at home and how we are cared for by our Heavenly Father when this season comes around :) I guess it is sort of exciting even though we are EXHAUSTED when we are done! The garden is growing well and I have decided that I DO NOT kill every plant I touch :) I actually have been able to grow things this year (but the hubby is SOOOOO much better at it... and he LOVES it) The boys are growing like crazy... BOAZ has been crawling since 6 1/2 months and Gabriel has been walking around saying "incredible" and throwing his arms in the air... (can you guess his current favorite movie?) We are happy and blessed to "TRUST IN THE LORD AND DO GOOD, DWELL IN THE LAND AND FEED ON HIS FAITHFULNESS" PSALM 37:3

Denver and I at Austin Smoke's 2nd birthday



Just thought we should give a quick update of how life's been going in our cozy corner of the world... we've been hopping around like bunnies trying to get all the yard in order and keep up with the boys at the same time! Gabriel will be 2 this month and Boaz is a week from 6 months! I still can't believe that they are so grown up already! We have been so enjoying watching them grow and begin to play together- Boaz just loves to watch Gabriel and vise versa :) What a delightful blessing from our Lord and Savior! We are so thankful for our home, family and friends! Hope all of your spring times are going beautifully!





Gabriel at Austin's birthday party
me, gabe, and gramma (my mom Aleta)
Gabriel playing in his bedroom
me and gabe in sandpoint, idaho on our 3 day family vacation :)
Boaz ... he's getting SOOOO tall!
such a delightful little man!

Boaz growing and growing...

So, Boaz is growing like a weed! On our home scale he was 15.5 lb a couple days ago (2 1/2 mo. old) He so far is in the 75-90 percentile for both height and weight! (with a cute little head!) He is a jolly joy in our lives and he LOVES watching his older brother gabriel. Oh boy, surely soon they will be running around together getting into all kinds of mischief! We have been so enjoying all the busy times. Oh, and Boaz is amazing at sleep! For at least 3 weeks now he sleeps 8 hours straight at night! (Mom is loving that!)

Christmas and the holidays

Christmas was so much fun... as usual we had our Christmas celebration over 2 days... Christmas eve with Denver's family and Christmas day with Amber's. (unfortunately we forgot our camera with both- so we stole these from our families... haven't got the ones from Amber's family yet)

Amber and auntie shy

mommy and gabriel
Daddy and Gabe
Gabriel playing with his new toys :) so excited!
Boaz hanging out with us :) what a good baby he is!