Thankful

Today I posted a bit about my newfound soap discoveries and it reminded me how thankful I am for reconnecting with all of those long lost friends from the past. I truly am blessed to have so many people to lean on.

Homemade Soaps

I recently reconnected with several old friends on Facebook. One of them, a lady who was a grade ahead of me in high school, introduced me to the amazing world of homemade soaps (Thanks Mary!). I'm not referring to the bar kind (which she does do but I'm not that devoted). What I have made for myself is dishwasher detergent, laundry soap, a soap to replace my 409 and soap to replace my Comet. Not only was it very easy but they work great and it saves loads on the cost of normal soaps. Here's how they're made:

1) Dishwashing Detergent : equal parts of Borax, Washing Soda & Cascade (additional hint: White vinegar works better than Jet Dry in your rinse cycle valve).
2) 409 : Mix 1t Borax + 2T white vinegar + 1c hot water then shake. Pour this into a 32 oz spray bottle and add water until it's about to the fill line. Add 1/8c Dawn dishwashing detergent and allow it to diffuse on it's own (don't shake).
3) Comet : Put 4 parts baking soda + 1 part borax into a shaker.
4) Laundry Soap: (This one's a little more involved) grate up a bar of Fels Naptha laundry soap, melt it into a pot with 4 cups boiling water. Fill a 5 gallon pail halfway with hot tap water, add melted soap, 1c washing soda, and 1/2c borax. Stir til dissolved. Fill bucket rest of the way with hot tap water. Cover with lid and allow to set overnight. In the morning, stir and fill a clean laundry container half full with soap- fill the rest of the way with water. This makes A LOT of soap - I'm talking 6 months worth!

I've also heard you can make a Windex replacement out of equal parts rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, and water but haven't tried that one yet. I hope you try at least one of these soaps out. The Comet replacement and dishwasher soap are the easiest so try those first if you're not sure whether it's for you. I LOVE THEM and may never use storebrand soaps again.

Thankful

Today is my birthday so I am thankful for being able to grow old....which is what I am.

Thankful

I am thankful today that our good friends Sarah and Wally have moved closer to us. We are looking forward to taking the train down to see their new house and celebrating another Wally Day!

Thankful

Yesterday I got to take the kiddos for a walk around one of the local lakes and they were good as gold. I am thankful for the times when they mind their manners. It helps me deal with the times (like right now) when they are being absolute MONSTERS and think back telling myself "this too shall pass".

What to Make

This is a super easy recipe for sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are NOT YAMS. In this house, yam is a very bad word. I eat them because I know they are good for me but it is like torture to make the other three eat them. Sweet potatoes are a little more subtle tasting, WAY less pungent, and in my opinion, more versitile to cook with. This one's easy:

Slice up some peeled sweet potatoes into small strips. Sprinkle on some salt & pepper then a very little bit of cayenne & paprika. Cook them on an oiled cookie sheet for 20 minutes (they will shrink significantly). Flip them over, sprinkle garlic on them, and cook for another 20 minutes. That's IT! The kiddos might not eat them if you put the paprika and cayenne on them but then again, that means more for you so measure accordingly!

Thankful

Today I am posting a recipe for sweet potatoes. I am thankful for two things related to this:
1 - That my family puts up with being my guinnee pigs when it comes to recipes and will try almost anything once.

2 - That I have the time and means to test out pretty much any recipe that I find that sounds interesting. I love to cook and am also thankful to my Dad for instilling in me a curiosity in the kitchen.

Thankful

Today my grandma Pearl turns 93 and I am so thankful for having her influence in my life as I grew up and now for her being a great-grandparent to my kids.

Thankful

I am thankful today for my adorable kiddos. From the "Mommy I lub yew"s to their playing ring around the rosies or mixing up S for F in their ABC song so it became an infinate verse ("QRFGHIJKLMNOPQRFG...") and singing take me out to the ball game with gusto - albeit with several missing verses and a few random karaoke tangents about potties and peanuts and crackerjacks ...they are a comedy show all by themselves. I'm saving up all of these thankful moments for when they become teenagers.
.

Thankful

Today is the baby shower for my friend and I am thankful that she is almost done with her pregnancy and thankful that so far things have worked out well for her and her beautiful family.

Big News

My little sweetheart made the front page of the local newspaper! Remember that auction I mentioned earlier this week? Well they got a picture of her with the painting that grandpa bought for her. She was so excited!

Thankful

Today is Friday the 13th, so I am thinking about superstitions and fate and God, etc. Today I am thankful that every time in our lives that it seems things have taken a turn for the worst or something seems to be unfortunate happening that makes us take a certain path, it has always worked out for us and I am thankful for the guiding hand the keeps us safe.

Thankful

Today the kids spent the afternoon with Grandma & Grandpa Tanyon. I am so thankful for their health and feel very blessed that my children will have memories of FIVE of their great-grandparents.

Thankful

Today is Veteran's Day. So today I am thankful for my dad, who is a veteran, and all others who are serving (or have served) in the military.

Thankful

Now that we've successfully eradicated all of the Halloween candy from the house I am thankful for our beautiful weather lately that lets us get out and play tennis and golf and hike to work off some of those snickers bars.

Thankful

With Christmas fast approaching, my kiddos are already looking forward to the big day and asking all sorts of questions about Santa and chimneys and reindeer, etc. One of the most recent revelations by my daughter was that Santa might not know that we are going to be spending Christmas here, in California, rather than Oregon as we have all other Christmases. So as a solution, she wrote her "letter" to Santa (really, it was just a page full of individual letters, but she's 3 so cut her some slack) requesting three items in her stocking and informing him of where we will be staying. Of course, not to be out done, her brother had to put pen to paper too. If you thought her letter was illegible though, his will surely need translation. I am so so very very thankful for getting to be a part of these magical moments for both of them.

Thankful

My husband is being great this evening and watching the kids so that I can have a night out with the ladies. So today I am thankful for good friends and our good times together.

Going Once - Going Twice...

Tonight was the annual Rotary auction and we found a few things that we could use and won them and then...well, there were a couple we found that we didn't necessarily need. All I can say is that the party will be at our house next summer.... We got this 24 foot Sun Chaser pontoon boat and a...vending machine? Yes, you read that right. A VENDING machine...maybe sales from the vending machine will pay for the boat...Oh well, it's all for charity I suppose. I'm glad at least that the money went to a good cause. We definitely did our piece for the cause. Support your local Rotarians - they are an under-appreciated group who are worth every penny and minute that you donate to them.

Thankful

I was thinking today how much I miss my sister and I suppose in a round-about way, it makes me thankful. I am thankful for having her at all, even if it has to be only a few times a year and by phone.

Thankful

Today is Friday and I am looking forward to spending time with my husband this weekend so I am thankful today for how hard he works and the things he sacrifices every day so that we have easier lives.