Homemade Laundry Soap and Fabric Softener "Sheets"

I am SO excited! I'm going to try making homemade laundry soap! I know...the things that amuse me... ;) Anyway, after I try it out, I'll let you know what I've discovered. One of the women in our ward has started making it, and loves it - and she was a Tide girl! She was at her daughter's softball game the other day and received the comment, "[Your daughter's] uniform is the cleanest one out there." If it works for them, it may just work for me - and you too!

Oh, and she told me how she started doing her fabric softener.

Fabric Softener "Sheets"

What you need:

5 gallon bucket with lid

Liquid fabric softener

Water

A couple new sponges, cut in half

What to do: If your fabric softener is not new, mark the side of the container where it's filled to. If it's un-used, don't worry about it. Pour the fabric softener into the bucket. Fill the fabric softener container with water to the mark or top. Pour the water in the bucket. Fill the fabric softener container again the same way and pour it into the bucket also. (Our solution should have twice as much water as fabric softener). Now, throw your cut-in-half sponges in the mix and it's ready.

How to use: When you're ready to dry clothes, grab a sponge, squeeze out some liquid, and throw it in the dryer with the wet clothes. Now dry. It works like fabric softener sheets and doesn't leave those greasy spots on everything!

Oh Where, Oh Where Does it All Go?

It seems to me that more and more, time just slips away. Not because I'm not doing anything, but because there's so much to do. Recently I had a little experience. O.K., it wasn't so little. In fact it seemed quite large. So big that I felt like I couldn't keep up with everything that needed keeping up with. I know we've all been there. I know you know what I'm talking about. It's those times when everything seems so out of balance, like you can't do anything, yet you're trying to do everything you need do do. And it's just not enough. And instead of treading water, you just feel like the waves are crashing over you and it's taking everything you have not to sink.

I think every person has experiences like this. I know that we don't all have the same trials. They're all tailor made for each of us; but, our feelings may be similar. I really needed some special help, and I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who helped me learn that these are blessings I haven't yet realized.

Do you know what I learned? I learned that I needed to change the way I was thinking. Once I started changing my attitude, I realized that all of this crazy stuff, all the treading water, feeling lost and uncertain about what I was really doing, was teaching me and helping me become a better person. Was changing my thinking easy? No! Did it even cross my mind in the middle of all the chaos? NO! Not until a quiet voice reminded me that this challenge was a blessing. I am grateful for that quiet voice.

Six years ago, my friend Rachel told my about a very moving lesson they had had in Relief Society. The women teaching drew two circles on the white board and wrote "trials" in one and "tribulations" in the other. Then, she had each women tell her some trial they had had or were currently experiencing. For each one, she wrote it in a smaller circle and attached it to the larger circle - just a bubble graph. When they were all done talking about their challenges, she erased the words "trials" and "tribulations" and replaced them with "blessings" and "opportunities."

Whoa!

I don't think it's easy for anyone to have challenges. Growing's not easy. It hurts. But, I know we're not alone on this journey and that no pain is too big for our Savior who loves us.

A Puppy and the Loves of My Life

Lily at nine weeks

Well, as of three weeks ago we have a new addition to our family - a little black puppy. O.K., she's not so little. Actually, she's over thirty pounds! This is Lily and she's a Newfoundland. She's almost thirteen weeks old now and big enough to snatch food off the table - if I'm not watching close enough. We have so many people ask us what kind of dog she is, and only two of them knew what a Newf was. Jake was walking her one day, and a woman actually pulled over just to tell him she was cute. Can you believe that?!

This is a picture of Mercedes with one of her science experiments. She had a lot of fun playing with the food coloring and figuring out what colors make what colors. Mercedes is also loving ballet. Today she was helping me do some rolly polly warm-up things they do, and she told me she gets her strength from ballet. This girl will forever be a social butterfly who loves all things friends and the colors pink, purple, and blue. (O.k., her favorite colors will probably change, but I don't think the butterfly thing will). :)

I just get a kick out of this picture. Christina would start out with one finger on each side, then two, three, and finally four. They were all pretty silly! She also had an awesome show and tell the other day. Monday, I showed her a potato that had started sprouting leaves. She thought it was so cool, she waited three days and took it to preschool to show everyone. Can you believe that? She is so funny! She wasn't feeling good the other day, and all she would say was, "The Lady Bugs eat my bones!" I don't think I want to know what that feels like.

You've got to LOVE frosting! Especially chocolate frosting that your mom let's you lick out of the container when she's done with it. This is my snuggly buddy and he's quite the big helper! He loves setting the table at meal time; oh, and the other day at dance, he was dancing around where the moms all sit, and decided this wasn't good enough. He put on a tutu, walked onto the dance floor, and danced the last couple minutes with Mercedes and the other girls. Boy am I glad Miss Barbara didn't mind because it was really cute! (Even in a tutu).

I think of all the things we do, the thing I love the most is being together. I also love that my children play so well together. Yes, they still have their squabbles, but they love each other and look out for each other too. I couldn't have asked for better children and I have truly been blessed because of them.