Tackle it Tuesday Organizing the kitchen

The shape of our inside freezer was hurting so it was given a cleaning ans a good redo. After adjusting the shelf and adding the nice clear ice tray the folks gave us this is what was left.  So much more usable.
This is my baking freezer meant to keep all the extra grains and nuts in for any use to create baked goods.

 It is even more in order now in the door

 All the jars now are together on the bottom shelf. Here are grains and nuts.

 All the china sets were set way over above the bread mill. Now the space above me is for what it used daily. There is a bit more tweaking to do.

 Dash wanted to be seen. Often he does not want his image on blog. That is why the kids are less often seen here. Respecting that is important to me. So it is that they have voice in the appearance of their own images here.

So in the process all clear glass and blue is now arranged in the hutch.
Drawers were also done as well as a corner for all cutting supplies. That will be another post. Tired girl
We just returned from Dash orchestra performance and ice cream.

Homemade Laundry Soap

Here you go Lisa and The young woman at Wal-Mart
as per request


This is a re-post
It is a huge money saver
Originally posted 5-7-09


What happens when you do not have to pay for the shipping, manufacturing, employee benefits and salary...

Laundry soap at less than 1/2 cent per oz
.26 cent borax
.32 cent washing soda
1.29 Laundry soap bar...
Oh yes and 17 quart of water.....your own water...of course you do pay the water company a half cent perhaps if that...

grate the soap in the food processor, add to heated water and cook until melted.
Do not boil.

Set aside
1/2 cup of each
borax and washing soda

Add melted soap to bucket...
take to sink and add the powders stir and fill quickly with warm/hot water...

I had to use a mixer for the thickening of this brand of bar was fast and thick, I added another qt. water and used the hand mixer again. It is setting to see if I might not have to add more water.

I did not miss the fabric softener at all on the last batch. This is a coconut oil base bar soap up from Mexico. If it works well I will go get several more of them. The bars can be hard to find. Look at 1$ stores or in poorer neighborhoods.

32 oz x17qt (it thickened up so fast I had to add another quart of water)=544

.26
.36
1.29===1.91

544*1.91=.003511 cents per oz or

1 & 1/2 cents for 5 oz.

Perhaps a half hour of my time.
you can do it it is so easy!
This soap works better than any other brand I have ever purchased.
NO ALLERGY!
Need no fabric softener.
Ya think it might just be a fabric softener conspiracy?????/
no...they wouldn't do that...smirk!

Oh ya I did not have to shop or carry it home.
One shop for (borax)75oz box *by 4oz each batch =18 trips
Washing soda 55*4oz=13 trips
So what ya say buy a box of each, and it will last you a good year!
Then when you find the bars you like stock up!
So once a year get 5 bars of soap $5
One box borax $5
one box washing soda...$5
Do your laundry for $15. a year
:)

This batch has lasted several months (3?) yep last made February 8th, however this morning I found another jug that was left from then with a good two week worth in it.
so 15 weeks laundry for 4 for ...

That is 3 1/2 times a year I need to do this...cost
1.91 for 544 oz
1.62 for 313 oz

using the $39.07 model of savings that I have already improved on by dilution.
The first batch was a bit too thick.
it is a saving of
$136.75 a year in laundry soap alone!!!!!!!!
that is on the low side.
with only 4-5 hours labor

last time in February these were the numbers
Here is the cost ratio

$5. for a 75 oz box of Borax 75*4 oz per batch is 19 out of the box= .26 cents a batch
$5 for a 55 oz box of washing soda 55*4 oz per batch is 13 3/4 out of the box=.36 cents a batch
$1. bar of soap

$1.62 per batch of 313 oz that's
1/2 cent per oz!

$7.00 per 55 oz liquid equivalent =
.13 cents per oz!
that's 313 x's .13 = 40.70
less the $1.62
that's a 39.07 savings!!!!!!!!!
One hour of my time
I just got paid
39.07 for an hours worth of work!

post script.... it only took a half an hour this time.



click on image

Tackle it Tuesday *coupons for lead in adds*

Good Morning!

There are so many of you who do amazing community service sharing the news of who has what on sale. Here I'll attempt to share my method.

Perhaps there is something to glean.

On Sunday we visit the Grand parents. While we sit around their kitchen table they gift me with the Sunday newspaper coupons. It is then that I will clip only the items I might purchase. I ONLY clip those items that would be considered a common purchase., NEVER do I bother my self with the clipping of the things that are not a normal thing to buy. Now this does matter for if we touch it, it is 80% sure it will be purchased. This is the same as when you are in the store. Make it a habit to NEVER handle things unless you intended to purchase or your checking the ingredients. Teach your children this too. Teach them about the 'snakes in the grass' when they are young. They will be wise and even critical of the attempts made by the advertisers. Advertisers KNOW that this is a physiological response that is why packaging is so textual visually and tactically. If there are any lead in add pages the coupons will be matched and stapled to the add. Then all of the stores are separated. Now there are unique times of the year to make certain purchases. NOW is the time to replenish any underwear for the kids or yourself for that matter.

Also foods associated with kids back to school. Now my kids only like one or two cereals. They have been taught to be critical of the ingredients and if it is a 'desert' it is not breakfast. They know to fuel their bodies appropriately this was intentionally taught. If by chance a sweet cereal is purchased it is only eaten at breakfast like a desert after the main meal.

Then I take the grocery add 'lead in' adds and glean them for ONLY the items we normally use. Or those that are similar that there may be a coupon for.Rarely do I purchase anything not on a lead in add or in the clearance section unless I have too.

My list is then color coded per store and filled in like wise When the list is made the items are noted in cost and if a coupon is in hand. It will also be noted it double coupons apply. When purchased I know it is the best value I can get.
I normally pay no more than HALF price for groceries. Note also I glean the clearance racks, and the meat section. With a deep freezer meat is purchased in bulk if on a sale. If on date line beef is fine to purchase on date then promptly used or frozen. Beef is particularly good to do this for aged beef is a better beef. I never do this unless same day cooking for chicken that is a whole different story.

I hope this helps someone. It sure has help keep my homemaking days free of outside employment for 25 years now.

Meal Plan Monday

Good Morning!

Well the 'big board' is up and running another week here.

This is my brain on the wall,suppose you could call it a 'fly on the wall ' as well.

This is central station where we are all kept on the same page.

Order in the mind can become complicated and distract from the very efforts put forth.

I hope you dance today it is the spice of life

Pencils are sharpened for school begins next week.

This is prep for the pickles.

Purchased by the gallon for $5. 

Now this jar is broken down like so, the two smaller jars are relish.

This is not for the pantry (they are not processed or canned ) however just refer cut.

Those onion harvested from the fellow off Creigs list.

Cut in dice for the weeks menu, bell pepper as well.

Gee is in the other.

A wonderful dish was made here.

Turmeric Corn

Saute' onion in olive oil till tender, add peppers (adente'),then corn with the turmeric.

Now gently pan fry. We had it with BBQ steak over the weekend.

Prep work is essential in any professional kitchen. This kitchen 3x7 meals at least each week. Home cooked almost all by scratch. That is professional cooking folks.

Think of it.

The profession of homemaker is a high paying wage of its own.

Skills only serve you to gain and refine.

Doing it well beats any eat out unless your palls with Chef Ramsey. 

Working in a kitchen job from hell.

Yukon baked in glass. Just wash no foil needed to bake them and the moisture stays in.

These are for the week. Used in meal, as a snack cold or diced at breakfast sauteed with peppers and onion some diced green onions for color.

Roasted garlic as a spread for toasted begets with tomato basil and Parmesan cheese.

Roasted large pearl onion for meals.

See the new clear canisters they were on a table at curbside for free.

I thanked the neighbor when dash and I went for a walk.

The far right one...I had it in the pantry it is the same as the others.

Red lidded prepped foods and left overs.

All in one place in the refer.

Now uniform size containers work best for good space savers.

Enjoy the meal making by less to do when the day is worn as well as you own self tired.

What a difference a few hours can bring

Amazed at the return of my stamina! Today for the first time in so very very long this was a very profitable day of duty. Almost all the laundry got done and put away! Spending several hours in my master closet it is actually clean! clothing sorted. A big garbage bag of things passed on even! It was so amazing to feel energy again! My temper was not lost even once!

Tired feet those tired feet that say I was up on them. Yes up on my feet giving the day the what for with peace. It is working guys. The infusion is working...
I think I would just cry with the relief of energy if I were not just so stunned. My body is so out of shape but it is working.

Bless God it is working. The hamster on the wheel is back! It is so surprising that it is just three days out from the infusion and this big of a difference. Even on Sunday this blip of a sensation of well being kept coming and going. Sorry for the wine. I should of served up some cheese too.

So today my right ear was numb, with a loss of hearing it was a bit disconcerting. Even told Steve about it when he came home. Ya know we are needing to get me the hearing aides. Well it was a concern so I just went to use a q-tip and check it gently. It hurt when I did so I sat down on my vanity chair only to look over and see the ear  plug used last night was broken. Yep, It was in my ear. I carefully got it out with tweezers. Goodness what a strange thing to have happen. I was straining to hear the kids all day! :)

Thank you for your kind thoughts and words. Wow I am actually tired from working and not just sitting lethargic wishing I could.

Tackle it Tuesday

 

 Most every morning you'd find me set to tasks of lunches.

Dove gets stirred and given her Iron then let to rest a few more moments. It has to be given on an empty tummy.

Then its lunches to make of course. Recently after much frustration I asked the kids to give me a list of the things that they would want packet in their lunches. Thus hoping to end the ever stream of wasted prepared lunches.

 

 Likewise each morn I lay out the supplements and medications for the children and I then set them beside the plates at the table. Omega -3 is a very important thing to give kids especially children who have special needs. Even as well as we eat the additions really do help. After much trial and error I have found that if they eat them you win win so thus the sweets aka supplements. The dha the least favored so they take it first.

 

 Laundry has piled up over the holiday weekend being as on Friday I ran out of laundry soap.

So I made another batch. Each batch is over $40. savings. It cost me $2 for all of it.

1/2 cup borax, 1/2 cup washing soda and a bar of laundry soap.

This is a huge yearly savings!

h

 Add the grated bar soap to a quart or two of water melt over low heat and then add to a bucket of hot tap water add the powders and stir. Bottle and remember what is liquid now will become congealed in the bottles over two hours or so so leave a bit of head room to shake and or add water at time of use.

No need for fabric softner by the way the soda softens the water. Cool stuff gals!

 

 After first load yesterday the front yard called for the dead heading of the iris and the little bit of weeding while the weeds are small.

I found the neighbors cacti in full bloom again and had to capture the once a year event.

So beautiful and the bees are just a dust with the pollen.

 

 On to the gardens and the watering, folding of cold covers, making a new compost in the garden area.

That is a huge borrage plant and the pollinators just love it.

Tomatoes are on the plants now

 

seed gathering of kale was also added to the french marigold collection I tossed around the tomato plants. After another gathering of seeds to dry the marigold will also get tossed around any root veggie bed to guard from the nematodes that like to eat the root crop.

 

Kale seed.

The night was spent at the allergist for Dash and I. Dash is good just have to add to his allergy care.

I am haveing the 4th bout of what appears to be pneumonia in a row sense January.

So over night Dash needed breathing treatments twice and I slid out of bed so I could sit on the floor outside the lab door in a hospital corridor. First in line for a fasting blood draw for the sleep study to test iron and b's, and the allergist for the immune response factor. Got there at 6:15 for the 7 am door opening. I was first in line. the computer was down so 7 people went ahead of me while they had to manually look up the odd test that the allergist requested. Good thing some folk still know how to use a book. HAHA

I got back to the house 5 minutes before the walk to the bus stop said fair well to my husband walked the kids to the stop and then came in and started on the laundry. 

So my last tackle was to just sit here and hour to rest.

There will be load literally of laundry and other misc tasks to do today as I try to both take it easy and get things done at the same time on very little sleep. 

Dash was better this morning when I got home.

The little kid just had to get bit in the heal so to speak and fell into the temptation of drinking MILK to be like his buddies at school yesterday. So Mom got to stay up all night helping him to breath!

Oh those lessons that must be learned. 

Good thing I had his back.

Yesterdays news and todays head lines

We Have had a lot of rain of late, wonderful for the desert water table. The water tank has over filled twice. I had to water the garden plots with about 25 gallons of the tank water not to have it flow out a third time

Lovely for an afternoon at the park.

Sunday we all went for a bit of refreshment.

Dash is all boy!

So strange to see him like this.

My first boyfriend of 4 years (some 29 years ago) was a stunt rider of motor cross.

He was killed when Steve and I were married only a few months (on a jet ski)

Now look at my own son. 

Don't it seam strange?

Dove was gifted a pair of roller blades that she had long hoped for thanks to Daddy man searching on Creigs List. Very nice like new for around a third of the costs. 

When you see something on there you have to jump on it or it will be gone.

She took right to them and only fell one time.

I had some wrist guards one from Doves infancy when I almost tore off my hand in a door handle (single handed diapering) then the left one ironically when Dash was an infant I tripped on a toy with him in my arms and in order to protect his head from impact I turned my wrist up at almost a 70% and tore it (single handed again I diapered Dash in toddler-hood).

 

Daddy man in the rainbow just where he lives, 

at the end of the rainbow.

A father living in the pot of gold.

Monday was full of morning tasks  phone calls and starting the week off 

Then it was time to get Dove to the ENT.

Taking her out of school again was a bummer.

Driving the 15 miles one way we had a nice visit, we were both starving from a hard start rushing them off to school. We got there and they complained they had been trying to reach me to cancel the appointment for the Dr had an emergency surgery, Well what do you do?

So I wished the victim recovery and rescheduled for Wednesday.

We got to enjoy a cotton tail bunny as we were driving away, we stopped and had a light heart of a visit together for a bite. These moments of mommy time are dealing with a lot of questions that make you all but blush. This is the time to give answers and I am very thankful that she is asking me. So I am as candid as can be within her ability to understand and share it with her friends. For you know that that is right where it is going. So the difference between *e* and love is being covered.

A joyful thing happened. 

We have refinanced the house from 22 years of a 30 year mortgage down to a 15 year mortgage.

I had a Fed ex to mail and a full morning of driving.

As Dove and I pulled into get a bite I looked up and in the middle of a side street was a Fed EX delivery man getting into his truck. He took the package and the mortgage company called me and hour and a half latter to confirm the package was in route.

Cool how everything is set up to help us.

God is for us, not against us.

A conversation 

I had a conversation with a friend who shared with courage that even though it is not "who" I am or what I intend to do I may come of as better than thou.

She said that 

We judge others by their actions 

and ourselves by our intentions

Funny thing is for me 

I judge myself by my actions 

and comfort myself by my intentions

Trying to understand others actions

I am looking for their intentions

Loving them, that is my intention

An after noon at my house Tuesday

 

Lots of asthma interventions with Dash call for many breathing treatment tools to be washed.

Now add a little vinegar to the R.O. water

let them sit for 20 minutes that is the way to sanitize them as to not reinfect the patient.

Egg shells to be ground for the hens sit aside as morning dishes accumulate.

Bread is rising for the second time an artisan loaf for the evening.

Pinto beans for the blender , add salsa, melted butter, cumin, a bit of cayenne pepper and frijole's for Dash's lunch been burros.

 

On any given afternoon you'll see flower on the counter from the bread

Bottles being re-used for lunch beverages.

 

This week the sewing is for Dash's curtins

 

another top for Dove

Clothing is something she is now finding a great appreciation for and really likes to have a say in what I make. 

I love having her opinion.

It is such a delight that she is receiving it from me.

 

This week a big challenge.

A few weeks ago my Dash found his cousins cell phone that was left on the sofa after he had left.

Instead of bringing it to us he held on to it. 

He then felt afraid to tell us and just kept it.

Well sweet Dove had a Guilty tummy ach.

She opened up to tell that she had taken mine (no minutes on it) to school to show the unbelieving kids that she had one. (daddy man promised she could have it) I am not renewing it. I just do not like having one until we can afford to have one, that and we do not sign contracts that involve money except the mortgage and such.

Dove then felt much better yet still was troubled, it was then she told of Dash and the phone he took.

My poor sister had been searching to give her grand son his phone.

I had to call her and ask of it. The kids mom had to cancel it and may have had cost incurred so I await to see what cost that Dash my have uncured as to replacing the mysterious missing phone. 

The big fear is what if he gave it away at school to get a friend or something.

It has been an opportunity to learn proper parental handling of thing. 

We bombed at first and have recouped the losses by building back trust and having good consequences. So the Dash man will be doing lots of extra chores.

 

Every couch has been pulled out and searched within without and under 

NO PHONE!

The bright side is the sofa are clean

:)

 

laundry however that is another thing

see it is piled high at my house...

So mending toys after two of the new ones Dash got last week have broken already.

Yesterday a splurge... a pearl stringing tool.

It is there on the desk.

A set of cinnabar beads is a job for my sister that is in the Que to be done. Without the tool the job was not able to be accomplished as well.

 

That bread was turned into a monster 

bacon lettuce (from the garden) and tomato sub sandwich.

Much to the children s delighted glee.

Had no problem getting them to eat their supper last night.

Supper feast

Last night another batch sat over night to rise while I 

"listened to my instinct"

(Dove grabbed me by the cheeks last night as she was going to bed)

GO TO SLEEP!

So I did at 8:30 p.m. and slept through

A much better mommy morning here.

Amazing what rest can do

So this was formed as the children had breakfast.

A  morning on the side yard weeding was a real peaceful start to the day.

The appointment I had at 9:40 was able to be changed to the afternoon. 

Now I only have to drive there (10 mile round trip) one time today and then onto the north for Doves rescheduled appointment.

I may find out if she needs surgery today.

These just came out of the oven.

 

   Wish you were a butter fly on the wall

just think garlic salt, Italian herbs and ground caraway it was added over a drizzling of olive oil.

OH!

it smells so good in here

Spaghetti and salad with these wonderful little tid bits for supper.