Projects

Good Morning! I love this Saturday morning. For whatever reason, Kalli is sleeping late, and Brian is out early, and the house is quiet, so I am alone with you and a cup of coffee. God is so good!

Lately, I have noticed my growing list of "projects." I know I'm not the only one, so I hope we can share in this together. Here is my list:

1. Garden... for the first time ever. The first till is done, but I apparently need to do this another 3-4 times.... Do I have time for that? I better... the thought of home grown tomatoes and okra are calling me :)
2. Clean out the backyard. OH MY GOODNESS!!! My backyard is O-V-E-R-G-R-O-W-N!!! This yard has not been taken care of since I was a kid. (I live three doors down from the home I grew up in). My uncle cleared some of it out, but still we need a backhoe. That means we need money for a backhoe. Any takers?!?!
3. Paint and decorate the house. We've only been here a year. It's time now, right?!
1. Master bedroom
2. Master bathroom
3. Downstairs den
4. Austin's room
5. Guest room
6. Kitchen (including cabinets)
7. Downstairs bath/laundry
4. New floors. Seriously, my carpets are gross.
5. Get the business up and running. That should be easy enough. People do it all the time. :)

Is that enough? What about you?

I love spring. But it does awaken us to the list of chores we did not get started or done over the winter. That can be taxing, but it can also be rejuvenating. I have lately been on the "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail," kick, but it is true. With a little planning, elbow grease, and praying, we can all get it all accomplished.

Have a great day with Christ!

Love, B

Catching Up

Since I've not been blogging a lot has been going on. Kalli is getting bigger and bigger, getting to be more and more like me, but looking more and more like her Daddy. Things around our home are getting better. We seem to be settling in to ourselves. It's weird how we have to do that over and over again. It seems like each time we get in a groove something comes up to pop us right out of it, so I am enjoying it while I can.

Austin bought his first car. 1972 Ford Mustang. It needs some work...

The garden is tilled, but not planted. The back yard is overgrown. The front yard needs mowed.

I went to the women's retreat with my church, and I got exactly what I wanted. I wanted to wear my old comfy clothes... the ones that have battle scars... you know? Anyway, I wanted THOSE clothes, my house shoes, my Bible, and my crochet. I got to curl up in a comfy couch, dig into God's word, AND get in a few stitches. All with a wonderful group of women. I reconnected with some, connected with others for the first time, and was amazed by all, but most importantly, by God.

I walked away wondering what God is supposed to look like in my mirror. I've been thinking on that, and trying to follow I Thesselonians 4:11

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.

My bestie, Melissa Langford, pointed me to this verse several weeks ago, and one of the speakers at the women's retreat used it in her discussion. I don't know if you know this about me or not, but I fight my big old mouth. This verse is the nicest way I have ever heard anyone say to shutup and mind your own business. Now, God would not say to shutup... with that word. But I have been trying not to interfere in other's conversations when I have not been asked to. I have also been working on minding my own business. It is a wonderful way to point myself back to my Father. It requires directed thought. I do find it making my life more peaceful.

Anyway, I wanted to say hi, cause some people have mentioned that they miss me. I miss you guys too. It's nice to know you guys like me :)

Love, B

Sorry

Sorry guys that I haven't been posting. I have been working on things, and honestly, watching tv. I haven't had it in so long, and we got Netflix, so I am caught in Lost. However, due to my bestie, I checked my stats, and it seems like you guys are checking on me. New post coming soon. Also, I will work again on that frugal page. It didn't save when I thought it would, so I have to redo the whole thing.

Lots of love. Missing you guys, too.
B

Liquid Laundry Detergent

You will need:
1 bar Ivory, Castille, or Fels-Naptha soap
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
1/2 - 1 cup Borax
Water
5 gallon bucket
1-10 gallon size container(s) with lids

Everything can be purchased at Walmart which also happens to have the lowest cost I have found on each of the ingredients. Walmart sell the Fels-Naptha soap for less than $1, and it is easily over $1 ON SALE elsewhere.

Directions:

1. Grate the bar of soap. This can be done by hand (ugh) or with a food processor (yipee).
2. Melt the grated soap on the stove over medit um heat until all pieces are dissolved.
3. Fill the 5 gallon bucket half full with water. This can be done while the soap is dissolving.
4. Add 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda and 1/2 - 1 cup Borax to the bucket of water. Stir until dissolved. **I use1 cup because I found I had to pretreat more than I like with only 1/2 cup, but I really don't like to pretreat. Also, if you like to see suds, use 1 cup. However, remember it is the soap, not the suds that clean, so it is not necessary. Please adjust to your own likes and needs.
5. Add the dissolved soap to the bucket. Stir.
6. Fill the remainder of the bucket with water.
7. Let sit over night. It will gel. This is the concentrate.
8. The next day (or whatever day you get back to it)... OPTIONAL: add 15-30 drops of essential to smell. Stir well. I use a long paint stirring stick.
9. In your gallon size container, mix 1/2 water and 1/2 liquid detergent concentrate. I go ahead and separate out all of my detergent, but you can do this on an as-needed basis.
10. Use 1/4-1/2 cup for HE washers, and 1/2-1 cup for top load washers.

The last time I did the math on this, it was about $0.20 cents a gallon. At that time I was spending more on ingredients, but using less Borax. Still when is the last time you spent $1 on 10 GALLONS of detergent?!!! AND it only takes about 20 minutes to make the concentrate INCLUDING cleaning the mess.

Scented Fabric Softener

You will need:
1 gallon container
6 cups water
1 220z bottle Suag\ve Conditioner-any smell you want your clothes to smell like
1 1/2 cups White Vinegar

Directions:

1. In your gallon container (I use CLEAN milk containers) combine water, conditioner, and vinegar. ** If you don't put the conditioner in first, it works easier. It is EASY to get all the conditioner out of the bottle. It really doesn't stick.
2. Shake well.
3. Use 1/4 - 1/2 cup in your rinse cycle: can be put in the washing machine's dispenser.

From the stump of Jesse

Isaiah 11:1-2 ¹ A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. ²The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD

This is our Jesse tree. Our remembrance of the gift we were given. I am so excited for this holiday season. I hope to keep my family focused on Christ this year, as much as I can, instead of buying things for others, or what we want bought for us.

Our reading tonight talked of how we were cut down, dead and dying, with no hope to survive on our own, but He was sent for us. A shoot, a rebirth, an offering.

Please come with us on our journey this year. Our Jesse tree. We look forward to seeing you and hearing what you might have to say.

Love, B

The King is Coming!

Tomorrow starts the season of Advent, an act of anticipating the coming of Christ. I am SO excited! My Christmas season is typically pretty stressful with two sets of parents and our own little family to fit in, so last year we tried to do a Jesse tree. This year, I already have it set up. Each day, we will do a little reading and devotional, and anticipate the coming birth of our Lord and Savior.

I hope you, too, remember the reason for the season and try to hold on to that. It really isn't about the gifts we give each other. It's about the gift that was given to us.

Love, B

P.S. Our advent calendar can be found on www.aholyexperience.com. You may have to sign up via email to receive it, but her blog and this calendar is TOTALLY worth it.

May God bless each one of you today.