Homemade Laundry Soap

I love this stuff!

1 cup washing soda
1 cup Borax
2 cups bar soap grated and then run through a food processor to make it be ultra fine. If you wash your clothes in cold water (like me) the soap dissolves quicker the smaller it's grated.
*Bar soaps; Fels Naptha, Ivory, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
*I have read that you can use goats milk bar soap if you are trying to stay away from chemicals in some bar soaps.
I personally use Fels Naptha.

Mix it all together and store it in a container with a lid. Use 2 TBS for a regular load.
If you have hard water it is suggested that you use more Borax in the recipe.



Some reasons I'd recommend making your own soap;
~It's sooo stinkin' cheap!
~It is great for front load or top load washing machines (it is low sudsing)
~Works just as good as the previous brand-name (expensive) laundry soap I  was using! (I have 4 kids under 10 and a very muddy yard, so this is saying something)
~You can decide for yourself what smell you want by the choice of bar soap you use.

I got this recipe from this great blog http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/ 
She actually has 10 different laundry soap recipes to choose from. The one I listed above is what works the best for me. I'm not promising anything, but for the price it's totally worth a try! 

Ear Infections

For ear infections don't bother with antibiotics, try Xylitol. Xylitol is supposed to regulate the natural levels of bacteria in the ear and even the mouth. I tried giving my son Xylitol pills after he became completely immune to all antibiotics because he had so many ear infections as a toddler. The Xylitol worked like magic! Now, as soon as he feels pressure in his ear I give him Xylitol for a couple days and it goes away without ever becoming a full blown ear infection. I'm defiantly not against antibiotics, I just think they are being over used.
Check your health food store in the ear section for chewable Xylitol pills.
*Always check with your doctor before taking supplements.

Dealing with Mastitis and Other Yeast Infections

If you've ever had to deal with Mastitis in your life I feel your pain! Since I had the pleasure of having chronic Mastitis I have some experience with it! I have heard horror stories from moms that got Mastitis and had doctors that wouldn't give them antibiotics, thankfully my doctor wasn't so mean. But, I didn't want to live on antibiotics the whole time I was breastfeeding, so I did some research and discovered that mastitis is a yeast infection and cranberry juice regulates the natural yeast in your body. So I started chugging cranberry juice every time I felt mastitis starting. It worked!! Then I got smart and talked to my doctor about taking a cranberry fruit supplement. He OK'd it and that solved my problem! So now when I feel an infection coming on I just take one or two cranberry fruit pills and it goes away with out ever becoming an infection! It also works for any kind of yeast infection ie. bladder infection.

*Always check with your doctor before using any supplements, especially if your taking other medications.

Are You A Porcupine?

I can defiantly be a porcupine at times!

But since I've read this book I've been trying really hard not to be.

I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone!

I have gotten more out of this book than any other book I've ever read!

It helps you deal with 'hard to handle' people and it tells you step by step how to be 'emotionally healthy' which equals being a happy and confident person.

If you live with someone who is always right, always has to have their way and is always making you feel inferior, then you need to read this book!

Reading this book and using the techniques from the book has helped me be a much more patient and understanding mom. Our home is a lot less stressful and everyone is happier!

I seriously can't say enough about this book!

It is well written and easy to understand and defiantly worth reading!

How to Hug a Porcupine

By John Lewis Lund

Food Inc.

This movie is a 'must see' unless you are of the opinion that ignorance is bliss!

Disinfecting!

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is a great substitute for bleach.

~It kills germs

~Is non toxic and safe to use around children and pets.

~I put it in a spray bottle and use it on counter tops, door knobs, cupboards, sinks, and any other hard surface that needs disinfecting.

Worm Farm

This is so easy to do!
Compost is a great way to help your garden grow!

If you are already accustomed to having a compost bin then you might just think "why didn't I do this years ago"!

The worms compost table scraps sooo much faster!

It's a good project for kids to help with.

(Click on the title to get instructions for your own worm farm)