Green Living

I am not that creative. Sometimes I find myself in the middle of ENVY when I see or hear of something someone else is doing or creating. I've never thought of myself as a "writer/ blogger".  My husband is way more capable of thinking "outside the box" than I am. I really could go ON AND ON about this subject, but instead I will tell you one thing that I AM good at...

Cleaning. 

It is probably my no-thing-left-unnoticed personality that helps me out here. It's taken me a while to embrace this character trait of mine, because some can find it annoying and irritating. God bless my hubby who has lived with me for 5+ years now, and just "gone with it". He is amazing. :) But really, I find it a blessing to have this passion. Becoming a mother has really helped me LET GO of some things in life, because really, everything can be cleaned up!! Who cares what is looks like IN THE MOMENT. We have to enjoy things as they come our way. Although, I think Eliza is learning something, because she is always "cleaning" something. :) Maybe its just because she sees me doing it, or she really IS like me! 

Anyway, lately I've been getting asked my recipe for my homemade laundry soap... so here it is!! 

1 4lb box Baking Soda

1 3-4lb box Washing Soda (the size is a little over 3lbs now I think)

3 bars GRATED Castile Soap (I use Kirks Castile Soap b/c we sell it at Hy-Vee)

1-2 small containers of OXI CLEAN (or off brand), depending on how dirty your clothes are usually

MIX all these ingredients in a trash bag and ROLL it ROLL it ROLL it until you are SURE that it is all mixed. Use 1 TBS for smallish-normal loads and 2 TBS for large loads. I use the scoop from my Oxi Clean container, b/c it's 2 TBS. I normally add some more Oxi Clean to my Whites and Towels for an extra boost. And YES it's HE compatible. 

Also, during the summer time, I just use vinegar as my softener, and usually take out my hubby's basketball shorts, and fleece, since they aren't 100% cotton, they produce static. In the winter I usually use Seventh Generation laundry softener to help with the static situation, and may still take out the things that aren't 100% cotton. 

I've been using this soap for a couple months now, and it works just fine!! This is just one of the things that I do in my home to be GREEN. I use little to ZERO chemicals all throughout my home, and yes, I take pride in that. :) Hope you find this helpful!

Happy Sunday! 

Today.

Today I'm tired. Today I worked until 4, and Wednesday is usually my day off. Today I went to the dentist (which I actually like). Today my house is messy. Today my legs ache. Today my eyes and the area all around my eyes are sooo tired, and dark.

Today..... is one day. I'm so thankful that when I'm feeling overwhelmed by things that I didn't get done this week I can just spend some time with God, and then my family, and feel so much better. My God is bigger. My God is stronger than me. Especially in this third trimester (that is starting to catch up to me).

Tomorrow is another day. Saturday we are going to Des Moines with Casey's dad's side to an indoor waterpark overnight. I'm excited about this. Hoping to relax. Hoping to rest. Hoping. Sometimes that can be more stressful than restful.

Today I would normally have accomplished a lot more things. Oh well. Life goes on. :)

Sunday!!

It's Sunday!!!! Yay!!

 What sort of things do you do on Sunday? In our home, we go to our FABULOUS church, then out to eat, then Eliza and mommy nap (daddy may not "nap", but he MAY fall asleep on the couch:)), then we just hang out for the rest of the day!

I love Sundays! No housework, nope. Not on Sunday!!! :)

Happy Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!

Cleanliness is next to... craziness??

You know that feeling.

 That relief, that sigh of satisfaction, that weight lifted off your shoulders, that sense of accomplishment..........

You know... when...

Your house is CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness, I cannot even describe this feeling I get when my house is spic and span. I, of course, can't put it in the same category as love for my daughter or hubby, but OH THE FEELING of a clean house!

I recently had a little "getaway" with some of my fabulous gal pals, and this subject came up more than once. I LOVED our stories that we shared. Its very fun when you all have different ways of doing things, and reasons on why you do them.

So I've been thinking lately, with some encouragement, maybe I'll blog about that for a while. Not quite sure where to start.. maybe my day to day life being ME. A lot of what I do just seems "normal", but I'm finding out that I may be a little more "detailed" (to put it lightly) than some people. :)

What do you think?? Having a clean home sure is important to me!! :)

Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home, There's no place like home, There's no place like home.

I think this could be my life's motto. My hubby and I just got back from

a trip to Chicago.. The Windy City! (really... it was so windy) Our 5th Anniversary is on Saturday, so we thought it would be nice to take a trip!

We did all the tourist things.... pictures entering the city, WALKED to Navy Pier (which we found out later there is a FREE trolly that runs.. and stops like 2 blocks from our hotel) , went to Field's Museum, rented a tandam bike, rode all around Lakeshore Drive, took more pictures, went to the top of the John Hancock Center and ATE.

  

8 weeks prego with our 2nd baby! (mostly belly fat)

The city was very cool, but wow. It is NOT a place for a pregn

ant woman with MY NOSE! Horrible smells... all the time! We were right by the hospital, so we could hear sirens all the time. We had to ask the hotel for a fan so I could sleep! Crazy! Every person that we passed, (yes, I know half were probably tourists too) I thought, how do you live here?

I was amazed, once again, at how God's plan is the best plan. I missed the corn fields. I missed the crickets and the locusts. I missed the little farms. I missed my quiet town. I missed my bed. And most of all, I missed my BABY GIRL! I've never been away from her for this long, and it was hard.

Through it all, I had a wonderful time with my hubby! It was the first time we got away since our honeymoon... Hawaii is amazing!

 HOW OLD WERE WE?!?!?

He could totally live in the city. He loved it. I liked the visit. I loved coming home. I'm so thankful for my family. I love my family. I love Floyd County. I love being right here. My friends are amazing. My life is so blessed!!!!

Our wedding day!! 5 years ago tomorrow!!! I AM SO BLESSED!!!

Hold on tight!

My life is just FLYING BY it feels like. Today I looked at my daughter and

thought, "When did you learn all these things?!" She was singing to Elmo, "la la la la", saying DELIBERATE "NO'S!" and just walking everywhere!

When did she learn to walk?! Did I blink?!

Eliza is 15 months old today. Pretty soon it will be 18 months.. then 24 months... then you don't keep track by months anymore! Oh heavens!

We are currently looking for a new home for our doggy, Lexi, and it seems like JUST yesterday we were driving to Des Moines, Picking up BEKA FOX'S engagement ring, and then driving 30 miles EAST to pick up our tiny puppy. Our lives as a "family" were just beginning. Where has the time gone?! Now I feel sad because she doesn't get the attention she deserves. She needs a new good home!

Cute... right?!

So I have a feeling my crazy life is going to start flying by even faster! We will hopefully be pregnant again soon.. and then does it move double time?? Triple??? Thank goodness GOD IS IN CONTROL!! I'm really excited for the next "Season" of my life. I feel like one is just ending, and one will be beginning soon. I can't explain it, but I feel like something is coming to an end. Maybe my JOB AT HY-VEE!

That would be THE BOMB!

But until then, God is in control of my life, and I will just take it one day at a time, and love my family with everything in me! I am SO blessed!!!

The end.

Tuesday..

Today is Tuesday. I don't like Tuesday's... well... up until 1 pm, that is. On Tuesday's, I work at 4am.. so that means I'm up at 3:30!!! Yes, I get up at the last possible minute, or like today, the last possible SECOND! Tuesday's make me very tired.. Tuesdays.........

It seems that I AWLAYS have a reason to complain about working. Someone to be annoyed with or something to be angry at. I started working at Hy-Vee when I was 16. Yes... it's been 8 years. It DOES NOT feel like 8 years. More like 20000.. :) I often ask God if He's done with me there yet. I think His silence is the answer. I know this is where I'm called for this "season" of my life. (Isn't a season only like 3-4 months???) God has a plan, and even though I can't see it yet, I know it's there. There is nothing I would LOVE more then to be AT HOME with my baby girl. My heart is calling me to be a stay-at-home mommy. Someday.. someday.. someday. I KNOW it will happen and God knows my heart. I am called to faithfulness. So faithful I shall be, with as little complaining as possible.

But just in case you wanted to know WHY I wanna be a stay at home mommy... here's my baby girl....

Beauty and personality all rolled into one!!!!!