I have good news...I saved a bundle of money on my laundry!

Last February I bit the bullet and decided to try something new. My kids have very odd skin that reacts strangely to the strangest things and I have been EXTREMELY picky about the laundry detergent I've used. I grew up in a Tide only home so I had used it for a very long time and trusted it. One problem - it was EXPENSIVE! For 72 liquid loads I would pay almost $20. I used it up in at least 3 months if I skimped on the amount I used in each load. $20 every three months... adds up to around $80 a year (not including the sales tax!) and frankly taking $20 out of my weekly budget was a huge chunk. I had seen some ladies on Facebook talking about making their own and trying out a recipe or two and how much they loved it. It was cheap. It went a long ways. And frankly, it sounded like a lot of fun to make. I use Mrs. Michelle Duggar's recipe recipe for liquid detergent. However the website listed below has about 10 different recipes you can try to find one you like and they have a really good FAQ section. I made my detergent back in February of this year and I JUST emptied the remnants into a laundry container two days ago. That's not too shabby for a 10 gallon bucket of laundry detergent that cost my $10 in the beginning because I had to purchase all the supplies. Now I have enough supplies to make my own for the next 2 years without purchasing anything. So give it a try and you too could be saving a bundle of money on laundry. ;)

http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

A Reminder To Be Thankful

This is a repost of a note I put on Facebook a while ago after we learned we were having another boy. I need some reminders periodically to be thankful and appreciative of what God has done for me and given to me. And since I need it I suppose you might need it as well. :) Enjoy.



So lately I've been thinking about some things. Pretty much in a nutshell this new baby we're going to welcome to our family (Lord willing!) in January. We were so convinced this little one was a girl. It has been such an EASY pregnancy that it almost identically matched up with my pregnancy with Phebe. Walking into our ultrasound last Friday, I just KNEW that we were going to have a daughter in there. Surely not another boy! :) We wanted Phebe to have a sister. Just one more girl. That's all. Not too much to ask right? God had other plans for us and the ultrasound tech proudly announced to us it was a boy. I will admit, I cried for a little while. I so desperately wanted just one more daughter. God knows my wants and desires better than even I know them though. After a while I started to feel ashamed of myself. How dare I not be happy with what God had chosen for me? How dare I sit and be disappointed because I didn't get what I thought I wanted. After all, God didn't HAVE to give us another child at all. He didn't HAVE to give us the blessing of raising a little one to serve Him someday. He chose to do that for us. When you receive a gift, you don't always get to fill out a registry and pick your own. Sometimes you take what is given to you and be thankful and grateful that the person giving it to you loves you enough to give you anything at all and know that they put lots of thought into that gift regardless of how you feel about it. I've always thought of myself as being a pretty thankful person. At least till last Friday. For a moment I wasn't thankful. I wasn't happy. I didn't get what I wanted. I had a diva moment. You know those moments. The ones where nothing makes you happy but exactly what you wanted. You've had them too? And here I thought I was the only one. ;) While driving away from the hospital (Steve and I drove separate because he had to go to work shortly thereafter) I wiped tears away from my eyes and had an "attitude adjustment session" with God. I determined that I was no longer going to be disappointed / discouraged with what God chose for me. How many times in our lives have we chosen to waste time being disappointed because we didn't get the car we wanted, the dress we wanted, the baby we wanted :) or anything like that? How many times have we wasted time bemoaning our plight - be it financial (guilty!), health issues, family situations, etc? If you're a Christian as I am, who are we to be unhappy with what God chose for us? Doesn't He love us more than anything or anyone else can? We love our children don't we? That's why we make the best choices we can for them even if sometimes they don't like it right? As they grow up they'll realize (hopefully) in time that their parents did what they thought was the BEST for them. God is better than any parent. He KNOWS what's down the road ahead of us. He KNOWS our hearts' desires better than we will ever know them. He ultimately KNOWS what is best for us. Even thought its inconvenient for us, not what we would have chosen for ourselves, its always the best thing. His way is PERFECT. We may not see it right now but it will be okay in the end. Right now, for me, little Nate is the best gift God could give me right now. I've decided that. I loved this baby before I knew what his gender was and I still love this baby and cannot wait to hold him and snuggle with him. Nathan means "a gift". Last Friday we "opened" that "gift" and found a little boy inside. Not what we expected or hoped for, but he's a gift. A precious gift from God that will be welcomed with open arms when he arrives. This little one is going to be someone special. I know it. My husband joked that we'll have a quartet and piano player. :) Another lady told me that God must want us to raise a bunch of preachers. :) I'd be happy with that. God knows what our family needs and little Nate is exactly what we need. One day he'll hear from someone that his mom cried when she found out he was a boy, but he'll never have a reason to question whether we loved and accepted him for who and what he was. He'll always know however, Who placed him in our family and Who loves him more than we'll ever be able to. He'll always know that he was a GIFT to our family just like our other children were gifts. I love gifts and am always excited to see what's under the wrapping. Nate will be a gift that will be "unwrapping" for years to come. Love seeing what God has planned for this little one. If he grows up to serve God in some capacity, be it a preacher or layman, as long as he loves God and serves Him to his best ability, I will die a happy mom someday. That's my goal. To raise my children to be servants of God. To love Him. To worship Him. To be a blessing to God and those around them. To be not only good people but Godly people. I don't want to waste anymore time being disappointed in my God-given "gifts". What "gifts" has God given you that you have overlooked or been disappointed in? He loved you enough to die for you and take your punishment and continually directs your path. Don't you think He loves you so much that He gives you exactly what you need to make you a stronger, better Christian? Exactly what you need to remind you that He loves you? I have plenty of "Jesus Loves Me" stories and this baby boy is another to put in my book. I want to be more thankful. To love God more. I never again want to waste a moment of my life being unthankful for ANYTHING that God puts into my path. Be it good or bad or inconvenient or painful, God placed it there for my betterment. I WILL be THANKFUL!

Reminder to be Thankful

Reminder to be Thankful:

'via Blog this'

I remembered something...

So while I was writing my last post it came to me something I wanted to say. I felt it deserved its own post though. I must share with you one of my pet-peeves. Perhaps I have been guilty of this in the past but I have since seen the error of my ways. I realized recently just how awful it is to be this way to other people. I currently have only four children. Apparently when you have more than oh, say ONE, people seem to think you have currently spouted two long ears and a white fluffy tail (that's a rabbit for those of you who have poor imaginations)and therefore should have children like them - small broods of them, all at once or something. I am no rabbit. While I do not necessarily enjoy being pregnant as much as say, Susanna Wesley or Mrs. Duggar, I will say that every pregnancy is viewed as a gift from God and a hope for a new blessing and someone to train to serve God. That being said, I must also say that I enjoy my babies for as long as possible and try to wait as long as possible between children to have more. Grant it, we want quite a few (if God allows) and do not want to put off having children till we're 45. I would like them all here before I'm 35. That's a lofty goal, I know. I say all that to say this, people who come up to me and expect me to be already pregnant or asking when I might become so are not making brownie points with me. Frankly, I think its none of your business when my husband and I might want to THINK about having another one. If you're asking me out of heartfelt concern because you love my children so much that you can't WAIT to meet another one of them, then I have no bone to pick with you. If you are asking me with a snicker or a joke and seem to view me as the afore mentioned rabbit, then I have no time for you. I know you see us as a freakshow or someone who is half out of their mind, but we really believe it is God's purpose for people to get married and have *gasp* CHILDREN. I don't believe in being irresponsible or unreasonable which is why you will probably never see us with 19 children. We would probably not be able to financially handle them. You will probably see us with oh, 6 or so (if God allows). We are not Mormon, Catholic, stereotypical "homeschooler" (though that's not out of the question with regards to the cost of schooling 6) types, or need I say, Rabbits. We are however, people who believe each and every child, regardless of healthiness, is a blessing from the Lord. We also see it as God trusting this little person to us to mold and nurture and to raise to glorify and serve Him. For what other reason were we made? Even for those who are having fertility problems, adoption is much the same thing. You are in charge of a little being. Someone God created (with a little human help if you catch my drift!) with the purpose that that little being grow up to serve Him. What higher calling is there??? *Sigh* I digress. All I'm saying is keep your snickers and jokes and proverbial betting pools to yourself. We will have them when we have them. Not because you gave us the idea. Someone said to me recently, "I know you have this plan..." Yes, I have GOALS. Not plans. Yes I'm a little eccentric when it comes to the birth years of my children - only on even years so I can keep everyone's ages straight, therefore the next one needs to be in 2012 - but I am 30 years old. God may choose to just stir up my little "goal" (or as you call it, plan) and make me wait a while. I can't be mad at God for "disrupting" my "perfect plan" can I? I have never been shy about my making my "goals" known. I want people to know that I intend to do my part to help the earth stay populated - within reason. Therefore I understand there will be people who either a. disagree or b. think its a ludicrous thought. I do accept a few sideways glances and smirks because frankly, some people just can't help themselves. However, I do not wish to be the fodder for your gossip or hen parties to decide if and when I shall "pop out" the next one of my "brood." Comments such as, "How old is your youngest? 14 months? Oh so that makes you two months pregnant right?" or "We were talking the other day and were wondering when you were going to have another since you have this plan to have like 6 or 7. *insert their snickers and smirks here*" Well Mr. and Mrs. Ihavenothingelsebettertodothanfigureupwhenyoullbepregnantnext, (read it slowly people), you are apparently happy with the 2 or three you have and I am happy with the four I have and am ready to welcome more if God allows. I don't think you're a freak for only having 1, 2, or 3. Therefore don't think it odd that I choose to have a larger family. There. I said all I needed to say. I feel better. :) I think I'll go put my soapbox away.

Where Have You Been!?

That's a great question. I've been here. And there. Everywhere. Life has happened again and I've been caught up in the daily grind. While there have been many things I have wanted to blog about, I somehow cannot think of any of them at the moment. There's something to be said for keeping a notepad and pen with you at all times I suppose. Everyone is doing well I think. Andrew is walking like CRAZY. Its driving me CRAZY. Not literally. We all know I don't have that far to go and right now I'm not willing to hop on the bus to Crazyville. However, it is daunting keeping up with his busy little self. Daniel has just a few weeks of school left and he'll officially be a 2nd grader. I feel old. Phebe will be starting kindergarten in the fall. That makes me feel even older. Caleb is just himself. Hilarity ensues wherever he goes. His new one-liner is "Do you wanna buy a CHICKEN!?" Its a joke. Ask me sometime and maybe I'll share it.
Now I know what you all are thinking. Don't try to deny it. You're wondering when our next one might be coming? I knew you were thinking that. Don't worry, you'll be one of the first to know. *wink wink snicker snicker*

God's Gift of Grace

A short while ago some friends of ours lost their two-day old daughter to SIDS. Since then, the mom - Natalie - has began writing a blog. Its a wonderful testimony of God's grace on their lives. Please take a few moments to read through the blessings of God and how He has helped them through this tough trial. God is good and this blog proves His goodness to His own!

Nick's solo

This is my nephew Nick's first solo in church. He did this song for a competition which he won first place. :) He did a great job! I taught him everything he knows LOL!!! Really though, he did well! Praise the Lord for committed teenagers!

Decorating Disaster / Adventure Day...what day is this?

So if you remember the earlier post, I had started to slipcover my arm chair with the help of my mom (the sewing partner). I had bought the material half off at Joann's and was so super excited to get it going. Then, I had to wait a long time. Okay it wasn't long but it was like a week. That's a long time to keep those crafty juices flowing! Finally on one morning last week we got started. I got the whole chair pieced together before my mom arrived and then she started sewing. I started on the pillows because, well, I can't really sew so decorative sewing is my limit. It all took longer than originally planned so for about a week I sat on a slipcovered chair but no slipcovered cushion - it was still grody green. Finally, partially because I had been sick as a dog, my mom came back over and we finished the cushion, well, almost. It still needs something on the back of it to help keep the cover in place but otherwise, its done. :) I still have to put a few buttons on my light pillowcases but I can do that whenever. Don't you dare tell me, "I think you need to iron that." The Pinkandpolkadot Lady does NOT iron hers so I shall not iron mine. Yes, I am a follower - especially when it gets me out of some killer work. So here's some photos of the finished products! :) What do you think?

God is Good

Recently some friends of mine lost their newborn daughter to SIDS. A beautiful, healthy, baby girl went from her mother's arms to Jesus' arms in a moment. That family was ready for that little darling to enter their lives. They have two boys who were eager to be big brothers and have a little sister. However, God had other plans and while it is a very VERY difficult situation to find themselves in, they have never gotten angry at God. I know, that's hard for some of you to believe, especially if you are not a Christian, but its true. They have had such a fantastic testimony for the Lord that it almost makes you ashamed when you get tiffed at God over something petty. I went to college for just a short while with this couple but its almost like they're family to me. My heart hurts for them. But, I am encouraged when I see them giving God the glory for all that has happened. Natalie gave that baby to God before that precious little baby was even born. She has since, started a blog to help share what's happened and to help be an encouragement to others. "My Maddie Grace" is the story of such a short but miraculous life. While my heart hurts, and I don't understand why God had that precious family walk through this, I do not look at my own life and say, "Wow, I have it so good compared to them!" That's prideful. God has given me every blessing and some of those blessings did not seem like blessings at a time. It hurt. It was hard to deal with. I take these opportunities to be thankful for the little things and to look back through my life and examine all those times (the good ones and the "bad" ones) where God clearly said, "I love you!!!" All those times when I didn't quite deserve to be loved by the Creator of all and the Giver of all. Natalie has said over and over, "God is good" and she means it. Yes, her heart is broken. Yes, she had dreams for that little girl that will never come to pass. Yes, their family is hurting but through everything thus far, Natalie's constant testimony has been, "God is good." Can you say that? Are you going through something difficult right now? Maybe you haven't lost a child or something tragic like that but the situation, to you, is hard all the same. Do you remember Who is in control? Do you remember Who loves you more than anyone ever could? Try this, when it gets tough, you cry, you get down, you can't seem to get your head above that dark water, just say to yourself, several times if you must, "God is good." Sometimes our foolish human hearts forget what's really important and we have to remind it. So remind yourself today. No matter what happens, our God is, and always will be, good.