Laundry Soap!

Pinterest has become my new addiction. I have found SO many things I want to try. So every once in awhile when I have time, I try it!
Here is one:
Homemade Laundry Soap

This makes about 168 loads for 10 bucks!!

You need: 
4 bars Fels Naptha soap
1 box Borax
1 box Arm&Hammar Washing Soda
1 container
*All of this stuff can be found at Walmart on the same aisle as the laundry soap!

First: Grate the soap with a cheese grater. This takes some work so feel free to make someone help!

Next: Put the grated soap into your container.
         Pour 6 cups of Borax into the container
         Pour 6 cups Arm&Hammar into the container

 
When it is all in the container, SHAKE it UP!

This makes about 168 loads for 10 bucks!

Just some notes: I did this with a friend so we split it in half. We will each have about 85 loads for 5 bucks each! This soap doesn't have a scent but you can either get the scent from fabric softener or there is power scent stuff you can buy to add it in if you really want it. Also, it does not suds as much as a normal laundry soap, but it still does the job!

Family

For some reason or another it it always late at night that I feel like I should write a blog. This particular night, I can't sleep with all of this on my mind. I had to get it out. I don't even know where to begin.


Family:
The most basic definition(s) follows: a group of persons closely related by blood, as parents,children, uncles, aunts, and cousins:  all those persons considered as descendants of a common progenitor.


I have really been struggling with this for a few days. Family is so important to me. These are the people that have your back. These are the people that support you. These are the people that are there FOREVER. Friends really do come and go throughout our lives. Family is CONSTANT. We are blood-related. We can never get away from that no matter how hard we try. This means something to me. I cant get away from it.

Growing up, I remember my extended family being close. We talked, we shared, we cared. As the years have gone on something has changed. I don't really know the change, but I just know that I don't like it. I suppose this is natural and at some point, every family probably experiences it. It's a separation. Time and distance are much to blame. Our busy lives are much to blame. Petty disagreements are much to blame. It's not one single reason. It's not one single person. Over the past few years this has especially bothered me because I see it getting worse with time. I dont have the answer and I dont know how it can change or be made better. We are all so different and   I think the only thing we can do is embrace that and accept it. We are all so unique and that what makes this family so special. Just embracing each other and our different paths would make a world of difference. I hope that you feel the same way. One of my biggest fears as of now, is that it will take some type of tragedy to help this. I REALLY hope not. I REALLY hope that even if it starts with me, that something can swing this separation the other way.  

I know that some of my family is reading this and I want them to. That was the intent of this. Not to make anyone mad at all or stir some drama, but just to bring it to the table. Just so someone knows that I want us to be closer. Just so someone knows that we are here to support each other. We may be far away, but we are family and we are never too far away to have contact. Feel free to leave me your thoughts:) I would honestly love to hear them!

Karen

A Dog's Life

Taz went to the groomer today. I think he likes this place. He comes home and sleeps the rest of the day. Lazy dog. Next time I will do a before an after shot of going to the groomer and coming back. I always laugh hysterically when he comes home. He looks like a totally different dog. He looks handsomely wimpy. His hair does a lot for him. It really does! Poor thing, it will grow back.

That was fun! Anything else!?

                                   This all happens in a matter of ten minutes of being home!

Oh bummer Im back home. Time for a nap!

23.

I know, I know, no need to say it. I havent blogged in too long. I keep telling myself I will get better at this, but I never feel like I have anything "interesting" to talk about. I dont have babies, I don't cook magically, and Im flat out busy. I just go to school and work, how "interesting" is that?! IDK, but it's interesting to look back at a later date, and as everyone says, "you're gonna miss this."

Well I'm a few days late, but birthday number 23 has come and gone. How do I feel about 23 you ask? Well I really think its no different than the rest. It's not a milestone birthday, just another year older. I did have a fun birthday weekend though! Started out on Thursday, my actual birthday, with a few morning texts and calls. Went to work, a sweet friend bought me lunch and I enjoyed it while my babies were napping:)
Later, one of my parents brought me a balloon and gift basket full of goodies! Its SO nice when parents go above and beyond to appreciate their child's teachers!

Went to class and later came home to my sweet husband. He had Chinese food and flowers:) Thats all I needed, a nice day! My parents came in this weekend and we celebrated with a birthday dinner and cake.

My birthday dinner of choice: Lasagna! Some of you should have guessed it.... my best friend growing up, her mom could make the best homemade lasagna and perhaps that's why its one of my favorite foods now:)

And my birthday present (thanks to all who contributed): I'm redoing our master bedroom:) Which side will I choose? I have no idea yet, but Im anxiously waiting this project!

It was a super 23rd birthday!

CD's from Mom

Since I moved away from home almost 5 years ago, my mom often sends me little things in the mail.
My mom is amazing at finding random songs. Sometimes I will call and say 'hey mom, theres this song that goes like this....what is it?" She usually knows it. I have no idea how. I can never ever remember titles of songs or who sings what.
Anyhow she will often send a cd of random songs that I have either requested or random ones that she has found. I sometimes get tired of listening to the radio so I will pull out a random CD and listen to every song that Mom has picked.
 Today I found this song on one of the many cd's she has given me. (Im not a fan of the video but its all I could find)

Somedays the "routine" of life is somewhat boring. Let's face it, it's true! For some reason though, I found myself reflecting on the words of this random song today. It's really a crazy life sometimes, but it's worth it. It's exciting even when it just doesn't seem that way. It's an adventure even when this routine girl would like to just stick to the routine. We don't always know where we are going, but would it be exciting if we always did!? Im not one that embraces change easily, so as I'm writing this I realize how much God has taught me to RELAX in recent days! Its much easier said than done.

 I choose to live in each moment, even when I would like to forget it. I will keep changing poopy pants at work everyday, even if I really don't want to.

Its a crazy life, but the happiness outweighs the sad. The good trumps the bad. My Jesus guides me through even the most routine, boring, and not so fun moments of my day. My Jesus makes this life so much more exciting.

Love Story Part 3

I meant to write this yesterday but time flew away. This part of the story speaks for itself. It was an imperfect but incredibly perfect day all at the same time. I don't want to get all sappy on the internet so I wil stop and here are a few pics.

These are a few random shots. The last one, I just like. It gives some flair. It gives fun!

Love Story Part 2

The Engagement:
It was december of the following year. Yes, only one year after we started dating. A few close friends of ours had already gotten engaged and I was convinced it wasn't happening to me anytime soon. I had tried to guess every time he would have proposed but I was wrong every single time. So I just gave up guessing.

I knew he had the ring though. Nosy me found the receipt one day and of course I couldn't help myself to not look at it! I knew he had that thing somewhere! This is crazy but every time He would leave his apt for whatever reason I would search for the thing. Guess what....I NEVER found it! He was such a good ring hider! ( I seriously only found out like a month ago where he actually hid it.)

So Im at work one day and my friend/coworker asks me if I wanted to go shopping that night after work. Sure, why not? So that was our plan. Well for some unknown heavenly God-inspired reason I guess we didn't end up going. I have no idea why really. So instead I had laundry at Jeremey's apt that I needed to get and I needed to study for finals anyway. I was going to get the laundry and just go home.

My friend Heather (who was also the coworker) and I arrive at the apt and the boys are acting so weird. I grab my things and Im about to leave until suddenly Jeremey asks me if I want to walk to the mailbox with him. Ok sure? 
'Meanwhile, Heather's fiance is rushing her out the door while I am trying to tell her to grab me some dinner at the store. We are both thinking, Can you guys chill for a sec while we figure out what we want for dinner!? So weird we had no idea.

So as we walk to the mailbox I kind of figure out what is going on. Jeremey is acting so strange. But, we get there and back...and nothing! What a trick!!


We then decide to walk to the park, which was like right next to the apartments. I knew what was going on now. Seriously, it had to be happening! He gets out of the car and something falls out of his pocket, I say umm, what was that? He so cooly says, "oh just my phone." yeah right!


My favorite thing to do at the park is swing. We go to the swings and he pushes me and pushes me and in my head Im expecting to turn around and see him on one knee any moment. Magical right? Well it STILL doesnt happen! Sheesh! We talk about the day and such and start walking back to the car just like nothing at all. (I was secretly disappointed, I really thought I had guessed wrong again!)

As we are walking back, I tend to walk fast so I am ahead of him, I look back and he is sitting right next to the swing I was on, on one knee. Perfect! I kind of walk back to of course smiling from ear to ear, I heard that magical question and I said seriously!? Yes!


And that was that. Heather came back with my dinner. Her fiance knew the whole time obviously. We had some cupcakes to celebrate!

            I had chosen a ring that I thought I wanted but this one I had never even looked at. It was perfect.

                                            My roommates at the time were also very excited.