It's been awhile and I'm really hoping I will start posting more often. I don't have a lot if IRL friends so I'd love some online friends!! :)

This week in school we are rowing "When I Was Young in the Mountains" and it's been a wonderful story! Adisson is really enjoying it as well. I love it when he remembers something from the story and later tells me about it, or when he hears something that reminds him of part of the story. Math is going well, too. He is working on learning halves, telling time, measuring and more. He started a book at the beginning of the week on the Pony Express. It has four chapters. He loves it and will finish it today. He's also been working on memorizing a Bible verse and handwriting as well. It's been a good busy week.

Zander is just being Zander. He found some flashcards that he loves playing with. He's also been working on sorting by color, learning his numbers and letters, and playing with lacing cards. He's so much fun to be around and play with. We're so grateful for him and his precious big brother.

On the homefront, things are about the same as always. :) I sent out an email today to my family members about my wonderful money saving homemade cleaner recipes. I know my Grandma is interested in them but I don't know about my mom and one of my aunts. :) I think they are more on the fence about it! But I sent them anyway. And because there might be some of you that don't have some of these recipes, I'll post them here as well.


Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
(this will fill an 18 ounce bottle and costs approximately 13 cents to make)

4 T. vinegar (white distilled)
2 t. Borax (20 Mule Team Borax)
2 T. dish soap
2 c. hot water

Pour water in bottle. Add Borax to hot water to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients to bottle. Shake to mix. Spray and enjoy!


Homemade Window Cleaner
(Also will nearly fill an 18 ounce bottle and costs approximately 5 cents to make)

3 T. vinegar (white distilled)
1/2 t. dish soap
2 c. water

Add ingredients to bottle, shake to mix.


Homemade Laundry Detergent
(this costs approximately 2-3 cents per load)

You will need:
2 1/2 gallon bucket or larger
Spoon (long, to stir with)
Containers with lids to store your detergent (I use 2 ice cream buckets, you can use whatever you have that works!)
*Optional* Empty detergent bottle

Ingredients
1/3 bar of Fels Naptha Laundry Soap, grated
1/2 c. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (NOT BAKING SODA!)
1/2 c. Borax
Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 6 cups of hot water. Heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened and remove from heat. Add four cups of hot water to your 2+ gallon bucket. Add soap mixture and mix well. Fill bucket with enough water to reach 2 gallons. Mix well. Set aside for 24 hours.

Once mixture is thickened (after 24 hours) stir it. It's very gross looking and the soap is thick, but mix it as well as you can with a spoon. If this bucket doesn't have a lid, you'll need to transfer it to container(s) that do have one. If you have an empty detergent bottle, you could use it for this detergent as well!

Mix well before each use* and use 1/2 cup per load.

*If you have an empty detergent bottle, this is where it comes in handy. It's much easier to shake the detergent when it's in the detergent bottle. And most detergent bottles (except the ones that are concentrated) have lids that are 1/2 cup.

The laundry recipe is much easier than you think or than it reads. It takes about thirty minutes total on the first day (if that!) and just a few minutes the next day to stir and transfer to containers. :)


Homemade Fabric Softener
Disclaimer: As of today (March 12, 2009), I have not tried this fabric softener. I did locate this recipe and pass it on to my wonderful best friend and she has tried and used it and likes it! :) She's a hardcore softener sheet lover, so I figured if she can be swayed to the Cheap Side for fabric softener, it must be good. And when I run out of sheets, I'll be making my own as well.

You will need:
Rags (old washclothes, a cut up shirt you no longer like, preferably flannel, etc.)
Scissors (if your rags need cut)
1 c. Vinegar
12 c. water
Hair Conditioner (Note: don't go buy something fancy and expensive. Buy Suave or VO5 in scent that you love. However, be warned that your clothes will not smell like this scent, they won't smell like anything after they've been washed and dried in homemade cleaners, but they won't stink!!)
A bowl/bucket/container big enough for 12 cups of liquid and also has a lid.

Directions:
Dump the entire bottle of conditioner in a bowl or bucket, whatever you're using.
Add a cup of white vinegar and 12 cups of water.
Mix it all together.
Add rags.
When it's time to use, wring one out and toss it in the dryer.

I've also heard this is some good cuticle cream!! I've read this costs approximately 1-2 cents per load.


Homemade Floor Cleaner (cost is approximately 8 cents per gallon of cleaner)
I don't know what floors this is or isn't meant for (meaning, I don't know if it will work on laminate, wood, or stone...I'll look into that), but I use it on my vinyl linoleum.

1 c. vinegar
1 gallon water

Mop. :)


Homemade Dishwashing Detergent
1 part store bought powdered dishwasher detergent
1 part Borax
1 part Washing Soda
Vingar

Combine dry ingredients. Use 2 T. per load. Use vinegar as a rinse agent.

**Some people use 1 part of Borax and 1 part Washing Soda, but I've heard some complaints that it doesn't clean the dishes as well. I've not personally tried that. My first expirement with dishwashing detergent was as I described above. I also keep my detergent in a recycled parmesan cheese container so when it's time to be used, I just sprinkle the right amount into the compartment. This mixture doesn't save as much money, as you are still using store bought cleaner, but it definitely prolongs the life of the cleaner.


Homemade toilet bowl cleaner
After I mop, I dump my mop water in the toilet. The excess water causes my toilet to flush and causes the water level in the toilet to be low until it's flushed again. I take that opportunity to sprinkle Borax in the toilet bowl. The low water level leaves a larger portion of the bowl out of water, making a larger surface area to clean. The Borax mixed with just a little bit of water creates a nice paste. Scrub it all around with a toilet brush, let it sit for a few minutes, flush and enjoy and nice shiny bowl!! :D


I confess, I added the word homemade in front of all my cleaners to hopefully generate some traffic. :) I'd love some readers. I know right now I'm just typing into cyberspace, reaching no one. :) But maybe that will change sometime soon.

That's about all that we're working on here. Adam's been busy at working, actually working for a change of pace. We don't have much planned for this weekend. I do have to place my order for Angel Food by the end of this weekend. Yummy! I'd also like to get away with some local mom friends of mine as they are moving away in a few weeks. :(

Love and vinegar!!