Home-made Dishwasher Detergent a BUST

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

picklewart.blogspot.com

Well, after a run of good luck with all the different home-made recipes I have here on the blog, I've hit a dead end. Home-made Dishwasher detergent is a bust. After a few different alterations to the chemistry of the detergent, I've finally decided this stuff just doesn't cut it. Washing a load of dishes twice isn't cost or time effective. So, my earlier post on making your own home-made dishwasher detergent is now just a try it if you want post... I'll be switching back to store bought until something else comes out for me to try!

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Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Monday, September 20, 2010

picklewart.blogspot.com

I love to save. Yes, I do. I find much satisfaction in finding that incredible deal at a yard sale or flea market... that elusive 90% tag on a sale rack... or that make-it-yourself EASY recipe for cleaners. Myself and a few friends have been trying out various home-made cleaner recipes... some working well... others working not-so-well. Thus far, the home-made liquid laundry soap, fabric softener, stain spray, and various bathroom cleaners (concoctions of ammonia, vinegar, baking soda, and bleach [never mix vinegar & bleach!]) have all done very well.

So, now I'm ready to try my own home-made dishwasher detergent. A friend sent me hers because it was fogging up her dishes. I believe she too has hard water battles just as I do. I got hers to work OK if I used ONLY a tablespoon or LESS and also used vinegar as a rinse agent.... and I still experienced some "fog" on the dishes now and then. So, now I'm trying out another "recipe" for home-made dishwasher detergent. I'll give it a review after I've given this one a go.

Home-made Dishwasher Detergent

1 c Washing Soda (not Baking soda - sodium carbonate)
1 c Borax
6 pkts unsweetened Lemonade (like Koolaid) *citric acid

I ran the washing soda through my blender to really "powder"-it-up. Then I mixed all the ingredients up in a sealed container. I also through in one of those silicon packets (like found in purses & shoes) to help absorb moisture.
These mixes tend to clump, but it doesn't cause any issue other than having to break it up now & then.
Use 1 Tablespoon per load (no more).

Use vinegar as your rinse aid (instead of other store products)!

The vinegar helps to break up the hard water... the lemonade (citric acid) also helps to break up the hard water during the wash to help with a cleaner rinse.

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The Little Engine that Could | Running Program

Friday, September 17, 2010

picklewart.blogspot.com

It's the beginning of Fall, and I am four weeks into my new running program: The Couch to 5K Running Program

When I started, I had hopes that if I was really really lucky, I might be able to do a 5K (3.1 miles) by the time the Turkey Trot came around this Thanksgiving... which also just so happens to be my 35th birthday! (I see a special T-shirt design in my future...)

Now honestly, I'm not a runner and never have been. I'm quite a chunky gal, so running, obviously, hasn't been a "thing" for me for a long time! But when I saw the Couch to 5K program through a friend on Facebook (yes, FB can be a GOOD thing!), it motivated me to, at the very least, give it a try. So, in prayer and with much apprehension I started the program. I acknowledged that I may very well fail, but at least I would try it out and see how it went... so, I DID.

You mothers out there will understand my initial concerns of WHEN I would have the opportunity to even do this exercise program. So, after much consideration of the very young ages of the children, the new school schedules, church activities, work schedules, farm schedules, etc. I decided to go with the EARLY AM runs. So, 5:30 AM is my new wake-up call. Boy was it painful at first... trust me... even this morning person was hurting when that alarm went off!

Off I went running - Week 1 made me realize just how out of shape I really was. Sad.Sad.Sad. So, huffing and puffing I went - for a whole 3 minutes of running and then walking and then a little more running and then some walking - for a whole mile. I thought I was going to die. (Verses about your body being a temple and gluttony and laziness plagued me.) And so the theme continued for the next several weeks.

Week 4 - Something happened this morning... this incredible Friday Sep 17 morning. Something truly glorious! I was out doing my running/walking duo, except I skipped the walking part.
Yes, I ran... and ran... and RAN!
It was a beautiful morning... just before the sun was going to rise.
The owls were still hooting.
The ground was cool and the air crisp.
The cows were just beginning to stir.
The breeze was starting to slip between the trees.
The stars were like crystals in the sky.
My obnoxious rooster, Lenny, wasn't even crowing yet!

I decided today was the day to run 1 mile straight. So, I did. I hit a rough spot about 12 min in when fatigue hit and the heaving chest breathing pains almost took over, but I kept telling myself my mile wasn't done yet, and if I could just push a little further, I'd be there! But the "pocket" of pain passed and it was like I hit this bizarre "high" and suddenly the breathing became perfectly natural and the fatigue became less of a feeling of exhaustion and more of a feeling of automation.

And then I realized I had more in me... so I ran further, and further, until I had ran a full 2 miles - without stopping! For many of you, 2 miles probably isn't all that impressive, but for this heavy gal that's not a runner, this was a huge accomplishment. I still can't believe it. Honestly, I can't.

Well, here I am now ready for my next day of running - and really looking forward to it. (I cannot believe I just said that.) I know I can do 2 miles, so I've got 1 mile to go until I can reach my first goal of running that 5K Turkey Trot in November... but you know what the coolest part is? I know now that I'll be ready before then! Incredible. And to think, I started this whole thing praying to God to help me "give this thing a try" and to not let me embarrass myself with failure.
God is good.

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Princess Birthday Bonanza

Saturday, September 11, 2010

picklewart.blogspot.com

Well, my little girl will soon turn 4. My tiny little sweet baby girl... my sweet baby that I rocked each night, my little angel.
Tomorrow, the 12th, at about 12:30 PM, my little girl will be four years old.
Tonight we celebrated with friends and family.
Earlier this month this same sweet little girl told her Mommy (who would do almost anything for her) that she wanted a castle cake this year... almost a predictable request for a 4 year old birthday party... but then she added that she also wanted it to have a volcano behind it!
Say huh?
She continued with this same request for the next several days and weeks. Obviously she was serious. So, Mommy made it happen in accordance as the little princess deemed it.But there was more "princessing" to do... frog kisses anyone?
And how 'bout glittery play dough... or "royal dough"!And Garrett wanted in on the present action.But there was one present at the end that Grace never expected...
A dollhouse taller than her!
We had a good time at the party tonight... and I look forward to many more with my sweet little princess!!
Pictures here by my friend Kara Guffey of Kara Guffey Photography - serving southwest Missouri!

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I Wanna Read!

  • The Way They Learn - Tobias
  • Teaching the Trivium - Bluedorn
  • The Well-Trained Mind
  • Get Wisdom! - Ruth Younts
  • Little House on the Prairie series - Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • The Pursuit of Holiness - Jerry Bridges
  • Primal - Mark Batterson
  • Hipster Christianity - Brett McCracken
  • Gospel Powered Parenting - William P. Farley
  • Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow - RC Sproul
  • When People are Big and God is Small - Edward T. Welch
  • Chosen by God - RC Sproul
  • The Discipline of Grace - Jerry Bridges
  • Radical - David Platt

Reading it Now!

  • The New Read-Aloud Handbook - Trelease
  • Honey for a Child's Heart - Gladys Hunt
  • Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • Bringing up Boys - Dr James Dobson

Past Reads

  • The Three R's - Ruth Beechick
  • Mary Pride's Complete Guide to Homeschooling
  • What is a Healthy Church? - Mark Dever
  • What is a Healthy Church Member? - Thabiti M. Anyabwile
  • Feminine Appeal - Carolyn Mahaney
  • Shepherding a Child's Heart - Ted Tripp
  • Crazy Love - Francis Chan
  • When Life is Hard - James MacDonald
  • Food and Love - Dr. Gary Smalley
  • For Women Only - Shaunti Feldhahn
  • For Men Only - Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn
  • The Gospel for Real Life - Jerry Bridges
  • Living the Cross Centered Life - CJ Mahaney
  • Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge
  • Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul - John Eldredge
  • Dare to Discipline - Dr. James Dobson
  • The No-Cry Sleep Solution - Elizabeth Pantley
  • Parenting is Not for Cowards by Dr. James Dobson
  • The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
  • The Strong Willed Child by Dr. James Dobson

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