Home-Making…

 

In an effort to save money and cut costs to direct our funds in more useful ways I have decided to take a stab at making our own laundry soap.  If I was going to make my own soap…then it better be easy.  So I researched and decided that the liquid variety was to much of a pain.  Mixing and cooking and making sure that it is mixed when you use it…and you need a lot of buckets.  With working 2 jobs, kids who have homework, and Hubs that coaches/bowls 4 nights a week…let’s just say I don’t have a lot of spare time.  I opted for the powdered variety.  Here is my recipe:

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP

2 cups ivory bar soap (grated/shredded)

1 cup Borax

1 cup washing soda

use 2 tablespoons per load of laundry

The cost for these items (approx. guesses because I didn’t save my receipts. grr) 

• Ivory soap (6 bars) $1.25 @ Dollar General
• Washing Soda $2.50 at Hy-Vee  (this can be hard to find, but I’ll give tips for what to use instead)
• Borax $3.50 ??  I’ve had this in the cupboard forever (from a science project for the Boy a few years ago)
• $5.00 for a container to keep it in (couldn’t resist…I’m a container-addict)

 

So about $7.25 for ingredients plus $5 one time cost for the container.  From what I can figure this amount of ingredients will make about 4 batches.  I certainly can’t buy 4 bottles of laundry soap for $7.25. 

Some worries I initially had was:  Is this going to rinse out?  and How well is it going to clean?  In order to cure the soap residue that I worried about, I put 1 cup of vinegar in the bleach dispenser.   This did work.  Then when I forgot to add it, I didn’t notice any difference, therefore I quick.  I think the residue issue will depend of whether you have hard or soft water and how efficient your washer is.  Ours is only a year old and we use soft water so this is probably why we didn’t have the problem.

My Tips:

The smaller you grate the ivory, the better off you’ll be.  This is because it will dissolve much quicker.  I like to use a micro-plane.  It makes super fine shreds.

 

Washing soda is not the same thing as baking soda.  I’m not sure what the difference is, something to do with the chemicals or something scientific.  It is found in the laundry soap isle.  I couldn’t find it at Wal-mart.  I found mine at Hy-Vee.  From what I have gathered you can also use Oxy-clean as a substitute.  The cost is slightly more, but not by much. 

We made a double batch.  I have no idea how long it will last so we wrote on top of the container the date we started using it.  At 2 tablespoons a load, I’m thinking it was last a while.  I’m most excited about the money savings.   I’ve always had mixed feelings about how much laundry soap cost, only to be washed down the drain!  The great thing about using such a small amount, is that when the kids are doing their laundry (yes, they do their own) I don’t have to worry about them using too much soap.  BONUS!

It has worked well so far.  And the best part is, I don’t think anyone in the family would have known anything different if I hadn’t told them.  I’ll keep you updated on how long it lasts.  

Happy Folding folks…

not mine…theirs.

My birthdays have never been hard for me. My kids birthdays on the other hand…now that’s a different story.

I have no fears about being old. I was fortunate to find my soul-mate in High School. We have been together ever since. All I’ve thought about was growing old together and being old together.

A few years ago was when it first started. The Hubs and I decided to go out for our Anniversary. This was the beginning of August, so he convinced me that we could let the kids stay home alone while we went to eat. There was a long wait at Granite City so I said…”let’s just go to Arby’s or something quick so the kids aren’t home alone too long.” He insisted we wait it out (only to find out later he had it set up for me to receive flowers at Granite City! The Jerk) We had a nice dinner and went to Cold Stone to get ice cream for the kids. We came home to find the house picked up, vacuumed and dishes all done.

Right then it hit me…They were growing up and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I don’t have fears of the empty-nest. When they are out of the house, Hubs and I will still be young. Woo Hoo…PARTY TIME!! I’m more scared of what is in between now and then.

Now that they are more active in bowling and school, Hubs coaches, and I work two jobs, my fear is that I one day I will wake up and 10 years will have gone by and I will have missed something. I realize that I won’t be able to be at everything. I already missed the Boy’s first Youth National Bowling tournament. That will never happen again. Over. Done. I also missed his 2nd Youth National tournament. See…it’s already starting. Am I going to wake up one day and realize I’m 40 and it’s all over. no replays. only memories.

Something that blew my mind …Last week while Hubs was @ practice with his High School team, he was counting how many lower classman he had and thinking about our younger youth bowlers that would be incoming freshman in a few years. Then the Boy’s name came up. It was soon realized that when this year’s freshman are seniors…The Boy will be a freshman. ya…in HIGH SCHOOL!!! That is three short years away. Actually 2 1/2 to be corrected by the Boy.

In a few short days The Boy will be 12. 2 years away from having a permit. 2.5 years away from high school. 4 years away from a drivers license. and 6 years away from porn. What’s a mom to do? Annoy them…embarrass them…and enjoy them…and take lots of pictures!

This is what 10 years ago looks like!

58 people and no one signs McGowan

 

Another Christmas in the books and again I am thankful for the family I married.  I have loved every McGowan Christmas since The Hubs and I started dating.  When I attended my first McGowan Christmas about 15 years ago, there were about 20 people at Grandma and Grandpa Greats house.  I can remember thinking “Wow, all of their Aunts and Uncles come to Christmas.”  It just seemed unusual to me.  Why don’t they each have their own Christmas.  After a few years, before Andy and I were married, I don’t remember the exact words Grandpa Great used, but he basically said “We do Christmas on Christmas Eve, so if your family has plans for that night, they will need to change them.”  We have zero traditions in my family, so I had no problem with this.  I couldn’t imagine having to choose.  As the years went on I realized how important it was to Grandma and Grandpa to see all of their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids at Christmas. (They would have been in awe this year)  It was always amazing to see Grandma and Grandpa just sit in their chairs and smile while all their family opened their gifts.  Grandpa may have hated the shopping part, but he loved seeing how happy all the grandkids were with their gifts!  They were the only thing missing from this year.

 

This is the Carolers…Yes they actually go around the neighborhood dressed like this and attempt to sing carols.  If nothing else, they bring A LOT of holiday cheer!

It was amazing this year!  We had everyone there, except for Mike and Linda. Grandma Mikey was sent home from the hospital but wasn’t able tp make it to Spencer.  But we were happy to have him home!

And there were some great White Elephant gifts too!  There was a baby boom in the family this year too.  It gave a few of us “baby fever”, but we got our snuggles and sent them home!

Grandma and Grandpa and their 4 girls sure have grown.  After we got home, I sat down and counted how much we had really grown.  Any guesses at how many people were there….56!  (give or take a few)WOW huh? 56 people and not a single one of us has the last name McGowan. But that’s what we call ourselves, even those of us who have married into the family.  It’s an awesome thing Don and Mary McGowan made!  I am already counting down to next year!

I love this family!

Busy, busy, busy…

What have we been busy with…

Girl had a band concert.

Boy practiced…

and practiced…

and practiced some more…

and they even bowled in a couple tournaments

Bowling is what we do. It consumes our lives, but in a good way. There is a community of people that I can’t imagine our lives without. Everywhere we have moved, the bowling center in each city always becomes home.

Any town that we moved to, we could walk into a center with our equipment, and always be able to join a team. We’ve met great people and sometimes some questionable people, but always had fun! That’s why we keep coming back I guess, no matter how bad we bowl.

The kids are just as involved as we are. Boy is counting down until he can join the youth state and local boards. He practices every chance he gets. and he’s amazing at it. But I may be a little biased. It’s amazing to see him in the same tournaments with high school and college bowlers. I think he just clicks with them. We are so blessed to have such great people take care of our youth bowlers.

Girl enjoys bowling, but just doesn’t’ have the drive and desire to raise her average like Boy does. She has amazing natural talent though. If only we can find that special thing that sparks her. In time she’ll find it. Its smoldering in there…I know it.

we’re off…probably heading to the bowling center

Makala

Pooch…

Montana Gold on his favorite trail.

Everybody's doing it...right?

Well, I really can't say for sure if "everyone" is doing it...but I can say that I have thought about doing it for a LONG time. There are so many blogs that I follow (admittedly some more so than I check my Facebook) Grr! I often ask myself why...What is it about these people that I have never met, know absolutely nothing about, but still, every time I sit down at my computer I must check on them. Have they gone on vacation, are their kids sick, are they having the same "family issues" that may be going on at my house, do they have a new recipe? I find it a little strange. In my defense...I do also follow blogs of people I have met in person :)

If nothing else I decided "If you can't beat 'um, join 'um". So here I write...sorry blog. I'm not really sure the direction this blog will take. I'm not sure if this is nothing more than a phase. I picked A Snap Judgment with the intent of this being about my journey as a photographer, but I'm sure you might find a recipe or 2 or bowing accomplishments pop up too. Our family is so busy...I don't even know if I will have time to blog. Once a week is my goal. Just like going to the trail with this lovely poochy. It's just to dang cold now.

Photography is taking my time today. A wonderful family that we know through bowling just adopted 3 young brothers. They are celebrating the adoption with a party at where else? The bowling center!! This family is there almost as often as we are. I offered to take photos during the party and then at some point, when they have time...(this is a woman who is now a mother of 10, like she's got time) I would do family photos too. It's something to get my feet wet in the photography field.