Au Natural

Do you smell that?  What is it?  Well, it's not me, that's for darn sure.  Yes!  This is the post I've been promising about homemade deodorant!

I am by no means a pioneer in the field of homemade products.  All of my recipes have been taken from others who are smart enough to know how to make all this stuff. 

My first foray into homemade products was laundry soap!  I actually got the idea from seeing a snippet of that TLC show "19 Kids and Counting".  You better believe with that many folks in one house, they are making buckets of this stuff!  When I saw it, I thought it would be a cool experiment to try with the kids and then give it away as Christmas gifts to our family.  That was several years ago and I stuck with it.  Admittedly, I haven't made a batch recently.  But, when I do I want to try a powdered version simply to save space.

I have also recently started making dishwasher soap!!!  And it really works!!  Here's the recipe:
 mix 1 CUP Borax
        1 CUP Washing Soda
        1/2 CUP Citric Acid
        1/2 CUP Kosher Salt
   *use white vinegar as a rinse agent*
   *use one Tablespoon per load
   *keep it in the fridge (clearly labeled!!!) to prevent clumping.  It will seriously turn into a brick if you leave it on the counter.  I tried adding rice to the mix to absorb moisture, but just ended up with cooked rice in the dishwasher.

*Bonus!!!  If you're making the laundry soap, then you already have most of the ingredients!!!

Okay, so the deodorant!  Here's the recipe:
6 TBS of softened coconut oil
1/4 CUP Baking Soda
1/4 CUP Arrowroot or corn starch
Mix it together in a glass jar.

That's it!!!  How can it be this easy???  Look at the list of ingredients on your deodorant...go ahead, I'll wait.  It's super long, isn't it?  With a bunch of "stuff" in it.  Bet you wouldn't eat it.  With the homemade kind, you absolutely could brush your teeth with it, too.  I added a few drops of essential oil, but you can't really tell.  That's fine with me, though....when I can smell my own deodorant, I always feel like someone is sneaking up on me.  You probably already have the Baking Soda and corn starch in your kitchen.  And, Coconut oil can be used for about 1,000 other things.

Here's my review of the deodorant after using it for a couple of months.  It will separate in the jar.  (Unless you keep it in the fridge, which I don't.  I don't want to ever say "Do not eat Mommy's deodorant, you rotten kids!!!)  All the oil will come to the top leaving a big clump of goo at the bottom.  I can get past that.  I either mix it using a Q-tip, or just get to the bottom of the jar.  I'm always worried about the oil getting on my clothes the same way the white stuff from regular deodorant does, so I've started putting it on right after the shower and giving it time to soak in.  No problems with staining so far!  Since it's not an anti-antiperspirant, I can totally feel the heat rising under my arms and worry about pit stains...but, again, it hasn't happened yet.  I smell pretty good, too.  No one has yet to wrinkle their nose at me. 

I will say that once I wore the same shirt 2 days in a row (don't judge!) and the second day was a mistake.  I didn't smell, but the shirt did!!!  Weird, right?  Plus, I  have a couple of shirts made of unidentifiable fabrics, that seem to smell after a while. 

Overall, I'm going to keep using it.  Please tell me if you can smell me, I won't be offended.  Plus, I use such a small amount, this jar is going to last for.ev.er. 

Any thoughts on what I should make next????  Do YOU have any good homemade recipes??

Preschool...

As the school year winds down and we all try to focus on summer fun, the thought of next fall surely creeps into your mind every now and then.  Who will be your teacher(s)?  Will any friends be in your class?  Where will be your locker?  Or as a parent, when will we do back to school shopping?  Where's the bus stop?  How much is too much homework?

Here at our house, we are looking forward to summer break....well, to be honest, the kids are super excited for summer.  I'm more concerned with how to fill the days and keep a modicum of peace between 3 children of 3 different ages that want to do exactly 3 different things all at the same time. 

As for the fall, Jay and I have decided NOT to send Trey to preschool.  It never, ever crossed my mind as a whisper of a thought that someday I would have to decide that I won't send my child to school because I don't know if he'll live through the year.  What a horrible place to be.  My resolve was stronger when we made the decision, though it has weakened in the past couple of weeks.  Seeing posts about a child's preschool graduation or a parent's excitement and anticipation of signing their child up for preschool are vivid reminders.  Plus, seeing Trey today, no one would guess that he's so sick...he would do wonderfully at school TODAY.  I have to remind myself that we just don't know what life will be like in the up coming months.  His CT scan THIS Monday could change the whole look of this summer.

When Bella finished preschool, I didn't mentally prepare myself for it being the last time.  I didn't close that door in my mind because Baby Trey had made his way onto the scene and in a few short years, he'd be running the show Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 - 11:30.  I knew when Trey was done nursing that it would (most likely) be the last time.  I even made a blog post when we got rid of our trusty high chair.  I said my good bye's to the pack n' play, bouncy chairs and rattle toys.  I was ready to move on.  I wasn't ready to be done with preschool and tiny back packs and name tags on string necklaces.

I know, though, that this is the right decision!  I believe that.  There were far more reasons that we came up with to keep him home with us rather than send him.  And, if we find ourselves in the fall of 2013 needing to sign Trey up for Kindergarten, well then, praise the Lord!  We praise Him today for the reassurance that no matter what, this is the right decision for all of us right now.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long;  we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~Romans 8:35-39