When I can't sleep

... I bake. Apparently. 

A few months ago my kids and I roadtripped to Amish Country, Pa with my mother-in-law. We didn't get to do half of the things we wanted (basically because the kids were demanding). One if the things that my MIL kept talking about was getting strawberry pie. It was the beginning of strawberry season. 

Well pie we did not get. Bummer. Danny hasn't let me forget about it. I swear, one day that kid will forget something. 

We finally decided to buy a ton of strawberries and make a pie. I love pies, but I love making them even more. I have always wanted to make a strawberry pie. 

This was my first time making a crust from scratch. 

I have never been great at shaping a crust or getting it in the pie plate. But really, who cares about the crust?

After making the crust I cleaned and cut the strawberries. Then I baked the crust, it took a lot longer than the directions I found online. I think it may have been because I used whole wheat flour, but I am not really sure about that. 

Then it was time to make the strawberry filling. I boiled half of the strawberries with sugar. 

My house smells amazing.  

Half if the strawberries went in the crust, and the other half was boiled into the delicious gooey filling and poured on too of the raw strawberries. The beautiful concoction is "chilling" in the fridge as I type. I am not sure if I can wait until tomorrow night to try/serve it. We might have strawberry pie for breakfast. That should help the kids do well at swim lessons 😜. 

Hello lover.

I got the pie recipe here: http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/15836/strawberry-pie-ii

And the crust recipe here: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/m/recipe/basic-pie-dough.html

I always improvise a little when I bake. I can't wait to see if this recipe is as good as it smells! 

Saturday night

My Saturday night looks like this:

Folding cloth diapers and watching While You Were Sleeping. It isn't one of my favorite movies, but I do love it! 

I remember when my Saturday night would consist of bar hopping and dancing. That was great. But this is better. I wouldn't change anything. 

That is not true. I would love it if my husband was home watching the movie with me and helping me fold diapers. That is the one thing that I would love to change about life. I wish he were home every night like so many if my friends husbands. I miss when our life was simpler, when we had all the time in the world together. 

Sometimes being married to a police officer is hard. Not as hard as being a police officer, but still hard. It gets lonely. But I am super proud of him for working so hard and being so brave. 

Even if it does mean I give 90% of the baths, cook 100% of the dinners, and wipe 85% of the butts. 

So if you are bar hopping or dancing, enjoy it, this season of life will not last. 

If your husband comes home every night,  count yourself lucky and enjoy your time together. 

If your husband is deployed and you have been on your own for months, tell me to stop whining and give yourself a pat on the back. 

Welcome back

Why hello!! Long time no see.

Welcome to my world. It revolves around these two:

Layla and Danny May 2014

Danny and Layla. What can I say? They really are my wold. They keep me busy, but we have a lot of fun. They challenge me in ways only a mother could ever know, but this is exactly what I want to me doing with my time. Sometimes I can't believe how right our life is. For all the struggles we face, there are a thousand smiles, silly phrases, hugs and beautiful moments that I will cherish forever.

Danny and me laying in Layla's big girl bed.

This one is four now. How did that happen? He is incredibly handsome, his eyes alone will break hearts one day. He loves Pixar's CARS, Planes and batman. He still loves to read; he actually was the first child in our county to complete the 500 by five reading program. He completed it before he turned four. I am so proud. He is learning to read on his own. Although we have decided to homeschool him for his prek year he is very excited for kindergarten next fall. He loves his sister and wants to be a police officer when he grows up, just like his dad.

Layla and Danny's Batman doll.

This beautiful girl is 1 1/2 and as sweet as can be. She gave me a run for my money in the beginning, but what a perfect piece to our family puzzle she became. I can't get over how much she is loved and how much her presence enriches our lives. She looks like her dad, but has my sensitive soul. She has a spit-fire personality like her aunts, and is very dramatic. She loves ladybugs, puppies, Disney princesses and books. She also loves babies, but we are thinking if we ever brought one home to keep she wouldn't be so happy.

This guy is what makes our family possible:

Our family, June 4th, 2014

Stephen works hard (so hard) for our family and community. He is a kick-butt police officer. He works tons of PT hours after his regular shifts to provide for our family, and to allow me to stay home with our children, something that we decided would be the right decision not long after we married. He is an amazing father to our two kids, they adore him. I couldn't be more proud of my Marine turned cop!

We recently relocated to be closer to his work, which happens to be the city where we both grew up. It was a decision we felt very unsure of until we were here, and now we realize we have found our forever home (just not the house yet). Never say never, because we did, and here we are as happy as we have ever been.

As for me, I am doing great! I had a really hard time with postpartum depression after Layla was born. I don't think I felt like me again until well after her first birthday. Luckily I had my husband and kids keeping me going, even when things got really dark. Moving back to our hometown has been such a blessing! We get to see our friends so often now! My BFF moved back to the area a few weeks after we did and it is so much fun spending time together.

A few weeks ago my two besties and I had a girls night and met this chick:

Michelle, Rachel, Emily Giffen and me. June 10th, 2014

If you don't know her then shame on you ;). Emily Giffin is my favorite living author. We met her in DC, had a lovely conversation with her and had books signed. It was a night I will never forget! Read any and all of her books when you get a chance, you will not regret it!

My family has been through a lot in the past four years since turning into a family from a couple. We have had good times and bad, really bad, but the good always comes back and makes everything beautiful. We have learned how to handle difficult situations, and people. We know who matters in the big scheme of things and who doesn't. We have learned how to let things roll of our shoulders and focus on the good in our lives. 

We are doing our best to raise our kids to be kind and to think of others. We teach them respect others and try to instill in them traditional values. None of us are perfect, but we are doing our best every day to do the right thing. 

Homemade non-toxic

Okay, so I know I haven't posted here in SO long. Frankly, I have been busy (what mom isn't), and I have been working on other writing projects that haven't left enough time to dedicate to this one. I will work on that.

I made a facebook status today asking if anyone has made a good dishwasher detergent. I have officially replaced all my household cleaners with homemade non-toxic cleaners, with the exception of dishwasher detergent.

How did I do it? Well I am actually very creative, smart and awesome. That is how.

NOT.

I google, try a few and keep the ones I like. I can't take the credit for any of these recipes. I will share my not-so-secrets, and credit the person I got the idea from where I can.

All Purpose Cleaner
*1 spray bottle
*Equal parts white vinegar and water
BOOM. That is it. Simple, yet effective.
If you really hate the smell of vinegar you can add essential oils, or vanilla, almond extract to mask the scent. My only suggestion is to shake the bottle before each use because the parts will separate and you'll get a strong dose of vinegar.
This is my primary cleaner. I even use it in my steam carpet cleaner!
This cleaner works for cleaning counter tops, toilets, sinks, floors, windows, everything! I don't even buy floor cleaner anymore, I add this little concoction to my Rubbermaid Swiffer Wet Jet knock-off and it cleans the floors. I know I have blogged about this before, but this cleaner is awesome. The best part about it is that you can spray it all over your kids toys to clean them, and they will not get sick from it. They wont put their grubby little hands and mouths all over nasty chemical covered toys anymore.

Laundry Detergent -NOT safe for Cloth Diapers (or so I am told)
*1 4 lb 12 oz box Borax (2.15 kg or 76 oz) found in the detergent isle

*1 4 lb box Arm & Hammer Baking Soda (1.81 kg) found in the cooking isle

*1  box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) found in the detergent isle

*3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap, found in the detergent isle (if you use Zote bars use 2 bars instead, 

  Zote  can be found at Home Depot)

*2 small containers of Oxy Clean or store brand Oxy Clean (try to get about 3.5 lbs total (1.58 kg)) found in the detergent isle.




The woman who I got this recipe from says that you can find all the products at the grocery store, I found that to NOT be true, but it still wasn't hard to get the ingredients.

I use 1Tbsp per load, unless I am washing soiled sheets from the kids, then it gets a double dose.
This recipe is great because it cleans REALLY well, but doesn't have a strong smell. I used to LOVE the smell of laundry detergent, but now that I know those scents are really just nasty chemicals to breathe in I appreciate the fainter smells of things :).

To make: Simply combine all the ingredients in a big trash bag and mix well. You have to grate or food process the three bars of soap, then mix it in. I don't have a food processor, so I hand grate the soap, which is a huge pain in the butt, I keep toying with the idea of leaving the soap out, but I don't know if that would hinder the cleaning capabilities. Anyone know the answer to that?

This recipe makes two gallons of detergent, and lasts me about 9 months. And I do A LOT of laundry not including my cloth diapers). The work is worth it to me to never have to run out and buy detergent. Making a batch every 9 months is no big deal since it works so well/lasts so long.

THIS is where I got the recipe. Thanks, Creative Mama!

If the laundry detergent recipe was discouraging because there are so many things you have to buy, no fear, it gets MUCH easier.

I was using a lot of Lysol spray with a newly potty-trained 3-year-old, and a diaper sprayer (if you cloth diaper, you know what I am talking about). Essentially, I am constantly wiping off the toilet, and spraying the germs away. But Lysol is nasty and toxic, so I did some more google-ing. I will admit that the options don't sound very exciting, but the one I chose seems to work, and again, it isn't going to poison my family, so I will take it.

Disinfectant Spray
*2 spray bottles
*White vinegar
*Hydrogen peroxide

This is SO EASY. Put the vinegar in the first spray bottle (label it), put the sprayer from the second bottle on the peroxide bottle. You are DONE. Spray the peroxide on the surface you with to de-funk, then follow up with the vinegar. BOOM. You are done.

The first time I tried this I used way too much and it didn't dry quickly, I learned less is more. Now I am not worried about poo and pee germs all over the bathroom, and I am not coughing up  my lungs from the fumes from Lysol.

I suggest visiting the link below to learn more about this home-remedy 
Thanks, BrightNest. 


Toilet Bowl Cleaner

I am not giving you a recipe for something you can combine in a bottle and spray in the toilet. This isn't as simple, but it is still easy. The best part about it is if you are making the other recipes I have posted, you already have the ingredients.

*1/2 cup baking soda

*8 drops tea-tree or melaleuca essential oil

*1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

Pour Baking Soda directly into the toilet boil add oil, then vinegar - in this order.

Add Essential Oil

Let sit for about 10 minutes then scrub with toilet brush.

DONE. Easy.

I don't always use essential oils because they aren't as easy to pick up at Target (are they?), and because as soon as you flush the toilet the smell of vinegar is gone. But do whatever floats your boat. 

This is where I got the idea!

Laundry Stain Remover

This one is pretty easy, and you already have the ingredients. There are some stains that I have not been able to get out of my kids clothes no matter what I try, even shout, spray 'n wash and oxyclean. So I don't feel bad if this recipe doesn't always work, some kids clothes are just not going to make it to the next one.

This is what you need:

*baking soda

*vinegar

*old toothbrush

*Spray or drip bottle

Mix vinegar with equal parts water in the bottle.

Shake or sprinkle baking soda on the stain, then spray or drip vinegar and water mixture on top. Scrub the stain a bit with the toothbrush and let sit for about 5 minutes, then wash with your regular load of laundry. Wasn't that easy??

Simple Homemade gave me this idea!

So there you go, that is how I keep my house clean. I am sure you are wondering if my house is actually clean, or if it reeks of vinegar. Well the answer is yes, my house is very clean, I am a little too Type A for my own good. My house is company ready 95% of the time, I can't function if it is not. And my house doesn't smell like vinegar. It is an older rental house, so it doesn't smell like a bed of roses like I would like my home to, but it doesn't smell like vinegar, either. 

Make sure you label your products!

The Business of Being Born, Part Two

Okay, so I finished the documentary. I said I was going to wait until my husband could finish it with me, but I couldn't wait.

It was amazing.

I would like to say that it changed my life, but having my son in crappy hospital, and having been under the care of a crappy doctor for the entire pregnancy is what made me evaluate my options, and is what opened my eyes.

But if you have never considered the way the US treats childbirth, this movie will change your life, or at least open your eyes to a lot of things.

The documentary talks about how we as a country got to where we are where childbirth is concerned. It talks about the good, the bad and the ugly regarding how doctors and hospitals treat pregnant women and childbirth.

The documentary isn't pushy, yet it doesn't tip toe around the truth.

I think anyone who has had a baby, or ever plans on having a baby should watch this documentary. And if you are a "crazy hippy" like myself, who wants to have a baby in a bath tub and go home five minutes later, you should make your family watch the documentary, that way they wont treat you like a "crazy hippy."

The Business of Being Born

The documentary brought to the world by Rikki Lake has me fascinated.

I am only 20 minutes in, but I am amazed at what I am seeing. I am waiting until my husband can finish the movie with me because he was getting into it as he got himself ready to leave for work tonight.

I have had a hospital birth and a birth center birth. One with every bit of medical intervention you can imagine, and the later with zero. I want to see more, but my experiences sound a lot like Rikki Lake's, and I can see why she got so involved in the birth practices in the United States.

I will write more after I finish the "show," but I can already confidently say that any women who has had a baby, or ever plans on having a baby needs to see this documentary.

Brother and Sister

I mean, come on. . .

3/27/2013

 

 

 

I don't know about you, but my brothers spent the better part of my childhood being really mean to me. Danny asked to hold Layla. So sweet.

It almost make me forget that he did this to her several weeks ago: