DIY powder laundry detergent

My life has changed drastically over the past two-and-a-half years. I went from a full time MRI tech and mom to just a stay at home mom. I winced when I typed the word "just". Being a full time mom to two young children, one with special needs, is not "just" something you do. It's a lot of work. Fortunately, it is totally worth every ounce of effort. Unfortunately, the pay is non-existent. Therefore, it's important to cut corners anywhere possible. 

Switching from two full time incomes to one is no joke. We made many, many changes to our lifestyle. We  traded in a car for a different one, we refinanced our house, we got Ooma and dropped Vonage, and *gasp* we got rid of cable. Oh the humanity! The looks on people's faces when I say I can't watch that show because I don't get that channel is hysterical. If you got rid of your television, I promise you, you'd survive to see another day. Yet, even with all these changes, things were still financially tight. Time to get creative with tightening up the ole purse strings. Previously, I'd posted about making your own baby wipes. Now it's time to talk laundry. 

I'd found a laundry list (tee-hee!) of DIY liquid laundry detergents on Pinterest but nothing really for powder. I was more interested in powder since I have a rather small laundry room and don't have the capacity to store gallon jugs of detergent. So, I read through the other posts, found the common ingredients, tried out a few batches, made a few tweaks, and voila, I have a recipe I love. It works brilliantly for all of our laundry needs.

Ingredients:

1. Borax

2. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (very different than baking soda)

3. Fels-Naptha Bar Soap

Step #1

Unwrap the bar of Fels-Naptha and grate it on the fine side of a cheese grater. Place a bowl underneath to catch the shavings.

Step #2

Once you're done grating the soap, measure out 1 cup of Washing Soda and add it into the bowl.

Step #3

Measure out 1 cup of Borax. If it has clumps make sure to break them up with a fork before adding it into the mix.

Step#4

Mix all 3 ingredients together.

Step #5

Transfer the mix into an airtight container for storage.

I measured it out and I will get 40 loads of laundry from this mix. I have a spoon that I leave on top of it to measure for each load. It's just a hair over a tablespoon of powder per load. If a particular load is very soiled, use more. A lighter load, use less. Use your own judgement.

I also did the math out for you (you're welcome.)

So...

At Walmart,

A box of Borax was about $3.00

A box of Washing Soda was also about $3.00

And a bar of Fels-Naptha was $1.00

We'll get 6.8 uses from the box of Washing Soda equalling $0.44/batch

We'll get 9.5 uses from the box of Borax equalling $0.31/batch

We'll get one use per bar of soap equalling $1.00/batch

1 batch = $1.75 divided by 40 uses = $0.04/load.  Wowza!

At Walmart,

Tide liquid detergent is $12 for 52 loads equalling $0.23/load.

4 cents versus 23 cents may not seem like much but lets do the math for 52 loads, just one purchase of detergent. Tide is $12 remember? Well, the total cost for DIY is $2.08. That's a savings of $10 per bottle. With the way we do laundry in this house it's a substantial savings over the course of a year! 

Leave me a comment if you try it! I'd love to hear what you think.

Stabilizing the toys

For all of you wondering why I don't just put something under the toy to keep it from spinning ...

Well, that should answer your question. lol! :O)

Video Comparison number 2

It's that time again! Video time!!

This video is so, so special to me. What magical timing. I caught James telling me "no."!!!! This is the very first time he has ever made the "n" sound. How incredible to capture it forever.

I'm going to post all 3 videos in chronological order. Video 1 was taken shortly after returning home from the hospital when we started the diet. Video 2 was one month later, and video 3 is just over 2 months since the start of the diet.

This boy has come leaps and bounds. It is truly a miracle. He is practically sitting up on his own for short spurts. He's started making more sounds Ga, Ba, Ma, Da, and No to name a few. His dexterity continues to improve. His extremities have started to fill out, he's no longer just skin and bones. He just looks so healthy!

Now, without further a-do ...

Video #1 - Lack of head control, mostly closed fist play, tires easily. 11/2011.

Video #2 - Improved head control and stamina. Better use of hands. 12/2011

Video #3 - Continued improvement with overall stability and stamina. More vocal. Better inspection of toys. It's tricky to hear, but, you'll hear James tell me "no" right after I say "no?". I attempted to take away his toy and asked him "Can we tell our friends Buh-bye?" He pulls his toy towards him and I say "No?" Immediately he responds with "No." I let him keep playing. :)

(I'd give you the time when it occurs but, sadly, my computer has given up on sound. lol. Who needs sound, right?) 1/2012

Optimus Prime says "brush your teeth".

The other day at physical therapy we were asked "Why don't you buy him an electric toothbrush?" I was a bit thrown off for a moment before she elaborated, "Not an expensive one. Like, a, um, Crest spin one. It will be easy to hold onto and the vibrations are a good stimulus for his senses." I figured what the hell, why not?

Well, I am damn happy that I went along with this kooky idea. This boy is in love with a toothbrush. lol.

A boy and his Transformers, Optimus Prime, spin-brush...

(Sorry it's so dark. It was a spur of the moment video.)

Difference of opinion

This blog post  http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/  recently kept popping up on my Facebook news feed. Four of my friends shared it because they loved it and stated that all moms should read it. It's not just those four moms because, once posted, there were numerous numbers of "likes" and comments. I figured if that many moms are in love with this post then it is definitely worth the read.

I started reading the article and immediately wanted to like it. It was well written, seemed to be coming from a very honest mom and so many other women declared this a "must read" that I really, really wanted to like it, too. Sadly, I did not. The further I read, the more I found myself shaking my head. I can see why so many moms enjoyed this article. So many moms of healthy, happy babies. So many moms living in the false, bubble world of "no harm can come to my baby, that only happens to other people". Well, here's my post from an "other person".

This post is not going to be all doom and gloom, nor is it meant to read as holier than thou, so please bear with me as I attempt my version of scared straight, the parent edition.

When we become moms, we're scared. It's all new and now we're instantly responsible for a brand new teeny, tiny person. But, scared or not, the last thing we want is some other person's advice. Especially those dreaded elderly ladies in the department store telling you that your child is too hot, too cold, too big, too small, and cherish each moment. Sometimes that's just too much. I understand that a lot of these women are just being judgmental but there are some that approach you speaking words of wisdom. You can ignore the one who tells you that little girls should have long curly hair, not short and straight like your daughter's. You can also brush off the one telling you that you're a terrible mother because your son doesn't have a hat on, even after you've shown her the winter hat in your hand. The ones declaring "carpe diem" however, may be on to something.

I find "carpe diem", as used in this article, over dramatic. Nobody says go out and seize the day nor do I think that's what those women are trying to tell you. I think they're trying to tell you to go out and be thankful for your day because you are not guaranteed another. Enjoy your day and your time with your children. Did anyone ever stop to think that maybe these are words of experience and not just some bored lady meddling with you while you're busy running through the store? Did you ever stop to think that maybe this woman saw you blindly shopping, talking on your cell, wiping a nose, yelling to your child who's run too far ahead, all with an untied shoe, and thought, she's not living at all she's just going through the motions? If that little, old, meddling lady stopped you and asked if you knew your shoe was untied, or what you just put in your cart, or what your phone conversation was actually about, or, most importantly, what your youngest child just asked you, could you honestly answer her? If you couldn't, that's ok. That would be the point of this post. To make you realize that being too busy to enjoy being a mom is a terrible and very real thing nowadays. Finding your happiness in only a few moments a day, or only after your children are in bed, is truly sad.

When your child yells, sings off key, or interrupts you - it's ok to feel annoyed, but remember to be thankful they're capable of speaking.
When your child runs off ahead, wanders too far, or attempts the stairs - it's ok to get nervous or feel angry, but remember that many children aren't capable of walking.
When your child pulls your hair or breaks your glasses - it's ok to feel irritated, but remember that some children aren't even capable of acknowledging their own parents. They're too trapped in their own world to find their way into ours.

If you're only celebrating your child's life 2-3 moments a day then you are insulting their will to thrive. Think of all the hard work they've already put into their lives and not complained. Now think about your last 24 hours. How many times have you complained about not only your life, but theirs?

It's time to come out of your woe is me. my life as a mother is hard, rut and find the joy in the ordinary. Be thankful for simple, everyday things. A smile, a laugh, a pout, a hug. These things are simple gifts from a child to a parent. If you're too busy looking forward to your glass of wine and adult conversation after their bed time you'll miss them for sure.

There is no guarantee of tomorrow. Would you really want to wish you had done more? I plan on leaving no room for doubt. I'm going to live, love, laugh, and parent until my last breath. When I'm gone my house may still be a mess but my relationship with my children will be in perfect order.

Keto Friendly DIY Baby Wipes!

Well, the title pretty much sums it up.

Make your own baby wipes. A healthy and inexpensive alternative to store bought that won't undermine all of your efforts to keep your child in ketosis. There are no preservatives and nothing artificial thus, no hidden carbohydrates to absorb through your child's skin. I'll personally never waste my money on store bought again!

Here's what you need:

- 2 tupperware style containers, 7 cup size is perfect.
- 1 roll Bounty select-a-size paper towels.
- Coconut oil (I picked mine up at Whole Foods. I use the kind for hair and skin, not for cooking.)
- Essential oils for fragrance (only if you want to. I used it because I had it on hand.)
- A measuring cup, 4 cup size. (or 2 cup but you'll have to repeat the step.)
- Hot water
-A spoon
- 15 minutes

*If your tupperware pieces are new, please wash them first.

Step 1:
Measure out 4 cups of hot water. It does not have to be boiling, just warm enough to melt the coconut oil which is about 76 degrees, give or take.

Step 2:
Poor 2 cups of water into each container.

Step 3:
Add 2 spoonfuls of coconut oil to the water and any essential oils if you're using them.

Step 4:
Stir to melt and blend the ingredients.

Step 5:
Lay the paper towel roll sideways on a cutting board and cut in half with a non serrated knife. Using a serrated knife will cause lots of little fuzzies to get into the wipes. Wipe any loose pieces from the cut ends.

Step 6:
Place each half into a container with the cut edge down.

Step 7:
Push the covers on and latch them securely. They'll close, I promise.

Step 8:
Turn them upside down for no less than 10 minutes.

Step 9:
Turn the containers right side up and open. Pull out the paper roll in the middle. This isn't possible to do until it has been soaked through.

Step 10:
Pull up the center wipe and you are done!

The coconut oil has antibiotic, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, it's soothing, and it's also moisturizing. I've not only used them for baby wipes but also as hand lotion or chap stick in a pinch.

After the initial purchase of the oil and tupperware, it really only costs you the price of one roll of Bounty to make 2 boxes of wipes. Need some to go? Put them in a ziplock baggie!

I love these wipes!

New ride!

Mike had the day off from work today. He put together James' smart trike that he got for Christmas from Nana and Pa. He LOVES it! He giggles every time he grabs the handlebars or we start to move across the floor. The improvement of this little boy's quality of life in just the past 6 weeks is amazing to see. I'm so indescribably happy for my favorite little man.

We need to make a few modifications to the shoulder straps and the pedals then he'll be ready to roll! Here's to the mild winter we've had so far! (knock on wood!)

Pool Therapy

December 30th was Jamie's last day of pool therapy at South Shore Hospital ... for now. We're going to take a little breather from therapy to allow James to continue to make advances developmentally.

His first 4-5 months of therapy were a complete wash. No pun intended. We'd get him in the pool and all he'd do was arch away from us, stare at the surface of the water, and try to put his face in it. Attempting any type of therapy routine was completely out of the question. He'd missed entire months of therapy due to his rampant seizure activity, often causing him to be admitted to Floating for several days at a time.

In November, Kathy, his therapist, and I discussed that this was just not the right type of therapy for James. It wasn't an entire loss. Any splashing or kicking did help strengthen his muscles, but there was no proof of improvement. Improvement which the doctors and insurance companies would want to see to add additional visits. We had visits running until the end of 2011 so we decided to use them since we had them, even though we weren't seeing much change in James.

Then, the first visit in December it happened. I once again heard "Who is this kid?!" James was enjoying the pool! He was keeping his head up and interacting with Kathy. He was kicking his feet and moving his arms in an intentional way. He was laughing and smiling and cooing and yelling! He noticed his feet under the water, the noodles hanging on the wall, the other patients in the pool, the windows up high where the wall meets the ceiling, and the bright light squiggles on the ceiling caused from the sunlight reflecting off the water. He noticed it all - and liked it!

He had three magical, for lack of a more appropriate term, sessions to finish out the calendar year. Due to his marked improvement, Kathy and I decided that we will touch base in May. On May 26th, James will turn 3, thus aging out of Early Intervention programs (heartbreaking). So, having additional types of therapy lined up and ready to go starting in June will be essential. Kathy will do another review and submit a request for more pool sessions and possibly land sessions as well. This will depend on James' therapy routine at the new school he'll be starting in June. I'd personally like to see him have 1 pool session and 1 "dry" or "land" session with Kathy per week. I think she understands what makes James, James, and will help push him even closer to being self sufficient.

                                   Lots of good things to come. Progress is being made!

                                                                                              12.30.11