Another Bright Idea: Pine Cone Wreaths - A Tutorial

Another Bright Idea: Pine Cone Wreaths - A Tutorial

Yummy Pumpkin Muffins!

Pumpkin Muffins (adapted from WW recipe)

1 box of yellow cake mix (how about white or spice?)

1 small can (15 ounces) of pumpkin pie mix (this has no sugar, but is just pumpkin with pumpkin pie spices)

1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together by hand and divide into 18 muffin cups.

Topping:  Mix together 1/3 cup flour, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 Tablespoons cold butter.  Sprinkle a little on top of each muffin.

Next, bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in a cupcake comes out clean (about 20-25 min.)

While muffins are baking, mix together powdered sugar and a little water to make a glaze.  When muffins come out of oven, drizzle about a teaspoon of glaze on each muffin.

Recipe for Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

Here is the batch I made!!!

                   I have been using this recipe for almost two years and I LOVE it! 

                   If you like to save $$$$...go green and still feel clean... try it out

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

You can find the three ingredients at any grocery store near the laundry soaps. You will also need a five gallon bucket and a paint stirring stick. (You can get one free anywhere they sell paint)

1 bar Fels-Naptha (looks like a slightly large bar of soap)  (about $1 a bar)………………….

1 cup Arm and Hammer all natural washing soda (about $5 for a box)……………………………………… 

                                                       

1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax (about $6 for a box)…………..

                                                           

Grate Fels-Naptha soap with a cheese grater.  Bring one gallon of water to a boil.  Turn down the heat to medium and add grated soap to water.  Stir constantly over medium heat until soap dissolves.

Fill 5 gallon bucket half way with hot tap water. Add soda and borax.  Stir.
Add soap mixture. Fill remainder of bucket with hot tap water.  (I don’t have the room to put a 5 gallon bucket by my washer, so at this point, I use a funnel and pour the detergent into empty Tropicana 50 jars because they are smaller to store, have a wide mouth, and I can shake them before I pour the soap into the washer.  You can use any container you want, but you need to be able to stir or shake before using.)

 Let the detergent sit over night before using. The detergent will separate into a get and a liquid.  It will look like egg drop soup.  Stir or shake before using because you need some of the gel and some of the liquid in each load.

Use 5/8C cup a load for top loader washers or 1/4C/load for high efficiency washers.  This is just a suggestion. If you have an extra large load or heavily soiled load, use more detergent.  For heavily soiled clothes or whites, I sometimes throw in a scoop of Oxy Clean.

Creating a Goal for a Healthy Lifestyle

My daughter, Debra, helped me set some goals for reaching a healthier lifestyle. I am going to use the website.myfitnesspal.com to track my progress in weight loss.  Also, I have a goal to make a weekly meal plan on Saturdays and do 30 min. of exercise 5 times a week. Please join myfitnesspal.com.  You can be my friend and we can encourage each other!

A New Family

July 30, 2012 a new family was established.  Debra Anne Groberg and Matthew Philip Chertudi exchanged vows in Caldwell, Idaho.  The ceremony was held in the backyard of Matt's Aunt Patty in front of the family's wedding gazebo.  Several couples have been married in front of the lovely gazebo and all are still married.  Everyone was helpful and bent over backwards to do everything possible to support Debra and Matt and make 6.30.2012 the day of their dreams. It certainly was a bittersweet moment to see my baby girl married, but I am satisfied that she has married a kind, patient, and supportive man..  The sands of time just keep moving on.

a week of mishaps

10 days of mishaps...

 July 23-July 4 could aptly be entitled "A Series of Misfortunate Events".

Here is the listing in chronological order:

1.  Becky and matt's apartment was rented out from under them and they had to be out by the 30th with 2 weeks notice.

2.Baby Sophie got into Grrandma's meds.  Trip to ER.  Gladly, she is OK.

3.  Air conditioner broken in Boise Vacation Home during heat wave.  Bedrooms on 2nd floor, of course.

4.  Grandma locked keys in car.

5.  Matt and Becky's car broke down.

6.  Owner of home enters early in the morning screaming at us (as we come out of the bedrooms in our PJ's--thank goodness we all had on PJ's)accusing us of breaking the air conditioner. I ask, "How does a person break an AC.  Turn it on?"  She announced in her loud, shrill voice that we would be forfeiting our $500 deposit.

7.  The owner asked why the water in the hot tub was yellow.  We were proud to tell him we had not used it!! (the people before us must have peed in it--but it wasn't us!!)

8.  Baby Sophie finds a screw on the vacation home floor. Puts it in mouth. Thankfully, someone was on alert and got it out.

8. $300 bridesmaids dresses did not fit.  Frantic search for coral dresses.

9.  Matt finds a pill and a screw on the floor of his parent's home and got them before Sophie got them.

10.  Olivia Vest (2 yrs.) SHEDS ALL CLOTHING AND FROLICS IN POND DURING OPEN HOUSE IN Idaho Falls.

9.  In spite of all these mishaps, Debra's wedding and open house went off without a hitch.  Miracle of miracles. 

ADDING ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER!!

On Thanksgiving Day 2011 MY BABY GIRL, Debra, (she's 23) announced her engagement to Matthew Phillip Chertudi. They will be married on June 30, 2012.  We are thrilled with her choice of a patient and kind person. Did I mention he is also handsome?