I've posted previously about making homemade laundry detergent. I'm still making it and using it, although I have tweaked the recipe some. I still like using it for the cost efficiency, but I've been having some problems with the clothes smelling a little sour. I'm not sure if it's the water here or something about the detergent. I've tried adding essential oil, which helped some. My next thought is to try the Downy Unstoppables or Gain Scent Booster products. But, that would kind of take away from the cost efficiency and chemical free aspects.
I have recently added 2 more products to my homemade list: fabric softener and makeup remover. I found the idea and recipe for the fabric softener from the blog, One Good Thing. I used 1 bottle of Suave conditioner, 6 cups of water, and 3 cups of white vinegar. I mixed up well and poured it into a clean milk carton. I keep a mason jar filled about 2/3 full of the softener with a strip of an old t-shirt. I just pull the t-shirt strip out and throw it into the dryer with my clothes. I don't notice any difference from using this compared to using the store bought dryer sheets. It cost me around a dollar to make 1/2 a gallon of fabric softener!
The makeup remover recipe also came from One Good Thing blog. (This is a blog, by the way!) I heated 1 cup of water for about a minute, dissolved 1 Tbsp coconut oil in the water, and added 1 1/2 Tbsp baby shampoo. I'm storing it in a pint size mason jar. I just dip a cotton ball into the makeup remover and wipe off the makeup. It really works great and smells wonderful! I keep coconut oil on hand, so all I had to buy for this was the baby shampoo. I found a big bottle for about $1.50 at Wal-Mart.
Since I've mentioned it, I want to tell you how much I love coconut oil! I keep a jar and use it on my face, legs, hands, and even on my hair for smoothness. A little bit goes a long way! It is the only thing I have found that I can use on my legs after shaving that doesn't burn like crazy. Heres a list of 52 Uses for Coconut Oil. And here is a whole website dedicated to the use of coconut oil.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Strawberries
Last Saturday, we visited the Strawberry Festival here in Plant City. These folks around here are really proud of their strawberries! Not that it's a bad thing, because they certainly are delicious! As we were leaving the Festival I bought us a flat of the prettiest strawberries you ever have seen. Once I got them home and realized just how many strawberries are in a flat, the wheels started turning trying to figure out what I was going to do with all of them before they started going bad.
I found this idea on Pinterest for dried strawberries in the oven. The directions say to dry halved or quartered strawberries for 3 hours at 100C/210F. Well, I had a blonde moment and tried to set the oven at 100 degrees. My oven would only let me turn it down to 170, so I dried them at that temperature for around 3 hours. My dried strawberries didn't turn out as vibrant and plump as the picture from the website makes them look. They were kind of mushy, but still tasted pretty good. Maybe if I try baking them at the right temperature, they might not be so mushy.
My strawberries.
My jelly/jam turned out a little thin. It's more like syrup than jam. Grandma and I had it on some pancakes this morning and it is delicious! It did thicken up some in the refrigerator, but still not quite as thick as jam.
Strawberry jam/syrup on pancakes. Yum, yum!We have been eating a fair amount of strawberries for breakfast and snacks. I also froze some to use in smoothies after the season is over.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Book Review - "Inconceivable"
From the synopsis on the back of the book:
"When Carolyn and Sean Savage learned in February 2009 that their fertility doctor had transferred the wrong embryos into Carolyn's body and she was now pregnant with another couple's child, they embarked on a journey unlike any other. Inconceivable is a riveting story of sacrifice, love, and the meaning of motherhood."
I just finished reading this fascinating and heart-wrenching book. The story of Carolyn and Sean Savage is remarkable and unimaginable. The idea of conceiving, carrying, and delivering a child to whom you have no legal rights, yet do so with as much love and nurture as if it is your own, is beyond comprehension. I found myself riding the journey with this couple as they passionately wrote of the emotions experienced throughout the pregnancy and months following the birth.
My mind was forced to entertain the question of motherhood and what exactly it means to be a mother. Is not a woman who loves, nurtures, and carries a child in her womb for nine months, yet is forced to give that child up, still a mother? What about a woman who is chosen to be a surrogate for another couple? What about a woman who dumps her newborn in a trashcan because she doesn't want to face the responsibility? Or the woman who shakes her child to death because his crying is too much for her to handle?
The title of the book, Inconceivable, holds a bit of a double meaning. The authors, Carolyn and Sean Savage, struggled with fertility. They were blessed to conceive two children naturally before choosing to turn to infertility treatments to expand their family. Through several IVF treatments, the couple experienced three miscarriages before successfully conceiving their daughter. After the traumatic birth of their daughter, the couple wanted to try IVF with their remaining embryos. That attempt led to Carolyn being pregnant with another couple's child. Inconceivable also describes the magnitude of this medical mistake and the choices the couple were forced to make as a result.
It is impossible to read this book and not feel overcome with emotions. The depth of strength, sacrifice, and forgiveness this couple displayed is inspiring. On their website for the book, Sean and Carolyn write a blog about their story and document their life after the book.
I just finished reading this fascinating and heart-wrenching book. The story of Carolyn and Sean Savage is remarkable and unimaginable. The idea of conceiving, carrying, and delivering a child to whom you have no legal rights, yet do so with as much love and nurture as if it is your own, is beyond comprehension. I found myself riding the journey with this couple as they passionately wrote of the emotions experienced throughout the pregnancy and months following the birth.
My mind was forced to entertain the question of motherhood and what exactly it means to be a mother. Is not a woman who loves, nurtures, and carries a child in her womb for nine months, yet is forced to give that child up, still a mother? What about a woman who is chosen to be a surrogate for another couple? What about a woman who dumps her newborn in a trashcan because she doesn't want to face the responsibility? Or the woman who shakes her child to death because his crying is too much for her to handle?
The title of the book, Inconceivable, holds a bit of a double meaning. The authors, Carolyn and Sean Savage, struggled with fertility. They were blessed to conceive two children naturally before choosing to turn to infertility treatments to expand their family. Through several IVF treatments, the couple experienced three miscarriages before successfully conceiving their daughter. After the traumatic birth of their daughter, the couple wanted to try IVF with their remaining embryos. That attempt led to Carolyn being pregnant with another couple's child. Inconceivable also describes the magnitude of this medical mistake and the choices the couple were forced to make as a result.
It is impossible to read this book and not feel overcome with emotions. The depth of strength, sacrifice, and forgiveness this couple displayed is inspiring. On their website for the book, Sean and Carolyn write a blog about their story and document their life after the book.
New Blogs
I am very excited to share with a you a new blog I added to my blogroll. My brother and sister-in-law have started a family blog! YAY! Being the only member of my family who lives far away (everyone else is within 3 hours), it's great to be able to stay connected through technology. My brother and SIL are expecting their first baby in September, so I'm extra excited to be able to follow along with the pregnancy and as my new niece or nephew arrives! Hop on over and check out Sweet Corns!
Also, a good friend has reentered the blogging world after a short hiatus. Melanie over at At Home with the Hodges is writing again! I really enjoy reading what Melanie has to share. She is very spiritual and insightful, plus her kids are hilarious and pretty darn cute!
Also, a good friend has reentered the blogging world after a short hiatus. Melanie over at At Home with the Hodges is writing again! I really enjoy reading what Melanie has to share. She is very spiritual and insightful, plus her kids are hilarious and pretty darn cute!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Manatee Viewing
Friday was Grandma's 89th birthday. We were excited to have her son and daughter-in-law visiting for the weekend. I had heard about a manatee viewing center near us and thought it sounded interesting. It was free, not too far away, and something none of us had done before. It was a beautiful day to be out by the water!
Our first sighting of a manatee. We just looked for the dark blobs in the water and waited for one to pop its head up for a second.
Chris pointing out the manatees to Grandma.
Standing up to get a better look.
Marilyn, Grandma, and Dave
Grandma and her son
We also saw a few little sharks!
Chris showing Grandma the shark.
It was so exciting when one would decide to stick its nose or tail up for a second.
Manatees are kind of ugly creatures, but still interesting to watch. One came close enough to see some of the scars on its back. Because manatees are such calm animals, they often get hit by boat propellers. The researchers use the scar patterns to identify the manatees.
A pretty flower and butterfly
One manatee had a tracking device attached. Another manatee sanctuary attached the tracking device a couple weeks ago and has been in contact with this sanctuary since the manatee made its way to Apollo Beach. Researchers can tell by its scar pattern that it is a manatee first sighted in the late 1970s.
These two guys were called in to rescue a manatee caught up in a buoy. They were trying to get close enough to put a marker on it, then they would go out later with a bigger boat to catch it in a net and remove the buoy. The manatee was not interested in letting them get close!
This is about as close to a shark as I would like to be!
Little crabs
One last shot of one sticking its nose out of the water to catch a breath.
Our first sighting of a manatee. We just looked for the dark blobs in the water and waited for one to pop its head up for a second.
Chris pointing out the manatees to Grandma.
Standing up to get a better look.
Marilyn, Grandma, and Dave
Grandma and her son
We also saw a few little sharks!
Chris showing Grandma the shark.
It was so exciting when one would decide to stick its nose or tail up for a second.
Manatees are kind of ugly creatures, but still interesting to watch. One came close enough to see some of the scars on its back. Because manatees are such calm animals, they often get hit by boat propellers. The researchers use the scar patterns to identify the manatees.
A pretty flower and butterfly
One manatee had a tracking device attached. Another manatee sanctuary attached the tracking device a couple weeks ago and has been in contact with this sanctuary since the manatee made its way to Apollo Beach. Researchers can tell by its scar pattern that it is a manatee first sighted in the late 1970s.
These two guys were called in to rescue a manatee caught up in a buoy. They were trying to get close enough to put a marker on it, then they would go out later with a bigger boat to catch it in a net and remove the buoy. The manatee was not interested in letting them get close!
This is about as close to a shark as I would like to be!
Little crabs
One last shot of one sticking its nose out of the water to catch a breath.Saturday, March 03, 2012
Recipe Reviews
I've tried several new recipes over the past few weeks. Most of them were good, but a few weren't so good.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Who isn't on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe? I had a craving for some a few weeks ago and really wanted to make good ones. I usually follow the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag. Those turn out alright, but not memorable. I came across this recipe on Pinterest (did you expect anything less?). It claimed to be "the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever" by another pinner. So I gave it a try.
Oh.my.cookies! Heavenly! I whipped the dough together fairly easily and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. I followed the recipe exactly, using sea salt where it calls for either sea salt or table salt. After it sat in the refrigerator overnight, I baked the cookies for 12 minutes exactly. They turned out perfectly crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The sea salt gave them the perfect sweet/salty taste. I definitely ate more than my fair share!
Breakfast Casserole
As we were planning for company during the Florida Fellowship, I hunted for good breakfast ideas. I knew that I wanted to do a "traditional" breakfast one morning, but I wanted other ideas for the other mornings. Breakfast casserole can be an easy breakfast idea, but it can also be tricky to find one that is tasty. This one hit the spot!
My additions/changes to this recipe were that I used a pound of Johnsonville Sage sausage. We really like the flavor of the sage sausage. I also used 6 or 7 eggs instead of just 5. For the spice mixture, I used salt, pepper, a little garlic, onion powder, oregano, rosemary, dill, and thyme. I didn't measure any of those, but I would say a healthy amount of each. Maybe 1/2 tsp. salt, garlic, onion, oregano, rosemary, dill, thyme and 1 tsp pepper. I also didn't measure my cheese (who does that?), but I think I probably used a little more than 1 cup. I assembled the casserole in a freezer pan and stuck it in the freezer a week or two before the meeting. I put it in the refrigerator overnight, then baked it like the directions say in the morning.
It was scrumptious! I loved the spice combination a lot. I have a hard time eating eggs, so the more hidden they are, the better! Several of us wanted leftovers later that night!
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
I made this recipe for church one Sunday. It was easy to put together and was very yummy! I used a 9-inch store bought graham cracker crust. The filling made WAY more than what could fit in the crust. I ended up saving some of the filling and using it later in the week. I made a 10 inch graham cracker crust and made another cheesecake with the rest of the filling. I didn't make the chocolate glaze, but I'm sure it would have added to the deliciousness!
When I made it, I put a handful of extra chocolate chips on the top of the cheesecake after it had baked for about 10 minutes. A lot of the chocolate chips from the batter sank to the bottom while it baked, so this helped it to have a layer more towards the top of the cake. Again, it was a good sweet/salty mixture with the graham cracker crust.
Country Club Chicken
We eat a lot of chicken around here, which doesn't always go over well. I like chicken a lot more than I like beef and I find it's easier to be creative with chicken. So, when I find a new chicken recipe that sounds interesting, I'm excited to try it out! This recipe was one of those that I was excited to try. At first glance, the flavor combination sounds odd: chicken (yum), bacon (yummo), cheese (yum), creamy sauce (yum), apple (saywha!?!). I make another chicken recipe with pureed apple that is pretty good, so I thought this might be good too. Well, it didn't quite live up to expectations.
It was a bit time consuming and used a lot of dishes to prepare. It was a very rich dish and it had an interesting flavor. We didnt' care for the flavor of the sauce. I'm not sure if it was the apple, or the combination of several things. I can't even describe what it was that we didn't like about the flavor. It was just odd. In an unappealing way. But, you might think differently if you try it!
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Who isn't on the hunt for the best chocolate chip cookie recipe? I had a craving for some a few weeks ago and really wanted to make good ones. I usually follow the recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag. Those turn out alright, but not memorable. I came across this recipe on Pinterest (did you expect anything less?). It claimed to be "the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever" by another pinner. So I gave it a try.Oh.my.cookies! Heavenly! I whipped the dough together fairly easily and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. I followed the recipe exactly, using sea salt where it calls for either sea salt or table salt. After it sat in the refrigerator overnight, I baked the cookies for 12 minutes exactly. They turned out perfectly crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The sea salt gave them the perfect sweet/salty taste. I definitely ate more than my fair share!
Breakfast Casserole
As we were planning for company during the Florida Fellowship, I hunted for good breakfast ideas. I knew that I wanted to do a "traditional" breakfast one morning, but I wanted other ideas for the other mornings. Breakfast casserole can be an easy breakfast idea, but it can also be tricky to find one that is tasty. This one hit the spot!My additions/changes to this recipe were that I used a pound of Johnsonville Sage sausage. We really like the flavor of the sage sausage. I also used 6 or 7 eggs instead of just 5. For the spice mixture, I used salt, pepper, a little garlic, onion powder, oregano, rosemary, dill, and thyme. I didn't measure any of those, but I would say a healthy amount of each. Maybe 1/2 tsp. salt, garlic, onion, oregano, rosemary, dill, thyme and 1 tsp pepper. I also didn't measure my cheese (who does that?), but I think I probably used a little more than 1 cup. I assembled the casserole in a freezer pan and stuck it in the freezer a week or two before the meeting. I put it in the refrigerator overnight, then baked it like the directions say in the morning.
It was scrumptious! I loved the spice combination a lot. I have a hard time eating eggs, so the more hidden they are, the better! Several of us wanted leftovers later that night!
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
I made this recipe for church one Sunday. It was easy to put together and was very yummy! I used a 9-inch store bought graham cracker crust. The filling made WAY more than what could fit in the crust. I ended up saving some of the filling and using it later in the week. I made a 10 inch graham cracker crust and made another cheesecake with the rest of the filling. I didn't make the chocolate glaze, but I'm sure it would have added to the deliciousness!When I made it, I put a handful of extra chocolate chips on the top of the cheesecake after it had baked for about 10 minutes. A lot of the chocolate chips from the batter sank to the bottom while it baked, so this helped it to have a layer more towards the top of the cake. Again, it was a good sweet/salty mixture with the graham cracker crust.
Country Club Chicken
We eat a lot of chicken around here, which doesn't always go over well. I like chicken a lot more than I like beef and I find it's easier to be creative with chicken. So, when I find a new chicken recipe that sounds interesting, I'm excited to try it out! This recipe was one of those that I was excited to try. At first glance, the flavor combination sounds odd: chicken (yum), bacon (yummo), cheese (yum), creamy sauce (yum), apple (saywha!?!). I make another chicken recipe with pureed apple that is pretty good, so I thought this might be good too. Well, it didn't quite live up to expectations.It was a bit time consuming and used a lot of dishes to prepare. It was a very rich dish and it had an interesting flavor. We didnt' care for the flavor of the sauce. I'm not sure if it was the apple, or the combination of several things. I can't even describe what it was that we didn't like about the flavor. It was just odd. In an unappealing way. But, you might think differently if you try it!
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