This post is simply a boring update. LOL! I have had a lot of my dear readers ask me about certain things and how they are going. This past month has been a little insane. Booter and lady Bug have learned about life, death, reproduction, and the food chain. On an up note, I am pretty sure that homestead and farm life will eliminate any need for an awkward birds and bees talk. We watched kittens get born, twice. Had to bury one of them, mommy saved one of them. Our pet snake Tobi passed away. We had our pool invaded by hundreds of frogs which we chased and videoed and captured... only to have Booter thrilled with the fact that she caught two of them and the big one was giving the little one a piggy back ride. LMAO!!! I almost fell over laughing.
You would be surprised to look out in my backyard right now. Seriously! I have a bounty of growing blossoming goodness erupting out of the ground. Not much is actually producing food yet. I do have some corn, cukes, carrots, baby watermelons, zucchini and tomatoes making me edible yummies. The rest I am still waiting on. Considering some of them are supposed to take the better part of 6 months, I am waiting quite impatiently. I have battled bugs and beetles and worms. Fought against wind storms and non stop rain. Now diseases and fungi. And the Weeds... we are always competing against the weeds. But I'm actually growing organic, nutritious, vitamin packed, non-gmo goodness! I even have over a dozen tomato plants that I grew from seeds. SEEDS!!! This is momentous as I have easily killed well over 100 plants this year trying to accomplish this feat! . I might actually be stripped of my designation as the Tomato Anti-Christ. ;) Now, don't get me wrong... I have this spindly tomato plants, yellowed and scraggly squash, my beans resemble lace more than plants, my snap peas are wilting on their trellis, my yellow onions are gasping what I fear is their last breath, and my poor turnips have not a single leaf yet that doesn't appear skeletal. But I tried, I didn't give up, and all in all, I was successful!
Wanda (our travel trailer and soon to be home) is here! She was delivered about two and a half weeks ago and she sits proudly in our driveway happily singing out to us that our dreams are merely around the corner, waiting to be achieved. I am anxiously looking forward to painting, decorating, and repairing her. Getting her ready for our grand adventure into the unknown. She will be yellow and white with light and dark blue with daisies and polka dots all on the outside. Can you believe I got The Hubster to agree to that?!? That is a miracle in and of itself! Of course, I threatened to decorate the whole house in an over abundance of florals when it was built if he didn't allow me to get it out of my system now. Hahahahaha! :) The girls and I will be spending many a girls night sleep over in her now. Game night and make overs before crashing out in her AC goodness is a fun filled family night.
Our other great news, we now have Mary Anne! Mary Anne is our 1998 Lincoln Navigator 4x4. She will be Wanda's ride to WA! Do you know how hard it is not to just load up all the important stuff and go. Right now! Just pack up and leave and be gone from this place and on to our dreams? Ooooh, let me tell you! I could 100% walk away from all this lovely crap piled high in our home and be on to simpler better things. Thank goodness that Wanda isn't ready for full time living and Mary Anne needs some minor repairs (tune-up, new windshield, etc.). It'd be too easy to run out in the middle of the night and leave the nightmare of getting rid of stuff to someone else. LOL! I really wanted a vintage Wagoneer, but Hubby wanted the Navi. But he said he was open to whatever would be a good reliable vehicle for us to get to Washington. The Navigator was practically a steal and He swears she's in great shape and a good sound piece of machinery, and I trust him on it. Plus, she is the same dark blue as our 96 Jag. So we match at least. And after her paint job, Wanda should look gorgeous right next to them. I can't help but get the giggles when I think about how it will look to the outside world to see a Lincoln Navigator and a Jaguar Vanden Plas parked outside of a Travel Trailer Homestead.
In preparation for the big move, I will have to learn how to cook in a whole new way. We will be utilizing a crock pot and a toaster oven mainly. I have used a slow cooker in the past, and while I am not overly talented in it's use, I can make a mean stew. I, however, have NEVER used a toaster oven in my life. I have scoured the interwebs and Pinterest to the point of cross eyedness finding any and every recipe I think we may like. Apparently you can make just about anything in a damned crock pot. Who knew? Cake, bread, roasted chicken, breakfast, candy, enchiladas. I am excited about the crock pot. The toaster oven has me a little apprehensive. Since I have never used one, I don't know what to expect. There are really cool ones though that are big enough to bake a small turkey, some have hot plates on the top so you can use pots and pans as well, some have double and triple trays (awesome for Christmas cookies). Since I am an avid baker (my knuckles have Cupcake Tatted across them for heaven's sake) the thought of being sans oven is enough to almost bring me to tears, but relearneing how to bake in a whole new way is almost enough to drive me to tears. Lol! Good thing I am always up for a challenge! I will be sure to let you guys in on every gory fail and tasty success. I got a cheapy used toaster oven to "play with" before the big move. I figure it's easier to clean up a culinary disaster in a kitchen you can turn around in than our 2 sq ft of counter space in Wanda. So far I have made stuffed zucchini. That turned out pretty tasty. LOL!
So, I haven't really accomplished much here lately for how to's or DIY's. Hell, I'm still in the middle of sewing my peasant skirt I started in MAY! I just haven't had time.... My house looks like a bomb tore though it from all of the going through, getting rid of, and sorting out we've been doing. Well, that and the fact that I spend a LOT more time out of doors in my garden. I actually LOVE to garden now! I did use my upholstery cleaner on Mary Anne and it worked amazingly (again). I even got out rust stains from light gray carpet. Woohoo!! Each day I awake with equal amounts of anxiety about not leaving yet, and about having to leave at all. Change is a very scary prospect and this isn't a simple change. This is a complete and utter upheaval to everything we know, have done. But as the saying goes.... if you want to accomplish something different then you will have to do something you have never done before. Well, we should definitely accomplish something different at least. LOL! I will be posting new stuff soon.
I hope your baby steps are leading you on grand journeys!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
The buzz
My garden is growing beautifully! Well, most of it. I have some beans that have drowned in the ground (we have been having an abundance of rain this summer) and my lettuce and turnips have fought and mostly list a serious bug battle... But a still have a little of both that survived. For my first year, I'll take that ass a success. The problem is with the bees.
My squash, cucumbers, and melons are growing big and healthy, flowers galore every day. Have been for weeks. I should have produce falling out of our patoots! Instead I have had 2 tomatoes, and one of those is still ripening. That's it. No baby growing succubus, no mini cukes, nothing. The flowers bloom and them promptly fall off as though they have been plucked. I tried fertilizer, compost, putting taps I've then in the rain to reduce the amount of water they get, even extra watering. The exact same thing keeps happening. What the hay?! Bees. That's what's wrong.
We are usually over run by pollinators here. Butterflies swirling around us as we walk through the yard, need buzzing and flitting about the clover crowns, even wasps claiming their territory about the eaves. This year we're lucky to to see one a week... Of any of them. Big ag has taken over the farm next door and its impact is very notable. They use GMO seeds and exorbitant amount of pesticides and herbicides. Its bad enough that I'm not even going to save corn seeds. I don't want GMO contaminated seeds.
Turns out that when your flowers aren't pollinated they will just fall off. Right now I'm looking into getting a loaner hive. There are bee keepers who will place a hive on your land to pollinate your crops and then come pick it up when your done with it. In my book, these folds are Heroes! In the mean time the girls and I are going to take some advice from a dear friend and paint our crop blossoms. You go out at like 7:00 am and use a paint brush to pollinate your crops yourself. You brush the centers of each flower in succession a few times then move to the next flower. Hopefully it will help. All this work, stress, and money for naught would be very aggravating.
This has helped me to know, in my heart of hearts, that we will definitely have our own hives in Washington. For our food and the world's. Without bees we are all screwed. Bees are a fantastic indicator of the environment and from what I see right now, we are all in trouble!
Even though we are leaving at the beginning of the summer next year, I am planting a butterfly garden on our land here. Lots of flowers. I may even guerilla garden the road sides as a go. It is my personal fight for the bees.
My baby step for today... Plant flowers and vegetables that allow bees to feed all year. That will draw them to your land and keep them in the world. Use no chemical based pesticides at all. We are killing our bees and by so, killing ourselves. We are growing our own food, collecting rain water, saving and reusing heirloom seeds, clustering our errands for less gas usage, put bricks in our toilet tanks, time our showers, and brush our teeth with a Dixie cup of water. We trip breakers when a leave the house, shut of lights all day and spend as much time as possible in the same room together at night to save power. We boycott GMO foods as best we can, use very little processed foods, buy locally grown produce and consume less so a can afford the organic versions of our favorite foods, make our own detergents and cleaning supplies, and use no AC at home or in the car. Wee even buy chloride free water. But none of this will matter with out bees.
Today I hope you find drive. The drive to do and be more than you are.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
A little itty bitty teeny tiny Slice of Heaven
Last night, it suddenly hit me, I may be living, working, homesteading and home schooling the better part of a year with 2 kids, 2 dogs, & 2 cats in a space smaller than my living room.
HOLY CRAP!
That's the kind of epiphany that makes a sane person rethink their decisions.
Good thing I am absolutely insane.
Ssssshhh! *whispers* Don't tell anyone, But I'm actually even more excited than I was before! A bit more apprehensive... but immensely more excited!
I, you see, am the new proud owner of a 1973 Startcraft Wanderlust Travel trailer. I don't know the dimensions on it (it isn't here yet), but its smaller than my 20 x 13 living room.... Much. The travel trailer has a dinette, a sitting area, 2 large beds, and a 3/4 bath. All the amenities you could need. Granted the dinette and sitting area turn into the two large beds, but do you really need a dining table at night?
We didn't even know we wanted a travel trailer. We had kicked the idea around and decided against it. That simply getting a utility trailer is what we were going to do. But of course, that was when we still planned on building a 10,000 sq ft manor on our land (we're looking at around 2000 sq ft now, and that includes the sleeping loft, and basement). A lot has changed since then. We knew we were going to need a truck/SUV anyway. And a second vehicle would be nice. Preferably with 4x4. So I have been looking at SUVs and trucks on Craig's List for a vehicle we might be able to afford to pull the utility trailer and Hubby has been looking on Craig's List for the trailer. Divide and conquer (and still leave mom enough time to vacuum the floor). As he was going through things he finds the ad for the travel trailer trailer and sends it to me. After a long text conversation we come to the conclusion that this is the best route for us to go. We will save money on hotel rooms on the trip and have a place to stay when we first get there before we get a chance to get set up. I call on it, call hubby, call back on it, and it's gone already. WHAT!?! Well, not gone gone, but claim has already been laid. Someone else had called while I was talking to hubby and made arrangements to pick it up at 6:00 in the morning. I am devastated. Really! I was so excited and had already figured out where to scrape up the money for it (we had some money saved, but not enough... I had to do some juggling) and everything. But the gentleman selling the trailer told me to call him back at 7:00 am. If the first guy does not call or show, it's ours. I got no sleep that night. Not a wink! I was too excited! By this point, The Hubster and I, had already decided that if we can get larger housing sooner, then awesome, but we would realistically aim for tax return season. Not only would we have more money from our return, but we'd have saved more money, and people would be selling their single wides (all we want to start) for cheap cheap cheap as they were replacing them with double wides purchased by their returns. That would make it possible that the girls, critters, and I would live, work, home school, and homestead for 8 - 9 months in this trailer that we probably weren't even going to get.
At 7:00 am I called, readying myself for heart break. I was already giving myself the Pollyanna pep talk... *That's ok, we just weren't to have this one. When it's time we'll find another one. At least we know what we really want now and we have a jumping off point. This one just wasn't supposed to be ours. We'll find something better.* ...that conversation. It wasn't so much the trailer itself we were hooked on. Any travel trailer with a bathroom could have worked. But this one was an amazing deal that we could afford right away! It is road ready, it has a small plumbing problem, but Hubby can fix that! We searched a LOT of interwebs and almost no other travel trailer was close to the price, and if it was it was in horribly shoddy condition or states away. I almost hyperventilated waiting for him to answer the phone. I just knew he was going to say no, even though I just knew that trailer was supposed to be mine. Then the kind gentelman answers the phone and informs me that the first guy was a no call, no show and that the camper is mine if I want it. *airpunch-jump-squeal-happydancehappydancehappydance* Yes!
This will become our comfy cozy micro home. I swear I'm not crazy. My Mother had me tested. ;)
I went to see it and took one look at it and thought... Oh WOW! This is small! But didn't we want to downsize and simplify? I mean, we were already down to a truck bed (SUV bed) and utility trailer. There's no room for a TV or a game console. Think of how close and connected me and the girls would be? I am 100% certain there will be times that we all annoy the crap out of each other. But, we'll be forced to communicate. My day won't be packed full of fussing about frivolities, like messy rooms and vacuuming. It was cute and cozy and with the right touch, it would feel homey and intimate. And then, when we moved into the single wide, we'd be so grateful for the upgrade instead of belly aching about it's lack of size compared to our home here. At that moment I reminded myself that this move isn't about stuff and things. This is the opposite of that. It's about having enough and not being grateful in spite of it, but because of it. It's about slowing down and simplifying. The simplification of life, of family. And I knew that this little metal tin can on wheels was exactly what I wanted. The girls were excited looking at the pictures online. They were gung ho for living in such close quarters. Booter rambled about how much we could talk to each other. Ladybug went on and on about how much time we'll get to spend together and how much stuff we can do... she thinks it will be exciting, like Little House on the Prairie. I even read some blogs about other families doing the full time camping thing and none of them would trade it for a second and would do it again in a heart beat. Some it was until they could build their home (sound familiar? lol) and they genuinely miss the closeness, both emotional and proximity, and often times go for extended getaways in their simple former home. And in all honesty, it'll probably only be several months that we live in there. Though there is a large possibility that it will be for longer. I'm trying to prepare for a year.... better safe than sorry. And I'm torn. Part of me wants to get into a bigger place asap, but then there's part of me wants to stay in the travel trailer as long as possible. I am really looking forward to building my relationship with my girls. To teach and love and to be taught and loved in return. Ladybug is closer and closer to a teenager everyday. I would love for us to have an immensely strong relationship before she starts to hate me. And Booter is only two years behind her, but often feels twice as left out. How wonderful for her to feel super important and helpful. And their relationship as sisters will grow and strenghthen too. A year long family bonding experience sounds fantastic to me. And we get to decorate it. *squee*
I plan on decorating it in complete Shabby Chic. And I plan on making all the decor myself... up cycling a LOT of it. Fun! Well, me and the girlies will do it! What an awesome opportunity to teach them how to sew and to reuse things in a new way. Of course we do a lot of that already. But this is going to be epically awesome! We're gonna frou frou that thing up! Hubby said I could do what ever I want with it. It is mine, essentially. It will be just me and the girls 98% of the time, so it has to be comfortable to us. So yeah.... lace, florals, and feminine colors will abound! There will be some remodeling (light remodeling) and customization done to make it exactly what we need. It's a daunting task to think of how we're going to get everything we need into that little space. But compared to all the benefits we're going to get out of it, that is a challenge I am willing to take. And we're going to paint the outside! White and lemon yellow sound awesome to me, but hubby says he wants some say on the outside since he has to tow it. LOL! Good thing I didn't mention the white pink and lavender idea.... ;)
That is my update, guys. We have a lot going on between the garden (which is frustrating as all sin), the all natural products (trying to start my own home based business selling my concoctions), non processed foods (not as easy as it sounds in small town southern USA), and unprocessing our lives (well, we're trying to). It's a little crazy, but 100% worth it. I am even more excited to take that giant plunge into the next stage of our lives more now than ever! As far as baby steps.... do something tangible to reach your goals today. Take the first scary step into the possibility of failure. You may fail, but you will learn from that failure. And those lessons are beyond valuable! Even greater, you may succeed. And then the bounty of the universe awaits you!
Today I wish you courage. Sometimes the hardest part of changing who we are is to stop fearing what we might become.
HOLY CRAP!
That's the kind of epiphany that makes a sane person rethink their decisions.
Good thing I am absolutely insane.
Ssssshhh! *whispers* Don't tell anyone, But I'm actually even more excited than I was before! A bit more apprehensive... but immensely more excited!
I, you see, am the new proud owner of a 1973 Startcraft Wanderlust Travel trailer. I don't know the dimensions on it (it isn't here yet), but its smaller than my 20 x 13 living room.... Much. The travel trailer has a dinette, a sitting area, 2 large beds, and a 3/4 bath. All the amenities you could need. Granted the dinette and sitting area turn into the two large beds, but do you really need a dining table at night?
We didn't even know we wanted a travel trailer. We had kicked the idea around and decided against it. That simply getting a utility trailer is what we were going to do. But of course, that was when we still planned on building a 10,000 sq ft manor on our land (we're looking at around 2000 sq ft now, and that includes the sleeping loft, and basement). A lot has changed since then. We knew we were going to need a truck/SUV anyway. And a second vehicle would be nice. Preferably with 4x4. So I have been looking at SUVs and trucks on Craig's List for a vehicle we might be able to afford to pull the utility trailer and Hubby has been looking on Craig's List for the trailer. Divide and conquer (and still leave mom enough time to vacuum the floor). As he was going through things he finds the ad for the travel trailer trailer and sends it to me. After a long text conversation we come to the conclusion that this is the best route for us to go. We will save money on hotel rooms on the trip and have a place to stay when we first get there before we get a chance to get set up. I call on it, call hubby, call back on it, and it's gone already. WHAT!?! Well, not gone gone, but claim has already been laid. Someone else had called while I was talking to hubby and made arrangements to pick it up at 6:00 in the morning. I am devastated. Really! I was so excited and had already figured out where to scrape up the money for it (we had some money saved, but not enough... I had to do some juggling) and everything. But the gentleman selling the trailer told me to call him back at 7:00 am. If the first guy does not call or show, it's ours. I got no sleep that night. Not a wink! I was too excited! By this point, The Hubster and I, had already decided that if we can get larger housing sooner, then awesome, but we would realistically aim for tax return season. Not only would we have more money from our return, but we'd have saved more money, and people would be selling their single wides (all we want to start) for cheap cheap cheap as they were replacing them with double wides purchased by their returns. That would make it possible that the girls, critters, and I would live, work, home school, and homestead for 8 - 9 months in this trailer that we probably weren't even going to get.
At 7:00 am I called, readying myself for heart break. I was already giving myself the Pollyanna pep talk... *That's ok, we just weren't to have this one. When it's time we'll find another one. At least we know what we really want now and we have a jumping off point. This one just wasn't supposed to be ours. We'll find something better.* ...that conversation. It wasn't so much the trailer itself we were hooked on. Any travel trailer with a bathroom could have worked. But this one was an amazing deal that we could afford right away! It is road ready, it has a small plumbing problem, but Hubby can fix that! We searched a LOT of interwebs and almost no other travel trailer was close to the price, and if it was it was in horribly shoddy condition or states away. I almost hyperventilated waiting for him to answer the phone. I just knew he was going to say no, even though I just knew that trailer was supposed to be mine. Then the kind gentelman answers the phone and informs me that the first guy was a no call, no show and that the camper is mine if I want it. *airpunch-jump-squeal-happydancehappydancehappydance* Yes!
I went to see it and took one look at it and thought... Oh WOW! This is small! But didn't we want to downsize and simplify? I mean, we were already down to a truck bed (SUV bed) and utility trailer. There's no room for a TV or a game console. Think of how close and connected me and the girls would be? I am 100% certain there will be times that we all annoy the crap out of each other. But, we'll be forced to communicate. My day won't be packed full of fussing about frivolities, like messy rooms and vacuuming. It was cute and cozy and with the right touch, it would feel homey and intimate. And then, when we moved into the single wide, we'd be so grateful for the upgrade instead of belly aching about it's lack of size compared to our home here. At that moment I reminded myself that this move isn't about stuff and things. This is the opposite of that. It's about having enough and not being grateful in spite of it, but because of it. It's about slowing down and simplifying. The simplification of life, of family. And I knew that this little metal tin can on wheels was exactly what I wanted. The girls were excited looking at the pictures online. They were gung ho for living in such close quarters. Booter rambled about how much we could talk to each other. Ladybug went on and on about how much time we'll get to spend together and how much stuff we can do... she thinks it will be exciting, like Little House on the Prairie. I even read some blogs about other families doing the full time camping thing and none of them would trade it for a second and would do it again in a heart beat. Some it was until they could build their home (sound familiar? lol) and they genuinely miss the closeness, both emotional and proximity, and often times go for extended getaways in their simple former home. And in all honesty, it'll probably only be several months that we live in there. Though there is a large possibility that it will be for longer. I'm trying to prepare for a year.... better safe than sorry. And I'm torn. Part of me wants to get into a bigger place asap, but then there's part of me wants to stay in the travel trailer as long as possible. I am really looking forward to building my relationship with my girls. To teach and love and to be taught and loved in return. Ladybug is closer and closer to a teenager everyday. I would love for us to have an immensely strong relationship before she starts to hate me. And Booter is only two years behind her, but often feels twice as left out. How wonderful for her to feel super important and helpful. And their relationship as sisters will grow and strenghthen too. A year long family bonding experience sounds fantastic to me. And we get to decorate it. *squee*
I plan on decorating it in complete Shabby Chic. And I plan on making all the decor myself... up cycling a LOT of it. Fun! Well, me and the girlies will do it! What an awesome opportunity to teach them how to sew and to reuse things in a new way. Of course we do a lot of that already. But this is going to be epically awesome! We're gonna frou frou that thing up! Hubby said I could do what ever I want with it. It is mine, essentially. It will be just me and the girls 98% of the time, so it has to be comfortable to us. So yeah.... lace, florals, and feminine colors will abound! There will be some remodeling (light remodeling) and customization done to make it exactly what we need. It's a daunting task to think of how we're going to get everything we need into that little space. But compared to all the benefits we're going to get out of it, that is a challenge I am willing to take. And we're going to paint the outside! White and lemon yellow sound awesome to me, but hubby says he wants some say on the outside since he has to tow it. LOL! Good thing I didn't mention the white pink and lavender idea.... ;)
That is my update, guys. We have a lot going on between the garden (which is frustrating as all sin), the all natural products (trying to start my own home based business selling my concoctions), non processed foods (not as easy as it sounds in small town southern USA), and unprocessing our lives (well, we're trying to). It's a little crazy, but 100% worth it. I am even more excited to take that giant plunge into the next stage of our lives more now than ever! As far as baby steps.... do something tangible to reach your goals today. Take the first scary step into the possibility of failure. You may fail, but you will learn from that failure. And those lessons are beyond valuable! Even greater, you may succeed. And then the bounty of the universe awaits you!
Today I wish you courage. Sometimes the hardest part of changing who we are is to stop fearing what we might become.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The Adventures of The Reluctant Gardener and the Brown Thumb Squad
So, I have been MIA... for like a while. I know I know. Bad blogger! I have been busy being a farmer... well, a wanna be farmer... ok more of a gardener, really. FINE... a wanna be gardener. At best. I really am a wanna be though. I have destroyed fingernails packed so full of dirt potatoes could probably grow in them. The lovely 3/4 arm suntan. And rows of fresh dark soil covered in moist mulch. Sounds great, right. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! No. It has not been great. It has been heartbreaking, and frustrating, and hard. As of yet, very little satisfaction and no freaking food have come from my efforts. *sigh* I am not too good at this whole growing stuff. Well, except Dandelions. I can grow the hell out some dandelions. While they're edible, I have no idea how to cook with them so they don't do me much good. But I can grow them. Or, well, my yard grows them. I would say lawn, but we use weeds in lieu of grass. It makes things easier. Maybe that's why the dandelions grow so well! I have absofreakinlutely NOTHING to do with them.
I have ALWAYS wanted to be able to grow an amazing bounty of food from a plot of dirt and weeds. I am in love with the idea of gardening. I actually find the sowing and digging, and rowing, and simply running my hands through the soil cathartic and de-stressing. Almost centering. *breathe in, breathe out* Realistically, I kill plastic house plants...... Don't ask. This year, I have re-started my garden 4 times... partially re-started 6. I have a good bit of squashes, melons, and the like growing. I am apparently a freaking goddess when it comes to that sort of thing. Beans tolerate me. Peas detest me, but are dubiously hanging on. Carrots... nothing yet. Lettuce, we have sprouts. Turnips, looking good. Herbs... Basil is the only one showing me any love at the moment. Corn. I have 1. yes ONE. I know you can't grow one stalk of corn. I'm working on rectifying the situation. Tomatoes? I am what seems to be the tomato anti-Christ! I take these precious beautiful heirloom seeds (that cost a small fortune) and sprout them beautifully. I carefuly place them into dampened soft soil full of nutrients and love. I place them in the sun, do not over water them, keep them away from the dog (see Mother's Day....*smh*) and watch them grow. Or not grow. Usually not grow. But occasionally, I get to see them grow into adorable little fuzzy one to two inch tall plants with all the joy and hope I can imagine a plant feels. Then I watch it die. A nice slow painful death. Simply because that is how awesome I am.
At one point I had over 25 tomato plants going. 5 plants of 5 different varietals. I have 1. One stinkin plant. It's adorable. Like 3 inches tall and it just had it's first big girl leaves come in. But just the one. I have 2 other tomato plants that are heirlooms that were given to me. Those are all sorts of happy. I didn't raise them. Give it two weeks. I'll kill them too. Watch. I also have one very straggly sickly sugar snap pea that I should really just pull the plug on. That's it. I direct seeded 3 more. Nothing. *sigh* Just like the 24 corn plants I've killed. I really shouldn't be allowed any where near plant life. At least my cacao are growing (until I inevitably kill them too!).
It's my poor tomatoes that have been steadfast in their bringing of gardening reluctance through their pain and suffering. Their plight has been substantial. Most likely to end catastrophically with mass tomato plant genocidal Blight. I have had doggies eat my plants, I have baked them, froze them, drowned them, starved them, dehydrated them, root rotted them, damped them off. BUT...... I now know not to over water them, that I shouldn't keep them in the little mini green houses on 85 degree southern days, that when the soil is dry not to wait to water, to keep them away from hungry doggies, to pull them in at night until they are ready for transplant, they need good soil (not the nasty sand stuff from my yard) and to put powdered milk (and/or ground egg shells) and epsom salts (and/or sugar) in the soil, to plant them so deep you think you are going to bury the whole thing, make sure there is good air circulation, and to water the seedlings with chamomile tea and dust the tops with cinnamon. And hopefully, with enough pathetic ineptness adorability (<- Yes, I made that word up. Deal.) Someone will graciously tell me what this Blight is and how to stop is from ever happening ever ever to an tomato plant I manage to keep alive long enough to even dream of harvesting. UGH! And Blossom End Rot!?! This sounds annoyingly gross....!
Don't get me wrong. I cannot be that optimistic all the time. I have sat on the ground and cried in frustration like a 2 year old and been ready to forget about the whole thing. I mean really, how important is it to eat anyway? We can be foragers and survive off of the abundance of dandelions in my yard. I have even *gasp* yelled at my plants (because they understand exactly what I am saying and will indeed "knock it off, hurry up and grow, and make me some food already!"). I have annoyed the sin out of many a kind and helpful person of Facebook begging for help with problems I continuously cause myself. And have even debated dropping out of some groups in Newb shame. I have failed, epically, at providing for my family this year. My Growtest has truly turned into my own personal Grow Test! Now, I could sit here and wallow and give up (at least until next year) or go and buy pre-started plants and pull them off as my own. But I wouldn't learn, and no one ever succeeded at anything from giving up when they failed. So we will have watermelon for Halloween and fresh tomatoes for thanksgiving. So what!?!?! A lot of people will be jealous of our end of the season bounty. Just as I am jealous of their start of the season haul. My visions of fresh summer salads have turned into hearty winter stews. I can see this as all a giant failed waste of time I can never get back or I can see everything I have learned and use that knowledge to try again. I don't know about you, but I'm going to dust off my garden gloves, pick up my bag of mulch, un-kink my garden hose, and give it another try.
Maybe I'm more of a gardener than I thought!
Today I think our baby step should be trying again. Seriously! We all have that one "stupid" that try as we might we just can't conquer it, let alone master it. We feel as though we have tried everything possible and yet we keep ending up with the same results. Sometimes, we can't see the forest through the trees. We need to step back, take a deep breath, and look at how we have succeeded through our fails. I NEVER would have known not to over water tomatoes unless I had over watered them... repeatedly... asked for help.... and learned. That was a success. Sometimes a million small successes are grander and much more satisfying than one giant one. So look at all of your little successes, and try again. And again. And again. And on and on until you simply succeed. It won't be easy. And you'll probably cry. You will hate yourself and feel a fool. But keep trying. Because if it was worth trying to succeed once, it's worth trying until you succeed.
Today, I hope you find patience. It seems like we're all ALWAYS losing it. ;)
I have ALWAYS wanted to be able to grow an amazing bounty of food from a plot of dirt and weeds. I am in love with the idea of gardening. I actually find the sowing and digging, and rowing, and simply running my hands through the soil cathartic and de-stressing. Almost centering. *breathe in, breathe out* Realistically, I kill plastic house plants...... Don't ask. This year, I have re-started my garden 4 times... partially re-started 6. I have a good bit of squashes, melons, and the like growing. I am apparently a freaking goddess when it comes to that sort of thing. Beans tolerate me. Peas detest me, but are dubiously hanging on. Carrots... nothing yet. Lettuce, we have sprouts. Turnips, looking good. Herbs... Basil is the only one showing me any love at the moment. Corn. I have 1. yes ONE. I know you can't grow one stalk of corn. I'm working on rectifying the situation. Tomatoes? I am what seems to be the tomato anti-Christ! I take these precious beautiful heirloom seeds (that cost a small fortune) and sprout them beautifully. I carefuly place them into dampened soft soil full of nutrients and love. I place them in the sun, do not over water them, keep them away from the dog (see Mother's Day....*smh*) and watch them grow. Or not grow. Usually not grow. But occasionally, I get to see them grow into adorable little fuzzy one to two inch tall plants with all the joy and hope I can imagine a plant feels. Then I watch it die. A nice slow painful death. Simply because that is how awesome I am.
At one point I had over 25 tomato plants going. 5 plants of 5 different varietals. I have 1. One stinkin plant. It's adorable. Like 3 inches tall and it just had it's first big girl leaves come in. But just the one. I have 2 other tomato plants that are heirlooms that were given to me. Those are all sorts of happy. I didn't raise them. Give it two weeks. I'll kill them too. Watch. I also have one very straggly sickly sugar snap pea that I should really just pull the plug on. That's it. I direct seeded 3 more. Nothing. *sigh* Just like the 24 corn plants I've killed. I really shouldn't be allowed any where near plant life. At least my cacao are growing (until I inevitably kill them too!).
It's my poor tomatoes that have been steadfast in their bringing of gardening reluctance through their pain and suffering. Their plight has been substantial. Most likely to end catastrophically with mass tomato plant genocidal Blight. I have had doggies eat my plants, I have baked them, froze them, drowned them, starved them, dehydrated them, root rotted them, damped them off. BUT...... I now know not to over water them, that I shouldn't keep them in the little mini green houses on 85 degree southern days, that when the soil is dry not to wait to water, to keep them away from hungry doggies, to pull them in at night until they are ready for transplant, they need good soil (not the nasty sand stuff from my yard) and to put powdered milk (and/or ground egg shells) and epsom salts (and/or sugar) in the soil, to plant them so deep you think you are going to bury the whole thing, make sure there is good air circulation, and to water the seedlings with chamomile tea and dust the tops with cinnamon. And hopefully, with enough pathetic ineptness adorability (<- Yes, I made that word up. Deal.) Someone will graciously tell me what this Blight is and how to stop is from ever happening ever ever to an tomato plant I manage to keep alive long enough to even dream of harvesting. UGH! And Blossom End Rot!?! This sounds annoyingly gross....!
Don't get me wrong. I cannot be that optimistic all the time. I have sat on the ground and cried in frustration like a 2 year old and been ready to forget about the whole thing. I mean really, how important is it to eat anyway? We can be foragers and survive off of the abundance of dandelions in my yard. I have even *gasp* yelled at my plants (because they understand exactly what I am saying and will indeed "knock it off, hurry up and grow, and make me some food already!"). I have annoyed the sin out of many a kind and helpful person of Facebook begging for help with problems I continuously cause myself. And have even debated dropping out of some groups in Newb shame. I have failed, epically, at providing for my family this year. My Growtest has truly turned into my own personal Grow Test! Now, I could sit here and wallow and give up (at least until next year) or go and buy pre-started plants and pull them off as my own. But I wouldn't learn, and no one ever succeeded at anything from giving up when they failed. So we will have watermelon for Halloween and fresh tomatoes for thanksgiving. So what!?!?! A lot of people will be jealous of our end of the season bounty. Just as I am jealous of their start of the season haul. My visions of fresh summer salads have turned into hearty winter stews. I can see this as all a giant failed waste of time I can never get back or I can see everything I have learned and use that knowledge to try again. I don't know about you, but I'm going to dust off my garden gloves, pick up my bag of mulch, un-kink my garden hose, and give it another try.
Maybe I'm more of a gardener than I thought!
Today I think our baby step should be trying again. Seriously! We all have that one "stupid" that try as we might we just can't conquer it, let alone master it. We feel as though we have tried everything possible and yet we keep ending up with the same results. Sometimes, we can't see the forest through the trees. We need to step back, take a deep breath, and look at how we have succeeded through our fails. I NEVER would have known not to over water tomatoes unless I had over watered them... repeatedly... asked for help.... and learned. That was a success. Sometimes a million small successes are grander and much more satisfying than one giant one. So look at all of your little successes, and try again. And again. And again. And on and on until you simply succeed. It won't be easy. And you'll probably cry. You will hate yourself and feel a fool. But keep trying. Because if it was worth trying to succeed once, it's worth trying until you succeed.
Today, I hope you find patience. It seems like we're all ALWAYS losing it. ;)
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Humbly Yours
I am a stay at home mom. I am also a first year homesteader. This equals "duck" boots (hiking boots with the water proof shoe) becoming my new staple foot wear. I do don the flippies for excursions out into the dreaded public... but That's if I don't forget to take off my slippers before running the kids into school after they've missed the bus (4 1/2 weeks running). I lounge in Pj bottoms and scrub pants and too big t-shirts with stretched out sports bras the only thing keeping me from announcing to the world what boobies look like after nourishing 6 kids AND having an augmentation. It's not as pretty of a result as I had hoped for. My hair has been cropped above shoulder length (as per hubby's request and I will NEVER do something that stupid again. Long sleek dark hair is pretty. Short limp hair is not even close). I gave up make up the day I realized it showed more wrinkles than it covered. And short skirts (and shorts period for that matter) seem better placed on 20 yr old girls that aren't mine. To help me hide my housemom fashion disaster I have adopted a sort of hippiesque vibe to my wardrobe (and it's fantastically comfortable!). Camisoles, tanks, and ababy doll tees. Cap sleeve button up blouses over the top (if it's not like a bajillion degrees that day), long flowing floor length skirts (often in tye die and floral patterns), and flat soled slip on shoes (though I did get a pair of silver rope soled Steve Madden flats for $10 in the find of the century!). The obvious perk is no one expects a hippie to shower, have pretty hair, or wear make up. I no longer have to shave my legs (at least until the leg hair gets so long that my legs tangle together as I try to walk) and I can pee outdoors and no one ever even notices (By the way, if you ever want to hold your pee again, don't birth 6 mini minions and then have a hysterectomy. Just trust me on this one.). I have even started making my own hippie skirts out of miscellaneous fabric I find (usually from hideous thrift store sheets). I am almost never with out a hooded cardigan. I thought they looked classier than the traditional hoodie, but it has gotten to be such a problem that I am now considered the female equivalent to Mr. Rodgers. I only pluck my eyebrows when I look like I have two caterpillars making out on my forehead and I am often rocking a bandanna instead of just using hair product (or a straw hat.... I LOVE my hats). I call it all natural boho chic. I am sure most the folks in the kitschy little Mayberry type town call it lazy. Here, all the mom's have perfectly coiffed hair, professionally done fingernails (OMG! Don't even get me started on my nails. I grow things in dirt, mine are thrashed beyond recognition.), and make up applied heavily and expertly by the 7:30 am car line. I usually still have sleep in my eyes when we come scooting up at 7:58. If they run, they can still make it to class in time. We call it A.M. aerobics. My house looks like a mix between a junk yard and a yard sale, usually with bits of potting soil and random fabric bits strewn about... and dog hair a plenty. It's clean, just cluttered and, as always, with too much stuff. When it comes down to it, we are kind of hippie, but in a lot of ways we're not. I had an elderly woman at Wal*Mart tell me I was New School Old School. I really like that. It seems to be the best description. I believe in saving our planet, growing our own food, being frugal, upcycling, DIY, and a job done right. Hard work and dedication are fundamental to who I am. I, by no means, am perfect. I bite off more than I can chew and always have my plate piled higher than it seriously ought to be. I loose my keys, my phone, and my temper. I am slow to motivate and always short on time. I work hard, play hard, laugh hard, and love hard. I am frazzled, and scatterbrained, and have the worse memory. I make promises I cannot keep. I swear, HORRIBLY (sailors blush around me and truckers are taken aback). I am a super mom without super powers who is pretty sure her kids are going to be scarred and f*cked up for life over at least a dozen things I've done or said horribly wrong without meaning too. And while I ALWAYS love my kids, there are days I do NOT like them. Yes, I said it. I am strong and weak, brave and afraid, perfectly imperfect. We protest GMO's and preach an unprocessed life, but still stop for fast food on occasion and have a few boxes of "quick" food in my freezer and pantry. I can come across as ungrateful and hate to be wrong. I don't always apologize when I should. I am aloof and care far too much for my own good. I am definitely my own worst enemy. But I try, even if I fail the first 87,000,000,000 times. I kill more plants than I grow. I am a real true honest to goodness human being full of faults and dreams. My point is folks that we are all simply human. We all do our best to be our best. We have different beliefs and goals, but we're still just trying to survive the unsurvivable... Life. So the next time I yell at my kids, swear in public, do my grocery shopping in 2 day old PJ's and house slippers (another serious addiction... I have at least a half dozen pair of slippers (including flip flop ones)), and chug down a container of chocolate ilk like it was the last one on earth remember that I am only trying to be the best me I can be. I don't get upset if your you is better. I'm cool with that. I make no apologies to who I am... and I certainly offer no refunds. But I am a klutz and I will surely fall from any pedestal I am put on. And, I'm very really pretty much sure... I am also a lot like you - Pretty darn Awesome! And all of that hot mess you see written on this page is exactly what makes us beautiful. I think we ALL need to remind ourselves of that more often.
So, today, love yourself for trying, succeeding, failing, being. You deserve to be loved by yourself. We all do.
So, today, love yourself for trying, succeeding, failing, being. You deserve to be loved by yourself. We all do.
Monday, May 20, 2013
"Smart" Water and Magic Feathers
The winner of the grand prize giveaway is...........*drum roll*............CHRISTINA S.!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on winning the Grand Prize Sample Pack! I will be shipping it out later today!
That concludes our first ever week long giveaway contest!!!!! Hopefully not to be our last! Thank you so much to everyone who participated and spread the TOTG love!
And now for the blog...........
How many of you remember watching Dumbo as kids? You know, the Disney movie with the baby elephant that only thinks he can fly as long as he's clutching his magic feather in his trunk? That plain and ordinary crow's feather gave him the confidence he needed to be able to be himself and take flight.... to soar! Eventually, he lost his grip on the feather only to realize that he could fly on his own after all. Sometimes, we need our own "magic feathers" to help us succeed in some daunting task that we don't feel confident enough to accomplish on our own. Today is about one such magic feather.
Lady Bug has her EOGs (end of grade testing) today. Well, they start today. It goes on for about a week and a half and it's busted up into sections with as much as a week in between sessions. It's very stressful on the kids and they put ALL their emphasis throughout the entire year on the weight of these tests. You fail the EOGs, you fail your grade. This is one of MANY reasons I hate the public school system. They teach to a test, not to life, and they put kids through the paces all year to make good grades, pass weekly tests, have progress reports and report cards only to say that all of that work and effort do not matter as far as passing.... it's only about the test. It was like that when I was in school too. I used to have child anxiety attacks over end of grade testing. And my poor little Lady Bug is much the same way. She stresses and worries. She runs facts and drills in her head as she falls asleep the night before testing. She plays classical music because she read that it helps boost brain function. She insists on very well balanced meals for dinner and breakfast during test week so she can be at her best. And then she still hyperventilates with silent tears the morning of testing from sheer worry. Seriously! This is not fair to do to little kids. They make too big of a deal out of it and it's not fair to them. There is no reason 9 & 10 yr olds should be stressing out that much over anything that's supposed to be about their education. There's high school and college (and another few years of maturity) to take care of that for them. Thank God Booter doesn't start EOGs until next year.
How does a mommy deal with this? It's sooooo hard to see your child worry themselves sick (last year she threw up the night before) over something you have no control over. A mommy helps their child to deal with it on their own, to have the confidence in their own intelligence and abilities. To believe in themselves and know they will do just fine. Sometimes to accomplish this, we have to give them a magic feather. Lady Bug's magic feather last year was a bottle of store bought Smart Water, and some gatorade Gummy Bites that I told her were super intelligence chews. I told her both of them would help boost her brain function to the point that if she knew the answers her brain would always be able to find them. This helped her relax so much that she was laughing and joking on the way to school and got a super high score. I knew she could do it, she just didn't know she could.
But this year I wanted to do better by her than glorified tap water and chemical and corn syrup gummies. This year I wanted to give her something that would still be a magic feather, but healthier for her.... and maybe with a few of those brain expanding and calming properties I had so stealthily promised last year. Since we're going homemade on everything else, I decided to go homemade on this route too. I researched and took notes for days on the computer and devised what I believed to be the best options for what I had on hand. Hopefully it works..... We made homemade "Smart" water, a brain power sachet for inside her pillow case, and I made her a AromaWearapy bracelet. She also had a back rub with mommy's verbena massage oil before she was tucked in last night.
That concludes our first ever week long giveaway contest!!!!! Hopefully not to be our last! Thank you so much to everyone who participated and spread the TOTG love!
And now for the blog...........
How many of you remember watching Dumbo as kids? You know, the Disney movie with the baby elephant that only thinks he can fly as long as he's clutching his magic feather in his trunk? That plain and ordinary crow's feather gave him the confidence he needed to be able to be himself and take flight.... to soar! Eventually, he lost his grip on the feather only to realize that he could fly on his own after all. Sometimes, we need our own "magic feathers" to help us succeed in some daunting task that we don't feel confident enough to accomplish on our own. Today is about one such magic feather.
Lady Bug has her EOGs (end of grade testing) today. Well, they start today. It goes on for about a week and a half and it's busted up into sections with as much as a week in between sessions. It's very stressful on the kids and they put ALL their emphasis throughout the entire year on the weight of these tests. You fail the EOGs, you fail your grade. This is one of MANY reasons I hate the public school system. They teach to a test, not to life, and they put kids through the paces all year to make good grades, pass weekly tests, have progress reports and report cards only to say that all of that work and effort do not matter as far as passing.... it's only about the test. It was like that when I was in school too. I used to have child anxiety attacks over end of grade testing. And my poor little Lady Bug is much the same way. She stresses and worries. She runs facts and drills in her head as she falls asleep the night before testing. She plays classical music because she read that it helps boost brain function. She insists on very well balanced meals for dinner and breakfast during test week so she can be at her best. And then she still hyperventilates with silent tears the morning of testing from sheer worry. Seriously! This is not fair to do to little kids. They make too big of a deal out of it and it's not fair to them. There is no reason 9 & 10 yr olds should be stressing out that much over anything that's supposed to be about their education. There's high school and college (and another few years of maturity) to take care of that for them. Thank God Booter doesn't start EOGs until next year.
How does a mommy deal with this? It's sooooo hard to see your child worry themselves sick (last year she threw up the night before) over something you have no control over. A mommy helps their child to deal with it on their own, to have the confidence in their own intelligence and abilities. To believe in themselves and know they will do just fine. Sometimes to accomplish this, we have to give them a magic feather. Lady Bug's magic feather last year was a bottle of store bought Smart Water, and some gatorade Gummy Bites that I told her were super intelligence chews. I told her both of them would help boost her brain function to the point that if she knew the answers her brain would always be able to find them. This helped her relax so much that she was laughing and joking on the way to school and got a super high score. I knew she could do it, she just didn't know she could.
But this year I wanted to do better by her than glorified tap water and chemical and corn syrup gummies. This year I wanted to give her something that would still be a magic feather, but healthier for her.... and maybe with a few of those brain expanding and calming properties I had so stealthily promised last year. Since we're going homemade on everything else, I decided to go homemade on this route too. I researched and took notes for days on the computer and devised what I believed to be the best options for what I had on hand. Hopefully it works..... We made homemade "Smart" water, a brain power sachet for inside her pillow case, and I made her a AromaWearapy bracelet. She also had a back rub with mommy's verbena massage oil before she was tucked in last night.
Homemade "Smart" Water
---------------------------------------
Purified Water
Gingko Biloba Drops
Ginseng Drops
Peppermint Extract
Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon Juice
Honey
Vanilla Extract
Coconut Water
Baking Soda
In a water bottle fill 2/3 full with good water and 1/4 full with coconut water. This makes sure there is room at the top for the rest of the ingredients. We added 5 drops of gingko, 5 drops of ginseng, 4 drops of peppermint extract, 5 drops of lemon essential oil, 4 TBS of lemon juice, 2 Tbs honey, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp baking soda. Put the lid on and shake like crazy! One it's mixed it should taste more vanilla than anything else with a hint of coconut and lemon and an after taste of mint. It is slightly sweet and very refreshing. We even went so far as to make a little label for the bottle for her stating that it was Brain Power Juice! She thinks it's delicious!
No- Sew Brain Boosting Pillow Case Sachet
----------------------------------------------------------
1 quilting size square of fabric
6 in or so length of ribbon
2 TBS dried lavender buds
1 drop peppermint eextract
1 drop eucalyptus essential oil
1 drop lemon essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
Place the ribbon across the top of the fabric, laying it down the middle. Drop the lemon and eucalyptus essential oils and the peppermint extract onto the ribbon going length wise down the ribbon and rub so the oil/extract also goes into the fabric a little. Remove the ribbon from over the fabric and add the 2 Tbs of dried Lavender buds. Drop the Lavender essential oil directly onto the lavender. Gather the fabric square up over the lavender so it makes a little pouch and tie the ribbon tightly around the gathered open top making it like a ball with a spikey hair-do on top. Place this sachet in a bottom corner of a pillow case and let it do it's soothing and brain boosting work over night.
And the AromaWearapy bracelet is a cute little bracelet with essential oil (this one was 1 drop cedar, 1 drop, rosemary, 2 drops lemon) with an herb sachet on it (this one was lavender with an extra drop of lavender extract for a boost in scent). This way as she tests she can always have the calming mentally clarifying scents she needs with her at all times. The scent gently filling her space. And she can take a deep inhale with bracelet up to her face any time she needs with out looking conspicuous. I love the idea of that bracelet so much I am actually writing up a business plan to make and sell AromaWearapy from home. Shoot, just telling friends I have 3 orders for bracelets!
The result? Lady Bug left the car this morning telling me her mantra for the day was "Keep Calm, Do Your Best & Rock That Test!". Seems a good sight better than my nervous Nellie from last night. Once I got that sachet in her pillow she slept like a rock, awoke refreshed, and eager to test. She was calm, collected, and confident. After drinking a whole glass of "Smart" water this morning before we left, and huffing her bracelet as we were getting into the car she was a completely different kid than last year, or even last night. I have no doubt that she would do fantastic without her Magic feathers. She is a brilliant studious little girl who always strives to do her best. And I realize that this years helpers aren't as much of a benign feather as last years, but they won't take the test for her. They just keep her calm and focused enough to realize she has this all on her own. And I know, someday, she won't need her magic feather anymore. But I'll worry about that later. Right now, I'm just enjoying watching my baby spread her wings and Fly!
So today, find a way, using what's already available to you, to help you or a loved one find the boost they need. Find the magic feather that will help them see the ability that is already in themselves. It's honestly a fantastic feeling to be able to help the people you care about (yourself included) to be able to have confidence in themselves. Harness the power of nature to soothe, calm, and lift up those around you. Nature gives us the toold if we are willing to use them. The best part, everyone around you will be bettered for it.
Today I hope you find Confidence.... even if it is from your own personal Magic Feather.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
There ain't no bugs on me... (or sun burn)
So today is the final day of our contest and the day I'll be giving away the grand prize. I hope you're all as exited about it as I am. No one entered yesterday's contest, so there is no winner.
I have recently started making our own lotion bars that Cassie has named the all-in-one beauty butter body balm bar. It's a mouthful. They really are awesome though. They are a moisturizer, eggplant, sun screen, and insect repellent. We go through them, but it's ok with me. It's much better than sunburn and insect bites (and the diseases that come with them) and definitely better than the horrible chemical laden store bought alternatives. Just sunblock alone causes cancer, early menstruation, and its increase in use and be tracked with the increase in skin cancer..... Hmmmm. Makes you wonder. It's full of phyto estrogens with attack your hormonal systems. Google it! I wanted a safer route for my family. Something all natural and harmless. Doesn't that just sound better? That's pretty much when I decided to make our own. I stated reading up on natural spf containing ingredients and came up with a pretty awesome concoction with an spf of 10-12. Nice! When we add that to our antioxidant routine, we're perfect! I'm usually the type that can think about the sun and feel the burn happen so this has Been pretty much amazing.
You'll need a double boiler or (as in my case) a small metal bowl that fits inside a medium metal pot to create a double boiler. A large spoon, and a cupcake tray or soap mold. You can also use a crock pot type double boiler too... putting the small bowl inside the crock pot. It works quite well, just very slow.
Ingredients
---------------
1/2 Cup Bees wax
1/2 Cup mango Butter
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
10 drops citronella essential oil
10 drops thyme essential oil
10 drops Cedar essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
dried lavender buds
oatmeal
Melt the bees wax, both butters, and all of the oil in your double boiler until completely liquid. Pour into cupcake tins or soap molds. Sprinkle lavender buds and oatmeal on top on bars when about half set (still soft) and gently push into the tops. If you are using soap molds, you have to wait until the are set and can be removed from the molds the re-dip into melted mixture and push into flowers/oats. I tired putting the lavender and oats into the molds, but that didn't work very well..... That's it. You wait until they;re cooled thoroughly and poop them out and use them! They work great! When Lady Bug and I went on her firld trip to the beach neither of our fair skinned selves burned at all... not even pink. And I haven't had a single bug bite since I started using them. They are definitely worth a go. I LOVE them!
(Insert Picture Here... Blogger still won't let me upload pics for some reason and it won't recognize the URL from my Drop Box Pics either... so you'll have to use you imaginations....)
So I say today you should make your own sunblock/insect repellent bars. They are super luxe, super easy, super good for you, and super worth the effort. Plus, they smell AMAZING and make your skin soft as butter. I have strangers brush into me at the grocery have to stop and tell me how amazingly soft I am. :) And I feel awesome about it knowing that I am helping to make my family and myself happier and healthier than ever before!
*********CONTEST!***********
This is day 7 of my contest! Time for my GRAND PRIZE DRAWING!
Today you can enter to win A Dishwasher Tablet, A Laundry Soap Bomb, Scented Laundry Salts, A Lip Balm, Lotion, and a full size All-In-One Beauty Butter Body Balm Bar! All entrants from during the past 6 days are entered into the drawing already, but anyone who would like to enter today is also welcome to try for a chance. And for the grand prize drawing I am extending the deadline until 8:00 am est!
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the one you put on the Blog, please let me know who you are.)! Each
thing you do is worth an entry. You can only follow me once, so most
days your going to get 3 entries a day.
1: Read & Comment on Blog = 1 entry
2: Like & Share Facebook Blog Post Link from Foodies At Heart Page = 1 entry
3: Comment on Facebook Post = 1 entry
4. One time only entry chance when you follow this blog by clicking follow = 5 entries
I'll take entries everyday until midnight. I will have one of the Girlies draw the previous day's winner in the morning and announce the winner here. Monday through Saturday you win a Mini TOTG Sample Pack and on Sunday I will draw the grand prize out of all of the total tickets accumulated over the week (except for the 6 tickets previously drawn) and will announce the Grand Prize Winner on here next Monday. I will ship everything out the same Monday as the announcement of the Grand Prize Winner.
(Turns out I don't have a follow button.... I'm so unobservant sometimes. Sorry about that confusion.....)
I have recently started making our own lotion bars that Cassie has named the all-in-one beauty butter body balm bar. It's a mouthful. They really are awesome though. They are a moisturizer, eggplant, sun screen, and insect repellent. We go through them, but it's ok with me. It's much better than sunburn and insect bites (and the diseases that come with them) and definitely better than the horrible chemical laden store bought alternatives. Just sunblock alone causes cancer, early menstruation, and its increase in use and be tracked with the increase in skin cancer..... Hmmmm. Makes you wonder. It's full of phyto estrogens with attack your hormonal systems. Google it! I wanted a safer route for my family. Something all natural and harmless. Doesn't that just sound better? That's pretty much when I decided to make our own. I stated reading up on natural spf containing ingredients and came up with a pretty awesome concoction with an spf of 10-12. Nice! When we add that to our antioxidant routine, we're perfect! I'm usually the type that can think about the sun and feel the burn happen so this has Been pretty much amazing.
You'll need a double boiler or (as in my case) a small metal bowl that fits inside a medium metal pot to create a double boiler. A large spoon, and a cupcake tray or soap mold. You can also use a crock pot type double boiler too... putting the small bowl inside the crock pot. It works quite well, just very slow.
Ingredients
---------------
1/2 Cup Bees wax
1/2 Cup mango Butter
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
10 drops citronella essential oil
10 drops thyme essential oil
10 drops Cedar essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
dried lavender buds
oatmeal
Melt the bees wax, both butters, and all of the oil in your double boiler until completely liquid. Pour into cupcake tins or soap molds. Sprinkle lavender buds and oatmeal on top on bars when about half set (still soft) and gently push into the tops. If you are using soap molds, you have to wait until the are set and can be removed from the molds the re-dip into melted mixture and push into flowers/oats. I tired putting the lavender and oats into the molds, but that didn't work very well..... That's it. You wait until they;re cooled thoroughly and poop them out and use them! They work great! When Lady Bug and I went on her firld trip to the beach neither of our fair skinned selves burned at all... not even pink. And I haven't had a single bug bite since I started using them. They are definitely worth a go. I LOVE them!
(Insert Picture Here... Blogger still won't let me upload pics for some reason and it won't recognize the URL from my Drop Box Pics either... so you'll have to use you imaginations....)
So I say today you should make your own sunblock/insect repellent bars. They are super luxe, super easy, super good for you, and super worth the effort. Plus, they smell AMAZING and make your skin soft as butter. I have strangers brush into me at the grocery have to stop and tell me how amazingly soft I am. :) And I feel awesome about it knowing that I am helping to make my family and myself happier and healthier than ever before!
*********CONTEST!***********
This is day 7 of my contest! Time for my GRAND PRIZE DRAWING!
Today you can enter to win A Dishwasher Tablet, A Laundry Soap Bomb, Scented Laundry Salts, A Lip Balm, Lotion, and a full size All-In-One Beauty Butter Body Balm Bar! All entrants from during the past 6 days are entered into the drawing already, but anyone who would like to enter today is also welcome to try for a chance. And for the grand prize drawing I am extending the deadline until 8:00 am est!
Starting May 13, Follow this Blog
1: Read & Comment on Blog = 1 entry
2: Like & Share Facebook Blog Post Link from Foodies At Heart Page = 1 entry
3: Comment on Facebook Post = 1 entry
I'll take entries everyday until midnight. I will have one of the Girlies draw the previous day's winner in the morning and announce the winner here. Monday through Saturday you win a Mini TOTG Sample Pack and on Sunday I will draw the grand prize out of all of the total tickets accumulated over the week (except for the 6 tickets previously drawn) and will announce the Grand Prize Winner on here next Monday. I will ship everything out the same Monday as the announcement of the Grand Prize Winner.
(Turns out I don't have a follow button.... I'm so unobservant sometimes. Sorry about that confusion.....)
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