Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

By attempting to implement a newly-created budget I've found that once a week fast food, more than one coke per-day, and weekly visits to the thrift store are sadly, things of the past. One of my most recent discoveries ended up becoming our biggest budget buster. With five people in the family and frequent trips to the gym, sweaty, dirty, smelly clothes haunt me daily. Taking dreams of dirty clothes chasing me in my sleep, no longer is a game of tag, but rather a nightmare as I see the climbing prices of detergent. I never seem to find good deals. Even the cheapest, bargain sized detergent at the Family Dollar Store is $10.00. And with my kiddos sensitive skin, I still have to purchase a large gallon of Dreft to wash their clothes in; add another $15.00. $25.00 later and it's GONE within a week. So I sought out pinterest, blogs, and some tips from great friends for a solution.

Here is the recipe for a Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent -
TESTED AND APPROVED by the Marini Family

You will need:
■Borax ($2.99 at Walmart or Target–in the laundry aisle)
■Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT Baking Soda–$2.99 at local grocery store in laundry aisle)
■Fels-Naptha Soap Bar ($1.56 at Walmart-in laundry aisle)
■5-gallon bucket with lid (around $4 at Home Depot)
■10 gallon milk jugs (or other containers) that have been cleaned and rinsed (the concentrate will disperse more evenly if you go ahead and divide it up.
■OPTIONAL: Essential Oil Drops for fragrance (we did not add this, but you can find them with the candles. A small bottle is $2.00)

Grand Total: $11.54 for 640 loads (180 loads in a top-loading machine). That’s a little more than 1 cent a load! And the savings are even greater the next time you make this because the only thing you’ll have to buy is the Fels-Naptha soap bar!

STEP ONE: With a cheese grater, grate the ENTIRE BAR of Fels-Naptha soap. (I actually loved the way it smelt. For some reason it reminded me of my dad's bar of soap; he always used "Dial".)STEP TWO: Put in pot with 4 cups of hot water. Stir continuously over medium-low heat until all of the soap flakes have dissolved and melted (approximately 10-15 minutes). (It should be slightly foamy with no chunks or flakes to be found.)
STEP THREE: Fill a 5-gallon bucket half-full of hot water.STEP FOUR: Pour in the soap mixture. Add 1 cup of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda... 1/2 cup of Borax, and STIR. To reach the bottom of my five gallon bucket (since I didn't have a spoon that was big enough) I used the end of my broom.

STEP FIVE: Fill the rest of your 5-gallon bucket with water, and STIR.

SEP SIX: Cover the detergent with the lid that came with your 5-gallon bucket and let it sit over night. It should have gelled and thickened slightly.
STEP SEVEN: STIR AGAIN.
STEP EIGHT: Use a funnel to fill a clean laundry detergent container (or gallon-size milk jug) and fill it HALF way with the soap mixture. Fill the other half with water and shake.

Once you’re ready to use the laundry soap, shake it in the container first. Then add:
-5/8 cups for a regular top-loading machine
-1/4 cup for a front-loading (HE) machine

This took us probably around a combined total of only 45-minutes to make!
I just saved our family at least $100's after making TEN gallons of laundry detergent.

First Dayz as a Police Wife

I have to say I'm a TAD Frazzled. So much has happened since last week and it partially had to do with one of the BIGGEST days of our LIVES. My husband inherited a new name. We will now refer to him as Mr. Popo.

Well, Mr. Popo finally graduated the Police Academy. He's wanted to be a police officer since he was in high school! We've been through soo much getting to where we are today. He was honorably discharged from the Army as a Military Police Officer in 2007. We moved from Washington State to Maryland where he worked with his dad doing repairs for thrift stores until he was able to find a better job. We thought things were finally starting to come together as he was completing applications for law enforcement and landed a Top Secret Security job with a government contractor in 2008. We had our daughter and he traveled frequently, making our time spent together bittersweet; the reason we unexpectedly conceived our youngest. While I was pregnant he was laid off because they declassified the material he was working with, no longer needing security. We were on unemployment when we moved again to a bigger place with cheaper rent. Barely making it, the same government contractor offered him a different position within the sector. It was a long commute, but the mula made it worth it. A couple months later he finally received an acceptance letter into Prince George's County Police Deparment. He started the Police Academy in May and has endured eight long months of frequent 5-10 mile runs, an insane amount of physical training, being tazed with a stun gun, sprayed with pepper spray, spent a lot of time writing mock reports, and hittin' the books.
WE FINALLY MADE IT!!!!!!!!

Mr. Popo graduated from the academy on January 5th and thoroughly enjoyed his first night on the job on Monday. Since he has started I've been....well...FRAZZLED. Yeah, that's maybe the best word to use for now. With everything we've been through many might think, "Pshh, this is no big deal." I've handled his deployments to Iraq, frequent vendetta's as a government contractor. All throughout the academy, I even thought, this is going to be a piece of cake!

Who was I kidding!? Monday he came home sharing his 'statistics' and how he had to draw his gun on the first night. 1/2 of me was excited for him, I was soo happy that he was finally LIVING his dream, and I felt like a little girl listening to a synopsis of one of my favorite television shows, COPS. However, the other 1/2 of me just wanted to scream! I can't even explain it exactly. When he was in Iraq and I would hear or see things on the news before I heard from him, my anxiety level was through the roof. But this was different, he's so close to home, yet so far away. He came home and I just wanted to hold him, thankful that he was safe... and he just wanted to sleep.

Of course I let him sleep, but this is where I began to understand how detrimental it would be; how what happens at home, could affect his abilities at work. I woke up the next morning with the kids and closed the curtains making a darker room. Made dinner at 11am so he would have something to take with him. The past couple nights I've been alone, unable to sleep, and trying to teach myself how to let go of all of this worry.

I've been spending more time with my kids, more time on house cleaning, and more time on facebook. Although, I secretly hope that he'll wake up at tad earlier than usual, just to spend 10 minutes alone with me - BERFORE he begins shining his boots, ironing his uniform, adjusting his gear, and polishing his name tag. I'm learning that while he's not around like he used to be, his first job is a Police Officer, THEN a husband, and father to our children.

From what I have experienced this week, being a Police wife means having lots of trust, love, and worry, but when he says, "I love you," it makes it all worthwhile.

Pizza Crossants

For those of you on Pinterest, you are familiar with the never ending to do list of things to try and create. Well one of the simple lunch recipes I ran across while I was on there was Pizza Croissants. I'm still kicking myself for not pinning it when I saw it, because I remember seeing it, but now I can't find it.

The recipe is as simple as the pictures look.
Don't judge me for my tired old cookie sheet.

All you need is some peperoni's, mozzarella cheese sticks and croissant rolls (I love Pillsbury products). Roll it all up and cook for approximately 12 minutes at 375 degrees F or until golden brown. We had these and some celery and carrot sticks with Ranch dip.
What did you have for lunch?

Clean my House

I wish I had someone who would clean my house for what I make an hour! It definitely wouldn't be monetary gain. I didn't sweep and mop my floors as planned yesterday, although I had all the furniture moved as if I was going to.

My hunnie is such a neat freak that when he comes home if the house isn't clean, he gets upset. Since we've been together he's gone from yelling at me about the unclean house, to expressing hurtful comments like, "You were home all day, why didn't you do anything" (as if taking care of our kids isn't enough), to his latest kick. I think what he does now, pisses me off more than if he were verbally experssing what he was feeling. Now when he comes home and the house isn't clean, I don't get my regular kiss right when he walks in the door, he doesn't even speak to me (unless I ask him a direct question), and starts picking up himself. I guess it's nice that he's willing to come home and start picking up (a darastic change from where we've started), but I'd prefer if he truly understood where I was coming from (What I ACTUALLY accomplished throughout the day) so we would both be more willing to "tag-team it" together.

Today, my littlest one isn't feeling the greatest so we skipped out on our exercises at the YMCA today. He has a runny nose, a butt rash, and a runny diaper that I'm having a hard time keeping up with. I just gave him a bath and he's down for a nap, but I feel soo bad for the little guy.

Despite trying to stay on top of our two puppies and taking care of our sick boy, since I decided to skip out on the Y, I know the hunnie is going to be expecting more of me (it seems like a never ending vicious cycle). Tomorrow is a busy day with Yoga, Doctor's appointments for both younger kids, and my hunnie's graduation from the Police Academy. The more house cleaning I can accomplish today, the less I'll have to worry about tomorrow.

Banana Nut Bread with Craisins

Another twist on a previous recipe that I've posted for Banana Nut Bread.
I love adding little ingredients that give it soo much more personality, creating an intense indulgent factor. The Craisins can be switched out for raisins outside of the holiday season. I'm interested in eventually swapping crasins or cranberries with mandarin slices (or maybe even adding them to the mix). I love how one can get soo creative with food, but it's only perfected through trail and error.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of Craisins
1 cup mashed ripe banana's
1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar; add eggs and beat well. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda and add to creamed mixture; stir until mixed well. Add 1 cup of Crasins; mix well. Mash banana's separately and add 1 cup of finely chopped walnuts; then fold evenly into mixture.

Lightly grease pan evenly with shortening, the add a little bit of flour; tap excess out. I always use parchment paper at the bottom of my dishes, in addition to the greased dish so that after my products are finished backing they transfer smoothly to a presentable tray for display.

Cook for approximately 50 minutes to an hour, or until golden brown. A good way to tell if it's done is to stick a knife in the middle and make sure it comes out clean.
Once you've let it cool, cut in thin slices, spread with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and ENJOY!

Running on Full Speed!

This year is already off to an EVENTFUL START!

Yesterday, since it was a government holiday and my husband is finishing up the Police Academy, he received the DAY OFF! (woot, woot). I love having him home because when he's not fiddling with his truck, riding on the four wheeler, or wrestling with the kids, he helps me with my never ending to do list. For example, before we all headed out for our morning exercise at the YMCA, he made breakfast (bacon and eggs on toast).. It's the little things that make me soo grateful!

After our workout, we drove up to 'the berg' to get hair cuts, and since everyone was hungry again, we decided to eat out. Golden Coral baby! That place has a chocolate fondue fountain now.. We had fun playin', dippin' strawberries, rice crispies, marshmallows, and coconut clusters!! mmmmm.

Later, while everyone was chillin' at home my FIL called to tell us that he no longer wanted the puppy that my SIL bought for him at the Amish Market. Being the puppy lover that I am I gladly and anxiously rushed to his house to pick up our newest addition!

Meet TIMBER: We were told that he is a pure bred Border Collie, however I have other suspicions and I'm assuming he is mixed.

The sweetest thing! When cuddling he lays his nose against my shoulder and neck.

However, we have a slight problem: Tori, our other puppy, who we bought from the Amish Market back in October is extremely territorial and jealous! Until she establishes her Alpha position, I'm sure things will remain tense. In the meantime, I've been keeping them separated unless they are in the same room as I am. I'm off to prepare some crock pot Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner this evening. Along with sweepin' and moppin' the floors so the hubby thinks I actually did something today! :)

Happy New Year

It's been a long while since I've posted on here - my apologies go out to my advid followers, although I'm sure I lost most of you. This year, I'm hoping I can regain my followers.

Today we FINALLY took down our Christmas tree and most of the Christmas decorations in the house. Since Roger and I have been together the Christmas tree is always down the day after Christmas. It actually feels bare in my living room without the Christmas decorations.

Church was absolutely amazing this morning; a great way to start the new year! Although, we arrived to sacrament a bit late, I was thankful to be there. I remember I used to completely dismiss church just because I was going to be late. That's not the case anymore! I don't go to church for friends, socialization, beauty contests, or to get a break from my kids... Okay, partially to get a break from my kids, but the number one reason I go to church is to seek personal revelation with an eternal perspective on my life that helps me hold my head high and start my week out strong. Kind of like exercising for physical fulfillment, I attend for an emotional and spiritual fulfillment.

I'm so glad my husband has the day off tomorrow. It's kind of surreal. I'm sure we'll end up taking a drive down to our local Beach. Then maybe talking to a realtor about finding and buying a very first house. So many possibilities for this new year has me floating high on a cloud and dreaming big.

With it being the new year, I figure I would also share with you my new years resolution:
1. Like many other individuals out there, I'm anxious to lose the pounds! The size of my clothes aren't a huge deal breaker for me, but more so watching my BMI slide into the normal range on our Wii Fit.
2. Organize my house. Find a plan that works for me that will help me keep my house presentable for when company shows up unexpected. There is nothing more that I hate than cleaning for hours and feeling like I'm getting no where. I plan to create chore charts for my kiddos and hopefully convincing my husband to help out in areas beyond taking the trash out and putting his clothes away.
3. To pursue things that I enjoy doing. Too often do I get caught up in volunteer work and service for others. This year, I plan to MAKE and TAKE more time for myself!

What is your New Year's resolution(s)?

Cranberry Banana Nut bread is getting ready to come out of the oven, then I have to get the kids in the bath and ready for bed.

I hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating and ringing in the New Year. I know 2012 is going to ROCK!