Even More Whiteness

As I have been helping my son whiten his clothes, we have also been working on underarm stains.

Again...don't know why his clothes seem to have this problem and ours don't--same machines and products, yet different outcomes.

Along with the super whitening, I found this recipe for underarm stains that also works great.

REMEDY FOR YELLOWED UNDERARMS

1 part Dawn dish washing liquid

2 parts hydrogen peroxide

some baking soda

mix together

using a brush apply liquid to affected areas

let stand for about an hour

If needed, brush more peroxide to affected areas, wait awhile longer

rinse clothes out before washing as usual.

Some of the shirts we treated cleaned up with the first application, some needed more peroxide, scrubbing and time.

All of the shirts came out clean and white, you could almost see it working before your very eyes.

I love clean laundry.  

PS...I put my liquid fabric softener into a clear glass iced tea jar with a spout, it looks so nice sitting on the shelf in my laundry room.  I like the clean lines.

Bright White

My son's white clothes have been looking a bit dingy lately.

He does his laundry in our machines, with our same products, yet the outcome is quite different.

I've been on a quest to help him return to bright white, and I am winning.

I have been making my own laundry detergent for a number of years now, and it works great.

I just found a recipe for super whitening, and it works great, too.  Say good-bye to dingy, off white undies, and hello to bright whites once again.

EXTRA WHITENING POWER CLEANER

Bring 2 large pots of water to a boil

1/4 to 1/2 cups laundry detergent

1/2 cup powdered dishwasher detergent

 **1/2 cup bleach

1/4 cup borax

Place boiling water and cleaners into a large bucket.

Add clothes, one at a time.

Let soak a few hours, or overnight.

Dump bucket full into washer.

Wash on hottest setting--no extra detergent is necessary.

If possible--dry in the sun.

Works best on cottons.

**If synthetics need whitening--omit the bleach--

Substitute 1/2 cup peroxide and 2 tablespoons lemon juice-- proceed as before.

The results have been wonderful, hope it works as well for you.

White clothes should be white, not dingy grey--right?

Moving trucks and a little bit of chaos

For the fourth time in 9 months a moving truck has been loaded up with all earthly possessions and driven off to a new address filled with hope and expectation. Two of our sons and one of our daughters moved last fall. Today another daughter's household was boxed up and moved out upsetting her 5 little children, creating chaos in the family.

Our oldest daughter and her family live in Europe. We try to get to see them about once a year. 5 little grandchildren far away from extended family pull at my heart strings. We always have a wonderful time whenever we visit our grandchildren no matter where they live. We usually march along to their every day lives, pre school, church meetings, the grocery store. Visiting in Europe is quite the adventure just going to the grocery store where a picture on the package is priceless.

This visit we have been helping prepare for an international move. There are 4 parts to this move. One part slow boat, another part air freight. A third part the items needed for a summer in the states, the 4th part, trying to keep up with all of the furniture the Embassy provides that needs to stay here in perfect condition.  The biggest trick is keeping under the 7000 pound weight limit.

WOW!  What a week. The truck pulled out this afternoon. We have furniture inspection on Friday. Our flight is next Tuesday, theirs is over that weekend.  We have a birthday celebration in the middle of it all.

A move across town is difficult. A move across country is more difficult. In the first 10 years we were married we moved 13 times. I know how to move. The current house we are living in is the longest I have lived in any house in my entire life.  An international move is a new experience for me. I am thankful for the opportunity to help my children make changes in their lives.  We have had an enjoyable visit and look forward to visiting again when they are settled in their new home, wherever that might be.

Me and My House

I love to go to church.  

When my family was young I loved sitting on the church pew with them.

One of my favorite scripture passages has always been Joshua 24:15

"...As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord"

I am blessed to have a wonderful family.

My children have all grown up and they are all happily married.

They are working hard to teach my 17 grandchildren truths

I love family scripture study.

I love family prayer.

I enjoyed family home evening.

I thought game night and family dinners were the best.

I was thankful when Sunday came around and we could have a family day without interuptions.

Life was not always perfect.  We made mistakes, but we did not give up.

Now I watch as my children try to keep going in their own homes,

and pass on the traditions that my mother and father taught me, my grand parents taught them...

Back 4 generations and forward 2 more.

Life is good.....

......I am blessed

Every day we choose whom we will serve...

 

 

Choice

Today is the day.

We are privileged to live in a free country where each individual gets the right to have a say.

As a country we must face the consequences of our vote.

If we choose well we will have better consequences than if we let a vocal few choose for us.

It is time for all people in this great nation to stand up and be counted.

Each vote is important, no matter what side of the fence you stand on.

I love the feeling I get as the border agent stamps my passport when I return from a trip.

I get teary eyed at a 4th of July celebration.

I love to see our great flag waving it's message of liberty.

This is the land of the free and home to the brave.

I get choked up when I sing our National Anthem.

It seems as if our wonderful country is being pulled into small groups that are fighting against each other, yet...

No matter how difficult our individual circumstances may seem, the USA is a blessed country and we are privileged to be able to live here.

 Let your voice be heard.

Cast your ballot according to your own conscience, no matter how loud your neighbor may be shouting in your ear.

It is a privilege to live in the United States of America

It is a privilege to be able to have a free vote

May God bless America as we in this free nation make our choice today.

Let Freedom Ring

Moving On

The month of September was filled with moving boxes--for 3 of my children.

We thought we would be the ones moving soon, but no, our plans are put on hold for a bit.  Instead we helped 3 of our children move.

Luckily they all moved across town and not across country.

When we returned from Germany, Teri and her family were camped out at our house waiting for their new home to be finished.  There was a crazy week when the children needed to be driven to school 40 miles away every morning and then picked up again every afternoon.  It felt like Mr Toad's Wild Ride and reminded me of our move to Delaware almost 30 years ago.

Kevan and his family were next.  When we returned from visiting my parents Kevan had already filled and emptied the moving truck with the help of family and buddies from work and church.  For the next few days we spent our time trying to get appliances clean and functioning and emptying boxes and filling cabinets so the family could prepare simple meals.  I have found that if the kitchen is functioning then the family can function, even if there is an uproar going on.

From Kevan's house we headed north to help Michael and his family.  The day the guys from church showed up to load and unload the moving truck the skies opened up and poured a cold, drenching rain.  We were wet clear through and freezing by the time the adventure was over.  For the next week the garage smelled of wet cardboard as we hurried to empty boxes and rescue their belongings from a soggy doom.  It took a week to get the appliances clean and operating, but by the time we left dinner could be prepared, everyone could sleep in their own beds and the piled laundry mountain was beginning to diminish.  I am excited to go back and see the transformation Michael and Kendra will do to turn this family friendly house into a home.

In my whole life, the years we have lived in this log house is the longest I have ever set roots.  There were the years when we spent 4 Christmas celebrations in 4 different states taking 4 children with us.  I have loved living in this log house and was looking forward to building a unique house for our special needs on our lot.  Unfortunately the lot did not perk, meaning that it could not handle plumbing for a family.  So, for the time being, until we figure out what to do, we are content to finish the work we started here and remain put.

As the storms that Hurricane Sandy sent our way blustered around us we were safe and quiet in our sturdy log house.  I am happy and content. 

 Now to stretch the budget to manage a house payment and the desire to jump on a big boat for some adventure, not to mention a large family I enjoy traveling to visit.

I hope my children can soon feel settled and content in their new homes. They have all chosen well and I am proud of them.  Making a house a home is part of an ongoing journey, more on that subject another day.

The sun is shining today, the leaves are beautiful.  I think today is a wonderful day to take a walk and see the beauty that is outside.

The Revolving Door

When my children started graduating from high school and attending college I realized that I had a revolving door on at least one of my bedrooms.

It seems as if one or more of my kids were always coming or going.

Sometimes they would stay home for a summer, a semester or just Christmas break before they were off to explore the world again.

It was fun to have them come home and see how much they had grown and matured. I enjoyed having a full house, watching the whole group interact and laugh together.

This summer reminds me of those times.

I seem to have a revolving door that grand children are walking through this summer.

First one set of grandchildren stayed while their parents went off to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary.

Then another set stayed while their parents were off to Europe on a business trip.

When my daughter returned from Europe she brought her two nieces with her and now they are with us for a few weeks.

While the girls are visiting from Europe we decided we needed to have a cousins camp and invited Ella and Logan to join us for some girl fun. More about that in a future post.

Lately my house feels a bit like an accordion, stretching and maneuvering to accommodate the crew that shows up to sleep or eat. I never know if we will be having 2 or 15.

My grandma used to say that when there is heart room there will be house room, and I know she was right.

I seem to have a revolving door at my house right now and it makes me a happy grandma.

Mother

My daughter had back surgery AGAIN last week.

My husband and I are staying with her and her family to lend a hand to the care of her young family while she convalesces.

I am so tired.

I find myself laughing--a lot--at the antics of the children.

I can't keep up, when we arrived the day before the surgery, the house was spotless, now there are games, shoes, homework papers, mail and toys scattered about.

This morning it was time for Eden to get ready for school, Grandma's suggestion of what to wear did not make the cut and Mom needed to be consulted.

The baby is secure when grandpa rocks her but when a boo boo shows up, only Mom's kiss will make it better.

The kids are used to my cooking, but always refer it back to the way Mom does it.

When we were out taking a walk, we knew which way Mom thinks is the best route.

We were looking for strawberries in the garden and stopped to pick out a few weeds, I was informed that Mom says the best way to rid a garden of weeds is to pull out the whole root.

Last week at church a friend gave a wonderful talk on motherhood that made me stop and think.  Motherhood is the hardest job and the rewards are not all immediate, though, that jelly kiss sure is sweet.

Now as I look back over my 38 years of mothering my own children I feel quite rewarded.  My house now is usually tidy (when I am not working on a home improvement project) or it cleans up easier and stays that way until I do something that messes it up.

I very seldom yell anymore except to find my husband who may be out in the back 40 somewhere.

After all of the preparations, dinner is now met with a smile and cleanup help rather than a judgement of "I don't like it" even before being tasted.

Being a full time mom is hard work.  Hard on the nerves, ears, back and brain.

Being a full time mom means no time off, no vacation from responsibility, no breaks.

I have discovered that it is easier to go to work and have someone else do the every day chores of wiping up messes and changing diapers all day long.

I raise my voice in praise and admiration for the women I know who have chosen to be full time moms.

I have 3 daughters and 3 daughters who married my sons who are all great mothers and wives.  They are women I admire.  They are women I am proud of.

They keep up their homes, nurture their children and support their husbands.  They stretch their single income to meet the needs of their young families.

A mother is the center of family and needs to be there to be sure things run smooth--plenty of clean socks, boo boos kissed and dinner on the table.

I am thankful for a good mother and my grandmothers who taught me about the important things in life--family love.

I hope I have taught my daughters well enough and can influence my granddaughters so they know that home and family is an honorable profession.

Livin the Dream

Today my sweetheart and I toured America's largest house, Biltmore Estate.

It was a lovely dream home for a wealthy family, now shared with the world.

We have been gone a while and I am anxious to get home to my own little piece of heaven.

True we do not have over 200 rooms and we make just 2 bathrooms work, but it is the corner of the world that we call home.

We sat on the veranda at the Biltmore today and enjoyed the lovely view, but I have found the view from our front porch to be just as rejuvenating.

I love gathering our family in the dining room around my grandmother's table, it is best when all 30 of us are present, though it is fulfilling when it is just my country gentleman and me.

I call my sweetheart my country gentleman and when I do he shudders just a bit.

I tell him that his new full time job is to take care of our assets and together we will keep our country home running smoothly.

He blushes and tells me to stop teasing--that I have read too many period novels.

I remind him that we live on 6 acres in the woods and he is a gentleman--kind and thoughtful.

We will be home again tomorrow, the dogwoods are in bloom and the azaleas should be in bright color.

The plan for this week is a bit of landscaping, flower beds, fresh mulch.

A few grandchildren are coming to visit and spend a few days.

Life is good for us as we live our happy lives in our modest country home.

A home filled with love and laughter is a rich home indeed.

Giving Thanks

As I have faced numerous family challenges over the last few weeks I am especially aware of my blessings.

I am blessed to share my life with a wonderful man that I love and adore, it is a privilege to be married and that relationship deserves my full attention. I like sharing my time with him and am looking forward to the opportunity of spending all hours of the day together as we enter a new stage of life.

I am thankful to be strong enough to take care of the responsibilities that are mine. My hips are healing and with a little nerve medicine I have the mental strength to deal with most of my daily challenges.

I have 6 children who are happily married and gainfully employed. They face their challenges with prayer, faith and a can-do attitude. They have blessed me with 17 grandchildren who are healthy and happy. Of course each day is filled with growth opportunities for all, but they take each bump in stride and keep trying. My family makes me happy.

I have a comfortable home. It is always nice to go home. The septic system decided not to work this week, but it waited until the Thanksgiving get together was over. All is better now thanks to professionals who know how to do their job. I am thankful for modern conveniences like running water, electricity and appliances such as the dishwasher and refrigerator. These things make housekeeping a much easier job for me than it was for my grandmothers.

I am thankful for modern travel and communications that keep me close to my children and parents who live far away. I am glad I can pick up the phone and call whenever I want. I can get on a plane and within several hours find myself on the other side of the world where 5 of my grandchildren eagerly await my visit. I can get in my car and in a short while be at the home of any of my other grandchildren as well. The distances are small and keep family close even when work opportunities mean we live far from each other.

I am thankful for modern medicine that can help mend a broken back, and repair shoulders, hips, feet, belly buttons and teeth as needed. We live in an era when it is relatively easy to be healthy, all it takes is a little patience (hang in there Cara).

I am thankful for an eternal perspective and the spiritual awareness that there is a God in Heaven who loves His children on earth and He wants us to be happy. I am thankful to have the freedom to worship as I please. I am thankful for children who were open to learn from their parents and recognized truth. I am thankful they are building strong homes where truth is taught to my grandchildren.

I am thankful for good parents who taught me well and provided me with all that I needed while growing up. They supported me and helped me to grow. They continue to show love and encouragement as I go through the experiences of life.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Life is good and worth living with a smile.

Wonder Oven Magic

I took a class at church a few months ago and was amazed.

It was a cooking class. The bread was moist and delicious.

The instructions spotty.

My desire to learn--high.

I came home with a pattern and a few website addresses.

I eventually gathered my tools:
left over fabric
a bean bag chair
locking top large plastic storage bin
large stock pot that would fit...
...3 metal juice cans

The pattern, though strange looking, sewed up surprisingly easy.

I laid out a sheet and filled up the two odd shaped pillows with the beans from the chair.

When they were just full enough I put them in the storage bin.

And then I started cooking.

Mix up the bread as usual, place dough in the cans and let rise a bit in the stock pot filled half way with warm water, cover and secure each can and turn up the heat. Put the lid on the stock pot and tie in place while letting it boil for 10 minutes. Transfer to Wonder Oven and let set for 2 or more hours.

Delicious hot, moist bread that will melt in your mouth, never overdone.

The same directions for soup or stew. Fill the pot with soup ingredients, boil for 10 minutes with lid on pot. Place in wonder oven and leave for 2 or more hours--hot dinner when you are ready.

Today I am painting, but I am not worried, dinner is in the Magic Wonder Oven doing it's thing waiting for dinnertime. I may be a dirty mess, but a hot delicious home cooked dinner will be ready when we are.

15 minutes on the stove and a roast, 3 loaves of bread or a large pot of stew is hot and ready to go when needed--from 2 to 6 hours later--no more fuel needed.

Perfect for camping.

Perfect for a busy day.

Perfect for a hot summer afternoon.

I am still learning, but I have experimented enough to know that magic comes from this wonderful box sitting in my kitchen.

I may live in the modern age but there is still quite a lot I can learn from my pioneer forebears. They got up in the morning and prepared for the day's travel by putting a hot pot in the hay box so dinner would be ready to eat when they stopped for the night.

I have a magic box and wonderful things appear when you open the lid.

When Mother Sings

When Mother sings the home is sweet,
And peace and joy abound;
Troubles seem to fade away,
Before this happy sound.

Children smile and baby coos
And dad forgets his care;
Faith and hope and harmony
Dwell securely there.

Singing mothers everywhere,
Patient, tender, strong,
Send to Heaven this daily prayer--
"Lord make my life a song."

Anonymous

Home

Home is a great place to be.

I love my home, I love my house, I love the land that my house sits on.

I enjoy walking out in the yard and seeing the pretty flowers in bloom.

I am treated to a paradise of thought when I really look at the pictures on the walls of my home.

I feel content when I put on my apron and get to work in my cozy kitchen.

I enjoy the feel of the worn wooden floor under my feet as I wander from room to room putting things in their proper place.

I feel enlightened as I choose a book from the shelves that are filled with knowledge, thoughts and mental getaways.

I love the feeling of coziness I get in our family room when it is lamplit at night and I am wrapped in a warm quilt.

I enjoy my home when it is brimming with the laughter of small children running about exploring corners to be found only at grandma's house.

I am thankful for a peaceful moment when a loved one will sit on the lawn swing with me and talk about what is happening in their life.

I am thankful for the energy to still be able to take a piece of sand paper, a paint brush or a trowel and continue the work that is making my dream of our fixer upper come true.

I have traveled the far corners of the world this summer. I have been home but a few weeks and have spent the time digging into deep corners that have wanted attention for a while. I have enjoyed vacuuming away cobwebs and dusting edges that sit and wait until it is their turn.

As the saying goes:

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

I am glad for the opportunity to travel.

I am thankful for a sweet place to come home to.

-Home

Today I am enjoying my newest granddaughter. She is asleep in her swing with quiet music playing. She looks so peaceful.

I know how she feels.

A relaxing day at home, surrounded by the people and things you love, is a good investment in time.

So many people just have to get out and go-- every day--WHY??

To me, a day at home without the need to leave is a blessing.

I am not able to stay at home often enough.

Don't get me wrong--I have been enjoying the travel opportunities I have been given. And I feel like a day visiting one of my children or going to my parents home is like a day at a family getaway house.

Some homes are large and fancy. Some homes small and humble.

Sometimes our home is neat and tidy, sometimes it is a riot of projects and people droppings, yet it is home.

Love and memories make it home. Joy and happiness make it comfortable. Good food and enjoyable conversation keep it welcoming.

Yes, be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.

-Travel

I packed my bags again.

Got on the plane and enjoyed the trip across the country.

As I looked out of the window of the plane, the land below reminded me of a patch work quilt.

Some squares green, some brown, some with a round design in the middle.

I could see the cloud line very distinctly. like the fluffy batting that keeps a quilt soft and snuggly.

At the end of the trip my mom and dad wrapped their arms around me and gave me a warm hug and kiss.

I have lived in my own home for 38 years, but no matter how old you are it feels good to go home.

As I settled in for the night I looked around the room and saw pictures of my children and grandchildren. Pictures of me and my siblings as small children were there as well.

No matter how many years or miles separate me from my childhood, it is good to come home for a visit every now and then.

I snuggle under the quilt on the bed in my parents home and talk to my sweetheart on the phone.

I am a little girl in my parents home.

I am a wife, mother and grandmother, managing my family over the phone.

Many responsibilities, joys and memories on both sides of the contenient.

Thank goodness for telephones and computers to keep us in touch with those that we love when we can't be together.

Airplanes and cars take the thousands of miles that separate me from those that I love and narrow the distance.

Yes, I packed my bags again.

-little bugger

OUCH

A mosquito just bit me

IN my house

He tried and I swatted the little bugger and MISSED

He tried again and I missed AGAIN

He tried a third time and....

...I got him

Now I itch, and itch and itch

The joys of living in the woods with a stream on the property.

-Quiet

Tonight while my sweetheart and I were enjoying a peaceful dinner at home I realized that it was quiet. No music, no TV, no kid noises or conversation, just simply quiet. A peaceful, quiet dinner at home.

It is not very quiet around here usually. For years it was the 6 kids running, jumping, laughing and shouting. Quite often now it is the grandchildren running, jumping, laughing and shouting.

I just spent almost two weeks in a hotel room. While my sweetheart went to work every day I was there by myself. Can I tell you, that hotel room was a noisy place to be. No, the TV was not on. Didn't hear a peep from the neighbors. It was all from my own head, a symphony of thoughts. Not a quiet moment in this head of mine.

For a few years now the children have been living in their own homes, yet there is still plenty of noise in my home--all self made.

Tonight my sweetheart and I enjoyed a peaceful dinner at home. The only noise was the clinking of our spoons against the bowls as we enjoyed our tortilla soup. We shared a comfortable, quiet, slow conversation.

No matter where it is,
it is always good to be home.



Tortilla Soup
3 frozen chicken breasts, semi thawed, cut into 1 inch pieces
6 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 beef bullion cubes
1 can tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels
1 can pinto or black beans (optional)
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Bring water with bullion and tomatoes to a boil. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Add corn and beans then cook for another 10 minutes. Add taco seasoning and cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips, grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream--enjoy

New and Old

I love to acquire a new old thing. Something with a bit of character. Something with some umph to it. An item that has a story to tell.

Yesterday my aunt and cousin took me to a favorite haunt in Southern California, an antique store that has booths FILLED with interesting items to look at, remember and purchase. I bought a well worn quilt last time I was here. This time I looked for something small that would fit in my overfilled suitcase (something about charging for luggage these days so I packed for a 12 day trip in a carry on!!).

My aunt collects colored glass, we had a few pieces to choose from that she liked. I found a few vintage tablecloths--that seems to be my current interest. My cousin enjoyed looking at the antique photographs.

Last week I took a chest of drawers to Indiana for my grandson that date from the 1930's--still sturdy and very usable--once I get them painted and the moth balls do their thing neutralizing the strong stale smell coming from the drawers.

One of my daughters has lately become interested in items from an era older than herself. Up until recently she was drawn to very new items with sleek lines and shiny surfaces, though I think she still likes the sleeker lines rather than the curly ques that I admire in furniture. Together she and I went to an antique store near her home a few weeks ago. It was fun to look at the sturdy furniture with her. Items made to last from real wood. Items with a scratch that has been repaired and a story to tell. Items that will stand the test of growing children.

As my aunt reminded me, it is all about the hunt. Finding that one perfect piece at the perfect price. Taking the item home and cleaning it, running your fingers over the lines to understand the story it tells of an era gone by. Remembering life in a simpler time. Putting the thing to a useful purpose again--breathing new life into the old.

Some things just have to be old enough to be new again. Maybe that is me--am I old enough to be new again?? My aunt is now 80, showing a little age, but yet still able to get around and enjoy a day picking at the flea market or antique store looking for the perfect bargain to add to her collection. What a great day we had enjoying the hunt together.

Organization

It is past time to get organized.

I have been trying but....there is always something taking my time.

It is of importance that I take matters into my own hands and figure out my destiny with organization and I need to do it NOW!!

TOP PRIORITY--have a plan:

Step one--carve out some time

Step two--prioritize

Step three--get to it

Step four--keep going

It has been said that

personal achievement is bought
at the price of work and sacrifice.

This will come together. I have a plan. I have the will and desire.

I'll get going on it---as soon as I return from California.

Maybe the first step should be to stay at home for awhile--but, where is the fun in that??

I am off again, the filing will wait.

Labor Day

Labor Day in our household has been just that over the years--a day to labor.

For the last 8 years it was crunch time-get ready for pre school to start. Moving furniture, playground clean up, toy sanitizing, getting our selves ready for the invasion of twelve to twenty 3&4 year olds.

This year we went through the same work but for a different purpose. The pre school did not start at my house this year. All is quiet today in my home, no tears, squeals or jumping little feet.

The clean up was after a summer of visiting little grandchildren. We moved the bed out of my sewing room that served as a make shift bedroom. We washed sticky handprints off of the toys from a summer of entertainment. I put the lid back on the sand box and put the little pool away for the season.

All is quiet in my home today. I am at home for a change, no road trip needed this week, baby and mama are doing well. My house is still and tidy. My calendar is all of a sudden open after a very full year.

It was Labor Day a year ago that Shawna and her family arrived for the birth of her new baby. It has been quite the year. A year of babies. Sweet joy for this busy grandma.

Yes, my house is quiet and clean today. I will take a few days to put myself together and make a plan for all of the things I have not done this last year. I will keep the toys ready for when the little ones show up again. I will mix up some cookies to have ready. I will plan for the holidays.

Today my house is quiet. I will enjoy the stillness.

Soon little ones and their parents will come to visit. I will be prepared. I will enjoy.

Pre school started without me this year. I have a new job.

I am a full time grandma.