day 51-52

Favorite picture of myself and handwriting.....

Neither of these things are very appealing to me to post about...Maybe I need to re-think this photo challenge.
I have very few pictures of myself, as I am usually the one behind the camera. But looking around the house I found this one....

This was Mothers Day, 2007...I am skinny and tan!  2 things I'll probably never be again!  I love E in this pic too...I want to squeeze those chubby legs and tummy!

As for the handwriting---lame-o.  No one wants to see a picture of my handwriting. I am a teacher, and I do teach handwriting. But I don't like my own!  I print everything, and rarely even sign my name in cursive. It's not sloppy handwriting, and it's award winning compared to Jerry's....But I'm not taking a picture of it....

Day 49-50 Time

Since I've already posted a picture of a drink, and it happens to be my current favorite, I think I'll skip to 'time' and do a double post.

I used to be a night owl, before kids...well before kids, job, life, etc. Now, I am up at 5am if my alarm wakes me up, and sometimes earlier if a short person wakes me up. Staying up late has lost it's glamour, and I am fading fast by the time the sun goes down.  Some days I find myself watching the clock, thinking HOW can there still be 2 hours left until bedtime?!  I often feel horrible guilt, knowing these days are far too short and will soon be over--one say very soon I'll be wishing for them to come out of their bedrooms to spend time with us.  BUT...as for now....one of my favorite times on the clock is

because that time soon leads to this:

and silence (and sleep for that matter) in this house is a rarity.  I've given up on Jack sleeping in his own bed. I fought the battle for a while, and decided that sleeping with Elizabeth is better than not sleeping, even if it is on the SAME pillow as she is when she has a double bed, and especially if she doesn't mind.

Day 48- Something you hate to do

My least favorite thing to do around the house:

I hate unloading the dishwasher. HATE.  H-A-T-E.  

I don't mind loading it, I don't mind washing dishes by hand.  But I cannot stand unloading it and putting them away. I hate the feeling of the cold, wet dishes and how loud the plates, etc are clanging together. I hate how the water drips on the floor.  I would rather clean a toilet than unload a dishwasher. 

There is even a Facebook page dedicated to those in unity against unloading!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/HATE-unloading-dishwashers/236878092145

Now don't go thinking I'm being all petty and taking the fact that I HAVE a dishwasher for granted. 

Dirty dishes means we ate. A dishwasher full of them means we ate well. Three meals plus a stray snack here and there. We're not entitled. We are blessed. I never think about my next meal except to wonder which of the various options I'm going to choose. 

After all,  this post was titled: something I hate to do....so here it is. And here is a dishwasher full of nice and wet dishes all ready for me to put them away.  

Any volunteers? 

Day 47 something new

Difficult post today....since I havent purchased anything except groceries lately... Here is my only puchase today... My favorite treat- large sweet tea, extra ice. I love the styrafoam cup, love the large straws, extra ice is a must, and love the fact that it's 1$. See?.... It doesnt take much to make me happy :)

Day 46 phone

Here is a screenshot of my i-phone...posted from my i-phone. No long post today....I am EXHAUSTED!

Day 45- Heart

Happy Heart Day!
I love Valentine's Day...not because I get flowers, chocolate, or romantic cheesy-ness (I do not get any of those things).  I couldn't care less about those things, really. Don't get me wrong, I love a good gift...but I'd rather it be on a day that means nothing, and not on a day when it's expected. I don't love fancy restaurants...McDonald's is my fav remember!?  But I do love being an elementary school teacher on Valentine's Day. The kids were sooo excited all day to pass out their cards, and I loved the expressions on some of their faces...as if they were getting gold in those preciously decorated white sacks. I loved seeing Elizabeth's face as she opened each card, one by one, and discuss the kind of valentine that ___ gave, just for HER! Days dedicated to showing others you thought about each of them...even if it's with a commercialized Angry Birds folded valentine...should be mandated more often. Spirits were happy and high all day long....starting at 6:30am

all the way until 4:00

Please overlook E's green fun dip teeth and the fact that Jack isn't wearing pants....
Now, dinner is finished, kids are bathed, PJ's are on, and are watching my ALL TIME favorite:
 Lady and the Tramp!

Day 44- Blue

I used up the last of my laundry detergent this weekend, and since some people asked how I make my own detergent, I thought I'd use today's topic to squeeze that in.  Today's assignment is 'blue' and since my creative brain is brain dead by 3:00, you'll have to settle for knowing the bucket I mix it up in is dark blue :)
 Here is what you need: all purchased at Publix in the laundry isle for around 10$.

Borax
Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
Oxi Clean (optional)
Fels-Naptha (bar soap/stain remover)
1 bar of soap (any kind you've already got on hand at home)
large bowl or bucket to mix ingredients in
hand grater (like for cheese)

Next, add about 1/3 of the box of Borax, half the box of washing soda, heaping scoop of Oxi-clean, and grate half the bars of soap into the mix

I use this BLUE BUCKET to mix it all together. It's 2.5 gallons...not too big but big enough :)
Next, add another 1/3 box of the Borax, the rest of the washing soda, another big scoop of Oxi-clean, and grate the rest of the bars (the worst part of making this, my arm was killing me!) and mix it all up.

Here's how it looks when it's all mixed up and ready to go.

I keep mine in this Sterilite container (got it at Target for 5-6$) and use a 1/2 cup measuring scoop for each load.  Be prepared for NO suds.  It isn't supposed to make any, and cleans wonderfully. It also doesn't have much of a scent (just the scent of the bar soap you choose), so you might add a little fabric softener if you like a stronger scent. So, for around 10$ or less (I didn't use all the Borax or Oxi-Clean, and will use them again in the next batch) I get about 80 loads of laundry.   In a week or so, I will need to make more dishwasher detergent powder and maybe I'll find a way to incorporate that in the blog.