By Popular Demand

I've had a ton of requests for my laundry soap recipe.
It's really very simple, but I'm happy to share it.

1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
1 Bar Ivory Soap, grated. (I just use my kitchen grater and then wash it well and run it through the dishwasher.)

Mix it all together.
Store in an airtight container.
Shake or stir before use.
Use ~2 TSP per load (i use slightly less, but I have a baby sized washer. just play around a bit.)

-I have a High Efficiency machine and this stuff works great because it doesn't suds up at all.
-Also, I scrub a bit of this into really nasty stains, or dissolve some in the sink to pre-soak. I haven't met a stain yet that stood up to it.

A few alternatives:
-my awesome sister-in-law makes laundry soap that has the same ingredients, but it a liquid concentrate. I hear hers works great, but I didn't have the room to store a five gallon bucket.

- the lovely Elizabeth shared a link for some soap that she has used and love. It looks divine, and I will definitely be testing this recipe out when it's time for me to make more. Here is the link: http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/05/on-the-laundry-line.html

So here you go....Make your own, save the earth, and save some cash in the process.

Lessons learned in Santa Fe

the only picture I took in Santa Fe

I'm in Santa Fe for a few days this week for work meetings, and although I've heard this is a beautiful city, full of art and culture and amazing food, I've spent most of my time sick in my hotel room. Oh, well. I'll have to come back one day soon, with daughter and camera in tow.

Still, despite being confined to a hotel room, Santa Fe has made an impression on me in a way I didn't expect. This evening, after having spent most of last night and all of today holed up in my hotel room, lying on the bathroom floor and trying to keep it together, I realized that I really needed to try to keep something in my stomach. I called room service, and explained my situation. I told them that I knew it wasn't on their menu, but if they could bring me some really mild soup and some dry toast, I'd be very grateful. The voice on the other end said it would be no problem and when I thanked him again for going out of his way, he replied "It's no problem, honey. My wife eats like this too. It's what happens when you are expecting. I'll try to send you up some saltines, too." I didn't try to correct his assumption and just thanked him again and hung up.

My order was carried up by a young guy, probably in his late teens or early twenties. To be honest, he looked a bit sketchy, but he spoke with a soft, polite voice and asked where he could set the tray. He went through the usual "here's your toast, here's your soup" routine as I signed the check and started to back out. As he headed to the door, he turned to me, looked me straight in the eye and said "I know you don't feel well, my boss told me. I'm really sorry about that. There isn't much I can do, but maybe these will help" and he handed me a handful of ginger candy chews. I must have looked very surprised because he said shyly "my girl eats them when she doesn't feel well. She says they help. I hope they help you. God bless you." and he back out of the room and was gone. When I looked at the tray, besides the soup and toast I had ordered, there was a huge pile of saltines and a ginger ale, courtesy of the voice on the other end of the phone.

As I ate my soup and toast, I couldn't stop thinking about the kindness of these men. I know they are in the hospitality business, but they went above and beyond to offer me some comfort on a night that I really needed it.

Isn't this what we are here for? To help each other out? To ease one another's burdens? To go above and beyond to offer the kindness to another that we might one day need ourselves? For me tonight, this kindness came in the form of a pile of saltine crackers, a soda and a handful of candy, but I tear up whenever I think of how much I learned from these small gifts.

I believe in Karma, in the idea that what you put out into the world comes back to you. I'm not sure what I've done to deserve tonight's kindess, but I know that now I need to pay it forward. I'm not quite ready to say I'm grateful to be sick in Santa Fe, but perhaps I will get there one day. I am, however, so grateful for what I was reminded of tonight, for a small gift of crackers and candy from a room service voice and a young waiter, and from the lessons they left behind.

Domestic Goodness

Little known scientific 'fact': when you spend all spring working on a kitchen update, it triggers some sort of 'domesticity gene' and you end up spending the summer indulging yourself in all sorts of household goodness.

A few of the latest examples:

Jam
Last week, one of my favorite people EVER was in town, and we spent a lovely Saturday morning turning this:

into this:
Hannah taught me the art of making jam, and I gotta say...it's mighty satisfying. We did a couple of batches of low-sugar apricot together and then I tried my hand at raspberry-blackberry later that evening. I was going to put a photo of Hannah from that morning up, but she was not feeling her best *ahem*. So, you can just see me making the second batch of apricot. I can't wait to make more.
DIY cleaning products
This next endeavor started out as a way to try to keep my little girl's sensitive skin away from harsh chemicals. I noticed that every time I cleaned my bathtub, no matter how well I rinsed it, Riley ended up with a bit of skin irritation after she bathed. I did some research on more natural cleaning methods and started cleaning the tubs and sinks using baking soda as a scrub and a vinegar rinse. Worked like magic on my tub, kept my drains very clear, and her skin was much less irritated. So I did some more research and expanded my new ways so much that I basically got rid of all commercial cleaning products and am now using only the items in this photo to clean my entire house.
(the one exception is dishwasher detergent. I'm going to start making my own after I use up what I have left.) I'm even making my own powdered laundry detergent out of borax, washing soda and ivory soap, and I am in love with it. Besides cleaning as well or better than any commercial detergent I've ever used (seriously - it got out the very worst stains easily) my skin is less dry, Riley's skin is not irritated at all, it's really easy to make, and it is super inexpensive. I estimated it to be about 7.5 cents per load (yes, I did the calculations. I'm that big of a numbers geek).

Salvaged Chair (aka glorified dumpster diving)
In my city, they do a neighborhood cleanup times when people put out things to be taken away, recycled, etc. by city workers. I happened to be driving through my neighborhood when I saw a chair that was dirty, yes, but the lines were amazing.

I thought about it all day. I could not understand why anyone would toss that chair when it was so gorgeous.

That night, Hannah and G were at my house, and around midnight, Hannah and I went and 'liberated' the chair. Here it is in all it's dirty glory.

Since then, I've had it professionally cleaned and it made a world of difference. Once I got it home, I realized it was in really solid shape and the fabric pattern is so cool. I'm looking into ways to dye it so I can keep the fabric, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying a cool, retro chair and Ican now say that I'm one of those people who will steal other people's trash.

I'm a homebody at heart, and I'm really enjoying the time I've been spending making my home more comfortable and authentic. I feel like doing these kinds of things are right in line with my values of simple living, cultivating a healthy lifestyle, being mindful of the earth and being thrifty.

This domestic goddess thing...it's a lot of fun! Who knew?

How her mind works

(Memory Grove, July 2011)

"What are you thinking about, Riley?"

"Just about life....and maybe getting a coke."

I love how her mind, at any moment, can encompass both the deep and the daily.

Survivor's Eyes

I recognized him by the slump of his shoulders, as if weighed down by all the forces of heaven and earth combined. He huddled against a chill no one else could feel, despite the fact that the sun burned outside. I noted the grief etched in his skin, in the shadows beneath his eyes. I watched as he dropped his weary head into his hands, and knew that he had fought a losing battle against too many sleepless nights. He sat silently inside hallowed walls, in a place that many come for peace, for strength, for mercy, and I watched as he unconsciously wrung his hands, rubbed his eyes. His whole body, every movement, seemed to offer a plea for salvation, a prayer for strength, for peace.

I recognized him through Survivor's Eyes.

I knew him because my shoulders had held the same weight, my body had whispered the same prayers. I recognized the grief, the desolation, the fear, and the weariness. Watching him, I was transported back to place where the days seemed to be an endless battle, and sleep was a long lost friend.

I wanted to sit beside him, take his hands in mine and tell him that I knew where he was, that I'd walked the road he was on now. I wanted to tell him that it's a cold, twisted path, full of brambles and thorns, but if you follow the light, it will lead you back to beauty and warmth. I wanted to offer words of comfort, of solace, to reassure him that the pieces of his heart can be put back together, and that the hole inside his soul will eventually close up, then scar over, then melt away. To tell him that one day he will recognize this in another, through his own set of Survivor's Eyes.

I wanted to offer something to this man, a man that I saw often but who was essentially a stranger to me. Still, it wasn't the right time or place, and so instead I offered him all I could. I spoke his name in prayer, and I sent him all the love and light and strength that the Universe had once offered me.

It's not a lot, but it's all I can do for him now. I hope that one day soon, he'll see this all through his own Survivor's Eyes.

The (incomplete, improvised) July 12of12

I knew that Tuesday was the 12th, and I also knew it was a hectic, crazy day. I left the house packing 4 bags for myself, so I purposely chose to leave my big camera home and use my iPhone to capture my 12of12. Then...the day got more and more hectic, and i forgot to capture the events as they happened. So...I will share the few pictures I have for July's 12of12 and we'll hope for better luck next month.

Grouchy Riley watched TV on the couch until her mood improved enough to get dressed.

I worked my way through two very large, very complex documents in the morning
(about 265 pages total. oye.)

One of my favorite parts of working downtown is taking a lunchtime walk through the Temple Square Grounds. It's so lovely and so peaceful. The perfect way to refresh.

The flowers are always gorgeous. Today was no exception.

This monument is called "Joyous Moments". It's my favorite.

**imagine photos of a grocery store trip, a stop at the bookstore, and a quick run at the gym**

Madi watched Riley for an hour while I attended a class in the evening.
Oh, how Riley adores Madi.

Then Riley and Grandma Beckie played with all the fun new apps on
Beckie's iPad before the Girl headed to bed.

**Finally, picture a few loads of laundry and a quick bathroom scrubdown before bed**

Ok, so not my best 12of12 ever, but days like this are part of life, too. I'm glad I had a few photos to keep to document this month. And, like I said...I'll do better in August.

Saying Yes

I'm saying "yes" to:

-blue toenail polish
-turning my phone off
-lighting candles
-new clothes
-simple living
-after-dinner explorations
-prayer
-lots of water
-embracing my curves
-jeans and flip-flops
-leaps of faith
-creative mojo
-letting go
-enjoying my quirks
-evenings on the roof
-learning to sew
-obligation free weekends
-long walks
-vegetables at every meal
-coconut lotion
-playing with my edges
-french braids
-learning new things
-polka dots
-early bedtimes
-farmers markets
-day dreaming
-watching the sun rise
-plenty of exercise
-hot showers
-open windows
-classical music
-saying 'i love you'
-re-reading old favorites
-early morning bike rides
-possibility
-opportunity

*this post inspired by the lovely jolie. Thanks for the idea, girl.

Lessons Learned

This past week has been overwhelming in some respects, and the best way for me to process those times is to just write whatever comes to mind until I finally show up on other side. Tonight, when I finally ran out of words, I realized I could boil a lot of the events of the week down to a few key lessons (It's funny - I seem to keep learning these over and over. I guess maybe I'm not paying enough attention).

My life is a result of my choices. My choices, and subsequent actions, must be in line with my priorities. This is the key (for me) to being happy and balanced.

We are only good at what we do everyday (thanks, G.)

Sometimes it's best to just embrace the mess.

Make a plan. Work the plan. (thanks, hannah,)

Meeting my own needs allows me to give more generously to others.

The most important thing is family.

I have everything I need.

Good things (the best things, actually) come to those that wait.

Work hard. Play harder.

Beating the Heat

Riley and I spent the past weekend in Idaho, enjoying time with family over the long holiday weekend.

It was hot, but we found some fun ways to beat the heat...

Keith and Karlee

Becky

Riley

Riley again (I know, I know, but I think this one is hilarious!)

Joey

Me!
Shawnee went for it, broken arm and all!

Ambrie
Even Sara got in on the slip-n-slide action (today is her due date - this woman ROCKS!)

Nic - just chillin'

Me and Keith (who says kiddie pools are just for kiddies?)

(she'll kill me for this photo one day)

We had such a great time playing in the water all afternoon, and it really did help make a very hot day tolerable. It's rare for Idaho days to get that warm, but I'm glad we made the best of it - and I have decided I must own my very own slip-n-slide soon.

My Grandfather

My grandfather has been a strong influence in my life, helping to shape many of the values I have come to possess as an adult . Through his example, I learned the value of hard work and the importance of family and faith. He taught me to speak out for what I believe, to always do my best, and that what was worth doing, was worth doing well. He is a patriot through and through, a career Air Force man who served all over the world, for several years in Vietnam. I'm very proud to have had the honor of serving in the same branch as he did(although my years of service were downright luxurious compared to his.) He is dedicated to his family and to serving the Lord, both of which he has done and continues to do in many varied ways. He is humble and he is honest, a self-made success. For all of these reasons, and for so many more, he is truly one of the greatest men I have ever known. I consider myself very lucky to have him for a grandfather.
We celebrated his 80th birthday this past weekend. It was so fun to enjoy time with members of my family that I don't often see and to celebrate the life of the man that we all love and cherish.
Happy 80th Birthday, Indy G. I sure do love you and am so grateful to have you in my life.

For more photos of his party, click here.