The Modern Domestic Wife

Homemade Yogurt - in the Crockpot!

2011-01-15T17:43:00.004-05:00

So, a friend introduced me to this crockpot blog earlier this week and I wish I had known about this site long before now. After all, the more pregnant I become, the more I use my crockpot. :)

Anyway, I saw on the aforementioned site that you can make yogurt - that's right yogurt - in your crockpot. As I'm always interested in a new kitchen experiment, I gave the recipe a shot the day after I found it.

Before you begin: Be sure to allow plenty of time - using the crockpot to make yogurt is super easy and does not require much attention, but you should allow 14-18 hours from start to finish - the first 5 hours you'll need to check the yogurt twice at timed intervals. You will also need a large, heavy bath towel or beach towel to use as insulation for the final phase.

You only need 2 ingredients to make yogurt:
milk (whole milk is suggested in the original recipe)
all-natural plain yogurt (I used Dannon*)

Note: Homemade yogurt is thinner than store-bought yogurt. You can thicken it using unflavored gelatin.

*You only need to purchase yogurt to use for your first batch. For following batches, as long as you reserve 1/2 C of your homemade yogurt to use as starter, there is no need to purchase new yogurt.

If you are using a reduced-fat milk, you might consider adding some gelatin or milk powder. Also, using pasteurized milk is fine, but (per the crockpot blogger) do not use ultra-pasteurized milk.

The original recipe and instructions to the following recipe were originally found here.

That all having been said, here is what I did...

8 C 2% milk (I used plain old Kroger brand milk)
1/2C all-natural yogurt
1/2 packet (about 1.5t?) unflavored gelatin

1 - Take 8C milk and add to your crockpot. Add lid and turn on low (my crockpot only has timed settings, so I put it on 8 hours). Let "cook" for 2.5 hours.

2 - Once the 2 1/2 hours are up, turn crockpot off and leave lid on. Let sit a further 3 hours.

3 - At the end of the 3 hour "cooling period", take 1-2C of the semi-warm (and now somewhat sour) milk from the crock pot and put in a large bowl. Add 1/2C yogurt and whisk together. If using gelatin, add it to the yogurt-milk mix and stir well.

4 - Pour the yogurt-milk-gelatin mix back to the milk in your crockpot, place lid on top and wrap towel securely around the top and sides of the crockpot. Let sit at least 8 hours or overnight.

I started my yogurt around 2:30pm yesterday, added the yogurt and gelatin to the mix around 7:30pm and let it sit in the towel-wrapped crockpot until about 8am this morning. I was thrilled when I came down to check on my concoction and, sure enough, the smell of yogurt greeted me when I took the lid off! The mixture had thickened and it worked! Homemade yogurt is thinner than store-bought yogurt, but the flavor is the same. :) As the homemade yogurt cools, it will thicken a little more. I actually prefer a thinner yogurt, so this is an added bonus to the homemade variety!

Admittedly, I'm not a huge plain yogurt fan, but there is a lot you can do to make this more enjoyable. For the record, adding anything will change the consistency/thickness of the yogurt.

Today, Daniel and I have eaten a lot of the homemade yogurt and have tried a few different things to flavor it up a bit. We think all of them have worked well.

1 - add 1T jam to ~1C yogurt and mix well
2 - add 1/4 C (drained) crushed pineapple to 1C yogurt
3 - add 1T jam and a few drops flavored liquid stevia to 1C yogurt

My favorite is probably the jam/stevia combination. Liquid stevia mixes well with the yogurt and adds an even, mild sweetness to the yogurt without adding unnecessary sugar/calories.

You can puree frozen or fresh fruit into the yogurt, but I have not yet tried this.

Now that you've read my book on crockpot yogurt-making, you may be wondering, "Is it worth it?" In short, YES! It is easy, delicious and very cost efficient. It cost about$2 for the 8C batch of yogurt.

The Crockpot is My Friend

2011-01-13T09:27:00.004-05:00

Happy 2011 everyone! Between being the mother of 2 preschoolers AND being in my third trimester of pregnancy, finding the mental energy to post is often beyond my abilities. :-p This morning however, as I was adding ingredients to my crockpot in preparation for tonight's dinner, I realized I had stumbled across an easy blog post.

I love my crockpot - especially in the winter. Why? It allows hot, delicious dinners to be served with minimal cooking effort. AND, the fragrances permeate my house throughout the day. There is nothing quite like a home fragranced with the ingredients of a warm dinner - especially when it is cold outside.

That being said - I got the following recipe from my mom a few years ago and it has become a regular dish in my home year-round. (For the record, I have made a few modifications to the recipe as that is the way I cook and as a result, some of the measurements are not precise... I'm not much of a "follow the recipe meticulously" cook as I am a "dump until it looks/tastes right" cook.)

Creamy Italian Chicken w/ Rice
1 large can condensed cream of mushroom soup
3 cans diced tomatoes (you can use Italian Style if you like)
2-4 med-large frozen chicken breasts
2~ T rosemary, or to taste (you can also add or substitute Italian seasoning)
brown rice

Optional Ingredients:
2~ cloves minced garlic, or to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 white onion, chopped
1 small-med zucchini, chopped
shredded cheddar cheese (added when dish is served)

In a large crockpot, add the condensed cream of mushroom soup, 3 cans of tomatoes (I tend to drain a little of the liquid out as I prefer a thicker sauce, but this is not necessary), frozen chicken*, rosemary, garlic and pepper and onion. Cook 6-8 hours. If using zucchini, add in the last 1/2 of the cooking period.

*The chicken will cook fully during this time and it is perfectly safe to add it to the crockpot with the other ingredients raw and frozen.

Once the 6-8 hours is complete, remove the chicken from the sauce and shred with two forks. This should only take a few minutes as the chicken is cooked fully and nearly falls apart. Add chicken back to the sauce.

At some point toward the end of the 6-8 hours, make your rice according to the bag's directions. I use brown rice. You can also serve over whole wheat pasta (I would suggest using rotini, penne or macaroni rather than spaghetti), couscous, barley, etc. This sauce is good over about any grain.

Serve rice, top with sauce and cheese. This is a delicious, filling dinner and should make enough to serve 6-8 adults, maybe more.

One Year of Cloth Diapering and the Return of Baby Wearing

2010-06-02T15:39:00.002-04:00

Anyone who has read my blog for any extended period of time knows that I began the great adventure of cloth diapering in March of 2009. The following post is basically a book, so consider yourself forewarned! :)

I never thought I'd be one of those cloth diapering mamas, but as I met new people through a local moms group, I met several ladies who chose to cloth diaper their children. Thanks to the generosity of a few friends, I had the opportunity to try out some various cloth diapers before opting to take the plunge. I had the best and worst experiences during this trial phase, so I believed I knew what I was up against when we made our first BumGenius 3.0 order.

Many of my readers inquired about how cloth diapering was going and did I still like it a few months later, etc. So, after about 14 months of cloth diapering here is the long and short of my experience...

I read that just because one type of cloth diaper works for one child, that doesn't mean it will work for another. This was the case for us. We bought about 18 or so BumGenius 3.0 diapers and I really liked them as they pretty much functioned the same as a 'sposie.

The BG3.0s have pretty much always worked great for Patrick. But, around the time Erin started walking, her legs thinned down a bit and we started having regular leak issues that always originated from the legs. We opted to purchase some Indian and Chinese prefolds, snappis, and some diaper covers.

We chose Bummis Super Brite and Thirsties covers because of the gussets around the legs. I wasn't as happy with the Bummis covers as I was with the Thirsties covers because the elastic in the gussets tended to wear out more quickly. The Thirsties covers have been great. I bought size mediums originally. Sometime since I first started using prefolds, Thirsties came out with adjustable size covers - we have 3 of the size two covers and I have been very happy with the results. We never really used the sizing option, though, as both my children were toddlers and pretty much were big enough for the largest size setting.

Cloth diapering at night never worked well for us. Either the kids would soak right through the diaper, or the ammonia would cause their little bums to be red by morning. We tried using extra covers to minimize leakage and this did sometimes work, but it was really the red, raw skin that kept us from continuing to use them at nights. Also, in my experience, a leak from a cloth diaper is MUCH easier to deal with than pee-gel from a disposable diaper explosion.

For the most part, I really enjoy using the prefolds, though I try to wait until after the kids have pooed before using them. Dumping poo out of a BG3.0 is much easier than dumping it out of a prefold. I do have flushable poo liners, but don't use them much because it seems that the kids never go when I do use them, so they end up wasted.

The biggest down-side to using prefolds is that Erin's skin is super sensitive to being right up against the wet diaper. BG3.0s have a great suede cloth barrier between the microfiber insert which helps to keep the skin dry. Prefolds don't have this. I have used old pieces of fleece between the prefold and Erin's skin and it does help (this is also a good substitute for a poo liner!), but she still tends to get red. I have tried stripping the diapers, using as much lotion/diaper balm as I dare (using a fleece barrier to protect the diaper) and it still doesn't make much difference.

Erin also tends to get red marks where the gussets on the covers touch her skin. Sometimes it almost looks like she has gotten a small blister where the cover has rubbed her skin. Due to the skin issues she has had, we mostly use disposables on her now. I may use anywhere from 0-3 cloth diapers on her per day, but generally find that to preserve healthy skin, I need to follow the use of a cloth diaper with a disposable. Many people find that their children have less rashes and skin issues by using cloth, but this has not been the case for Erin.

Patrick still does very well with cloth. He is a tall child, but he is also pretty slender, so the BG3.0s still fit him pretty well. They are getting a little small, but we intend to begin potty learning in a few weeks, so this isn't a big deal. He also generally does just fine with prefolds and diaper covers. We do use disposables for him at nights due to similar ammonia issues as mentioned above.

All in all, I love using cloth diapers and if the Lord blesses us with another child (no, I am NOT pregnant!), I will use cloth again.

As my "baby" is now 2, I find that I have a strong desire to be intentional about physically nurturing her and encouraging her to participate in daily around the house activities. She absolutely loves to help with the laundry or to unload the dishwasher. Some days this provides a wonderful teaching moment whereas other days I just need to get the job done. I recently began to look into returning to baby wearing.

In the past, I have used three different kinds of baby carriers. With Patrick, we used a Baby Bjorn (Daniel was usually the one that used this) and I used a Maya Wrap. I liked the Baby Bjorn because of the even weight distribution. The reason I did not continue using it was because I got pregnant again when Patrick was 4 months old and a growing belly doesn't work too well with that particular carrier.

I liked the Maya Wrap for about the first 3-4 months of Patrick's life, but found that I often had horrible knots in my shoulder when I was done. Having recently done quite a bit of research on the use of ring slings, I now realize that I did not have the sling or Patrick positioned properly because if the sling and baby are positioned well, both mom and baby should be comfortable.

Before Erin was born, I bought a Moby Wrap. I think I used this for about 4-5 months. This wrap was good because it more evenly distributed the weight over both shoulders. I used the Moby a lot during the first few months of Erin's life - especially when I went to the grocery store or to church. But, I did find that the Moby was a bit of a hassle to get on properly and it tended to stretch out as it was worn, which meant I needed to regularly adjust or tighten it during use. Also, if I didn't get the wrap on correctly the first time, I needed to start over completely. If you have a fussy baby and another young toddler running around, this is not ideal. So, I stopped using it.

I have recently met a lady at my moms group who is a baby wearing educator and who makes different types of baby carriers. I began to look at the carriers she made and to do my own independent research to see how practical it might be to resume baby wearing with a 2 year old. I believed this would be an excellent to encourage Erin to participate in various around the house activities without getting in the way. I pulled back out my old Moby Wrap and liked it because of the even weight distribution, but once again found that it stretched way too much to be worn for any extended period of time. I also found that I needed to lean forward a bit just to feel balanced. This is not good for my back or for Erin.

The local lady who makes carriers includes Mei Tai carriers in her collection. After doing some research, I decided to get one and give it a shot. It functionsvery similarly to a Moby wrap, but does not stretch as much. I received my custom Mei Tai about 2 1/2 weeks ago and wish I had gotten one a LONG time ago. Erin had a little difficulty adjusting to riding on my back as she does like to run around and come along side whatever I'm doing independently, but through open communication and telling her in advance that she will be riding on my back, she has learned to enjoy the Mei Tai.

I can't even begin to explain how much easier having this carrier has made my daily life. I generally never took the kids out on a walk or ventured out by myself with them both because pushing a 50-60lb double stroller is just too much for me. Patrick loves to walk, but I was not willing to go on a walk with a 2 year old and a 3 year old walking as well - what if they both bolted different directions at the same time?! This was not something I was willing to risk. Now, by using the Mei Tai, I can put Erin on my back (if the carrier is on properly, she is incredibly light and easy to carry) and hold Patrick's hand to go on walks. Or, I can wear Erin and push Patrick in the umbrella stroller.

Because of my fantastic experience with the Mei Tai, I also investigated the ring slings made by the same lady. Her slings have a beautiful fanned pleating around the rings which better provides even weight distribution - this is the biggest difference in her slings and the Maya Wrap I had with Patrick. I also watched quite a few youtube videos to find out the proper mechanics of carrying a toddler in a ring sling.

Long story short, I purchased a Duiponi silk ring sling on Monday. We're still adjusting to this sling, but I used it last night at Chic Fil A while we waited in line and it worked beautifully! Erin loves being so close and really enjoys being held (one of the many benefits of baby wearing). I did use this sling for the 2nd half of a long walk this morning - I used the MT for the first 1/2 - and it is not as comfortable or as easy as the Mei Tai is, especially if you're pushing a stroller, but it is ideal for short uses - like walking from the car across a parking log, or for leisurely strolls. This is also great for around the house use.

I say all that to say, even if your "baby" is a toddler, and you are interested in the art of baby wearing, do some research and go for it. Most carriers can hold children up to 35lbs. If done properly, I'm confident you won't regret it!

Popcorn

2010-03-15T16:55:00.004-04:00

If you're like many people I know, you at least enjoy a good bowl of popcorn every now and again. The biggest down-side standard microwave or stove-top cooked popcorn is that you add a lot of unnecessary calories by cooking it in oil or butter.

I love air-popped pop corn with butter spray, salt and some extra seasoning on top - ranch dressing powder, chili powder, omit the salt and use garlic salt... there is SO much you can do to make a fantastic bit of popcorn without adding a lot of fat and unnecessary calories.

The only thing I don't like about traditional air-poppers is that they can sometimes make quite a mess - particularly if/when a kernel that has already landed in the bowl decides to pop... it is like a volcano of popcorn.

I recently read that you can air-pop popcorn in the microwave by putting 3ish tablespoons of plain popcorn into a brown paper lunch bag. Seal it with tape and throw in the microwave as though it was a store-bought variety.

I opted to try the above microwave-air popped method (and seasoned with butter-spray, salt and ranch powder) this afternoon and was quite pleased with the results. I do have a high-power microwave and bits of the popcorn were a little over-cooked, though not burned. Next time, I'll lower the power setting to 80% or so. Just stand next to the microwave and listen - once there is a 2 second pause after you hear a "pop", you know the popcorn is done.

It is well worth the experiment to enjoy a low-calorie, flavorful, (not to mention) filling afternoon snack. :)

Red and Green Cabbage Slaw

2010-03-01T16:53:00.002-05:00

Here is a very easy, inexpensive, filling, not to mention - healthy! - recipe.

All measurements are approximate. Adjust to your personal taste.

2 cups chopped red cabbage
2-3 cups chopped green cabbage
2-3 T sour cream
1-2t apple cider vinegar
garlic salt, to taste
ranch salad dressing mix - to taste

Add chopped cabbages to large bowl or container with lid. You can either add the sauce ingredients to the bowl with the cabbage or mix the sour cream, vinegar, garlic salt and ranch powder together in a small separate bowl and then pour over the shredded cabbage. Toss the ingredients together - or just put the lid on and give it a good shake.

Perks of this recipe include:
cost effective - I paid less than $3 for both cabbages and only used about 1/3 of each. I had sour cream, garlic salt and ranch powder on hand.

low calorie - cabbage is low in calories. Using sour cream rather than mayo reduces calories.

tasty - simply adding garlic salt and ranch powder give this a bold flavor without adding calories

filling - cabbage is dense and relatively high in dietary fiber which makes it a very filling food.

Enjoy!

Fabric Bucket Giveaway!

2010-02-26T12:32:00.002-05:00

Check out this giveaway at the thirtyoneeighteen blog.

I have quite a few items made by Kim and LOVE all of them. :) Definitely worth checking out her store. :)

Ergo Baby Carrier Giveaway

2010-02-12T15:18:00.001-05:00

I just saw this giveaway and thought I'd share for others to have the opportunity to enter!

http://clotheslinecontentment.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/my-first-giveaway/

Relatively Easy Homemade Skincare

2010-01-18T14:55:00.006-05:00

Happy 2010 everyone!

It seems like I say this with each and every post, but life is crazy with a nearly 3 year old and a nearly 2 year old and I find that between homemaking, spending time with family and friends, 2 weekly Bible studies and church, I don't have a lot of extra time for blogging. My goal for this year is to post at least once per month. Also, while I do still plan on posting family photos, etc. here, I am going to try and re-direct the blog to practical, homemaking tips.

So, in honor of my goal, today's post is about my newly-learned skill of lotion-making.

In an effort to come up with a slightly more creative homemade Christmas gifts list, I opted to learn about lotion-making shortly prior to the holidays.

After my first (and thankfully only) completely botched batch my thought was, "this is way more complicated than I thought it would be!"

After a few moderately to largely successful batches, my thought was, "this is easier than it looks!"

In all actuality, making lotion isn't much different than cooking. For me, this both a challenge and a help. It is a challenge because I almost never follow recipes exactly (I'm more a cook by taste person) and am nearly always "tweaking" the recipe to my personal taste. Following a lotion recipe, is a help because once I find a combination I really like, I stick to it batch after batch, knowing it will turn out correctly.

You need 4 primary ingredients to make lotion:

water
oil
emulsifier
preservative

Water - Most sources suggest that distilled water should be used. As I consider myself to be in the "experimental phase", I use water either directly from the tap or filtered water as I don't want to spend any more money than absolutely necessary. What can I say - I'm frugal like that! LOL I have also brewed plain green tea and have substituted this for the water. You can do this with other herbs, if you like. The key is to keep things as clean as possible. Standard lotions can be up to 70% water.

Oil - This is probably my favorite ingredient of lotion-making. There are so many great oils out there that accomplish so many different purposes that it can be difficult to choose. For the reasons mentioned above, I try to never spend more than $6/lb of liquid oil, but generally use olive, canola or soybean (vegetable) oil purchased from Walmart. As I am always looking to improve a revise my recipes (see note above about cooking :-p), I like to make oil substitutions a LOT. For example, if a lotion recipe calls for 8 oz of liquid oil, I might use 4 oz olive oil, 2oz coconut oil (a semi-solid up to 76*F), and 2oz shea butter (a solid). This gives me a total of 8 oz oil, but will notably thicken/harden the lotion because I've substituted 4oz solid and semi-solid oils for 4oz liquid oil. Making substitutions such as these can drastically change the feel of the lotion - it can be "tacky", "heavy" or "oily". There are additives that can minimize this, but if you want to keep it simple, use a recipe that calls for a higher % water.

Emulsifier - Emulsify basically means to bind two things which cannot otherwise be bound - oil and water, for example. Without an emulsifier, a lotion will separate. I use a wax designed for this purpose.

Preservative - If you are planning on making a large batch of lotion or a batch that you cannot use up within a week or less, you must use a preservative. Un-preserved lotions can be breeding grounds for mold, fungus, yeast and bacteria. The preservative I use only requires 1/2-1%/batch. Because lotions require preservatives, there is no such thing as an "All-Natural" lotion.

To make lotions, you must weigh your ingredients. Measuring them by the cup or tablespoon, etc, can actually throw off the % and it can cause a ruined batch of lotion. I use a food scale that can weigh down to the gram to measure my ingredients.

I just recently bought two 8oz pyrex measuring cups that will be used only for lotion-making. This way, I minimize the risk of cross-contamination. In one measuring cup, weigh out the desired % of emulsifying wax - I use 3-5%, per the instructions for my wax. I do also use an additive/hardener called stearic acid because I tend to prefer a thicker lotion. (You could use use beeswax to accomplish a similar purpose.) I measure the correct % of SA and add that to the cup containing the emulsifying wax. Using a double boiler system (I use crude system of a small/med pot that came with a steamer basket and place the cup of ingredients in the steamer), heat and melt the wax/acid.

In a 2nd cup, weigh out the correct % of oil - I use anywhere between 10 and 25%. This % includes all oils and butters. It is suggested that these oils be heated to "melting point" using a double boiler, too. However, because my system isn't perfected, I sometimes heat the oil in the microwave 1-2 minutes at a time on 30-40% power until everything has melted, but has not boiled. It is very important that the emulsifier and the oils finish melting around the same time (hence why this can be tricky).

The water or herbal blend must be hot before you mix all your ingredients. I typically pull out my tea-kettle for this and heat the water to a boil just prior to my waxes and oils fully melting. Again, measure out the weight of the water, not the volume - 10oz of water might not actually be 1 1/4C water! Once heated, pour into a separate cup.

Depending on the kind of preservative you use, the addition can occur at different times in the process. My preservative says to add it to the oils prior to emulsification. Generally, this is 1-2 grams for the 12oz batches I make. I'll pour this into the hot oil cup before I emulsify everything.

I'll stress again, the emulsifier, the hot water and the oils must all finish heating within a few minutes of each other to maximize the effectiveness of the binding/mixing process. Once all three ingredients are heated, pour water and oil - or, pending instructions, the oil and the emulsifier - into a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer - or a good power mixer (such as the Kitchen Aid stand mixer), begin mixing ingredients on a medium-high speed.

Add the third cup - either the water or the emulsifier, contingent upon your recipe - while continuing to mix the other two ingredients. Immediately, your batch should turn white as the oil/water are beginning to bind. Mix for at least 5 minutes to maximize that everything has bound properly. Sometimes, I will stop and scrape the sides, but otherwise, keep mixing for the full 5 minutes. During the mixing process, foam can appear at the top of the lotion. If this happens, I'll slow the speed on the mixer, but will not stop the process. Generally any foam will minimize by the time the blending process is complete.

If you are going to add any fragrance or essential oils to your lotion (make sure to not exceed the recommended skin-safe %!) do so once the 5 minutes of mixing is complete. Mix the lotion on med-high once more, just long enough to ensure the oil has been well blended into the mix. Pour quickly to containers and cap. Packaging your lotion while it is still warm is important to prevent the essential oil or fragrance oil from evaporating.

This process might sound tricky, but once you've done it a few times, it really isn't so hard. I've begun to really enjoy making my own lotion and it is very rewarding to use it for myself or my kids.

I'll save this topic for a later post, but if you are opposed to using skincare containing a preservative, you can make an all-natural skincare balm, but this will contain oils, butters and powders... The all-natural variety will leave a heavy oil or tacky residue on your skin while it is absorbed, but this is not necessarily a problem. Seriously, plain old olive oil is one of the best moisturizers I've ever used, but sometimes it isn't the most convenient option.

Natural Body Products

2009-12-06T13:45:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I posted any "tips" or recipes, so as I'm now in "Santa's Workshop" mode and have been making a lot of natural body products, I thought I'd share a recipe.

Whenever possible, I like to use all-natural products in my home. I have found that either time or money is an issue in doing this consistently throughout the entire house (I do still buy bleach, laundry detergent, dishwasher tabs, etc...), but I have found some ways to make natural products that are very effective - some work better than the store-bought kind, in my opinion.

I love natural oils... Olive oil. Coconut oil. Essential oils... you name it, I love working with it. I also have an affinity for beeswax. When I have the supplies on hand, I am regularly experimenting with various mixtures to use for skin care.

Just yesterday, I made a recipe found on the Passionate Homemaking website. All natural deodorant. I'll post the recipe here, but did find it on the PH page.

5-6 T (71-84g) coconut oil
1/4 C baking soda
1/4 C arrowroot powder or talc-free cornstarch

Measure out coconut oil and put in mid-size bowl. In smaller, separate bowl, mix cornstarch or arrowroot powder with baking soda. (I used arrowroot powder, but due to its relatively high cost/oz at my local coop, I'm likely to use cornstarch next time.) Slowly add powder mix to coconut oil, using a spoon to mix the two together. I started out using 71g coconut oil so there was room to add more if necessary. This is kind of like making a dry paste. It took several minutes for me to get the whole mix to stick together without crumbling. If this is the case, add a few more grams of the coconut oil. Store in a plastic container with a lid, a metal tin with a lid or recycle an old (cleaned) deodorant tube.

So far, I have been very pleased with the result of the product. Note that this is a deodorant recipe, so it will not prevent perspiring. The perk of this recipe is that it is aluminum-free. It has been said that aluminum has been linked to cancer - particularly breast cancer in women.

I also tried a recipe for non-petroleum jelly. I found the recipe online, but can't remember the source.

1/4 C shredded beeswax or beeswax pearls
1 C liquid oil - Olive, Jojiba, Canola, Almond, Grapeseed
*Essential oil - I did not do this, but you could add 1ml or so of an EO or EO blend.

Place beeswax in medium glass bowl. Use a double-boiler system to heat. I use a medium size pot with a built in steamer basket. I place the bowl in the steamer basket and use steam to slowly heat the bowl and in turn, melt the beeswax. Once the beeswax has melted, add 1 C of your choice oil (you could also mix 1 cup worth of various oils). Adding the room temp oil will cause the beeswax to solidify a bit. Keep bowl over steam until the liquid oil and beeswax have completely melted. Stir with a hot fork if necessary - I place fork in a cup of hot water and dry it off before stirring the liquid. Using a room temp fork will cause the wax/oil blend to solidify on the fork.

Once the oil/beeswax have completely melted, remove steamer basket from heat and begin the cooling process. I did this at room temp, stirring occasionally with a warm fork to ensure that the beeswax doesn't float to the top during cooling. If using an EO for fragrance, add during the cooling process to minimize vaporization. Before the blend has completely solidified - I waited until the edges began to solidify against the bowl - transfer to storage container. I used an old (cleaned) coconut oil jar.

Though my experience with both of these recipes is very limited, I have been impressed by the cost-efficiency and quality of the products. Honestly, the biggest "sacrifice" for these natural, homemade products is the time it takes to make them. However, I made the "jelly" while unloading the dishwasher, so there are ways you can make excellent, 100% natural products for your family without taking time away from your husband or kids. ;)

The Great Christmas Tree Hunt - 2009

2009-11-28T14:19:00.003-05:00

Family Photos

2009-11-15T21:28:00.001-05:00

Daniel’s parents and youngest sister, Promise, came for a visit about 2 weeks ago. We had the privilege of getting together with my parents one evening after dinner for hot cider and music. :) Daniel and I are very blessed that our families love spending time together and we very much enjoy the rare treat it is to have everyone in the same place.

(Side note for the above picture – I was giving my parents’ next door neighbors a break from their 7 week old baby who didn’t want to sleep. So, we borrowed the baby for the evening! :) )

Also, for fun, here are some recent pics of Erin.

Sunday Lunch with Family and Friends

2009-10-26T19:49:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we went to lunch at my parents’ house. My sister and her husband and another family from church came, too. :) We had a delightful afternoon of food and fellowship while the kids played.

Around the table. Food was YUMMY! (Yes, I am holding a baby… Surprise, surprise… I love babies, but feel a special connection to little Justus as I was Lauren’s doula during the nighttime hours of her labor.)

Erin being her usual, happy self. :)

Developmentally, Lydia, Patrick and Erin are more into playing near each other rather than with each other. It is a lot of fun to watch. (Those toys were mine when I was little. )

And just for fun, a pic of Erin and me from a previous recent visit at my parents’ house.

More Fun With Gramma

2009-10-19T12:15:00.001-04:00

My mom regularly keeps Patrick and Erin so I can run errands or do some things around the house. Mom kept the kids a lot during our transition from the old home to our new home. Here are some photos of their time spent at Gramma’s.

A few photos of our new home…

2009-10-15T18:20:00.001-04:00

Daniel and I have been richly blessed with the opportunity to buy a new house. Though we loved our other house, we were quickly outgrowing it’s space. Two bedrooms was simply too small.

Last weekend, we moved into our new home. Here are a few photos of the house. More will come later.

View from just inside the front door.

Kitchen…

Side view of the kitchen

Built in eating space adjacent to the kitchen. I LOVE the blue in there. :)

View of Patrick’s room from the door (I have since put up navy blue curtains).

View of Patrick’s room from just inside the door.

Master bedroom taken from the door. The picture really doesn’t do the room justice as it is quite a bit larger than it appears. We love the windows in here and throughout the rest of the house as it provides a great deal of natural light throughout the day.

Living room. The previous owners put up a textured paper and painted over it. This is a very beautiful, unique feature of the house. We LOVE the fireplace. :)

More photos to come…

Fun With Gramma

2009-09-16T10:55:00.001-04:00

My Birthday – I’m getting old… :-p

2009-08-18T10:01:00.001-04:00

I celebrated my 27th birthday this past weekend by spending time with family. Because Daniel knew we had a busy day on my actual birthday, he made sure we began celebrating the night before by having an at-home date night. We enjoyed eating ice cream and watching one of my favorite movies – Waking Ned Devine (excellent Irish film if you’re not familiar).

Daniel also gave me a gift card to purchase one of my other favorite movies – the 2006 Masterpiece Theatre version of Jane Eyre. I recently discovered this version of the film and think it is, by far, the best version available. (For those of you who don’t know, Jane Eyre tops my list of favorite books, so finding a suitable movie based on the same story is very exciting to me!)

My birthday was spent tending to the kids, helping my sister and brother-in-law settle into their new house, and enjoying a family dinner at my parents’ house. My mom made one of my favorite dishes – chicken stroganoff – along with other delicious side dishes.

Here are some photos from my birthday dinner at Dad and Mom’s house. (Note: Erin has graduated from whale hair to pigtails!)

Trip to Michigan (Part Two)

2009-08-15T12:44:00.001-04:00

Dinner at Aunty Tali and Uncle Josh’s house. (Josh was out of town with the band.)

Erin developed a love for all things girly on our visit, and particularly enjoyed playing with Aunty Tali’s bracelets and necklaces. :)

I think Patrick was talking to himself in the mirror. :)

Morning at the park…

Playing with Aunty Charis’ jewelry…

Thomas the Tank Engine hat… Patrick wasn’t too interested in this hat at first, but now he is thoroughly attached to it and wears it out regularly.

Our last night in Michigan, some friends came and joined us for dinner. :) As the weather was delightful, we ate outside once more. Being the youngest child there, Erin was very popular. ;)

Trip to Michigan (Part One)

2009-08-10T08:41:00.001-04:00

We recently travelled to Michigan to visit Daniel’s family. We were blessed with the opportunity to stay for a week and enjoyed catching up with friends and family. As is typical of a week-long visit anywhere, many photos were taken and we did far too much to write about in detail, but thanks to Charis and her willingness to share her photos with us, I’ll primarily make this a photo post. :)

Our first evening in Michigan, after a long (11.5 hour drive in which the kids did great – thank God!), Oma Jane and Aunty Charis opted to take Patrick on a walk. One of the neighbors was out and quickly offered Patrick an ice cream. As do most kids his age, Patrick made a glorious mess as he enjoyed the chocolate coated vanilla ice cream.

Doug and Jane hosted a cookout Sunday after church.

Here is Erin waiting for the mealtime to begin and acclimating herself to her new environment.

Even with his broken clavicle, Doug managed to grill some delicious food!

Tuesday, we (Oma Jane, Aunties Charis and Promise, Patrick, Erin and I) went to Greenfield Village. Many, many pictures were taken on this morning long excursion – enough that I could make an entire post just about it – but I’m going to try and post the highlights. :)

Patrick’s favorite part of the visit to the Village was the train.

We were all laughing because of Patrick’s delight as the train went by.

Riding the train.

The carousel.

Patrick was shouting, “Hi ho Silver, awayyyyy!”

“Baywee b’ Cat” Moves In…

2009-08-09T21:32:00.002-04:00

I’ve wanted a cat for quite some time and have talked about owning a little gray one since before Daniel and I were married. I love animals, but am not much of a dog person. I’ve had a plethora of fish, hamsters, a handful of aquatic frogs, and a slider turtle, but never a cat.

Just last Thursday, Daniel and I were (for the umpteenth time) discussing the matter of owning a cat, though we saw this as something in the far-distant future. Through a quick series of events, doors opened up and yesterday, we brought home a precious 14 week old male kitten. (We adopted him through a local animal shelter which provided all his shots, to date and neutering.)

In an attempt to find a name the kids can easily learn to pronounce, we decided to call him Bailey. As the title of this post indicates, “Baywee” is the closest Patrick has gotten to saying the kitty’s name. Somehow, “the cat” – or “b’ cat” as Patrick says – got added on when the kids are talking about Bailey.

We thought the kids would enjoy having a cat, but I don’t think either Daniel or I realized how quickly Patrick and Erin would fall in love with him. Both absolutely adore Bailey – Patrick demonstrates this by gently petting Bailey and by frequently saying, “Baywee… come here!” or just by announcing “Baywee, b’ cat!” – and Erin often chases the kitty exclaiming, “Oooohh!” or singing the chorus of ‘Old MacDonald’. Erin is remarkably gentle with the kitty for her age, seeming to understand that he is smaller that she is and that he could get hurt.

Anyway, the 24+ hours with Bailey have been easier than I anticipated as he seems to be a very mild-mannered, sweet kitten. Here are some photos of Bailey with various family members.

Bailey is tiny, weighing in at about 2.5lbs.

The kids with Bailey just a few hours after we brought him home.

Not sure what Erin was doing here, but Patrick was “reading” to Bailey.

My personal favorites: My mom isn’t a big fan of cats, but because the kids love him, she does, too. :)

Summer Play Dates

2009-07-15T19:47:00.001-04:00

As evidenced by the many photos I’ve posted taken in my parents’ back yard, I basically have access to my own personal park. :) I don’t have to worry about the kids running off or about other children playing too roughly – no, I’m not trying to shelter them unnecessarily, but I do have 2 kids age 2 and under, therefore having a “private park” is great! :)

My parents have pretty much offered their yard to me and any friends I choose to bring along with me for play-dates. The addition of children’s park swings has made their yard ideal for mommy/kid social time. Thanks to fabulous weather this week, the kids and I have met friends at my parents’ house on two separate occasions. Hopefully this will become a trend for the remainder of the summer. :)

Though I don’t have any photos of our play date with Cristen, Kathryn and Jackson this morning, I do have a few shots from our gathering with Krisha and Chase from yesterday.

Night Away…

2009-07-13T20:41:00.001-04:00

Daniel and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary with a night away – without the kids!!! Daniel and I went down to the lake – same place mentioned in my previous post – for the night and then we went to Lexington on Saturday for a wedding. Needless to say, Daniel and I enjoyed the time away.

My parents were kind enough to keep the kiddos for us - AMAZING! This has been the first time we’ve been kid-free since Patrick was born.

The following photos prove the kids (and grandparents!) enjoyed themselves, too. ;)

Dad and Mom got kiddy swings for Patrick and Erin to enjoy. Patrick seems to have had a wonderful time on them.

Erin either pre or post nap.

The kids playing more on Saturday afternoon.

Since we’re in the mode of viewing photos, I thought I’d throw in a few from a morning spent down on the family farm. :)

July 4 Weekend

2009-07-09T17:21:00.001-04:00

I have many childhood memories that revolve around going to the lake. As a child, I don’t think I realized what a special treat it was to enjoy a break from the norm down at the lake. The lake offers a place of quiet with a beautiful view.

Daniel and I also have special memories of the cabin at the lake – we spent afternoons with family there during the early months of our relationship. We have wonderful memories sitting down on the dock together while Dad grilled and Mom prepared food in the kitchen. Daniel and I even spent part of our honeymoon down at the lake. :)

Though Patrick and Erin are too young to enjoy the water or boat rides yet, we have already taken them to the lake many times. Patrick loves to explore and look at the pine cones. Erin is generally content to absorb everything from wherever she is placed. :)

Following the trend of spending part of a holiday at the cabin, we enjoyed one evening of July 4 weekend down at the lake for a family cookout.

Happy 3rd Anniversary, My Love!

2009-07-01T16:21:00.001-04:00

Three years ago today, I married my best friend.

Daniel – Each day keeps getting better and better. The last three years have been a huge blessing and it has been an honor to be your wife. I look forward to many, many more years together – until God brings us home.

Here are some photos from our wedding day – sorry some of them are blurry… we had some friends take photos with our camera and they were sensitive to try not to interfere with the flash on our professional photographer’s camera.

Practical Thoughts and Tidbits

2009-06-29T12:51:00.001-04:00

As the initial purpose of this blog was to share some practical, domestic tidbits, designed to encourage making things from scratch and to minimize cost, I thought it was about time to share some more household recipes and ideas.

Multi-Purpose Stain Remover:

1 part dawn dish detergent (I use the blue kind), 1 part ammonia, 1 part water

I usually use 2 oz each part and I mix it in an old kitchen cleaner bottle (great way to recycle!). This recipe was given to me by a friend from college (Thanks Hannah F.!) and I’ve used it on everything from clothes to carpet. This has removed even the toughest stains from clothes, some of which have even been there for a while.

All-Purpose Disinfectant/Cleaner:

1 part water, 1 part 91% strength rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, essential oils

I’ve posted this recipe before, but I really love this cleaner and wanted to share it again. I recently discovered that the 91% strength rubbing alcohol helps with evaporation, which is fabulous for windows/glass. I don’t really measure the white vinegar, but because it is a natural disinfectant, I like to pour some in. Essential oils are great to make a fresh smelling cleaner. Some of these are also natural cleansers. My current favorite combination is rosemary-mint. I usually mix this in 8-16oz volume. I’ve used this cleanser on just about everything from floors, to table tops, to windows and bathrooms.

Things I sometimes just have to buy…

Mr.. Clean Magic Eraser…

Though not very eco-friendly, I couldn’t do without my Mr. Clean Magic Eraser – Well, I buy the generic form, but it works great. We had our bathroom floor tiled back in the fall and I love it. But, I had no idea how fast tile floors could get dirty… the residual dampness that comes with a bathroom seems to make everything stick to the floor. The magic eraser does wonders for cleaning the tile – even better than my homemade cleaner.

Baby Wipes…

Though I love the concept of cloth baby wipes and have used them in the past, I simply don’t have a great enough volume to do this on a regular basis. The perk of disposable baby wipes is that they can clean a mess pretty quickly, not to mention, they are great for cleaning poo off baby bums. :-p When I’m crunched for time, I’ll often use a baby wipe to clean the kids off after a meal and then clean the table/high-chair tray.

~~~

Now, you probably saw this coming, but I have to throw in a tidbit about cloth diapering. I’ve mentioned before that I love cloth diapering and wish I had started out with them. Initially, I made the change over to cloth because I was fed up with the increasing price of disposables. Literally, every diaper change was like throwing away money. This became entirely wasteful.

However, after several months of cloth diapering, I’ve realized that the perks of using cloth far surpass saving money. While I still use some disposables (mostly on Patrick at night time), I actually find cloth to be far more convenient. It is great do simply do a wash rather than run to the store every time we’re running low on diapers. Ironic though it might sound, I love doing the cloth diapers wash and stuffing/folding them when the wash is done. It is extremely rewarding to see the colorful stash of diapers ready to go. :)

There is also a huge environmental perk to using cloth. Lest you think I’m about to go off on this “green” tangent, I’m not. Truth be told, I’m not much into the “green movement”, but I do believe in following the Biblical principles of good stewardship. Good stewardship looks different for different people – this falls into the vein of Christian liberty – but after doing some research, I’m convinced using cloth diapers is part of taking care of the world we live in.

Just last week, I read an article put out by a cloth-diapering company. I learned that disposable diapers are made of chemicals that turn into gel when it is wet and wood pulp – therefore disposable diapers increase the unnecessary cutting of trees. Though this could be a long-term issue, this is the lesser of the two problems created by the exclusive use of disposable diapers.

In my mind, the big issue brought out by the article is that ‘sposies take 500 years to decompose. How gross is that?! 500 year old poo-gel. Disgusting…

Landfills are already a problem and the exclusive use of disposable diapers (or feminine hygiene products!) drastically increase the volume of these landfills. I read on another blog several months back that it is suspected our generation will leave two things behind for archeologists many generations in the future to find – disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products. I do take this with a grain of salt, but I do believe there is a grain of truth to this statement.

Do I think it is wrong to use disposables? No. Do I think it helps take care of God’s creation to maximize the use of reusable products – diapers and otherwise? Yes.

Anyway, those are my thoughts for the day. Hope you enjoy. :)

My Granddad

2009-06-25T16:41:00.001-04:00

I apologize once again for my long absence. Life, it seems, has been super crazy and with the recent passing of my granddad, we’ve been in a grieving/adjustment phase of life.

My granddad was an amazing person and I’m sad to see him go, though I rejoice that he is with the Lord and that he is with my grandmother – his wife of 54 years – once again.

One of the things I am saddened by the most is that my children won’t remember their great-grandfather. He was a dear man who loved the Lord and who, in turn, loved his family. I think he was very proud to have lived long enough to meet two great-grandchildren.

Amazingly, my children have met 3 of their great-grandparents. This is something I’m very thankful for, as all of my great-grandparents had passed away by the time I was born.

Anyway, I wanted to share a few photos of my granddad with my kids.

The day Granddad met Patrick. :)

Family gathering around Christmas, 2007 – Granddad with most of his grandkids and Patrick.

March 2008 – I was 7ish months pregnant with Erin here.

Granddad meets Erin for the first time. She was just a few days old.

While I miss my granddad, I am so thankful for the many years of my life that he was here. :)