Still Taking it Easy

I had a minor surgery last Wednesday and it has put me out of commission! I am glad I have my Home Journal. Anyone can come in to help me and know what I need to do each day. I have all my schedules and the tools I use listed in there. It proved to be very helpful! It will also be helpful for me when I am ready to resume my household duties. In the meantime I will continue to take it easy and get better. :)

I finished my shawl!

I don't have a picture of it to post but it turned out great! it is a light knitted shawl that is a jade green colour. I love it! I think I may make some more in various colours to give away as a gifts. Yes I am already compiling my "To Make" Christmas/Yule gifts. I think my Sister-in-Law would really like one. I am creating a new label for my blog called gift Ideas because I often post idea and then forget them. If I post them on my blog and tag them then I wont loose them and I might actually help someone else looking for an idea.

I love Saturdays!

I love shutting off my alarm clock. I love taking my time getting out of bed. I love lounging over my warm morning beverage while listening to my children create their fantasy worlds that they explore during their play. The are so creative! This morning they were wizards making potions and concoctions and then getting me to try them. They were designed to make me bigger than life and faster than light! lol fun stuff! Actually, it occurs to me that they had all this fun without stuff! They just used their imaginations. I love that!

Knit knite

I am having my monthly Knit Night this evening. I am currently working on a shawl. I got the inspiration for a dish cloth pattern of all things! knit 2 yarn over knit to the end. continue until shawl matches arm span then do one row of *knit 2 yarn over knit 2 together knit one* repeat ** to the end then knit one row and bind off the next. I am doing this on size 10 needles so it looks pretty lacy without trying.

I really love Knit Night! We are an eclectic group of amazing woman. We each of different backgrounds and lifestyles. We have been getting together each month at my house for a few years now. The sisterhood we have created is like nothing I have ever expect to encounter. One of the woman refers to it as our "Red Tent" in reference to way back in biblical times when woman would come together while experiencing their moon-time . I truly think these kinds of traditions now excluded from modern life would benefit many women so much. It is important to discover versions that apply to life today. For me it is Knit Night. The sharing of ideas, comfort, listening and advice I receive on these evenings have saved me from years of therapy I am sure!

Sunshine on my Shoulder Make Me Happy!

Today my daughter is singing in the choir with her school. I am going with her two little brothers. They will be performing at the Tulip Festival I am really looking forward to it!

This week my pamper mission is going to be a soak in my foot bath. It is one of those fancy numbers with massage and whirlpools. I got it as a Birthday gift from my husband. and then a pedicure. Summer is comming and I want to wear sandals!

Weeding Wednesday!

It is a gorgeous day here in the Nation's Capital! We are spending time outside. I am getting some weeding done in the precess. Traditionally May long weekend is the when I put in my garden plants that I have grown by seed or purchased at the nursery. I like to get my garden beds ready before but I am lagging a bit behind. This year I am putting in some perennial bulbs that I got through the school's Vesey Seeds fund raiser. I really hope they come in before the weekend!

This afternoon I am going to try my hand at making bagels! I hope they turn out! While my bread proofs I will be scrubbing my bathrooms. Looking forward to my bubble bath tonight!

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

There are so many cleaners on the market today that choosing one can in itself be an overwhelming task. I have a couple of criteria that helps me a lot; cleaning solutions must be kind to the earth and they must not cost a lot. The best solution I have that meets all of these standards is to make my own. there are recipes all over the net for making your own solutions. I will share the best of what I found but by all means experiment until you find what is right for you.

SUPPLIES

Liquid Castile Soap
Baking soda
Washing soda
White distilled vinegar
A good liquid soap or detergent
Tea tree oil

1 empty detergent bottle
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

DISH DETERGENT
Mix 2 cups castile soap with 1'4 cup of water and shake

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough castile soap to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.


WINDOW CLEANER

1/4-1/2 teaspoon castile soap
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
Spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake. Use as you would a commercial brand.

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER

1/2 teaspoon washing soda
A dab of castile soap

2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a rag.

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

Tile Cleaner

2 teaspoons tea tree oil

2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.

Meal Planning

I love to meal plan. I really do! I feel it is an act of love on my part toward my family. I have a lot to consider when I do this task; likes, dislikes, dietary concerns, allergies. I am blessed not to have picky eaters but I think this is due in large part to offering a varied list of foods, insisting they be tried and tried again a few months later if it is disliked the first try. I do have a family member with a strong dislike for rice which happens to be one of my favourite foods. This dislike actually turned out to be a fortunate thing however because I had to get creative and I discovered new foods that I otherwise may not have experimented with. We also have growing bodies and *ahem* aging bodies to consider. Fat, salt and sugar content are carefully monitored. The growing bodies need good fats and the aging ones need less of it. Salt and sugar needs to be moderated for both body types. Allergies in our family are more like sensitivities and usually just require that they be cooked a certain way or limited in the amount we eat.

I usually make my menu plans on Sundays. I plan 5 suppers for the week to allow for leftovers or dinner out and I have a 2 week breakfast plan. For lunches I take requests as my brown baggers make their own. For supper, usually have 1 part protein 2 part vegetable and fruit and one grain or starch for example tonight's dinner is Trout Grenobloise With garden salad, baby carrots and cous cous. My breakfast plan is a post on it own. Watch for it soon!

I try really hard to make a favourite of each family member at least once a week. I do put a lot of thought into my meal planning. It is one of the ways I like to take care of my family.