Author: Mothersense

Well I reflect back on 2011 and think it wasn’t as bad as I originally thought. Oh sure we had some serious mishaps, Jarrett only worked 7 months out of the year, summer was tumultuous, I had to have emergency surgery, the new school year started off badly..I could go on, but that really isn’t my point. Every year brings the promise of hope and a new day, a chance to start anew, and even though some view each day they are alive this way, it is most emphasized at New Year’s. So 2011 I will bid you a final farewell, it was rough in places but there were significant blessings sprinkled in there with all of the difficulty. I look forward to 2012 as I do most years and I too have the hopes of a fresh start in a new home with my family and a more positive outlook on the world in general. Many things will come as time passes this year and I hope that when it is time to bid farewell to 2012 I am a better person than I am today! Love and light readers!

Certainly have had a rough 2011 but thoroughly looking forward to a spectacular 2012!! So now we have decisions to make. Some concern DD2 and her learning “disabilities” and whether or not we should home school or not. DD1 & DD3 are on board either way, which is awesome!! In fact everyone is on board depending on my decision. But ultimately the decision is mine because I will be the one designing their curriculum and doing the work alongside them. My own mother, a product of public schools run by teachers that would slap your hand if you wrote left handed, is on board. We are in a home school friendly state, not too sure about the district, or how they would react but again, it is up to me, not the district to decide what is best for my children. I hesitate at this important juncture, we could begin in the summer before school starts for the public school kids and go from there and see how the kids adjust. Homeschooling has come so very far in the years since I first considered it. My DS1 and oldest does not want to lose out by being pulled out of public school, he loves band and we could in no way afford private lessons for him, so it is a consideration. He also loves his athletics that are through the district so he is much more invested in our PS than he would ever want me to know, but I am leaning towards transitioning during the summer so the kids will get a taste and feel of it, at least the girls. It doesn’t seem fair that my oldest misses out on this time but I will listen to him and follow his lead, if he stays is PS then so be it. I can face the battles that come with that and home school his sisters and little brother when the time comes. I fear battles on every front with our district because of the struggles we have had thus far. If I leave them I have to fight for my kids’ rights to have special services due to their diagnosed conditions or pull them out and deal with them on my own without the interference of the local PS. There is also the possibility of the lovely (not so) truancy officer and maybe she would pop over for a visit to attempt to force their attendance (she is a real piece of work). Oh Pray for me any who read this that I might make the right choice for my kids. I know I have the ability to do it, but it is a huge undertaking, and is it the right time? I’ll keep you posted and may the good Lord guide me in the weeks to come!

I have heard tell that “Christians aren’t perfect, they are just forgiven.” I know this in my heart as much as I know that I am not a perfect person. Growing up where I did there are a lot of churches. A small town with the population that hovers between 1000 and 1500 bodies we have an abundance of churches; 4 Baptist, 1 non denominational, 1 Methodist, 1 Church of Christ, 1 Seventh Day Adventist, and a couple of country churches. I am dead serious these folks like their religion. So much so that an article in the local paper tries to speak for everyone because we are “mostly a conservative Christian community and believe in only one spirit, the Holy Spirit” I guess I should let it all go , but somehow it sticks in my craw!
You see, I am a Christian. I have been guilty of being judgmental, and calling the locals “Kool-Aid Drinkers.” I don’t really feel like I fit here. I am not Baptist. I find it difficult to stomach those who would pass judgment on someone for a grievous “sin” and then turn around and commit the same “sin.” I have found there are some that are cult-ish and somewhat like the Stepford wives. I also do not stomach people who are more concerned with what you wore to church than the message that was intended for the attendees of the service.

I returned to school this spring after having not been formally enrolled for more than one class at a time for over 10 years. This is HARD. I don’t mean I am not up to the challenge, I thought I was. I did not take many things into consideration. My children are seriously busy with their own school work. They need their MOM. The girls sports take up quite a bit of our time. I tend to procrastinate unpleasant things, and some of the tasks I have had to do this semester have been tedious, but I did try. Some of the tasks are outside of my comfort zone. I can do alot of things pretty well, but at this point in my life there is not one thing I do exceptionally well. I wish I could find something that I do exceptionally well, it might make things easier. I just wish I felt like some of this stuff was relevant. I can more easily pour myself into a tedious task if I can comprehend the relevance and “bigger picture” of the task.

And now we are at a juncture, the end of 2011. Did online summer classes and 9 hours of on-campus for Fall. This is not working so well for me. Actually being IN class consumes most of my day, and for classes in which we really do not do much or take much away from being in the class.

I am currently using an experimental batch of soap that consists of :
1 cup Borax,
3/4 cup baking soda
1 cup SUN Oxygen cleaner
1 cup grated Zote soap
it fits into a baby wipes tub!! use the SUN scoop to measure for each load…its tiny but works!!

cost of each item (plenty left over to make more)
Borax $2.98
lg Arm and Hammer baking Soda $2.12
Sun Oxygen cleaner (like OxiClean) $1.96
Zote bar laundry soap $0.97

clothes are soft and smell CLEAN…not all perfumy!!!

and I bought a Rubbermaid 5 gallon tote with lid for the bigger batch when i figure out which works best
it cost $3.97
My dear friend LaDonna had mentioned making her own laundry soap. After much investigation this afternoon, including talking to my mother, I have found several recipes to look at, including LaDonna’s. Many thanks dear friend. The following are two I plan to try in addition to LaDonna’s (because my mother recommends adding white vinegar to my washer with my clothes)

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #9

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)
Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.
Recipe #10 – (Powdered)

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
Mix well and store in sealed container.
I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results.
Recipe #1

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda
Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).