Homemade Fabric Softener

1 cup baking soda
6 cups distilled white vinegar
8 cups water
10 -15 drops orangeessential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops lemonessential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops essential oils , of choice (optional)

Directions

You will need a one gallon containe
First add the baking soda to the plastic container
Next add 1 cup of water to start with.
Slowly add the vinegar to the bottle as the vinegar and baking soda will start to fizz.
Then add the rest of the water,stirring well
Last add the essential oil.
Add 1/2 cup in your final rinse cycle for each load but give the bottle a good shake to stir up the essential oil if using.

December 29, 2011 0

A New Apron

I thought I would show you all a picture of the apron I just finished today. I think it looks so cheerful. My friend, Vicki, found this pillowcase at a thrift store last summer. I think it turned out really nice. I like using old pillowcases to make aprons. They have a vintage look and the cost of material is greatly reduced. My aprons have not sold as much in the fall and winter as they did in the summer. I hope to make up quite a few this winter to have on hand for the upcoming summer.

The girls went to the Horn’s yesterday to celebrate Bubby’s birthday. They had a great time. Hubby and I went to C-burg to get tires put on the car so I had to miss Bubby’s cake. Our church collects fleece throws, lotion and socks for our local nursing home. The pastor’s wife meet us in town so we could deliver them. Today we have cleaned out the chicken house (YUCK!) The temperature here is mid 30’s. Not too bad. I know it could be lots colder.

Tonight’s menu is hamburgers on homemade buns, home fries and peach dumplings for dessert. I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless.

December 29, 2011 5

Candlelight Service

Every Christmas Eve our church has a candlelight service. I wanted to show you all how beautiful it is but the pictures just didn’t turn out as well as I had hoped. We light all our oil lamps and they serve as our lighting for the service. We sing Christmas songs and the pastor reads the Christmas story. Then we have communion.

Next, we make a circle around the sanctuary and light our little hand held candle, sing a few more Christmas songs and leave. It is always such a moving service reminding us of the TRUE reason we celebrate.

Sunday morning, Hubby and I got up and enjoyed our morning coffee together as usual. Then the girls got up, we opened our gifts, ate breakfast and got ready for church. It was a very nice service. We did not have Sunday School. We came home, ate homemade soup. I made it from the leftovers from Friday’s dinner. Then we just relaxed the remainder of the day. We didn’t have Sunday night church.

We had planned on taking down the Christmas tree and all the decorations today but I think that will have to be another day. It is raining pretty hard here and it is cold. Temperature is 28 degrees with a fairly strong wind. All our decorations are stored up in one of our buildings. I’m not too big on carrying all that up in the cold rain. Maybe tomorrow.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 27, 2011 7

Chuck’s Visit

Today, Chuck and his family came for a visit. We had a very nice day. We ate baked ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, sweet potato casserole, homemade rolls and biscuits with peaches for dessert. He loved his swing. I am hoping it makes it home safely. He left with it tied on the top of his Pathfinder. The kids played with the kitties most of the day. The other big entertainment was clothes pins. Children have such imaginations.

A picture of the food table.

Here we all are getting ready to eat. Julie is hiding behind Chuck.

I pray you all have a wonderful Christmas and God bless.

December 23, 2011 5

My Christmas Gift

Hubby has been working on my Christmas gift. I love it!!!

This is a side view.

Front view and

all folded up. It will hold lots and lots of clothes. I will take a picture later of it full of clothes.

He has also been working on Chuck’s gift.

A porch swing. I think it is very pretty. I really like the two colors together. Chuck and his family are coming up tomorrow. I have to get busy today to finish his “goodie basket”. We will be having ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and homemade rolls.

The Horn’s are coming over this evening. For supper, we will be having 15 bean soup, rolls and a peppermint cake. I got the recipe from http://nadinesnook.blogspot.com/2011/12/peppermint-cake.html I hope you all have a wonderful day and God bless.

December 22, 2011 10

A Wood Cutting Day

Yesterday, Hubby, myself and the girls did some wood cutting. It was a beautiful day for outside work. Temperature was warm close to 50 degrees. Sunshine. We cut one truck load of wood, brought it home, split and stacked it. We also split and stacked another truckload that we already had cut.

Our faithful truck. We bought this truck from Hubby’s dad several years ago. He bought it new. It definitely earns its keep.

Another faithful member of our wood cutting crew.

And my Grace, who after working hard yesterday got hit with a stomach virus last night. It started about 1:30 a.m. She seems to be feeling better this evening but it has been a rough night and day. We are praying no one else gets it but I guess time will tell.

Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 20, 2011 5

Remember This

You all remember this little dress. I got it at Goodwill before we even knew what Jess was going to have. Well, this weekend when we went down for our Christmas get together, Jess had dressed her in it. She looked darling!

It amazes me every time I see her how much she has grown. The boys were too busy for me to get a picture of them. Maybe next time. We had a great visit with lots of good food.

Yesterday I put a deer roast on in the crockpot before we left for church. Pastor Tom’s message was very good. He preached from Isaiah 40:3-5. We had deer roast, french fries, green beans and homemade rolls for “lupper” with homemade candy for dessert. Then we just chilled for the rest of the day. Our church was going caroling and giving out fruit baskets last night. However, Julie is suffering from a head cold, so we did not go.

Well, that’s about it. I hope you all have a great day and God bless.

December 19, 2011 5

Geese

Today is a beautiful day here in Floyd. The sun is shining. Temperature is 55 degrees. I LOVE IT! I know there are lots of people who enjoy winter and cold weather. I am not one of them. For my part, it could just stay like this until spring. I’m pretty sure it won’t though. We have lots of geese on the pond today. Probably close to 50. They seem to be enjoying the warmer temps too.

We have been busy today making treats for Jessica’s “goodie” basket. So far, we have made chocolate chip cookies and Russian tea cakes. We still have Martha Washington balls and peanut butter balls to make. She always wants ritz crackers with peanut butter spread between them, dipped in white chocolate with an m & m on top(I have no idea what this is called but it is one of her favorites). Tomorrow I will be baking a ham and making homemade rolls. Other things on the menu (as of right now)-pasta salad, green beans, cocktail weiner, angel punch and sausage balls.

I guess I better get busy-more candy to make. I love this time of year. Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 15, 2011 6

Wednesday

Today has been a good day here in Floyd. The girls and I decided it was definitely time to put up the Christmas tree. We had lots of fun. We put on some Christmas music and got busy. They decorated the gingerbread house. Then we put up the tree, the nativity, and a few other decorations. Simple, nothing too complex. Temperatures here have been much warmer than normal. I like that.

Our van is fixed. YEAH! Dave, Jess and the kids came up Sunday so Dave could help Hubby work on it. Thanks so much, Dave! Hubby finished getting it all put back together Monday. Monday evening we rode it to the feed store to get chicken feed and everything worked fine. Yesterday, the girls and I rode it to Sam’s. No problems!! I am so glad.

Yesterday, the boys had a terrible stomach virus. They were both very sick. Daniel was hit especially hard. He told his mom he felt like he was living in a bad dream. Today they both seem on the mend. We are all praying no one else gets it. Jess said that baby Sam was calling for his “Maw” when he was sick in the night. You know that just touches my heart. We are hoping to go down Saturday to do Christmas with them. Lots of good food planned.

Well, I guess that’s about all that has been going on here. Enjoy your day and God bless.

December 14, 2011 6

Mrs. Sally’s Home

Thursday evening we went to our pastor’s home for a visit. We ate supper with them and had a wonderful visit. Mrs. Sally, pastor’s wife, had lots of beautiful Christmas decorations up. This nativity scene was purchased in Israel. It is made of olive wood. Very pretty.

This carousel came from Germany. You can’t really see it but on top of the carousel are propellers. The heat from the candles cause the carousel to go around.

This is Miss Izzy. Pastor Tom tells her all the time she is the most beautiful cat God ever created. I think she believes him.

Julie and Sadie had a great time together.

Mrs. Sally is a great seamstress. I think I have mentioned before she is teaching my girls to sew. This quilt was so bright and colorful. I thought you all would enjoy seeing it too.

We have still been having vehicle troubles. Today, we took the girls over to church for play practice. Our youth christmas play is tomorrow. Hubby thought the alternator was going bad on the van. We were going over to C-burg to Auto Zone to have them check it. We started having more serious trouble with it, so Hubby thought we should just try to make it home. We didn’t make it. About 4 miles from home, the van decided that was just all it could do. It stopped right in the middle of the road. I’m here to tell you all God is good! Not more that 5 min. after the van quit a young man came by that we used to go to church with. He went up to his Grandpaws and got a pickup truck and a chain. He and Hubby hooked the van up to the truck and he pulled us all the way home. No charge! Anyway, it is the alternator. So I guess the van will have to be parked for a few days until Hubby can get it fixed.

Well, that’s been our day. I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.

December 10, 2011 8