H is for....

Homemade

I really like to make things myself. I make my own bread. I make the boys' Halloween costumes. I cook from scratch and I make things like yogurt, barbecue sauce, and taco seasoning ( just to name a few of the most recent.)

I also make some other household items myself. Most recently I started making my own deodorant. I really got sick of all my white shirts turning yellow and all my dark shirts turning white in the armpits. My store bought deodorant actually started bleaching my dark shirts! That kind of scared me.

I live in Texas and I sweat. Not very lady like but it's true. I need something that will work and the natural deodorants I've tried don't work. My homemade deodorant does not keep me completely dry but it does keep me from stinking. That is all I'm asking for. To stay dry, I just dust with a little plain baking soda.

There are several similar recipes out there for homemade deodorant. This is the one that I use which is adapted from a few that I found. I chose the essential oils that I did because I like the way they smell and because of the benefits they provide. I haven't had any problems with my skin discoloring which I understand can happen with certain oils.

Maybe it's "H is for Hippie"!

Deodorant

1/4 c shea butter
3 Tbls baking soda
2 Tbls corn starch
1/4 tsp vitamin E oil
15 drops tea tree oil
15 drops rosemary oil
25 drops lavender oil

Melt the shea butter and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour in to a suitable container and place in the fridge to set up.

This is pretty firm so you could make some sort of a stick deodorant if you wanted. I just rub it on with my fingers.


I'm picking up where I left off with this project.

G is for....

Games

I love to play games. We played a lot of games as a family when I was growing up and I have such fond memories of those times. I really enjoy board games and card games. Chris is partial to board games. And the boys being the ages that they are, are really getting in to video games. Board games just don't have the same excitement, apparently.

I'm pretty strict about when, what type, and how often they can play which isn't really "fair" (but I'm the mom!) so when they do play, it's a real treat. They have recently gotten in to playing Harry Potter on my computer. When one is playing, the other 2 hover around to share the excitement (and stretch their game time). I think, for them, watching is almost as good as playing. I love watching them play. They move their whole bodies with the game - completely caught up in the action.

I, on the other hand, get my thrills from a "boring" game of Scrabble or Rummy.

F is for....

Frustration

Since we moved, manners seem to have gone out the window and every day courtesies have pretty much been forgotten. This has lead to some arguing, some fighting, (a little yelling) and a whole lot of frustration.

It's time to take control and get things back under control before chaos completely takes over. I pulled this book off my shelf and made some lists. We're starting with Rules for Being a Good Housemate which includes things like:

~ Pick up what you leave around the house
~ Hang up your towel
~ Say "Please", "Thank you", "You're welcome", and "Excuse me"
~ Put the toilet seat down
~ If you break something, take responsibility
~ Don't contradict
~ Use inside voices

There are more. The list is actually quite long but these rules are nothing new to the boys. They just need a few reminders and a little refresher course.

The next chapter we'll tackle is on table manners.

E is for....

Exercise

I've never really been one of those people that loves exercise. I played sports in school. That was ok. But that wasn't exercise - that was sports. I also enjoy being active with my family - doing things like hiking, swimming, skiing, etc - but that's not exericse either. That's recreation.

Exercise has always meant things gyms and Jazzercise and spandex and big sweaty guys and thin bouncy girls. I don't "do" that.

Something has changed in me, though. Earlier this year, I decided that I really needed to make some changes and the only way I could do that (aside from plastic surgery-another thing I won't do) was to exercise. I did some research, bought some hand weights and DVDs and scheduled it on my calendar (harder to avoid it when it's written in ink!) I started slow - 1 day of exercise followed by 2 days of "rest". I gradually worked up to 5 days of exercise and 2 days of (legitimate) rest. I actually looked forward to it each day!

I haven't exercised in over a month because of the move. I realized just the other day that I was really missing it, too. It turns out that I am one of those people that loves exercise. It was just a matter of finding the right fit for me.

D is for....

Dreams

When I was a little girl, I would dream of being a crossing guard or maybe a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. As I got a little older, my dreams turned to things like being an oceanographer and marrying a soldier (or perhaps a cowboy). Those dreams then gave way to dreaming of a job with National Geographic and studying glaciers.

Now I dream of things like children who tidy their rooms with out complaint, finding a good babysitter for date night, and having a home that is warm and inviting. I have some bigger dreams, too. I dream of going to Paris, of seeing the Giant Redwoods and maybe even going back to school. I have some silly dreams too. I dream of driving a Zamboni, touching my toes with out bending my knees and wearing one of those big headdresses that the showgirls wear.

Today I dream of a lazy Sunday afternoon...

C is for....

Car

We went shopping today and I came home with a new car! We sold my old car just before we moved and I have been without ever since (about a month). At first, it really wasn't too bad but as time went on, it became more and more difficult. After a lot of research, we finally found the car I wanted at the price Chris wanted.

***
I took drivers ed. in highschool at around age 15 but didn't get my license until 17 or 18. I had no interest in driving. I told my parents I would just ride my bike everywhere and they told me this was unrealistic. My mom dragged me down to the DMV to take the test.

I have no problems getting in the car and driving where ever I need to go - short distance, long distance, highways, back roads... However, when given a choice, I am still perfectly content to ride in the passengers seat.

After being with out a car for a month (and not really driving at all during that time) I am excited to be behind the wheel again. The kids and I plan on exploring our new town this week. We have a little list of places to find. First stop - the library!

B is for....

Baking

When I was in high school, I dreamed of going to Johnson and Wales and becoming a pastry chef. I've always thought it would be wonderful to have a bakery! However, for a wide variety of reasons I chose to follow another path. Baking is still a passion of mine, though.

I've just been itching to break in my new kitchen with a few treats from the oven. Last week it was fudgy brownies and lemon scones. The scones were such a hit, I had to make another batch this week. (Some of which went to work with Chris). These are cinnamon raisins scones - with golden raisins, if you please.

Next up? Maybe this or this (with a glass or two of wine) or even this favorite of ours or maybe something else. I'm not sure yet.

A is for....

Angelonia

I bought this pot of Angelonia at the garden center and immediately became smitten with it. The little flowers are so sweet and they smell wonderful, too! I decided to plant a couple of mixed pots for the front of my house using the Angelonia as a focal point.

I've added a red Egyptian Starflower and a blue-ish purple Scaévola. I'd like to add something else, but I'm not sure what that should be. The pots look great as they are, though. They really help make the front of the house look homey and inviting.


I'm taking part in this project that I stumbled upon here.