Homemade Laundry Detergent

At times, our grocery bill can be just a little ridiculous. We always go over on our budget in this area, *always* because good food can be pricey, and we love good food. yes, yes, I know people don't buy detergent every time they visit the grocery but it'll help save some money here and there. So! we decided to make our own laundry detergent. It will be our first time so we're not sure how we'll like it but we aren't too particular either. 

Here is the Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe I used:

1/3 bar Fels Naptha (old-fashioned soap found in laundry aisle)

1/2 cup washing soda (Arm & Hammer)

1/2 cup borax

3 gallons plus 4 cups water

5 gallon bucket with lid

Optional: add 1 oz of your favorite essential oil (mine is lavender, mmm)

What to do:

1.) warm 4 cups water and add grated Fels Naptha until it is dissolved

2.) add the warm soap mixture to 3 gallons of water

3.) add the washing soda and borax and stir until slightly thickened

4.) let sit 24 hours and that's it!

I liked this tutorial and visual guide on it as well. Check it out!

Float trip

If you ever visit St. Louis and are looking for an adventure, definitely check out the eleven point river in Alton, MO. We canoed/kayaked 20 gorgeous miles of this river that runs through Mark Twain NF. 

The weather was perfect all weekend. It actually rained most of the day Saturday which turned out to be amazing because I don't think we could've made it if the sun was beating down on us all day. And it was just fun to paddle in the rain and make shelter. 

Side note: It helped that our good friend Jonathan is nearly 7 feet tall, he also used to live in Alaska to train sled dogs, and was a river raft guide, he also fought a bear once, no joke. he's intense.

Jonathan and Jonathan. cute! 

We camped on the river Saturday night before floating the next day. One of my co-workers really freaked me out telling me about Deliverance, (the 1972 film with Burt Reynolds) We were so close to the Arkansas border and he kept telling me that if I hear a banjo, run. (eye roll) We're still alive. 

This was Boze Mill spring. Gorgeous! I wanted to jump in but when I was waist deep, I couldn't feel my legs anymore. apparently there used to be a rope swing which would have literally taken your breath away if used, considering the spring is nearly 40 degrees. 

We were sad to leave the wilderness and the river, but we will probably see it again sometime soon. all in all, it was a great trip!

Road trip to Houston

How would you describe Houston, TX?  Jake U would describe it like this: 2 million people in a sweaty sock.

this past weekend, we took a road trip to this sweaty state... 

 Breakfasting roadside. Also it was Jonathan's big 26! 

  So you might ask "why would anyone drive to Houston in July?"

For this little guy!! We finally got to meet our new nephew Judah! 

And for these guys! Those adorable parents smack dab in the middle there. (and not to mention that mexican food was killer)  

We had such a nice time with family! (our good friends had a wedding to go to that weekend as well so we thought it best to collaborate and make the most out of the trip) We got to play with Judah and I gave him a cute little bath! 

Jonathan did such a good job at making him laugh! 

It's probably because Jonathan looks so much like his brother Jake. And Erin says Judah *loves* laughing with dad.  

Kisses from battlecat 

A bedtime story 

The Clines loved those puppies! 

We miss you already Judah, Jake, and Erin! Thanks for the great visit!

7.4.12

Our neighbor works for a business downtown and so we took advantage of the view (and air conditioning) and watched the firework show on the riverfront from his office high in the sky. 

(We walked around downtown afterwards to goof around while the traffic cleared out.)

We had our own personal little air conditioned room, with our own personal little soda pop machine, and thus we had a fabulous personal little fourth of July!

Home

We took a trip back home (Salt Lake City, UT) this past weekend to see our families. It was so crazy to see how much my little sisters have grown. I think I am now the shortest of all five girls. How pathetic is that :) We ate at Cafe Rio because it's *awesome*

  we shopped at Randy's records and then stopped by this amazing vegan bakery (City Cakes) in downtown s.l.c. I had the macaroon. mmm

Oh mountains, how I miss thee... 

I taught Emma to play some chords... (isn't she cute!) 

We head to the pool to cool off 

Another vegan bakery stop (Cakewalk this time) 

We saw moonrise kingdom with the fam and then hung around the fire staring at the moon and the stars. (which was kind of scary considering the West is so devastated with wildfire, we were careful)

More pool 

Then a hike up Millcreek canyon to dog lake.  

What a clan 

It was so great to see Utah wilderness again and even better to see our families. We had such a fun time and we are looking forward to the next one in the Fall!

Heading home to St. Louis