Homemaker Ali!

We ran out of laundry soap and our clothes were stacking up, it was time to make more laundry soap. Thats right MAKE laundry soap. My mom found a receipe a few years ago and had to try it. She made the soap then tested it to see how well it really cleaned. She pulled out two old towls and spilled differnt liquids on them to see if it would really clean. She found that the soap she made cleaned better then the store bought she usually uses, plus it is so much cheaper to make your own!!

Greg and I recieved tons of laundry soap when we got married. That was such a great gift and really helped us out in the beginning. Once we ran out and I had to buy some I couldn't believe how much it was, and I was buying the cheapest stuff I could find. The cheap stuff sucked and really didn't clean our clothes like I would like. Then I remembered that my mom makes her own. I called and asked her a for the reciepe. I couldn't believe how cheap and easy it was!! I love this stuff and will never go back to buying laundry soap again!!

I spent about $8 for the ingredients and only used a little of each box. I am going to be able to make a few batches out of what I bought.

All you need is:

Washing soda

Borax

Fels Naphtha

Yes only 3 ingredients!!!

For a poor couple in school this really has helped save some serious bucks!! Here is the website we found the reciepe on and all the info! I highly recommend you try this.

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

Christmas is coming!

I just love this time of year! I love the holiday decorations, yummy food and time spent with family. Greg and I are so busy this month between school, work, family and our calling. We may be super busy but I love it! I love all the Christmas parties we get to go to.

Christmas decorations are so much fun and I love to see how everyone decorates their houses. I think I like it so much because I can steal ideas that they did!! Lucky for me, my mom likes to see how everyone decorates too.  Everyone in my family met up at my sisters house to see her cute decorations. I wish I would have taken more pictures, but oh well I'm a slacker. While we were there we ate some lunch and we made a christmas tree to take to my sister Amy at the hospital. The tree was so fun! She had a white poster board and paint. She painted each of our hands and we pressed them down to make the tree. It was such a fun idea.

I love this kid!!

All on his own he would sit in the fireplace and say "Put your finger by your nose and up the chimney you go!"

Next off we headed to Jill's house. We frosted some delicious sugar cookies to take to Amy. The kids loved it and had so much fun!!

He was frosting The Hulk.

Here is the finished cookie.... I have no words.

Elyse was dressed as Ms. Clause. She is so stinking cute!

Elyse and Meg attempting to frost some cookies.

The next step was our house. Our house was by far the coolest!! Greg found this amazing site where you can have Santa send your kids a message. We made one for each of them! It was so much fun to see their reaction while they watched it! I need to put the videos up. They were so much fun and believable.

I don't know who is more amazed, Elyse or Grandma.

I love how they can't look away from the tv!

Penny was a little excited with so many people there!

Next off we were off to visit Amy in the hospital!

The kids...and Greg and fun with the toys.

Santa giving Amy a present.

Ayden made Amy some great pictures!

Oh doughnuts.

I think Meg only ate the frosting..

It was such a fun day and I loved seeing everyone's houses. They each had their own style and theme for Christmas and loved both of them! My sisters are so good at decorating, I have much to learn from them. It was also so great to go see Amy as a family. Update on Amy: Her and her baby boys are doing so great! They are getting bigger and stronger. Last I heard they were up to 4lbs each!! They have also set a date! The babies will be here on Dec. 30th!! I am so excited and happy for Amy and Jace!!

Also this weekend we had Meg sleep over. It was so much fun!! I was a little nervous on how she would behave, but she was amazing!! She was such a good little girl. She never threw a fit or got upset about anything. It was a great weekend.

Greg's dad took us to Taco Bell for dinner.  She loves her quesadilla's!!

After dinner we headed to Greg's parents house to watch a basketball game his dad had recorded. Meg was so great there and played until she crashed!! Penny was getting a little sleepy too. As we were putting Meg in her carseat to leave she started to cry because she was so tired. She was screaming and not happy!! I could not get her to calm down. Penny had enough and looked back at her and went to lick her feet and Meg stopped crying waved and said "Hi Penny!!" It was so funny! She didn't cry after that. She loves Penny so much!

Meg also went to church with us. I don't think she liked that Greg had to sit on the stand and not with us, but once we started taking pictures she was totally fine with it! I'm a horrible example.

She got a little bored in Relief Society. She colored some great pictures for me!

It was so much fun to have her. She is one funny girl! We need to dothis again, but with my other nieces nephews!! I think Elyse might be next!