The Graduation Party

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Trevors graduation

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Lazy

I know I haven't been very up to date with my blog lately, but I have had so much going on with my family. Which of course, takes first priority in my life. My son had his prom and I made a wonderful scrapbook for him. That took a lot more time than I had thought it would :S Also, preparing for graduation, getting everything tip top and ready for all the family coming to town and preparing party items menus and all the invitations. And, of course I have two other kids, one with a massive end of school project that the entire family worked on building. The space needle using the actual plans from the 1962 blue prints, hes sure to get a good grade. We had a lot of fun building that. My daughter has been busy as well with some projects and getting ready for their end of the year activities. It's amazing how busy things get from Spring break until the end of the year!
I did the bird bath planter as I said I would and have a photo to share. My yard is really looking lovley and all the roses are blooming now its just gorgeous.
We went hiking at Amicoloa falls this past weekend for mothers day that was exciting and a lot of fun. Being busy is a great feeling you get so much completed and you feel so productive.
I will get back into my blog as soon as I get my childrens lives back into a normal phase!
Cheers! :) Oh wait I'm on my NEW computer and I don't have my photo of my bird bath planter haha I'm so silly, I will add that from the other computer later!

Spring Planting

Beauty at its BEST!

I just love the spring and the time to plant new life in the ground. The feeling it gives me is envigorating and nothing pleases me more than to sit and look at my colorful loving yard.

New Azaleas on the side of my house to accent the once sickly rose bush that I spent last year nursing into a nice healthy bush. It's full of buds right now and will be absolutely gorgeous when they all bloom. Sadly, this bush among a few others will require extra special attention because they were originally planted in a less then desirable location.

A fill in across my shrub hedge in the front there was an empty spot where an azalea had died. It's taking well to it's new home.
I add my used coffee grounds to my azaleas they love the acidic soil and it helps their colors brighten and feeds their little rooted souls.

Another veiw of my new azaleas and my newly abundant now healthy rose bush. I just smile when I round the corner of my front porch and see that lucious green.

Shade gardening can be very frustrating learning where and what to plant when you have an area that gets little to no sun. It's very exciting to see things take off in such elements and it's a good idea to make sure you investigate your plants before planting them. The soil in shade gardening needs to be maintained and your plants need to be specific for the location. Partial shade is very different from full shade so you must learn where your sun is hitting if at all and you must watch to see how long and what kind of sun you get in a shadier garden. You can't go wrong with hostas and you can see my lavender azalea happily full of blooms. The bird bath was damaged during a storm and I have it ready to fill with soil and will plant ivy around the base and in the bowl as well as adding a pot with a nice lush fern. Of course I will add a photo when I have that completed.

Another close up view of my rose bush, I am so proud of this rose as it was nearly dead two years ago and last year looked as if it was miserable and had gathered a great deal of disease. When you don't put your roses in the right conditions and with at least 6 hours of good direct morning sunlight you lead your roses into dangerous territory with disease and unhappiness. I think this bush will be very happy this year now that I have doctored and cared for it with great tenderness.

This bed was full of weeds and untended when I started, I mulched and conditioned the soil for a full season before adding my new rose bushes. Last spring I put in two and they did well, I bought them off the clearance cart and they were quite sad looking. But, my heart is soft for a plant that needs love and will always drag it home like a child with a stray pet. I nursed them and they grew well and bloomed a good bit last year. This spring I've added two more hopeless souls from the clearance cart and they already look like they are smiling in their rooted hearts. The four triangled corners of the beds last year had annuals. My daughter planted some seeds in there this year and they are sprouting, but my intentions are to add a rose bush in each corner to make this a full rose bed. It's my sunniest spot in the yard and I just adore roses. They do require more time and tenderness and work but the joy of seeing the abundance of sweet smelling blooms is a great reward.

My new walk path. At the end of my porch next to the bed with my rose and new azaleas was a dead spot of dirt. There is no way to bring any grass up to it and my dogs and I use it every day to walk out into the yard, so I have started this little path to protect the earth a bit of our foot traffic. I am going to add some sand to fill it in within the cracks.

Another peek at my lavender azalea its just a beautiful site to behold when those big wide eyes blooms wake up and scream hello world. I can't wait to accent its beauty with my creation planned in the birdbath.

I added a flat of impatients to my shady driveway garden. The unearthed edge is also something I am going to work on but right now I haven't decided what I want to put there YET!

I am very excited to see this color in my front walk garden with it full of indigenous greenery and shade loving holly. The dogwood tree provides a great deal of shade but this little corner gets a sprinkling of filtered sunlight perfect for the colorful impatients.

Open my front door and I am greeted every day with such beauty as the azaleas begin to bloom. This hedge runs from one end to the other across the front of my porch and its a delight every time I see it. What better way to feast your morning eyes than to behold such delight when you greet the day.

Three more new azaleas I planted on the edge of my shaded yard facing my neighbors dogs. I am hoping they will grow big and strong and keep my little doxies from agitating the other dogs. They love to stand on that edge and bark teasing the two big dogs. It's a fun game for mine, but I don't think that the other dogs are having as much fun. Maybe they are and I just don't realize it!

There are many great sources on the web for shade gardening and plantings. Research a bit, find your zone and have fun with it. Just because your yard is shady doesn't mean it can't be beautiful and full of color!

Finding a new perspective

I am usually an upbeat person looking for the positive in every situation even when I'm angry or cross I can step aside and see both sides so that I can find the positive in the moment. This past week has been very trying for me and I've had a very hard time pulling myself up to the top of the hole I have been sinking within. My fingers are hanging onto the edge and if you look you can see the top of my head but the strength in my arms is wavering as I try to pull and pull myself to the wide opening and inhale the fresh air and see the bright light. Do you ever feel that way? Well, my down fall was technology troubles.
My laptop will be a year old in May and I have already had it in the shop once, now I'm not going to rant about the qualities of the Acer product, I have some positive things to say about the computer itself and I have some negative feelings towards Vista but thats here nor there right now, being one that needs to keep order in her life and one that likes things to be just as she expects them to be would be my rant. I have such a hard time with change and trying to adapt to things thrown at me when I can't find the solution. I'm a fixer and a doer now a dealer hehe
My laptop was having a bit of trouble but it was working just not up to speed but my husband in his infinite wisdom was going to make it all better. Now I have a laptop that doesn't even boot without disk now. I have spent the week dealing with my anger without letting him know I'm angry, more trying to be positive as always and finding the light but as this week has wore on I've just gotten blank. There are no positive thoughts there are no negatives. I have decided that it's time to be productive and just find a way to get myself a NEW one and hope that he fixes that one for he and the children!
Now, its a new day, I'm feeling a bit like myself today and I'm ready to do some comparsion shopping because what I want is something that isn't going to cost me an arm and leg and something that is going to do what I want it to do but I don't need a lot of bells and whistles.
Where do I start? Hmmm thats the first query to ponder, yes? Well, thats where I am right now I'm going to investigate prices products and find something that I can enjoy and will do what I need it too.
With that on this quick and small rant about technology and how it really brings you down in a flash, I will move on and start shopping. When I am confident that I have some positive links to share I will continue my post :)
Happy day to all and have a great weekend!

Cleaning Green

It makes sense these days to budget your money and live as frugal as possible. I am sure we all have that little voice in our heads telling us to do this but then the convenience of the prepackaged life takes over when our schedules seem so full and we feel tired and need shortcuts. I am one of those with three children and they all lead busy lives making my life busy as well. But, I find that I like to be as frugal as possible when running my household. My interest in living a green life has increased more and more as people are making it easier to do so with products and services. I am thrilled that so many have joined the "Green Living" bandwagon and its filling up quickly.
I thought I might share some of my ways of trying to lesson our stamp on the environment.
First, the other day I shared my obsession with vinegar which is the gods gift to us in all forms of life. Also, Baking soda, corn starch, salt, club soda and olive oil as well.

To create your own cleaning products I have a few recipes that I use that you may find helpful for the environment as well as for your wallet.

Home made Furniture Polish

1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice

Mix in spray bottle. Spray liberally on wood surfaces and wipe dry.

COFFEE GROUNDS:

Fertilize plants

Don't throw out those old coffee grounds. They're chock-full o' nutrients that your acidic-loving plants crave. Save them to fertilize rosebushes, azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens, and camellias. It's better to use grounds from a drip coffeemaker than the boiled grounds from a percolator. The drip grounds are richer in nitrogen.

Deodorize a freezer

Get rid of the smell of spoiled food after a freezer failure. Fill a couple of bowls with used or fresh coffee grounds and place them in the freezer overnight. For a flavored-coffee scent, add a couple of drops of vanilla to the grounds.

Cornstarch
For homemade laundry starch, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 pint cold water. Place in a
spray bottle. Shake before using. Clearly label the
contents of the spray bottle.

Carpet Deodorizer
I use a cheese shaker and fill with baking soda and a bit of cornmeal I add put a broken cinnamon stick or a few orange peels in the shaker and leave them and sprinkle liberally over the carpets and sofa leaving to sit for awhile before vacuuming.

Scouring Powder:

Salt and Baking soda mixed in a shaker make a great scouring powder

Vinegar and Lemon Juice Wipes
I mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of lemon juice to about a quart of water then place in a container that I have folded brawny paper towels so they will soak. Now I have a handy WIPE for quick messes or wipe downs.

Air Freshener

A spray bottle with vinegar with a bit of lemon juice for fragrance sprayed into the air will absorb odor and freshen the room.

I also keep decorative bowls here and there with a bit of vinegar and lemon with rose petals floating for a decorative look. This keeps my kitchen odor free especially with the use of a lot of onion.

SPILLS

If you have a spill on your carpet or upholstery pour a large amount of salt over the spill and leave it to dry then just vacuum or sweep up. Great for wine spills

Lemon powdered drink like Kool-aid with water and baking soda makes a great all purpose cleaner. DO NOT USE anything but UNSWEETENED lemon powdered drink or you will have quite the mess!


Heres a great article by Michael Bloch on uses for Orange peels. I love orange oil and was very excited to find his recipe to make my own.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

A couple of denture cleaning tablets dropped in your bowl leave for awhile then brush clean with ease. You can also use alka seltzer tablets you need about 6.

Club Soda takes out a lot of stains in carpet and clothing blot quickly then launder.

Liquid Laundry detergent:

3 Pints Water
1/3 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
2 Gallon Bucket
1 Quart Hot Water
Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap(Or grated Ivory soap) in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 Gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

You can use a 1/2 cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle to freshen clothes and clean the washer of any soap residue.
(This is not a green recipe because it includes borax which is not all natural but it is frugal if you are looking for ways to lessen the cost of laundry expenses.)

Homemade Fabric Softener
1 cup glycerin
1 gallon water
20 drops essential oil of your choice (Optional)


Dishwasher Detergent

Mix equal parts Borax and Baking Soda, and add 2 Tablespoons per load. Increase proportion of soda for hard water. Use vinegar in the rinse cycle like the jet dry and you will have sparkling clear glasses.
(This is NOT so green as borax is not a natural item but it IS frugal if you are looking to lessen the cost of commercial dish washing machine detergents)

I hope that some of these ideas and recipes are helpful to you, they are to me! Not only does it save me a great deal of money when shopping for cleaning products I know that my pets and my children are not exposed to toxic chemicals that could cause them harm. The best part is that I know that when I am cleaning and pouring things down the drain I'm not hurting my septic system or the earth!

VINEGAR

Vinegar! The pungent scented clear liquid with a very strong flavor is not just for food! Do you know about the wonders of vinegar? A bit of history always enlightens me, and the history of vinegar is fascinating. Vin Aigre means sour wine in France and that it is indeed. Do you know that it has been around for over 10,000 years and was discovered quite by chance? It was a cask of wine that had gone way past its flavorful date and then became what we now know as vinegar.
It's basically fermentation of natural sugars to alcohol then another fermentation to vinegar.

White vinegar, which is actually clear vinegar, is made from allowing a distilled alcohol, like white wine, gin, vodka, sake, or others to oxidize. Oxidation combines oxygen with chemicals in a substance in a way that reduces the atom content of the substance. When a distilled alcohol is oxidized its chemical components change, and it becomes much more sour, and frequently, quite unpleasant to taste.

Combining the chemical compound acetic acid to water can also make white vinegar. This second type is very sour, and is more commonly used to clean and disinfect, than for food. In fact, much of white vinegar, especially when sold in gallon units, is not used in cooking. People tend to prefer red vinegars or apple cider vinegar for cooking purposes.

Beyond flavoring salads or using it for pickling or adding into foods you can use vinegar for many other uses in your home.
Its a wonderful non toxic cleaner that promotes a green lifestyle if you are looking for something that will clean and disinfect without any toxins or chemicals.
Also its a natural deodorizer and makes a great way to freshen up your place from odors or smells by absorbing them. What a wonderful inexpensive way to clean your house. Here are some of the wonderful uses for white and apple cider vinegar, try one or a few and see if you find that vinegar becomes more of a household name around your home!

Clean and Freshen your microwave:

Put a cup of vinegar in your microwave for 30 seconds then wipe clean with a damp rag.

Dissolve warts -
Mix one part Apple Cider Vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion and apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes -
Apply White Vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer's instructions.

Grow beautiful azaleas -
Occasionally water plants with a mixture of two tablespoons White Vinegar to one quart water. Azaleas love acidic soil.

Relieve arthritis -
Before each meal, drink a glass of water containing two teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar. Give this folk remedy at least three weeks to start working.

Kill unwanted grass -
Pour White Vinegar in crevices and between bricks.

Clean the hoses and unclog soap scum from a washing machine -
Once a month pour one cup of White Vinegar into the washing machine and run the machine through a normal cycle, without clothes.

Cure an upset stomach -
Drink two teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup water to soothe an upset stomach.

Kill germs on bathroom fixtures -
Use one part Vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle. Spray the bathroom fixtures and floor, then wipe clean. Clean soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub, tile, and shower curtains. Simply wipe the surface with Vinegar and rinse with water.

Deodorize the air -
Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

Relieve itching -
Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Vinegar straight from the bottle.

Clean lime deposits and calcium sludge from an automatic drip coffee maker -
Once a month fill the reservoir with White Vinegar and run through the brew cycle. Rinse thoroughly with two cycles of cold water.

Relieve a sore throat -
Put two teaspoons of Vinegar in your humidifier.

Soothe sunburn pain -
Apply undiluted Vinegar to the burn.

Clean food-stained pots and pans -
Fill the pots and pans with White Vinegar and let stand for thirty minutes. Then rinse in hot, soapy water.

Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots -
Soak the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted White Vinegar overnight.

Prevent bright colored clothes from fading -
Before putting the article in the washing machine, soak it in White Vinegar for ten minutes.

Keep a garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh -
Mix one cup of Vinegar in enough water to fill an ice cube tray, freeze the mixture, grind the cubes through the disposal, and flush with cold water.

Clean a toilet bowl -
Pour in one cup of White Vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, and flush.

Clean dentures -
Soak dentures overnight in White Vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

Remove perspiration stains from clothes -
Apply one part White Vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.

Deodorize a room filled with cigarette smoke or paint fumes -
Place a small bowl of White Vinegar in the room.

Cure the hiccups -
Mix one teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup of warm water, and drink.

Eliminate odors from used jars -
Rinse peanut butter and mayonnaise jars with White Vinegar.

Condition dry hair -
Shampoo, then rinse hair with a mixture of one cup Apple Cider Vinegar and two cups water. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes soap film and sebum oil.

Clean mineral deposits from a steam iron -
Fill the water tank with White Vinegar. Turn the iron to the steam setting and steam-iron a soft utility rag to clean the steam ports. Repeat the process with water, then thoroughly rinse out the inside of your iron.

Remove light scorch marks from fabrics -
Rub lightly with White Vinegar, then wipe with a clean cloth.

Repel ants -
Use a spray bottle or mister filled with a solution of equal parts Vinegar and water around door jambs, window sills, water pipes, and foundation cracks.

Keep drains open -
Pour one-half box of old baking soda down the drain followed by one cup White Vinegar. When the bubbling stops, run the hot water.

Prolong and brighten propane lanterns -
Soak new wicks for several hours in White Vinegar and let them dry before inserting. Propane lanterns will burn longer and brighter on the same amount of fuel.

Remove decals or bumper stickers -
Soak a cloth in Vinegar and cover the decal or bumper sticker for several minutes until the vinegar soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should peel off easily.

Deodorize a wool sweater -
Wash sweater, then rinse in equal parts Vinegar and water to remove odor.

Prevent lint from clinging to clothes -
Add one cup Vinegar to each wash load.

Prevent ice from forming on a car windshield overnight -
Coat the window with a solution of three parts White or Apple Cider Vinegar to one part water.

Prolong the life of flowers in a vase -
Add two tablespoons of White Vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water. Stems should be in three to four inches of water.

Prevent cracked hard-boiled eggs -
Add two tablespoons of White Vinegar per quart of water before boiling to prevent the eggs from cracking. The egg shells will also peel off faster and easier.

Clean windows -
Use undiluted Vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry with a soft cloth.

Eliminate unpleasant cooking odors in the kitchen -
Boil one tablespoon of White Vinegar with one cup of water.

Remove wallpaper -
Mix equal parts Vinegar and hot water. Use a paint roller to wet the paper thoroughly with the mixture. Repeat. Paper should peal off in sheets.

Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet -
Blot up urine, flush several times with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal parts White Vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry.

Relieve a cold -
Mix one-quarter cup Apple Cider Vinegar with one-quarter cup honey. Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily.

Deodorize a stale lunch box -
Soak a paper napkin in Vinegar and leave it inside the closed lunch box overnight.

Prevent soapy film on glassware -
Place a cup of White Vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher, run for five minutes, then run though the full cycle. A cup of white vinegar run through the entire cycle once a month will also reduce soap scum on the inner workings.

Unclog a shower head -
Unscrew the shower head, remove the rubber washer, place the head in a pot filled with equal parts Vinegar and water, bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes.

Relieve a cough -
Mix one-half cup Apple Cider Vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne pepper, and four teaspoons honey. Take one tablespoon when cough acts up. Take another tablespoon at bedtime.

Retard patching plaster from drying -
Add one tablespoon white vinegar to the water when mixing plaster to slow the drying time.

Bumper stickers:
Remove bumper stickers by repeatedly wiping the sticker with white distilled vinegar until it is soaked. In a few minutes, it should peel off easily. Test on a small invisible area of the car to ensure there will be no damage to the pain.

Paintbrush softener:
Soak the paintbrush in hot white distilled vinegar, and then wash out with warm, sudsy water.

Cleaning the Radiator Vent
Turn down the thermostat. Unscrew the air vent, soak it in vinegar to clean it, then turn the thermostat all the way up. After a few minutes, you'll hear a hissing sound followed by a little bit of water spurting out. Finally, steam will start exiting that hole. Turn off the radiator valve and replace the vent. It should be straight up and hand tight. You should not need or use a wrench.

Frosted windows:
For those rare winter mornings when there is frost on the car, wipe the windows the night before with a solution of one part water to three parts white distilled vinegar. They won’t frost over.

Furniture
Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth. Try in an inconspicuous place first.

Cleaning Leather Shoes
Make a solution of one part water to one part white vinegar, and use it sparingly on the shoes. Dip a cloth into the solution, and dab it over the salt-streaked parts of your shoes.
May have to repeat the cleaning a few times before all the salt is removed. Salt actually can damage leather, so it's best to clean shoes as quickly as possible. Don't let the salt stains build up.

Fireplaces
Wash fireplaces with a 50/50 ratio of water and vinegar to remove the blackened soot on glass front doors. If the doors have a spring-loaded clip, remove it, then take out the doors.

Lay them flat on newspapers, spray with the vinegar/water solution and soak. Wipe it off with newspaper.

Cleaner for Gold Jewelry
Use one cup apple cider vinegar. Submerge solid gold jewelry item in vinegar for 15 minutes. Remove and dry with cloth.

Remove Lime Stains from Car
Pour a small amount of white vinegar on a clean cloth. Gently rub the area of lime staining with the cloth until the stain is gone. Test a small are first to ensure no discoloration.

Worn DVDs:
If you have a worn DVD that has begun to stick or suffers from the occasional freeze-frame, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Ensure the DVD is completely dry before re-inserting in the DVD player. (Note: This only works on DVDs that are scratched of dirty through normal wear.)

Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards:
Wipe with full strength white distilled vinegar.

Brass polish:
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and stir in flour until it becomes a paste. Apply paste to the metals and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.

Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
Apply vinegar with a soft cloth to remove streaks from stainless steel appliances. Try in an inconspicuous place first.

Cleaner Dishes and Glasses
Pour 1 ½ cup to 2 cups white distilled vinegar in the bottom of dishwasher, along with regular dishwasher soap. Wash full cycle.

Remove Refrigerator Smells
Place 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a glass and set in refrigerator. Within 2 days, any smell is gone!

No-wax floors:
To wash no-wax floors, add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water.

Carpet stain removal:
A mixture of 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent and 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar in a pint of lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat this procedure until the stain is gone. Then dry quickly, using a fan or hair dryer. This should be done as soon as the stain is discovered.

Carpet Cleaning Solution:

Fill the machine with equal parts white vinegar and warm water; then, clean according to the manufacturer's instructions.

So grab a gallon or two of vinegar next time you head to the store and a fresh new empty spray bottle and make your own quality inexpensive cleaner! You will be cleaning your house literally for pennies.