HOME MADE LAUNDRY SOAP!!

I MADE MY FIRST BATCH OF HOMEMADE LAUNDRY SOAP!! Ok, I know that's yelling, but I'm so excited I finally got to make it.  It was sooo easy.  The only time consuming part was grating the soap. It took about 15 minutes to do the whole bar.  It was getting to late to grate the second bar so I thought I'd do it the lazy way and cut the recipe in half.  It made 2 1/4 quart mason jars of soap.  I washed my first load of laundry tonight with this soap.  I'm waiting for the dryer to stop so I can see how they smell.  I didn't have any scent to put in the batch I had, but will buy some in a couple of weeks. Just pulled  the first load out of the dryer. No scent but a good clean smell. I know most of you probably already know the recipe, but I'll give it again anyway.

1. 1 bar Fels-Naptha bar soap
2. 2 cups washing soda
3. 3 cups borax
4. 2 cups baking soda

The neat thing is you only need 2 Tablespoons per load.

The above quantities are for the 1/2 recipe I made.  Just double if you want more. 
I made labels to put on my mason jars.  I went to The Graphics Fairy and got the label and then added my blurp about Thompson's Laundry Soap.  Took me a while to figure out how to do it since I switched operating systems.  Used to be on Windows but changed over to Linux.  Once I figured it out it was sooo easy to do.  Found out a lot of things are easier to do on Linux!! Love  the system but still have a ways to go before I get all down.

I'm going to make the second batch this weekend.  Course I'll have to go over to my Mom's to get more quart jars, since I don't have enough.  She has a bunch from when she used to can vegetables from Dad's garden.  :>(  Dad's gone on to heaven and she no longer has anything to can, but that just means she has mason jars available for me to use! Next on my to do list is bake some bread and make some applesauce from recipes I got from Elizabeth at Just Following Jesus In My Real Life.   I also found a recipe from Shannon of Quarry Orchard when she was a guest blogger on My Re-purposed Life for healthy dog biscuits.  Hopefully Prince will like them.

Laundry Soap In Mason Jars 

Not the best picture, but this shows the laundry soap in my mason jars before I put the labels on.  I need to get some twine and a hole punch. Who would have ever thought I would need a hole punch!! 

Try to make some.  I believe you'll like the way it cleans!  I do!!

PS  I don't know why the websites I mentioned in my blog aren't popping up so you can click on them  to go to the blog. Maybe its because of my new operating system. Anyone know how to make it do that?  I'm still new to all this blog stuff so I have a lot to learn.  Any help would be most appreciated.  Thanks and have a blessed weekend.

REMEMBER:   JESUS LOVES YOU!!!

MY GRANDSON AND THE WESTERN TOWN

Several weeks ago I had a great weekend with my grandson Chase.  When we got back into Duncan that Friday night we went to Hastings and got several movies to watch.   Two for him and one for me. That night we stayed up and watched one of them.  Saturday was a fun day.  I got up early, Chase slept till almost noon, and  cooked pancakes, eggs and bacon.  He told me he always liked to come over, because I make a big breakfast on Saturday mornings.  Chase is such a wonderful grandson.  He loves the Lord with all his heart and has a very tender heart towards others. 

Anyhoo, on Saturday we went and picked up my Mom and we all went out to this wonderful little Western Town just east of Bray. Below are some pictures I took of the place.  The first thing you see as you walk up to the town is this sign.

 Then you come to this little bridge that states Snake River.  That's my grandson Chase.

 This old covered wagon is on the left side just past the bridge.

Next is this wonderful little church with the cemetery on the right side. The picture just below is of Chase standing at the pulpit ready to preach.  My Mom just had to play an old hymn on the old piano behind him.  I didn't think about getting a picture of the pews but this church was tiny.  Just what you would expect when one was in a small town in the western days.

This is the building that started the whole thing. That's my Mom and Chase going into the saloon and yes Misty I allowed my grandson to go into a bar.  It's called the Blue Goose Saloon.  It is the original saloon that sat on the Chisholm Trail years ago.  The gentleman on the left is the one who owns this property.  He had been searching for the saloon for a long time and some one told him he needed  to go look at this old building in Rush Springs, OK.  He did and found it was the Blue Goose. Someone had moved it to Rush Springs and then put siding around it so you did not even realize what it was.  It was two or three days before it was going to be demolished.  He got there just in time to save it!!

This is the old bar in the saloon.

These are three bullet holes from some famous gunfighter.  The historical society told him he needed to keep these and not fill them in.  He told us that most of the famous gunfighters--Jesse James, Belle Star, Dalton Gang, etc came to the saloon a lot.  The gentleman was quite a talker and loved telling us it's history.

This is a working blacksmith they have in the town.  He told us every so often they have a shindig of some kind and all the blacksmith guys from over Oklahoma and Texas come and show people how things were done during the Western days.

Chase just had to have his picture taken with the western hat on and I, of course, had to get one of him in the jail cell.

 They had a small cafe that had this wooden Indian in it.  I have more pictures I could show you, but it would make this a really long blog, so I'll show you only one more.

Since I knew we were going to be in the country I decided to take my dog Prince.  He really loved the freedom of exploring the whole place.

We all took the long way home via Duncan Lake Road. Chase got to see Duncan Lake. I hadn't been down the road in a long time so it was nice to see what had changed. Believe me it wasn't much.  I did find the riding stable. I will have to take Chase to it next time he comes so we can spend an afternoon riding horses. I've enjoyed sharing our fun weekend with you. Pray you all have a very blessed weekend!!!

I'M BACK!! YEA!

I haven't written anything on my blog since a couple weeks or more before Christmas.  At that time I was preparing for my family to come to my house for Christmas.  Then after Christmas I got sick and really did not feel like sitting down and writing anything, but PRAISE GOD I am finally well.  Two and one-half months of sinus problems and a fuzzy head was more that enough for me.  God has been good to me even during those times of feeling bad.  I got my income tax in and had work done on my car which was great because when I was taking my grandson to meet his parents (parent actually my daughter had fallen and twisted her ankle and couldn't come)we almost had a major wreck.  We were taking a curve in OKC that would take us the last 3 or 4 miles to the Loves gas station right before the Tulsa turn pike.  I was going about 70, ok I was going 70, and when I came around the curve I saw a semi was in front of me.  He decided to move over into the right lane and that's when I saw all the cars with brake lights on.  I slammed on my brakes and PRAISE GOD His angels took charge over us and protected us.  The semi no more than moved into the right lane than he immediately switched back into the lane I was in again.  I just know God kept me from hitting anyone and no one hit me from behind.  How my car stayed in the lane I was in is a miracle.  After I came to a complete stop the lane started moving.  I just praised God all the way to the gas station for His protection!
My grandson didn't seem to phased by it all.  I figure he knew God would take care of us.

On a good note!! When I went to visit Misty for her b'day we went shopping.  Ah, yes one of my favorite things to do.  Especially when I have a little money.  I had just sold my old car, yea!!, and had paid my tithe and offering so had some to spend.  I really needed bras.  I mean when you have one that is about 7 years old and one that is two years old and falling apart it is definitely time to get new ones.  We went to one of my favorite stores, JCP.  JC Penny's for anyone who isn't sure what JCP is.  Any hoo after trying on clothes and finding nothing my daughter said she needed to look at bras.  I had an "ah ha" moment.  I need bras so great lets go look.  JCP was having a sell and on that Saturday they had scratch off cards for more off of your purchase.  I found one I liked and fit really great so decided I would buy 3 since they were on sale from $33.00 to 19.99.  I had the money so why not I really needed them.  The cashier asked if I wanted to open a Penny's credit card, oops did I just say that?, yip I did! She stated if I opened one that I would get an extra 10% off my purchase.  I told her let's go ahead and try, but I doubt I get approved since my credit was not that good due to being off work for 4 months last year.  SURPRISE  it got approved, so with that 10% and  the 20% scratch off  I was able to purchase the bras for $15.43 each.  These were Playtex and they fit really well.  I decided since they were that cheap I would add one more. So, for the first time EVER in my life I own 4 great fitting bras. I charged them then immediately turned around and paid them off.  Yip wise thing to do!!  I'm not going to use it unless I can do that!! So all in all we had a really fun weekend.  Except when I got home and stopped at Walgreen's I locked my key's in the car.  Had to have Walgreen's call a lock smith, but the blessing is I have road side assistance on my cell phone so they will pay for it.  I sent them my receipt.  Hopefully, I'll get a check back fast.

Another good thing is I was given this great old mirror.  I work in the back part of an old house in Marlow.  The owner's had remodeled the bathroom and the room I work in.  It's a really nice old home with lots of potential. Wood floors which I really love. Any hoo, there was a good size mirror in one of the bedroom's.  I asked Grace, the owner, about the mirror and told her if they did not want it I would purchase it from them.  She said no I could just have it.  YEA!!  All I need to do is clean it up and paint the wood around the mirror.  Sucka's heavy!! Even has the wire on back to hang it.  I'll make sure the screws are in studs before I hang it.

 Please ignore the saw horses.  This is in my garage right now awaiting it's turn to be worked on.  I've been working on a dresser for one of my bedrooms and the garage is a mess with saw dust, drawers, etc.  The picture above this one just shows the trim around the mirror. I have it standing against a cow rocking horse I've had for years.  Wish my home was big enough to put it inside, but alas it's not so it's relegated to the garage. Well, more to come on the dresser but for now GOD BLESS each of you.

A NEW BLESSING

I have a friend who used to own a decorating/faux painting business.  She does marvelous art work and faux painting, but she decided to get out since manual labor is not what she wants to do anymore. When she first got out she gave me all of her faux paints, brushes, etc.  I have used some on my dining room walls with her help of course.  It was simple and easy but with her help we did it in an afternoon.  The other day she called me and told me she had some goodies to give me.  She had a bunch of painters tape she did not need plus sand paper.  When she brought it to me she also had a sander included in it with some other items.

 This was an answer to prayer since I was needing a sander but have been unalbe to go out and purchase one. 

I started this post in December and am just now finishing it up.  Sad, uh?  Well, between Christmas and being sick for 2-1/2 to 3  months I haven't particularly cared about putting the post up.  But since I am well, PRAISE GOD, I'm back to posting.