My new favorite thing!

Because of Parker's severe eczema, we have always been cautious of the types of soaps and shampoos we use in our home. As his skin has been increasingly worse this summer, I began to research less toxic products to use. Chad suggested that simply bathing him in the same shower that we use could also be adding to the problem - so there is our mission! To find affordable, chemical free products for our home! A friend of ours is also interested in this topic so we have been looking into it together and comparing research, it has sort of become a "nap time" hobby! 

A really neat website is http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/#p_body_wash , it rates numerous products on their level of safety and toxicity. (It is pretty strict but you can use it as a good guide on what you consider safe for your family).     

It has helped us pick out some safe and decent price products that will hopefully help keep Parker (and us!) healthy and Itch free! 

In this mission, I have also been experimenting with homemade household cleaners! This is super fun and is amazing what 4 or 5 simple products can do! 

First of all, the ingredients that I have used are CHEAP! I can hardly believe that I've been paying for cleaners when we have so many natural options that literally cost pennies to use! 

What I've used (and what you will need!!):

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Washing Soda

Borax

Lemon Juice

I started with Laundry detergent...

1 cup Borax

1 cup Washing Soda (both found on the laundry aisle at the grocery store)

1 cup Baking Soda

1 shredded bar of soap (you can use a Castile soap intended for laundry use, also found at a local grocery store, about $1.39 for 3 bars!)

Use 2 Tablespoons per full load of laundry and can be used with HE washers! 

Vinegar can be used as a softener! 

Borax or Baking soda can be used as a toilet bowl cleaner and tub cleaner too! 

I'll add more interesting ways to clean later on....!

technology

Oh the joys and ease of the technological world! 

It's been a blessing to be able to email friends and family, work over the internet, have super high tech phones that act as a computer in your hand, get world news at the click of a button and have digital photos that can be printed in seconds in different states! 

Technology is wonderful until it all CRASHES! I think God was trying to teach us a lesson in the past few weeks as ALL of our technological devices that connect us with the world simply shut down or had accidents. 

I recently heard a quote from "The Last Lecture" thats been playing over and over in my head as the past few weeks have gone on it goes something like "I don't want to teach my children the importance of things" the point here being teaching by example that it is not the mere things in life that matter to us as parents and humans but more the importance of relationships and reaction. I was reminded of this as my new iphone plopped into a bait bucket and out computer had a fatal error. Chad and I both decided that our reactions would be not be of frustration and worry that this would be an expensive month. Instead, we both embraced this opportunity to be thankful for all of the luxuries that we have and all that we have been provided with. Although Parker is too young to remember and respond to our week of technological failure, I hope that we continue to use situations like this to help shape Parker and future siblings into selfless beings that care more about the who than the what.

On the note of "how did your phone plop into a bait bucket?"...

Sunday, Chad and I went fishing at Lake Livingston with Uncle D and Shelby (chads family). We had a great time fishing! Our day started at 4:45 am and we headed out to the lake. We caught some bait - hundreds of Shad with a cast net and proceeded to the fishin' hole! Uncle D led us to a great spot where we caught a ton of White Bass, Catfish and Striper! I ended up with two big fish that day, a 23 inch Striper and a 5# cat! What a great time! :) While we were fishing, Parker spent some time with his Great Grandma "Mimi" and Great Gpa "Pipi".

Parker has also just recovered from double ear infections (Again!) and pink eye in both eyes! Now, it's slimy boogers and a horrible cough! Needless to say, we are excited about summer being here and hopefully and break from colds and allergies! 

Blessings,