Exercising, a.k.a. Jillian Michaels is trying to kill me

I've decided, once and for all (I'm not getting any younger!) to get rid of the baby fat that has accumulated in the last 9 years. I've always been relatively active, but I find that isn't enough any longer and I have to step it up to have my body look anything like it did pre-baby.
When my husband was deployed to Iraq, I joined a local gym. They have child care and it was basically my only "me time" that I had. It helped, but I just couldn't justify my monthly membership. Plus, my kids were constantly picking up some virus in the child care.
I recently realized that Time Warner Cable's On Demand has a TON of exercise videos to choose from under the "exercise TV" section. They are included with the cost of the monthly cable bill. I guess we could go without cable TV to save money, but that isn't going to happen here. We don't receive any channels via broadcast because of our location... well sometimes, on a clear day we catch a blurry local San Diego station.
For the last week, I have been following Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Slimdown Program. I can already feel a difference!
If I become bored with the Jillian Michaels Series (or they become too easy, as IF!), there are so many more to choose from that I really do not have an excuse.

Sue

Laundry Day

OK, who am I kidding. EVERY day is laundry day around here. With 3 kids and 3 dogs I almost constantly have a load of laundry in the washer.
I always thought of it as a necessary evil when I would spend $30 (or more) on a big bottle of Tide. I now realize that most of that money went toward colors, dyes and advertising. The homemade stuff works just fine for me.

I read Gail over at the Grocery Cart Challenge, and she has a great tutorial on how to make homemade laundry soap. I can't find the Fels Naptha bar soap around here, I use Zote, and it works well. I fill old, plastic laundry bottles with my soap concoction. When it's time to use it, I shake the bottle a little and use it as I would any other laundry detergent. Because I shake it, I've never had any problem with the soap gelling up and being difficult to use as I have read in other posts around the blogsphere.
This soap works great in my front-loading washer as well.

If you are intimidated about making your own laundry detergent, don't be. The initial investment is less than a single bottle of store-bought detergent. It takes just minutes to whip up a batch. No special tools are needed (I don't even use a food processor to chop the bar soap, I chop by hand).
Borax and Zote can be found easily at most grocery stores and WalMart. The washing soda I found at Albertson's. Most stores around here will order something if it is requested, so try that route if you can't find an ingredient.

By request from my family, I still use regular Downy (although a small amount). I also use Mrs. Stewart's bluing in my white loads. I think the bottle of bluing may last me for the rest of my life. Not bad for a few bucks.

Here are the ingredients, and the costs associated with them:

Borax- Around $3.50 for a large box. enough for over a dozen batches (good for soap and many other uses around the house, including flubber)

Washing Soda- $3.50- enough for over a dozen batches

Zote- $1, enough for 3 batches

Each batch is enough for 64 loads of laundry and costs less than a dollar.
Now I know that I will be making my own laundry soap from now on.

Quick Cookies

My family and I love fresh baked cookies. I use to buy the frozen dough from Trader Joe's at $3.99 a box for about a dozen. Not very frugal. They were good just out of the oven but they did not keep well for the next day. I am not an avid baker so fresh baked cookies were a luxury and my kids were more likely to get one from the supermarket than from me. However, one day I did decide to bake some cookies and I thought of making a double patch and freezing them. Well, I lost steam half way through the dough. I decided to just freeze the dough in rounded teaspoons. I placed them on cookie sheets covered in parchment paper. I covered it with another piece of parchment paper and froze them. After they were hard, I put them in a large ziploc bag. Now, whenever I hear: "Cookies, Mom." I pull about a half dozen and in 12 minutes I have fresh baked cookies for my little monsters. It is also great when you have unexpected guests or you are told by your child that he promised cookies for his entire class. Sometimes, I am on the ball. Only Sometimes. Jen

Part of the Works For Me Wednesday- Back to School Themed Edition

Thankful for Dr. Laura ?!?

I know it sounds crazy but today I am thankful for Dr. Laura.

My husband and I want a fourth child. We have put a lot of thought into this decision for over five years. (My husband even had a vasectomy reversal.) We had a miscarriage last month and since then I have had many doubts. Am I meant to have another baby? Was this a "sign"? Can we handle another child? Can we afford another child? what about all those childless couples wanting a baby? Do I want to get up again in the middle of the night? Is there too big of an age gap between the youngest and potential newborn (7 years maybe 8)? Will my other children suffer? Aren't I already messing up the first three? It's been 7 years since my last one? Am I being selfish? Am I pushing the envelope? The list can go on and on ....

Soooo.....Today I was running errands and I turned on the car and heard Dr. Laura tell a man that it didn't matter how far apart his children were the only fact that matters is if he was willing to be a parent to another child he and his wife would bring into this world. That's all I heard but if there was a light bulb above my head it would have gone off. I felt tears spring to my eyes and my stomach flip. I wanted to shout out loud. I am willing to be a parent again. I want to do it. I'd do anything for a chance. Wasn't that my answer that I have been looking for? My husband and I are more than willing to love and care for another human being. We want to add to our family. I realized that I am not selfish. I am not taking away from anyone who doesn't have a child. My other children will not suffer. Their lives will all be enriched. I AM WILLING TO BE A PARENT AGAIN.
That was it. Just those couple sentences made a difference to me. All my worries are just worries. I do not have to justify or articulate my desire to have another baby to anyone. I am going to follow my heart and for all of that I am thankful to Dr. Laura. Who would have guessed?
Jen


*linked to Finer Things Friday: Bedtime Prayers*

Adventure Playground

Susan and I traveled down to my old neck of the woods (Orange County) and went to Adventure Playground in Huntington Beach (Central Park and Goldenwest). We had a great time. It is basically a pond of muddy water with wooden "rafts." The kids are allowed to stand on the wood and push themselves with sticks. There is also a mud slide down a hill, a rope bridge and a tire swing. On the other side of the park, is an area for the children to build forts with real wood, hammers and nails. The great part for the kids is that they can get as dirty as they want and mom cannot say a thing.

We brought our lunches, beach chairs, towels and a change of clothes. Everyone is required to wear tennis shoes (however if you forget they have a pile of old shoes you can borrow which I had to do). I suggest OLD clothes. The cost is $3 for Huntington Beach residents and $4 for non-residents.

Our kids had a fantastic time. When we arrived, there were a lot of camp children but at around noon they all left to have lunch and we had the place to ourselves. We stayed for about two and a half hours and I still had a hard time getting my chidlren to leave. They explored on their own but I was was still able to keep an eye on them from a distance. It was definetly an Adventure.

Plastic Shopping Bags- WFMW

Several years ago, a friend of mine told me this method of storing plastic shopping bags.
I find it handy to have a bag or two in my diaper bag, or purse, or in the car to be used for dirty diapers, wet swimsuits, trash, whatever.
Of course, you can wad up a bag and shove it into your purse, but they take up more room and are easily destroyed that way.
Begin with a regular bag.

Fold it in half lengthwise,

then in half again.


Fold up a triangle


continue folding it flag-style

Tuck in the end and ta-da,
you have a neat little bag ready to tuck into your purse for any use.

I do always feel a little bit like the anal-retentive chef when I do this, but it works for me!


Go here for more WFMW tips!

Sue

American Heroes Air Show

Have you ever been to, or heard of, the American Heroes Air Show?
Yes? tell us about your experience in the comments.
No? Now you know about it and you can attend this coming Saturday, July 11th, 9am-4pm at the Hansen Dam Recreation & Sports Complex.
Hansen Dam is located just off of the 210, Osborne exit in Lake View Terrace.

View Larger Map

My family has attended for several years and look forward to it each year. Did I mention that parking and entrance is free?

from heroes-airshow.com:

Established in Los Angeles in 1992, the American Heroes Air Show began as a grass-roots community effort to celebrate the dynamic role of helicopters in law enforcement, fire service, search and rescue, homeland security, communications and national defense. Today, this non-profit event is offered in seven major U.S. cities, enabling spectators from coast-to-coast the rare opportunity to view advanced military and civilian helicopters and meet the pilots who fly them.

The American Heroes Air Show features non-stop aerial demonstrations and excitement, including:

• Helicopter displays, flyovers and tactical demonstrations
• Interactive exhibits and hands-on family activities
• Public safety and emergency preparedness displays
• Helicopter rides
• Live local entertainment
• Public safety career fair
• Concessions

We always try to arrive early and we pack a lunch. We begin with a tour of the various helicopters around the field. Many are open and you can climb inside. Bring your camera because there are PLENTY of opportunities for photos.


Hope to see you there!