Tip # 76 From Mrs. Sunny

"Make homemade dishwasher detergent"

So I just finished my store bought dishwasher detergent and decided to look up recipes on making it homemade.

Here it is and I happened to have Borax and Washing Soda from the homemade laundry detergent I make:

1/2 Cup Borax

1/2 Cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)

1/4 Cup Kosher salt

2 packets lemonade mix (no sugar added)...some recipes call for 4 packets, but 2 packets worked just fine for me.

Just mix them all together in a lidded container and use 1 T. per dishwasher load! My dishes came out spotless! Enjoy!

Also, if you use a rinse aid, just put a little vinegar in the rinse aid section instead!

Tip #75 From Mrs. Sunny

"Seize the moment"

A few months ago Sunny won 5 free courses at our local Community Art Center from work and I was hoping to take art classes with Kristofer.

And actually, anyone from around here, each citizen gets one free course per year at the Art Center, so essentially Josh and I have 7 courses (which each run about 1 day a week for 6 weeks) to use by the end of the year!

I soon found out you have to be at least 5 years old and then I realized that Josh and I could just do something for ourselves for once!

I called last Tuesday thinking there were going to be basically art classes which would be fun, but then she said there was a guitar class that Friday. I was really excited. Just after we were married I bought Josh and I both a guitar. I can tune a guitar and play songs within the 15 chords that I know after taking a class in college for my education degree, but Josh hasn't had the time to learn so I thought this would be great for him and he actually gets off earlier on Friday.

But then the lady called back and said, "Mam, I'm sorry but I wasn't looking at the revised schedule. The class starts tonight." May I add that she called me less than 2 hours before the class started at 6:00 pm!

Well, I seized the moment and called everyone I knew to babysit for me, because Josh had to work late, and I was going to take this class! She said the classes would start over in the spring, so we'll call back for a guitar class for Josh.

So finally an old roommate happily said she could babysit. (Thank you!) I got the kids fed, changed, and I took off down the road. I got 2 blocks and realized I didn't have my guitar! (Kind of important for a guitar class, don't you think?!)

I was already running late for this 6:00 course. I went back for my guitar, and on my way back to the van realized my van was running with the keys locked inside...I rushed to the house and it was a miracle my spare key was on the counter and not in my purse sitting on the floor of the van!

Wow! You can tell I don't get out by myself much, I was soo excited I was forgetting everything! But I kept seizing the moment and pressed on...pressed on to the wrong building! I went to the Museum of Art and no one was there - I didn't realize this was a different building because apparently the Art Center just opened 2 years ago (that's how often I go downtown)! So I called the Art Center and they directed me thankfully only a few blocks further downtown and I made it...15 mintues late...but I made it!

As crazy as everyone's life gets, always seize the moment. Press on with a positive attitude and life will be much more enjoyable!

I can't wait for the next class on Tuesday! This time I will remember my guitar, and get to the right building, though!

Tip #74 From Mrs. Sunny

"Enjoy the special moments that winter brings with your children!"

I thought I would show a few pictures of what we've been up to this winter season already.

On the weekends my kids get pretty restless without my daycare kids around. Kristofer always asks, "My friends coming over today?" I have to say, "No, not on the weekend. We'll see them in a couple days on Monday!"

It takes some effort to keep them occupied and not fighting, but here are a few things we've been doing to keep busy!



Christmas cookies! I will always remember making Christmas cookies with my mom. I do have to admit I'm not a fan of how they taste, but the kids love them! We practiced "giving" this season by picking out cookies to give to their Uncle and his roommates!

We have also put up our Christmas tree and Nativity Scene. I love how Kristofer is at the perfect age for remembering traditions and understanding the meaning of Christmas. He was pretty hyped up about Santa and gifts and then I reminded him that it has to be Jesus' birthday party first. So he's excited about making a cake for Jesus!



Today was perfect for making our first snowman! We've been outside the past few weeks and Kristofer would get snow in his gloves and say, "It doesn't make a snowball!" Finally today it got warm enough to melt and here is our Mr. Snowman. I did most of the work as Kristofer was eating the snow, but he had fun putting the arms and face on him. And being pregnant I probably shouldn't have lifted that middle on the snowman, but Sunny was working and we had to get him done!

The kids love it outside and it brings back so many memories growing up on the farm in the winter. We would walk down the ditches to our creek and sled down the fields for hours. My parents sure trusted us!



And I end with a craft I found on another blog (I think "steadymom" - sorry about that and I don't know how to turn pictures...)

The kids enjoyed getting their foot tickled with white paint and gluing on all the pieces. I usually like crafts more hands-on for the kids, this was definitely a craft more for me since I had to do the cutting, but they were so cute I just had to. I'm planning on putting them in a frame and either giving them as a present or hanging them up in our house!

Merry Christmas to all and keep enjoying those memorable moments with your kids!

Tip #73 From Mrs. Sunny

My tip of the day is.... "Don't take advise from Mrs. Sunny on laundry!"



I don't have a good method of washing clothes. I'm not a "sorter" of colors that's for sure. I have one basket in the hallway where all clothes and towels go and in the laundry room there's 2 piles: 1 for towels and 1 for all other clothes. It just takes too much time sorting and I've had no problems with clothes running, so I don't sort. Not even the whites. Why do I need white socks in my shoes?

My ideas on laundry is of no fault to my mother who is very particular about sorting, washing, folding and putting away clothes nicely I must add!

I don't mind washing clothes, though, it's the folding of the clothes that never seems to get done fast enough. Right now there are about 3 baskets of clothes in our room and one in the dryer...not going to be a fun day tomorrow because that is my only goal to tackle (other than wipe noses, change diapers, feed mouths and play with kids all day!)

I don't have a good way of "folding" clothes either, mainly because I don't really fold. I dump all the clothes in a pile and make a pile for bathroom towels (those of which I fold and put in the linen closet...I do have a small basket for hand towels that I don't fold, though), kitchen towels (I just put in the drawer without folding), Kathryne's clothes, Kristofer's clothes (both of which I don't fold, I just put into the right drawers...on any given day Kristofer throws everything out of his drawers trying to find what to wear...no point in wasting my time!) my clothes (really don't fold, just put in the right drawers) and Josh's (which I do fold and hang up his nice shirts).

I sound really lazy about laundry and frankly I am. I can't stand folding clothes! In fact, when my mom comes over, if there's any spare moment she grabs a basket and folds for me. I tell her there's no need to fold the kids' clothes but she insists. I have taught Kristofer how to fold my hand towels in the small basket in our linen closet. I do think it's important to show your children how to do things the right way...slowly the kids can take over the folding when they learn how to keep their clothes in their dresser nicely! :)

I will take any advise on how to motivate myself to fold the clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer...I don't know if there's any advise other than just do it! I just don't like doing it and apparently Sunny doesn't like doing it, either! :)

Tip #72 From Mrs. Sunny

"Think about keeping the little kids home when buying gifts for family and friends
this holiday season"

We had a great presentation at church yesterday on the Sermon on the Mount. The speaker added his own 3 Beatitudes that we tend to focus more on in this media-filled world than the original Beatitudes.

The Beatitude for children that they hear everyday in the media is: "Blessed are those who buy things!"

I couldn't agree more that the media is bombarding our children...even our 2 and 3 year old children! Kristofer gets to watch one 1/2 hour cartoon in the afternoon before nap and maybe one 1/2 cartoon in the evening if I'm pulling my hair out waiting for Sunny to get home. I love how Nick Jr. is commercial-free, if there's a show on another station that Kristofer wants to watch, I make sure I turn it on just as the show is starting because they are just filled with commercials wanting to sell TOYS to kids!

So back to my tip: "Think about keeping the little kids home when buying gifts for family and friends this holiday season"

This evening I needed to buy yellow envelopes at the stored and thought I would get ahead on a few gifts for Kristofer's friends. Before I went in I explained how during Christmas we GIVE gifts to those we love like baby Jesus was given gifts when he was born. He said, "And a present for Kristofer and Kathryne?" I explained "No, just for your friends".

All went well until he saw a toy he wanted and it all went downhill. Kristofer is not ready to understand buying presents for his friends without thinking he needs something himself, so I am opting to keep him home this season and shop on my own.

I only bought my envelopes and Kristofer cried for his toy all the way through the store and in the line...another lesson to be learned!

As Kristofer gets older he'll understand, but it's not worth the "Gimme Gimme" struggles and it's not helping to teach him the lesson of giving. Maybe he can make gifts at home to add to the presents!

Just think about it.

Tip #71 From Mrs. Sunny

"Make a list of things that need to get done!"

This may seem like an obvious thing to do...but I learned how important it was to keep a list in college from one of my professors. If I don't write it down, it probably won't it done.

I can often be a procrastinator on things such as...window washing, cleaning the fridge, dusting the piano, vacuuming, going through the pile of bills on the counter, folding the clothes (I can't stand doing this and clothes will sit in the basket for days or all week)...you name it, I'll procrastinate as long as possible. There's always something better to do.

But lately I've been going back to my scribbled list of "Things To Do" and amazingly I'm accomplishing more. Just seeing what needs to be done helps. Every day I try and check just ONE thing off the list and by the end of the week it's all done! I must just like the feeling of checking things off and throwing the list away when it's all done!

Just remember your house will never be perfect...especially with kids...but this may help you keep your sanity and feel a little more on top of things around the house! I know it helps me!

Tip #70 From Mrs. Sunny

"Follow the ... 'Better late than never' policy"

So I finally got to the store and bought my 17 month old a toothbrush - gasp! I know, she has had those back teeth for months! I just kept forgetting! After an episode this past week I had to get Kristofer a new toothbrush and alas, I got Kathryne one as well. They were actually fighting over the double pack of toothbrushes all the way through the store - screaming and tears. I guess there are worse things to be fighting over like candy or a toy. :)

Here is why Kristofer needed a new toothbrush. As always, with 6 kids in the house during the day, grabbing 30 seconds to myself on the Ol' John is a rarity and when I do, it's like they know I'm not watching and someone always gets hurt or in trouble. But this past week it was quiet - I was enjoying my time until I come to the kitchen and Kristofer, Kathryne and Lucy (whom I watch) all have their hands in the peanut butter jar. This has been a classic for Kristofer the past 2 years and he finally drug the two little girls into it!

It was cute, though. I sent Kristofer to go wash his hands in the bathroom and he was taking forever! There was so much peanut butter on his fingers that it was stuck to the sink and he was trying to wash it off with his toothbrush...that toothbrush needless to say got thrown away! So we got new ones for the whole family!

Always remember it's better late than never!