Happy Birthday!

Our sweet little boy turned two last week, but today is birthday party day!  We'll be gathering with family and friends at Calvin's (and my) favorite park to celebrate.  Hopefully I'll remember to take some pictures and will share some of the fun :) 

 

Can't believe this sweet, smiley boy is two already!  The years have flown by and he has just been the joy of our lives.  He makes us laugh constantly and is so loving.  We are so excited to watch him welcome his new sister into our lives in just a few weeks.  He is going to be such a good helper, entertainer, and protector of his "tiny". 

We love you sweet boy!! 

Homemade Laundry Soap

In an effort to cut costs and eliminate a few icky chemicals from our house, I have been making our own laundry soap for over a year now.  And if you couldn't tell, then it's probably working, right??  :)  I was blown away when I saw how easy the recipe was on a friend's blog so I thought I'd give it a shot.  And I haven't bought laundry soap for over a year.  The ingredients are super cheap and last FOREVER.  Forever as in I think I've only bought most of them once...ever!!  There have been loads that have required a little extra umph, like baby spit up or poo, and for those loads I have added a scoop or two of oxyclean.  But I would have done that with normal detergent too. 

The recipe I use comes from The Family Homestead blog...which is full of great recipes, household cleaners, organizing tips, and budgeting ideas.  It really is the easiest thing in the world, and if you are looking to cut costs in any area of your home, this is probably the easiest. 

Ingredients
1 bar soap OR 1/3 bar of fels naptha (a stronger soap, found on the detergent aisle)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
water

Supplies
2 gallon bucket
large pot
wooden spoon (or something to stir with)
cheese grater

Instructions

1. Grate soap into a sauce pan.  You'll want to grate it completely, not just chop it up because it will take quite a while to melt if the chunks are too big.  I'd also suggest wearing rubber gloves if you are using fels naptha because it can be a little irritating on your skin if you handle it too long. 
2. Add 6 cups water and heat on medium until the soap melts, stirring occassionally. 
3. Add washing soda and borax and stir until dissolved.  Remove from heat. 
4. Pour 4 cups hot water into 2 gallon bucket, then add soap mixture. 
5. Add 1 gallon (16 cups) plus another 6 cups water and stir. 
6. Allow to sit for about 24 hours, then it's ready to use!  The consistency should be something like egg flower soup, with some thicker chunks, but mostly liquid.  Use about 1/2 cup per load of laundry. 

If you like scented detergent, you can use any scent of essential oil.  I believe the original recipe calls for .5 to 1 ounce, but today is the first time I used fragrance and I think I put in about 1/2 of the .5 ounce bottle of orange blossom oil.  We'll see how it turns out :) 

If you have a lot of space to store the detergent in the 2 gallon bucket close to your washer, great.  I don't, so I have a smaller bucket that I keep by the washer, and store the big bucket in the bathroom.  Some people also fill their favorite laundry detergent container and use that instead.  Whatever you like :) 

I have also successfully doubled the batch and the detergent still turns out just great. 

Happy laundry soap making!!

Too Cute

These were just too cute to not share :)  I love when I find Calvin somewhere unexpected, or doing something oh so cute...and he actually stays that way until I can get my camera!!  Word of advice...if you can save up for a fancy camera if you don't already have one when you have kids, do it!!  There were so many cute things and expressions I missed because my camera was so stinking slow!  Never again :) 

Working on a new song

My little refugee baby!  I found him this way at the end of his rest time. 

Summer Catch Up

My kid is suddenly a sleeper.  He's always gone down easily for bed times and naps, but I had grown so accustomed to his 1 1/2 hours of napping each day, that now I don't know what to do with myself!  He has been napping for over three hours...and this has become the norm.  Now, I'm not complaining...it's just wierd :)  So I thought I would take the opportunity to blog :) 

Our summer has been very fun!  Nothing too exciting, no great, grand adventures, but we've been enjoying the sunshine around here.  It's been pretty mild weather wise, which I am just fine with.  And with this new extended nap schedule, a good chunk of the afternoon is spent inside, so I don't mind when we have cloudy or rainy days.  This time two years ago, I was 9 months pregnant with Calvin and Jake would come home to me crying on the couch with my feet in cold water because it was so bloody hot outside!  So we'll just say this pregnant summer has been much more pleasant. 

A few of the highlights of our summer so far:

• Berry picking...I LOVE fresh berries, and I LOVE having a freezer full of strawberries and raspberries to use throughout the year.  I'm also going to make jam :) 
• Swimming!  We have a pool at our apartment complex and we have been taking full advantage of it on these hot days. 
• We spent the 4th of July up in Blaine, like we do every year, with my mom's side of the family.  We didn't stay to enjoy the fireworks, but came home, put the baby to bed, and were able to see the tippy top of the Bellingham bay show. 
• Woodland Park Zoo...we took Cal to the zoo for the first time and he was so excited to see all the "naminimals". 
• Calvin enjoyed his first ice cream cone at grandma and grandpa Eschbach's
• Jake and I were able to stay in Seattle and see Les Miserables for our 4 year anniversary
• And we've spent lots of time with both sets of grandparents, playing in the yard, learning about Calvin's deep love for the hose and lawnmowers. 

First ice cream cone...handled it like a champ :)

Enjoying an afternoon on Lummi Island

The world's happiest strawberry picker...we definitely got our money's worth!

Calvin continues to keep us busy and cause us to fall into bed at the end of the day...well, him and a couple episodes of "Breaking Bad", our latest addiction :)  He is just such a funny kid and we enjoy him so much.  It is going to be so much fun seeing how he welcomes his baby sister into our world in just a few short months!  One of his best friends just had a baby sister and he is IN LOVE with her! 

Calvin Lately:

• His favorite things are "mi mowmow" (lawnmowers).  I swear the kid can hear someone mowing their lawn a mile away. 
• He wants to "see" EVERYTHING and he'll pull his little stool up to me in the kitchen or wherever I am, constantly.  It's mostly cute :) 
• He really enjoys the pool, especially when daddy comes.  He absolutely adores the hot tub, however, and would gladly sit on the top step of the hot tub all day than be in the pool. 
• The kid can jump!  Like, both feet off the ground and all around the house (which, according to my weekly babycenter.com emails is a skill that shouldn't develop for months...ha! so advanced)  I think that's what helps him sleep so well...he is in constant motion. 
• He is so loving, gives kisses and squeezes and now says "I wuv wu" after each kiss.  Melts my heart! 
• He doesn't seem ready for potty training yet, which is ok because I don't think I am either.  He'll point to the toilet and say "pee pee", but as soon as I sit him down, he's all done.  No hurries here :) 
• He is still in his crib and has never once (to our knowledge) come close to climbing out.  I'm really surprised actually, but I think he just really loves sleeping, so we're going to go with the crib until it's time for baby sister to use it, I guess :) 
• He likes to hold hands and pray before meals or snacks, and he says amen when we're through.  It's so cute :) 



More Meals!

Woohoo!  Two weeks in a row of being prepared!  I love not having to think when it comes to "what's for dinner".  I'm also trying to do a better job of planning out snacks, breakfast, and lunches, but that's a work in progress.  I've been on a "mix" kick lately.  So far, I've made my own bisquick mix and brownie mix, and I'm wanting to make my own pancake mix once I have all the ingredients.  I don't know if it's exactly saving me money, since I wouldn't normally buy mixes, but it definitely saves me time, and it really doesn't take any fancy ingredients. 

I basically start to melt when it gets over 80 degrees, and since summer has finally arrived here in the Northwest, I'm trying to do as little cooking as possible!  These are the days when freezer meals come in handy!  Almost no prep time, so Cal and I can spend our afternoon at the pool, then pop dinner in the oven and done! 

Here's our week in meals...

Sunday - Tacos...pretty much my favorite meal ever!

Monday - Leftover tacos, or picnic at the lake with sandwiches

Tuesday - Cilantro Lime chicken with red beans and rice

Wednesday - Sweet and Sour Meatballs with rice (freezer meal)

Thursday - Chicken Satay with rice (another freezer meal)

Friday - homemade hamburgers and (hopefully!?) homemade buns!

Saturday - down at my folks for the day :) 

Happy sunny week!! 

My week in meals

I have been neglecting my meal planning miserably lately!  It started to go downhill around week 10 of my pregnancy, when it took everything in me to stomach a handful of crackers and some applesauce for dinner.  Yes, my poor family did suffer.  But I no longer have any excuses.  And not only does meal planning typically save me money, it saves me from having to think about dinner during the week, which is my favorite part. 

As I think about what life with two kids will be like, I am getting more and more motivated to plan ahead and stock my freezer.  So this is the beginning of my attempt to get back into planning mode!  Go me!!

And I have links to all the meals that aren't my own creation over on my Pinterest page, under "this weeks meals"...brilliant, I know :) 

This week's meals...

Sunday: Broccoli and Cheddar soup with homemade French Bread

Monday:  Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

Tuesday:  Mexican Casserole

Wedesnday:  Kale and Spinach Soup

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:  Homemade Taco Pizza

Saturday:  Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken with potatoes

He thinks he's 2 already...

...Terrible Twos that is!!  I know everyone has different experiences with the "terrible" age, but I'm pretty sure we are entering ours, and Calvin isn't even two yet!  Within the last week or so, we have seen a drastic change in his behavior.  The positive thing is, there has been a change in ALL his behavior.  So while his temper is shorter and he is much more opinionated, he is also significantly sweeter, funnier, and has TONS of personality!  Even with the challenges, it has been a blast to be this kids mom!  We're learning how to deal with the tantrums, how to explain why we punish him, and how to get on the same page with how to deal with behavior issues. 

Such a little monkey!

Maybe this is crazy, but I actually think it's adorable to hear Calvin say "no".  And I appreciate that he can express his opinions now, in ways other than just screaming or crying.  That doesn't mean I allow him to tell me "no" for certain things, but I can't help but smile :) 

This is Analynne...Calvin loves her and someday, they will get married :) 

Pregnancy has been going well.  I'm still experiencing a bit of morning sickness, but it's over as soon as I dry heave...lovely, I know :)  It's crazy how much faster this pregnancy is going, just like everyone told me it would.  There are days I don't even have time to think about the little one growing inside of me, because I'm so busy chasing around the one that's already here!  I have been feeling little kicks for the last few weeks, but I'm so excited for them to get stronger and feel more movement...that is my absolute favorite part of pregnancy.  We have our ultrasound to find out the gender on June 11, and I'm sure it will be on my mind more once I get to start shopping :) 

Helping daddy in the kitchen!

Calvin has grown up so much in the past weeks, and Jake and I feel like he is going to be the perfect age to be a big brother, once baby comes.  He has met a few teeny babies recently and is so sweet with them.  He loves to hold babies, for about five seconds.  And he loves to point out their eyes and nose, and give sweet kisses.  He is also becoming such a good helper.  He loves to help me unload the silverware from the dishwasher, load laundry, and he can even climb into his own car seat and stroller.  He loves to throw things away, too, and I'm sure he'll become a great "picker upper" for mommy once my tummy gets bigger. 

Yep...he's munching on a lettuce leaf :) 

Life is good and we continue to feel extremely blessed!