A Vitamix / Blendtec giveaway

A very good friend of mine adopted a girl from Eastern Europe about 6 weeks ago. I was privileged enough to go with her on her second trip there to bring her daughter home. She had her youngest (who was still breastfeeding) with her and needed a second pair of hands. It is a challenge to afford an adoption. My friend's family is raising money to fund a second adoption. Their daughter is waiting for them. Please follow this link to their blog to enter and win a Vitamix or Bledtec mixer. These mixers are awesome. They are a must have when feeding your family real whole foods.

Blentec

Vitamix

                                                                             

5 little Hogelands waiting for their sister

Check out The Hogeland's blog to enter this giveaway or just keep up with their journey....

http://6littlehogelands.blogspot.com/2012/04/blendtecvitamix-giveaway.html

Homemade lavender and sandalwood lotion

My newest batch of homemade lotion turned out pretty good. I collected all of my ingredients and set some water to boil in my favorite teapot. It is cast iron and it just makes me happy. I steeped some dried lavender in the hot water. I used this instead of just plain water to add a little umph and scent to my lotion. (OK, I was out of lavender essential oil and I who doesn't like lavender?) I planned on using some sandalwood scent too for a change. You can see castor oil in my list of ingredients but I didn't use it this time. I got carried away and actually forgot to add it. I didn't skimp on the liquid oil though. I just used almond oil for all of the liquid oil component. Here is a list of the ingredients and amounts I used....

3/8 cup + 2 teaspoons liquid oil (I like to use almond oil with some castor oil)

1 1/2 teaspoons solid oil (I like coconut oil and shea butter)

3 3/4 teaspoons natural vegetable wax (I use palm wax)

1/2 teaspoon Borax

1 1/4 teaspoon vegetable glycerin

3/8 cup + 2 3/4 teaspoons water or herb infused water

2 vitamin E capsules (cut and squeezed into oil)

5 drops of grapefruit seed extract (to help preserve)

4 drops of sandalwood essential oil (I didn't want a lot of scent for this batch)

Combine the liquid oils, solid oils, vitamin E, and wax in one bowl or pot. Combine the water, Borax, and vegetable glycerin in another bowl or pot. Heat them separately trying not to bowl or go over 165 degrees. When the solids are all melted combine them together and keep stirring as it all cools. It will start to thicken up as it cools. Add the essential oils and grapefruit seed extract now. If you add it too soon when it is too warm it will evaporate. If you slow down on stirring the oil will separate. I don't have an electric mixer so I get a little workout or I enlist the kids to stir. And voila... you have homemade lotion!

Pool fun

It may be small but they can get wet.....  The weather is getting hotter every day and the kids need to cool off. What better way than with a kiddie pool.

The right to have a homebirth

I am in a few birthing groups online and on facebook. One of those groups is in support of a mom who is trying hard to have her dream of a Midwife assisted homebirth. This mother had a c-section with her first birth and wishes for a VBAC at home with a Midwife. Her insurance does not cover this birth choice. At least her choice is legal in her state. Here in my state homebirths with a Midwife in attendance are illegal. Her friends have started a fundraiser to help her family pay for her Midwife fees. You can go find the group on facebook to learn more and help out this mother reach her goal. There are weekly auctions going on where you can bid on items. All proceeds go towards the fundraiser.  I have donated several items from my Etsy store Motherly Creations to help out. One of my items from last week included some worry beads I made. I shipped them off today to their winner all the way in South Korea. Go visit the group's page on facebook and see what is up for bid this week.

34 weeks (give or take...)

Rug making with the kids....

I came across a pin on Pinterest for this activity. You take old t-shirts and cut them into strips and use a hoop and voila! The big girls had a lot of fun making their small rugs. For a first try i think they did great. Evan had a hard time staying on track. He gets so frustrated when every little thing goes wrong or every little "imagined" thing goes wrong. He gives up so easily. He has a hard time enjoying the process of any activity. He just wants to be finished and on top of that he feels he has to be better and faster than everyone else.

Backyard fun....

Before the rain started again the kids spent some time in the backyard. Our yard is small but it meets their imagination just fine. I know in their memories the "shrub" they climb will be remembered as a huge tree. The drainage ditch will become "the river" in their backyard......

Pattern work

Evan was playing with some colored popsicle sticks and worked on making a pattern....

Lemonade Stand

Lyn and her friend have a lemonade stand set up. Of course Evan and Eliot wanted to go get some. I think they actually made $2.

What did you find in your yard today?

I was putting some rock back around my plant bed after dad cut the grass. I spotted something bright hiding out in my fennel plant. I called Evan and Eliot over to check it out. Three fat caterpillars were hanging out. What did you find in your yard today?

Another fun day at the library

I took Evan, Eliot, Lyn, and Annika to the library to see a short Scoooby Doo play. Of course a day with Scooby Doo would not be complete without pizza. The library provided a little pizza party afterwards.....