Homemade Laundry Detergent

We go through A LOT of laundry at our house.  Actually it is a bit ridiculous and something that we are working on.  Laundry detergent is one of those things that we use so quickly I just couldn't stand spending a lot of money on it.  We have been making our own for a couple months and I am hooked.  

Here is what you will need:

3 cups borax

1 bar of soap (We use Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile soap in peppermint and lavender, but you can use whatever you have on hand)

2 cups washing soda (this can be found in the laundry section of the grocery store)

2 cups baking soda

A container big enough to hold it, we have this glass container that I love.  This container is big enough to allow us to triple the recipe, so of course yours does not need to be this big!

The first thing you need to do is grate the bar soap.   I suggest removing the bar of soap from it's  package and letting it sit out for at least an hour.  This will dry it out a bit and make it easier to grate.

Now all you need to do is mix the measured ingredients.  Use 2 tablespoons for an extra large load.  Yep, it is that easy!  

This recipe will give you 72 extra large loads of laundry.  From my (very rough) calculations it cost us about $4 to make.  Compared to Seventh Generation Powdered Detergent, we are saving about $15 each time we make this recipe!  

Here are some other laundry tips...

1. Instead of using fabric softener in your wash fill a downy ball half way with vinegar, and throw it in when you start the load.  This will leave your clothes feeling very soft.  If you do not have a downy ball just add about 1/4 cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle.  Don't worry, your clothes will not smell like vinegar, it all rinses out.

2. Instead of using fabric softener sheets in the dryer put 2 drops of essential oil on a washcloth and throw it in with your clothes.  This will give your clothes a little extra scent.  I have not tried this, because Sam and I have very sensitive skin and are very sensitive to smells.  The smell of the bar soap is plenty for me.

3. When drying anything heavy, such as towels or jeans hang them on a drying rack or a laundry line for a few hours, then throw them in the dryer until dry.  This will shorten the time you are running the dryer, but your clothes will still feel fresh from the dryer.  Win, win!  We have been doing this for about a year and noticed a drop in our electric bill!

I hope this helps!

2010 Recap

2010 was the year of “Being Green” for the Murphy Family. We made several resolutions as a family all revolving around being aware of our actions and how these actions effect our bodies and our world. We made some big steps in the right direction and decided this will be a continual effort as we really enjoyed using our resources wisely and seeing the effect this had on our outlook and our monthly bills.

The first thing we changed was adding a large garbage can in our kitchen to be used for recycling. Before, we were making trips to the garage every time we had something to recycle. We found that this wasn't practical and when in a hurry we would just throw stuff away instead of taking the time to recycle. In a year, we have found that we are now recycling more then we are throwing away.

The second thing we changed was making a weekly menu plan and sticking to a grocery list when shopping. How is this a “green” step? First, we are not buying food we will not eat so we have less waste. Second, we cut our grocery bill in half, this allows us to purchase mostly organic and support companies who are furthering our efforts. While making our weekly menus we plan on having leftovers for lunches, this also cuts our consumption and provides more nutrition instead of the boxed or frozen “quick-meals” that we were eating.

The third thing we did was install a rain barrel. Harvesting rain will allow us to decrease our water usage in the spring and summer. Also, I have been intrigued to see the benefits of using rain water to water your indoor plants. Less water used and added nutrients. Win, win!

The final thing we did was start a compost bin. This is something that I have been interested in, but, frankly, I was afraid to take the step! Seems like it would turn into a huge rotting pile of grossness. However after 6 months of research I decided to take the leap. We have been composting for 3 weeks, adding and rotating our bin every 3-4 days. So far, so good! I cannot wait to see the benefits this adds to my garden this summer!

Now I know some of you are asking, “Why?” I am not disillusioned enough to believe that our efforts are going to save the planet or reverse decades of bad decisions. Honestly, my motives have nothing to do with global warming or the ozone layer. I put my time and effort into these things for 2 reasons: First, I want to do what is best for my family. For me this means avoiding chemicals and additives that cause rashes, headaches and bloating (just to name a few). Our family has noticed a huge change in these things since using natural products and remedies. Second, I believe that God has blessed us with every resource we have. It is important to me to use these resources wisely. Whether it is our income or the abundance of rain we get in the northwest, we can use these things to provide for our happy and healthy families.

I am very proud of the changes we have made in 2010. We have grown individually and as a family. We are moving forward in God's calling for us and have found more purpose in our everyday lives. I believe that 2011 will bring just as much growth and purpose. I am excited to see where we will be this time next year.

Our dirty little secrets.

We all have them.  My dirty secrets hide under my kitchen counters, above my kitchen counters, in the pantry, shoot they even hide in the hall closet.  What I am talking about are those places that never seem to be clean or organized.   

Like this...

I work really hard at keeping the kitchen presentable.  Well, at least 10 minutes to presentable.  I clean as I am cooking or baking, I unload the dishwasher the first chance I have and I have mastered the art of cleaning, disinfecting and shining my counters and sink with a single lemon.  Yet I still have the uncontrollable clutter and chaos living in my cupboards.  

Such as this...

The main reason this drives me crazy is because I spend a lot of time in the kitchen.  I love cooking and baking, however I do not love searching high and low for something that should be in the utensil drawer.  I was also never taught how a workable kitchen should be arranged.  I have learned what is convenient for me, but I am certain there is an easier way.  So I have decided to do something about it...and so begins our next series.

To take my cupboards from this...

To this...

...or something like it.  I am not striving for perfection here, just something manageable that will make my life easier.  

Yes, all these cluttered cupboards are mine, and there will be many more before and after pictures along the way.  Side note: when I opened up the pantry to take the before picture several things came tumbling out, haha, think it is about time!

Decking the Halls: Preparing our home for Christmas

I have so many wonderful memories of Christmas. The sights, sounds and smells of a warm home filled with a happy family. Through Jr. High and High school we lived in a beautiful house, my step-mom did a fantastic job decorating every inch of it or Christmas. I loved sitting in the living room, sipping hot cocoa and being warmed by the fireplace, there was a beautifully decorated tree and garland wrapped around the banister. My sister would fill the house with beautiful music from her current instrument of choice. Even as a teenager I remember thinking “I do not want to forget these moments”.
As Ryan and I are building our family and creating our home I am passionate about giving Sam these wonderful memories too. I believe that these memories happen in the small things, not necessarily the Christmas parties or other planned events. I also believe that when you stimulate more of your senses, memories are bound to be created.
Here are some of the things I have been doing:
Sights: I love decorating for Christmas. Last year as we were putting away our decorations I got rid of any that did not have sentimental meaning or that I didn’t love. This actually cut our decorations in half. I then shopped the after Christmas clearance; I spent $30 and picked up a new table cloth, placemats, beads for the tree, supplies for a Christmas wreath and 2 adorable statues. This year when I opened our Christmas boxes it was like an early gift to myself! I had so much fun putting up our new purchases and remembering everything I had bought. I am so happy with our decorations this year. We still have significantly less than we did last year, however now we love each and every one.
Sounds: In the Murphy house we begin listening to Christmas music the week before Thanksgiving (I know, I know). When Sam and I are home in the evening I love playing carols softly in the background. I find myself singing the lyrics to Sam, many of the old carols have profound lyrics about the reason for Christmas and what our reaction should be. What a great way to start speaking these truths into Sam’s life.
We also have several bells throughout our house. Sam found these in record time and enjoys making his own music. Something so simple, but helps remind me what time of year it is.
Now if only we could find the volume control of the toddler…
Smells: I learned a new trick this year; actually I am not even sure where I picked it up, but it totally sets the scene in our home. I fill a small sauce pot halfway with water, then I add various spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, whatever you like), bring it to a boil on the stove then reduce the heat to low. If I am home, I just let this sit on low all day; this mimics the pot of water on our woodstove as a child. Of course, check the water level periodically and add water when necessary. This makes our home smell so wonderful! It also adds a lot of moisture into the air, which helps combat the dry air the heater creates. I usually have terribly dry skin this time of year, this has helped so much.
Also, whenever I am home, you can be certain there is a candle (or 2) lit. There are so many wonderful scents this time of year, and this creates such a wonderful, warm environment.
Your turn…what are the things you do this time of year to set the scene?

Life Lessons

This has been a very trying week in the Murphy household.  Among other things, my Grandma Martin was put on hospice.  After leading a very happy and fulfilling life she is suffering from heart failure and was given about 2 weeks to live.  

She is completely at peace with her diagnosis.  She is a wonderful Christian women and is ready to go home.  Spending time with her the past couple days has made me remember several important things.  The most important is this:

When asked what she has learned in her full life and what she would like to pass down to her family she said this: "Be considerate and love people."  She went on to tell a story about a neighbor boy she grew up with.  They were the same age and were friendly towards each other (she went on to say this had nothing to do with sex, which is young peoples problem today, but that's another story).  When she got married and moved to the other side of town she didn't see that boy again.  Just this year she attended a friend's funeral and was introduced to that boy.  She said "I am real happy I was friendly with that boy, because you never know who you will meet later".

I love this.  It is such a simple concept yet so many people forget it or never learned it.  In today's culture it is more common to burn a bridge then it is to loose touch with somebody.  How many of us have ducked into the other aisle when we see a familiar face coming towards us?  

At the end of this dear women's life this is what she held onto.  She was friendly to everyone and "never met anybody she couldn't love real well."  What a great example.

Keeping Christ in Christmas: Names of God Garland

I have mentioned before my passion for remembering the reason why we celebrate each holiday and removing the commercialism from our family traditions.  While doing this I have been coming up with some creative craft ideas to help us focus our attention on God and incorporate more scripture in our home.

Here is my latest project...

Names of God Garland

Here is what you need:

Construction paper or cardstock

Wrapping paper

Scissors

Glue

Yarn (I used about 6ft)

You can choose to either write the names, in which case you will need a sharpie, or you can print the names.

1) Cut out 12 circles from the construction paper, I used the lid to a baby food jar as a guide.

2) Write some names of God on the circles, here are the ones we used, but of course use whatever ones resonate with you...

Yahweh, Jehovah, Master, Father, Adoni, Elohim

Then we used some Jehovah compound names such as:

Jehovah Rophe- The Lord our healer

Jehovah Uzzi- The Lord my strength

Jehovah Eli- The Lord my God

Jehovah Shalom- The Lord our Peace

Jehovah Sali- The Lord my Rock

Jehovah Jireh- The Lord our Provider

3) Cut out 12 circles from the wrapping paper, you will want them a little larger then the construction paper circles, I used the rim of a pint jar as a guide

4) Now it is time to glue the circles together and onto the yarn.  Put some glue on the back of the construction paper circle

5) Lay a wrapping paper circle face up, underneath the yarn

6) Add the other circle on top, basically you are sandwiching the yarn between the 2 circles.

7) Continue to add the circles every 3-4 inches.  Until all the circles are added.  You will end up with this...

You can use it like this or add more decorations like stickers or glitter.

Now you can add this anywhere in your home.  We cut down our Christmas Tree today, I cannot wait to get it decorated and add our new homemade garland!  Another great idea would be to make or purchase a garland of greenery, wrap your homemade garland around it and hang it over a doorway.

I hope this gets some creative juices flowing and encourages you to focus on Christ this Christmas!

What I am thankful for...

In July 2009, my first birthday as a mother, Ryan gave me a scrapbook filled with pictures of our first month with Sam. There is our first picture as a family, taken as the doctors were patching me up from an emergency C-section. There are pictures of Sam’s stay in the NICU, his first pictures in his new world, his face covered in tubes to help him breath and eat, pictures of him getting progressively better then, eventually, of him illuminated in blue from the Billi-blanket to heal Jaundice, the last thing he had to conquer before coming home. There are pictures from our first outings as a family, complete with wires from Sam’s heart-rate monitor (which was cause for stress and tension every waking and sleeping moment as we adjusted to parenthood).
Then the priceless pictures of him wire and tube-free, exploring his new world like any other infant.
About a month ago Sam found this scrapbook. It has been his favorite “story” book every day since. He loves looking at the pictures, pointing out “mama”, “dada” and “samsam” as we retell him the story.
He doesn’t understand what great obstacles he overcame at a very young age. He doesn’t understand that his infancy was any different than other kids. He doesn’t understand the priceless lessons he taught “mama” and “dada” as he fought his battles.
Sam is quickly becoming a little man. Each day needing less and less of “mama” and “dada”. As this transition happens it makes me marvel at what we have walked through, how much we have grown and the lessons we have learned.
Each time Sam brings me the scrapbook, gives me his best smile and vigorously rubs his chest “please” I cannot help but be overwhelmed with thankfulness. I am thankful for the blessing of witnessing God’s miracles as he healed Sam. I am thankful for an amazing, happy and healthy little man. Most of all, I am thankful for a loving and faithful God whose grace has proved to be more than enough.
I am confident that God has amazing plans for Sam. I hope that as we retell Sam the story of his battles, and most importantly his victory over them, that God will plant an amazing purpose in him to use this story for God’s glory.

Thanksgiving Tree

As the holidays are quickly approaching I have begun searching for the perfect holiday traditions.   

This has become no small feat.  I am looking for something that is unique, that will teach the meaning of the holiday, and that breaks away from the American "Norm" and focuses on our family values.

In my search I found several variations of "Thanksgiving Trees".   I loved this idea for several reasons, one being that Sam can participate!

We started off with a tree trunk cut from construction paper and then started cutting leaves from different colors of construction paper.  On the leaves we wrote things we are thankful for during this season.  Sam helped by coloring a few of the leaves.  We added leaves for about a week, as we thought of things to be thankful for.  

Here is what we ended up with:

It is on the mirrors by our front door.  Maybe this will set the scene of thankfulness as our family comes to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday!

Some of the things we are especially thankful for this year:

Jobs, Family Time, Sam's giggles, Indoor plumbing, Warm house, Hot coffee, Health, Family to spend the holidays with, Full pantry, Healthy relationships and the ability to give.

In our efforts to bring more scripture into our home, we added a bible verse, which you will see on the right side of the tree.  I have been studying Colossians this month and have really been challenged with things I take for granted, and living a life of thankfulness.  It is amazing how your perspective changes when you search for something to be thankful for in every situation.  I love that as I pass the tree each morning I am reminded of the scripture God gave us and to be thankful throughout the day.  

I hope this inspires you to get creative and to live a life of thankfulness!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Rainy Day Activity Series, Part 3

Activity for today...Finger-painting. 

I know, I know.  You all think I am crazy.  But read on cause I found a way to do it with no paint and no mess!

Materials:

Hand soap

Hard surface (we use the coffee table)

Squirt some soap on the table and let the kiddos go to town moving it around and creating their "art".  Yes it is that easy!

Sam loves art, however most of the time his art creates more of a mess then I have the time or patience to clean up.  With this activity I don't have to worry about Sam getting paint everywhere and he thinks it is so much fun!!!  Another benefit is the coffee table is always shiny!

Rainy day Activity Series, 2

Awesome activity and incredibly easy to set up.

Spoons and Tongs

Materials:

2 shallow bowls

Large serving spoon

Kitchen Tongs

Small toys or Marshmallows

Set bowls side by side on table, fill one bowl with small toys or marshmallows (we use finger puppets that we got from IKEA.)  Use serving spoon to scoop up the toys and transfer them to the other bowl.

When Sam gets restless with this we put the spoon away and use tongs to do the same thing. When he gets restless with the tongs we bring the spoon back out and make “soup” and pretend to eat it.  This keeps Sam entertained for about 20 minutes.  Not only does this keep him busy but I have noticed a huge increase in his motor skills and he is finally attempting to use a spoon while eating!

This is a great activity to use when you need to keep the kiddo entertained while you clean or get stuff done around the house.  The worse they can do is use the bowls and spoons as drums.  A little noise never hurt anybody right?

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Spice Latte

(this makes about 16 ounces, so enjoy it on an evening alone or double it!)

1 cup milk

1 rounded tablespoon of pumpkin pie filling

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup coffee

Combine milk, pie filling and vanilla in a small sauce pot. Warm over medium heat while stirring with a whisk. The harder you stir the more air that will be incorporated into the milk. You want the milk nice and foamy. When milk begins steaming add coffee, warm until it is just how you like it. (I like my coffee tepid so I mixed in coffee and then moved it to cup.) Pour into cup. Top with whip cream and some pumpkin pie spice (I didn't have whip cream and couldn't wait, don't worry it still tastes incredible). This took about 2 minutes to do. I have waited much longer in line at Starbucks or Dutch Bros.

Another bonus? This is less fat and sugar then the creamer we normally use. AND I bought organic pumpkin pie filling which consists of pumpkin puree and spices. No fillers, unnecessary sugars, or ingredients we can't pronounce.  

I have pumpkin puree in the freezer that I made a while back, I will let post the variation of using this instead of the pie filling soon.

Rainy Day Activity Series, 1

I have a very busy son. He has always been busy. Even as an infant, if he was awake he wanted to be entertained or moving. His energy/craziness level has only increased since becoming a toddler. I contribute a lot of this to being a boy and Ryan being his dad.

With the weather changing and running outside not being an option every day, we have had to get very creative with activities to keep him busy and help focus some of his energy.  A few weeks ago Ryan and I decided to take 20-30 minutes of our individual time with him as "school time".  During this time we do 1 fun learning activity, 1 active play activity and then read some books.

We have found that giving Sam this focused time has helped a lot.  We don't feel like we are always saying "No" or chasing after him as he finds new things he shouldn't get into.  Basically gives us a time set aside each day to enjoy some shared experiences while we are cooped up in the house this winter.

I am going to post some of the activities throughout the next couple of weeks.  I hope this helps give you some ideas to keep your kiddos busy and your family sane this winter.  

Here is the activity for today:

Materials:

1lb dried beans

A few bowls, tupperware or pots

Misc. kitchen utensils

We emptied the beans into 1 bowl.  Let Sam play and explore with the beans.  The learning part of this was showing him how to "measure" the beans with some measuring cups or showing him how to scoop them up with a spoon and transfer them to another bowl.  We also had fun "burying" things in the beans.  The beans kept him busy for almost 25 minutes and then he helped me pick them up and put them away (in a gallon ziploc bag).  Once they were picked up and the bag was zipped he played with the bag and beans for another 5 minutes.  Sam had so much fun with this activity.  The bag is now labeled "Sam's beans" and put away for more fun later.  

The hardest part of this activity was Sam LOVES to snack on boiled beans so he was constantly trying to eat the dried beans.  Towards the end he was catching on that the beans were for playing not eating.

Baby Wipes

Buying Organically

As I have mentioned before, it is important to me to provide my family with safe, healthy meals.  Many times this means buying organically.  However, sometimes our budget does not allow for me to buy completely organically.  This is where the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15" come in.

Each is a list of fruits and veggies.  The "Dirty Dozen" being those which you should avoid or only buy organically and the "Clean 15" being those which are OK to buy non-organic.  

The USDA and FDA test the levels of pesticides and other chemicals in the fruits and veggies.  The lists are published each year by the Environmental Working Group to help consumers interpret the data gathered by the USDA and the FDA.

Here is the flyer published by the Environmental Working Group, complete with a wallet sized copy of both lists.

http://www.foodnews.org/sneak/EWG-shoppers-guide.pdf

I hope this not only provides your family with safe, healthy meals but maybe lower your grocery budget too!

Re-Usable Wipes

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

Walking through trials

I believe that God made trials. I believe that God has a pure desire to see us become the best version of ourselves, this is done through trials. Many people bend or break under the pressure, not realizing that when they break or give up God has to start again. Generally, this involves going through the same type of trial.
So what should our reaction be? The bridge of the song “The Stand” by Hillsong has stuck with me all week:
I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned.
In awe of the one who gave it all.
I'll stand, my soul Lord to you surrendered.
All I am is Yours.

I believe that when we surrender ourselves to him and allow him to work on our imperfections he will return a product that is pure and reflects him.

The odd part about it all is this: as humans (or maybe just me) when we are in the midst of trials our first reaction is to run or hide. It is as if we are begging somebody to take the burden. Maybe that is because that is what we were made to do.

We were not meant to deal with life's difficulties on our own. We were not meant to shoulder the burden. God walks us through trials so that we can turn to him. When we are in the midst of pain God is there waiting for us to reach out to him. He is waiting for us to offer him the pain, trials and burdens.

One thing I have been working on recently is trusting the facts more then my feelings. I can be a very emotional person and my heart comes up with all sorts of feelings. Sometimes, these feelings are created out of anger, hurt or sin. These feelings should not be treated as fact. For example, when Ryan doesn't thank me for the extra work I put into to cleaning the house. This makes me feel like he doesn't appreciate me or my efforts. When I am having a really bad day I can even convince myself that he doesn't love me. But those are merely feelings. The fact is that Ryan loves and appreciates me very much and does a great job expressing that. Now how does this relate to God and this song...when I sing the words “heart abandoned” I am picturing abandoning all of my “feelings” that may have been hindering my relationship with God. (please note: this is just my interpretation). For example, God walked me through some intense trials this week. My feelings were telling me that I should be mad at God. My feelings were telling me that if God was a loving father he would not have allowed these things to happen. However, these are feelings, not facts! The facts are that God loves me so deeply that I will never fully understand. He has shown me this countless times in my walk with him. So as I sing this song this week I am pushing aside all of the feelings of anger, pain and worry and I am focusing on the facts:
-God sees me as an amazing, strong women
-God is molding me into a women who will impact the next generation for Him.
-God will use this pain to sculpt me to be more like Him.
-God will use these trials to complete his ultimate plan.

Are you confusing feelings for facts? I challenge you to consider this next time you are walking through a trial, whether it is with God or with your husband.

Declutter Challenge!

I saw this quote today...
"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." William Morris

With Christmas right around the corner this is the season for decluttering and the Murphy's have caught the fever. It is my goal this year to have each space decluttered to make room for Christmas gifts. I am hoping that this will make the Christmas clean up much easier and not something that I put off for several weeks.

We will see how that goes, in the meantime, I put the challenge out there to all of you: Declutter what you do not use or do not love. Let's use this time to get rid of our abundance and bless those who need it!

What more can you ask for? Part 1

It is amazing how, at certain points in your life, everything seems to work together.

I have been experiencing this for about a month, and it has been bringing up many memories of the last time this happened...

It began in late 2008 with me getting a job at Multnomah University. After working in a hostile environment for 3 years I was ready for a change and felt God pulling me towards Multnomah. Same work, better company, better pay. What more can you ask for?
A few weeks after I got this job, Ryan (who was unemployed) got a job at Fred Meyer. Close to home, nice people and lots of hours. What more can you ask for?
A month after he got this job we moved into my mother-in-law's home. She moved to Vancouver and needed somebody to rent her house. Almost double the space, less rent. What more can you ask for?
A few weeks after we moved I went to Hawaii with my mom and sister. I cannot explain this awesome experience. It was relaxing, healing, rejuvenating. (Those words don't even give it justice.) What more can you ask for?
A month later Ryan and I found out that we were having a baby. No more infertility. No more miscarriages. The blessing of a beautiful baby. What more can you ask for?

During this 4 month span of time I continually felt God with me and guiding me. I felt him saying “Wait, child, there is more.” In between each milestone I felt eager and ready to move. Not content with how I was living and wanting to grasp more fully what God had waiting.

I really cannot explain the voice that was constantly resonating within me. Urging me to prepare for the great changes and blessings that were headed our way.

Like I said, we are in this place again. Daily we see God's brush strokes as he finishes the masterpiece he is working on. Details so amazingly intertwined that they could only come from Him.

Like I said, these times are amazing. They are a great reminder that we are not forging this road alone. There is an awesome God going before us, preparing the way.

I could give you details now, but the masterpiece is not done and I would not do it justice. One thing I know for sure is that through this experience I am learning that God's wisdom of all things and love for all people makes him worthy of following.

I can vaguely see the outline of where this road is going, and I cannot wait to get there. Although, if the road makes an unexpected turn or there are bumps along the way I can say that I will still enjoy the ride and I have faith that where we end up will be even better then where I imagine we are going.

Stay tuned.

Life as a Homemaker: Prayerful wife

It is not a secret that I believe in the power of prayer. With that said, I find myself praying for others long before I pray for my husband. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that.
I have a strong, Godly husband that leads our family faithfully. Maybe I think because he is the leader, he does not need my prayers. Maybe I think because he is more regularly in God's presence, he does not need my prayers. Whatever the reason, these are lies put straight into my head by Satan himself.
A prayerful wife is a powerful wife.
In the past couple of weeks I have been making it a habit to pray for Ryan each day. Each time I fall in love with both my heavenly father and Ryan a little more. There is something incredibly sacred that happens when you invite your husband into the intimate conversations you have with God.
I also think it is a great habit to put the needs of your family before those of others. This may seem selfish, but when your family's needs have been cared for you can more fully meet those of others. Praying for your husband and children before praying for the needs of friends, your community or our world is one small way to set this priority in your mind.
To remind me to pray for Ryan each day, I have been using the prayer calendars found at www.inspiredtoaction.com. This website also offers prayer calendars for your children.

Meatless Mondays: Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Meatless Mondays started when I was looking for ways to cut our grocery bill. Ryan is game because as a compromise I make an extra scumptous meat the next night (which we spread out for 2 meals). The roast is already in the crockpot for tomorrow!

Corn tortillas filled with refried black beans and topped with homemade, garden-fresh enchilada sauce. Nobody missed the meat tonight!

Garden-fresh Enchilada Sauce
10 medium tomatoes, quartered
½ medium onion, diced
2 small chilies, chopped
2 cloves garlic
½ t dried oregano
2 ½ t chili powder
½ t basil
¼ t cumin
1 t parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Put tomatoes, onions, chilies and garlic in large pot. Bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool (or add a few ice cubes).
Put about 3 cups at a time in the blender, until everything is blended. This recipe made enough for me to make 1 ½ pans of enchiladas and I put some in the freezer for a future meal.

Enchilada filling:
2 cans of refried beans (I used refried black beans for a little more fiber)
½ medium onion, diced

Mix onion into the beans.

To make Enchiladas:
Microwave 10 corn tortillas for 30 seconds.
Spoon a little sauce into the bottom of the pan (I used one 9X13 and one 9X9).
Fill tortillas with filling, roll up and place seam side down in pan.
Spoon a generous amount of sauce over enchiladas.
Top with cheese and olives.
Bake at 400* for 15 minutes.
Top with sliced green onions and cilantro.

Enjoy!

Life as a Homemaker: Caring for the Bodies

As mothers we have such a huge responsibility to care for our children's bodies. The example we show in how we eat and how active we are is the example our children are going to take with them when they grow up and have families. The statistics on children being obese adults if their parents are obese are shocking.
Before Ryan and I had Sam we ate whatever we wanted and were rarely active. We never gave our health a second glance. We were quickly heading down the road to obesity. Once Sam started eating real foods it became apparent that we had to change something. We wanted to eat meals as a family, but I didn't want Sam to eat what we were eating. Also, I was overweight and constantly self-conscious. I don't want Sam to have to live with those feelings.
Ryan and I began a diet, we each lost upwards of 20 lbs. I began researching healthy nutrition and found “Whole/Real Foods”. Since then we have been eating real food instead of the processed junk. When planning meals this is what I consider: making from scratch is best, if I can't then I buy items that have very few ingredients and that aren't processed. My coin-phrase is “If God made it, it is good” Ryan and I have kept off our weight and have even lost more! It is amazing, when you eat the way you were meant to, your body stops becoming your enemy! I have also stopped worrying about what I can't eat, and instead focus on what I can eat. There are so many options and it is so fun to explore new ingredients.
I thought this was going to be a huge endeavor, however I am finding that it is much easier. Sam always eats what we eat, so I don't make 2 meals, and shopping trips are quick and painless because I stay on the outside rim of the grocery store and know exactly what I am buying.
We stay away from is sugar. There are no health benefits of sugar. In fact, I suggest Googling “reasons to not eat sugar” and began reading. It is disgusting what sugar does to our bodies. I substitute Sucanat or raw honey when needed.
We do not drink soda. I suggest checking out this website: http://parentingtips365.com/2010/01/27/15-reasons-not-to-drink-soda-pop-of-any-type-regular-diet-or-natural/ . A lot of people substitute diet soda and assume that makes their soda habit ok. The “sugars” that are used to make soda “diet” are just as bad if not worse then regular soda.
In addition to what we eat, our children will model our example on exercise. As a full-time working mom I know that the biggest excuse is that we don't have time. I have fallen prey to this lie several times.
First, if you watch TV, you have time to exercise. Run around the room on commercial breaks or do lunges every time you hear a certain word.
Second, if you clean your house, you have time to exercise. Fold laundry in your living room and then put it away one piece at a time. The extra walking will be great, but if you really want a challenge, pick up the pace! Do lunges while you mop your floor or do a “speed clean” and run around picking things up for 5 minutes.
Third, if you cook dinner, you have time to exercise. Stand on your toes while you are standing at the stove, or kick you knees to your chest while you are waiting for the microwave to count down.
Are you getting the idea? There are thousands of ways to fit exercise into your daily life.
It is all about choosing to be healthy and living your life accordingly. Guess what, your children are watching.

Of course, all of this is my opinion. I suggest you do the research and come to a conclusion that is fitting for your family. However, PLEASE do not choose to do nothing and continue feeding your children junk while feeding the obesity epidemic.

Life as a Homemaker: Setting the Scene

There is nothing better then walking into your house and feeling it hug you. For me, this happens when it is free of clutter and there are things surrounding me that I love. I will always be a work in progress as far as the housekeeping and decluttering go. However, I work at it a little every day, and am satisfied that my family has a (mostly) clean home to enjoy.
There are 3 things that I do regularly to set the scene for our home:
-Regularly declutter items that we don't use, need or love. It is amazing how much more peaceful a home feels when there isn't clutter on every surface. It is also much easier to clean a home when there isn't stuff everywhere. Like I said, my housekeeping skills are a work in progress. With that said, there is one thing I do every day. I have one spot in each room to keep spotless. No excuses. Generally this is a flat surface. When this one spot is clean it tends to be contagious, and it stops me from getting overwhelmed. Here are my clean spots: Kitchen-sink, Dining Room-Table, Living Room- coffee table, Our room- headboard, bathroom-counter. I have gotten very creative with keeping these spots clean. For example, our kitchen table was our “dumping ground” when we came in from the garage. To stop us from placing everything here we always keep our table set. Complete with a centerpiece, plates, and silverware. Now not only does this spot not have junk on it, but it always looks nice!
-Re-purpose old items for décor craft projects. I love when you place something new in a room and it catches your eye as you walk by. What I especially love about this is it doesn't have to be something new. Rearranging a room or placing a décor item in a new spot does the trick. Recently my focus has been making our dining room table look like fall. A few years ago I bought a table cloth for our table and bought a size too small, it was on clearance and they didn't have the size I needed anyway so I didn't return it. In my attempt to bring some color to our dining room I pulled out this table cloth, folded it in thirds and (ta da!) I now have a colorful runner! My next project will be using the extra fabric to make cloth napkins.
-Light candles. Some people only light candles during fall or winter. I light candles all year long. In spring/summer I will light one candle (summer breeze, pina colada or something equally summer-ish) then in fall/winter I light several candles (I especially love winter pine during Christmas Season). I love the mood they set, the warmth they give the room, and how they neutralize any odors (which are inevitable with babies).
I hope this helps and gives you a place to start when it comes to setting the scene for your home environment.

Life as a homemaker- Nurturing loving relationships

Through this series, Life as a Homemaker, I hope to show you how homemakers (SAHM or Working Moms) can create a peaceful, loving and heavenly enviroment for the family.
I think the most important aspect of a home is creating and nurturing loving relationships with each person in your home.
Recently, Ryan and I began dating. Yes, it sounds silly, but it has made such a significant change in our personal relationship.
Here are a few things we have been doing:
-We take care of ourselves and look our best. I have a husband who would love me even if I shaved my head and stopped shaving my legs, but my whole attitude changes when I am put together and when you are dressing to catch your husband's attention, believe me he will notice!
-We have been carving out time each day to reconnect and focus on our relationship. This is very difficult for us since we work opposite work schedules. In a normal day we have an hour in the afternoon when we “switch shifts” and fill each other in on what happened that day. We were noticing that we were having more “emergency conversations” then we were having fulfilling, heart-felt conversations. (examples of emergency conversations: “Pick up milk” “Sam took a nap at noon and pooped twice today” “I need you to empty the dishwasher”) In the past week I have been staying up later to have some “us” time when Ryan gets home from work. This could look like watching a movie, reading together or making a late-night dinner together. We are trying to find a better solution that will enable me to get some rest, but for now, this is working great.
-We are going on weekly dates. Ryan and I regularly follow North Point Community Church through Podcasts on their website. I was very excited when I saw their “Great Date” Series. Ryan and I have gone on 1 “great date” so far and are anxiously awaiting the next one! (check it out: http://marriedlifeonline.com/greatdate_np.jsp)

Something I repeat to myself is “The best gift you can give your kids is a great marriage.” We all know marriage takes work, in the same way, a great marriage takes a lot of work. Ryan and I have found that these simple steps make it fun to stay connected and nurture the loving relationship we are blessed with.

There is more to come on this series, so stay tuned!

Life as a Homemaker

To those who know me it is no secret that I love being a wife and mother. I am very passionate about these roles and they come before any other priority in my life.
To sum up this passion I like to say I enjoy being a homemaker. Yes, I work full-time outside of the home. Many people think of homemakers as stay at home mom's (SAHM), and many times they are. In addition to this group I think that working mom's who take care of the house and take great pride in making the house a home are also homemakers.
Creating a peaceful, loving and heavenly environment for my husband and son is my number one goal. Often times I feel like I can't talk about this passion because I don't know how to accept the comments humbly and without stepping on a soapbox. Well forgive me, because I have been carrying around this soapbox and it is begging me to step up.
Women today think that they have to choose. They can either be a SAHM or they can have a career. I think that it is time for women to recognize the third option, which is to have a career while still being a homemaker. Why is this addition important? In my opinion, it is very important for each person (adults and children) to have a place where they can relax and recuperate. It is important for each person to have a home that hugs them when they come in. A place where they are completely at peace, can be themselves and can energize their spirit. Somebody has to create this environment, it does not happen overnight or without effort.
There are many things that go into creating a house a home. I am going to share some of these with you over the next couple of days. Enjoy!

Huge Summer Bounty!

This year I was gifted with 25 pounds of beautiful tomatoes. I accepted them quickly without thinking about my lack of canning supplies. We are on a tight budget this year so I asked several people if they had anything that could get me on the right track and ended up empty handed. Determined to not let this gift go to waste I began researching. Freezing seemed like the right solution. We eat a lot of pizza, spaghetti and other pastas so I chose to make spaghetti sauce. As I began cooking I kept adding things from my garden. Here is what I came up with...

Garden Spaghetti Sauce (for freezing)
30 medium size tomatoes, quartered with skins
2 large onions, diced
4 large carrots, diced
1 small pepper, diced (I used green, since that is what I grew this year)
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
10 leaves fresh basil, chopped
2 T Dried Parsley
2 T Sugar
4 T Salt
2 t pepper

Place tomatoes, onions, carrots and pepper in large stock pot (I split it up into 2 pots since I don't have a large enough pot.) Cook on medium high with lid until boiling. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, keep covered. Let simmer for about an hour. Let cool. Put about 3 cups at a time into the blender. Whirl on high for 30 seconds. Split into 4 gallon size bags. Freeze laying flat.

I am so excited with how this turned out. I cannot wait to use this throughout the winter. 4 meals ready, using mostly fresh, garden vegetables! Also, I still have about 15 tomatoes left. So stay tuned!

The Next Step

So, the experiment was a success, we have made some huge changes around our home! All of which are good (even if they sound odd, they are good!) I have been reading several blogs, websites and ordered some books about the lifestyle I want to live. The basic idea being this: living sustainable, natural and healthy lives dedicated to God and showing others His extreme love for us. I love all of the information I am finding. I feel like this is how I was meant to live, and have been very surprised at how easy the transitions have been.

Here is what the Murphy's have been up to...

-I started a monthly baking routine. Basically making all our baked goods for the month on one day. This month it included soaked whole wheat bread, spelt biscuits and granola bars. I loved spending a day dedicated to baking. I love that all our bread is made, so we are less tempted to buy what is cheap or on sale when it isn't what we should be eating. I think I will make some changes next month, such as adding muffins and maybe tortillas.

-We are moving to becoming a paper free home. We are taking baby steps on this one. The first change we made was moving the paper towels to a hidden spot and keeping cloth towels readily available. The next change was using cloth baby wipes. This was a big transition; however it is going very smoothly. Every other day I wash the wipes and make a new batch of the solution, I keep the wipes and the solution in a reused disposable wipe container. The next change we are planning is making moist cloth wipes for quick clean-up of the counters and spills; this will replace Lysol wipes (which we go through like crazy!) There have been 2 obvious positives with these transitions. First, we are saving money by not buying paper products (except for toilet paper, we are not going there!) Second, since I have been making the baby wipes and will be making the moist wipes I know what is added and have reduced the amount of chemicals we are exposed to.

- Ryan and I are on a sugar-cleanse. This has been easy for me (my weakness is salt), a bit more of a challenge for Ryan. This includes high-fructose corn syrup, sweets and white bread (since your body processes this the same as sugar). The main reason we are doing this is to remove the things that our bodies have created addictions to. Also there is no positive aspect of sugar, and there are so many things that feed off of sugar (including cancer). We will be adding it back in, in moderation and even then only eating natural sugars, but for the most part we will be avoiding it in the future. (Side note: I have lost 4 lbs and tons of belly fat after eliminating this, not to mention I feel GREAT!)

-While creating our meal plan and determining what we are going to eat we have been paying special attention to whole, satisfying foods and avoiding packaged food and preservatives. I have found that I have been eating less and feel better about what I am putting on the table for my dear husband and son.

-For me the most important change has been realizing that I am worth all of this. Making healthy choices for Sam has always been a no-brainer. I wouldn't feed him 1/2 the stuff I was eating. Why? Because I knew it wasn't healthy and would ruin his tiny body. Then why would I feed it to myself?! I had a huge aha moment when I realized I am just as important to this family as my dear son. It is my passion to create a peaceful, heavenly environment for him and if I am not taking care of myself that will not happen. Not only am I eating better and exercising, I am choosing to take time to relax and take care of myself.

I am so excited to see where this adventure takes us next...stay tuned!

Day 5

Day 5:
Experiment Details...
This simple experiment has really turned things around in our home! Not watching TV was such an easy transition. Ryan and I made the decision today to sell our TV. This will be especially hard during football season, however, we also decided that when basketball season approaches we will start to save some money for Blazer tickets. I am so excited to remove the temptation of allowing the TV to raise Sam. Part of his bedtime routine was watching his “Good Night Show” on Sprout. This week I have been singing to him while we rock in the recliner. He loves it and I love spending those 3 minutes (or however long he sits still) creating special memories.

Family Fun Project:
Our project today was playing “Band”. I took out several bowls, spoons and some other misc. kitchen stuff and Sam and I went to town. Nana always had a drawer in her kitchen for us to play in, and this is the first time I thought about getting this out for Sam to play with. This is something we will be doing a lot from now on!

Ways I blessed Sam:
Today, Ryan, Sam and I went for a walk around the neighborhood. We recently discovered that Sam will walk next to us for a while so we have been leaving the stroller at home. He has so much more fun exploring this way. The neighbor a few doors down has beautiful flowers lining the sidewalk, today Sam picked one...oops.

Day 4

Day 4:

Experiment Details...

Family Fun Projects:
Our project for today was pouring the cement and decorating our stepping stones. This turned out to be quite the adventure. First our cement was too watery, so after we poured it into our mold we were going to let it set before we began decorating. Well, Sam was ready for a nap after the cement was poured, so we put him to bed, then a friend stopped by, then I picked up the house a little bit. 4 hours later I realize that the cement was in the hot sun and completely hard. So now instead of having cute, personalized stepping stones we have a 18inX18in square of solid cement. We are going to re-try this project when the pain of the failure subsides!

Ways I blessed Sam:
Washed his bedding and put a new/clean blanket in his crib (Who doesn't love that?) We also played “monster baby” this is a game Ryan and I have played with Sam since he learned how to crawl. Basically you walk out of the room screeching “MONSTER BABY!” and Sam giggles and chases you. Sometimes this is played for entertainment, sometimes this is played to get Sam out of something he shouldn't be in.

Day 3

Day 3:
I realized today that I didn't choose a great week to begin this project. We have so many things going on and so much stress building. Normally in a week like this I would exhaust myself, sit around doing nothing on my free time and every night wish that I had devoted more time to Sam. This week things have been different. Even if I have an extra 10 or 15 minutes I try to think of something fun for Sam. This could be as simple as playing in the pool or pushing him around the living room on his ride-on fire truck.
I had 2 “aha” moments regarding this:
First, the attention span of a one year old is much shorter then 10 minutes. So why do I have this idea that devoting time to Sam will take longer then this?
Second, when I devote time to Sam it renews my energy and brightens my day.
I originally thought that this experiment would be one more thing on my plate that would increase stress and get pushed to the side. Didn't take long for me to change my perspective and realize that this experiment helped relieve stress and make a very busy week manageable.

Experiment Details...

Family Fun Projects:
We made a form for stepping stones, which we are going to make tomorrow. We used wood pieces we had in the garage to make a simple box. Nothing fancy, but will work great to dry cement!

Ways I blessed Sam:
I was only home with Sam for a few hours today. So we made it count by playing catch, chase and going for a short walk.

Day 2

Day 2:
Today is Monday and an extended weekend for me. I love waking up thinking you are late and then realizing “Oh, I don't have to work this morning!”, snuggling back into bed and sleeping until 9:30am. Yes that is another reason why I love my son. Every weekend he sleeps until after 9am.

Experiment details...

Family Fun Activities:
Today was Zoo day! We bought a membership for Sam for his 1st birthday, it has already paid off! Sam loves animals and watching other kids so each time we go he is on cloud nine. Today his favorites were the goats, which Ryan and I decided were probably his long lost brothers because he too is stinky, skinny and eats everything in sight. At one point Sam tried climb the fence to be a part of their exhibit. Sam also got a kick out of the Sea Lions. Today they were fighting each other for a hose. Sam also got to see both of them “walk” around and dive into the water.


A few ways I blessed Sam:
Gave his kiddie pool a good scrub.

Washed his outside toys.

Made the family Blueberry-Lavender syrup, which we had over ice cream before bedtime. (Yum!) This is a recipe I came across by accident while experimenting in the kitchen, it quickly became a family favorite. I get the lavender from our lavender plant we planted this spring. If you don't have fresh lavender you can substitute with your favorite spice, cinnamon would be great!

Blueberry-Lavender Syrup

1 Cup fresh blueberries
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 lavender sprigs

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and water, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add blueberries. Use potato masher to gently smash blueberries. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium, add lavender. Simmer for 3 minutes. Remove Lavender sprigs. Let cool slightly, serve warm over ice cream or waffles. Store left overs in refrigerator, believe me it won't last long!

We had a busy day today. Yet still found ourselves sitting around with nothing to do. Keeping the TV off is hard when you have energy to do nothing else. We stuck to it and played outside, went for a walk and made a great dinner. We are all going to bed very tired, but very happy that we put our family first.

Day 1

Day 1:

I love weekend mornings. More then that, I love summer weekend mornings. Picture windows on the east side of our home allow the sun to pour in. I love puttering around the kitchen preparing coffee for Ryan and I and breakfast for Sammy, every chance I get, stealing a glance at the beautiful scene right outside our windows. This morning was one such morning. Sam sat content with his blueberries, waffles and milk while Ryan and I enjoyed coffee together at the kitchen table. One of those mornings where the stress of the week fades away and you can feel your soul saying “aahhhhh”.

Sounds too good to be true, and my intention really isn't to make any of you feel sick! Sure things went wrong, I spilled coffee all over the shirt I planned on wearing minutes before putting it on, Sam and I had our hourly wrestling match of changing his diaper/clothes, and we were late for church. But when these things happened they rolled away. Not ruining the greatness of the morning. “aahhhhh”

Experiment details...

Family fun activity:
I made play-dough yesterday and today we played with it. Sam was a little unsure of the texture. However he soon warmed up to it when I made a ball for him, which he threw repetitively (for me to pick up, of course!) I only told him once not to put it in his mouth (huge accomplishment for the boy who has been known to eat anything!) It is made from things we eat everyday so it wouldn't have been a big deal if he decided to eat it, I just didn't want to have to make a new batch each time we decided to use it! Here is the recipe I used:

Play-dough
1 cup flour
½ cup salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cream of tarter
1 cup water
Mix flour, salt, oil and cream of tarter until combined. Slowly add water while stirring. Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn onto wax paper, let cool. Knead until proper consistency.
You can add fruit/veggies juices to make the dough different colors, beet, carrot and spinach work well. We left ours plain. You can even use food coloring, if you feel comfortable with that.
Store in a plastic bag or container with a tight seal.

From start to finish this process took under 10 minutes. Totally worth the fun Sam and I had today!


A few ways I blessed Sam:
One of Sam's favorite activities is getting out his toys and making a mess. Once they are out he hardly plays with them, he just like the process of getting them all out! So several times today I put all of his toys away (something I usually reserve for nap and bed time). I could not believe how happy he was as he was taking them all out again. Silly boy.

I love getting down on Sam's level. Whenever I do, he giggles, “topples” me and he is full of smiles as we play on the floor. Today, I made a point of spending some time on Sam's level. Funny how something so simple can make a toddler's day!

Sam spent time with grandma today, while he was gone I spent some time picking up his room, doing his laundry and examining the floor for “choke-ables”.

That concludes our day! I say Day 1 was a huge success! Sam had fun, I was fulfilled and we all relaxed as a family. What more can you ask for?

Why a blog?

I have an awesome little boy (Sam), he is the joy of my heart. He is very busy. Read that as VERY BUSY! He will climb, push, topple, chase anything that he can (which explains our cat's recent hair loss). He does best with a schedule and a lot of time out and about. I decided to do an experiment for one week. The experiment being this: keep the TV off, do at least one family fun activity each day and at the top of each hour do something to bless Sam.
I have a wonderful career and am currently launching my own business, so this could get interesting and very creative.
I foresee this being a great week. Full of fun adventures and many family memories. This will be the start of my blog and we will see where it goes from there!

A little about me.

I am a wife. I am a mother. I am passionate about many things and they usually vary from month to month. The passions that have held fast throughout my wife and mother years are cooking, crafting and gardening, above each however would be being creative with each one.

I have never met a recipe that scared me. I could watch “cooking TV” 24 hours a day and often pretend I have my own show. Maybe I will include some video blogs so you can join in on the laughs that creates.

I have dabbled in many crafts, I especially love quick crafts (and with a toddler there are no other kind these days!) I love to use my crafting ability to avoid buying things like home décor and toys. Not that I don't like buying these, but I love having unique items fill my home.

I came from a family of “green-thumbs”. I have always appreciated a beautifully landscaped yard or a flourishing garden but thought, for many years, that this ability skipped a generation (or more namely me!) Since my son was born I have found that gardening is much like mothering and now my garden is something to be proud of!

I take great pride in homemaking. I am not a “homemaker” per-say. I work outside of the home, however I love making our house a home. Something leaps inside of me when my husband walks in and says “What's for dinner, it smells delicious!” A huge smile appears when I walk into the kitchen in the morning to see a shiny sink and clean counters. When I get home from work, I de-stress by puttering around the house, picking things up or starting laundry. I love finding new ways to organize a closet. Nana has always said I was born in the wrong era, I would be content in 1950 something wearing adorable dresses and an apron.

With that said you would think my home is spic-n-span and completely organized. This is not the case (remember previously mentioned toddler?) actually I have always been “the messy one”. Nobody would ever label me as a “Type-A” personality. Not sure how that contradiction works together, but once you get it figured out you will understand me!