Kairos—“a right, opportune, or supreme moment in which something special and unique happens”
Holistic Living
Warmth
Some of you may remember that I purchased a great deal of yarn from my favorite Northwoods shop when we were visiting my husband’s grandparents last spring. Well, the silky alpaca yarn has been sitting by patiently awaiting fall, and now its time has come. I had been saving these eight skeins of yarn for something special for my little girls.
And now…ta da
…new hats and cowls! Sure to keep them cozy {and stylish 🙂 } on the playground. I love the idea of the cowl instead of a scarf because with the way these girls run around, a scarf wouldn’t last a day of tag-playing or swinging at recess.
Cleaning Day
We all know the routine: Pick up the dishes, and the clothes, and the books, and the toys. Ok. Now you can see the dirt and dust. Now, find something to occupy the kiddos so that you can actually move around the house without hearing, “Mommy” yelled five thousand times, each time rising to a higher decibel because how could you hear them when the vacuum is on. Next, lug out the rags, buckets, and the other miscellaneous cleaning supplies. Whew. I know, I’m tired already too. And now…it is time to begin. Ah. Gotta love cleaning day.
One thing that is very important around our house when it comes to cleaning is to use little to no chemicals in our cleaning products. The idea of having my little girls take baths in a tub that has been cleaned with bleach and other harsh chemicals makes me cringe. And not only that, cleaning products can put quite the large dent in the pocket book.
Over the years I have tested a wide variety of all-natural cleaning products. Some I have purchased and others I have made at home. And I have to say that after nearly six years of being a mama, I have settled on a few homemade concoctions that I use on a daily and/or weekly basis.
I hope you find these as useful, safe, and affordable for your family as I have found them to be for mine.
All-Purpose Cleaner (I use this for everything from kitchen counters and table, to bathroom surfaces.)
In a plastic spray bottle, fill it with half water and half white vinegar (known for its strong antibacterial properties). Then add 20 drops of grapefruit essential oil (known for its anti-viral and anti-microbial properties). I also like to add about 10 drops of orange essential oil to add a bit more of a citrus kick to the cleaner. Shake the bottle before each use. Spray on surfaces and wipe with a clean cloth.
Wood Cleaner (Use this very sparingly. I spray a very small amount of this on a rag when cleaning wood furniture. I also use this to clean my hardwood floor. Be sure to wipe the surface completely dry after each application.)
In a plastic spray bottle, fill it with half water and half white vinegar (known for its strong antibacterial properties). Then add 20 drops of peppermint essential oil (known for its antibacterial properties). Shake the bottle before each use.
Ceramic Tile Cleaner (I use this to wash the floors in my kitchen, foyer and bathrooms.)
In a large bucket, fill it with half very warm water and half white vinegar (known for its strong antibacterial properties). Then add EITHER 30 drops of peppermint essential oil (known for its antibacterial properties) OR 30 drops of lavender/tea tree oil (known for their antibacterial properties). It just depends on the mood you are in. Peppermint oil in more invigorating while the lavender/tea tree mix is more soothing.
Toilet Cleaner
Pour about 1 cup white vinegar into the toilet bowl. Then add about 1/8 cup baking soda (You will get a nice little science experiment in your toilet bowl.), and 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. Then scrub by hand or with a toilet brush. Flush when complete.
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A great resource I have found that contains a lot more DIY cleaning products and much, much more is Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills by Raleigh Briggs
Bringing the Outdoors In
As the mercury begins its descent, we are spending a bit more time indoors these days. So with that, we are making every effort to bring a bit of the outdoors in. I truly believe a great deal can be said for the tactile experiences of interacting with nature, and when the late fall and winter months do not allow for such easy access to these experiences, I think it is important for people (children especially) to not lose that intimate contact with nature.
For that reason, we have been gathering outdoor artifacts and putting them on display in just about every room of our home. The girls love this activity, because they get to have a direct hand in “decorating” the house. They have been filling up Mason jars with water to display mums and lavender, collecting rocks to sprinkle on tabletops, and picking gourds in the garden to create their own fall adornments.
I hope all of you are enjoying these first beautiful days of fall! Have a wonderful week!
Kairos
Kairos—“a right, opportune, or supreme moment in which something special and unique happens”
Season’s End
This past Tuesday, our family gathered for our final “Tuesday Night Dinner” of the season. We were planning to keep the dinners rolling through the school year, but my oldest is finding herself quiet worn out after a full, big-girl day of school. And with dance and tumbling now under way for the fall, we thought it best to take a bit of a break to allow the girls some down-time.
Here is a little glimpse into our evening this past Tuesday…
Finding Time
As the physical labor of the garden wanes, I find myself needing to supplement my days with a bit of an extra workout to keep my body and soul fit during these cool months to come. But when? This seems to be the question I have asked myself each morning for the past several weeks. I’m not sure how, but I find not only the minutes, but the hours of the day disappear without my noticing.
The funny thing about the whole situation is two years ago at this time I was working full-time, carting my kids off to day care for 10-plus hours a day. And now, when I do have so, so, so much more time to spend with them, it still seems like there is not enough. I guess this is what all of those mothers meant when I had my first little baby, and they told me time and time again that time goes by so fast, and you must take in and cherish all moments, good or bad (or terrible for that matter), because they are so fleeting.
So I find myself today, sneaking in a very quick workout in my garage, while my youngest takes a tiny nap after her dance lesson. We mamas have to just do the best we can, with the time God has given us.
I hope all of you find a bit of extra time in your day today 🙂
Apple Sauce
A sure fire sign that fall is upon us is when we start to find apples popping up here and there at the farmers’ markets. Last week, we found our very favorite farming family at market with their tables loaded down with the most beautiful apples. There were Cortlands, Jonathans, Honey Crisps, and Crimson Crisps. Each more delicious than the next.
With all of this goodness to choose from, the girls and I decided it was high time to start making apple sauce. So yesterday, with much fanfare and hullabaloo, we began our apple-sauce-making soiree.
The girls did all the work, while I took pictures and drunk in the sounds of 2Cellos on the IPad. They used our very favorite apple peeler/corere/slicer to do the majority of labor, and then took turns adding some yummy local honey and spicy cinnamon to the mix. We make our apple sauce in our slow cooker, so we just set it and forget it 🙂
A few hours later, once the aroma of the sweet and tangy apples, floral honey and spiced cinnamon fill the air, we have the perfect apple sauce for our family’s liking. Fall is here.
At This Moment
At this moment I am…
~sorting through pictures of our trip, and creating a little slide show to share with the family tomorrow at Tuesday night dinner.
~packing homemade apple sauce into jars from a weekend filled with more canning and freezing and drying oh my.
~starting a quilting project for a very special couple.
~shaking our growler of mead (a.k.a. honey wine) we started to ferment this weekend. (The recipe and information about mead can be found in this book.)
~watching our crazy cat try to crawl up the screen of our kitchen window. Such a handful this little lady is. She wants in on any and all action going on in the house.
~planning my oldest daughter’s first “kids” birthday party with twenty five of her classmates. I’m tired already 🙂
~washing clothes. My typical Monday ritual.
~soaking in this absolutely gorgeous fall day.
~wishing all of you a happy Monday!
Kairos
Kairos—“a right, opportune, or supreme moment in which something special and unique happens”
{Bet ya didn’t know that Cinderella has night vision goggles to observe wild animals with 🙂 }
Making of a Home 