Almost Wordless Wednesday

This is a picture of the top part of Bishop's Castle located in San Isabel, CO. This entire castle was built by ONE man. Jim Bishop has been working on this castle for 37 years, by hand. He has never had any help from anyone. You can google "Bishop's Castle" and get quite a bit of information now. When we "discovered" this tourist spot 3 years ago, there was hardly any information on the internet about it. This is another "must see" spot if you plan on taking a trip to Colorado.

I Am So Cheap I Have....

Resorted To Making My Own Laundry Soap....

Although my youngest boy has been potty trained for, oh I don't know, 3 or 4 years now, he still pisses......uhhhh......pees the bed almost every single night. Like 99% of the time. Ocassionally we get a day of laundry bliss where we don't have to do loads of pissy......uhhhh.... pee sheets and blankets too.

Lately we have been going through laundry soap likes it's water. We've always bought the gigantic commercial size bucket from Sam's Club, so we were saving a bit of money anyway, but damn!! When you have to buy it as often as we do, it's still hell on the wallet.

I've contemplated making my own laundry soap before, but never actually did it. I was afraid that it wouldn't work. Well, last Sunday I was watching "17 Kids And Counting" on TLC. This episode was how the Duggar Family saves money while taking care of 17 kids. I checked out their website to get the recipe for the homemade laundry soap. Find that here.

Laundry Soap Costs:

180 load bucket at Sam's: around $13

To buy the stuff in recipe: $6.02 (Which will make 3 recipes or about 1,920 loads!!!)
3 Bar pack of Ivory $1.03
1 Box of Borax $2.87 (will make more than 3 recipes)
4 lb. box of Washing Soda $2.12 (will make more than 3 recipes)

Here is the recipe I used:
But make sure you go to their website to read the tips they give!!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Tag, I'm It

I was EC dropping this morning and happened upon this fun little list @ Mommying On The Fly.

It’s a random list of activities. The ones in Bold are the ones I've done. I thought It'd be fun to pass it along, and see how much you've accomplished... lol...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walk to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhike
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon (a half marathon)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (they love to whistle at girls who are running!)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64.Donated Blood, Platelets or Plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (but not the same animal)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

WOW...I'm kind of boring!! I hope to do many of these things one day...I'm still working on it and I'm not getting any younger, lmao.

I was tagged to do this, & I'd really love to pass it on, but I'll tell ya the truth. I'm just too damn lazy right now. I'm terrible! I can't help it! Ha!

Almost Wordless Wednesday

This picture was taken at the Cliff Dwellings in Manitou Springs, CO at the base of Pike's Peak. It's just east of Colorado Springs. It's a great little tourist trap, but one of our favorite places to go.

During the summer you can see some really awesome dances by Native Americans. I am not sure what this dance is called, but it's obviously something about a flying eagle. At the end, they even had the kids come up to do a friendship dance. My daughter Madison, 3 years old at the time, was the only one to go up there. It was so cute!

If you ever take a vacation in Colorado, you will have to be sure to visit the Cliff Dwellings. They are amazing.

25 Days of Victoria's Secrets Widget