So far, I’ve tried this recipe of laundry detergent.  HOWEVER, we have switched to store-bought, chemical-filled for awhile, to get rid of an infection that has plagued several of my peeps.  OR, you could once in a while add a couple tablespoons of bleach to the water.  With this recipe, I found that it didn’t do a great job on whites - but worked well, if I let the whites soak in 2 Tbsp of laundry soap, with 2 Tbsp of Oxy-clean.  Good luck!

Laundry Soap:

1 cup of shredded bar soap (I use Ivory)
1/2 cup Borax (cheeeeeeaaaaap!)
1/2 cup washing soda - also very cheap to buy. 

Mix up, and use ONE tablespoon per load -isn’t that amazing?  I usually do up a double batch, and leave a cute little measuring spoon in it.  I use a white plastic tub and lid to store my homemade laundry soap.  You know where I got it?  I purchased pre-made cookie dough from daughter’s school!  Well, everything can’t be homemade! lol

Good luck mommies,

Multitalentedmommy

You know when cattle are being hearded into a narrow aisle of types, so they can take them one-at-a-time for vaccinations, or through a bug bath? Now, think of your family coming through the front door…. that is called “the pinch”. (I couldn’t resist!) Here’s my tips to make life easier in the entryway.

Sort it ALL the moment it comes in the door.

1. Lunch boxes/ Bags/ Keys: Papers get taken out of bags and placed on the table. Keys are hung on the hooks. Bags tucked away in the closet or cubby, and lunchboxes to the kitchen. And kids backpacks in their rooms/ homework area.
2. Keys/Coins: there is a neat masculine box by his computer to store his handful of electronics that has to come off of him, out of pockets, etc.
   • In the box is a small jar (Baby food jar works well) for coins. And well, the rest of the junk goes into the basket.
   • I find that about every year (or when i can stand it no longer) I need to go through and toss stuff. My recommendation, is NOT to tell him. And I bet he won’t notice!
   • We roll coins once in a great while - like maybe 2 years! Last week I got $50 cash to spend on back-to-school. Very fun surprise to see how much ya get. (maybe a good lesson in the value of money for older kids?)
3. School papers: Year long calendars that are on the internet too - TOSS. Monthly newsletters, that are on the internet, mark important dates on the family calendar (no family calendar? Seek a family managers beginners’ blog) - TOSS. Take invitations, artwork, etc, and place on/in the family calendar, and in the “display” area.
4. Display area for kids artwork: I have several metal bars from Ikea screwed under the breakfast nook, where all kids’ artwork belongs. And tons of magnets. Then periodically, when it gets full, I toss it all away. I take one or two special things per child, per year, and place in “their storage box.”
5. Storage Boxes: file size boxes for each child. Into those boxes, go the tickets, souvenirs, school report cards, special photos, etc. All the things that I will need if I ever get to scrapping their school years.
   • I saw a neat idea in a magazine - to use packaging tubes from the post office to store those adorable paintings, etc. Wrapped in ribbon with a tag attached is cute! (but who has time for ribbons? lol)
6. Grown-Up Papers:
   • envelopes & stuffers in the garbage,
   • a simple metal frame, with 4 hanging folders.
   • bills in the “bills” hanging file.
   • Items that require action (mark the date on the calendar, rsvp, call the broker, etc): the “to do” file.
   • Items that do not require action, but need to keep: schedules, insurance notices in the “to file” file.
   • When that last hanging file (to file) gets stuffed, you must go into your storage room, drag out that filing box, and file away into the usual categories: alphabetically starting with C (child tax benefit - in Canada) through to V, for Visa. Click here for our categorie list.

Next up: we’ll tackle all the ridiculous bath & kitchen accessories. Easy? We’ll see…

Be kind to yourselves, mommies.

MultitalentedMommy

Hello, Fabulous Mommies,

Today was a great day! It was over 30 degrees Celsius (90 F). We were up and at ‘em early before the sun scorched everything. Off to the beach, and to run a couple errands. It was so great to watch the girls enjoy themselves!

Just before I head off to bed, here’s a time management trick I was taught ages ago, and need to remember! I’ve no idea where it originated, but i got this graphic from www.jiskinfonet.ac.uk. Bless their hearts! (I can’t believe the American Team Building firms want to charge for this!) So, from me to you, a FREE gift! lol

Items with low urgency, low importance for me, are: scrapbooking, ummmm gosh -it is difficult to think of things that aren’t important! With newborns, my beauty regime (lol - more like a splash on the face, and clear polish on the nails) was the bottom of the list. The cleanliness of my garage, the junk drawer, some of that paper in the corner - not feeling a high urgency towards that.

Low urgency, HI importance for me: throwing a ball with Emma, colouring with Megan, or reading with Haley. (That reminds me, i haven’t read with Haley in ages!) Getting meals ready, shopping done. Making sure that I have some sit-down, calm meditation time every day.

HI urgency, low importance for me is answering the door, keeping food from spoiling on the counter. And I actually run around the house expending quite a bit of energy tidying (not cleaning - there’s a difference.) every little thing. When it isn’t as important or urgent as I make it out to be.

Hi urgency, Hi importance: when Emma’s on the potty calling for me - that’s a signal to RUN! And this is the category that most of us find pretty easy to fill up quickly!!

Sweet dreams, especially to all the new babies & mommies out there,

MultitalentedMommy

Cathy’s Cooking Parties

Dear Fabulous Mommies,

Last year, we had a 6th birthday party for my oldest daughter - she’s 7 now. With two other little ones in the house, I would have paid anything for someone else to do the work (okay, maybe not anything! ;). One day there will be a Cathy’s Cooking Party instructor near you and she’ll do it all - the games, the preparation, decorations, goodie bags, the entertainment, and the clean up! One day, when the insurance becomes more affordable, I want to turn this dream into a reality. For today, I’m happy to post the ideas, and shopping lists here for all my Fabulous Mommies. Oh - and the invitations.

This can be worked for ages 3 and up. If you try this idea, please drop a note with any changes or ideas that you used!

WHAT TO DO:

Dishes to Cook

1. Individual pizzas
2. Chocolate Cake
3. Salad on a Stick

Activities:

• create their own salad on a stick
• create their own pizzas
• paint their apron
• decorate their own cake

Games:

• Marshmallow Soccer
• Really Awful Relay

Instructions:

1. Print the printables page below. Make up invitations with birthday child.

2. Send/ deliver invites two weeks in advance.

3. Take printable (below) shopping list out, up to one week in advance.

4. Instructions for Party can be found on page linked below, as well as another copy of game instructions.

5. Really Awful Relay: have a bowl of cut up awful veggies for each team(like potatoes, onions, spiky imported fruit) at one end of living room. Have kids relay back and forth to see which team can be the first to get all the veggies back to the starting line – no hands of course! Give each team 2 sticks to work with. (chop sticks or bamboo skewers work well).

6. Marshmallow Soccer: Set up a table, add a line of masking tape length-wise down the table. Each child gets a straw, picks an opponent, and faces him/her across the table. The mini-marshmallow is placed at center line. One marshmallow per pair of contestants. The first one to get the marshmallow over the opponents table edge, wins! THE CATCH: you may not use hands or straw to TOUCH the marshmallow. The idea is to BLOW it across the table through the straw.

Printables: Invites/ Instructions

Well, that’s the tip for today, fabulous mommies. Now that I think about it, more birthday ideas are needed – that are easy!!! So we’ll archive them, and there’ll always be something that doesn’t cost a fortune from your pocket book or your sanity! Enjoy your party!

MultitalentedMommy