Brutal!

Todd & I very rarely go on dates...and I should have known better when Todd said he had a fun one planned for us! Who takes their date to a Fight? Well, I guess that would be my husband! All I can say is, it was Brutal!


A couple days ago Todd introduced me to one of his little 8th grade football players named Ponnu. He was such a nice & sweet kid that I was shocked when Todd told me he was a ranked boxer! We'll he has every right to be ranked! The kid can move & did an amazing job against the young man he fought who was 2 year older & a full foot taller!

This is Todd, Ponnu with his trophy & coach "B" after the fight!

Okay, this is all I'm going to say...

The first fight was two little 9 year olds and when they entered the ring I just felt the color drain from my face....after a few punches and blood starting to run from one boys nose, I felt the tears not only welling, but running. I couldn't help but see my own sweet 10 & 8 year old out there and feel horrified...

This is Punno's cousin the tough little 9 year old, who won by the way!

Well, after a couple fights and constantly being asked if I'd like to go home by my husband we get to the final event. Todd's little player was amazing...fast, confident, in control...but the best part was...
When they gave Ponnu his medal he took it and thanked the man then walked right over and placed it around his competitors neck!

Oh, by the way, one of the other PV boys Dad came up to me after the fight and said that he and his wife were sitting kitty corner from us & saw my face when the first fight started. Him & his wife felt so bad...
So, no more fights for me please! But, Good Job Ponnu you're Amazing!

Back By Popular Demand!

Here is the famous Home Made Laundry Soap that everyone asks for all the time & that I love!

Recipe:
1/3 Bar Fels.naptha
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
6 Cups Water
4 Cups Hot Water
22 Cups Warm Water
*Purchase ingredients at Albertsons or Harmons


1. Grate the fels.naptha into a soup pan...I use my zester because it makes the soap melt faster! Add 6 cups of water and warm on Med/High until the soap melts. *Keep stirring on & off while you do the other steps. (will take about 15 minutes to melt)

This is Fels.naptha & the wrapper so you know what to look for it in the store

Your pot doesn't need to be that big, & this is a double batch I'm making. The last time I made soap was in February & I average 13 loads a week (more during football season)

Grated Fels.naptha & water before the soap has melted.

2. Pour 1/2 Cup Washing Soda & 1/2 Cup Borax into a bowl & set aside. (don't forget to stir your soap on the stove)


This is what the Washing Soda & Borax look like! Make sure it's the Washing Soda...not Baking Soda or you'll have a real mess! Also, this is what I use to measure my water for step 3.
3. Using a water picture or other large liquid container count out 22 cups of Warm Water & set aside. (you should stir the soap & it should almost be melted ;)


4. Turn your hot water on & let it run until it is really hot! Then measure out 4 Cups & set aside. (I use my glass measuring bowl)

5. Now get that big bucket or bowl & be ready!

6. Once the soap is melted on the stove & it looks like this....Add the Washing Soda & Borax then stir until they are dissolved.


7. Remove from heat.

8. Pour the 4 cups of Hot Water in to the Soap, Soda & Borax mix & stir! (everything should still be in the soup pot)

*This is what it will look like once you put it in the big bucket.

9. Big Bucket here we come! That's right! Time to take the Soap mix and pour into the big bucket! Now that it's there...add in the 22 Cups of Warm water. (Remember to stir!) *Remember my pictures are a double batch so it will be more then yours!

Your Done! You Did it! It should have taken you about 20 minutes!

Put a lid on your soap or syranwrap & let it sit over night (24 hours) & set up. When you look at it in the morning it will look like a big foggy mass is in the center. Stir it once more & it should look like Egg Noodle Soup from your favorite Chinese Restaurant!
From here you can either pour it into containers (like I do) or leave it in your bucket! I like the containers because I can shake them up each time before using!


You are to use 1/2 cup for top loading washing machines & I use about a cap full (little less then 1/2 cup) for my front loader.

If you want a little more info. or answers to your questions go to www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.hmt

Hope you love it!

Summer Reading - 9 Great Books!

I've decided the one thing I love about summer is having time to read! During the school year it seems like there is to much going on...but in the summer I don't mind sitting down here & there! (to bad it's not always by the pool)

Here are the 9 books I read this summer, and my take on all of them!

Sister's of the Quilt by Cindy Woodsmall
Book 1 - When the Heart Cries *The Amish Culture is very interesting and these books were as beautifully written as the country is it's self! (I know I've been to the Pennsylvanian Amish Country)
Book 2 - When Morning Comes *This was even better then the 1st book, mixing the Amish Culture with our more Modern World...


I Loved these two books! They were about a subject I wouldn't maybe read about normally, but came highly recommend by my Sister-in-law and were great!
~I walked away from these books being lifted up about love, life, choices, and having a little more gratitude for my beliefs! There are a couple more books in this series & Cindy Woodsmall's site is www.cindywoodsmall.com

"Mortal Instruments" by Cassandra Clare
Book 1 - City of Bones
Book 2 - City of Ash
Book 3 - City of Glass
Book 4 - City of Fallen Angels (*will be out the first of April)

Also, "Infernal Devices" Book 1 - Clockwork Angel is another new series starting by Cassandra in the end of August, it takes place in London, and will incorporate the characters in the "Mortal Instruments".

My take? I liked this series...at first I was like "oh no, not more vampires!" "This feels like Twilight all over again!" Then by chapter 2 I was totally engrossed! By the way it is nothing like Twilight other then there are vampires & such in the story! All in all, Cassandra leads you into whats what really well and makes it easy to follow! There is a great love twist, action, and suspense that keeps you interested! My only one complaint is why do we always have to have the Homosexual thing going on? These books are suppose to be for teens...and aren't things confusing enough at that age? Granted she doesn't get into any major details & it's just implied for a while before a relationship is set up, but still!
So, for something very entertaining, and not of "this world" give it a try!

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
A second book "The Last Blue Envelope" is due out in Spring 2011


I Loved this book! By far one of my favorites for the Summer! Talk about a fresh new way to move you through a book! I loved finding out what the next envelope would say & the story was fun, adventurous, full of twists, love, hope and travel!

The Widower's Wife by Prudence Bice
This was a wonderful book and you have to know that I'm always a sucker for books set back in this era! Prudence did an excellent job of giving you each characters perspective! It was a little slow moving, but better then I could ever do for a first novel and the coolest part....Prudence is from here in St. George! My copy is signed and I can't wait to see what she does next! For a great little simple love story, give it a try!


I saved the best for last!!!
This is my Favorite Series this summer!
You really need to read it! I'd loan it to you but it's at my Sister-in-law's and I have 3 people after that waiting to barrow it! So, just go buy your own! ;)

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Book 1)
Book 2 - Catching Fire
Book 3 - MockingJay - I am counting down the days! (18 to go!)

Where to begin? This book has it all! I love how believable this fictional story is! The details, the way Suzanne pulls you in and involves you in the story. The hold your breath moments and how you just can't put it down because you have to know whats next! This is one of those books that you're not going to go to bed until 1 or 2 cuz your up reading and when it's all said & done, you'll still be thinking about it for days! Action, Adventure, Rule Breaking, Love, Death, Defiance! You name it..it's happening in this story!

If you read nothing else this summer....read Hunger Games!

Have a wonderful last few weeks of summer!

Busy, Busy with This & That

This past week has been Busy, Busy, Busy with trying to get ready for school!

Here is some of the fun things we've done this week!

Things started off with a dessert table for our friends Eagle Scout Court of Honor!



All the decorations where really great & got me kind of excited for Brock & Brennan to work a little more on scouting!


Here are a few of my yummy cakes!


I love these little cupcakes! They were fun to make & seeing how I hate cupcakes because of unequal bites of icing/cake this solves the problem! Plus they look great!


Lish, let me barrow her cupcake tree & it was a total hit! I wish I had one this pretty!

All in all I think my dessert table looked great & tasted even better! Well worth 2 days of work! (or not?)


This coolest part of the entire Eagle Ceremony was the live Golden Eagle!

It was amazing! This Eagle was rescued as a chick near Jackson Hole! That's 3 Eagles in one summer! (We saw two up close at the Ranch this summer while on vacations in Wyoming)

2 a Days started for Pineview Football & we got to see Dad during lunch this week!

Todd stilling a 15 minute nap before heading back to football! No rest for great Coaches! ;)

We had Aunt Nikki take Pictures of Brennan for his Baptism Announcement! Along, with some school pictures of the other two hoodlums!

Wow, how handsome! Can Brennan really be turning 8 this month!

The boys highlight of the week was picking up their Football equipment! Levi even needed to try it all on!

I'm not sure who's more excited, Brock or Brennan! Brennan did ask me this morning when his first practice starts! Go USA Football!

The Boys found out who there new teachers are for school & can hardly wait to see who's in their class with them!


We did a little fall cleaning & moved Levi in with the big boys! Then turned Levi's room in to another TV room...It looks great, but my front room is a little empty with out my chairs!

This will be great when school starts & we don't have enough room in the office for all of us to work on homework so I can have someone go in to sit and read! Now we just need to convince Dad that we don't need a new TV (like 4 is not enough!)

The boys went to the The Pineview Panther Football Team Swimming Activity with Dad!

Here's Dad with Levi & Bren heading down the lazy river with a bunch of the football players!

Brock & Levi going down the slide!

Bren & Dad ready to go down the hydrotube!

Levi showing me some of his floating skills!

Is there anything more fun then swimming!?!

It's been a busy & fun week!