Bragging on my girls!

So I have to show you a really cool project that my girls did.  This was my granddaughter's third birthday cake!  She's madly into sharks, hence the theme:

The top layer was little animals in sand (crushed graham crackers) and the bottom two layers were sharks of varying kinds.

And -- All Hail the (cutest!) Birthday Princess:

Happy Birthday from Grandma!!!

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

So I promised that I would give recipes for all my cleaners during January - Oh well.  Best laid plans and all that.

 Here is a recipe for Homemade Dishwasher Detergent that actually works:

1 part citric acid
2 parts baking soda
2 parts borax

Mix the ingredients together - you can stir in a bowl, or just put all the ingredients together in a plastic lidded container container and shake.  Use 1 Tablespoon per load.

I purchase citric acid at our local food co-op, but it is a bit pricey there.  You can purchase it on-line much cheaper.  Just be sure to get food-grade citric acid.

OK, I'll have to confess.  I took the picture above so that you would think our home is all posh and fancy.  Well, the reality is that the dishwasher detergent lives in this container:

Happy Cleaning!

January's over -- Let it Bud!

Did you know that January is a four-letter word?  And Happy New Year is a cuss word?  Well, it is to those of us who are payroll practitioners.  Quarterly Reports, Year-end Payroll Reports, W-2's, 1099's, reconciliations.  AARRGGHH!  Multiply the numerous required governmental filings times several clients, and you'll begin to see why my hair has been standing on end lately.  Cabin fever at its best!

For Christmas and January, I had this as the centerpiece of our table, actually hoping for snow as we hadn't had any:

"Let it Snow" indeed!  What was I thinking? We received most of our winter snow in two days - two feet in two days.  Now, a couple of weeks later, it still looks like this outside:

So it was high time to change the centerpiece.  Luckily, I have a wonderful red twig dogwood bush that constantly needs pruning.  Combining several clipped branches, some glass marbles, and a vase with water - and you have, Voila:

These will bud out, and start to grow some leaves in just a couple of weeks.  It's a fun, free way to get spring before spring wants to come outside!

Let it Bud!