Natural Product Recipes to Clean Your Car

Spring is here and time to clean my Jeep.  I wanted to share with everyone a few ways that I keep my Jeep clean using no chemicals.

One of the key items I use to keep my Jeep clean is my Natural Dish Soap. 

Natural Dish Washing Soap Recipe

You will need:

2 cups boiling water

2 Tablespoons grated Ivory soap

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Borax

Mix soap & borax in a bowl add boiling water. Mix until soap has been completely dissolved. Once mixture is cool fill a recycled squirt bottle. Label the bottle Dish Soap.

Car Carpet Cleaning Solution

In my steam cleaner I use about 1/4 cup of dish soap  & 1/2 cups of white vinegar to a full steamer container of water. Vinegar smell will evaporate once carpeting has dried.  

Car Wash Soap

 1/4 cup of Natural Washing Soap to a bucket of water

Car Light Cover Cleaner

Clean headlights good with soapy water...rinse and dry

Mix 1 teaspoon of  Baking Soda to 3 teaspoons of Toothpaste

Use a soft rag to apply paste in a circular motion

Wash with soapy water

Rinse & dry

Window ~ Glass ~ Mirror Cleaning 

Mix 1/4 cup of vinegar to 32 oz of water - Recycle a used spray bottle. Instead of using paper towels use old t-shirts to clean with.

Car Seats

Cloth seats I use my carpet cleaning solution

Leather seats I use natural dish soap to clean off dirt then I use my homemade leather treatment.  Mix 1 cup Linseed Oil with 1/2 cup of Vinegar. Place in a recycled spray bottle. Spray leather then rub in - after a few minutes go back with a soft clean cloth to remove excess. 

Car Air Freshener

I use a Purggo in my car. June of 2014 I was given the opportunity to review the prototype for Purggo. I love it! Having a dog - I love the fact that it keeps my car smelling fresh and clean with no chemicals.  

Here is a pic of my prototype and also a pick of the final design.

As you can see my prototype is not quite as nice. But it is amazing how it works.

If you are like me and your vehicle can get a little stinky sometimes. I highly recommend you give Purggo a try. Fresh smelling with no chemicals!

5 DIY Home Remedies for Cold & Flu

When it comes to dealing with a cold, tempers and temperatures can reach a fever pitch (pun intended) fast! Your throat feels scratchy, your nose won't stop running and all you want to do is sleep! To help bring your symptoms down to a manageable level, the staff at Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy put together some great do-it-yourself tips for home cold remedies. Be sure to try the new Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy Plus Natural Multi-Symptom Relief Cold & Flu QuickMelts, formulated with zinc gluconate to shorten the duration of the cold by nearly half!
 

 Do-It-Yourself Home Cold Remedies
Brought to you by: Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy

1. Stuffy nose? Use steam for relief.
   You don’t need a fancy humidifier to ease congestion (though it can be convenient!). Slowly breathing in steam from a pot of boiling water can work wonders! Just make sure to be very careful — you don’t want to burn your nose!
2. Make it spicy.
   Incorporate lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, cloves, pepper and ginger into your sick-day diet. Spices are natural ways to help boost your immune system and fight off viruses and diseases. Some other ingredients to include? Garlic, honey and coconut oil. Check out some more natural cold medicine.
3. Try chicken noodle soup. 
   A nice hot bowl of chicken noodle soup might be just what you need to fight off that virus. It’s a delicious home remedy that’s medically backed to help ease cold symptoms. Check out some of our Cold-EEZE Cold Remedy-approved tasty recipes by visiting us on Pinterest, and make sure to include plenty of veggies!
4. Make your own nasal spray.
   It’s easy and takes a matter of minutes! Simply mix 3 teaspoons of iodide-free salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda and then add 1 teaspoon of the mixture to 8 ounces of warm boiled water to create your own nasal spray solution. Use a bulb syringe to gently squirt the mixture into each of your nostrils, while holding the other one closed, and letting them drain. This will help clear nasal congestion as well as remove virus particles and bacteria!
5. And of course, drink plenty of fluids.
   It’s so important to stay hydrated, especially when you’re sick. By drinking plenty of fluids regularly, you can help break up congestion and ease a sore throat. Some great options include water, herbal teas, natural juices (no sugar!) and ginger ale. Also be sure to check out some of our favorite healthy hydration recipes.

Thank you Cold-EEZE for providing this valuable information.

Savor by Shauna Niequist

Sink deep into the everyday goodness of God and savor every moment!

In this daily devotional, Shauna Niequist becomes a friend across the pages, sharing her heart with yours, keeping you company, and inviting you into the abundant life God offers.

And there are recipes, too, because spiritual living happens not just when we read and pray, but also when we gather with family and friends over dinners and breakfasts and late-night snacks. These recipes are Shauna’s staples, and each one should be enjoyed around a table with people you love.

So read and learn and pray and cook and share. Remember to savor each day, whatever it holds: work and play, coffee and kids, meals and prayers and the good stuff and the hard stuff. Life is all about relationships, and your daily relationship with God is worth savoring in every moment.

REVIEW
I have found a great way to start each day. Every morning I read one page from Savor dedicated to the day. Today's topic is TWO OPTIONS - Romans 5:3-5 ....... My question for the day is ~ What are the events in your life that have shaped you in defining ways? Who have you become as a result?
I continue to be amazed how one verse a day can make such a huge difference in my life. Each day I am taken to a place in my life journey that has shaped me into who I am and also is helping me in the future. 
I highly recommend Savor. I am excited to read each day and I look forward to reading each day year after year. I know with every new year the day verse and question will continue to change.

Available on 

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE
WEBSITE

AUTHOR

Shauna Niequist is the author of Bread & Wine, Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet. Shauna grew up in Barrington, Illinois, and then studied English and French literature at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. As an author and blogger, Shauna writes about the beautiful and broken moments of everyday life—friendship, family, faith, food, marriage, love, babies, books, celebration, heartache, and all the other things that shape us, delight us, and reveal to us the heart of God. Shauna is married to Aaron, who is a pianist and songwriter. Aaron is a worship leader at Willow Creek and is recording a project called A New Liturgy. Aaron and Shauna live outside Chicago with their sons, Henry and Mac.

Low Budget Weekend Getaways in Utah

The vast and varied terrain of Utah serves as the perfect environment for families looking to getaway for the weekend while not having to worry about blowing the budget. The state boasts five national parks, seven national monuments, two recreation areas and seven national forests along with various state parks. Indulge in camping, explore the many trails and learn about the human and animal history of the region while taking in the spectacular views.

Utah Field House of Natural History-Dinosaur Museum

Anyone fascinated by the gigantic creatures that once roamed the earth loves spending time at the Natural History and Dinosaur Museum in Vernal. Upon entering the facility, guests are greeted by the 90-foot skeleton of the Diplodocus. A brief video presentation takes visitors on an exciting journey through the Vernal canyons where archaeologists are hard at work searching for fossils. Outside the theater, a rock wall looms behind a ravine where budding scientists of all ages have the chance to dig through debris, dirt and pebbles in search of unique finds. The Jurassic Gallery offers a glimpse into life on earth 145 million years ago. The Eocene Gallery moves upward in history to a mere 45 million years ago and features animal and plant life that once thrived on the planet.

Dinosaur National Monument

Load up the car and drive from State Highway 149 to U.S. Highway 40 into Jensen and to the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall. Entrance fees into the park are a mere $10 per carload and the exhibit hall is free. Once inside, visitors have the rare chance to gaze in awe at the complete skeletons of many different dinosaur species found in the area. A colorful mural spanning 80 feet in length tells the story of the animal and plant species thought to have lived almost 150 million years ago. Exhibits also provide the chance for guests to touch actual fossils. Experienced and knowledgeable rangers are on hand to answer questions and offer interesting facts. The park also offers camping, hiking and water-based activities.

Donkey's Kite ~ Written and Illustrated by Liana-Melissa Allen

The three horses Jack, Max, Lax and their friend Donkey are back! 

In Horse Valley it is a perfect day to go kite flying. Jack, Max, Lax, and Donkey decide to get creative by putting together their own homemade kites. However, Donkey's kite doesn't turn out very good. No matter how hard he tries to get it to fly, it just keeps tumbling to the ground. How will poor Donkey get his kite to fly? Well, a friendly goose named Gusty is delighted to help him out. 

In this Horse Valley Adventure, Donkey learns not to give up when all seems hopeless. They all learn a lesson about helping others and true friendship.

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Dawn of Destiny​ by Lee Stephen ~ Audiobook #militarysci-fi #aliens @epicuniverse @iReadBookTours

The year is 0011 .NE, and mankind is under attack. Hostile forces from other worlds have come to Earth, their motivations a mystery, their objectives unknown. In the face of the alien threat, a global military called the Earth Defense Network--EDEN--was created. Dawn of Destiny begins the story of Scott Remington, a new graduate of EDEN Academy. It is the first chapter in an epic that will carry him to the ends of the Earth, challenging the very faith he clings to as he confronts a purpose he can barely understand. For Scott, war is more than an occupation. It is the place God has led him. It is his destiny. Only one thing remains to be seen. Is it a place he's willing to go?

BACK COVER:
Some men go to war for the glory. Some men go to war to escape. For Scott Remington, war is entirely different. It is a belief. It is a calling. It is a destiny. Leaving everything behind-his fiancée, his future, his life-he embarks on a mission of faith into a battle he can barely understand. This is his story. This is his war. This is only the beginning.

Visiting the Sins by Melanie Denman @iReadBookTours #southernfiction #womensfiction

In her riotous debut novel, Melanie Denman probes the silent sacrifices of motherhood with unflinching honesty and warmhearted amusement. Set in the Bible Belt of Deep East Texas, Visiting the Sins is a darkly funny story about mothers and daughters, naked ambition, elusive redemption, and all the torment it s possible to inflict in the name of family.

Down through the decades, the lofty social aspirations of the feisty but perennially dissatisfied Wheeler women Pokey, the love-starved, pistol-packing matriarch; Rebanelle, the frosty former beauty queen turned church organist; and Curtis Jean, the backsliding gospel singer are exceeded only by their unfortunate taste in men and a seemingly boundless capacity for holding grudges. A legacy of feuding and scandal lurches from one generation to the next with tragic consequences that threaten to destroy everything the Wheeler women have sacrificed their souls to build.

REVIEW

When I seen the book cover and read the title I never would of thought that the book would of been as amusing as it was.The adventures of three generations of strong Texas women. The ups downs ~ seriously and funny interactions. Melanie did an excellent job expressing emotions, desires and wants and needs. I caught myself laughing out loud and reading the book without stopping. I am hoping that this is Book One in a long line of fun adventures of the Wheeler women. 

FREE on AMAZON

Barking Wednesday - Puppy Hiccups

This Barking Wednesday I wanted to discuss 

Puppy Hiccups.

I noticed that Diesel was having the hiccups a lot. Especially when he first woke up and after eating. 

Since it has been quite a few years since I had a puppy I started doing some research. 

I found out that there are a couple of reason for Puppy Hiccups per Dogs Best Life. 

* Dog hiccups are so common some veterinarians think that they are “growing pains” some puppies must endure during the process of physically and mentally maturing.

*Other veterinarians claim it’s a vestigial reflex many puppies have from their days in the womb. It was a way they could exercise their lungs, and strengthen esophageal muscles, while literally being “under water.” 

The majority of puppies do stop, once their lungs adjust to oxygen and a drier environment.

When Diesel gets the hiccups I try to change his breathing. I offer him a treat or a toy. This seems to work just fine. Diesel has his next vet appointment on March 31st. I have hiccups on my list of things to discuss with the vet. 

It is important for me that I make a  Discussion List for my Vet appointments. I often get distracted at the vet. If I did not have my Discussion List I would forget some of the topics I wanted to discuss. A Discussion List makes it easy for me to address all of my concerns. Vet appointments are expensive I want to make sure I get all of my concerns answered. 

Pic was taken yesterday on Diesel's Three Month Birthday!  He is sitting in the truck wearing his leather vest.  I really like the vest - it has a hook for me to attach his leash to.  This is much better than a collar that will chock him - since he is not leash trained.

Natural Garden Product Recipes

Spring is Here!

Time to get my garden products made and ready for this years growing season. 

Here are a few natural ways to keep your garden free from mites, insects, and fungus. 

Spider Mite Spray

First you need to make a concentrate using 2 garlic bulbs and 1.5 cups of water. Place garlic & water in the blender - puree. Place puree in a glass container - I use a washed out mayo jar. Let the mixture sit in the container for 2 days. Strain - then mix the liquid with one gallon of water. I use a recycled milk jug to store the liquid. Fill a recycled spray bottle with liquid - make sure to label the spray bottle. Label the jug and place in a cool dark location. 

Once a week spray the plant leaves both top and bottom. I always spray after I water or after a rain.

Fungus Spray

Add 4 Tablespoons of Baking Soda & 1 1/2 teaspoon to a cleaned recycled milk jug. Fill jug with water - shake. Let water mixture set then pour into a recycled spray bottle. Make sure to label jug and spray bottle. 

To prevent fungus spray every two weeks after watering or after rain

Insect Spray

In a blender add 8 cloves of garlic,medium onion, and four hot peppers. Blend till smooth. Add ingredients to a recycled milk jug - add 1 tablespoon of dish soap and fill with warm water. Let mixture sit for about 3 days - strain. Replace liquid to the jug. Fill recycled spray bottle with liquid. Spray plants weekly - after watering or rain. 
Make sure to label jug and spray bottle.


Do you plan to have a garden this year? 

The Hollow Moon by Brent LeVasseur

Science Fiction Saga - Part 3 The Hollow Moon 

Spying on the Luminon, Aoléon and Gilbert uncover his plot to steal Earth’s milk cows and make the disturbing discovery that the Martian leader plans to disrupt Mars’s galact supply. The duo races to warn Aoléon’s father, Deimos, a manager at the galactworks, before the Luminon’s saboteur can act. 

While still on the run, Aoléon takes her pilot’s exam so she can join the Martian intergalactic exploration fleet. However, during the test-run, something goes horribly wrong. The two are put in a life-threatening situation and only Bizwat, Aoléon’s Procyon commando friend, can save them. 

Gilbert finally gets his chance to learn to skyboard, but the lesson turns into a test of skill as he and Aoléon are chased by the Royal Paladin Guard. 

Will they survive? 

Don't miss this exciting part 3 of 5 of the middle-grade scifi series Aoleon The Martian Girl.

AMAZON

Aoléon Series on Amazon

REVIEW
Aoléon is a cute middle grade series that Isa is in love with. Aoléon's adventures are fun and exciting -  unpredictable and all have a meaning of good. Living in Wisconsin - Isa could totally related to stealing milk cows! Living on a farm - Isa asked herself what would her life be without cows! 
Brent's writing stresses the importance of friendship - doing the right thing and being yourself. Strong messages for all young teens. The Aoléon series is a series of books that I feel all parents would approve.

​About​

 the Author:

Mr. LeVasseur enjoys crafting good stories based on lovable characters designed to translate well to multiple media formats such as books, games, movies, and toys. He lives in New York when he is not commuting between Southern California and Olympus Mons, Mars. His hobbies include writing, 3D animation, musical composition, and intergalactic space travel. He also enjoys various sports such as skiing, running, and exospheric skydiving.

Connect with Brent:   Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Aoléon: The Martian Girl 

Thank you iReads for the opportunity to review the Aoléon Series

Urban Gardening

Have you seen the latest in urban farming. 

Urban farming has been a steadily growing trend in the U.S. for years but, now, a Los Angeles company is taking it vertical and making it personal, and Hollywood A-Listers are blowing the “vertical farming” movement sky high.  Thanks to ingeniously designed aeroponic gardens from LA Urban Farms, thousands of regular folks are growing their own personal food source on their balconies, rooftops, patios, driveways – even indoors – and are using 90% less water (and 90% less space) to do so.

 

Even chefs at the Google Cafeteria, Chicago O’Hare Airport and Giants Stadium, to name a few public places, are now growing food with this patented technology.

These farms have become the ‘It” thing in Hollywood because they represent a commitment to locally sourced food, to an organic lifestyle, and to reducing one’s carbon footprint.  Actress Jessica Alba, owner of the Honest Company in Santa Monica, enjoys an LA Urban Farms garden at home and several at work for her employees.  Over the holidays, “Wild” co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern gifted each other with these vertical gardens.

This is not only for the rich and famous - Check out how to put a farmer’s market on your back porch.

Project 52 ~ Texture

Project 52 hosted 

by  

Marvelous Mommy,Sarah, and Angie

 Week 11 ~ Texture

So many textures 

Barking Wednesday ~ Spading or neutering - Why is it so important?

This week on Barking Wednesday I want to share why spaying and neutering are so important to your dog. We already know that we will have Diesel neutered. We will never breed Diesel and have no plans on raising puppies. We plan to have Diesel neutered when he is 6 months old. 

Kingers was neutered and he was the best behaved dog. He never had the urge to seek out a female during her mating time. Bo our Chocolate Lab before King was not neutered - we used him as a stub once and oh my gosh! I swear Bo would go outside - hold up his nose - smell and he was gone!  Bo's behavior is why we had Kingers neutered. 

I wanted to share with everyone some important reasons  why we are having Diesel neutered.

Neutering provides major health benefits for your male.
Besides preventing unwanted litters, neutering your male companion prevents testicular cancer, if done before six months of age. 

Your male dog won't want to roam away from home.
An intact male will do just about anything to find a mate! That includes digging his way under the fence and making like Houdini to escape from the house. And once he's free to roam, he risks injury in traffic and fights with other males.

Your neutered male will be much better behaved.
Neutered cats and dogs focus their attention on their human families. On the other hand, unneutered dogs and cats may mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Many aggression problems can be avoided by early neutering. 

Spaying or neutering will NOT make your pet fat.
Don’t use that old excuse! Lack of exercise and overfeeding will cause your pet to pack on the extra pounds—not neutering. Your pet will remain fit and trim as long as you continue to provide exercise and monitor food intake. 

Spaying and neutering your pet is good for the community.
Stray animals pose a real problem in many parts of the country. They can prey on wildlife, cause car accidents, damage the local fauna and frighten children. Spaying and neutering packs a powerful punch in reducing the number of animals on the streets.

Spaying and neutering helps fight pet overpopulation.
Every year, millions of cats and dogs of all ages and breeds are euthanized or suffer as strays. These high numbers are the result of unplanned litters that could have been prevented by spaying or neutering.

The above list of reasons were taken from the ASPCA.org website. 

Make sure to check in your area - you might be able to get some financial help with the cost of neutering or spaying your dog. Email info@petsmartcharities.org  for a listing of locations in your area that are offering assistance with spaying and neutering cost.

Do you believe in spaying and neutering pets?

Hot Flash Book Tour by Kathy Carmichael

What's the recipe for a happy marriage?

That's what chef Jill Morgan Storm wants to know, and according to responses to the "Marriage Satisfaction Surveys" she and her closest friends cooked up, the answer is to marry a traveling salesman who is rarely home.

And Jill certainly deserves some happiness, after everything she's been going through. Her teen-aged son, who only speaks to her in French, needs college tuition. Her crazy mother is determined to find her a man—and only brings her unsuitable ones. A pesky schoolteacher keeps annoyingly trying to fix her life. Her sous chef job is in jeopardy, and, most aggravating of all, her ex-boyfriend has absconded with her favorite skillet.

What's a single mom to do?

Faced with the answers to her surveys, she sets off to find the traveling salesman who can share her dreams. Along the way, can she find herself and a man who will claim her heart?

Laundry Product Natural Recipes & Tips

I have extremely sensitive skin. One of the ways that has helped is to use only natural laundry ingredients.   Removing the chemicals from our laundry has made a huge difference.  Using these three products I have been able to keep my laundry clean and chemical free. My daughter also uses only these natural recipes. She has three children, one large Lab, messy hubby and she lives on a farm. These products keep her laundry clean. One thing she also does is she vents her dryer back into her home. A great way to reuse your dryer heat. 

Laundry Detergent

2 Cups Borax

2 Cups Baking Soda

1 Cup Shredded Natural Soap - I use Ivory

Mix all ingredients into a large container - mix well.

Use one ice cream scoop per load.

and

Natural Fabric Softener

Apple Cider Vinegar 

Water

Mix about 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to a cup of water - I add about 2 oz of the mixture to my rinse cycle.

I also make a patch and place into a reused spray bottle.  I use the mixture to spray on t-shirt rags that I made to use as dryer sheets.

Don't worry about your clothes smelling like vinegar - the smell will fad when clothes are dry.

and

Organic Wool Dryer Balls

I always use Organic Wool Dryer Balls in my dryer. 

They reduce dryer time by 1/4 and also the wool fibers soften our clothes. 

My Wool Balls of choice! :)

Woolzies

A few other green tips for your laundry:

Line dry your clothes
1/4 Cup of Lemon Juice in your rinse water makes your laundry smell 

Hydrogen Peroxide instead of Bleach - you can also add more Baking Soda to your load for whiter whites
Make a Aspirin paste to remove sweat stains - Aspirin & Water
If you would like your clothes to smell - use a all-natural sachet in the dryer

Make sure water hose screens are kept clean

Pre-treat with a mixture of half water and half vinegar 

A salt paste for removing stains - salt & water
Always wash full loads
Keep dryer lent traps clean - clean them after each use

Do you have a Green Laundry secret?

The Green Mountain series by Marie Force.

I just finished reading a excellent romance series. The Green Mountain series by Marie Force. It was a fun series about a family that lives in northern Vermont. They own and operate the Green Mountain Store in the small city of Bulter, VT. The stories are focused on the Abbott family. Their strong family ties and the loves of the grown children. There are 10 children in the family so I am hoping that each grown child will have a novel focused about them. The stories are easy to read and the books are full of mad passionate love.  There is a special character in her Green Mountain books - his name is Fred!

You have got to check out the antics of Fred!

The Green Mountain Series by Marie Force

All You Need Is Love ~ Book One

I Want to Hold Your Hand ~ Book Two

I Saw Her Standing There ~ Book Three

And I Love Her ~ Book Four

 I fell in love with Marie Force's novels when I read Maid for Love.  That one book got me hooked on the McCarthy family. After reading all of the books in the series - I am eagerly waiting the newest book that is planned to be published this summer. The McCarthy's of Gansett Island got me through this long January & February!

Series: McCarthys of Gansett Island

by Marie Force

Maid for Love ~ Book One

Fool for Love ~ Book Two

Ready for Love - Book Three

Falling for Love - Book Four

Hoping for Love - Book Five

Season for Love ~ Book Six

Longing for Love ~ Book Seven

Waiting for Love ~ Book Eight

Time for Love ~ Book Nine

Meant for Love ~ Book Ten

Chance for Love ~ Book Ten.five

Gansett After Dark ~ Book Eleven

Kisses After Dark ~ Book Twelve

Marie Force writes about characters that I personally would love to have as friends.  They all have strong family ties, morals, and a passion for wanting love and happiness.  They are real people with ups and downs - life throws them some serious issues and they survive.

Well I am off to read the first series she wrote The Treading Water series. 

  

Have you ever read any of Marie Force's books?

Barking Wednesday Welcomes Diesel

This Barking Wednesday I would like to introduce Diesel. Our new Smooth Fox Terrier puppy.  
Diesel was 10 weeks old yesterday. 

Smooth Fox Terrier

 Medium Size ~ 20 POUNDS

124th Most Popular Breed

 Family Oriented

Amusing ~ Friendly ~ Independent

VERY ACTIVE ~ ALERT ~ EAGER TO LEARN

When I first saw Diesel I knew it was meant to be. We purchased Diesel from a very respected breeder of Smooth Fox Terriers. She usually only has one liter a year. Diesel was born on Dec. 30th, 2014. 

He has a new kennel - toys - and all kinds of things for him. We placed  Kingers old bed in Diesels kennel - something I know Kingers would want. 

Barking Wednesday will be full of adventures raising a very active puppy. I am sure I will have lots of tips on what not to do! and hopefully tips on what does work!

Diesel and I are looking forward to fun Barking Wednesday's!!