Take to Time to do Nothing but Appreciate

I can't tell you how many times I have laid my kids down for a nap and thought, "Thank goodness, now I can get something done." Not today. Today I found myself just watching them sleep. Watching their precious little faces as they dream their dreams. Listening to the soft, rhythmic sound of their breathing. You see, this morning a little boy left this Earth for a better place. However, a mother and father are left to deal with the void that is left. I feel ashamed for all the times I have looked forward to having extra time to get stuff done while the kids did something else...nap, color, watch a show. Honestly, I don't think I ever REALLY watched as they did any the aforementioned activities. I used them as an opportunity to wash the dishes, vacuum, fold the clothes, do whatever else needed done. Not today. Today there is a mother out there that will never see her little boy do what children do and I am sure she doesn't give a damn that the dishes are piled up or that the floors are dirty.

I don't want to live in a world where the trivial dictates my attention. I think it is easier to keep ourselves busy as it gives us a feeling of accomplishment, dare I say importance. But the truth of the matter is that it is far harder work to slow your pace down enough so that you can hear, see and feel what is really important; to appreciate what can only be perceived in the stillness of the mind.

So I stood there watching. Why? Because it was NOT a trivial task. There was nothing more important on my to do list than watch and know that I am blessed.

September is childhood awareness month. Lets not forget that there are people that have to wake up every morning to a void that is left by a child leaving too soon. Lets think about all the children that are fighting battles that they should never have to fight.



For more information on childhood cancer please visit:
http://www.curesearch.org/
http://www.acco.org/AwarenessandAdvocacy/Awareness/ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth.aspx

For Linukas Story:
http://www.bmycharity.com/LinasZibasAppeal
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-for-Linukas/237486976352513

What I Would Rather Be Driving

OK so we have finally reached a point where we need a bigger car. Do you know what that means? It means there is a possibility that a minivan is in my future. I shudder at the thought. I suppose I knew this day would come but now that it looms ever so near I can't help but fantasize about what I would really rather be driving.

So instead of doing my research on what kind of third row seat vehicle would be the best investment for the family, I have decided to put together a list of cars that I would make look good......
o.k. cars that would make me look good....
fine, cars that look great and I would just be the average girl behind the wheel.

Here are my top 10 vehicles that I would like to call my own.  Spoiler alert....you will find no minivan on this list. No third row seat. Heck most of these don't even have a second row.


#1     1950s BMW 507

#2     1957 Corvette

#3     1967 Austin Healey

#4    1964 Triumph Spitfire

#5     1960 MGA Roadster

#6      1950s Mercedes 300 SL















#7     1951 Chevy Pickup

#8     1950s Studebaker Convertible

#9     1957 Ford Thunderbird

#10     2008 Alfa Romeo 8C

Honorable Mentions Go To......


1948 Ford F1 Pickup

1952 Jaguar XK 120

2009 Infiniti Essence

1947 Diamond T Truck

2005 BMW Z4

Well a girl can dream can't she.

Row Row Row your Boat

This was the first time taking the kids out on a boat....It was a success.  

Cant wait to do it again. I think I may see a boat purchase in our future ;)

Oshkosh 2012

The hardest thing I have ever had to do to date...say goodbye to my two boys as they made the long flight to Oshkosh for three days. I know, it is no big deal but to me it is something I refuse to do again until Caleb is at least 18 ;-). The saddest thing....I don't think that little guy missed me one bit...what do you think?

 Now while the above pictures might be to coolest to look at; the cutest, in my totally biased opinion, are the following.

Nothing like a big airshow to wear a little guy out. I am just glad both my boys are back home.

All Purpose Cleaner - Recipe

So I was tired of using cleaning agents that had harmful chemicals and cringed at the prices of commercial "green" cleaners. So I set out to make my own- after all, you can't complain if you are not willing to do anything about it.

The recipe is quite simple...You start with a base of equal parts water, vinegar, isopropyl  alcohol and a few drops of liquid soap (depending on how sudsy you would like it). Next are the essential oils. Now this is where you can get creative. Honestly, you don't even need the oils as the vinegar and alcohol provide the bulk of the cleaning and disinfecting. However, essential oils add their own beneficial properties, some of which I will discuss in a bit. Currently I am using a few drops each of tea tree oil (melaluca altenifolia), mandarin oil (citrus reticulata) and lemongrass oil (cymbopogon flexuosous).

I have also used eucalyptus oil as well, but I wanted a bright and fresh sent so I opted for the above mentioned oils and I look forward to trying different ones as well.

The vinegar can prove to be a harsh smell but in my opinion it is not worse than those of standard cleaning products, but minus the harmful effects. If you would like to diminish the smell you can use a little less of the vinegar. I found that the above combination of oils not only masks the vinegar smell but also gives it the bright, flesh smell I was looking for.

Here is some information regarding the ingredients used in my all purpose cleaner...

Vinegar: Well, what doesn't it do. It kills bacteria, mold and germs. It is also non-toxic so ingestion of and smell of the fumes have no adverse effect on people. If you are interested here is a link for some of the medicinal benefits of vinegar.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/

Isopropyl Alcohol: Ok I will admit, some of you may not agree with me using this ingredient in a so called "green and safe" cleaner. There are harmful effects that can arise if ingested and if fumes are inhaled for a long period of time. However, the disinfectant, sterilizing and solvent properties, in my opinion out way the bad. Isopropyl alcohol is know to kill bacteria, fungus and viruses which is why it is used in hospitals to stop the spread of infectious diseases. Since I am usually cleaning up after two little ones that are prone to make sticky messes, the solvent properties render it almost invaluable. Not to worry the fumes and the alcohol dissipate very quickly.

Tea Tree Oil: Contains terpenoids which are known to have antifungal and antiseptic properties. It is commonly used for the treatment of acne, fungal infections of the nail and foot (athletes foot) and dandruff. It can also be used in bath water to help with a cough, congestion and pulmonary inflammation.

Mandarin Oil: Is also antiseptic and has additional qualities such as antispasmodic and is cytophylatic. The last two are fancy words that mean that it is good for muscle spasms and it encourages the new growth of cells. It is commonly used to treat acne, wrinkles, scars and stress. Here is a link to find out some other great properties of mandarin oil. http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-mandarin-essential-oil.html

 Lemongrass Oil: Has antiseptic, antibacterial  and astringent properties, to name a few. Lemongrass oil is often used to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is also used as a pain reliever in joints and muscles and is said to aid in the reduction of fever caused by viral infections.


Hope all this encourages you to go out and make your own personalized cleaner as a means to use less harsh chemicals in your household environment and save some money in the process.

Enjoy,
Diana