Here are some ideas to use baking soda for personal hygiene.

- Dissolve 1/2 cup of soda in bath water to clean the body.

- If you have a sore body, combine in a container, 2 cups of soda, 1 cup epsom salt, and 1/2 cup of salt. Use 1/2 cup per bath.

- For minor burns, soak in a tepid bath containing 1 cup of soda. Or for a small area that is burned, make a paste of 3 tbsp. baking soda and 1 tbsp witch hazel or water. Gently rub on affected area.

- Hair rinse: combine 1 tsp baking soda to 1 pint water. Add some vinegar for extra softness.

- Deoderant: Dust some soda under your arms for absorption and neutralizing odor.

- Face cleanser: Gently rub a paste of 3 tbsp soda and 1 tbsp water. Rinse and pat dry.

- Foot soak: Soak tired feet in solution of 1/2 cup soda and 2 quarts warm water for 10 minutes.

- Bee stings and insect bites: Apply 1 tbsp baking soda, and 1 tsp water to insect bites or bee stings. Cover with damp dressing.

- Rinse mouth with 1 tsp soda to half a glass of water for a fresh mouth.

- Poison Ivy relief: Make a paste of 1 tbsp soda and 1 tsp water and make a wet compress.

- Toothbrush cleaner: Soak toothbrush overnight in 1 tsp soda in 1/2 cup water.

- Teeth cleaner: clean teeth with wet toothbrush dabbed in soda.

Got Soda?

I checked out a really cool book at our library called "Baking Soda Extravaganza." It's amazing that there are so many uses for baking soda that a book was made about it. It is such a practical, cheap, and healthy alternative to a lot of products out there. Since there are so many things you can do with baking soda, I will spread out what I learn and have practiced over a few blog posts. I hope these ideas help your family as it has mine. If you already do any of these tips, let me know how it's worked for you.

Ideas for the Kitchen:

1) Appliance and Sink cleaner - make a paste with soda and vinegar. Rub all over sink or appliance. Let sit for 15 minutes and rinse.

2) Soak kitchen sponges, nylon scrubbers, and scrub brushes overnight in a solution of 1/4 cup soda and 1 quart water for a thorough cleaning and degreasing.

3) Coffee pot cleaner - Wash glass, enamel, and stainless steel coffee pots with a solution of 4 tbsp. of soda in 1 quart of water.

4) Deodorize wood or plastic cutting boards of fish, onion, or garlic odors by scrubbing with a past of 3 tbsp baking soda and 1 tbsp water. Leave paste on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse well and dry.

5) For the dishwasher -

* Sprinkle some soda in dishwasher between washings to control odors.

* Remove stains and odors from the insides by scrubbing soda with a damp sponge. Rinse.

* Wash the door gaskets to keep them clean and mildew free.

* Add 2 tbsp soda to hot water and add to the detergent for extra grease-cutting action.

6) Mix a container of 1 lb. of baking soda and 1 lb. salt. Store tightly covered. Once a week, poor 1/2 cup down the drain followed by 1 cup boiling water. Allow to sit for an hour or so and flush with hot tap water.

7) Clean wax and pesticide residues from fruits like apples, plums, nectarines, and pears with a paste of 3 tbsp soda and 1 tbsp water. Rinse well and dry.

8) Pour 1 Cup soda in garbage disposal to clean and deoderize. Keep water running briefly after all the baking soda is gone.

9) Eliminate onion, garlic, and fish smell from hands by wetting hands and scrubbing with baking soda. Rinse well and dry.

10) Clean microwaves, refrigerators, freezers, and plastic containers with a little baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge. Rinse and dry.

Little Abode

It's been a while since I have posted house pics (or anything for that matter) so it is time to show some updates. We are getting close. We are waiting for the electrician to come and finish his part, the final inspection, and then Stephen will lay the hard wood floor and we will almost be done. Tell me what you think!

Our ceiling

Knocking out the old wall

Wall is gone, sheet rock is up, and living area is painted

A glimpse of our bedroom

Hardy plank siding

Siding is painted

O be careful little mouth what you say.....

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Prov. 10:19

"He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Prov. 13:3

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Prov. 12:18

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Prov. 15:1

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Prov. 16:24

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." James 4:17


As you can tell, my blog entry has everything to do with words. Over the past couple of weeks, God has really been talking to me about my words, how they affect others, and how they effect my walk with Him. Our words are such a powerful thing. The phrase "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me," is a statement that I totally disagree with. It completely undermines the power of words. There are so many verses in Scripture about the impact that words have on people. God knows that it's something we struggle with and it's something that is so important to Him. As believers, I believe it is our duty to hold a tight rein on our tongues because we are living out the wonderful things God is doing and has done in our lives. We are an example of Christ. People are constantly watching us and our words are a testimony of our faith. The life of Jesus has really spoken to me as I have read and studied about the impact His words had on others. Jesus was a perfect man. He loved the unlovable, He healed the sick, He spent His life telling others about the love of His father. He never did anything wrong, yet people spit on Him. They made fun of Him. They said very unkind things to Him, even while He was dying. Yet, he didn't say anything unkind back. He took it a step further. He asked God, out loud, to forgive the people that were sinning (Luke 23:34). That is true love and true compassion. That kicks me in the pants so much. So often, I feel like I have to stand up for myself and plead my case when I am accused wrongly of something. I tend to make excuses when I am confronted about an offense I have made. When someone doesn't talk to me the way I think they should, I don't react the way Jesus did.
My prayer is that as believers, we focus on our words. Our words tell a lot about what is in our hearts and minds. They can really hurt or help. Unity among believers can be strengthened or broken down. It's amazing how powerful our tongues are. Please ask your Father, who knows that we stuggle with this issue, to open your eyes to your words; to make you more aware to the things you say and how you respond to others. It's easy to let your guard down. Let God's strength fill you in those times. Depend on Him.

It's Berry nice

Here is our roof. It turned out so nice. I had my eye on this color (Berry) ever since we saw samples and I am so glad we picked it. We are planning on doing a green siding with white trim. I think it's going to look great! We are so pleased with how it is going. What do you think of the color?

Natural dyes

It's almost Easter time and for some of you, dyeing eggs has been a family tradition. Here are some different foods you can put in water that add color to your "eggsperience".

Red: red onion skins, pomegranate juice, beets

Green: spinach

Blue: red cabbage

Yellow: yellow mustard, turmeric

Purple: grape juice, blueberries

Pink: cranberry juice, raspberries

Beige: strong brewed coffee

Just add food items to a sauce pan, individually. Add enough water to cover and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes to an hour. Strain liquid into another bowl. Add 2-3 tsp white vinegar to every cup of stained liquid.

**Another idea is to wrap rubberbands around the egg in different directions and dye them that way. It makes a fun tie-dye effect.

Do you have other fun ideas you do with eggs?

house pics

It has been a while since I posted some pics of the addition so here are some more. Some more framing has been done, we wrapped the house (nice present!), had some electrical work done, and put in most of the windows. It's really coming together nicely and we are so pleased with it all. We'll be knocking out the existing wall on the inside pretty soon. That will be fun! I will def. post pictures of that.

Wrapped Addition

First window installed

Inside new wall



Rafters

Outside wall

Cute little window installed