Today, Annabelle & I had some special visitors. Nana brought Aunt Erin, Cousin P & Cousin E down to play. We all went to Chick-fila for lunch (my favorite) and then came back to Annabelle’s house for some fun in the sun.
Annabelle had a great time & enjoyed having her cousins here to play. 🙂
Ok with a title like this one you were probabaly thinking that I was gonna post some pictues of us flying or airplanes, or mabye even kites or birds. Well, sorry to dissappoint you but this post is about how time flies!
Isn’t it amazing how time flies?! I have just come to the realization that I have spent 1/3 of my life with the most amazing man ever! Today Tommy & I are celebrating our 7 year wedding anniversary. (Yesterday marked 10 years of the date he offically asked me to be his girlfriend.) I remember that day like it was yesterday. A late night boat ride on the lake (Clark’s Hill). He is quite the romantic.
In our 7 years of happiness we have lived in 3 different houses, in different cities all over the state. We have learned a lot about each other, grown alot as a family & we enjoy being snug as a bug in a rug, & happy as a pig in mud.
I love you honey and I am looking foward to spending forever with you!
Tuesday afternoon at 4:45 pm my friend Leah & her family welcomed baby Ridge into the world. He was 8 lbs 11 oz and 21 inches long. I am so excited for her, Pete, Hunter & Layla. Ridge has a wonderful family & I am so excited to be a part of it. I love you baby Ridge & can’t wait to watch you grow up!
Today I attempted a recipe for making laundry detergent. (you are probably thinking I am NUTS!) am I right?! Being a stay at home mom, I am always looking for new ways to save money, & I have found one here. Homemade Laundry Detergent!
I found a recipe on a blog that I follow. If you get the chance, check out Sasha’s blog, but beware, it can be addicting. 🙂
But enough already you really want the recipe I am sure.
This is what you will need:
1 Bar of Ivory Soap
1/2 cup of Borax
1/2 cup of Washing Soda (not to be confused with baking soda, they are different.)
This recipe makes 16 loads. I quadrupled it, & had lots left for next time.
I looked in 4 different stores before I found the washing soda, but found it at Wally World or you might know it as Walmart.
First I grated my Ivory soap & mixed my borax & washing soda together.
My friend Sasha used her food processor to mix all 3 ingredients together, but I do not own a food processor & used a small onion chopped instead.
Mix until you get the consistency you want.
Voila, you are done!
Oh yeah, the best part is you only need to use 1 tablespoon of detergent in your load, yes you heard me right only 1 tablespoon. It is even compatible for HE washers like mine. Yippee!
I did all the math & did you know that this homemade detergent only cost me 5cent per load?
I hope yall try this recipe, I had fun making it & it was super easy!
Here at Annabelle’s House….We have been super busy, getting ready for Spring/Summer & her 1st Birthday Party Extravaganza!
Here our a few of our projects:
A vegetable garden; 4 Tomato Plants, 1 Cherry Tomato Plant, 1 Green Bell Pepper Plant, 2 Squash Plants, & 2 Zucchini Plants. I am very happy to report that we have tomatoes on all plants and lots of blooms on our squash & zucchini plants. We can not wait to reap what we have sown.
Also, I have 2 metal chairs, that I have had since Tommy and I got married. They are from my Great Grandma’s front porch. They have been many different colors. I remember them being a dark green, a tan, red (the color I painted them 7 years ago) and now purple. It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do. Annabelle now shares with me the love of these old metal chairs & has one in her room.
Before:
After:
Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Baby Girl!
Mommy and Daddy love you more than you will ever know. I can not believe that it has been a year since you have changed our lives. We wish you the best in whatever God has planned for your life, & will always be proud to call you our daughter. You are the most precious gift we have ever received.
We love you!
Happy Birthday PaPa!
We love you & wish you many more!
The day that we have planned for so long has finally come and gone. Annabelle’s 1st Birthday Party. I may poke out my chest a little & brag, but I think it may have been the BEST PARTY EVER!!!! (it will be super hard to top in the years to come, what was I thinking?!) Judging by my pictures, the smiles on everyone’s faces, & the comments from all of our dear friends & family I can say with pride that a good time was had by all. Mission Accomplished.
The people who helped us celebrate Annabelle’s Birthday were our immediate family’s & the few friends who are close enough that we consider family. I am so glad that everyone made the 2 hour trip to our house to celebrate. I can not express how much it means to us that you all could be here.
The menu: BBQ Chicken Fingers, Corn on the Cob, Fresh Summer Fruit, Goldfish Crackers, Sweet Tea, Lemonade, Water,
and of course Birthday cake, and the main attraction of the party my PawPaw’s ice cream machine.
Our backyard was filled with picnic tables for everyone to sit & enjoy the food, & also to watch the kids/adults enjoy all the activities we had set up.
The giant blow up jumpy water slide was a HIT! I do not know who enjoyed it more the men or the kids. (I did get on it after everyone left & have to say that it was a lot of fun) We also had a kiddie pool, a pirate water table & a bubble generator.
RANDOM RANDALL NEWS 