Our first advent-ure!

It has been a long 3 weeks without internet. I don't even remember what my mama-projects were and we have done so many fun, little things that I forgot to take pictures.

But the most important kid-time project we started today. A life-group friend found this advent calendar that truly is wrapped around God's word AND is for little kids. The mom who created this started it with her one-year old, so no excuses!

The website is this www.truthinthetinsel.com .

I don't want to give to much away because it is copyrighted and it's 5$. I was reluctant to buy it because we have started a very tight budget, but I thought '5$ for my kids' need to hear God's word'... I think you know which won.

Everyday you read bible verses in your own bible (I think that is important), and make an ornament to go along with the verses. The ornaments are not great and not meant to last through the years. Actually I will probably end up keeping one or two for memory sake, but the rest will be tossed (you make this over again next year...).

The first day (today!) was about light; about Isaiah prophesying the coming of the Light, Jesus Christ. So the ornament was one that you could put in front of a christmas tree light and it shines. 

It was a good 20-30 minutes of talking about rejoicing in the Light and the coming of Jesus. We just talked while we crafted away.

Anywho's, I HIGHLY recommend this advent calendar! 

One of my mama-projects was home-made laundry soap. 

Now, a preface: I have been a tide-girl for a looong time, but it's expensive. I now will never use that again because this really does work and is CHEAP!!! 

bad picture...

The ingradients:

1 cup of 20 Mule Borax

1 cup of Arm n Hammer Super Laundry soap

1 bar of Ivory body soap ( you can use any you like, there are even laundry bar soaps (fels-napa) but one 

          without a lot of greasy moisturizers or scents)

and I added on my own.... 1/2 cup-1 cup of the oxyclean powder (but generic brand)

ps-you can add a couple drops of some sort of oils to add a scent and most everything is in the laundry aisle. 

Ok, the fun part. No pictures though :(, take the bar of soap and put it in the microwave (i don't know if this works with other bars of soap). Microwave it for 90 seconds and it will become this puffy cloud-like substance. Its brittle and I just broke off pieces and put them in a blender with the other ingredients. 

And viola...... All it take is 1-2 tablespoons (depending on size of load). 

BEST PART: it costs only 12$ to buy everything and there is so much of it that it will last me at least 9 months. I didn't make 9 months worth though, I've read that if you make too much and it will start to get hard. 

More to come! Have a great weekend.