I know many of us already know this, but many still don't, or don't realize its importance. 

Violence against women begins with turning women's bodies into objects.

laundry soap

Hello, friends.

I have been a little absent lately. My apologies.

I have some ideas for posts that i've been sitting on, which I will hopefully share soon, but in the meantime I want to share something else with you.

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I've been making my own laundry soap for a few years now. It works well, doesn't leave a strong scent (but it does leave a fresh scent), is much cheaper, and is environmentally friendly. I got this recipe from The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel-Maier.

I usually make a double or triple batch, and it lasts me through 4-5 months or so.

Mix together:

1 cup washing soda (available in boxes in the laundry aisle)
1 cup baking soda
1 cup soap flakes or finely grated pure bar soap
10 drops essential oil of choice* (optional)

Use 1/2 cup for an average load. (I usually use less than that)

I usually start the water running into the washing machine, put in a scoop of soap and glug of white vinegar (which apparently also cuts down on static electricity).

Enjoy!

*Here is a picture of the essential oil chart in the book, which I really appreciate, 

though I will say I don't really notice the scent in the washed clothes, after drying:

exhaustion

This morning, I woke up, and I actually felt rested. Kind of sort of rested. At 7am, no less.

Glory be.

Which, let me tell you. It's about time. After spending nearly my entire weekend in my pajamas, in my house, and feeling slightly ill and/or utterly exhausted, it's about damn* time I start feeling rested. On Sunday afternoon I stood in the middle of the kitchen in my pajamas, completely at a loss, asking myself, "...what exactly is it that normal people eat for dinner?"

All I could come up with were pasta and nachos. Which just reinforced to me a thousand times over that it was clearly time to lay low for awhile.

After the move, and our Walden excursion to Timp Lodge, I proceeded to have some weird stomach thing. On my birthday, of course.  This, shortly after my ear infection which popped up the weekend before we moved. And the weird foot injury that showed up out of nowhere a couple days after that (also just a couple days before we moved).

And then, I got to thinking. When was the last time I wasn't drowning in responsibilities? And I think it was March. Or maybe the end of February. Just before I began teaching at Walden. (Don't worry, post with details about that job coming soon.) I have seriously been running like mad ever since. Maybe I'll write a post with details about how things have been since then. Mostly fun, but totally busy crazy.

Thank goodness things seem to be slowing down just a tiny bit. Parent teacher conferences today and tomorrow, general conference this weekend, (and a birthday sleepover, to make up for being sick on my birthday) and then things should be pretty normal, hopefully. Who knows, maybe I will be able to devote more time to things like unpacking boxes! Such excitement!

Also, as noted above, a couple days ago was october 1st, which marks the first day of me not being on my mother's health insurance. This (at the moment) has me feeling somewhat orphaned (i don't know why i wasn't expecting that), though i anticipate that the orphaned feeling will develop into more of a feeling of independence. i mean, at age 26 i am legally allowed to do anything any other adult can do (rent cars, drink, etc.), which is a little crazy to think about.


*I also seem to have recently picked up the habit of swearing like a sailor, which is loads of fun. believe me. 

My little sister moved away to go to college a little over a week ago. The whole process reminded me of this post I wrote, just after I graduated from BYU.

Those first years away from home are quite crazy, in good and bad ways. A lot of stretching and growth happens... but it is also so, so fun. I am so excited for her! She is awesome. I can't wait to watch as she makes memories of her own.

fame and fortune

I've been in the paper a couple of times over the past year, and thought I should post links to those articles. You know, for posterity.

A couple days ago an article was published in the Daily Herald, which highlighted the baby-wearing class we teach at WIC. Link here.

And at the end of October last year, an article was published in the Daily Universe (BYU's student run newspaper) with details about WIC's breastfeeding classes, which I was nominated to talk to the reporter about. That one is here.*

Both classes are free to anyone who wants to come! I love that about WIC. It's all about helping people.





*the classes are now offered at different times, as a side note. i'm sure you were all about ready to attend the very next class.

Wish I could go to this:



Even just the promo is stunning.

Article on it, here.

sickie

...is what my father used to call me/us when we were sick as children.

It was the first thing that came to me for a title for this post, because, well...

I am sick.

I don't get sick often, thank goodness (the last time I had a fever was almost two years ago). I blame that on good genes. And the fact that my mother breastfed me for my first three months. I think it is an ear infection/cold this time. I woke up with a fever, though I think it has gone down from this morning.

ps. having a fever is the weirdest feeling.

I have used the following natural remedies to try to clear it up quickly:

• echinacea tincture (2x already today)
• mullein tincture (for my cough)
• xylitol sinus/nasal spray (2x already today)
• apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons in a glass of water. this is probably the grossest one of the whole list)
• onion juice in my ear (don't worry, that is a reputable source. though putting things in your ear can be potentially dangerous, i imagine, so try that one at your own risk)
• homemade garlic and onion broth (this actually tasted pretty good)
• not eating sugar (even in fruit form)
• not eating much, and only whole grains, vegetables or protein when I do
• drinking lots of water
• staying in bed (mostly), with my head propped up to help with sinus congestion

I will probably try some garlic in my ear next if I have more problems, though the onion juice helped quite a bit. 

Something's got to work, right? I've had good success with natural remedies in the past. I don't even remember the last time I had to take antibiotics, so let's keep that trend going! 

I don't want to have to get a sub for school tomorrow.

In the meantime, I'll take advantage of this excuse to stay in bed all day and catch up on the books I need to read, so I can decide which ones I want to teach in my class.