If at First You don't Succeed...

So You know I tried to go no 'poo for a while last year?

Yeah, the time I failed miserably? 

Well, after seeing Red from Red and Honey issuing a 1  month no 'poo challenge, I was inspired to try again!! 

It has been irritating me (and my scalp) to be using shampoo again, and, although I love the smell of some commercial shampoos, I hate the thought of what I am doing to my body. I am convinced that if I can make a few transitions in my personal care routine, I will see a huge change in my hormonal reactions! 

Some of these changes include going back to my homemade natural deodorant, changing to cloth mama pads, and.... yep, you guessed it, trying no 'poo again.

The last time I tried it, it took me about 4 weeks to realize that my hard water was not helping the issue. In fact, it was making everything very much worse!! the gunk was driving me up the wall, to the point where I HAD to wash it with shampoo. 

This time, though, I am prepared, and have done a ton of research on the interweb, and I have some more trouble shooting ideas to help me persist this time! (I hope!)

So today is day one. I have boiled up my water, washed with Baking Soda and rinsed with Vinegar, had the slick feeling (this is apparently vital) and even done a little oil treatment, and I feel very clean! (my hair was a grease bucket after 4 days no washing!)

We shall see how we go....

The Magic Elixir....

I have a freezer full of my magic elixir again, and I am very happy!!

No, it is not some new-fangled potion, in fact it's very old (the recipe, I mean, not my stash)

Your Granny would most definitely have made it, and I strongly believe it is a practice we should bring back: I'm talking, of course, about the health giving Homemade Chicken Stock.

There are so many health benefits to consuming a good stock, and any homemade sauce is transported to new heights with it's use. The fact that it's so EASY to make too, just seals the deal.

Lets take a look at why it's so valuable. 

1. Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.
2. Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage
3. Promotes strong, healthy bones: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation
4. Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the gelatin in the broth(from Mercola.com)
5. It's a frugal way of getting the most out of your joint, and therefore saving you money
6. And like I said, soups, stews and sauces taste AMAZING with some broth added.

Easy Chicken Stock Recipe

You can use a whole chicken and peel of the meat once cooked, or use the carcass after you have removed the cooked meat.

Place the carcass/whole chicken in a large stockpot with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar vinegar (this help the calcium draw fully from the bones) and fill with water. Let sit on the stove top for an hour, then turn on heat and bring to the boil. Skim the scum (I love that phrase!) off the top and turn heat down to a simmer. Add 2-3 carrots, 1 medium onion, cut in half, but with skin on, and 1 large stick of celery, a pinch of salt and pepper, and let simmer gently for 6-12 hrs. 

Strain into a bowl and place slightly cooled stock into the fridge. When cooled the fat will solidify on the top. Remove this and store in clean jars in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or do as I do, and freeze in small portions. I store mine in ice cream tubs, and defrost in a bowl of hot water before use.

SO tasty, and SO healthy. Win, win, I think!!!!

Homemaker's Binder

I was updating my homemaker's binder last week, after seeing some inspiration on another blogger's site, and I though I would share with you what I have been up to. 

I was never the sort of woman who would have needed a binder, I just wasn't that organized, and my family scoffed at me when I first made it up. We all use it now,however, and especially for me, it has become a source of great joy and comfort. 

"What is she talking about?" you may be asking.

This is what I am talking about: my Homemakers Binder :)

Not the flashiest thing in the world, but full of a wealth of information about our family. 

I just grabbed the nearest binder I had, and put it together with stuff I had, or downloaded, but I updated it this week to include a few extras.






I start with my Chore chart. I love this from The Confident Mom, i just need some pointers, so I go for the full version, although she also does a blank version, for the Super efficient among us!! (NOT ME) 

This is printed and stored in my binder, and week by week it comes out and is stuck to the fridge. What I like about this is there are clear jobs to do each day, and the kids can come independently and choose a job to do, tick it off, and we are done!









Next, is my new addition of a birthdays page. I am SOOOO bad at remembering birthdays, I have them on my phone, on my main calendar, but I felt I needed a central place where I could see all the birthdays in the month in one place, so I printed this great template from Fun With Mama
and the main birthdays and anniversaries are on here.
(It's also cute, and I love it!)







I have also included a Holiday Gift Tracker, from iheart organizing, which I used for the first time this year, and it worked great! 
All of our Christmas gifts were in one place, and I could keep track on just how much I was spending.(would be great for those with large extended families to buy for.)




Next comes my spare meal planner sheets, which I got from The Project girl. I really find that now we have started to use this, we can't function without it now!
lovely lay out too, with room for notes on soaking and prep, and again, goes on the fridge for all to see, so when I get the usual cry from 4 children, "what's for tea mum?" I can tell them to go and look on the fridge and it will tell them. 
Happy mummy!!







I also added a utilities main page, with account numbers, emergency phone numbers and renewal dates. This has been added, because I have found that, as we do most of our account management online, if the internet goes down, as it has recently, I have no idea what the phone numbers are, nor my account numbers, so one main page is a huge benefit, and DH has already used it!! This is the one we use.

I then have all of my recipes organized into breakfasts, lunches, dinners, soup, dessert, etc. 

So that is what's in mine, but you can make it personal to you, with an Emergency Telephone List, a To Do List, a Monthly cleaning list, a Gardening template or anything else that you feel fits your family.

I love my binder, and all the family know where the main things are. In the binder, in the kitchen, next to the coffee pot!



                  

What happened there???? (And Weekend Links)

Wow, where did this week go??

I looked up and it is Saturday! I have had a productive week though, updating my Home makers binder, trying new food, and relaxing with friends.

So I will be posting my Friday recipe on Saturday today!! 

First though, my weekend links.

Homemade Popcorn  from GNOWFGLINS (it's a crazy great acronym) looks yummy, never seen red palm oil, s might have to give it a go!

These hand warmers are a nice idea, from Little House Living, although now we don't own a microwave, they would not be as easy to warm up.

Off-Grid Alternatives to Everyday Appliances from Mom With A Prep was a nice read, some good tips, especially the root cellar idea....(pick up all the tips you can from wherever you can...)

And since I am GOING to start it this year,

the beginner vegetable garden at the Modern Homesteader has been a great starter to read for my fledgling veg patch.

Enjoy!!