Summer!

Recently Reid, Colton and I went to a ward picnic where we were able to meet a lot of new people that were more our ages. YAY for friends. Its been almost two years and I am just now making friends. There is a lot to be said about staying in one ward for more than a couple months. : )

Its warming up out side, I am really excited about summer and being able to go swimming in the back yard!

Congrats to my sister in laws: Edith and Marissa, they are preggo at the same time... again. : ) Edith is due in October and Marissa is due in December (I believe). I'm so excited for new little ones that have no strings attatched! "The baby is hungry and crying.... here you go!" Love it.

My brother Massey and cousin Samantha are graduating this May from the same school! It has been so fun to see them grow up together. Reid, Colton and I are driving up to Kansas for their graduations!!!

I'm so excited to be going back home to see the family!

This weekend my little sister Brooklyn did a lot of major changes. She got 12 inches cut off of her hair (her hair is now to her shoulders) and donated to cancer in behalf of her friend who has cancer and today she got her braces off! Watch out boys!!!

We went to Tempe Movie in the park on Friday and had a great date night. See the picture of colton with the pizza.... we took a $5.00 pizza as our dinner. : )

So.... I made this for dinner last night from my new favorite website to get recepies from.... it was heaven in my mouth! Its called Quesadilla Pie. It was super cheap to make!!! simplyrecipes.com

Homemade laundry detergent (dry)

Reid has given us a very strict "weekly family budget" so that we can get out of debt and save for the future that is to come.

He takes care of all the bills... IE. Mortgages, utilities, EST.
I take care of the food, baby stuff, and cars.

Since the budget is on the small side, (about half what a normal family would spend) I have been finding ways of how to get costs down so I can save a little to some day get a hair cut ; )

We have gone to cloth diapers which is that the most amazing thing in the world but it cuts out about 10-20 dollars per week on disposable diapers. : )

I have decided today that I'm going to start making "home made laundry detergent". Since we aren’t throwing away the diapers... they have to be cleaned right? Laundry cleaning = $$

If anyone else in interested in being frugal like me... here is the recipe:

Laundry Detergent (dry):

2 cups finely grated soap (yes body soap, a bar of it, use your cheese grater!)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Arm & Hammer washing soda (not baking soda, can be found in the cleaning or laundry isle)

Blend it up in a blender or food processer, put it in a container that has a lid and put a measuring cut next to it! You’re done!

Depending on the mess of the clothes: 1TBSP - 1/2 Cup

If you have a HE washer, no worries! This mixture does not suds up like the liquid soap so it’s fine for you washers!!!

Spring break & Easter

It has been a while since I have posted and a few exciting things have happened in the mean time!

My not so little, "little brother" came out to visit over spring break. It was also my spring break as well which worked out perfectly! We had a lot of fun!!! We went to the Kansas City Royals spring training baseball game, Massey went mountain climbing with Reid's dad and brother. We went camping up in the mountains. We attempted to climb 4 peaks mountain range but had to turn back as it was too icy at the top. We went to the  Heart attatck grill where we ate the most unhealthy food I have ever had. Every customer wore hospital gowns over there clothes and the servers wore nurse and doctor outfits. Massey ate a "quadrupal bypass burgar"... it was HUGE! My mom has since told me that he has not had a hamburger since... only chicken!!!  They then wheeled him out with a wheel chair to the car. It made me so sick that night and the following day. We also made a lot of progress on the yard here at my house. we had a "pool" fence that was held together with chains that massey and I took out. I really loved having him in town. He helped out so much and I was able to feel more motivated than I had in a long time. : )

EASTER:

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Bartletts home a lot for different easter festivities. We did a money egg hunt one day. Another day we went and did a childrens hunt with their ward and had breakfast. Then we listened to conferance on there very large (50inch?) flatscreen tv.

Easter morning we decided to combine both of Reid's and my traditions. I hid baskets of goodies around the house for Reid and Colton to find and then I also made sure there was a outdoor egg hunt. Colton was very happy to have a peep and crashed hard after he had his sugar rush. : ) Reid was happy to have candie and fruit snacks.