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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Happy Birthday, Sweetie Pies!

Anthony's birthday is June 27th, he'll be turning 8, and Molly's is June 28th, she'll be turning 6! Usually we do a combined birthday party for them....but this year we wanted something different. Back in December, I booked an 18 person camping spot up at Timothy Lake. Boom! Birthday camping extravaganza!! We invited some of our friends and a few of the kids' friends and began the planning. Ohhhhhhh the planning!

This is a super secret camping trip! How we've managed to keep it a secret for this long is beyond me.....it's almost slipped a few times, haha. I hope this camping trip knocks their socks off and everyone has a wonderful time! I'm so excited! 

Because we're going to be gone over their birthdays and I'll be unable to do my usual "birthday post," I'm combining them and doing it early. :) 


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Happy Birthday, Little Man! It seems impossible it was 8 years ago you came into our lives and changed our world forever. You have a sensitive and loving soul that touches everyone you meet. We love you! 

If you would like to read Anthony's birth story, click HERE




Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea! Ohh my how you've grown! You have such an independent and fiery spirit.  Flowing through your day, singing your song, just doing what you please.....I love that about you. We love you, Molly Lynn Elizabeth! 

If you'd like to read Molly's birth story, click HERE

With love,
Mama Hauck

Monday, June 22, 2015

Homemade Toothpaste

I have been making my own toothpaste since this past February and I love it! I'm on my 3rd batch now. I've seen a definite increase in whiteness in my teeth and my mouth just feels....good. No toothpaste aftertaste. No ingredients that I can't pronounce. No dyes. I use an electric toothbrush, and combined with my homemade toothpaste, it's a winning combination. 

I even talked to my dentist about my homemade toothpaste and he, as well as the assistant, said it sounded awesome and if it works for me, then to go for it. I know a few other people who also make their own toothpaste, and while our toothpastes have different aspects to them, the basic ingredients are the same. 

I found the recipe I use on Pinterest from Live Simply


Simple Homemade Peppermint Toothpaste



Ingredients:

1/4 cup + 2 TB coconut oil, soft but not melted (I put the coconut oil in a measuring up and heat it slightly over the stove to soften it. Sometimes I do make it more melted and have seen no issue with doing so)
¼ cup good-quality baking soda (I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herb )
½ tsp real salt (I use Nature's First Real Salt and buy from Amazon)
1 tsp bentonite clay (I buy mine from Mountain Rose Herbs)
1/4 – ½ tsp pure liquid stevia (I didn't want to use stevia. I use Xylitol instead and buy the Now-Foods Brand from Amazon. I might even omit the need for this added ingredient all together in the future.)
5-7 drops peppermint essential oil, the amount will depend on taste preference (I prefer Wintergreen Essential Oil and use 8-10 drops. I typically buy all my EO's from Mountain Rose Herb, but the wintergreen EO was given to me and it's the doTERRA brand)


Directions:

1. In a medium-size bowl, combine the coconut oil and baking soda.  Mix thoroughly.
2. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix.
3. Store in a glass jar or for squeezable toothpaste, use GoToob Silicone Squeeze Bottles.


Notes:

When mixing bentonite clay, please use a wood or plastic spoon. Bentonite clay should not come in contact with metal because it deactivates the clay.

The consistency of this recipe can vary depending on the temperature where the toothpaste is stored, due to the nature of coconut oil.

The liquid stevia is used to sweeten. You can substitute for calcium power, xylitol, or omit altogether. It will just taste a bit salty.

Bentonite clay leaves chemicals out of plastic, so do not store in plastic. Store in glass or silicone. All the ingredients are shelf-stable, so I'd say it can last 6 months or perhaps longer. 


LOVE. 

I especially love this toothpaste right now because it's warm out, so the coconut oil is soft, making the toothpaste an actual paste and easy to swipe my toothbrush in. When it's cooler in the house, the coconut oil is more solid, so I do have to scoop some out using a popsicle stick or something like that and then put it in my mouth. Not really a big deal, but it is easier to use when it's warmer out. Either way I love it and I'm not going back to commercial toothpaste. As they kids get older, I will switch them to this toothpaste as well. For now, I get them toothpaste from The Honest Company that they like.


Hooray for another DIY beauty product! 

With love,
Mama Hauck

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

No More Pencils, No More Books....

No more teacher's dirty looks!! Haha, I can't be the only one who remembers this song from way back when! 

Happy Last Day of School, Goldendale! ;) 

The kids were so excited about today being the last day of school, it took them over an hour to fall asleep last night. We could hear them in their bedroom being silly and giggling, haha. 

Every year we like to get the kids' teachers a special "thank you" gift and pick up a fun "end of the school year" surprise for the kids' classmates. This year I made Anthony and Molly's teachers each a pencil name plaque to hang outside their classroom door. I also made one for the ladies in the office. The Mrs. Smith one was a custom order.


For Molly's classmates, I picked up bubble wands and we tied a note to each one. For Anthony's classmates, I picked up some silly straws and we tied a note to each one as well. All this stuff I got at the Dollar Store. The bubble wands came in a pack of 3, and the straws a pack of 6, so that helped with cost. Super simple, super cheap, super cute. Definitely worth it to see the smile on Anthony and Molly's faces and know how delighted they always are to give their friends a simple gift at the end of the school year.


This morning it was rise and shine like usual....except it'll be the last time getting ready for school for the whole Summer! I'm sooooo looking forward to sleeping in!! ....if the kids allow! Look at those happy smiles! As happy as they are that Summer break is upon us,  Anthony and Molly both tell me they will miss their teachers. I have to agree. They have been AWESOME.


I couldn't resist taking a few "last day of school" photos! Ohhh my how they have grown and blossomed.


 This one is THE BEST!


Once we got down to the bus stop, it was time for a group photo shoot!


And then the bus came to pick them up and get them to school...for the last time this school year. Next time they get on the bus at our busy stop, it will be as a 1st and 3rd grader. Wow.


Have a good last day of school, my little sweet peas! Let the Summer fun begin! 

With love,
Mama Hauck