Laundry Soap

{Note:  I recently added the recipes for both the paste and powdered versions of this soap to the Recipes tab at the top of this blog. There is a print feature at the end of each recipe that makes it easy to print a copy without all the blog blather included :) }

I became interested in making my own laundry soap as a creative/cooking/money-saving plan and found I quite enjoyed the result.  I began by doing a little research, recipe reading, and experimentation and came up with something that works really well for me. 

I wanted something easy to make and easy to store. Most of the recipes I read called for a lot of water (for liquid soap) and, therefore, a lot of storage containers. The dry soap recipes all seemed too complex and cumbersome. {UPDATE:  See the Recipes tab above for my SIMPLE dry version!}

I keep my soap in quart-size canning jars with plastic lids and I have a long handled tablespoon I use to put the soap in the washer. I add the laundry soap as the washer is filling and rinse the soap into the washer from the spoon. (One quart of this soap will clean 64 loads of laundry!)

As with the soap I purchase (or formerly purchased) at the store I sometimes use bleach or oxyclean for extra whitening.  I don’t find I do this any more or less often than before.  If I have a tough stain I rub in a little of the concentrate and it seems to take out everything I’ve tried it on.

All of the ingredients are available in the laundry aisle at the grocery store.  If your store doesn’t carry one of the products, look online.  All of them are available at Amazon.com.

It costs about 1.7 cents per load (Tablespoon) of this laundry soap.

The following is my highly concentrated recipe.  One tablespoon of soap does a whole load of wash! (I have a high capacity washer.)

White Silk Purse Laundry Soap

~ makes 4 quarts {one gallon} of concentrate ~
~  that's 256 loads of laundry! ~

2 bars Fels Naptha

2 cups 20 Mule Team Borax

2 cups Arm & Hammer Washing Soda

6 cups of hot water (+ more water as needed)

Put 6 cups of water on to heat. It will almost boil by the time you are done.  While the water is heating, grate the Fels Naptha.  I cut the bars in half the long way and run them through my food processor with the grater attachment, but it could be grated by hand. Add the soap to the water that is heating, and stir frequently.  This part takes 10 – 15 minutes.  Keep stirring until the soap is completely melted. Don’t let this boil or you’ll have soap all over the place. (Don’t ask!)

When the soap has melted turn off the heat and add the Borax and the Washing Soda. (Do not confuse Washing Soda with baking soda.  They are NOT the same.  Washing Soda is in the laundry aisle.) Stir and stir and stir. You will stir for about three minutes.  The powders will dissolve into the liquid.

Pour the liquid equally into 4 quart jars. Now, add just enough water to bring the contents up to the “shoulders” of the jar.  This will leave about 1 ½ inches of headspace.  Put lids on the jars and let them sit overnight (about 8 hours).

The soap in the jars will separate while it is standing. This is OK. There will be firm soap on top and kind of gel-like soap on the bottom. Sometimes "crystals" form at the bottom of the jar, don't worry.

This next part is really quite fun.  Take one of the jars and cut up the firm soap.  I just stick a knife down into the jar and cut it up like a pie. Next, pour all of this into your blender of mixing bowl I have a BOSCH. Now, because I am frugal I pour about 3 tablespoons of water into the quart jar and swish it around to get all the rest of the soap out.  If there are crystals, I use HOT water and stir a bit. I add this to the blender too.

 Start on the lowest speed of your blender or mixer and increase  the speed gradually.  Your result will be something that looks like really thick, pale yellow whipped cream. You may need to scrape the sides down with a spatula a few times to get it all the way blended/mixed. It's like creaming the butter, sugar and eggs when you make cookies. (I can blend/mix two jars at a time in my Bosch bowl.) 

Pour/spoon the now blended soap back into the quart jar(s).  Your jar(s) will be all the way full now and you may even have a little more for another jar. Pop a lid onto the jar(s) and your soap will keep indefinitely. It gets a little firmer in the jar when it sits, but it stays spoonable.

Just a few notes: The following makes 12 quart jars of laundry soap--

ª     •  6 bars of Fels Naptha (.99 each), 1 box of 20 Mule Team Borax ($4.15), and 1 box Arm & Hammer Washing Soda ($2.79) {then there was a little tax - .86 cents}

ª     • I made 12 quarts of concentrate for $13.74.  That means it costs 1.7cents per load J. That also nearly uses up the above ingredients. (Sometimes I find the products on sale for even less, then I buy more!)

ª     • I had a little Borax left over… It’s good for lots of stuff. Read the box.

ª      • 12 quarts of soap would do just over 14 loads of wash a week for a year!

ª     • I thought I’d need about 18 quarts for a year’s supply at my house.

ª      • The supplies for the soap are easy to store.  I don’t feel compelled to make it all at once.

ª      • I use a Bounce Bar in my dryer.  I think it is the best anti-static and smell good invention of all time.
    
 June, 2011 -- I've tried the recipe dry this summer and have been happy with the result; especially happy that it only takes about 5 minutes to make and then does the job just as well.  Here is the recipe: Grate two bars of Fels Naptha, then run the blade in your food processor that turns it into "powder."  It won't be quite as fine as real powdered soap, but very close.  Then add two cups of Borax and two cups of washing soda.  It only takes TWO TEASPOONS to do a large load.  I have a soup spoon that holds two teaspoons that I use to measure. -- The hardest part is thinking that two teaspoons will do the job, but it does! -- I do keep a jar of the paste kind on hand to rub into tough stains.  I live in a farming area and have a friend who says it even gets ground in cow plop out of her husbands jeans (apparently that is her toughest stain to conquer).

Welcome Summer

Today feels like the first REAL day of summer! Yesterday I cleaned house, and today has been one of those perfect weather days and a day of visiting with good friends! My dear friend, Suzanne, came visiting clear from Phoenix, AZ. Later, one of the dearest young ladies I know, Shalane, stopped in for an unexpected visit. Just a few minutes ago Zanette called and said she'd drop by this evening.  What a lovely day!

I kicked off the summer by participating in the Bijou Market last weekend , a handmade craft fair in Provo, UT.  I was flattered to be accepted as a vendor in this show and had more fun than words can tell! -- The creative portion of getting ready was great fun.  I made zipper flowers, unique handbags, and folded book sculpture. I also sold vintage earrings, and I must say they were a hit!  I would probably do this again, but I think I might love the vintage jewelry business!  The fair itself was held in a beautiful fruit orchard with the vendors stretched out among the trees. The weather was just right for shopping!

One of the founders of Bijou, Emily, is a lovely woman that I've known since she was 3 years old!  She is now a mama and her sweet baby, Hayes, was safely entrusted to us while his busy mom was supervising the fair. What a glorious day we enjoyed.

Check it out! http://www.bijoumarket.com

FIT or FITS???

Well, I've done it...joined a gym.  I HATE to exercise, but I've decided to try to improve my health and overall fitness level. I am on day two and have found that it isn't terrible after I'm there, but getting there can be a challenge. I am quite spoiled by my commute to work which involves walking across the street. Getting to the gym involves getting into my car and driving into town, about 10 miles. Needless to say, if I'm going to drive that far I ought to do any town stuff while I'm there. That means I need to take clothing to change after the workout which means I REALLY ought to shower. Yesterday I thought I had it all figured out. I took everything I needed.....except a towel.  I'm very glad that I thought through to this oversight before I was dripping wet. -- Luckily, my daughter lives in town and a quick phone call enabled be to drop by and shower at her house with one of her towels. So far I feel like I'm packing for a week-long vacation just to go to the gym.  I hope I get adept at this and figure out a better way. (Suggestions are welcome!)

The gym itself is a lovely facility designed for the over 50 crowd. I like the idea of no "sweet young things" bee-bopping around in cute little leotards.  Also, thus far, it doesn't seem to be a pick-up joint. :)  The staff seems to be knowledgeable and all are very kind. Personal service seems to be their motto. The machines are all state-of-the-art. They were made for very SENIOR citizens so are quite easy to operate, not to mention the wonderful staff on hand to assist just a moment before you know you need assistance.

Today my arms and legs ache. I hope in a week or so the pains will be gone and the beginnings of the fit feelings will begin! Wish me luck!

Fatherhood

The "Wordfull Wednesday" challenge this week is writing about fatherhood. I am a day late, but with good reason. We were welcoming a new grandson to the family!

Watching my son be a father brings great joy. It is fun to remember the day he was born and see him enjoy the deep love and blessings that come with fatherhood. This sweet baby is #2 for him, both boys.

My son Jared  and his wonderful wife are, in my opinion, practically perfect parents. They adore their children and teach them well. I love being at their house at bedtime when scriptures are read and prayers are said.

Jared had a wonderful example in his own father. I am a great believer in the adage that actions speak louder than words. My husband always had time to do whatever the children wanted/needed and he still does. Nothing on his agenda is ever more important than what is happening in the lives of the children and our youngest is 20!  This week he has traveled 120 miles (each way) to see a new grandson, worked on a HUGE remodel for a daughter, babysat for our daughter who is a single mom, and gone house hunting with our youngest who is contemplating the purchase of a fixer-uper. All of this happened beyond his regular work schedule!

The over-riding emotion attached to fatherhood is love, a love so wonderful and deep that my husband's favorite quote of all time is: "Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that could be given him, God himself, he who is the highest of all, chose to be addressed simply as Father." (Boyd K. Packer, 1972)

Nurturing Love and Friendship in Marriage-- A pat on the back for my spouse.

For Christmas this year my Chris gave me season tickets to a musical theater that is 3 hours from home. -- Six shows all far away. The tickets came with a coupon for overnight stays each time we see a show. What a wonderful treat. Six mini-vacations. At least 6 hours of visiting with the to and fro drive each time. -- AND, the tickets are for a theater in the town where one of my dearest friends resides! She sent him a thank you note for the gift too! -- I'd say this man KNOWS how to nurture love and friendship in marriage!

Wordful Wednesday Challenge: Do you and your spouse have a song that is yours?

We do!  It will date us in a big way, but our song is “Two Less Lonely People” by  Air Supply.   I don’t know that there is any big reason this is our song, but we both liked it and were delighted to have found each other. – We still are. (It will be 30 years in June!) Whenever we hear this song we stop and dance.

This idea of songs for people, however, extends to our children. In this day and age of ringtone choices we tag our children with tunes that remind us of them for various and assorted reasons.  From time to time the tunes change, but here is the current list:

If they call Mom, this is the tune she hears:

Jared – “A Wink and A Smile” from the movie, “Sleepless in Seattle”  --- He picked it for his wedding.

Emily – “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – She is a true blue, dyed-in-the-wool, “Wizard of Oz” fan.

Anna – “He’s a Pirate” from “Pirates of the Carribean” – Loves  Jack Sparrow!  ‘nuf said.

Clark – “Superman” Theme Song – This story is a little longer. When I was expecting Clark his brother and sisters REALLY wanted us to name him Superman. As it turns out, his Great-Great and Great-Great-Great Grandfathers were both named Clark.  We appeased our older children by telling them we’d give him Superman’s REAL name (but they all know who he REALLY is).

If they call Dad, this is the tune he hears:

Jared – “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” – He loved this song when he was a two-year old. He’d dance wildly whenever it came on the radio!

Emily – “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You” – She is also a true blue, dyed-in-the-wool NSYC fan. And that is putting it mildly!

Anna – “He’s a Pirate” from “Pirates of the Carribean.” (See above.)

Clark – “Superman” by Five for Fighting

And, of course, for each other: When Chris calls me I hear “Pop! Goes My Heart,” from “Music and Lyrics.”  And, when I call Chris, “Two Less Lonely People.”  Can you tell who the romantic in our family is?

What plays when your loved ones call you??

My Family -- At Home

My family at home has changed dramatically over the last few years. The children have grown. They've gone on missions, moved out, gone to college, married, divorced ( :(  ), moved home, moved out, married ( :) ) and now our once full house is seeming rather empty. Only one son remains at home with us (well, that is he sleeps here and eats here most of the time) and since he is old enough to make any of the above mentioned choices,we'll soon join the ranks of the empty nest club.

Chris and I are the happy parents of 4 wonderful children, all of them mentioned many times previously on this blog. We are delighted with them and the good choices they are making. We love the fact that grandchildren are entering our hearts and home. ~~

We'd been married 13 1/2 months when baby #1 joined us. I remember the drive to the hospital that HOT July day in Phoenix, Arizona! I recall saying to Chris, "It will never be the same again." And, it wasn't. It was far better than we ever expected!

We are fortunate that  all of the grown children live within 3 hours of home at present. We get together often and enjoy spending time together. Some of our favorite activites are:

* playing Scrabble
* the Isaac Asimov quiz on Sunday evening
* cooking together -- and of course, eating
* reading and writing (the kids are all great writers!)
* playing "beauty shop" - the girls don't believe the boys should sport unibrows!
* playing "Name That Tune" with HUGE music collections
* popcorn and movies -- we have a theater-size popcorn machine and we LOVE it
* in the spring and summer we love to fly kites, fancy ones that look like dragons and pirate ships

Chris and I are still busy making new resolutions to find ways to re-connect with the children growing and going their own ways.  For Christmas, he gave me season tickets to WONDERFUL theater productions about 3 hours from home. We look forward to the time in the car to visit on the drive back and forth. We'll make a weekend of it when we can. We love to travel and see new places. I'm sure we'll work in some plans for something exciting in the future.

We also love to have company.... We dream of owning a bed and breakfast someday... Maybe right here at home. We'll see. Maybe someday you'll visit our fair city and stay here, at "The White Silk Purse."

Getting Ready for the Holiday Season...

I love to craft, but never quite know how to do it in small bits.  This year I decided to learn to make mittens from recycled sweaters. It has been a party at my house and we are buried in felted wool. I've made about 35 pair so far and my daughters and a few assorted friends have jumped on the bandwagon with me to make more.  We love the hunt for the sweaters and surprise of how they turn out when they are felted. -- We've accosted people at church to "compliment" them on their sweaters and add, "Is it wool????"  It is now impossible to look at a wool sweater without wondering just what it would look like felted.

The mittens are fun, but some sweaters don't quite felt right for mittens. Perhaps they are too thick or too thin. Well, they make WONDERFUL handbags! The part I like best about making purses is that you never really know what style the bag will be until the purse is done. It's kind of like the wool "speaks" and poof the purse jumps out. Now I know that sounds really strange, but it seems true as it happens.

For this holiday season felted wool is my fabric of choice.

Merry Christmas!

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Abundance..."Overflowing Fullness"

On this fine day, my birthday, it seems appropriate to speak of abundance. I am grateful for so many wonderful things and people in my life....and today I think I will name 50 of them. I will leave it to you to decide how I chose that number :)

1) A dear husband who always seems to love me no matter what.

2) My Jared. #1 son who whistles when  he wants me, married a perfect woman, and has always been a good example for his mom (and everyone else who knows him.)

3) Emily, the daughter who sticks to what she wants to do and sees a goal through to the end ... even if the going gets tough. Go Em!!!

4) Anna, the daughter who sees the bright side of all things at all times. She is the sunshine of our lives.

5) Clark, our Superman. Wise beyond his years and dedicated 1000% to what he believes.

6) Michael, Gracie and ? -- The best grandbabies any Grammy could wish for!

7) My lovely home: The White Silk Purse.

8) My brothers. Four fine men. (And their families, of course.)

9) A job I love. There is something to smile about every day.

10) Lucy, my sweet Yorkie. Hard to believe she'll be 5 years old this spring:)

11) My car. It takes me anywhere I want to go.

12) Heat.  There is snow on the ground and heat in my house.

13) Health...

14) Computers. I do remember life without, but I don't want to try it now.

15) Friends who share their talents:

16) Dottie who grows my garden.

17) Shirley who sews my clothes and knows me as well as I know me.

18) Deb who makes me cards and plays the piano for me.

19) Jackie who keeps me in cookies and plays the piano for me.

20) Kit who demonstrates the fine art of empathy.

21) Rosie who is all a good friend should be and more.

22) Mudd, my daughter shared with another mom -- my friend.

23) Books -- life would be such a bore without books.

24) My sewing machine.

25) My book club -- the conversations, the laughter, the friendship, the fun. (Em, Marie, Zanette, Christy, Felice, Shirley, Lucile, and me.)

26) Family doctors who KNOW our family. (And believe the mom.)

27) My pantry and the food therein.

28) Mousetraps and a son who empties them.

29) My iPhone.

30) Of course, the Church and every thing associated with it.

31) Great room mothers for my class.

32) Aunts and Uncles -- I want to grow up to be just like them!

33) The four seasons. I love living where the seasons change.

34) My internet "friends." I like the information and ideas gleaned and shared in cyberspace.

35) Sweaters, especially wool ones.

36) Electric blankets.

37) Spare time.

38) Meeting new people and building relationships.

39) Lists. I am such a list maker I couldn't function in life without my lists.

40) A mom who taught me how to label things. Labels keep order in my home :)

41) Paper towels -- they ought to be Brawny.

42) Abbie: Woman of patience and love. The MOST Christian person I have ever known.

43) TV, but only for the old channels and Public Television. (Perry Mason, Dick VanDyke, I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, Antiques Roadshow, etc.)

44) Primary Songs -- and children to sing them.

45) The country I live in, the USA. I get to say the pledge every day. What a blessing!

46) Safety: I can walk my dog day or night and feel safe in my neighborhood.

47) The theater: I love live theater. I especially love opera and am fortunate to live near an Opera Company, Utah Festival Opera.

48) The garbage man who hauls away the trash every week.

49) Choices and the freedom to make them.

50) However many more birthdays come my way... I'm not even middle aged yet if you count from the life of my Grammy who lived to 104. Sweet!

As you can plainly see, I enjoy abundance in every area of my life. I am truly blessed. It's hard to stop once you get going with this kind of a list. I'll save more for another day.

10 Influential People

The challenge for Wordfull Wednesday this week is:

"Think about those who have had a significant influence in your life.

Besides the Savior, Heavenly Father, and your family, list ten of the most important and influential people in your life. Write the reasons why they are and have been so important to you. Some of these will be people you have known, but some might be people you have only heard of or read about." (Mary Ellen Edmunds, Peculiar in a Good Way, pg.23)



This seems a good month to think of those who have had impact on my life....I'm sure there are far more than 10 people who deserve a mention on this list. Eliminating family is hard, but please know that  they are not forgotten, just on the FAMILY LIST.


Here is my list, in no particular order.


1) Mr. Wilson, my 7th grade English and History teacher helped our class make a book.  Not just a leaflet, but a real book. It was a joke book and we all had great fun finding contributions. My mom was a good parent and good sport who typed much of the book. (This was in the days BEFORE computers were available.) -- He taught us that we could accomplish great things, that we could make plans, set goals and create a product.The book had more than 100 pages.


2) Dr. Hobbs, a professor of Elementary Education at Utah State University. When I returned to college, an "older" student with many obligations, she challenged me to do more than the run of the mill student. I loved her classes, her poise, her southern accent, and the high standards she held for all students. She taught how to strive to surpass yourself at all times. She was always prepared and held herself to the same high standards. She is a marvelous example.


3) Abbie is my next-door neighbor and a dear friend. She is the best example in the world of charity, kindness, caring and love. For many years  Abbie managed a program at USU called "Upward Bound" that assisted struggling HS students and enabled them to gain admission to a university and then supported them as they met the challenges of getting and education. She retired when her granddaughter was born and she decided to stay home and be the caregiver so her daughter in law could return to the workplace. -- When I began teaching school the granddaughter was in my first class of first  grade students (I taught 2nd before 1st). Abbie volunteered in my classroom daily. She has done so every year since. Her granddaughter will graduate from high school this year. Abbie is 85 years old. 


4) Kit sees miracles in everyday life, believes completely, and has the gift of sensing the unspoken feelings of others. She knows if you are hungry, thirsty, tired, happy, well, ill, etc. She meets the need she senses and truly loves unconditionally.


5) Carolyn Keene, author of  Nancy Drew.  Now, I know that Carolyn Keene is fictitious, but the hours spent reading about Nancy, Bess, George and their friends certainly had influence in my life. I spent hours reading of their adventures and going to marvelous places while solving mysteries in my own head.  Childhood wouldn't have been nearly as fun with out Nancy Drew.


6) Sister Stecker. Oh, how I wanted to be old enough to be in Sister Stecker's primary class!  It was in the olden days when Primary was on Wednesday afternoons after school. Sister Stecker's class got to make a Jerusalem Village with salt clay dough and chenille sticks. There were houses and stables, people and animals, and after it was made and dried, you could paint it! What patience this lady must have had! I think she taught that same class FOREVER. (When I was 12 and went to my first dance, Sister Stecker's son, Leonard, asked me to dance! The song was Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue.") -- I hope I'm half the primary teacher Sister Stecker was.


7) Judy: Judy was my mom's best friend in the town where we lived. She was always available if mom or any of mom's children needed anything! We all knew Judy's phone number as well as our own. Interestingly, I don't really remember Mom and Judy doing very many things together, but I do know that they needed each other. They are still good friends.


8) Mr. Kennington was the principal at my school for a couple of years. He was (and is) really a people person. He meets someone once and is fast friends with them. He knew the name of every child in the school within the first month of school. As marvelous as that is, he wins a spot on this list because he invited me to write an important document. The result was many thousands of dollars to support an endeavor that our city desperately needed. Prior to this I liked to write, but the experience taught me that I really liked technical writing and that I am really good at writing boring material. I appreciate his insight in helping me find a hidden talent.


9) Spencer W. Kimball, the prophet of my teen years. The beliefs we have are so directly related to what we commit to and decide to do during our teen years. Many of my strongly held beliefs are directly related to the teachings of President Kimball. I am who I am because of this man's dedication to serve.


10) Steve and Brenda are my son's in-laws. They have been great examples of grand-parenting to us as we blunder through the process. They love our son, they share their daughter, and they share our sweet grandson with us. I found out, quite by accident, that they let their sweet daughter know that it would be especially important to allow us lots of time with Michael since he was our first grandchild. I know they have made great sacrifices of time to allow us to enjoy Michael time. I continue to love them more and more each day. (They count as one because they are one -- one in purpose and one in deed.)


There you have it. 10 of the most influential people in my life. It seems that the majority of influence comes when we are young, but that we have great power to influence others when we are older. What a huge responsibility.

Six Little Words

Grammy: Best Name In The World!

The Best Kids In Town

'Tis the season for Parent/Teacher Conferences and I LOVE them. It is such a pleasure to brag about the kids to their parents and see the delight in their eyes -- the kids and the parents!

Now, everyone who has ever attended school, even for one day, would know it was a big fib if I said everything at school was perfect every day, but most days are. :) -- It is wonderful to meet with parents and visit about the strengths of each child and the ways to best meet the needs of those with challenges. It is also heartening to see the concern and care parents take when they leave busy schedules to come to school and support our classroom.

I'm sure that I have the BEST KIDS IN TOWN all in my classroom!

Happy Fall,

Who am I??

What an interesting question to pose ... Who am I? And the assignment to include a photo of oneself. Hmmm. What do I want friends and strangers to know about me?

I am a wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter and friend. I am a school teacher at a wonderful public school (first grade), and I think everyone ought to have the chance to view life through the eyes of a six-year old!

Last weekend I attended a workshop about keeping kids fit. One of the breakout sessions was all about hula hooping. I loved to hula hoop as a kid and found that I still love it! The woman teaching the class indicated that 10 minutes of hula hooping is the equivalent of a 2 1/2 mile run. She claims the loss of two dress sizes in two months of regular hoop use. -- Hope that proves true for me too! If it does I'll be the next famous fitness guru. Can you imagine a better way to keep fit than playing? ( I also wonder if I can market my marvelous hoops on etsy. Kind of a quirky item for a handmade gadget!)

Back to the "who I am" portion of this blog. I like to read, write, sew, cook, can, and compute. I don't like to clean, wash, run, or talk on the phone. I love to send snail mail, make charms, surprise family and friends, walk my Lucy-dog, and yard sale. I hate to sit on the floor, put away shoes, or eat peas.

I love being a mom and double love being a grandma. I love having the best friends in the world and I love my book club -- the books and the women!

Speaking of the book club, it is my favorite monthly activity. The members include 2 twenty somethings, 2 thirty somethings, 1 forty something, 2 fifty-ish, and 2 seventy plus, members. We take turns selecting the reading material. The discussions are always lively and we rarely all agree. Except, we all agree that we wouldn't trade the club for anything else.

If this post is somewhat disjointed it's because I'm a little sleep-deprived. Some weeks are just that way!

Transformations ... Enjoy the Ride

It's interesting that nothing ever stays the same for long. Change is inevitable from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, year to year. Some changes come quickly and others take time. I am truly a creature of habit and have only learned to embrace change in the fairly recent past. I like routine and predictability. Life, however, is unpredictable.

I live high in the mountains of Northern Utah. Our weather is drifting from summer to fall and as the days shorten the first signs of the next season appear bit by bit. I saw a red leaf today, the lawn needs less water, the dahlias aren't blooming quite a prolifically, and children are speaking of Halloween...already? I saw a Christmas display in the mall last week too.

Some transformations are inevitable...they happen whether or not we want them to and whether or not we take any action. Others, though, we create ourselves.

The transformations I am working on, at present, are attitude changes. I want the ability to take life gently, to adapt more easily to the changes and bumps in the road we call life. I want to stop more often to enjoy the world through the eyes of the children in my life.

I remember riding in the car to the hospital, more than 28 years ago, to have our first child. I recall saying to my husband, "It will never be the same, never be just us again. Isn't it exciting!"

The changes of that day remain dear to my heart. I loved seeing the world through the eyes of the cute little red-head that joined our family on that day. He was, and is, an optimist. I love to think of the hot summer day when he was 3 and I was great with child awaiting his soon-to-be sister and our car broke down many miles from home. I was worried and shed a few tears. He said, "Don't cry mom, we'll take the city bus!" We did. It was an adventure, and all was well.

It is wonderful to watch a child grow, learn, explore, and transform into a parent himself. Now he and his dear wife have a 3 year old who imparts words of wisdom, and they are awaiting a brother or sister to add to their family. Life circles.

Take time to enjoy the ride no matter where the ride is taking you. It will always be an adventure.