I want to avoid putting as many chemicals as I can onto myself and my family.  This is the recipe that works best for us.

What You'll Need:
4 Tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
4 drops tea tree oil (or other essential oil of your choosing)
glass jar with a lid, or empty deodorant stick

In a small bowl mix coconut oil and arrowroot powder by pressing the two together with the back of a fork or spoon until well combined.  Add essential oils.  Store in an airtight container and apply a small amount to each armpit with your fingers, or, refrigerate the mixture and scoop/press into an empty stick deodorant container.  I use tea tree oil because of the natural antibacterial abilities it has, but play around with your favorites to find one you like best.

Please note that this will stop odor but  is not an antiperspirant.  You will still sweat, but you won't stink. ;-)

Coconut oil melts at around 72 degrees so if your bathroom is on the warmer side you may want to keep your deodorant in the refrigerator.  Our medicine cabinet seems to stay pretty cool so we have not had any issues with melting deodorant as of yet.

Coconut oil is easily and readily absorbed by the skin.  You should not have any worries about oily stains or such on your clothing.

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It has been a very busy week around here.  Working, cooking, cleaning, taking walks, and gardening.  This is our life this week, in pictures.

Old archway found on our walk. I thought it was beautiful and photo worthy.

Old house spotted on our walk.

Ready for a walk

Let's go for a walk.  You pull, mom.

A small creek near our house

Neat little bit of nature I found on a walk.  These plants were growing inside of an old glass bottle.

I will never get those shoes clean!

Who needs bubbles when you have MUD?!?!

Ewww!

Giving our porch a much needed face lift

Muddy hands

Boy 3 enjoying some mud.

Mud! On a stick!

Working on the porch rail

To sunburst the rails or not?

Helping Daddy

Mud stompin'

Boy 3 in the garden

Boy 2 in the garden

Boy 3 running in the rain

Playing in the rain?  YES!

Girl looking very sassy.  Love her new glasses!

Boy 2 weeding the garden

Ducky umbrella

This large bird set himself atop the dead tree as soon as it started raining.   He stayed this way for about 5 minutes.

This is our first year having a real garden.  We've grown vegetables in the past but this year's garden makes those attempts seem laughable.  In the past we have simply dug up a small plot, and I do mean small, like, flower bed small.  This year our main garden is 50 ft x 20 ft! We've been tilling, and fertilizing, and starting seeds in anticipation.  We still need a fence to keep the deer away.  Here is some of our progress in photos.

Some time ago I bought a bag of soy flour to add protein to some of my baked goods.  Today, I was inspecting the bag and found a recipe for making your own soy milk.  It is actually quite easy!

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil.  Slowly stir in 1 cup of soy flour.  Simmer on low for 20 minutes.  Line a colander with a tea towel or several layers of cheese cloth over top of a bowl large enough to collect the liquid. Strain the mixture to remove any lumps.  You may add flavors or sweeteners to your soy milk.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy!

No more throwing away or composting the ends of celery for me!  You can regrow your celery stalks using the end that is cut off and usually tossed.  To do this, simply place the cut off end into a small dish of water.  Within a few days you will see leaves growing from the center.  Simply replant into soil outside if it is warm enough or in a planter indoors in a sunny spot until it can be transplanted outside.  No need to fuss with seeds!  You will have small celery stalks within a few short weeks.

It is only March and I have already seen (and felt) those pesky little blood sucking insects.  Mosquitoes.  I personally don't usually have too many issues with them.  I guess they don't like the way I taste, being bitter and all, hehe. My husband and kids, on the other hand, seem to be a mosquito's favorite treat.

In the past we have always purchased various bug repellents in chemical form.   That is not an option for us this year.  We are avoiding as many harmful chemicals as we possibly can.  So, since sprays and lotions are out. I have been researching some natural mosquito repellents.

Marigold:  I already knew about this one and had already planned to plants lots and lots of marigold around the yard. So far I have 16 flowers in the  small flower bed in the front yard and have planted lots of seeds in the same flower bed and on the side yard where we will not be cutting grass.  This is the same area where our picnic table will be so I am really hoping it helps.  Apparently marigold also wards off deer, so we may be planting them around our vegetable garden too.

Catnip:  I had no idea.  Some people swear by it, saying that just picking some catnip and rubbing the plant on their skin and clothing keeps the pests away.  I bought catnip seeds yesterday.  I read that it is an invasive plant, meaning it will take over and area so I am thinking that growing it in a container that can be moved around from area to area will be a god idea.  I'll do the same with mint.

Mint: I already purchased mint seeds, but not for their repellent benefits.  I planned to grow mint for teas and cooking.  I just learned that mint is great at warding off mosquitoes.  Wonderful! Double duty plants, hooray!  Mint will be grown in a large container because it spreads and is hard to contain otherwise, this also gives us the option to move the mint plants to whatever section of the yard we are in.

Citronella:  I have been unable to find citronella plants locally, but then again, it is only March.  I will continue to look.  I do know that my local farmer's market sells citronella essential oil.  I am sure I can come up with a recipe for a spray or salve of some sort using that.  I'll keep you posted.

Rosemary: Lucky for me there was already a very lovely rosemary plant in my backyard when I moved in.  That plant is the center and focal point of my herb garden to-be.  I already make a tea from the shrub and use it for cleaning since it has a wonderful scent and antibacterial properties.

Lemongrass:  Another beautiful plant in flower beds and gardens.  I am still searching for this one and hope to make it a part of my herb garden and flower beds.

This is what I have found so far and I think that with all of these herbs and flowers combined I will have a good advantage on winning my war on mosquitoes this summer.  What are your plans for keeping the flying vampires at bay? I'd love to hear from you!


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I went back to work this week after being off last week.  I wasn't on vacation, my babysitter was.  That is when this blog was born.  I know that I can reach people with my ideas.  I know that I can share my experiences and knowledge with someone, anyone, who cares to know.

People think I am crazy with all my little projects.  The garden, homemade laundry detergent, making deodorant and toothpaste, etc, but I know that I am saving money and doing what is best for my family.  Luckily, I laugh at myself easily and have the capability to shrug off ignorant.  I will be the one laughing all the way to the bank, or the farm, or the homestead - haha. And when someone sarcastically says, "Do you make your own bread, too?", I know I can smile and  nod my head, yes, yes I do.  Jealous?  You see, one day I will be able to quit that mediocre job and be able to do all the things I really enjoy, and all the sarcastic busy-bodies will still be there, reminiscing about that one girl, "you know, that girl that made her own bread and all the other stuff all the time, yeah, she doesn't work here any more."  I'll be long gone, enjoying my simple happy life.  



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