Fall is my Favorite!

The windows are finally open.. and I think it's for good this time! We've had a few spurts of cool air (teasers if you will) where we were able to crack open the windows, but then we'd start approaching the mid 80's again (which is my cut off by the way). We seem to be hanging in the mid 70's for now which is just perfect! 

I love all things fall related- mugs full of hot coffee, the changing of the leaves, sweaters, and as mentioned above, a chance to part ways with the AC/Heat (even if its just for a brief time). 

We've had a busy summer, and what's sure to be an even busier fall! We've completed several more projects on the house, including some much needed bush trimming, a fireplace re-vamp, and hot tub demolition! It seems like the projects are never ending (I guess that comes with the territory when your a home owner), but I guess we're managing to chip away a little at a time. 

I've also undertaken a few more craft projects including curtains and a re-covered bench seat for my neighbor.. and a refurbished dog bed for Wendy! 

Upcoming events for the Tuck Family include a visit from Mary and Clara.. and Thomas' 10 year reunion in Hillsborough (and also getting to meet our new nephew Zane, eek!!!). More to come about this events later! For now, I plan to enjoy my coffee (and put off those pesky house chores for a few more minutes)!

Sugar Scrub, Detergent, and Cleaner- oh my!

Let me be frank with you. I'm having a really fun time experimenting with homemade products. It's like a challenge (probably the same reasoning for why I enjoy coupons). Not only can you make it for cheaper, but its better for you! Granted- investing in some of the products up front is NOT cheaper. But in the long run, it definitely is because they all last a long time. Now here's where the honesty comes in- I'm not quite ready to part with my Redken products.. or my eye cream for that matter.. but here are a few recipes that look really simple and are in the works! (I've purchased or ordered the ingredients.. so I'm just waiting for everything to arrive)

Homemade Sugar Scrub (because who doesn't like a nice exfoliator?!)

2 parts brown or white sugar
1 part oil (coconut or almond)
1/2 tsp Vitamin E Oil

Mix together in a small jar- and that's all folks!


Laundry Detergent

Pure Bar Soap (like Dr. Bronners - I ordered off of Amazon)
Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer - also off of Amazon)
Borax (Mule Team Borax - ALSO off Amazon)

You can find the full recipe here. It includes a powdered version and a liquid version. I'm going to attempt the powered version first because it seems way easier.

Or if your interested in buying a store bought version, this one seems great. It may be my back up if the homemade batch goes south :) And as a side note, the pre-made version seems expensive, but its concentrated and is good for 100 loads!

All Purpose Cleaner (for bathrooms and countertops)

1 tsp borax
1/2 tsp washing soda
1 tsp liquid castille soap (I bought mine at Target- Dr. Bronners)
Essential Oils - 10 drops of Orange and 4 of Lemon

Add all ingredients and 2 cups of warm water to a spray bottle. Voila.

I'll keep you all posted on how they turn out :) For now, I need to get sewing on some curtains for a friend. Details and pictures of that to come later!

The life of gypsies...

Do you ever feel like a pack of traveling gypsies? Sometimes I do. We travel quite a bit- usually with the dogs in tow- so it can begin to feel like a traveling parade very quickly! Don't get me wrong- our dogs are fantastic travelers. However, by the time we pack up all our stuff to head out of town, I feel like the car is packed to the gills. I know what your all thinking.. wait until there are kids involved one day, right?! Bring on the conversion van, I guess!

We've had a nice, but BUSY August. We traveled home to Hillsborough the first fews days in August for a weekend of joint birthday celebrations and Meredith's baby shower! We had a lot of fun and Meredith had a terrific shower. She got so many important things... as well as lots of books. I LOVE kids books. Especially the classics. Lucky for me, most of the kids I have nannied for have loved to read because I love to read also. Sometimes we spend all day just reading new books we've checked out from the library.. and its glorious :) (nerd alert)

The following weekend, we went down to Myrtle Beach to visit with my family. We have a beach house down there that we've had since I was young. Clara is at a very fun age right now so we had a great time burying Uncle Thomas in the sand and also catching fish and crabs in a bucket at the inlet. She's also in a stage where she repeats whatever anyone says. A lot of her fun phrases include "Whoopseedaisies!", "Aye Aye Captain!" and "too much on my docket today". Overall, we had a great time. We've been going to that beach for so long, it always brings back good memories for me.

Between those two weekends, we spent a total of about 24 hours in the car. Yeah. Remember that gypsy comment? It's totally relevant. Lucky for us, we're staying put for awhile. We dont have any major plans over the next few weekends and that's always a good feeling. Now if it would just stop RAINING, that would help with the whole staycation idea.....

Until next time!