Monday, February 21, 2011

homemade dishwasher detergent

UPDATE:
I am now using this recipe and completely pleased with it.
The below is still a cheaper alternative to powdered detergent that works well. 
But if you are wanting to stay away from  borax because of this, consider trying the recipe on the link above. 

dishwasher detergent
1 c. borax (or baking soda, according to this)
1 c. washing soda
1/2 c. citric acid
1/2 c. kosher salt
Use 1 rounded tablespoon per load.  
BE SURE to fill the rinse aid compartment with white distilled vinegar. 

The boys came down with fevers Friday, all 3 at the same time, which is unusual.  (Hence, making my own dishwasher detergent when I ran out was much easier than taking 3 sick kids to the store.)
This made for a much quieter weekend than we had planned, 
cuddling indoors (and apparently snarling, although in my mind I was smiling here),

Folor Planning and Lowe's catalog shopping by Miles,


remodeling houses of our own while dad was over working on the real thing,


connect 4 countless times,


legos, legos, and more legos,


And when the last fever was gone, and the boys realized they had spent 2 whole days cooped up with each other with very little squabbling, yesterday made up for it...  
So, last night we went on a much-needed escape to a Scottish restaurant, as T-Pa says, called Mc Donald’s to introduce our boys to the Shamrock Shake.  


Shamrock shake, boys.  Boys, shamrock shake.
(the chocolate shake was for the brazilian who doesn't appreciate the nostalgia of the shamrock shake yet :)

They hit it off just fine. 






Jude informed us, as he was slurping up the last little bit of his shake, that 
there is a lion roaring in there at me. 
(Although it sounds much cuter when it is said with no R's, but rather "woawing")

Are Shamrock shakes gluten-free?  I googled all over the place for this, called 2 McDonald's, and after no one was sure, I decided someone needed to try it out.  So yes, I believe they are.  (I would know by now if they weren't.)  But 99% of the enjoyment of the shamrock shake is the experience, the memories, and the spring that's a-comin'...

2 comments:

  1. yea for spring! and what a fun little fam you guys are. :) love this recipe, too - just ordered a book about cleaning with herbs. and if i try one of the shamrock shakes, i will definitely watch out for the woawing lion...

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  2. thanks ang! sounds like a fun book - can't wait to see what you grow (and clean :)

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