Natural Bug Spray

I don't know about you but the mosquitoes are terrible around here!  My children look like they have the measles, they are so covered in bug bites.

While I detest the pesky creatures, I cannot stand the thoughts of putting conventional bug-spray on my kids.  It's full of nasty chemicals that are so bad for us.

Side note-I was recently talking with someone about the hormone cream (progesterone, estrogen) that you rub onto your skin to help give you a boost of hormones.  If that cream is effective and boosts hormones just by rubbing it onto your body, think of all the chemicals we put on our body on a daily basis!!  Soaps, lotions, shampoo, shaving creams, etc. Think of how they are being absorbed into our bodies just like those hormones creams. And they are FULL of chemicals that are not good for us. 

Anyway, rambling thoughts aside, last year I found a natural bug spray recipe on Pinterest but never got around to making it.  Actually, I had to order some of the essential oils, and by the time I did that, the mosquitoes were hiding for winter. Or whatever it is that mosquitoes do for winter.

So, for fear of looking out the window to see one of my little people being carried off by mosquitoes, I made the spray.  And it works!! It's been so ingrained in us that chemicals are the only thing that can work effectively, I was a little worried it might not work well seeing as how it's made from witch hazel and essential oils.

I sprayed my littlest guy, who was outside in nothing but a diaper, and he didn't get bit at all!  He was outside for about an hour and a half, too!  And it has worked just as well on everybody else.  The biggest trick for me is to get it on the kids before they go outside.  They are forever running outside as soon as their eyes open in the mornings.

As far as essential oils go, I use the Aura Cacia brand.  I get mine from Lucky Vitamin where I get almost all of my vitamin supplements, essential oils, etc.  You can find just about anything you need on their site and usually for much less than the drug store or health food store.

Here's the link to all you need to know to make your own bug spray!!

Natural Mosquito Spray

Happy Mosquito-Bite-Free Summer, y'all!

Marriage Truths

"Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God.  And ultimately, marriage is the display of God.  It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and His people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does.  Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love.  It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives.  And staying married is not about staying in love.  It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display." 
                                         ~ John Piper~

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

I love all things Italian but rarely make anything except spaghetti.  So while I was making my menu plan a couple of weeks ago, I decided to go out on a limb and try homemade alfredo sauce.  I just poured it over linguine noodles (I was out of fettucine), cooked some salad shrimp in garlic butter to throw on top, steamed some broccoli, and tossed a Caesar salad.  Everyone loved it!  

All I can say is WOW!  I kept on licking the spoon to "make sure it's just right."  It was so rich and creamy.  Olive Garden didn't have nothing on me that night, y'all.

Not to toot my own horn or anything but yum-o! :)  It was super easy to make, and did I mention it was delicious? And it's made with REAL food!  Not something in a jar with ingredients you can't even pronounce. 

For the life of me, I cannot remember where I got this recipe.....somewhere on the internet for sure. 

Without further ado, here's the recipe! 

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

-3 Tablespoons butter
-2 Tablespoons flour
-2 Cups milk
-4 oz. cream cheese
-3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (I used grated, but shredded would work too)
-1 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat.  Once melted, whisk in the flour.  Gradually add milk, whisking to combine as you go. Add about 1/2 cup at a time, whisk, then wait for the milk to heat up and thicken a bit before adding more.  Once all the milk has been added and it's hot, but NOT BOILING, add the cream cheese.  Whisk to combine.  Heat the sauce back up before adding the Parmesan cheese.  Simmer this until all is melted and mixed well.

Go forth and make thee some alfredo sauce!  Your taste buds will thank you!