Day 6-12 cups of hot water

Check out the rules to the Flats & Handwashing challenge I'm participating in HERE.

Today's post is a little late because we have dog training and then usually run like crazy people on Saturdays.  We did well out and about and-SCORE!-I forgot to pack dipes when we went up to the church to fix some stuff so I searched around the nursery and found an old recieving blanket.  I love that instead of panic and a return home or a prayer that we make it through the hour, I can now improvise.  It's a very proud feeling.

So...if you read yesterday's later post, you saw that we had the gas turned off. (due to a leak.  It's off until we get the pipes repaired-after the holiday weekend) I did one last emergency load of dipes last night before our hot water heater went cold and this morning had a few dipes to do.  I can only do about 6 at a time in the sink, so I made sure I rinsed them in the wash bucket really well until the water was clear.  Then I wrung them all out and came downstairs to wash them.  My husband, in his brilliance (must be all that Army secret squirrel training!) suggested we brew 12 cups of hot water in our coffee pot and use that to wash.  It worked out perfectly.  So how do you wash diapers in a situation where you have no hot water but you have electricity?  This is how:

First rinse your diapers in cold water until the water runs clear.  It makes less work for you later.  While you're rinsing, have 12 cups of water running through the coffee pot.  Be sure your sink is very clean and plugged.  Put a little tepid water in there-the water that comes out of the coffee pot is too hot to stick your hands in.

Put in about a teaspoon of your laundry detergent.  I put some of mine in a small container to keep at the tub/sink while I'm handwashing.  I use Seventh Generation Free & Clear.  It works great for us.

Pour in your hot water and test the water.  If it's still too hot, add a little more tepid water.  You want it to be hot enough to wash, but not so hot you can't touch it.

Then agitate with whatever you have.  I used my hands so I could scrub them really well and I don't have dishwashing gloves.  Now you see why I rinsed until the water ran clear.  Then you drain the hot and wring the diapers out and rinse them in cool water again.  A lot of the other ladies blogging about this challenge have been repurposing their babies' bath water into rinse water for the dipes, and they inspired me.  Since the munchkins were so filthy last night, I couldn't re-use that water, but today I salvaged our diaper rinse water (the later stuff...not the first) and took it to someone who would appreciate it:

Yepp...my corn stalks were quite happy with the 2.5 gallons of repurposed water.  I'll have to start thinking to do that more often. 

I've done 2 wash cycles like that today and I anticpate one more tonight after the kids go to bed.  I really don't mind half as much as I thought I might.  It's almost calming.  Little man wore his Pitterpat custom shorties today.  Check out the link for some really, truly amazing hand made items.  Use the code MDAY for 15% off anything you order from her.  She is an amazing retailer and has become an amazing friend, too.  This picture does not do them justice, but here it is:

How does one eat with no stove/oven? Well, this morning, Hubbs made pancakes on our electric griddle for the kidlets.  We all loved it!

This afternoon we were out of town for dog training, so we drove thru Chick-fil-A and got lunch as cheap as possible.  We haven't gone out in a long time, so it was enjoyed.

Dinner I've been worried about because I hadn't put anything out to thaw and I can't boil rice or pasta due to the no gas thing, (in fairness, I could do it on the camp stove, but I was short on time after we got home.  Tomorrow will be better thought out) so I had Hubbs run me to the store real fast (remember that one car thing?  The one car is his stick shift and I don't know how to drive it yet.) and I grabbed some Top Ramen noodles.  Oh yes, I introduced the kids to the taste of college.  It's much nastier to me now that I've grown up and learned what real food is, but they sure liked it.

The package says 3 minutes, but it takes more like 5 when you add frozen peas to it.  I *had* to redeem it somehow!

Yumm-O!  Mom must be Rachael Ray. 

He's so stinking cute...I love how much he loves *anything* I make.  He turns his nose at fast food (I think he ate 2 nuggets today) but he eats anything that comes out of my kitchen.  I hope my future daughter-in-law can cook or else I'll just have to teach him to keep his mouth shut about mommy's cooking being best :P ;)

You know, through all of this, I am reminded today that so much of life is how you look at it.  I could be angry, freaked out, ticked off, etc. right now.  But I'm trying to take the added challenge with a grain of salt.  After all, how many people don't have electricity OR gas?  How many people don't have homes?  How many people don't have amazing families like I do?

If you click on the picture and view it larger you can see my amazing men in the truck.  They were both so happy and Hubbs was smiling a reminiscent smile.  I almost cried tears of joy watching them.

How many people have such a calming yard and a beautiful garden?

And...err...such a stupid lovely dog

Today's harvest.  I've slacked on pictures, but we've been picking anywhere from 5-7 fresh strawberries every morning.

Plus, we have a BIG God who sees what is going on now and hears our every prayer and answers them.  He knows our needs and He is providing in a very real way.  I am beyond speechless and in awe.  I pray you're having just as wonderful a day!  Gas or no ;P