Shampoo
Thanks for all the notes on the last entry. I was feeling pretty low. You guys helped.
The girls woke up from their nap early. Feh.
HOWEVER. They were in much better spirits for the rest of the day. I think Grace just needed a good, solid nap, which she also got (she’s in her room for three hours, but she usually only sleeps for one or two and spends the rest of the time playing in her crib; today she started screeching bloody murder after two hours, but I’m pretty sure she slept the whole time).
My attitude didn’t turn around until a while later. I can be so petty. With my children. Babies. Grow up, you old hag, I keep muttering to myself.
We also turned Emmy’s pack ‘n’ play for the night so the side with the curtain (or whatever it’s called) would block her view of Grace’s crib.
Like a charm. Asleep within twenty minutes. Grace woke up screaming once for a diaper change, but Emmy didn’t even stir. Silence ever since (except for Grace muttering happily to herself in her crib for a little while).
Sigh. My moods are too easily subject to my children’s.
Cross-posting from my Tightwad Blog:
Dear sister, I know you will laugh at this post. But don’t make fun of me too much until you see my hair.
I’ll never have fabulous hair, but this is the most fabulous it’s ever been in my entire life. It’s kind of a pain in the rear since I have to rinse it forever and a day, lest I smell like vinegar. But I consider it worth it. My hair not only looks better, but it’s softer, shinier, and it does the things I tell it to. It curls and stays curled, I pin it up, and it stays up, I leave it down, and it does not plaster itself to my head like a hungover eel.
So! Here it is.
Step One: Baking soda.
- Keep a cup (16 oz) in the shower. Before you get in, put in 2 Tbsp of baking soda. In the shower, fill the cup and mix until the baking soda is dissolved (I use the end of my razor handle).
- Pour in sections over your dry head. I’d like to get a squeeze bottle to do this, but so many of them have really narrow necks. This method is time-consuming enough that I really don’t feel like bringing a funnel into the whole business as well.
- Rub into scalp, then rinse thoroughly.
Step Two: Vinegar.
- Optional: Pour about 1 tsp of honey into the cup. My hair comes out shinier and sweeter-smelling when I use this.
- Pour about 1/4 cup of your choice of vinegar into the cup. I use apple cider vinegar. I’ve heard of people using pomegranate vinegar and others. I’m sure just about anything would smell better than ACV (except maybe white vinegar). Fill the rest of the way with water and mix again.
- Pour in sections over your head, work into hair, and rinse thoroughly. Very, very thoroughly. And then rinse some more. If you’re still unsure, rinse a little bit more.
I won’t lie; it’s a pain in the rear. But I find it’s well worth it. No more money spent on expensive, clarifying shampoos whenever my fine hair gets tired of the buildup. No more greasy hair days. No more bad hair days, period (so far). And even though my hair will probably never be the type that can go for a day without washing, and I am pretty sure I will never be able to go vinegar-only (some people do! and I’ve seen pictures! and it looks good! I’m amazed; I tried it once, and I looked like something fresh from a Sunnydale graveyard), my hair is far, far less greasy than it ever has been before. By bedtime, it used to be showing already. Now it doesn’t look terrible until at least the next morning.
To be honest, it’s probably not much of a money savings. I have (used to have) a taste for expensive shampoos and conditioners, but I could make them last foreeeever. A tankard of Aveda shampoo and conditioner can last me at least two years. That’s about two dollars a month. A gallon of apple cider vinegar lasts about two months, and the cost of baking soda is negligible. Honey is a bit pricier, but we use so little, and we buy it in the gigantic jugs (I use it in just about everything The Child eats that’s sweetened). This gets us about three cents a day. Yaaay!
This brings me to my next point.
For the longest time, it’s been hard for me to get motivated to save money because I haven’t ever thought to tie it to something concrete. We’re only saving twelve dollars a year by doing this, but twelve dollars is a movie ticket. We love the movies! And we never get to go! Before, I would have seen that twelve dollars and thought, “Pssssh. Totally not worth the self-denial.”
But it IS.
I love how I’m learning delayed gratification at 28.
(If you listen closely, you’ll hear my siblings and parents snickering into their sleeves. Li’l Naomi done growed up. Kind of.)
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It’s hard for me to save money, but I still feel RETIREMENT looming over me..
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In addition to saving money, it’s a great way to help the environment a little bit! 🙂 Have you thought about switching to a menstrual cup? I save over $200 a year with mine. http://www.menstrualcups.org
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Hey, good saving habits take time to develop. Heck, I’ve been saving since I was a little kid and I STILL suck at it and fail pretty often (exhibit A: last year, when I was making enough money that I could have easily saved twice what I did and I… huh… didn’t). I’m glad you’re feeling better… I never know what to say when people are having mommy lows, seeing as how I’m not one *hugs*
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I have heard so much about this “natural” hair miracle mixture… i may end up trying it myself!! lol Glad the girls are doing a little better today, hugs!
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Wow, I never woulda thunk that a baking soda and vinegar routine would eliminate bad hair days. Very cool!! I’m not sure I have the patience to try it, but maybe some day. 🙂 So glad the girls did better last night!
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I do believe they used to do that with their hair in victorian times.
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Do you find you need to use conditioner at all? I use it every day normally. I would like to try this method though!
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I read all of this and decided that I’m far too lazy to go through the trouble. But then! I decided that I’m curious enough to see the results for myself. And if it works, I’m singing your praises for life!! 🙂
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I have been doing this shampoo deal for years too! I have help! At like, every dollar store, Walmart type place (Believe me.. it took me a while to figure this out and now I keep an eye out) they have those old diner-style ketchup and mustard bottles? I mix mine in those… they have a wide lid so I can take a spoon, drop it in, and hop in the shower! Also, I touch occasionally a bit of the kids’
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ryn: nah. I didn’t mind people wishing me a happy bday. They’re being nice. I just could not get out of my funk yesterday. I think I’m better today. The insurance thing still annoys me but I feel like I can MOVE ON already. Maybe hormones. Or just a lot of bad bdays. Thanks though 🙂
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ryn: oh that’s reassuring thak you! I meant to ask the doc about the contractions and the sleeping thing and I forgot. I know if I start sleeping with a pillow behind me it will help but it’s such a pain and takes up so much room so I’ve been neglecting that option.
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I’ve heard that about drinking more water but really how much water can one person with a shrinking bladder and heartburn drink? Pregnancy is a big catch 22. I should find a water bottle though. That way at work I won’t only drink water when I’m in the kitchen. At night I could drink all night long. And pee just as much! Of course it’s little to pay for a baby 🙂
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the contractions wouldn’t bug me if they weren’t painful. Nothing like pain to distrct a lady from enjoying sex. And I have ten wks to go. I can’t not have sex for six.teen.weeks. Seems unfair to be able to have sex this time around but not be able to enjoy it.
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RYN: He will be 5 months soon, but I’ve been losing hair like crazy for at least a month. I know it will come back eventually but my hair has always been thick and nice, so it just sucks to have stringy hair on top of everything else.
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RYN: I’m surprised you could drink that much water with heartburn. It does help wash acid back down into it’s rightful place but a stomach full of water is more likely to slosh up into the esophagus. There is plenty to be said about drinking enough water but most suggest sipping it through the day when dealing with pregnancy related heartburn. Of course this is worst at night while laying down.
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ryn: oh yea I drink plenty throughout the day. I also have a strong desire to drink oj as often as possible… Sooo delicious. Luckily heartburn isn’t nearly as bad this go around. Mostly bothers me in the late afternoon through the night. Better than morning sickness though.
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RYN: I honestly think she will be a good mom but rely heavily on her parents and use this to win further favoritism from them, to further manipulate the rest of us, and to cause further distress in our family. In the last wk she suddenly started texting me out of nowhere. It had been yrs since I heard from her directly and remember she and her mother accused me of lying and she wouldn’t say what
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I had lied about and still hasn’t. When she and her husband drove through MO last fall they stopped to see my inlaws but wouldn’t see my and she’s continued to try to be chummy with my husband while being a total ass to me which also doesn’t sit right with us. Don’t mess with my marriage. So the fact that she’s suddenly contacted me, send me a gift card for my bday?! doesn’t tell me “oh she’s
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growing up!” No. I’ve seen this behavior in her many many times in various ways. She’s manipulating us. Likely if I take the bite and warm up to her she will then come down on me again and let me know I am worthless. But if I keep my distance she will tell her parents “I try to make up with her and but she just won’t be kind to me” and play the victim card. I despise her.
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RYN: Many of us (my husband, SIL, I think her husband, my mom, and I)think Jana is bipolar. She shows soooo many signs of it. Of course getting her help means that she has to admit there is an issue and she never will. She’s also a hypochondriac but more for the attention side of it which also seems like a bipolar thing to do. If her parents thought so she might have a chance but they are the type
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to never admit there is never any problems in their family. None of us would even suggest Jana is bipolar b/c it would probably just cause a big fight and grudges.
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