girl's camp

here are some pictures from girl's camp.

School in the fall

If you don't already know, all the lynch kids will be attending public school in the fall.

Adrian is going into afternoon Kindergarten

Kenny is going into grade 1

Nicole is going into grade 4

Courtney is going into grade 6, and has picked to play the clarenet

Sarah is going into grade 8, and has picked band, and also choose the clarenet.

Some of the kids are getting excited, and some are still a little unsure, but Mom is shocked as to how much school supplies she is supposed to provide.... 85 pencils, 23 erasers, 31 duotangs, ...etc   

Big Fans of Magrath

Our family it very happy to announce, with the help of some wonderful new friends, we hid our very first Geocache!

We would love you to find it too!  Here is link to the site!  All you need is a GSP, and your family can go out and find it too!

Big Fans of Magrath

Good luck!!

Simple Homemade Olive Oil Soap

This morning we were very excited to see beautiful, light green bars of our very first batch of homemade soap turn out of our mold.

Mommy had made the soap last night at bed time, and as it was the first time, she made us keep far back.   We did get a close look when the soap started to "trace" and it was time to pour into the large container we were using as a mold.

It was so easy, mom says she might let some of the girls help next time, and the boys when we try to make "re-milled" soap.

The recipe was really easy and simple.  This Olive Oil Soap is great for dry and cracking hands.


Olive Oil Soap (Simple)
In a large stainless steel pot (not aluminum), pour in 3 cups of water (room temperature). While wearing gloves, add 1 1/2 cups of sodium lye slowly into the water, stiring contantly.  Stand back to avoid the fumes, and stir until the steam is gone, and the lye is completly mixed.  The pot will become very hot!  (LYE INTO WATER ONLY, the other way (water into lye) can cause explosive results)

Slowly add olive oil to the pot.  I started with 1/2 cup at a time, and then slowly increased till I got the entire 11.8 oz of Olive oil into the pot.

Switch to an electric hand mixer, and place it completely into the soap before turning on (or turn off before remove from the soap to avoid lye splatters).  Mix the soap with the hand mixer until "trace".  This is when a trail, or trace is left in the soap when a spoonful of soap is dripped back back into the pot.

Then we poured the soap into a large greased container (we used a clean cat litter box, with shortening as the grease).   Cover with a lid, and heavy blanket.  Let sit for 2-3 hours.

When the soap is still soft, but not a liquid, used a knife (a butter knife would work), to cut the soap into squares right in the pan.  Cover with the blanket and let it sit until completely hard.(overnight)
Turn over the mold and tap the bottom until the soap falls out.  Most of the soap will fall apart into bars.  Gently place your knife in the score lines that didn't break, and your soap will separate.

Set your soap out to dry for 2-3 weeks before using to burn off the lye.

30 bars/batch = $0.65/bar

TIPS
Keep vinegar close by, to splash on any lye burns.  Keep a set of soap making supplies separate from your cooking supplies.  (large pot, wooden spoons, hand blender, spatula,)   A trip to value village or a garage sale will work for this.

Nicole gives a primary talk

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgressions.

This means we are punished for our own sins and not someone else’s.  This is a good thing, if I were punished for other people’s sins at home; I would be grounded for years.

But this also means, I can be in trouble for my sins.  I am thankful that we have repentance.

Repentance means we are forgiven for doing bad things, or making wrong choices.  

When we first make a mistake, we need to understand or realize we made a mistake.  Then we should pray to Heavenly Father for forgiveness, and also confess and fix the mistake against the person who we hurt.  We also need to try not to do it again.

An example of these steps might be, if I lied, I would need to know and understand that I lied, and it was wrong to do.  Then I should pray to Heavenly Father, and ask for his forgiveness, and the courage to confess and fix the mistake.  Then I would need to confess or tell the person I lied, and that I am sorry, and admit my lie to them.   I would then try really hard, not to lie again.   This might be hard for me, so I might have to pray lots and ask for help from Heavenly Father.

I am thankful for forgiveness, so that I may live with Heavenly Father one day.

I believe that the church is true, and Jesus and Heavenly Father answers prayers, in different ways, not always as you expect. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.