Soap!!!

The Sabins of Fargo can make soap! Yay for an in home application of chemistry - saponification.

...and here is the second most awkward picture ever taken of Charlene.

Charlene and her friend Kristen Jameson wanted to make soap a while back and did - it was spearmint soap.

We found out that our skin liked the homemade soap much better than the stuff we would buy from bath & body works. When we ran out of the homemade soap and switched back to the store bought stuff we were getting more blemishes and such. So, naturally, we made a bunch more soap (and I'm pretty sure it costs the same, minus the startup cost of the tools and pots and such to make it.)

This particular batch of soap is pumpkin spice soap - It has water, lye, coconut oil, olive oil, and pumpkin spice essential oil. It's a bit more complicated than just mixing the stuff together - there is precise measurements, temperatures, and chemical reactions to watch out for, and lye is dangerous to work with.

We just thought we'd share with you one of the more interesting things we do!

We've made 3 batches of soap recently - grapefruit sweet orange lemon oatmeal soap, vanilla crunch soap, and pumpkin spice soap. The latter two were as a favor for a friend who is going to buy some of them.... and Charlene loves citrus! However, the citrus oils don't keep very well so it's not something we can hold onto and use over the next two years (because there's enough to last that long if not longer!) - so, do you want to buy some soap? We cut them into normal sized bars and are going to sell them for $4 a bar + shipping. Shoot us an e-mail or make a comment about what you're interested in! All 3 scents are for sale - everything that we can't use/hold on to! They're awesome!

Kirsten's new winter clothes

Kirsten has a new winter attire! Thanks to "Grandma" Deb! Addy may also have to borrow it since I haven't made her a winter coat yet. . . (I being Charlene...Luke has yet to hone his sewing skills....all he can do is hand stitch patches on to his jeans....which is awesome! But not a winter coat for Addy...). Now that I'm finally done with my long term substitute teaching position, I may finally have time for blog updates and crafting! I've all ready made a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet with my free mornings. I'm still doing half days in my long term class until Thanksgiving so that the teacher can ease back in. Though, I think some of these high school kids are just as needy as her infant child! If not more....plus there can be an entire room full of them!

My long term Chemistry teacher positing was a lot of fun. It was at the same school where I did my student teaching so I knew a lot of the students before it even began. Some of them used to like me and now are excited that I'm leaving... What I find most interesting is that I'm teaching the same grade and class at the same school....and the students are exponentially more whinny! And they do less homework or work in class. It's pretty darn ridiculous! I've had some epically horrible scores on tests and assignments and they don't take responsibility for them. Sometimes it's 'my fault' (which it never is since I cover my tail pretty darn well to avoid problems like that) and other times they feel these things just happen to them. Such a strange and detrimental thought process... Despite all that it was a lot of fun and I'll miss it! Hopefully I get another long term position soon! Though the Spanish teacher just had a kid and I can only think of two science teachers in the entire district who MIGHT get pregnant anytime soon.

Progress

And here is our official in-store product line!

We've been hard at work on coming up with a way to put our chemistry crayon idea on the shelves of stores as more and more shops around the country have been requesting it! Exciting times, who knows what will happen next?

So here, is what it will look like (shown above.) Inside of a self-sealing plastic sleeve we now have a showcase page (the colorful sheet with all of the product information that everyone sees) along with the stickers themselves as well as a chemistry lesson. This is ready to be put in stores - and we plan on sending out our first package to "The Dandy Lion" in New Albany, Indiana. The next one will likely go to an online shop based out of Los Angeles, then hopefully ThinkGeek - that's the big one. We still have lots more work to do, especially since we plan on teaming up with "Benvelopes" to make a package deal which includes a crayon shaped card to go with our product. Pretty neat, eh?

So, to update you all on how things are going with us...

Charlene has been continuing her work at Fargo North High School long-term subbing for a chemistry teacher. She has been getting along surprisingly well with her students despite the ruthless iron fist she rules her classroom with. I guess people, I mean, kids, since they aren't yet "people"(jk), get used to the way she is and begin to see that as "normal." Weird.

She is doing fantastic despite that her husband is still wanting her to keep growing her hair out (she wanted it mentioned due to it being ridiculous in her eyes.)

She would have helped her husband write this blog but she was busy dressing up her American Girl Doll into the new clothes her mother-in-law gave her for her birthday (which was on the 18th of October.) So be on the look out for her next American Girl Doll blog post.

Luke is fantastic and is definitely in the mood to be writing about himself in the third person. He is participating whole-heartedly in "No Shave November" with a one month head start. So be on the look out towards the end of the month for his progress in that. He hopes to one day have a full majestic beard - one worthy of a viking.

Luke is no longer working at Subway - which is, according to him, one of the best things that has ever happened to him. Now he is technically employed by Charlene in the chemistry crayon business. Luke is having a difficult time writing that he is employed by his wife. Luke is currently hanging his head in shame. Luke has just remembered that with his recent earnings he has bought a Nintendo Wii with Rockband 3, complete with 2 guitars, a drum set with the cymbal expansion pack and a microphone. Not only does he remember this, but also that there is a good chance of him getting a new car in the near future. Luke doesn't feel so bad anymore. Charlene: "Luke says "Luke" a lot. *giggle*"

Tonight we are going to Mexican Village to celebrate one of our best friend's birthdays - Kiah (Paul's wife.) She is very very pregnant and looks like she is about to pop. Paul and Kiah will be having their baby at the end of the month, hurray.

Luke is also planning to sell his car of 6 years to Josh Silbernagel.

That is all for now. Peace.