Homemade Baby Wipes!

I've been experimenting with making my own baby wipes a bit, because I saw the idea on Pinterest and thought it looked cool.  After reading several different recipes (which were all basically the same), trying one and then making several changes in order to make it work, I have finally come up with the solution.
The first thing I learned is that the only paper towels that work are Viva.  Anything else - even the famed Bounty - will rip and tear like crazy when it gets wet.  Viva is the way to go.  Also, I originally wanted to use the "Select-a-size" towels, in order to get a quarter-towel sized baby wipe.  Now, maybe I'm delusional, but it seems to me that the original sized Viva paper towels are thicker and stronger than the select-a-size ones.  Any mom, dad, or babysitter can tell you that it is very important that a baby wipe does not rip while wiping.  That's just all kinds of undesirable.  
So, here is what I used:

 You will need paper towels, some baby soap, baby oil, and a tightly-sealing container that will hold half of a roll of paper towels.  I used the baby soap and oil that I happened to have on hand.  Any variety should work.
The first thing to do is to cut the roll of paper towels in half.  This is the hardest part.  Use a bread knife and saw away, turning the roll as you go.  It will not be a clean, even cut.  It will look like this:

Go ahead and pick off as many of the fuzzies as you can get from the rolls.  Unless you want them on there.  That's fine too.
Next thing is to remove the cardboard thing from the center of the roll.  I found it fairly easy to just push my finger in between the cardboard and the paper towels all the way around and on the top and the bottom, separating the little bit of glue that's holding the towels on there.  Then the cardboard came right out. Next just stick the roll, fuzzy side down, into the container.  
Now, grab a good sized measuring cup or bowl and put one cup of water in there.  Microwave it for a minute until it is just starting to simmer.  The heat will help your other ingredients blend into the water.  Add to the hot water 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon of baby wash (I used around 3/4 TB) and 1-2 teaspoons of baby oil. If you use too much baby wash, your wipes will be super soapy and leave bubbles on baby's bum. Believe me, I tried it.  
Stir the mixture a little, then pour it on your wipes, right on the paper towels and not so much in the center of the roll.  
It's going to take an hour or two for the paper towels to soak up all the moisture.  It may seem like there is not enough in there, but there is.  If you really want to you could add another 1/4 cup of water.  The first recipe I tried had 2 cups of water and that was above and beyond way too much.  
Make sure your container is sealed, so they don't dry out, and there ya go, wipes!

They will pull right out of the center where the cardboard used to be.  

For easier reference purposes, here's my recipe:
1 Cup hot hot water
1-2 Tablespoons baby wash
2 teaspoons baby oil
1/2 roll of Viva paper towels.

Making my own wipes has not turned out quite as cheap as I had hoped because of the differences I found in the regular Viva and the Select-a-size variety.  I have only been able to find the regular ones sold in individual packages or with seasonal designs on them, so I'm paying 1.50-1.99 for one roll.  However, it is still cheaper than buying them, and easy enough for me to justify spending my time making them.  There are plenty of people who will tell you that homemade are better for baby's skin as well.  I'll believe those people :)
So, let me know if you try it and how it works for you!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like . . .

Christmas!
Even though I don't particularly care for that song.  Oh well.  
I had a post planned today about making your own baby wipes . . . but the pictures are on the camera's memory card in Wyoming with my husband.  So that post will have to wait until later.  
Instead, I would like to share some Christmas cheer.  Today, it will be in the theme of Angels.

Normally, I would share a scripture, but basically every scripture I would want to share is touched on in this talk by  Jeffrey R. Holland

I recommend reading the whole thing, of course, but here are some of my favorite parts:

 

"When the time for this Savior’s advent was at hand, an angel was sent to announce to Mary that she was to be the mother of the Son of God. ³ Then a host of angels was commissioned to sing on the night the baby Jesus was born. ⁴ Shortly thereafter an angel would announce to Joseph that the newborn baby was in danger and that this little family must flee to Egypt for safety. ⁵ When it was safe to return, an angel conveyed that information to the family and the three returned to the land of their heritage. ⁶

From the beginning down through the dispensations, God has used angels as His emissaries in conveying love and concern for His children."

". . .I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind."

So at Christmastime, not only do I like to think about and reflect on the angels who heralded the birth of our Savior,  but about all of the angels in my own life.  There are so many of them!  

Also, for your listening enjoyment, a lovely Christmas Angel song!

(I know it's not the best video quality ever, but it's still worth watching and listening to!)

Pumpkin Harvest Granola

Today, I have a recipe to share.
I figured it was worth sharing because my husband loves it, and he is not usually the granola-eating type. 
It also has a nice autumn flavor, thanks to the pumpkin pie spice.  
If you've never made your own granola before, you should really try.  It is SO easy, and so much less expensive than buying it.  And you don't have to be a hippie, either.  (No offense whatsoever to hippies.  I'm sure they make better granola than I do).
So, here we go:


Ingredients:
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup roasted, shelled pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas, optional)
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup canned pumpkin**
1 cup dried cranberries


*1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice is equal to:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
I've used this mixture for years, and finally this month I bought regular old pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice.  Which is so much easier.  However, it's nice to know that I could survive without it too.


**You could also use cooked, pureed pumpkin as well.  It's all the same.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, spice, and coconut - all of those.  In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar, pumpkin, and oil together.  Then add the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture and stir well.  Drizzle the honey over the top of the mixture and stir again.  
Don't put the cranberries in yet.  I've done this before, and I do not recommend it.  They are already chewy enough without being baked for an extra hour. 
Spread the granola onto a large cookie sheet (with sides!) sprayed with Pam.  Bake at 300 degrees for 50-60 minutes.  Check after 30 or 40 minutes and stir, then cook for the remaining time.
After removing from the oven, let the granola cool before placing it in a gallon-sized resealable bag.  Then add the cranberries, shake up the bag, and there you go.  Your own super-healthy, super-yummy granola!

A Birthday Present

Kids sure have a simple way of seeing things.
My oldest son is going to be turning the ripe old age of three in a few weeks.  In true mom fashion, I've been asking him what he wants for his birthday.  In true kid fashion, he started talking about grandma's house, airplanes, and building snowmen. In other words: I think that means he has no idea what a birthday present is.  
So, I started talking to him about what a birthday is, and what happens on a birthday - cake, candles, balloons, presents, sometimes a party.  He quickly latched onto the idea that he's going to get a toy on his birthday.  
What toy does he want?
A $4.99 plastic car that he saw at the grocery store.  
What do I want to get him?
Some of his favorite books (Green Eggs and Ham, anyone?), plus an age-appropriate remote control vehicle.  Considering the amount of time he spent this last weekend drooling over his uncle's RC truck, it is an excellent choice on my part.
Luckily, we have the funds to give him the gifts we have chosen, and also take him to the grocery store and let him choose a car on his birthday.  Wyatt's birthday is going to be lots of fun, and I hope he loves it in an amount equal or greater to the amount I am excited for it.  I hope he is so excited when he sees the gifts we have bought for him.
But now I've been wondering; how many times do I think just the same way when it comes to the blessings and gifts that Heavenly Father gives to me or wants to give to me?
How often am I looking forward to a five-dollar grocery store toy, when there is actually a gift worth ten times as much waiting for me?  
I'm afraid the answer is
FAR TOO OFTEN.
Going even further, I think sometimes the five-dollar car is withheld from me and I cry and rant and don't understand why I can't have it without even realizing that it's not because Heavenly Father doesn't want to give me a gift.  It's just because He wants to give me a gift that is so much better.
The longer I am a mother of toddlers, the more I realize that I am in many ways, a toddler myself.  

So . . . I made a skirt.

I don't know what I was thinking. 
I had one yard of fabric and I wanted to make myself a skirt with it.  Granted, I am small enough that technically, I could make a skirt from one yard of fabric, but it would have to be sewn like a pillowcase with both ends left open.  Which is not what I was going for.
After perusing the internets for ideas on how I should go about this, I saw a few different tutorials for skirts that were super cute . . . and all required about twice as much fabric as what I had.  So I thought, I'll just make it up .  . how hard could it be?
The answer?  While making up a skirt pattern is not actually hard, my skirt is never going to be worn by me.  Because one yard of fabric is simply not enough.
I traced myself a pattern piece from an existing skirt I own, cut two, both on the bias, and used the leftovers to make a ruffle at the bottom.  I finished with 1/4" elastic sewn directly to the waist.  It did turn out cute, if I say so myself.  But.
But. The waist is 18 inches.  It will be cute for a little girl, although I have no idea what girl's size that translates to.
Even so, I did learn something, and I will definitely be trying this again with a bigger cut.  When I do, I'll share some more detailed instructions.  I think this one gets filed in the "kind of worked" bin. 

Now. . . what to do with a girl's size (8? 10? I have no idea) skirt?

Happy Halloween! And a Super-Easy Game for Kids

In fact, it's so easy that it almost seems condescending to give instructions.  
You will need felt, preferably the cheap kind that is 20 cents a sheet at craft stores.  Cut pumpkin shapes, and then use black to cut eye, nose, mouth and stem shapes.  And whatever else sounds like a good idea.
Wyatt put all of these together by himself!  I keep the eyes all in one baggie, the mouths in another, and so on. He's going to be sad when I put it away with the rest of the Halloween stuff!  
Call me crazy, but I think it's safer, cleaner entertainment than the stuff he thinks up himself. . .

(Yes, those are earrings stuck into deodorant).

. . . if not actually more entertaining!

 

Why Blog? (With Some Lists)

I tossed around the idea of starting this blog for quite a while before actually doing it. Believe me, I came up with a lot of reasons not to.  Among them were these:
1. It might take too much of my time.
2. I'm not really full of original ideas.
3. As far as "crafty-ness" goes, there are scads of people in my neighborhood alone who are better at these things than I am.  
4. I don't really have the techie know-how.

But, the more I thought about it, I just kept coming up with reasons that I should do it.  
1. Everything I plan on sharing here are things that I would be doing anyway, blog or not.
2. I spend more than an hour every day nursing the baby, and since I've become quite proficient at typing and nursing at the same time, it really won't take that much time.
3. I don't know how many times I've found instructions for how to do something and still had to figure it out myself.  Because my circumstances, materials, vision of what I want are just that much different.  So some of my reasons are selfish - now I will have documented just how I did whatever it was, and I'll be able to remember it next time.  
4. Back in the day, I was pretty good at writing.  Ok, actually, I was super good at writing (if I do say so myself).  And I've kind of lost that skill over the years.  I really need to get back in the habit of writing something that I expect other people to read.  Facebook does not count.  I am writing a novel, but that's kind of on hold because it's really hard for me to get into my happy authoress-ing mentality while also caring for two very sweet but also very high-maintainance little boys 24/7.  

 (case in point)

So then, here I am.  I can't make any promises about what kind of stuff to expect here.  But I can give you a little bit of an idea.  
1. Crafty stuff.  Rather varied, because I like to try everything.
2. Recipes.  Because food is good.
3. Musings.  What good is a blog if you can't subject your opinion on your readers?  Muahahahah!
4. Construction photos of the Payson Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We happen to live in the area, and it's going to be rather awesome to watch it go up!
5. Whatever else strikes my fancy.  Who knows what that might be!

 

Halloween "Frosting Cookies"

Yesterday, Wyatt said he wanted to make Frosting Cookies. Of course, he's talking about sugar cookies, because I don't go to the trouble of frosting any other kind of cookies. I figured that then was about as good a time as any, since we really only make sugar cookies at Halloween and Valentines Day. 
Probably everyone has this tradition, I'm guessing.  If not, don't be afraid to try it! 
Here's how we do it:


The recipe I use is from a community mailer I received way back when we were first married.  It's an excellent recipe because:
1. The cookies are thick, soft, and do not taste floury like a lot of sugar cookies do.
2. There's none of that  refrigerating the dough nonsense in it.  You just mix it up, roll it out, cut with cookie cutters, and bake. 


Valentine Sugar Cookies
1 cup butter (soft)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs (unbeaten)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sour milk*
6 cups unsifted flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt 


*Since most people don't keep sour milk around the house (I don't anyway), The way to make it sour is really easy.  Pour 1 cup of milk into a measuring cup.  Add 1-2 Tablespoons of white vinegar.  (I use 1% milk because that's what I have around, but the recipe says to use evaporated milk.  I'm sure you could use heavy cream or half-and-half too).  Let it sit for at least a minute before using it.  It will look lumpy and gross, but it makes for good cookies!


Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cream the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.  Add the sour milk and stir.  Add the dry ingredients, stirring after each cup of flour is added.


Step 2: Roll out dough to 1/4" thick on a well-floured surface.  The dough will be very soft, but if it is too soft to work with, knead in a small handful of flour until it is workable.  You do not want the dough to become stiff; if it is, then you have too much flour and your cookies will be tough.  Unless you like tough cookies, that is.  


Step 3: Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.  Note: If your young kids help with this part, expect their clothes to look like this:

 Short sleeves and an apron probably would have been a good idea.  But, he had loads of fun and is still talking about it today!  


Step 4: Bake cookies at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.  You may be tempted to leave them in longer.  Don't do it!  They will look like this when they come out: 

Not brown at all, just puffy.  They are done.  If you leave them in longer you'll get crunchy cookies, which is not the point with this recipe.  


How many does it make?  I got 30 cookies yesterday, but they're pretty big.  It really just depends on what size of cookie cutters you use.  


At this point, I took a break to nurse the baby, clean up the toddler (still trying to think of "blog names" for the two of them) and make frosting.


My sister and I once had a conversation where we realized that there is really no point to making regular frosting if you can use cream cheese frosting instead.  Homemade is of course, best, but I've been known to use canned frosting as well.  Just divide the frosting into separate bowls for the different colors you want to use, and stir in food coloring.  If you want black frosting, you'll have to add in some cocoa powder or melted baking chocolate as well.  Otherwise the black food coloring will turn your frosting just gray. 

Ta-Da!
Halloween frosting cookies!  I let Wyatt make faces on some pumpkins with chocolate chips, which he loved.  I think this tradition is one we'll be keeping for years to come. :)


P.S. Get your cookies in an airtight container as soon as you can, or else they will dry out!  (I may or may not have remembered this little tidbit after waking up this morning to a bunch of dry cookies still spread out on the countertop!) Also, if you do use cream cheese frosting (why wouldn't you?), they should probably be refrigerated.  Although *shhhh* I've never done that and we're all still alive.

 



 

Here Goes . . .

There's something a little too stale about my regular family blog. After thinking and thinking, I just couldn't decide how to revamp the old blog to become what I envisioned. How could I keep a running commentary on our little family and our happenings, as well as incorporate all the other stuff I want to share?
The only way that made sense was to start afresh.
For anyone who follows my old blog, it's still around and will probably not change too much (lots of cute kiddo pictures!), but it will be private from now on. Feel free to contact me if you would like an invite. Hopefully if you want an invite, you actually know me and I know you, because otherwise that could be really awkward ;)
This blog will still have cute kiddo pictures (yay!), but I'm going to be a little less open with personal-type info and share all kinds of fun things that would seem a little silly on a family-update kind of blog.
So, without further ado . . . ok, well, truth be told I first have to feed my kids some lunch and *ahem* fold some laundry . . . but after that . . . let the fun begin!