I guess I'm a cluster blogger. I like to make a bunch of posts in one day and then take forever to post again. I'm not sure that anyone really reads this anyway so maybe it doesn't matter! So tomorrow is supposed to be cold (like there's actually a good chance that it might snow tomorrow night!). Today it was in the mid 80's so I'm having a hard time believing it. Mark spent today prepping with enthusiasm...in his mind it could be eternal winter and he would be as happy as a clam. He swept the chimney and chopped wood. He even took some kindling to our neighbor who loans us his chimney sweep and other stove equipement all the time. He was talking with even more enthusiasm about his upcoming hunting trip. I guess it is that time of year.

He didn't have meetings this morning and so while the boys went to preschool he and I had a date! We went and had hot chocolate at our favorite chocolate place (anyone from SLC can you guess??). Yes, it was in the mid 80's like I mentioned before. In fact the store wasn't open until 11 and we arrived at 10 so we went for a walk (or waddle in my case). It was a nice break and we hardly ever get to do that sort of thing! Otherwise I've spent much of my time the past few days thinking about sleeping, wishing I could sleep and looking on with envy as my family sleeps peacefully. I've banished myself to the couch becuase anytime I lay down I start to cough. I have a smoker's cough (so does Noah). I can't even imagine if I really was a smoker, how aweful.

Our fall retreat was last weekend and I've heard lots of encouraging things about it. One of the girls up north got baptized! The speaker was a pastor from India and I guess he was really great. I was disappointed to not go, but after years of braving it, I decided of all times in my life to stay home this was it. The boys and I spent the day on Saturday at Walmart instead...sounds uneventful but with those two nothing ever is.

New Goodies on Etsy

Here are my latest creations for Etsy:) The other day I got to go take pictures of my friend's baby in a new little cocoon that I made. Sooo cute! I am making one for our bambino in the meantime. I also put my little stocking cap on her and took some cute photos. Newborns are just so easy to photograph! I wish toddlers and 5 year olds were as easy...

Did I mention I LOVE my camera?:) Below: some new sock monkey longies and some adorable girly longies that I'm calling 'Sunday's Best' because of the black and purple and also the picot trim around the bottom. I'm laughing right now to myself becuase I know there are people out there trying to predict what we are having based on what I've been knitting...he he he....by the way...I sold the 'jack o'lantern' longies a couple of weeks ago in case you're wondering:)

Laundry Soap recipe

So, I know I've passed this recipe around to some people but I thought since I've had a few conversations about it recently that I'd go ahead and post it here as well. We use this laundry soap almost exclusively, and when we are using diapers this is definatly the stuff I use. Laundry soap that you can use on cloth diapers is really expensive and so to have an alternative that keeps my diapers economical is really an essential. I'm also posting my homemade wipes recipe (I say 'my' but really, none of these are original to me! They can all be found on multiple sites around the web). For those of you who recieved an electric knife for your wedding and don't have any use for it (it's definatly one of those gifts that I wondered why we were hanging onto it!)...cutting rolls of paper towels is the only use we've given ours! And I have to say, that if you don't have an electric knife it is a total pain to try cutting the rolls.
For diapers use:
1Cup Borax
1Cup Washing Soda
1Cup Oxiclean free (no smellies etc.)
Just mix and store in a bag or box of some kind. I like to make lots of this so I usually at least double or triple the recipe at once. To use just scoop out about 2-4 tablespoons and throw it in the wash with the soiled diapers.

For regular laundry soap:
1Cup Borax
1Cup Washing Soda
1 bar of castile soap ground in a food processor or blender (Kirk's Castile soap is super cheap and can be found in most grocery stores, otherwise you can also use Dr. Bronners if you want a little scent but it is much more expensive!).
And, no, I haven't ever had any issues with soap residue in my kitchen appliances. If you think about it, you wash them with soap right? Just consider them extra clean:)
Just mix and store this as well. You only use between 2 Tablespoons and 1/4 Cup for a load depending on how soiled your laundry is and how big the load is. I do usually try to allow the soap to dissolve just a little in the water before adding cloths but I'm lazy and I don't like to wait for it to totally dissolve before adding my clothes (I have better things to do than sit and watch my washer fill!) and I've never had a problem with it caking onto my clothes.

Ok, so for the wipes:
Use strong paper towels (I like the Bounty ones from Costco). You can also choose a kind that has the 1/2 towels and you won't have to cut the roll in 1/2. I always just cut the rolls in 1/2 so they are about the size of a roll of toilet paper.
Mix 2 Cups of boiled/filtered hot water with 2 tablespoons each of baby wash and baby oil. I acutally like to use apricot oil since baby oil is usually nothing more than just mineral oil wich does NOTHING for our skin. I've also used Burt's Bees oil wich is wonderful and has a really nice apricot scent. Jojoba oil works well and so does olive oil.
Just mix these together (double if you're not cutting your towels in 1/2) and then poor into the tube of the paper towel roll and let it just soak up. You'll want to have your paper towels in the container that you're using to store them, like a tall plastic storage container or something. A ziplock bag will work as well, you just need something to hold in the moisture.

A word of warning about the wipes...they will dry out quickly if not sealed properly. They will also mold if you hang onto them for too long since there aren't the preservatives in them that the store bought ones have. Enjoy!

My husband the photographer

A couple of weeks ago I dragged Mark out to the backyard on a whim to take some maternity photos. I never did this with the other two so I figured since this is my last opportunity (Lord willing the last pregnancy!:) that I'd better do it while we had a chance. I also fixed up the kiddos really quick and even made Mark put on a nice shirt. I continue to be amazed at how great things turn out with just a nice camera and very little experience. I only wish I had more things to take pictures of, I guess maybe that takes creativity. I also don't really know what to do with all these pictures since I'm not much of a scrapbooker...at least for now I'm going to put some up in the nursery.