I made some fun storage for Freya's changing table. I bought some fabric at a yard sale a while back, and recently the "super housewives" (aka Lee, Sunshine, and Bryanna) have implied I need to get organized. *shrug* I am trying. Semi-successfully. After the success of the changing table storage, I decided a toy box was next. Some dollar a yard fabric, a cardboard box and some hot glue. I liked it.

Wow, busy summer! Aaron got a new job a couple months ago. He is the new PACT Activities Director for Adair County. It has been quite the transition, but he enjoys the job. I continue to babysit my nephew Wheaton at least 3 times a week, sometimes more. Hope (my 13 year old sister-in-law) comes over while her mom is at work. Hope really isn't someone I babysit...she pretty much helps me babysit. A week after Aaron started his job, he decided I should quit my part time job -- I was not opposed. It is amazing how much can be accomplished with those extra 4-12 hours a week. Even though I have been mostly at home since Freya was born, this is the first time in 10 years that I have not had a job outside the home. I love it. All the sudden things I have always wanted to do -- I am doing. Cleaning my house is now possible, I am renewing my love for fantasy fiction, making fun things for our house, making dinner, I even put our pictures in a photo album. Apparently making a household functional does take quite a bit of effort. I enjoy it though. God is so very good.

Well, I am currently trying to decide what kind of cake I am going to make for Freya's first birthday -- yeah it is still two months away, who cares? The one pictured is one I made on a whim last night. I was curious to see if cream cheese frosting could be used for decorating. It was a little shakey for a while, but I thought it turned out okay. Just so everyone knows, homemade cream cheese frosting makes a cake amazing. It's pretty easy too...

8 oz. cream cheese

1 stick of butter

1 tablespoon of vanilla

1 tablespoon of milk

1 bag of powdered sugar

Daddy Dressed Baby

It makes my heart merry to let Aaron have his 2 cents in the fashion department. I can't lie, I liked how his ridiculousness turned out.

Aunt Ellen's Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found a beautiful pie plate at a thrift store yesterday. I had to bake something to put on top of it. Aunt Ellen's recipe is the best when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. So, in between feeding babies -- sometimes there is a glorious naptime...

On to the buttery chocolatey goodness:

3/4 cup butter (not margarine my friends)
3/4 cup butter flavor crisco
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 cup cake flour
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Phew. I am tired, and this was an easy day! Freya slept in, and so did Wheaton...and so did I. In between juggling infants, Aaron doing homework and class, we set up a wading pool for Freya. It has a slide in the shape of a seal. Boo ya.

Some days I can't get over how blessed I am to be the mother of such an amazing child. She smiles at all my ridiculous faces and weird voices (finally, someone who appreciates my talents.) And then there are those things that I am not trying do that she finds so entertaining. I threw her rubberducks in the air and caught (small miracle, I know) them. She giggled, and giggled, and giggled. So, I kept throwing...and Aaron and I laughed so hard we were crying. Well, if you don't have an infant you may think we are just a bunch of sappy, easily entertained folk. If you do have an infant, you know it's true. But we are okay with it.

Freya and I went to Grandma and Grandpa James' today. Granny sang twinkle twinkle little star to Freya, and the second verse. I don't think I knew there was a second verse. Of course I can't remember it now, but it was awesome. Plus, there is just something soothing about her voice, off key though it may be.

And now, I will try (and most likely fail) to get to bed before 1:00 am.

homemade liquid laundry soap

Welp. I already posted this on facebook, but lets face it -- it looks cooler on here. I am getting ready to use my first batch of this cheap goodness!

Ingredients

4 cups hot water

1 fels-naptha soap bar

1 cup washing soda

1/2 cup borax

1. Grate soap bar into saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium low heat until dissolved and melted.

2. Fill a five gallon bucket with hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and borax. Stir well until all ingredients are dissolved. Add more water until the bucket is 2/3 full. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

3. Stir. Fill a used, clean laundry soad container half full with the soap mixture, and half full with water. Shake before each use. This solution will gel.

4. Optional -- you may add 10-15 drops of essential oils per two gallons. Add after soap has cooled.

*top load machine 5/8 cup per load (180 loads per batch)

* front load machine 1/4 cup per load (600 loads per batch)