Saturday Morning

Since Ava has a new found passion for baking, 

She awoke bright and early,

At 6 am,

Eager to bake.

So we made Blueberry Lemon Muffins.

The Blueberries

 The Batter

I totally gave my girl Cheez Its after she had her breakfast, so I could finish baking.

Before they went in the oven.

Yummy!

Daddy's first bite.

He approves.

Ava's first bite.

Ava's second bite.

Mmmmm....

I think she likes them.

Ava approves!

Frugal Friday: Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have been making our laundry detergent for a few months now and I don't think I will ever go back to purchasing it at the store.  Even with coupons and sales, making it myself saves us so much money!

Like less than a dollar can make us 6 weeks worth of detergent!  

Crazy.  I know.  

And it is so super simple!

Materials Needed:

Large Pot, Grater, Laundry Soap (Zote, Lirio, Fels Naptha) Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, Borax, Measuring cup, spoon, empty laundry detergent containers (Not Pictured)

1. Grate 1/3 of a bar of laundry soap. And put into pot.

 

2. Add 6 cups of water and allow to simmer on medium low until soap is dissolved.

3. Add 1/2 cup Borax and 1/2 cup Washing Soda. Stir until dissolved.

4. Add 1 Gallon of water, plus 10 cups of water.  Stir well. Remove from heat.

5.  Cover and allow to stand for 24 hours, so the detergent can congeal. Consistency will vary.

After 24 Hours....

6.  Pour Laundry detergent into empty containers and Voila! 

The dispenser cap things pop off for easy filling.

**A few side notes**

1.  I think the laundry detergent works great.  I truly believe that you are paying for the scent of a laundry detergent, not the cleaning job it does.
2.  The homemade laundry detergent kinda smells though.

3.  I broke down and bought this. I use about an ounce per load.  

I used a coupon, so that still makes it Frugal right?

I just wanted my laundry would smell good....... 




That's all for now!  Come back next week for a new money saving tip! 

Ava the Baker!

Today was an Awesome day!  I realized once again that I am so, so, so blessed to have my family and the ability to be a stay at home mom.  Some days are tough and sometimes I really want to scream, but then there are the little moments that make my heart melt and I forget about my struggles because in the end THIS is all worth it..... 

Flash back to earlier: 

I was cleaning the bathroom and of course my little helper was RIGHT there to help me.  As I was cleaning the tub, she threw her toys into the tub.  I guess she thought it was time for Momma's bath.  I held her hand while I cleaned the toilet for fear that she would want to help me scrub.  That of course didn't matter because she found the toilet brush and drug that across half the bathroom.  Then I started moving her back into the living room and I would run back to the bathroom and clean for .27 seconds before my helper was back. I did that about 6 times before I finally shut the bathroom door so I could clean in peace.  I only had the sink and counter to clean.  And as I was scrubbing my helper was banging on the door. And screaming. Banging. Screaming.  And my heart broke.  I felt guilty that I was so worried about cleaning that I kinda put Ava on the back burner.  So I opened the door.  Scooped up my sweet girl.  Wiped away her tears.  Told her I was sorry.  And that we were going to do something special.  Just the two of us.

So we decided to make Pumpkin Bars.  

Adding the sugar to the eggs.

Exploring.

Watching the Kitchen Aid work its magic.

Adding Cinnamon to the flour.

  

Being Silly.

Eating left over traces of baking soda.

Maybe the spoon was not a good idea...

Oh she's got this...

Yeah that is a hand in the dry ingredients...

Oh never mind. She can handle it.

Yeah the hand is back in the bowl.

This is where she puts her Baker's magic into the batter... With her hand of course.

Nap time while the bars are baking and cooling.

Time to make the icing!

She did not prepare anything else after rubbing her nose.

Pumpkin Bars for Snack.

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

Ava's Pumpkin Bars

Bars:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

My Little Helper

Mother Goose Rhymes and More

Nursery Rhymes Promote Literacy in Children 

A Nursery Rhyme:

• Allows children to hear letter sounds. And how to put the sounds together to form words.
• Exposes a child to pitch, volume, voice, and rhythm
• Exposes a child to uncommonly used language.
• Teaches sequencing, pattern, parts of a story. 
• Allows a children to use their imagination. 
• Gives children the freedom to express themselves.

Just to name a few....

Naturally, as an educator, I want my child to know a variety of Nursery Rhymes.

I never learned Nursery Rhymes as a child.  

So I figured I need to teach myself if I want to teach her.

1.  I type out a Nursery Rhyme each week.

2.  I put it in a plastic sheet protector.

3.  And I hang it on my fridge.

    (Yeah- That would be the teacher in me.)

On Monday and Tuesday I stand in front of the fridge singing the rhyme.  

By Wednesday I can say parts of the rhyme, but I still have to be in the kitchen, so I can run to the fridge to read the next part if I forget.

By Thursday Ava is dancing to the rhyme.

By Friday I have the rhyme memorized!

I sing the rhymes to Ava all the time- In the car, on our walks, if I'm busy and she's fussy (Normally it makes her forget she's upset and she will start to dance)

This week's rhyme-

Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating of curds and whey;

There came a big spider,

And sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

Daddy, Mommy, Cousin Cole, and Ava Rose went to the Dewberry Farm today!

We had breakfast at Denny's.

Once we arrived at the Dewberry Farms we.....

Walked through the Corn Maze.

We lost Daddy and Ava.

Reunited.

Smelled Wildflowers.

The two most beautiful flowers in the field.

 Played in Little Farmersville.

Looked at some goats.

Hung out at the Duck Pond.

Waited for the Pig Race to begin.

The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

Daddy was picked to share his best Pig Call.

He didn't win, but lost gracefully.

Lindsey LoHAM is in the lead!

Wagon Ride to the Pumpkin Patch.

Ava was not having the photo shoot. 

But Cole was all about it.

Searching for the perfect pumpkin.

Of course neither one of them is looking.

Cole with a forced smile.  And Ava dug through the diaper bag for her snacks.

Cole found two Perfect Pumpkins!