Homemade BABY WIPES

I was just brand new married. It was 16 1/2 years ago and I was sitting in a "Homemaking" meeting in UT - where I was going to school. It was an all-things-baby or baby-shower-themed meeting or something. A lady taught a demonstration on how to make your own Baby Wipes. She then gave the wipes she had just made to the next-due lady in the room. I was in awe. Who thought you could make your own baby wipes? Not me.

We were all given the recipe and that's all I really remember about that meeting. But I saved the recipe. And good thing - because fast forward a few years and I have just had my first baby. Tyler and I are still poor college students, and all that baby stuff was expensive! I dug out that recipe. I invested in a good Rubbermaid container and all the ingredients and hoped for the best.

To my surprise, it was VERY EASY! And they worked! I was a believer. And I have used this recipe ever since. It works out to be much cheaper than buying wipes. The baby oil and baby wash last a long time. If you buy the paper towels in bulk, they are only an initial investment and last a long time too.

Don't get me wrong - I have bought wipes too, on occasion, when I have a killer coupon that makes them free or some other good deal - but I still think these clean up a little better, they are more moist, and my kids have never had a diaper rash when using them.

Even now, as I make what I hope to be my last batch, I still swear by using homemade wipes.

We are currently potty-training our last child.

Our bathroom has looked like this, with the two-toilet scenario, for many of the last 14 years.

We use the M&M method: 1 for #1 and 2 for #2. He has almost finished this jar of candies. And he doesn't even always remember that he wants a candy afterward. That's a good sign that he has created good potty habits and there are hardly any accidents anymore. Of course, if running out of candy causes a regression, buy more candy - you may need it just a little longer. (Night-time potty-training is a totally different story. At that point we do a chart and there is a big reward when the chart is full...a future post)

Anyway, back to the wipes.

I will give you the recipe first.

Ingredients
*Rubbermaid or other container in roughly the same size and shape as a half-roll of paper towel. (even a LARGE margarine spread container works, I'm told)
*Paper towel roll, cut in half (Bounty works the very best)
*2 cups water
*1 T. Baby oil
*2 T. Baby wash

Pour 2 cups of water into your container. Set the lid on top but do not click shut. (This will sterilize the lid along with the container and the water). Boil in microwave on high for 4 minutes.

Careful when taking it out of the microwave - it's very hot and container will be soft. Pour in 1 T baby oil and 2 T baby wash.

Stir really well.

While the water is boiling and sterilizing in the microwave, cut your paper towel roll in half. I have a knife just for this. Because it gets kind of dull for anything else. Just grab the roll, eyeball the middle, and start cutting. Sounds weird but it's not really that hard. Just saw until you get through the cardboard core. Then put your fingers in with each hand and pull the rest apart. Easy-peasy.

Slowly (you don't want it to splash up on you) insert the cut side of the paper towel roll first into the container. Don't bother taking out the cardboard core yet. It will come out easier later. Push the paper towel roll down all the way.

Put the lid on and click it shut. Turn the container upside down for at least 10 minutes so it can cool and the liquid can coat all the towel.

As the pressure builds a little while it's cooling, it may pop up on you.

Just push it down again. You may have to do this a few times. No biggie.

When it feels cool, turn it back over. The lid should be on nice and secure. And all the towel should be damp. (Note: if you happen to leave the lid off later on or for some other reason they dry out, just spritz with water until they are damp again and they will be just fine.)

Take it off and pull out the core now. I also take a little paper towel out with it, to get rid of the cardboardiness.

Now you just pull out your wipes from the middle. It will break at the original perforations from the paper towel. Use however many you think you need.

If you use Bounty, you will be pleased that it does not need to be as thick to feel like it's working. AND the Select-A-Size Bounty is GREAT because you can select your size at the perforation marks.

Try it! I promise you will be pleasantly surprised.
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Blue & Gold: Cub Scout Fun

Having five boys means that when the first son enters Cub Scouts, you better be ready because you, as a parent, will be involved in the Scouting program FOR.EVER. My husband and I figured out that from when our oldest son started as a cub scout in 2004, until our youngest son leaves Boy Scouts in high school, it will be 2027. That's 23 years, people.

That's a lot of Pinewood Derby cars, Blue & Gold Banquets, Day Camps, Raingutter Regatta boats, Pack meetings, Arrows of Light, etc. And that is just Cub Scouts. Boy Scouts is a whole 'nother load of new and different things.

So I thought I'd better decide to enjoy this time in my boys' lives.

We just had our Cub Scout troop's annual Blue & Gold party. Our troop's tradition is to have the dads and boys make cakes together {and moms are not allowed to help - does this really happen?} Here are my two boys' great cake creations.

Here they are excited to mix and bake their cakes. It's the night before the Blue & Gold.

The morning after: Eric is busy frosting and creating as he goes. And yes that is coconut pecan frosting from a can. Little brother is watching, anticipating his day to make the cake.

He frosts his cake to look like dirt and rocks and desert. He decorates with army guys and other items from his prized miltary set.

Eric's Military Cake is done! Here it is from all angles.

Bradley had to make his frosting from scratch. It had to be grey. He is a little nuts when the beater starts going FAST! Such a boy.

Now to frost and decorate. He is making the front of a microwave. The buttons are marshmallows with numbers on them. There is even a handle. It's funny because his first big word was "Microwave". I can still hear his cute voice yelling it!

Here are all the views of Bradley's Microwave Cake.

The boys proudly display their creations, in uniform, looking snazzy!
Ready to enter the contest. Everyone who attends gets to vote for their favorite. (Big brother - who made his share of these cakes - was at Boy Scouts that night, but even he stopped by to vote for his brother's cakes. And to eat them after...)

Bradley received some awards he had earned toward his Webelos.

Eric received his Bobcat award that night.

Here is dad (also Bradley's Webelos leader) with Kevin, our youngest. Kevin will totally know what to do when it is his turn.

The votes were tallied and our Eric won "People's Choice - the Grand Champion" for the best cake of the night. Good job honey!



It turned out to be a fun night - we were proud of both boys' creations and accomplishments!



Do you have a Cub Scout?







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