New Item For Sale

Oohh...I am SO excited about the latest thing I'm making and selling. Many of you know that my friend made me this AWESOME cloth swim diaper four years ago. I've had so many people ask about it and I finally asked my friend's permission, so now I am selling them myself.

These diapers are not only incredible, but are also total money savers. If you haven’t discovered the joys of cloth swim diapers, you have been missing out.   If you’re like me and don’t use cloth diapers in general, you might be thinking, “Why would I want a cloth swim diaper?” Let me explain. When you take your baby swimming, you are required to put a swim diaper on them. One pack of Huggies swim diapers can cost anywhere from $8-$12 a pack and have 6-10 diapers in them. If you go swimming 5 days a week (which I know some of you do), then you are buying 2-4 packs a month. Don’t forget to include the diapers you have to change because your baby had a messy diaper or when you go into the pool more than once in a day. Those can really add up. But with a cloth swim diaper, you can use it over and over and just wash it out. Buy two and you’ll be set for all your swimming needs for the summer. If your summer season is almost over, take advantage of this offer for next swim season. Or use them during the winter for all your indoor swimming adventures!

The design for these cloth swim diapers allows for you to change your baby just like a regular disposable diaper or to slide up and down like a disposable swim diaper. Each diaper features 4 sets of snaps that allow your baby to grow within each size.  (Note: NO velcro to snag on your swimming suits!)

Cloth swim diaper in sizes S (NB-12 mo), M (18 mo-2T), L (3T+). Made of PUL and fleece fabrics for ultimate comfort and water protection.

Choose your colors from light blue, mint green, light pink, and algae blue for the outer layer and fuschia, light pink, light yellow, pastel green, sky blue, and blue for the inner layer.

Cost per diaper is just $15. Shipping is just $5, plus $3 per each additional diaper.  If you live in my area, there is no shipping cost.

If you want to purchase some, just go to http://www.etsy.com/listing/52611512/cloth-swim-diapers

Price per diaper will increase to $18 each in mid-August.

Dairy Free!

As most of you know, for the past 10 months, I have had a dairy-free diet because Avery was exhibiting signs of a dairy allergy starting at 2 weeks of age.  It's been an interesting road and for many of those 10 months, I've been looking forward to her first birthday when I would hopefully wean her.  Now that we're approaching that date, I'm feeling so hesitant about losing that part of our day. 

In May, I started feeling like her allergy was diminishing, so I began experimenting by eating some dairy products (mainly cheese and milk in my cereal).  Sure enough, within a day or two, her pimply rash came back, she was really fussy, her diapers were different...so I went off it again.  True to form, about a week or two after I stopped eating it, her symptoms cleared.  About a month after that, I wanted to see where she was at again.  But the girls beat me to it and accidentally gave her cow's milk to drink.  Wow, she was covered in these little pimples all over her face for two weeks.  Not pretty.

Finally, we were able to get in with an allergist to get her tested because I still felt like her allergy was improving.  A few days before her appointment, I told Braden that I felt the doctor was going to tell me she wasn't allergic to dairy..and then what?  Why, then, was she having reactions?

We tested her thru a blood draw and sure enough, the results came back negative.  Because of her history of reactions, they ordered a skin test to follow-up.  We had that this morning.  And, again, the results were negative!  I feel that she has just gotten old enough and outgrown this allergy.  Most babies who show signs of an allergy to dairy in their first year outgrow it by their first birthday.  We've been praying that would be the case with Avery and it looks like it is.

To test her, I had a TON of dairy (at least a ton after being off for 10 months) on Friday and Saturday last week and she had no reaction.  So I was not surprised at the results today.  I'm a little mixed on my emotion about me being able to have dairy, though.  I know Braden is going to be SO excited because it doubles our menu choices and greatly expands where we can go out to eat when we go on dates.  But, after consuming pizza and a frosty last weekend, and then being doubled over in stomach pains because of it, I am not so sure dairy is really all that it's cracked up to be.

I know, I know.  We're the only animal that drinks the milk of another animal.  It's not natural, blah blah blah.  Some people say they got sick less when they went off dairy. I found I was more sleepy, got dizzy MUCH more than usual, had bone aches, muscle cramps, etc. more than ever before.  I'm blaming it on the lack of milk.  But I also know that going off it for a year and then reintroducing it into my diet was not fun.  I guess we'll take baby steps.  But in the meantime, we're having ice cream tonight.

The Polls are Open

We need ideas!  Avery's birthday is coming up and I need some inspiration for a birthday cake for her.  She's not "into" any characters (like Elmo or Dora) or anything else I can think of right now.  So, do you have any great ideas of a cake we could do?  Or something else that would be great instead of a cake?  Let me know your ideas!  The winner will be invited to the party! 

Where Am I?

Wow.  Life is busy.  How does it get to be so busy?  Can't we all go back in time about 200 years when our main responsibilities were our families and homes?  Oh wait.  Those are STILL our main responsibilities.  Just add on top of it the other million things we cram into our lives and we have no more time left for our families and homes.  Back then, there were no t-ball leagues, no preschools, no workout gyms, no daily grocery store runs.  Going into town was a day trip.  Doing the laundry was a day chore.  Washing the dishes was an evening in and of itself.  Lets go back.

Last night I was thinking...

If each day we're supposed to spend 8 hours sleeping+1 hour exercising+1/2 hour reading our scriptures+1/2 hour in personal meditation and prayer, that leaves 14 hours in our day to do the other things.

We should shower, get dressed, do our hair, and put on makeup.  For me, that takes about 30 minutes.  But then, I have 3 girls to get ready.  So getting ready in the morning takes about an hour.  We have 13 hours left.  At night, we have the bedtime routine which includes pajamas, teeth brushed, stories, prayers, and then trying to get the girls to cooperate and go to sleep.  The process takes about an hour, sometimes less.  12 hours.

Then we have to make and clean up 3 meals a day.  Breakfast=1/2 hour (just cereal), lunch=30 minutes, dinner=1 1/2 hours (estimating low).  So for the eating part, we are now left with 9 hours and 30 minutes. 

At some point in the day, we spend about a half hour cleaning up toys, so now we have 9 hours of discretionary time. 

Personally, I change only 5 diapers a day.  Oh, what a glorious thing that is to say.  So, that's about 5-10 minutes a day.  No big deal.  But I also nurse my baby about 5 times a day.  Each feeding is about 10 minutes, so adding the diapers, I care for my baby for about 1 hour a day.  8 hours left.

The laundry usually happens once a day...and sometimes lingers for days on end...and in total it takes about an hour to wash, dry, fold, and put away.  7 hours.

If I drive Braden to work, going there and back in the morning and then afternoon takes about 45 minutes.  6 hours and 15 minutes.  When I have the car, that usually means we have somewhere to go, so errands, groceries, appointments, activities, classes...one of those usually takes at least 2 hours.

4 hours and 15 minutes.  We all go to the bathroom...lets just even it out to 4 hours.  I doin't know about you, but I spend about an hour a day referring my girls' arguments, getting things out for them, helping them with whatever it is they are asking for, etc.  3 hours.

Wouldn't it be great if we really did have three extra hours in a day?  That would mean our homes would be clean, our children happy, fed, and sleeping, our marriages intact, our spiritual lamps filled, and all our responsibilities taken care of.  Raise your hand if that sounds like your life.  In reality, those three hours get eaten up and at the end of the day, we are exhausted, our children are still crying in their rooms, our house is a mess, dinner is still on the table, and we haven't said more than 3 words to our spouse.  Now, raise your hand if that sounds like you.

Now, if we supposedly have 3 hours of time left to do with what we want, where do they go?  Sometimes, dates.  Other days, bills.  Other days blogging (I know, I shouldn't be doing this right now).  Other days, crafts/hobbies.  Other days, gardening.  Other days, developing a talent.  Other days, babysitting someone else's kids.  Other days, baking.  Other days, being sick.  Other days, taking care of someone who is sick.  Other days, service.  Other days, church service/worship.  Other days, travel.  Other days...you get the idea.  Most of us spend at least an hour on the computer in a day, broken up here and there. Looking up a phone number, checking and sending emails. Whatever it is, its an hour gone. What about reading a book? Talking to family on the phone? Preparing a lesson?

Imagine that you have other demands that most people wouldn't have, like a sick child who has 5-10 appointments a week...every week. Or that you are a working mom. That takes away countless hours of time that most of us get to work with. How can you possibly get it all done?
So where in that slew of things is maintaining a home?  Playing with kids?  Going to the park or on a walk?  Reading stories?  Drawing and painting with the kids?  Going on family adventures?  Working together?  When I wonder why I don't have enough time to do all the things I need to and want to do, I guess I need to reevaluate when and where I am putting my priorities.  It's not that I don't HAVE the time.  It's that I don't TAKE the time. 

Remember the rocks and pebbles analogy?  If you fill up a vase with pebbles and then try to put the rocks in, you won't be able to get them in.  But if you put the rocks in first and THEN pour in the pebbles you'll be able to get everything in place.  I guess I need to choose what my rocks are and make sure those happen first thing every day.  Then, everything else that happens in the day will fit too, or at least it won't be the important things that get left behind day after day.

So, the next time you're wondering where other people get the time to change a lightbulb or play with their kids, remember that for every minute they are choosing to do those things, they are choosing to not be doing something else.  If you want certain things to happen, slow down, take a look, and then choose for yourself how you're going to be spending your discretionary time.  We live in a cluttered world with cluttered lives and cluttered families and homes. 

Personally, I think its time for spring cleaning.  Better late than never.

Welcome Back..and a Tutorial

The verdict is in.  I hate having my blog private.  It's not that I hate having privacy, but I hate that I went from having a bunch of people check my blog and leave comments to only having one or two people leaving comments...and possibly only one or two actually reading my blog.  What's the point of putting it out there if no one reads it?  I know my blog is my journal too, but sometimes I want to share things, learn things, ask things...a public forum.  That's not possible to do if no one is reading my blog.  So, for the moment, I'm going public again.  Mainly because I have something I want to post.

It's almost the 24th of July and I know that is also near to Trek time for a lot of wards/families.  My sister in law just asked me to make her some Pioneer bonnets for their trek next week and I had a blast figuring it out.  I scoured the internet for some patterns but was very disappointed in them.  They were WAY too involved for the little bit of time I had.  My pattern may not be authentic, but the bonnets turn out way cute and take about 25 minutes to make.  EASY.

Okay, first thing you need is some fabric.  I used her old sheet which provides enough fabric for about 7-9 bonnets (adult size).  Using a sheet is SPECTACULAR, and I'll tell you why in a minute.  So, if you happen to have an old queen or king size sheet (fitted or top, doesn't matter), whip it out.  Otherwise, go buy fabric.  You're going to need about 23 inches.  You'll also need something to help make the brim firm.  Sure, you could do 10 layers of fabric, but that takes a lot of time and cutting.  I used some old fabric placemats.  With one placemat, you can get about 2 brims.  So head out to Ross and buy a 5 pack of placemats for $5 and you can make 10 bonnets.

Here are the instructions.  I wish I had taken pictures as I made them the other day, but I was in a rush so I didn't get any pics.  I'll try to post pictures later, but for those of you who can figure it out thru instructions, you can get straight to it.

MATERIALS:

* 23 inches sheet or fabric (print or solid, cotton/canvas/twill/muslin...just not flannel, felt, fleece, sheer, etc.)
* 1 placemat or other sturdy fabric
* 8 inches 1/2-inch elastic
* Thread

CUTTING:

First, cut a piece of fabric 20"x17".  Fold it in half along the 20" edge and curve the top to about 1/3 or 1/2 way down.  It does NOT have to be precise!  This is your bonnet piece.

Cut another piece of fabric 20"x10".  Fold it in half along the 20" edge and then again along the now 5" edge.  Cut a curve from the upper right corner down to the bottom left corner.  Again, it does not have to be precise!  You should end up with an oval that is 20 inches long and 10 inches wide.  Keep it folded in half.  This is your brim piece.

Take your placemat or other sturdy fabric and trace/cut just smaller than the brim.  This is your stiffener.

Cut two strips that are 3"x15" OR cut two 15-inch strips of the edging from your sheet (just the hem), just outside of the seam.  These are your ties.

Cut a piece of elastic that is 8-inches long.

ASSEMBLY:

Hem the bonnet fabric all around by folding edges over 1/4 inch and then over again 1/4 inch.  Sew all around the fabric piece.

Take the brim piece and sew the two sides together, right sides facing each other, leaving about 2 inches unstitched on one side.  Turn inside out and slide the stiff fabric in.  Turn in open edges 1/4 inch and sew along entire curved edge to close.

Fold bottom edge of bonnet piece up 5" and press or crease.  Using a straight stitch, sew elastic to inside of bonnet (side where the hems are turned in...not the side that will be facing out!), pulling while you sew.  The elastic should stretch from one edge to the other.

Fold your bonnet piece in half and place a pin at the middle of the top of the curve so you'll know where the middle is later.  Gather the fabric on the bonnet piece from the elastic, up around the curve, and down to the other end of the elastic.  To gather, set your machine at the longest stitch.  Stitch just inside the hem (on the single piece of fabric...NOT the folded over fabric) and make sure you DO NOT BACKSTITCH on either end.  When you get to the other end of the elastic, leave plenty of thread before cutting it.  Now pull one of the threads, and push the fabric along, gathering it as you go.  If you need to go from the other side too, you can.  Try to space your gathers evenly.  Gather until the fabric between the elastic ends is as long as the STRAIGHT edge of your brim. For more instructions with pictures for how to gather, go here.

Now, fold your brim piece in half and match the center of the STRAIGHT EDGE of your brim with your pin that marks the center of the bonnet.  Sew these pieces together, right sides facing each other.  Make sure your STRAIGHT edge is the one you are sewing to the gathered bonnet piece!  Sew from the center down to one side and then from the center down to the other side, being sure to catch all layers of fabric.  Flip brim out and the bonnet part is done.

Now for the ties.  If you are using the edge from the sheet, you are done. If you are using fabric, hem the short ends in 1/4 inch. Now, fold each long side over 1/2 inch, and then the entire strip in half to create a piece that is 1-inch wide. Sew along the open long edges to create two long strips. Attach your ties on the inside of your brim, 1/2 inch up from the bottom corner, just by the seam connecting the brim to the bonnet.  Stitch back and forth a couple times for each tie.

You're done!  Now try it on and enjoy your pioneering.

Again, sorry there are no pictures.  But what I would have given to have this pattern BEFORE I spent over an hour on a really lame pattern.  Believe me, this is simple, quick, and practical.  And the end result is darling. 

This bonnet will fit teens and adults.  If you want a child's bonnet, just make the bonnet piece 16"x16" and the brim 16"x4".  For a baby, try between a 10"x10" and 12"x12" with a 10"x3" or 12"x3" brim.  Adjust ties accordingly also, to about 12 inches each. 

If you end up using this pattern, would you let me know?  Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!!!

Ideas?

I'm looking for great ideas for a family game, or other family gift.  Do you have a favorite game that works for a family?  One that is good for teenagers and parents?  One that can easily be tossed on the table and played whenever you have a moment (a LONG game may not be best)?  Or do you know of something else that is a MUST HAVE for a family with teenagers?  Something no family should be without? 

Any ideas?

Wuv, Twue Wuv...

I remember my first crush.  It was Clayton Jones.  Unless I had a crush on Andy Halbe before that.  But I definitely being enamored with Clayton.  I was 6 or 7, I think.  I think that's a normal age to have serious crushes.  I just didn't expect to be dealing with that with 3 and 4 year olds.

There's a little boy in our ward who is IN LOVE with Keara.  Serious, obsessed love.  He's in her Sunbeam class and has been smitten since the day we moved in.  Every Sunday he wants to sit by her, but spends the whole class poking her, touching her, sitting as close as he can to her...and driving her crazy.

He's this tiny little boy who is even smaller than Keara.  And he just turned four two weeks ago.  He comes from the greatest family with an amazing mom who is just the sweetest.  And we both can't get over his admiration and infatuation with Keara.

Here's the extent of it...so his birthday was on the 19th of June.  When he was asked what kind of cake he wanted, he said, "I want a cake with a picture of Keara on it."  HA!  Needless to say, they did NOT have that kind of cake!


(I wish I had a talent for writing things better because it is a lot funnier than this makes it sound)

Happy Fourth of July!

Whew!  What a weekend! 

It all started with a great campout with our ward (church) on Friday night.  Taryn, Avery and I went home to sleep, but Braden and Keara stayed overnight.  I think Keara loved it!  T, A, and I went back in the morning for potato launching, rocket launching, and a little more fun before heading home for some much needed naps.

After naps, we headed out for some festivities.  We first put our blanket down for the fireworks and then stopped by Subway to get a sandwich for dinner.  The line was VERY long and with three (really four) VERY tired girls in the car, it was all I could do to keep them entertained for the eternity that Braden was in the store.  So first, we changed into swimsuits and got rebuckled in.  Then I had them try to lick their elbows.  Definite entertainment there...

Avery wondered what in the world was wrong with her mom and sisters...

And then Keara delighted us with silly faces.

Finally, daddy came back to the car and we headed to the lake for swimming.  I love this particular lake and beach.  The water is always comfortable and the girls LOVE it. 

We stayed until about 8 or so and then headed to the other lake for the fireworks (hey, in a land of 10,000 lakes, everything is bound to take place at a lake).  We got a great little spot right across from where they were shooting them off so we got plenty of heart-stopping action.  It was really fun!  Shaun and Susan and co. joined us for the pyrotechnics, and even brought a family tradition: oreos.  We all love spending time with them!

Taryn is a ham...And don't mind the red in the middle of our family picture.  I think someone's finger was over the flash...

Six Fireworks Shows and a Miracle

Before we get to other things, I figure some of you would rather hear about this. 

This fourth of July, I was priviledged to see not one, not two, but SIX fireworks displays.  Yes, I love fireworks, but that is NOT why I got to see so many this year.

On Thursday, our Avery Goose woke up with a bit of a fever.  Nothing to worry about, so we went to Keara's park class on our bike/trailer.  About 30 minutes into it, Avery crawled over to me, and crashed in my arms.  Not normal, but sweet.  So I held her for the next 45 minutes until it was time to go home.  She was starting to feel really warm now, but I woke her up and leaded the girls in the trailer.  Within seconds, she was asleep again in Keara's arms.  When we got home, I laid her in her crib where she slept for the next hour and a half until I woke her up.  She was boiling at that point, so I gave her ibuprofen.  She took another nap a while later, and woke up feeling and acting much better.

We had been invited to our neighbors for a play date, so we headed over around 4:30.  After being there for about a half hour or so, Avery again crawled to me and crashed in my arms.  She was feeling warm again, so we took her temperature.  101.5.  No big deal, but something to keep an eye on. 

But then she started shaking with the shivers so badly.  So I called a pediatrician just to see if there was anything I should be concerned about, as well as to initiate contact with a doctor since our insurance kicked in THAT DAY and we hadn't ever been to a doctor.  I got off the phone and her temp spiked to 103.5.  I took the girls home and debated about going in to see a doctor.  I generally don't worry about temperatures, but she was so lethargic and couldn't even lift a hand. 

I decided to NOT go in, but rather gave her more ibuprofen and a luke warm bath which greatly helped.  She made it thru the next couple hours, but in the middle of the night, she woke up vomiting and dry heaving.  I've never had to hold a 10 month old over the toilet to throw up.  She was hot and miserable again.  So I gave her more medicine and put her back to bed.

The next day, she followed the same pattern.  Her  temperature would go up to 103.5 until we gave her the medicine, where it would drop to 101 until the meds wore off.  We went thru that roller coaster thru Friday, then Saturday, and finally on Sunday, when it had been over 72 hours of this, I called our old pediatrician to get some free advice.  They recommended taking her to an urgent care because it sounded like it could be a urinary tract infection.  So I did.

They had to get a urine sample which, from a 10-month old, means either a bag or a catheder.  They tried to cath her but had a hard time so they recommended we go to the ER at the children's hospital where they would have better luck.  Her white blood count was high so they knew she was battling a major infection, but couldn't verify it without the urine sample.

Off we went to the ER.  Avery did amazing well for being so tired and it being so late for the third night in a row.  They were able to cath her and found that she does indeed have a UTI.  So they gave her a shot of antibiotics and we were finally able to go home.  She is doing much better, though still isn't herself yet.

I was so glad that we were discharged just after 10pm because all fireworks started a little after 10.  So as I drove home, I had fireworks to the east, south, and west of me until I got on the highway, where I then had them to the west and northwest.  It was SO fun!!  People were stopped in the onramps to watch the display or pulled over on the side of the highway.  Everyone was driving 30 miles an hour, watching the sky.  I kept my windows down so I could hear the booms.

We still haven't gotten Avery's antibiotic because our insurance doesn't cover the one the ER prescribed, but we're about to head out to a doctor's appointment to get a new prescription.  Thru this all, I'm just amazed that we haven't had insurance since March.  We were finally approved, but it wouldn't start until the first day of the month after our first premium payment was received.  We found out about our approval on the 27th of June so we paid our premium on the 28th and coverage started on the 1st.  The first was Thursday...the day Avery woke up sick.  I am so grateful for a Father in Heaven who is mindful of our needs!!!  Miracle still happen!

It's Pumpkin Season

Our whole house is excited about pumpkins right now.  I'm excited because the little pumpkin plants are still alive.  Keara's excited because, frankly, what isn't exciting about pumpkins?!  We talk about them a lot and look for them in the stores or in books or whatever.

So today Keara decided to draw a pumpkin.  If you've ever read "Franklin's Pumpkin" you'll know that Franklin (the turtle) wants to win a blue ribbon in the fall fair.  His friends are baking pies, so he find a REALLY big pumpkin in his garden and decides to make a pie from it.  But the best pumpkin pie pumpkins are really small.  So he changes his plan to win the ribbon for the biggest pumpkin.  But this year, the ribbon is for the biggest zucchini.  So he gives up.

His little sister wants to win a blue ribbon for her princess costume, but everyone ends up being dressed up as a princess, so she comes home crying.  Then Franklin has an idea.  He carves out his pumpkin, turns it into a carriage, and he pulls her sister to the fair in his pumpkin.  That is what inspired Keara's series of drawings today.  The first is Franklin's sister in the pumpkin.  The other two are just other people in a pumpkin.  Her drawing changes all the time, and I love seeing it evolve.