Welcome to Crazytown...

I've moved!

2011-04-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

I've started a new blog over on WordPress! It's time for something new, I think. All of my old posts have been transferred, so they are still available for reading. Here is the new address:

http://teamhud.wordpress.com/

Be sure to bookmark it!

The New Schoolroom!

2011-02-25T23:01:00.000-08:00

***You should be able to click on pictures to make them bigger. At least I can, on my computer. Just click your brower's "back" button when you are done looking at them to return to the post.***

I'm finally posting the promised pictures of our new schoolroom! All of the stuff I've ordered in the last few weeks has come in, and things are finally set up the way I like them! I've still got some fine-tuning to do, this weekend and in the coming weeks, but this is the basic set-up.

I forgot to get a Way Before picture, when it was still a playroom with a floor covered in toys. All of the toys are currently sitting in the garage, waiting to be sorted, regrouped, and brought back in to the house in mixed and smaller increments. I'd like to put together a smallish box of different toys (a few animals, a few trains, a few Little People, etc), and switch things up every few weeks just to keep the kids interested in what's in the box. We have enough toys in the garage to start our own toy store, so if I can get things organized out there it's totally doable. Anyway, back to the schoolroom.....

Here is the first picture. Getting the bare bones of the room in place. We moved the futon 90 degrees (it used to take up that whole back wall), which has made a nice little computer/Mom's desk area. Those big boxes in the foreground are the kids' desks, waiting to be unpacked.

Next picture, a few days later. The desks are out and assembled (blue for Sierra, red for Tyner). The cabinet with doors is all put together (thanks Babe!). And you can see the little kids table there by the futon. You can't see it, but the whole side of the table is cracked where the seam is. I called Step2 and they are sending a replacement tabletop totally free! Great customer service!

A day or two later. I don't know if you can tell the difference from the last picture, but we switched my desk and the kids' computer desk around. The original placement was a bit awkward, and this works much better! Also different is my set of plastic shelves that have been moved in to the room and loaded up.

And now for the organize-y stuff! Here is one set of shelves. Close-ups and explanations below.

Top shelf has art stuff, well out of the reach of small hands. Next shelf down is crayons, markers, pencils, etc., and some math games. Below that is the tray for finished work and some stuff for the kids to keep their hands busy with (beads, pom-poms, tongs, lacing cards, etc.).

Next comes Zeke's set of drawers. These have a Preschool workbook that he likes to write in, some coloring pages, and his Get Ready for the Code book. Next to that is a file crate that has all the big kids' school papers (completed and still to be done). The bottom shelf has a box that is full of everything we need for science experiments for a curriculum we will be using next year. There is also a bag to recycle paper (too bad we can't recycle it anywhere locally...).

Next comes the cabinet with doors. This is where I put everything that I don't want the kids getting in to without supervision.

Top shelf has stickers and a box for tape/glue, my laminator and some files and cardstock. Next shelf is my box (picture below) and a red bucket. This bucket will eventually have beanbags in it, if I ever get off my lazy bum and make some.

Here is my box. It has everything I might need to get at quickly, but that I don't necessarily need to keep in my desk (I've got a smaller box in my desk with scissors, Post-Its [one pad in each of the kids' colors], pens, Sharpies, etc.). In this box there are lots of pens, tape, extra scissors, different glues, my label maker, calculator, index cards, and more stuff that I can't really remember right now.

The bottom three shelves of the cabinet hold all of our coloring books and games. It's not that I don't want the kids to be able to get at these, it's just that....I don't want the kids to be able to get at these. LOL. I want to keep Zeke and Emma out of these so that the pieces don't end up everywhere. I also want to make sure I know when the big kids are playing a game so that I can make sure they clean it up when they are done.

Here are the big desks. The one in the corner has the kids' computer. It doesn't have internet access, and at this point, is strictly for playing CD-ROM games. The math that both kids will be using next year will be done on the computer, so it will be used for that eventually. The drop-down desk is mine. The little pink-lidded box in there is the one I was talking about earlier.

And last but not least, here is the big kids' workspace. The area on the left (blue desk) is Sierra's, and the right is Tyner's. The set of drawers will be used for organizing their work. At this point they go at their individual work kind of willy-nilly. They know what needs to be done most of the time, but I'd still like to get it somewhat organized for them (especially since things will be a little different next year, with more subjects being introduced). Eventually the drawers will be numbered, and each kid will have a sheet hanging on the wall in front of their desk with their assignments listed on it (assignments will be numbered to match the drawers). The hope is to order their work in such a way that both kids won't need the computer (or Mom) at the same time. Oh, and the little white thing sitting on Tyner's desk? That's our little 360 degree heater that we got from Walmart for $15. The insulation's not so great in this room, but the heater does a great job of keeping things cozy. The heater only lives on Tyner's desk when the schoolroom isn't being used. Normally it sits in the middle of the floor.

I'd like to mention lighting. Most of these pictures (all except the first one) were taken at night under florescent lights with a flash. The first picture was taken during the day and shows just how bright the room really is. This part of the house gets many hours of daylight, and the room is never gloomy or dark (unless the weather outside is gloomy and dark ;).

I realize that I've failed to mention the enormous brown bookshelf that you can only see in the third picture. At this point it has wooden puzzles on the top shelf (Emma's favorite thing to do right now is to pull every.single.piece from every.single.puzzle and to throw it on the floor. I thought it best to put the puzzles up high). The next shelf down has some curriculum we aren't currently using. Eventually I would love for this bookshelf to become a curriculum library (idea stolen from a 'Pin friend!), but for now it will either be empty or will have other books on it (since our other, big bookshelf is full).

You might've also noticed the large cardboard box in the bottom left corner of the full-room shots? That box holds all of our curriculum for next year. All of our history/geography readers, all of our read-aloud books, both kids' math CDs and reading books, some art books, and Sierra's Reference Library stuff. Both kids' Bible and language arts worktexts are in a smaller box next to the big box.

Well, that's about it. I spent some time in the room this evening, hanging up maps and some posters. Once I get things on more of a routine, and get us all settled in, I will try to share some of our system with y'all (yes, Sisters, I just said "y'all"). Hope you enjoyed the tour!

The whole purpose....

2011-02-24T00:07:00.000-08:00

...of getting a laptop was so I could blog in the evenings after Jason went to bed.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. It wasn't the WHOLE purpose, but it was definitely one of the ~~excuses~~ reasons I had for justifying such a big purchase. And now, here we are, two weeks later, with nary a blog post in sight.

I have a few ~~excuses~~ reasons for not blogging in the evenings. I've been busy reading other inspiring blogs, I've been working on the new schoolroom, I've been watching TV, I've been learning Greek, I've been Facebooking and 'Pinning. But really, they are just excuses, not reasons.

Life is exciting right now. Okay, maybe it wouldn't be exciting to some people, but it's exciting to me. Things are changing a bit around here, all while getting back to normal. The kids are getting bigger and life is settling down. But at the same time, it's more Crazy than ever.

I am really feeling the need to write, so hopefully I can motivate myself to blog more often. One of the blogs I read has really been inspiring me to find my writing style, to find the best way I can to express what's in my head and my heart. Even if it means not using proper grammar or punctuation or form

(I left the period off that sentence, just to prove that I can do it!)

Maybe I should give myself a reward each time I post. A little incentive for sharing my great wisdom with the masses (ahhhh, I'm so funny....). I wonder if I can keep my hands off my new Algebra book until I can pound out a real blog post.

And with that nerdy thought, I will say good night. After all, there are less than seven hours until my kids get out of bed demanding to be fed, and there is a baby who may wake up no less than three times in those seven hours.

Goodnight!

P.S. I will be honest. I just went back and re-read this post and fixed three errors. I didn't add the period though!

The Anvil

2010-10-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

I recently read a book called The Little Book of Big Reasons to Homeschool by David and Kim d'Escoto. It was a good book, confirming all of the reasons I want to teach my kids at home. At the beginning of the book is a really good poem, and I thought I'd share it. It's called The Anvil of God's Word, by John Clifford.

----------------------------------------------------
Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith's door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
When looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

"How many anvils have you had," said I,
"To wear and batter these hammers so?"
"Just one," said he; then with a twinkling eye,
"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."

And so, I thought, the anvil of God's Word,
For ages, skeptics blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed - the hammers gone.

--------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, there's my post for today. Now I'm off to do some homeschool research!

Time for some organizing!

2010-10-04T11:48:00.000-07:00

It's time to start getting life organized! If I ever want to be successful at homeschooling four kids while running a house, I'm going to have to get my life in some kind of order. I thought I'd make a quick list of things I'd like to do or put together in the next few weeks so that bringing the kids home will be as painless as possible.

Around the House
*Weekly cleaning schedule (for bigger household jobs)
*Meal planning (and stick to it!)
*Chores for the kids
*Plan out daily schedule/routine
*Schedule/routine charts
*Home notebook (to keep it all in one place)
*Go through toys in playroom

Homeschooling
*Modified workboxes/notebooks for the kids
*"Together work" notebook for me
*General school calendar (for keeping track of planned breaks)
*Make extra weekly planning pages for other (non-Sonlight) curriculum
*School schedule/order/routine
*Start setting up schoolroom
*Go through curriculum (is anything missing?)

My Mental Block

2010-10-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

I think about writing on this blog every. single. day. Seriously. Everyday I write two or three posts in my head. So why has my post count been sitting at 370 since the end of August (and really, the last three posts I wrote, one in August, and two in April, don't really count)? The last thing I wrote with any kind of substance was on March 3rd! That's crazy, considering how much time I spend writing...in my head. So, I've been searching my heart, and my head, for reasons why I can't seem to make myself write.

Distractions. I've got four kids, two of them are under three years old. Let's face it. I have lots of distractions. Just in writing that first paragraph, I got out of my chair four times to stop Zeke from screaming about his sister helping him build a train track. Four times. And two of the kids aren't even in this distracting picture. I find it difficult to sit down and write, to keep my thoughts flowing when................... (Add another distracting moment there.) Anyway, it's hard to sit down and keep the words coming when you have to get up and down and deal with problems. (Phew, just sent Sierra and Tyner outside for some much needed fresh air. Hopefully I can get this done now). What really needs to happen is that I need to prioritize my kid-free time and try to fit writing in there somewhere. (Ignoring the fussing baby who is supposed to be taking a nap.) I need to choose morning nap time when Zeke is outside playing, or afternoon naps when Zeke and Emma are both sleeping, or after bed when all the kids are ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh..............................can't ignore the fussing baby much longer. Apparently she doesn't need a nap this morning.

That is what my life feels like right now. A series of dots.......waiting.......being completely and totally distracted to the point that I can't even find myself anymore. I've got to get this figured out. I've got to find a way to get myself back. I'm drowning in this sea of chaos.

Blah.

Maybe my brain will work some other day and I can write a coherent post then.

Until then.........................

2010-08-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog. I miss you. Someday we will be reunited. I promise.

What's in your crockpot?

2010-04-03T09:46:00.001-07:00

Connie over at Smockity Frocks is hosting a Crockpot Carnival! Go over and find a new recipe. Or share one of your favorites for the rest of us to enjoy. Go! Now! Hurry!

This is the one I shared. Love it!

Passion...

2010-04-03T09:37:00.001-07:00

The internet is not my passion. Neither is the TV. So why is it that I spend far more time on these two things than on the things I really enjoy? Why don't I knit or read more? Why am I not in the kitchen more? Why am I not out running? What's the deal?

WIP Wednesday: The Sweater 2

2010-03-25T00:07:00.001-07:00

You thought I forgot, didn't you? Well, I didn't! I just wanted to work until the last possible second.

Here is Zeke trying on the sweater. Don't mind the '80s cut-off look. I promise it's going to be longer than that.

Where I stopped tonight. See that white string way down at the bottom, kind of peeking out from behind the curled up edge? It's running across the whole front of the sweater. That's called a lifeline. I will be using that to put on the pocket, if I have enough yarn to do that.
Okay, it's late. Way past when I wanted to go to bed. Both littles decided that a late night party would be fun. But they are both sleeping now, so it's time to head to bed. Goodnight!

4 Moms, 35 Kids Live-blogging

2010-03-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Four moms with larger than average families have started a new series. It's called 4 Moms, 35 Kids, and they post something new every Thursday. Last week they posted what a "typical" day looks like in their house. Today they are live-blogging what their day actually looks like.

Here are some links if you want to check them out:

The Headmistress at The Common Room.

Connie at Smockity Frocks.

Kim at Life In a Shoe.

Kimberly at Raising Olives.

These may hold my attention more than Facebook today.

WIP Wednesday: The Sweater

2010-03-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's not technically Wednesday anymore. But I promise I took these pictures before midnight!

Here is the beginnings of the sweater. This is the front view. The little dip in the middle is the front of the collar (or where I will start the hood if I have enough yarn).

This is a side view. Those little lines there, that are spreading from the top? Those are the shoulder seams. Pretty cool, eh?

I'm making this with yarn that I dyed. I'm really liking how this is turning out. Can't wait to see it with the trim yarn (solid gray).

So, that's the sweater for now. I'm ~~hoping~~ sure I will be much farther next week.

To Do list - Wednesday 3/17

2010-03-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have a WIP Wednesday post to do later today, but I'm hoping to knit more on the sweater before I show it off. But I thought I'd put my To Do list up, for motivation. Here goes:

*Laundry

-~~Colors~~

-~~Jeans~~

-Towels

-Our sheets

*~~Dishes~~

*~~Empty dishwasher~~

*~~School~~

*Call WIC office

*Call Kristi about cookies

*Call Jenny about party and cookies

*Fill out MediCal paperwork

*Call Worker about tax refund

*~~Knit~~

*Clean our bathroom

That may or may not be everything. We'll see as I go through the day. I will be back later to hopefully cross some stuff off.

FO....Sunday?

2010-03-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

If you remember from my last post, an FO is a Finished Object. Normally, I will be trying to share my FOs with you on Friday ('cause, ya' know, the first letters have to match and all). But I was so excited about finishing up my Organizing, and my yarn dyeing that I had to share a few days ~~early~~ late. So, here we go.

You've already seen this picture, but I figured it was worth repeating. This is my knitting gear, all in one place (in the proper packages, even). This is a BFD (big freakin' deal), 'cause my stuff was scattered all over the house. So now everything is where it is supposed to be, ready to go.

I'm caving, and showing you the whole yarn chest. Do you see the videos? They weren't there before. They were covered by unwound yarn. But not anymore. I got everything rewound while we were watching The Hangover last night. Yay for multi-tasking! So, that's half of the cedar chest, filled with lovely, lonely yarn. The chest is probably 15 inches deep, 12 inches wide, and half of it is about 18 inches long. That's over 3200 cubic inches filled with yummy yarn, just waiting to be used. I have summer projects planned for most of it, though.

And, finally, the last thing I had to finish before I could start Zeke's sweater. This is yarn I dyed for my friend, Suzie. Dyed blue and green on 3-Ply 100Purewool.

So, those are all my recent FOs. I'm planning to start the sweater tonight or tomorrow, so hopefully I will have part of it to show you on Wednesday.

Until next time...

WIP Wednesday: Organizing

2010-03-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

For those of you not in "the know," WIP stands for Work In Progress (which it says right up there on that cute little header. Duh, I didn't even notice that.). I don't think WIP Wednesday has to just be for knitting or sewing projects though. I think it's a great way to show off whatever creative pursuits are occupying your time right now. You know, in between the cooking, the cleaning, the refereeing, the teaching, and the snot-wiping. It for sure could be knitting or sewing, if that's what you do. But it could also be scrapbooking, crocheting, home decorating, painting, drawing, whatever. Anything you use as an outlet for your creativity.

So, without further ~~babbling~~ ado, here are my current WIPs. Hmm, should that be WsIP? You know, Works In Progress? I've digressed.

I don't actually have any projects OTNs (On The Needles) right now. I finished one project this week (it's an FO (Finished Object) now, and I can't share it today, because, well, it's finished, not in progress....I've digressed again). What I'm working on right now is organizing my yarn and getting my gear in order in preparation for my next big project (a sweater.... for Zeke). I ~~threatened~~ promised myself that my stuff would be organized before I started anything new.

So, my "gear" is in order. Okay, I'll be honest. This is actually an FO. It shouldn't be here in this post. But it's part of this total package project. So it's here. Deal with it.

This is the yarn that is going to be used for the sweater, so this project needs to be frogged (pulled apart) and rewound.

All of this yarn needs to be rewound too, just because it's a big fat mess in my yarn chest. Yes, I have a yarn chest. Okay, the yarn actually shares a home with our videos. But it's a cedar chest, which makes it the perfect place for wool yarn. No mothies in this stash! Some of this yarn is partially used, some is completely unwound, some is just a big crazy blob. It's going to take a while. **I won't show you the other side of the yarn chest, which holds all the already-wound-yarn-just-waiting-to-be-used-for-an-actual-project. There's too much. You'd be ~~ashamed~~ ~~jealous~~ too impressed.**

And this is my other major WIP. This is some bare yarn that I need to dye for a friend. But first I have to untangle it and re-skein it (that means wind it around the back of the couch so it's in a really big loop) to get it ready for dyeing. Mama messed up and left the yarn in arm's reach of a certain toddler. Oops. I think I need to work on this one first, since this wonderful friend is waiting patiently for her yarn. Then I will move on to the other yarn.

Well, that's all my WIPs (WsIP?) for now. Hopefully I will have something more exciting to show you next week (if I remember to post). Like, maybe, the beginnings of a sweater?

'Til the next time I remember that I actually have a blog!

I've got this thing...

2010-03-03T22:53:00.001-08:00

I really should be going to bed, but I figured I was due for a blog post soon. Now, if I could get my darn fingers to cooperate, we'd be good. My backspace key is seeing more action than my hubby did during my last pregnancy.

Anyway. Do you ever have that one thing? You know, the one that, if it changed, you are convinced the rest of your life would fall to order? Of course, once that thing changes, and your life goes magically perfect, another thing pops up, and the cycle continues. I guess that's where having joy (not just happiness) in all your circumstances comes in, huh? Being thankful to God for all that you have, and finding peace through him. But....there's still that thing.

Right now, my thing is Emma sleeping through the night. I am utterly convinced that life would be pure bliss if she would just sleep for 10 hours straight.

So, for your amusement, here's a list of ways that my life would change if my darling infant would just conk out already:

1. I would start going to bed at a normal time (say, 10:00 instead of 12:00 or 1:00).

2. I would get up early in the mornings to read my Bible and pray, instead of being completely useless before 8:00 a.m.

Sorry, I had to go get Emma to sleep. I'm back now. Did you miss me? Oh wait, you didn't even know I was gone. Anyway, back to the list:

3. My house would be completely cleaned, from top to bottom, in an orderly manner every week.

4. School would become the favorite part of everyone's day, instead of being something we struggle to get through before I get irritated, before the kids get bored, and just a few minutes after Zeke tears the house apart.

5. My knitting skillz would improve.

6. Dinner would appear on the table at 5:00 every night, with little to no planning and/or work from me.

7. My hair would be fabulous.

8. I'd lose that last 10 pounds.

9. Zeke would learn to use the potty.

10. All our bills would be paid off.

11. I'd find time during the day to sew.

12. Facebook would lose it's evil kryptonite-like hold on me.

13. I would start running/biking/working out everyday.

14. The piles of rubbish that occupy the flat spaces in my house would disappear.

15. I'd start buying/cooking healthier food for the whole fam.

Ummm...I'm sure there's a lot more, but it's almost 11:30, and my brain has gone to Standby mode, so that's all I can think of for now. And that was kind of a long sentence. Anyhoo....

Reading back over my list, I've realized something. Any of those items on that list could be my "thing." They are all pretty much interchangeable. Like, if my hair would just be fabulous, Zeke would learn to use the potty. Or if my knitting skillz improved, my flat spaces would be clean.

I guess this is just my lesson this week on how life is never going to be perfect, or even slightly normal (I do have four children after all). There is always going to be something that I can use as an excuse for bad behavior, something I can point to and say "See that there? That's the reason my life isn't how I want it to be. That's the reason I'm being selfish/lazy/whiny/grumpy. It's not my fault!".

*sigh* So this is the part where I tell you that it's not all Emma's fault. Although I do think it's her fault a little bit. Like I tell Tyner all. the. time. We all make our own choices. Whether they are good or bad, we choose how we will act and react to things.

Am I going to make a bad choice the next time I'm tired because we got up three times in the middle of the night? Or am I going to choose joy and peace? Am I going to turn to The One who gives those things to me, and ask for His help? Guess we'll see in the morning....

Priorities.

2010-02-15T20:48:00.000-08:00

Life lately has been all about me. Sleeping in until the last minute because I stayed up too late the night before. Spending my mornings on the computer instead of being with the kids. Putting off school because I'm too busy trying to catch up on chores. Ignoring the blog because I'd rather play on Facebook. Watching TV or surfing the net late into the night instead of spending time with my hubby or getting some much needed sleep. I've truly become very selfish with my time these last few months.

I'm starting to hear things from my kids like "You're always on the computer.", or "You'd rather be on Facebook than play with us." (Yes, sadly, my children know all about Facebook and the games I play on there. Sierra has even started asking me when she will get her own account.) It's finally starting to hit me that this recent obsession with all things computer-y is not good for my children, my house, my hubby, or me.

All of this realizing has got me thinking about what is really important. About what is first on the list now, and also about what the order really should be. As of last week-ish, these were my priorities, in order of importance:

1. Me time (staying up too late, being on the computer as much as possible, sleeping in).

2. The house (trying to play catch up with chores when I finally look at the clock and realize it's mid-afternoon).

3. The kids (hurrying through school, playing with them just enough to get them to leave me alone for another 30 minutes).

4. Jason (talking to him over the back of the couch while one of us is on the computer and the other is in front of the TV, not getting to bed at a decent time very often).

5. God (I almost feel like He doesn't even make the list, since the only time I really acknowledge Him is at church on Sunday and Bible study on Thursday).

Now, I don't want to sound like I'm addicted to the computer, letting my children starve and my house go to ruins just for another shot of Cafe World. But if I keep on the path that I've created, it might not be long before you see me on the episode of Dr. Phil entitled "Help! My kids got lost in the chaos while I was chatting on Facebook."

Not only have I become selfish with my time, but I've noticed this selfishness leaking into other areas of my life as well. When I buy things at the store that I like ("special" healthy food, a certain candy, a particular brand of cereal), I find myself hiding and hoarding the stuff so that Jason and the kids can't have it. When Jason gets on the computer to play poker, or one of the kids wants to play Nick Jr, I can hear huffing and puffing in my head because I feel like they are intruding on "my" computer. I've become miserly with the things of this world; things that don't even really belong to me. Things that were given to me by God and my husband's hard work.

So, that's my confession to you, Blogosphere. I've been a very selfish person of late. Now how do I fix it?

First, I think I've got to come up with a new list of priorities. A list that better reflects the person I want to be. Here's what I'm thinking:

1. God (get up early to read my Bible and pray, start school with a prayer and a Bible lesson each day).

2. Jason (purpose to spend one-on-one time with him at some point everyday, go to bed earlier so we can, ahem...you know...more often).

3. The kids (make awake times during the day about them, play with them and be silly, read with them more often, be at the table with them for all of the school lessons, include them in my daily household chores, spend time planning each week's schoolwork instead of throwing stuff together at the last minute).

4. The house (once the people in my life are fulfilled then it will be time to pay attention to the stuff, make tidying/surface cleaning a daily priority, plan meals/shopping better, set up a schedule for deep cleaning).

5. Me time (figure out what past times are really enjoyable to me and spend my quiet time doing those, spend some time focusing on health/nutrition/exercise).

It might seem that I'm doing myself a disservice by putting Me last. But really, I'm not. What good is having hours and hours and hours of Me time if I'm unhappy and frustrated because my house is a mess, my kids are whiny, and my husband is mad at me? When I stop to think about it, I've actually got quite a bit of kid-free time during the day. Zeke naps for two hours in the afternoons, and Emma usually naps for a bit while he does. When he naps, Sierra and Tyner either play outside or go next door. I usually try to use that time to do stuff around the house (mostly because afternoon is my high-energy time), but I consider doing chores in a quiet house a form of Me time. Plus, we have a pretty set bedtime around here, so the kids are usually in bed no later than 8:00 p.m (more often it's 7:30). The latest Jason would like for me to join him in bed is 10:00, so that gives me two full hours of Me time. I think that's more than some moms of four kids get.

The problem I have isn't how much time I have to myself, it's how I spend it. My inclination is to play games on Facebook, chat on the Diaper Pin, or click my way through 50 billion blogs. Sometimes it's truly mind-numbing, and before I know it, it's 11:30 and well past my bedtime. Instead, from now on, I want to sit on the couch and catch up on my recorded shows and knit on my latest project. Or take a bath and read whatever book I have going at the moment. I'd love to blog more often, since I miss writing so much. Or play Wii bowling with my hubby. Or maybe even go to bed early and get a full nights sleep (if Emma will allow that).

Really, it all comes down to self-control and discipline. It's easy to plop down on the computer chair and put my hand on the mouse. It's easy to get lost in other people's lives. I need to constantly remind myself that there are other things I love doing, other passions I want to pursue. I need to get my buns out of this seat and go get lost in my life.

And now, it's almost 10:00. I guess I'd better heed my own admonition and get to bed.

See ya' later!

Our Playroom

2010-02-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

I realized that I've never posted any pictures of our playroom that Jason (with the help of friends and family) built for us this summer. I spent some time in there last night cleaning, sorting, and organizing. I took out about half the toys that were in there and put them in the garage to be brought out at a later date. The room is nice and tidy now, with a space at one end for possible homeschooling use. Anyway, on with the pictures.

A view of the carpeted area of the playroom. The wall at the end is painted with chalkboard paint. The space at the back half of the room is where we would do school.

Part of our toy storage. The kids weren't using this as a dollhouse, so we decided to put the plastic toy boxes in it. I love the boxes with the locking lids, because Zeke can't get in to them without help.

Our tall bookshelf with games, art supplies, more games, and big toys.

This is the "mudroom" side of the room. Jason hung a bar for our coats with a shelf on top for hats. Those are shoes and boots underneath the coats, and the basket has hats/gloves/scarves in it.

So, there it is. Our playroom. Hopefully we can keep it this clean from now on, now that there are less toys in there.

Someday I'd love to paint/decorate it. Any suggestions?

A Broken Promise

2010-01-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

I promised myself that I wouldn't post any pictures on here before I wrote a real blog post. And since I've been able to put pictures on Facebook, it's been easy to keep that promise. Mostly by just sharing pictures on there, and avoiding the blog. But since God broke my Facebook account (that's a whole other story), I can't share these fun pictures on there. So, I'm breaking my promise to myself. 'Cause my kids are just too cute to not show off.

So here we go.

Zeke trying to get the camera.

Emma is done sitting up.

She loves the camera.

I thought this was a cool shot.

Emma loves to watch the bigger kids play.

This is the first time she's ever done this! I was so happy I happened to have the camera out when it happened.

Okay, that's it for now. Sorry for not writing something deep and meaningful. :D

A yummy giveaway!

2010-01-25T07:41:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth over at Small Town Blessings is hosting a giveaway!

A yummy Scentsy wickless candle warmer. You get to pick your own scent. She even gives you three chances to enter! Go check it out!

It's official!

2010-01-12T00:11:00.000-08:00

We are homeschooling!

Today was the kids' first day out of public school. We didn't actually do any schoolwork today. We just met with the lady from the charter school to get the kids enrolled (paperwork, blech!!!) and so she could get my curriculum list so she could order stuff.

I don't get any of my curriculum until the 29th of January, so I get to spend the next two and a half weeks making stuff up! Actually, our handwriting curriculum will be here this week, nd I bought a kindergarten workbook for Tyner. But other than that, I'm winging it.

Tomorrow will be our first day of actual schooling. I'll let you know how it goes!

Beatboxing

2009-12-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

Dec. 10 - My new scarf

2009-12-11T09:24:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my scarf. This is made with the first yarn that I dyed. I love it! It's very warm and cuddly. I can even breathe through it when I pull it up over my nose, which is very nice for this time of year (I always feel like I'm suffocating when I breathe through scarves made with acrylic yarn). I love this scarf!

Dec. 9 - Big Boy Bed

2009-12-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

This night Zeke went right in to bed and fell asleep on his own. It hasn't been that easy since then though. We have to lay down with him to get him to fall asleep. I'm going to have to figure something different out though, 'cause it's making us all really tired!

Dec. 8 - Lots of soup!

2009-12-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Remember all the stuff I did in the kitchen the other day? Well, this is what we did with it:

Most of the containers on this counter are filled with Beef and Barley soup. You can see some of the bread on the counter behind Kim.

Half of these containers are Potato Soup, and half are Ham and Bean Soup.
We had a great time making soup. We made five huge stock pots full in just over 2 hours. It was a lot of fun.

Dec. 7 - In the kitchen

2009-12-07T22:17:00.001-08:00

Tonight Sierra and I went to a baby shower. But when I came home, this is what I did. Prepared food for meal-making at MOPS tomorrow. We are making several kinds of soups and bread to give to people in need in the Valley.

The pinto beans in the bowl are actually for us, but there are 2 lbs of white beans soaking on another counter. And the big globby mess in the yellow bowl is half of the batch of No Knead Bread dough that I made.

It's been kind of fun being in the kitchen like this again. Mixing up bread dough, planning ahead and soaking beans for tomorrows dinner. It reminds me of what my life was like while I was pregnant with Zeke. I hope I can get back to that someday (if I can get my butt off of Facebook!). Maybe tomorrow I will spend some time reading old blog posts as motivation....

Goodnight all!

Dec. 6 - Wrestling Match

2009-12-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

The boys having a wrestling match while Emma looks on from the Bumbo. Sierra was still sitting at the table finishing her dinner (an hour after the rest of us were done).

Dec. 5 - My Pretty/Ugly Hat

2009-12-05T21:17:00.000-08:00

This is the first thing I have knitted for myself (except for a washcloth and Swiffer cover). It's kind of ugly. But it's comfy and warm, and I'm hoping to get a lot of use out of it this winter.

Dec. 1 - Sweet Girl

2009-12-05T21:15:00.001-08:00

My sweet brown-eyed girl in the "newborn" hat I made her. It's just now getting too small.

A Photo a Day in December

2009-12-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

So, I'm stealing Heather's idea. I'm going to chronicle the month of December on my blog...in pictures. Since I just decided to do this today, I don't have pictures for the 2nd through the 4th. But I will share one for the 1st and for today. Hope you enjoy them. And feel free to remind me if I forget a picture. :D

Emma's Amity Longies

2009-10-19T22:18:00.000-07:00

These are my latest finished project. I knitted these longies for Emma. I used the WonderPants pattern. The brown trim is from Zeke's AlligatorKnits Pumpkin Patch yarn. The colorway is called Amity, and it is from Royal Bottoms.

I absolutely LOVE the way these turned out. The colorway knitted up so gorgeously. No weird pooling, and the colors are so beautiful. I love these!!!

The Lie Clock

2009-10-17T19:46:00.000-07:00

A man died and went to heaven. As he stood in front of St. Peter at the Pearly Gates, he saw a huge wall of clocks behind him..

He asked, 'What are all those clocks?'

St. Peter answered, 'Those are Lie-Clocks. Everyone on Earth has a Lie-Clock. Every time you lie the hands on your clock will move.'

'Oh,' said the man, 'whose clock is that?'

'That's Mother Teresa's. The hands have never moved, indicating that she never told a lie.'

'Incredible,' said the man. 'And whose clock is that one?'

St. Peter responded, 'That's Abraham Lincoln's clock. The hands have moved twice, telling us that Abe told only two lies in his entire life.'

'Do you have one for President Obama?' asked the man.

'Obama's clock is in Jesus' office. He's using it as a ceiling fan.'

Not very exciting.

2009-10-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Since I'm spending so much time at the desk today, I thought I would post my To Do list on the blog. That way I can see it constantly, and check it off as I get things done. Not very exciting, I know. But it helps me.

*Finish laundry

-~~Whites~~

-Jeans

-Darks

*~~Pay bills~~

*~~Checkbook~~

*~~Finalize MK Coop order~~

*~~Girl Scout paperwork~~

*~~Clean off desk~~

*Start MediCal paperwork

*Make shopping/Medford list

*Make Pumpkin Bread

*Call NFCU about CC

*Post recipes

*Knit on longies

Happy Birthday, Baby!!

2009-10-10T16:05:00.001-07:00

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY, ZEKER!!!!!!

The Littles

2009-10-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

It's all fun and games when the big kids are at school!

Emma having a little tummy time.

Zeke sharing the quilt with her. They are both looking at the TV.

He was having so much fun laying down with his little sister.

Checking to see if he is allowed to lay down.

New Zeke video.

2009-10-08T12:28:00.001-07:00

I know most of you saw this on Facebook, but I thought I'd share it here too.

Comparison

2009-09-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to post pictures of all the kids when they were about six weeks old, to see who looks like who (whom?). So here they are:

Sierra

Tyner

Zeke

Emma

So what do you think?

Grape popsicles and Purple Nurples..

2009-09-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

Emma and I both have thrush. After several days of prescription meds with no relief, we had a brief stint of bottle use. Then I found Gentian Violet. Apparently this is what people used before prescriptions, but it's use dwindled because it's so messy. It stains everything it touches purple. That includes the sink, the burprags, and skin. When you use it, you paint the inside of baby's mouth with it, then nurse as usual. And if you've ever nursed a baby before, you know they aren't the neatest eaters. So now Emma has a purple face and I have Purple Nurples.

Here is a picture of Emma after the first time I used it. This is before she ate. She looks like she ate a grape popsicle nicely and neatly.

And here's some video I took of her this morning. You can see how far the GV has spread across her face. Oh, and isn't she really cute?

The many faces of Emma.

2009-09-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

These pictures are actually about two weeks old, but I thought they were cute. Enjoy!

Somersaults

2009-09-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

Somersaults are the new cool in our house. Here's the boys practicing theirs.

Pics of the kids.

2009-09-03T16:54:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures I took of the kids last night. It started out with me trying to take a picture of Tyner's face paint, and then everyone had to get in on the action. I also finally got a picture of all four kids together. It's the very first one we've taken.

Zeke, Tyner, Sierra, and Emma

Sierra's crazy face.

Tyner didn't want me to take anymore pictures of him.

Zeke's got the one-eyebrow-up thing down.

Emma loves to be naked.

I've got more stuff to post. Someday....

A few new shots.

2009-08-19T20:37:00.001-07:00

Here are a few shots I've taken the last few days.

Emma is starting to spend a lot more time awake, and her eyes are opening wider everyday.

She loves to stare at the back of the couch. Oh, and this is her in the other sleep sack I knitted.

I love the black t-shirt with the bright pink diaper. Don't mind my blindingly white belly!

Some pictures from home.

2009-08-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures I took at home the first few days. Most of these were taken not so much to show off Emma, but to show off whatever else is in the picture.

Emma in her infant-size Tinkle Trap diaper.

In the Galaxy sleep sack I knitted.

Wrapped up in the bamboo velour blanket I sewed and dyed.

Screaming in a too-big diaper cover.

In the longies I knitted for her.

Hiding from the world....

Okay, that's it for now. Enjoy!

At the hospital...

2009-08-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

I promise that one of these days I will get the birth story typed up. It's too crazy NOT to share. In the meantime, I thought you all would enjoy some pictures I took of Emma in the hospital.

I kept calling her a lightbulb when she was wrapped up like this.

The hat that wouldn't stay on.

Her temperature was low, so they wrapped her up in a big crib blanket. All you could see was her hat poking out the top.

See, she's really in there!

In her first cloth diaper. A preemie prefold with a Snappi.

Sticking out her tongue.

With her eyes open.

Sucking her thumb. She did this a few times in the hospital, and tries to do it at home too.
Up next....pictures from home.

She's Here!!!

2009-08-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Emmalee Jake Hudson

August 14th, 2009 at 6:12 a.m.

6 lbs 11 oz, 18 inches

Birth story to come....

No-Baby-Yet Update

2009-08-14T00:46:00.000-07:00

So I thought I'd jump on and give you all a quick update before I head to bed.

I had a doctor's appointment this evening. She said I was a "good 2 cm," which isn't all that spectacular. The baby's head is down, but not stuck or anything. When she did the exam, she said she could poke the baby's head and she didn't float away or anything. She just hasn't fully dropped yet.

She told me to make an appointment for next Thursday. But while I was doing that, she came out and told me to make it for Tuesday instead. So what I'm hoping is that when I go in on Tuesday, if I've made enough progress, that they will tell me to come to the hospital on Wednesday and they will break my water (like they did with Zeke).

So, that's it for now. Nothing too exciting to report!

I'll let you know more on Tuesday.

Baby preparations.

2009-08-10T14:57:00.001-07:00

I just thought I'd write a quick post to share how things are going in the baby department.

I had a doctor's appointment last Thursday, and nothing much was happening labor-wise. The baby hasn't even dropped yet, even though everyone thinks she has when they see how low my belly is. I haven't had any real contractions, and it doesn't feel as if anything is going on. Of course, it was the same with Zeke, and I walked around at 3 cm dilated for a few weeks with him. I've started trying to walk everyday, hoping to get things moving. Better late than never, right? I have another appointment this Thursday, so I will let you know if anything is happening.

As for housely/crafty/hospital preparations, most of that is taken care of. We rearranged our bedroom this weekend and got the bassinet all ready to go. All of the baby clothes are washed and put away. Diapers are all prepped and ready for a tiny tushy to wear them. I have to baby yarn projects waiting to be finished. I'm crocheting a blanket, and I'm definitely taking my time on it. I've got 11 rows left to go, but I figure I have until about September before it really NEEDS to be done. I'm also working on knitting a wool diaper cover, but that is on hold until some new needles get here (hopefully sometime this week). The baby's bag for the hospital is all packed, but mine isn't. I'm still wearing the clothes I want to take with me on a regular basis, so I'm not sure how that will work out. The carseat is all ready to go; I just need to put it in the trunk of the car. Arrangements have been made for childcare and hospital visits. Well, as well as arrangements can be made when you have no idea when the blessed event will actually occur!

On the baby gear front, we have most of what we need. We still have the carseat, bassinet, crib, bouncy seat, and swing from previous kids. We have lots of adorable pink and purple baby clothes (thanks, Dani!!!) in the smaller sizes. Plus, we still have the majority of Zeke's clothes, in case the ultrasound wasn't right! There are only two (big-ish) purchases left to make. I'm going to need a bigger diaper bag, now that we will have two in diapers. I've got a bag that I could make work, but it's kind of a pain in the butt. I was looking at the large L.L.Bean Touring Travel Bag today, and it seems like it would really work for our needs. Plus, it's definitely in my price range! There is one bag I would like, the Ju-Ju-Be Packabe, but it's a lot of money for a diaper bag. And thinking about the other piece of baby gear I'd love to have, I'm not sure the Packabe would be a good diaper bag choice. Hmm. I will have to think about that one.

The other baby gear item I'm dreaming of is a baby carrier. I would love to be able to strap the baby to me, instead of leaving her in the carseat all the time. I would also love to be able to carry Zeke on my back, just to keep him corralled in certain situations. I was originally looking at the Ergo carriers, but from things I've read and people I've talked to, I think the Beco Butterfly 2 is a better choice for our needs (plus, they have WAY CUTER fabric choices!). It sounds like the Beco is easier to use with a newborn (the infant insert comes with it, instead of having to be purchased separately), the back is higher, which makes it easier to carry a toddler, and the design is better for wearing smaller babies on your back. Of all the prints on that site, I think my favorite is Anna, followed by Hannah, with River coming in a close third. But. With the Beco's being even more expensive than the too expensive diaper bag, I'm pretty sure getting one of these carriers is just a pipe dream. I would love to have on as soon as possible (I'm already dreaming of having one on the first day of school to keep Zeke under control while getting the kids settled), but maybe we can use Christmas money or something to buy one.

Anyway. Sorry. I'm rambling now. I think I need some caffeine. Or a nap. Or something! Just thought I'd give y'all an update. See you later!

The bite that never happened.

2009-08-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Tyner and his friend Luke, holding the rattlesnake that was a foot from my daughter.

Apparently while everyone was setting up the camping stuff, the kids were riding their bikes. Sierra stopped her bike by a bush and put her foot on the ground, and saw a snake slither into the bushes. She told one of the guys that she saw it, and he came over and saw that it was a rattlesnake. He grabbed a boat oar and pounded on it. Then he cut the head off. Apparently the kids all had a good time playing with the dead snake.

Jason cut the rattle off and they brought it home with them. What a souvenir from the first Bible Study Summer Camping Trip.

Coming Home Outfit

2009-07-31T19:19:00.001-07:00

So. For this, my last baby, I wanted the coming home outfit to be something special. I had visions of her being dressed head-to-toe in handcrafted Mommy-made cuteness.

Okay, not really. It just kind of ended up that Emma will be wearing an outfit made (almost) completely by me. I had dyed a bunch of shirts, since white is just so boring. And I had knitted a wool sleep sack for Emma to use at home, making a matching hat from the leftover yarn. When Sierra saw the matchy-matchiness of them, she wondered if the baby could wear them home from the hospital. I explained that Emma couldn't be buckled into the carseat while wearing the sleep sack.

So I was in the process of knitting a pair of longies (really just wool pants, used as a cloth diaper cover). After much discussion with Sierra, we decided that Emma will wear the pants home. And Sierra got to pick which color shirt Emma will wear with the pants (she chose dark pink). Sierra wanted me to make a hat to match the pants, but I decided that a wool hat would probably be too hot in mid-August. So we compromised with a headband.

Here is a picture of the pants and headband together. I even crocheted the flower, all by myself.

And here is a picture of the shirts I dyed, all stacked up.

There will definitely be pictures of baby Emma in this outfit, so be on the lookout in a few weeks!

Oh, and just an FYI. No, wool pants won't be too hot in August. Pure wool is very breathable, and magically keeps baby warm in the winter and cool in the summer. So, have no worries about the new little one's internal temperature.

Thursday's To Do list

2009-07-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

This is mostly for me, but you can keep reading if you want to!

-~~Dishes~~

-~~Laundry~~

*~~Darks~~

*~~Colors~~

*~~Whites~~

-~~Bills~~

-~~Grocery list~~

-~~Swimming lessons~~

-~~Pics of blanket on Ravelry~~

-Blog post longies/headband and blanket

That's all I can think of right now. But I'm sure there's more....

Just a boring To-Do list...

2009-07-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

I'm just sitting here, doing all my regular morning computer stuff. All of these things are going through my head of what needs to be done today. So I thought I'd come over here and write them down. For some reason, I'm usually much more motivated to get things done when I blog my To-Do list. I think it's because crossing things off publicly is much more satisfying than just crossing them off by myself. So, here's the list as it stands now:

*~~Wash diapers~~

*Fold and put away diapers (including load from the other day)

*~~Get colored clothes out of the dryer~~

*~~Empty dishwasher~~

*~~Wash dishes (what few there are)~~

*~~Cast-on headband~~ and hopefully finish today

*~~Take picture of newborn longies~~

*~~Wash longies~~

*~~Lanolize sleep sack~~

*~~Get carseat out of garage put it back together~~

*Have Jason get bassinet out of garage, clean it up, put it back together

*~~Clean out bottom drawer of dresser for baby clothes~~

*~~Sort baby clothes for now and later, put away in dresser/pack in box~~

*~~What's for dinner?~~ Hamburger/Tomato/Zucchini stuff

*(If headband gets finished) Blog post of longies/headband

*Work on crochet blanket, if time allows

*Go to bed at a normal hour!

Well, I'm pretty sure there is more, but that's all I can think of right now. As always, I may come back and add more. Thanks for reading the boring stuff too!

2009-07-20T08:54:00.001-07:00

Testing mobile Blogger.

Two Scarves in Two Days!

2009-07-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

I actually ended up making two scarves, in two different sizes. One is 4" x 40", and one is 3" x 32". I was going to give the bigger scarf to Sierra, but now she gets the smaller one, and someone else will get the bigger one. I'm not sure who, though.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the finished scarves:

Instant Gratification!

2009-07-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

Some of you know about my new knitting ~~obsession~~ hobby. I've knitted two sleep sacks and a hat for the baby. I've got a scarf pattern waiting for yarn, and I've got yarn waiting to be made into tiny little pants. I bought some yarn, thinking to make another sleep sack, but I decided I wasn't really thrilled with how the last one I made with the same type of yarn turned out.

I saw an article in the newspaper about one of the hospice shops having a scarf contest. The winner in each category gets sold at an auction to raise money for hospice. My first thought was to enter the scarf I'm waiting to make, but I didn't want to take the chance of losing the scarf to the auction (selfish, I know!). So I thought I would use the extra yarn I had to knit up a quick scarf.

The pattern is Instant Gratification by Half-Assed Patterns. I'm not sure the scarf is contest worthy, but if it's not, I'm sure I can find someone to love it. I plan on making myself one of these scarves, but with some really colorful, yummy yarn. Yes, I just called yarn yummy. If you've ever fondled good wool yarn before, you'll know what I mean.

Anyway, here is a WIP (Work In Progress) picture of the scarf I took last night. I will come back and post another (better) picture when I'm done. Enjoy!

2009-06-11T22:48:00.001-07:00

Signature test.

Heading to Washington!

2009-06-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

The car is (mostly) packed. The snacks are (mostly) bought. The gas tank is full. And I am ready to go!!

Well, I will be ready once the diapers are folded and packed in the morning, and once the DVD player is put into the car, and once all the random morning things are grabbed, and.... Okay, maybe I'm not as ready as I thought!!

It is now 10:30. I should go to bed so I'm not so tired in the morning that I have trouble driving. I will update you all once we get where we're going.

Goodnight!

Wednesday's To Do list

2009-06-09T22:20:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this Tuesday night, while the list is running through my head of all I need to accomplish tomorrow. Here is my To Do list for tomorrow, sort of in chronological order:

-~~Fold diapers~~

-~~What's for dinner?~~ Out to dinner at The Trailhead

-~~Shower~~

-~~Fix hem on red fleece shorties~~

-~~Make a pair of black fleece longies~~

-~~Pack up craft stuff for WA~~

-~~Tyner's school picnic at 10:30 (leave house by 10:15)~~

-~~Conference after school~~

-~~Pick Sierra up at 12:45~~

-~~Boys down for naps around 1:30~~

-Dishes

-Finish packing/organizing stuff in garage

-~~Prep diapers if FedEx brings them~~

-Watch Mental

That's all I can think of right now. But I'm sure there are 50 other things that I'm just forgetting to write down. I will add them tomorrow as I remember them.

I was hoping to start knitting on the sleep sack tonight, but my brain and my eyes are just too tired from a short nights sleep last night. So I'm going to shut down the computer and head to bed, like a good girl. Maybe I can start it tomorrow while I'm watching So You Think You Can Dance.

Okay, goodnight. See you all tomorrow, where I will hopefully be crossing everything off my list!

Just call him Rembrandt...

2009-06-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Sierra has an easel in her room that has a chalkboard on one side. Whenever Zeke manages to sneak in to her room, it's usually the first place he heads. In the past, it's always been to eat the chalk. But lately he's been drawing pictures for her. I snapped these pictures of him in action the other day.

Caught in the act! *He is wearing his brother's hoodie, by the way. He insisted I put it on him.*

Showing off his work.

The final masterpiece.

I never said he didn't eat the chalk anymore....

Monday's To Do list

2009-06-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

Here is my To Do list for today, to keep me motivated:

*Laundry

-~~Colors~~

-~~Whites~~

-~~Towels~~

*~~Dishes~~

*~~Clean stovetop~~

*~~Blog post - chalkboard~~

*Take pictures of dyed flats, put on 'Pin

*~~Sort through stuff in garage~~

*~~Post office~~ (One package came. Woohoo!)

*~~Clean kids' sink/counter~~

*~~Clean our toilet~~

*Start packing up craft stuff for WA

*~~Watch In Plain Sight~~

*Start lists for WA

*~~Girl Scouts at 3:30~~

*Roll yarn skeins into balls

*~~Catch up on TV tonight~~

Okay, that's it for now. Off to get started.

The responsible thing.

2009-06-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

I decided a few months ago to sell both of our bouncy seats in the upcoming garage sale and buy a new one. I wanted to have at least one new, girly thing for Emma. I really wanted this.

Today I was out in the garage, cleaning things up for Saturday. I took the seats and covers off of two bouncy seats, two car seats, a swing, and an Exersaucer to wash them. When they came out of the dryer, I was looking at the seat pad of the newer bouncy seat. I was thinking how it was kind of a waste to sell it for $10 and then turn around and buy a new bouncer for $35. It's still in really good condition, and even has the toy bar that goes with it (not that we used it much).

So, I'm going to do the responsible thing and keep the newer bouncy seat and not buy a new one. Besides, there are better things I could buy with that $35. Like this. Or this. Or a portion of this. It's all about perspective, right?

Some things never change...

2009-06-03T19:46:00.000-07:00

I think I've said this before. But Zeke is a climber. It doesn't matter what there is to climb on, he will climb it. He is very careful when he climbs, but sometimes accidents happen. His favorite place to climb is on our video chest up to the window sill, where he sits and looks out the window. Well, I took this picture of him on Tuesday afternoon, standing on the window sill.

He was checking out the cows that are back in the field behind our house. Shortly after I took this picture, he decided to turn around while still standing on the sill. Right after I told him to be careful, that he was going to fall, his foot slipped. And sure enough, he fell. Feet hit the video chest, belly hit the edge, head hit the floor. He was just fine (he's gotta' be tough with Tyner for a brother). But after telling Jason about the fall, we decided that it was time to move the video chest. We were concerned that if he fell off of one certain side of the chest, he would hit the corner of the TV cabinet (you can sort of see it on the left side of the picture). We moved the video chest to another wall, and put his toys in front of the window.

Then I took this picture today:

I guess it doesn't matter what furniture is where. The kid is gonna' find a way to get on the window sill. He has even used his little ride-on toy to try to climb up there.

*sigh* This kid is gonna' be an adventure. And he might just give his Daddy a heart attack someday.

A new project.

2009-05-31T00:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't officially started on this project yet, but I took the first step today. I plan on making a Sheepy Sack or two for Emma to wear at night. I'm going to use wool yarn, so it will not only be pajamas, but it will be her diaper cover as well. I bought some yarn a while back online, and today I actually knitted a little bit of it. I made a test swatch so that I could see what my gauge was for the yarn. I did that so I would know what size knitting needles to order so that the finished product will be the right size. I thought I'd share a picture of the test swatch, just so you could see the pretty colors of the yarn. So here it is:

Now I just need to start looking for some more pretty yarn to knit up another one...

The new truck.

2009-05-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

So that's Jason's new truck. The angle is a little weird, I know. The bed really isn't miniature. It is a 2002 Dodge Dakota, 4 doors, seats six, 4-wheel drive, 58000 miles. Nothing inside is automatic (windows, door locks, etc.), but it's got a radio and a CD player. The Jeep had neither of those, so Jason is happy as a clam. It fits all of us really well, and will even after the baby comes. It was in great condition when we bought it. No scratches, excellent interior. There are a few scratches on the back passenger door now, from the dumb dog jumping up on it, but Jason thinks he can buff those out.

We are trying to sell the Jeep. It would be nice to keep it for hunting, but it would be even nicer to have the money. LOL (they really need to have some smilies on here...).

Okay. I think I'm done posting for the day. I hope this will hold you all off for another few weeks.

My Boys

2009-05-28T09:57:00.001-07:00

Here are some more pictures I took yesterday. Sierra was at school, so it's just the boys in these.

A picture I made Tyner let me take. He just looked so old in his new tanktop and his t-ball hat.

The guys working on the tractor. I love how Zeke is all shoved up in between them, trying to see what is going on.

Tyner playing on the trailer while the guys work. Zeke is wondering how to get up there.

And here is Tyner trying to help Zeke get up on trailer. I really love this picture for some reason.

And this is the view I usually have of Zeke when we are outside. Him walking on to the next thing.

He loves bikes. I've had to stop him several times from trying to climb on Sierra's big bike. For now, he enjoys this one, even though the back wheels always hit his feet when he tries to go forward.
Okay, that's my boys outside.

It's long overdue....

2009-05-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay. I know. It's been forever since I posted anything. I'm sorry. I've been busy. With what you ask? Well, life. Kids. Chores. Crafty stuff. Oh, and The Diaper Pin. I'll be honest. I'm on there quite a bit. But I thought I'd share some pictures of the crafty stuff I've been busy with. So here they are, in the order I finished them:

This is a blanket I started crocheting for the baby (before we knew it was a girl). After we found out the gender, I decided I wanted a more girly colored blanket. So I decided to finish this one up and give it to a friend for her baby shower. The yarn for the new blanket should hopefully be here today, so I will share pictures when I get that done (if I don't finish it in Washington).

This is Zeke's summer fleece stash that I sewed. These aren't just his shorts, they are also what we use as diaper covers most of the time. The two on the far left are his nighttime diaper covers that I bought. One still has the winter legs on it. The sage green and orange pairs don't get worn very often, as they were made from a pattern that doesn't fit very well. I might do those colors over with the new pattern. I've also got a few more colors I'd like to do, but I need to get the fleece for them. You will see Zeke in these shorts a lot this summer.

This is a bamboo velour blanket that I dyed and sewed for the baby. Bamboo velour is soft and squishy and super-cuddly. The purple came out a little darker than I wanted it to, but that's okay. It is looking a little North Kitsap HS for my tastes, though.

I wasn't going to make anymore of these fitted pocket diapers, 'cause we just really don't use them. But Jason found this material at WalMart and asked me if I could make a diaper out of it. Of course I couldn't say no. So this is our USMC diaper. It is lined with red flannel.

Here are some pictures I took of the kids yesterday. I will add a little update on each kid with their picture.

Sierra is doing great. She is actually very sad that school will be over in two weeks. She is looking forward to our visit to Washington, though, and to taking swimming lessons this summer.

Tyner was ready for school to be over months ago. He spends most of his time at home outside looking for bugs or next door visiting GG. He is still my wild and loud boy, but he has grown up quite a bit in the last few months.

Zeker is getting way too big, way too fast. He talks a lot, just like Sierra did. He is our first real climber, but he is really careful when he does climb. He is obsessed with his Papa, and asks to see him at every opportunity. He is our little clown, and he loves making everyone laugh.

I thought I'd finally share a belly picture. I am now 28 weeks. Only 12 more to go! I can't believe it's gone so fast. At my last appointment, the baby was still laying sideways, which all my other kids have done. I'm not worried yet, and won't be unless she hasn't moved in a few months. I'm feeling great, except for the occasional non-pregnancy related illnesses. I finally found my box of maternity clothes (I lost them somewhere in the garage), so no more big t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts. People are finally starting to realize how pregnant I really am.
Okay, I think that's it. Oh, I forgot to post a picture of Jason's new truck. The picture I took yesterday is still on my camera though, so I'm not going to worry about it right now. Maybe in another three weeks.... LOL!

Okay, Zeke is on the table banging the salt and pepper shakers together, so I should go. Bye!!!

***ETA: In case you were wondering, I edited out all my stretch marks and my funky tattoo on my belly picture. Oh, the joys of modern technology!***

To Do list for Monday

2009-05-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post my To Do list for today. But since there is so much on that list, and such a short amount of time to do it in, I thought I might just post a picture of it. I'll have you know, though, posting a picture isn't nearly as satisfying as coming back and crossing things off as I get them done. But I will be crossing them off on my paper list, so maybe I will come back tonight and add a picture of my updated list. So, here it is:

We are going back to Medford today, after we pick Sierra up at school at 1:15, to pick up Jason's new truck (more on that later), so I have quite a bit of stuff to get done before then.

Priority jobs today are:

-Dishes

-Getting the hamburger meat repackaged and in the freezer

-Doing the checkbook

-Using the kefir in the fridge to make muffins

-Stripping all of our bamboo diapers

Okay, my bowl of Kix is gone, so I better get busy!

Appliqued Fleece Soakers

2009-04-27T13:08:00.001-07:00

Here is my latest completed project. Well, it's the first I've made of these, but I'm sure I will make more. I sewed up these fleece soakers and hand-stitched on some fleece appliques.

First is a newborn size soaker for Emma with a cute pink heart on the bum.

This is Zeke's soaker, with a hand made hedgehog. (Thanks to a great 'Pin mama for the idea!).
Close-up of the hedgehog.
I've got plans for a bright green pair of shorts with a dark gray elephant on the leg, bright blue shorts or soaker with an orange goldfish on it, and black shorts or soaker with bright blue, green, and red stars on it.

Now to find t-shirts to match all this stuff I want to make....

To Do on Wednesday

2009-04-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, I know. I'm seriously lacking in the posting department. And now all I can come up with is a To Do list? It's sad, I know. I promise, I have some pictures and videos that I'm going to post ~~today~~ someday. Until then, you'll have to feast your eyes on my List:

-~~Dishes~~

-~~Checkbook~~

-~~Tidy up after Zeke lays down~~

-Clean bathrooms

-~~Call car place for Jason~~

-Make hummer food/Fill feeder/Hang outside

-Upload/Edit/Upload/Post pictures and videos

-Laundry

*~~Sort~~

*Colors

-~~Prep diapers one more time~~

-~~Figure out LL order~~ Not putting in an order right now. Don't need to spend the money.

-~~Pick a dang diaper bag already!~~ JuJuBe Be Prepared. Someday.

-~~Write an email~~

-~~Get DirecTV stuff in an envelope to mail~~

Okay, like always, that's it for now. I will be back to add stuff as I think of it.

Say hello to Emmalee Jae!

2009-04-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry it took so long to get these up.

Here are the 3-D ultrasound pictures of our new baby girl.

We were stuck on the name Claire Jae for a while, but then I changed my mind. LOL! Jason's mom mentioned the name Emma, which I really liked. So for a few days it was Emma Jae. But then I started thinking again.

Sierra Beth has my name.

Tyner Joseph has Papa's nickname.

Ezekiel Ray has Dad's name and Grandma's middle name.

Emma Jae is for Jason's name.

But nothing of Mom ever made it in there. And of course I want my mom in there somewhere. So I was thinking I liked Emmalee Jae. We might just call her Emma. But if we use her whole name, it will be pronounced just like Emily. There wouldn't be any emphasis on the Emma part if we use the full name.

So what do you think?

Why we don't have the prefold love....

2009-03-30T10:56:00.001-07:00

Now that we have a bigger stash of fitted diapers, I don't use prefolds that much. They are bulkier than our TTs, and we have to use a cover on them to keep them together. I like Zeke to be coverless around the house as much as possible, just so his bum stays aired out. And every time Zeke wears a PF without a cover, it very quickly turns from a diaper into shorts. Here's what I mean:

Here is Zeke in a pinned bamboo prefold. I just put this on him.

FRONT

BACK

And here he is after walking and climbing for about 15 minutes.

FRONT

BACK

And that is what happens EVERY time I use a prefold without a cover.

The best seat in the house.

2009-03-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

Zeke is a climber. He is the first of our kids to BE a climber. I try to just let him go while keeping an eye on him to make sure he stays safe. It stresses Jason out though. These are some pictures of Zeke's current favorite place to climb onto. He loves to get up here and look at the kids playing outside (when they are around the back of the house) or to look at the birds on the feeder and the deer in the field. I'm sure he will love looking at the cows once they come back too. I try to get him to stay down on the cedar chest, and to kneel while he looks out the window. But he just loves to use the window sill as a little seat. Here are some pictures of the big boy:

Here he is checking out the deer in the field. These guys were around for a few days, and Zeke learned to say and sign "deer" while watching them (it comes out more as dee-oo).

And just for more Adventures in Climbing. The other night Zeke figured out that he could climb up onto our kitchen chairs (his brother left one in front of the sink and he climbed up and tried to eat soap bubbles). After I put the chair back at the table, he pushed it out a little and climbed up onto it. Next thing I know, I turn around and he is sitting in the middle of the kitchen table!!! Crazy boy.

New Recipe

2009-03-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ramen-Vegetable Beef Skillet

A new hiding place.

2009-03-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

Jason taught Zeke the concept of hiding a while back. He now loves to hide under the end of the quilt that's on our bed, under the crib in the church nursery, and anywhere else he can find. I got these pictures tonight of his new hiding place.

2009-03-17T20:48:00.001-07:00

HAPPY 300TH POST!!!!!!

My To Do list

2009-03-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

I'm hoping if I post my To Do list on here, it will motivate me to get off the computer (ahem...I mean The Diaper Pin), and get to work! This list is from yesterday and today, so I get to be motivated by the stuff I already have crossed off. So here goes:

-~~Doctor's appointment~~
-~~Call Medi-Cal worker~~
-Iron cuffs of Sierra's jeans
-~~Checkbook~~
-~~Laundry~~
*~~Sort~~
*~~Towels~~
*~~Whites~~
*~~Colors~~
*~~Darks~~
-~~Dinner?~~ Ramen-Vegetable Beef Skillet
-~~Girl Scouts meeting~~
-~~Dishes~~
-~~Empty dishwasher~~
-~~Fold towels~~
-~~Medi-Cal paperwork~~
-~~T-ball registration~~
-~~Yearbook form~~
-~~Shower~~
-~~Buy Jason's plane ticket~~
-Secure dresser to wall
-~~Post office~~
-~~Drop papers off at school when I pick up Sierra~~
-Shopping list for Yreka tomorrow
-~~Tidy house a.k.a. clean up Zeke's messes~~ (~~once~~, ~~twice~~, ~~thrice~~, ~~four times~~)

Well, that's it for now. I'm sure I will think of more. I guess I better lay Zeke down for his nap and get to work!

***ETA: Man, I love productive days!!!***

New diaper-y stuff

2009-03-12T09:49:00.001-07:00

First is our new Goodmama, The Jolly Waffler.

Next is another pocket diaper I made Zeke. It is black fleece on the inside and this cute pirate flannel on the outside.

Then, the wool longies Mom knit for us.

And, just because he's cute.

My latest project

2009-03-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

I was really bored with my plain old white prefolds. So I got a bug up my bum and decided to dye them! I used Dylon dye packs from JoAnn Fabrics. The colors were Green, Vivid Turquoise, Cherry Red, Royal Blue, and Burnt Orange. I'm not sure if the red is red enough, or if it is too pink. I only dyed infant prefolds red (none of Zeke's size), so I'm going to let Jason decide about the color.

But anyway, here are the results:

All in a pile:

One of each color:

Tie-dyed birdseye flat diaper:

Dip-dyed flat diaper:
I think the flat diaper is definitely too pink, and I probably won't use it for Zeke. I'm trying to think of something I could make for Sierra with it. If I can't think of anything, I might just give it away. Anybody want it?

I plan on buying more colors to dye some more diapers. Yellow for both the baby's and Zeke's diapers. Brown/tan, and navy blue for Zeke and the baby, if it's a boy. I'm also going to buy pink and purple, in case the baby is a girl. If not, I will save them and use them for something for Sierra. I'm not sure if I will buy more of the red, or if I will try a different red. I have to ask Jason his opinion first.

Anyway. There's what I spent last night and most of today doing!!

GIVEAWAY!

2009-03-01T23:12:00.001-08:00

The Farm Chicks are having a surprise giveaway! Go check it out.

Busy bee at the machine...

2009-03-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I was busy at my sewing machine Saturday and Sunday. Here is what I did:

Sewed legs on another fleece soaker. Light blue soaker with charcoal gray legs.

Action shot. He wanted a cracker, and I wouldn't give him one. I know. I'm so mean.

This is a fitted diaper I made. I used two receiving blankets, and it is reversible. I even did the elastic in the legs all by myself! There is a pocket at the top of the back part that you stuff with *whatever*. You can use a prefold, an old towel, a flat diaper. Whatever you want to use to absorb your baby's pee. If I make another one of these, I will probably make the top wings shorter. They are made long so you can use just one pin, but that causes the inner wings to droop when Zeke is running around. Maybe I will just save this one for the baby. Oh, and I'm going to try to do the elastic a different way.

Sorry I didn't get any action shots of the pocket diaper. It is all clean now, so I will try to get a picture tomorrow.

Oh, and I can't wait to share with you the rainbow I am making! That will be later on Tuesday.

Ooga Booga

2009-02-27T14:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know this is quickly becoming a "show off my cute cloth diaper stuff" blog, and I apologize for that. But it's all I got right now. Plus, Zeke is so dang cute that I can't help but show him off too. So, here are some pictures of Zeke in his new Ooga Booga t-shirt and one-size diaper cover (both from Bunnyfeet Boutique). And yes, he is wearing his sister's new pink tennis shoes in the diaper cover pictures.

Another story

2009-02-23T22:39:00.000-08:00

Sierra's class has been working on creative writing. Did I already tell you that the last time I put up one of her stories? I can't remember. Anyway. Here is another story she wrote.

*****************************************

AROUND THE WORLD

Once upon a time, a girl and boy were playing outside. They lived in Africa. Then a huge bird swooped down. They got on the bird. They went high in the sky. They had a fantastic time.

*****************************************

Pretty darn good for a first grader, huh?

Okay, I'm off to bed now. Good night!

More cute fluffiness!

2009-02-23T19:50:00.000-08:00

So I got another diaper in the mail today. This one is an Arabesque Baby. I bought this one used, and the fabric is a bit faded. But I think that just adds to the look. It is a cowboy print, so you can guess why I got it. This diaper is sized; this is a large. I'm not sure how long it will fit Zeke. I'm pretty sure I could see the very tippy top of his butt crack when he was wearing it! There are a few options for the soaker pads inside, so I might try a smaller one next time. Anyway. Here are some pictures:

Playing with his farm animal magnets

Playing with books

A close-up of the cowboy print

And this is my absolute favorite diaper print of all time!!! I actually have a t-shirt and a diaper cover coming in this material. I would love to find a good one-size fitted diaper in this print (like a goodmama). But this is fabric that I bought in this print. A yard of each. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I'm just glad I have it!!

New fluff!

2009-02-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

I bought a new diaper the other day. The brand is goodmama. It is a fitted diaper. This means it is, well...fitted. All of the absorbency is built into the diaper, there is no folding and no pinning. You just snap the diaper closed. It is not waterproof however, like an All-In-One (AIO), so if you want it to go under clothes, you have to put a cover over it. The great (and possibly semi-famous) thing about GMs is the incredibly fluffy bum. Here's what I mean:

There really is nothing as cute as a GM fluffy bum! I've seen a lot of them in pictures, over on the 'Pin. But I about died laughing when I finally got the diaper on Zeke. These dipes are so absorbent, though, that a little one can go coverless if wearing nothing else. I mostly bought this to use as a summertime diaper. Gotta' show off the cuteness sometime, right?! I would love to get more of these. But, new, they are over $30 for one diaper. Mind you, they are a one-size diaper (meaning they will fit a baby from about 8 pounds until potty training). But still (I'm sure they'd make a great baby shower gift though ;) ). They have TONS of adorable prints, and they also have a plain version that has different color serging and snaps. There are a lot of moms out there that pretty much collect these. They have about a bazillion of these, and they are constantly buying more. Some prints are hot items and hard to get. Anyway. Enough about the goodmamas. Here is another cute picture:

It looks like Zeke is trying to see what Daddy is doing, but really, he is trying to get at my sewing stuff.
And this is just a cute picture of Zeke laughing at Daddy.

Okay. I'm off to bed now. Goodnight!!

He's got the deuce deuce in the trunk of his car...

2009-02-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

Papa "gave" Tyner a .22 revolver a while back. Of course, he can't actually have it until he is older. But Jason surprised Tyner the other day by taking him out to the woods to shoot the gun. If you've ever shot a .22, you'll know they don't have very much kick to them, so it's a good gun for kids to shoot (with supervision, OF COURSE!).

Here are some pictures Daddy took of Tyner:

Posing with the gun.

Had to have one with the cowboy hat on.
After they were done. I'm pretty sure most of the shots were Jason's. I absolutely adore his smile in this one.
I think the shots on the very outside red ring (and probably the actual white of the paper) are Tyner's, and everything in the center two rings are Jason's.
Jason said he wished he would've gotten a video of Tyner when he told him what they were in the woods to do. He said Tyner was jumping up and down and yelling with excitement. I wish I could've been there to see it, but it was a good father/son time for them.

And now I'm off to fold diapers and watch Psych. Bye!

My "crafty" side

2009-02-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

I bought a nighttime fleece soaker for Zeke. A soaker is a style of diaper cover that is usually made from either fleece or wool. This one is extra big and baggy so it will fit over all the extra bulk of nighttime diapers. Here is a picture of the soaker:

Zeke wore the soaker to bed last night, but because it is so big he couldn't wear pajamas over it. I put on the Baby Legs his Aunt Kimi bought him a long time ago, but he still has fat thighs, and they still don't really fit him. The Baby Legs ended up around his knees.

So I said to my Self "Self. Do you think we could add some legs to that soaker?" And my Self said "Well, maybe. We made some pants, so I don't see why we couldn't figure it out." And so we did.

I had bought some sage green fleece to make both boys a pair of fleece pants (don't worry, I bought Sierra some girly fleece). I thought the green would look really cute with the brown. So I jimmy-rigged a pattern, cut some fleece, did some sewing, did some cussing, did some more sewing, and...VOILA! The *now* fleece longies:

Haha. I know they look kind of funny laying there like that. I promise, they are much cuter ON. What? You don't believe me? Well, see for yourself:

I told you! And here is a far away picture, just so you can see how cute the model is:

Anyway. That's my crafty project that I'm sharing for today.

Hopefully someday soon (before my kids outgrow the measurements I just took of them) I will get around to drawing up patterns for their pants and making them.

Okay, I'm off to veg for a little bit until Jay and the kids get home from AWANA.

Not to be outdone...

2009-02-14T14:03:00.001-08:00

Here is a story Sierra wrote in school (spelling is hers):

**************************

SPACE ADVENTURE

Once upon a time, there was a boy and a girl. They wanted to go to space. Then a group of astronots took them. They were happy. The End

**************************

Short and to the point. Just how I like it.

Dead on his feet

2009-02-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

Let me just preface this video by saying: THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO US BEFORE.

Zeke woke up at about 5:30 this morning. He talked and played quietly (and possibly slept a little) until I finally got him up at 7:00. He wasn't able to take a morning nap, because we had church. We got home at about 12:00 and had lunch. This all happened at about 12:45. I laid him down around 1:00. And he just woke up (it's almost 4:00). I better go get him! Hope you enjoyed the video.

The Mind of Tyner

2009-01-30T12:14:00.000-08:00

Tyner's preschool teacher asked each of the kids to tell them a story the other day. Here is Tyner's:

"This is for real! This happened to my friend. My friend went out to feed his chickens. He is eight years old. The chickens were dead upside down on their backs. There was an animal with a long snout, kind of like elephant skin with razor sharp teeth and sharp claws. He was called Antalopesaurus. It eats ants too. It ate and it also tore apart part of his house. He got his phones at night so he couldn't call the police or the vet. And it also eats people."

She asked how big it was. He said "Probably 200 feet long and 200 feet big and that's all. And it also eats eyeballs. It eats bugs and it is kind of camouflaged and I saw it too. It was freaky and it also eats bears."

There is nothing I could type here that could in any way do this story justice..... This is the brain of my son.....

Diaper Pics

2009-01-26T11:31:00.000-08:00

These are just some cute pictures of Zeke I wanted to share. He is in a prefold with a Snappi. I put his fleece pants on over this when he started to play with the Snappi. The pictures look a lot better if you click on them so they are bigger.

I think he looks a lot like Tyner in this picture.

He looks really old in this picture. I don't know if it's the teeth or what.
He was running at me in this one. That's why it's fuzzy.
Checking out his sister's bracelet.

Fluffy Mail

2009-01-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

So, now that I got our 5-gallon bucket of Charlie's in the mail, the cloth diapers are making (another) comeback. The stripping that I did to my prefolds with the hot water and the bleach and the Charlie's seems to have worked. Zeke wore them to bed a few nights in a row, and never had a problem.

Now, I told you all that I joined a forum over at The Diaper Pin. I'm really loving this forum. The ladies are great, and while I'm learning a lot about all of the cloth diapering options, I'm also realizing how much I love my basic stash.

Now, I really do love my basic stash. But that doesn't mean I can't have fun adding to it (in as frugal a way as possible, of course). Here are some things I have gotten in the mail recently.

An Aristocrats Wool Soaker. I won this on an eBay auction and paid $24.50 (that includes shipping). It's a large, and at the website I linked to, they cost $36.75 (without shipping). So I'd say I got a pretty darn good deal. It's been washed and lanolized, and should be ready to use tonight. I'm excited to try wool overnight, because of it's awesome waterproofness, and because it's an all-natural, breathable material, which will make Zeke's bum a lot happier.

These are newborn-sized wool longies that I got off of Etsy. They are made from an old merino wool sweater. As you can see, they are double-sided and reversible. I haven't lanolized these yet. I will wait to do that until the baby comes.

This is a Crickett's Cotton Fitted Diaper. I got these for nighttime, to wear under the 'Crat. It has a snap-in doubler, so there is lots of absorbency. He has worn these for the last few nights, under a PUL wrap cover, and they work great. I can't wait to try them with the wool though, because the PUL doesn't breath, and his skin is usually pretty damp and warm in the morning. I got the 100% cotton instead of the hemp/cotton combo, because I saved $2.00 a diaper this way.
These are some cloth wipes I got from Quilter's Nappies. They are flannel on one side and velour on the other (you know, the soft stuff that the track suits are made out of?). I got some really cute boy prints. I got 16 of them, to try them out. If I like them, I will probably get more. In fact, I just looked at the Boy Prints on the website, and she has some really cute new prints. But, since I don't have any money, I will resist.

So anyway. That is some new stuff I have gotten for my stash lately.

This is the next thing I would like to do/get. They are called Tinkle Traps. You send this lady some of your prefold diapers, and she trims them, adds elastic, and serges the edges. I will just do them very basic, so they will be cheaper. I want to get some of Zeke's done, so I can try them out, and if I like them, I will get some of the baby's done too. But, I have to get a slot with the lady first.

Anyway. I'm off to look around the Great World Wide Web. See you all later.

------------------------------------------------

Oh, just so you know. To make a long story short, we ended up getting a new washer. Our old one wasn't horribly broken (from what I could dig up on the internet). But more often than not, when one thing goes bad, everything starts to go bad. So, we decided to buy a new one and have 8 more years of worry-free laundry. Sears had 20% off all their appliances, plus we will be able to get them to repair it if anything happens, since we actually bought it there this time.

So now you're all in the loop. Sorry for not telling you soon how that all turned out.

Oh, the drama!

2009-01-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

Well, say a little prayer, everyone. I'm afraid our washing machine is sick. Not sure if he's terminal yet. Only time will tell. Well, the repair man will probably be able to tell us too...

I was running a load of colored clothes before Sierra had to leave for school. I heard the washer filling up for the final rinse cycle. Usually it will start to agitate right away, but I didn't hear it do that.

Suddenly I smelled burning plastic. I was walking around the house trying to figure out where it was coming from. After the water heater incident, that smells kind of freaks me out. As I got closer to the laundry, I realized it was coming from the washer.

I opened the lid, and there everything sat, in a tub full of black water. Oh. Let me explain that one. I started using Charlie's Soap again, and the more you use it, the more store-detergent gunk it cleans out of your washer. So, there sat my clothes in a tub full of detergent-gunk-filled water.

I called Jay, and he told me to unplug the washer, just in case. I guess the next step is to pull all the clothes out and take them next door to rewash them. And to call a repairman.

Anyway. I'm off to dress the baby and go next door to discuss our options.

I will update later.

What's on your list today?

2009-01-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

"You'll find it at Fred Meyer."

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I had to finish the jingle.

Not much has been going on here in Podunk the last few days. Just chillin' out...maxin'..relaxin' all cool...

Oops. There I go again.

We enjoyed our long weekend. The date Friday night was great. Paul Blart: Mall Cop was hilarious. I'm sure my husband was embarrassed by how loud I was laughing.

Saturday we went over to Denton & Dora's and had dinner with everybody. Good food, as always. We didn't stay to play cards, though.

Sunday was church. Then home for naps. Well, naps for everyone but me. I was on the computer when I should have been sleeping. I was on the Diaper Pin forums, my new obsession.

Sunday night I went to.....ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?!?! Choir practice. Haha. Yes, I went to choir practice. They decided to start an adult choir at our church, and since I've recently discovered that I like to sing, and have actually been told that I'm fairly decent at it, I thought I'd give it a try. Besides the fact that I was the youngest one there by about 20 years, that I didn't know any of the songs we sang, and that I don't know how to read music, it was all good. The old folks at our church are some of the nicest people you will ever meet (I guess there are some good things about living in the country), and I felt very comfortable. I will be going back next Sunday, so it couldn't have been too bad, right?

Monday morning I had my first prenatal appointment (I was 10 weeks on Sunday). Nothing special. Just height, weight, BP, blood draw. I got to hear the heartbeat. She kind of had to hunt around for it, and it was pretty quiet. Nothing like Zeke, who was kicking the wand-thingy the whole time. The heartbeat was about 160, which is what Zeke's was too (another boy, maybe?). I came home afterwards and we just hung out for the rest of the day. Oh, and I pretty much Pinned the whole day (I told you I'm obsessed).

Today, I got up and got back on Diaper Pin. Got Sierra off to school, went to the store, and the Post Office. Got a few packages (Charlie's AP cleaner, newborn wool longies, and some other diaper stuff). I'm still waiting for several more packages. I won't tell you how many, 'cause I'm a little embarrassed. I'll share what I get as it comes in, though. Maybe if it's spaced out, it won't seem like so much? I'm trying to expand my cloth diaper stash for Zeke, and I've done a lot of that in the last few weeks. I will be going back to the P.O. later to check my regular mail and hopefully pick up my Charlie's laundry soap so I can get my CDs washed and useable.

I have actually gotten some stuff accomplished today. Here's my list:

*~~Wash dishes~~

*~~Get laundry out of dryer~~

*~~Chop veggies for soup~~

*~~Thaw chicken and broth for soup~~

*~~Mix up bread dough~~

*~~Cook chicken and chop for soup~~

*~~Re-package hamburger~~Scratch this one. I left it in the fridge too long and it went bad. Grrrr!!!!

*~~Sweep kitchen floor~~

*~~Go to Post Office.~~ Still no laundry soap. :(

*~~Return books to library~~

*~~Refill AP flour~~

*Bake bread for dinner

*~~Empty dish drainer~~

*Run/Empty dishwasher

*Pick up Sierra

*Do a small load of dishes

Okay, so that's all I can think of right now. I will add more later if (when) I think of it.

Hope you all enjoy your ~~Monday~~ Tuesday (three day weekends always mess me up).

The Ugliest Christmas Present Ever

2009-01-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

Tyner got something really ugly for Christmas from GG.

They are called Aquasaurs. They are kind of like the Sea Monkeys of old, where you put the eggs in the water and wait for them to hatch.

We had two survive from a batch of 25 eggs. This is normal, I guess. One grew pretty fast, and one stayed really tiny.

A few days ago the tiny one disappeared, so we fear he may have become a midnight snack.

The Big One just keeps growing though. According to the booklet you get with the set, "an Aquasaur's skeleton is outside of it's body, not inside like a mammal's." For this reason, "an Aquasaur sheds its skeleton (molts) several times as it grows."

Last night, Jason was cleaning out the "tank" (which is really just a flimsy plastic bowl with a lid). After he filled it up with spring water (no chlorinated tap water for these guys), he seemed a little worried. He thought The Big One might be dying. It was flopping around, bending it's body back and forth, flailing around the tank. Well, then he looked closer and realized it was molting. I grabbed Tyner real quick and lifted him up so he could see. Then Jay had to lift the skeleton out with a stir-stick so Tyner could look at it closer. It was pretty cool to watch.

An Aquasaur also has "35 to 70 pairs of legs that it uses for swimming and bringing food to its mouth." Tyner and I got to watch The Big One eat one day, and it was really cool to watch his legs waving back and forth, holding the little food pellet to its mouth.

All in all, this has been a pretty fun present, one the whole family has enjoyed. It has been slightly expensive, what with having to buy spring water. But we will probably do it again with the half batch of eggs we still have.

Here is a picture of The Big One so you can see how ugly he is:

Date Night EDITED

2009-01-16T07:20:00.000-08:00

It is 7:20 a.m. Do you know where your children are?

I do. All three of them are still sleeping. I decided that I would let them sleep as long as they need to, even if it means being late to school. At this age, I think a full nights rest is more important than perfect attendance.

Today is looking like it's going to be a pretty fun day. After I get the kids off to school (that includes taking Tyner to Fort Jones for preschool), I'm going to head over to my friend Corrie's house. Another of our friends, Jessica, is going to teach us how to make homemade tortillas.

I don't have to pick Tyner up at 11:30, because Jason gets off of work early today. He is going to pick him up and then go over to a friends house to help them with a remodeling project for awhile.

So after I'm done over at Corrie's, I will come home and feed Zeke some lunch and then lay him down for a nap. Then I have some stuff I need to do around here, like:

*Dishes.

*Wash Jason's work clothes (or at least stick them in the washer so they can be washed once he gets home and puts the stuff he's wearing today in there).

*Hopefully finish the washing process on my diapers (if my Charlie's comes in the mail today).

*Vacuum

Jason should be home and showered sometime after 3:00. Then he and I are going to head over to Yreka to see our friends Jeff and Lisa at the hospital. They had a little girl, Samantha Joy, on Wednesday morning.

After we visit with them for awhile, we are going to head on to Mt. Shasta. We are going to go to dinner at Strings Italian Cafe. Then we are going to go see Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

It's been a long time since we've been out on a date, just the two of us. We go out a lot together, without the kids, but we are usually going to someone's house. We aren't usually alone.

So, that is my fun day for today. Tyner is up now, so I need to get him ready. We may actually make it to our friends house for his ride.

Talk to you later.

**Tyner came out of his room at 7:30. When I snuck in to get him some clothes, Zeke was sitting up in his crib. When I came out of the room with Zeke, Sierra was laying on the couch. I guess they all have the same internal alarm clock. So we were all able to get dressed, eat something, brush teeth, and be out the door by 8:00. Yay! I didn't miss Tyner's ride to school.**

Off we go.

2009-01-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

Today I need to go to "the big city" to do our shopping. I'm talking Yreka, not Medford. *sigh* I'm taking both boys with me. This should be fun.

But before I leave, these are the things I want to get done:

*~~Pay bills~~

*Make a mental grocery list

*~~Empty dishwasher~~

*~~Fold towels~~

*~~Get diapers out of garage~~

*~~Run diapers through a bleach cycle~~

*Quick vacuum of the living room?

*~~Put boys' laundry away~~
*~~Tidy house~~
*~~Get Zeke dressed~~
*~~Put infant diapers back in garage~~

Well, that's it for right now. Oh how exhilarating is the domestic life.

New Recipe

2009-01-14T21:33:00.000-08:00

Okay, this recipe might sound a little weird, but I promise you, they are really good. I first had these (or something like these) when we went to a Japanese restaurant. I came right home and started searching for a recipe. Anyway, here's the link.

Sour (Pickled) Bean Sprouts (Dua Gia)

You're on my list.

2009-01-14T10:50:00.001-08:00

There is something about the sound of the washer and dryer running that makes me want to get up and clean.

I started out my morning (and I officially start my morning after the big kids are at school and Zeke is down for a nap) on the computer. Reading blogs, checking email, that kind of thing. I had a load of laundry going in the washer before I sat down on the computer, though.

Thankfully my husband walked into the house (for a potty break) to the sound the washer running and the sight of me on the computer. He said "Well, at least you're not laying on the couch like I thought you would be." The funny thing is, if I hadn't gotten absorbed in reading something online, that's exactly where I would've been!

So after I finished online, I moved laundry around. Then I laid down on the couch (Jay was already gone to finish his route). I think I'd gotten a quick half hour catnap in when Jay's aunt called with a question. I answered it for her, then laid back down on the couch.

As I laid there listening to the sound of the washer and dryer running, I thought about the things that were on my Mental To Do List. Laundry, dishes, vacuuming, phone calls. I laid there and wondered what else I could be doing. I was very comfortable, and I didn't really want to get up, but I knew I wasn't going to fall back asleep anytime soon.

So I jumped up and went into the kids bathroom to start gathering towels for the laundry. While I was in there, I noticed the toothpaste all over the counter. And thought about how much our bathroom needed cleaning too.

After I picked up all the towels from around the house, I grabbed some rags and my cleaning stuff. I scrubbed the insides of the toilets, had a AIM conversation with my sister, and called my dad to wish him Happy Birthday before Zeke woke up.

After he woke up, I gave him a snack and put a video on for him. Then I finished cleaning the outsides of the toilets, the sinks, countertops, and mirrors in both bathrooms.

I'm feeling pretty good about getting all that done, especially since bathrooms are NOT my favorite thing to clean. Now if I could just get myself to clean our tub...

I thought I would post the rest of my To Do list before I have to go get Tyner from school. So here it is:

-~~Sort laundry~~

-~~Laundry~~

*~~Colors~~

*~~Whites~~

*~~Darks~~

*~~Towel~~s

-Vacuum

-Dishes (small load)

-Call MediCal worker

-~~Bathrooms~~

-Clean tub

-Get diapers out of garage

-Bleach diapers

Well, that's all I can think of right now. I should go get ready to go pick up Tyner now.

P.S. Congratulations to Jeff & Lisa on the birth of their baby girl, Samantha Joy!!!

P.P.S. Happy 64th Birthday, Dad!!!

Zeke Pictures

2009-01-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

Just a few more cute Zeke pictures I had on my camera.

He's got a mouthful of apple in this one.

I love the way he has his feet crossed at the ankles in this one.
One of these days I will take some pictures of the big kids so you can see what they look like now....

Zeke Talks and Signs

2009-01-09T11:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a video I took of Zeke yesterday. The coolest thing? This video started out about 2 minutes long, but I edited it down with iMovie. Awesome. Turn the volume up a little bit, 'cause he is kind of hard to hear sometimes. And yes, my 15 month old knows how to shoot a play gun. 'Cause, well, his big brother is the coolest cowboy around. And yes, Tyner knows the words to "Love Song." It's one of his favorites. Anyway, here it is:

New Recipe

2009-01-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

Peanut Butter Bars