Obligatory Christmas Post

Well, another Christmas has come and passed...and the last one as a family of four to be exact!

We headed down to the grandparents house on Christmas Eve, enjoyed some chilli, watched A Muppet Christmas Carol and sent the kids to bed while the 'elves' could get an early start.

Play jewelry was a real hit with this little girl!

An apron to use when grandma bakes with Eliza

The aftermath

Grandparents did the usual thing most do at this time of year and spoil the kids as they pleased. Matt and I spent a modest amount on the kids. It's easier to do it at this age as most are in the $30 range. Then of course some modest inexpensive stocking stuffers.

Our gifts to Nolan: Ride on Dusty, diecast planes, RC Mickey Car

Our gifts to Eliza: Pony wall stickers, Jake Duplo set, Do-a-dot stampers, 2 Innotab games

A shared gift was the Magna Tiles, which I was able to get 50% off with a personal connection. I know several of these gifts will be played with by both kids, and hopefully, be passed down to the next one. 

It was fun to see Nolan get much more into the fun with this being his second Christmas day. Only problem was...he'd get stuck on one gift, playing with it and ignoring anything else we put in front of him. Not much of what he got didn't have wheels on it. It's fun seeing this stage, as he develops his own interests :)

Now...we can only hope these toys will keep them well interested so mommy can have a moment to herself once and awhile

Eliza-isms (100th Post)

As time passes me by, I feel like I need to document some of these phases of each child. So here are the most recent things Eliza has been stuck on....that may or may not drive me up the wall.

"All myself"
This independance wheeling preschooler insists on doing many things without assistance.

"What's he/her name"
It doesn't matter if it is someone on a commercial, a stranger on the street or a picture of someone. She insists on knowing what their name is. I'll give a quick "I don't know" most of the time, but will have to make up some fake name to quiet the incessant asking.

"Mix-a"
She will chant this over and over when with her food. It absolutely has to be mixed up in order to be fit for consumption.

"We take turns in mommy's tummy?"
Now that she knows there is a baby growing inside me, she will frequently ask for the baby to come out already so she can go back inside. When I tell her the baby is still to small to come out, the curtain is lifted and the drama starts. I'll tell her that its small, dark and no netflix. This still does not convincer her otherwise. Sorry kid, it is a one way door for each!

Santa's Vacation Home

We made our second annual visit to the local Bass Pro Shop...you know, where Santa likes to stock up on wilderness and outdoor supplies during his free time ;)

Manned with the special grandparent garments and a quick change in the bathroom (only to discover Eliza was not wearing any underpants), I fought with Eliza to wear a *gasp* blue dress. Seems like everything has got to be pink these days....

This was pretty much Nolan's initial response to Santa when we started, but quickly simmered down as we went along. Eliza, once being told that you tell Santa what you want for Christmas, was perfectly fine on sitting on the jolly mans lap. What a difference compared to last year where the only shot we could get was her face down, engrossed in Angry Birds on daddy's cell phone while tolerating the visit with Santa. But I love how authentic this Santa looks. Even nicer than the one in the Mall, and his surrounding area for pictures, which are free!

Of course, a visit to Bass Pro isn't complete without a long visit to the aquarium. Nolan was entranced at all the fish, while Eliza used the fake rock front as a climbing wall.

I used some of the other areas of the store as impromptu backdrops for pictures, but finding it is getting increasingly hard to get both kids to look at the camera...especially in new surroundings. Or my feisty three year old thinks its the best time to lift up her dress or pout her lower lip, as if this was such a punishment. But they enjoyed the other entertainment set ups where you could play with some of the toys for purchase.

The best surprise of this trip was finding Nolan was keeping his newsboy hat on the entire time. I got that thing for a steal at Children's Place on clearance for two dollars! And boy, did he work that whole ensemble. I couldn't get enough of him as his biased mother, and could have eaten him up.

So I wonder...what will next year look with three littles! 

Wet Saint Bernards & Cat Doors

Someone once said that giving birth is like a wet St. Bernard trying to squeeze through a cat door. And I am sure most men who have witnessed  a vaginal birth might agree when they try and wrap their heads around the idea of passing something that large through their own loins.

After looking through all my available options and advice from my OB/GYN...we are going to go ahead and make this one a scheduled c-section.

No more induction...

Pitocin...

Back labor...

With many of the perks which come with scheduling your baby's birthday and making childcare arrangements.....outside of the longer recovery and pain connected with a c-section...it hit me a few days ago.

I'll never push a rectangular pumpkin out my hoo-ha again.

...and I got a little sad and had a hard time believing I even did it with Eliza. It seemed like forever to get to 4 cm, and I wanted my daughter in my arms NOW and the blasted back labor to knock off. Matt assured me, that yes indeed, I had in fact pushed her out on my own.

I could put my foot down and travel a good distance to a doctor who delivers at a hospital with VBAC options, and pray I could go into labor on my own...

But let's face it....

I am more closed up than a nun when it comes up to the delivering side of things. And I guess, a real challenge when it comes to epidurals being administered. The last thing I want to do is be in labor before hand and then an emergency surgery where I would be knocked out because my pain level can't be controlled (big gasp)...and be knocked out again for the birth.

....this time around though, I am going to insist on gentle cesarean birth, which gives the mother the chance to see her baby born and immediately bond while being put back together again. That would truly be wonderful this time around :)

2nd & 3rd Pregnancy Guilt

When you're pregnant with your first baby, you are blissfully unaware of the gift of free time to use during your more exhausting phases of pregnancy. You may be working, or staying home...but when you are home, you decide as to just how you want to spend it.

Napping....

Long peruses down the baby aisles as you dream about your nursery coming together....

Catching up with friends on the phone....

Crafting....

Experimental cooking....

Then, you decide to have another baby and reality sets in.

You now find yourself trying to balance the unpleasant side effects of pregnancy with chasing around a toddler in your time at home. The toddler desperately wants your attention all.the.time....and all you can think of is how much longer until you can realistically convince them it is nap/bed time.

Thoughts of your children's future success in school crosses your mind as you put on yet another popular Jake and the Neverland Pirates marathon off Netflix. You have no grandparents or other relatives who live near by to help out and you are not trying to thrive, but survive!

Graham cracker crumbs speckle your family room rug....

The laundry pile is coming close enough in size to challenging the right to vote...

The layer upon layers from the last week of meals on and around the dining table is becoming worthy of the worlds largest petri dish.

....and don't even get me started on the kitchen.

Living in small quarters with a growing family makes trying to do maintenance cleaning a real joke.

Some days we go from pajamas to pajamas, since there is no point in growing more dirty laundry when there are no plans to step foot outside the house.

I have to tell myself each day, "This is only temporary."

But guilt is a tricky thing, when you think about how your baby of the family will become the stigmatized middle child. How you should be making more of your time with just the two kids with crafts and creative play. I would be lying if I said I didn't have any pregnancy regrete. I was so certain that Nolan was to be my last baby as I layed in the hospital bed, recovering from a very hard birth experience.

The expression, "Be careful what you wish for", holds some real truth to it. Yet, God knows what's best and doesn't have second guesses, unlike our imperfect selves.

Toddler & Preschool Toy Review - Amazon

1.Vtech InnoTab 3S $60- $80

If you've been on the fence about getting your child some sort of tablet because you don't want them hooked on it, this is a nice alternative. It can connect to your wifi, control downloadable content, takes picture/video and does ebooks. Its not a huge investment, and does more than a Gameboy. Not to mention, no surprise purchases from any of the games. With the touch screen and direction pad, it also has motion sensing for particular games. 

2. Playmobil Take and Go Dollhouse $50

With many options for dollhouses that can handle Barbie size dolls or smaller, this is a great buy when space is concerned. This house comes with lots of details and accessories to complete the house. No need to buy $30 a room furniture sets to get playing. With a little adult help putting together some initial furniture, this is ready for play on the go.

3. Magna-Tiles $40 - $125

Go beyond wooden building blocks and see where your child's creativity will take them. These tiles have encased magnets around the sides and easily stick together. Strong enough to stay together during active play and still able to fall apart when a toy dump truck runs into it. This toy is a little more of an investment, but will last for years as your tot grows.

4. Bazoongi 48" Trampoline $79.99

Enjoy this trampoline year round without worrying about serious injury that comes with its big brother version. It sits low to the ground and has a removable balance bar for early jumpers. Assembly isn't too complicated and comes with its own special tool to help attach the springs. Easily move it inside for those long winter months when the kids need extra activity It comes with a 125 lbs. weight limit, but strong enough to last for a long time.

5. Schwinn Trike $89.99 

If you like things that last and bring back some of the charm of your first bike, this is for the kids. The seat does have variable adjustment settings and is built solid. Color choices include hot pink and fire engine red. This bike will make it through all the kids or grandkids in your family.

6.Do-A-Dot $14.99 

If open containers of paint around your tots make your nervous, enjoy a little more peace of mind when it comes to art time.

You're a Mean One Mrs. Grinch

Call me what you want, but I'm perfectly okay with it.

This is the time of the year when many families stress out, fight over trivial things and feel like their to do list is never ending. I guess I don't get why we have to over complicate things when of course, the real reason for the season never included all the things which we stress over. Less is more in my eyes, and I don't set the kids up with expectations for each year. If it happens...it happens.

Here is what our family will not be doing this year:

The Elf- Haven't started and not sure if we'll get into it later on as I've heard a lot of kids getting creeped out by it.

Family Christmas Card- I applaud those of you who can successfully accomplish this. I do enjoy getting them from friends and family to grace the side of our fridge, but it has never been something I think of doing in time.**Update**
After taking a families card photo...it got the best of me and decided to just use pictures from this current year. Ah...peer pressure. 

A Tree- Yes, I probably get the most flack for this one. But I'm not loosing any sleep over it. Our place is small, and getting smaller by the day as baby Geddes 3.0 is cooking away. I struggle to keep this place cleaned up and organized in its current non holiday state as it is. There isn't room for one and we won't be home for Christmas anyways. If this wasn't the case, I would probably do everything in my powers to make something work. But for right now, I'll just focus on picking up all the small toys off the ground and not add ornaments to the mix.

A little girl I was watching one day asked me why we didn't have a tree up. I told her we were Jewish....just kidding of course. We do have however, the Little People Nativity scene set......And I am already having to play search and rescue for wisemen, animal control on the barnyard and CPS on baby Jesus.

Toddler & Preschooler Gift Series: Ikea Edition

If you've never stepped inside an Ikea before, now is the time this season.

Items are those in which we have of our own, or talked to those who to own them.

1. Knight's Castle Tent $20

This thing is great! It feels durable with its thicker nylon material and thick tension poles (x4). It takes about 1-2 minutes to assemble it. There are even two mesh windows on the roof so parents can peek in on the kids play.

2. Artist Easel $14.99

This is such a steal at this price when you compare it to the Melissa and Doug or Imaginarium brand ones. It is a great start for any budding artist or parents who want more of a minimalist design when incorporating it into the rest of home decor.

3. Soft Play Fruit and Veggie $7.99 each

These are a nice alternative to their plastic food counterparts. No worries when stepped on when navigating the play area.And you can always throw them in the wash when needed. I especially like the velcro tear away lettuce leaves.

4. Tumbling Matt $29.99

If you have a very active child who is using your couch for doing tumbles and who knows what else....this is a great bargain for a gymnastics mat. Its more durable and thicker to the foam puzzle squares and folds up for storage. Use it as a bonus to sleep on for little sleepover guests.

5. Wooden Train sets $7.99 - $9.99

If you've balked at the outrageous prices of the Thomas wooden train sets or the specialty toy shop lines...this is a great value for wooden tracks. So far, they integrate well with other wooden sets/train cars and are easy for little hands to put together.

6.Cars and Garage $9.99 - $12.99

These cars get a lot of play in our house. Each one can be mixed and matched with other car parts to make your own customized design. The simple design of the garage is perfect for those households where space can be a premium. The garage can be taken part for later storage, but you may want to super glue the pieces together if you have little ones who like to play tough.

T-Day

I was a bad photographer this Thanksgiving...

The camera never even came out of its bag the entire time we spent with the grandparents.

We had been set to leave town shortly after 3pm on Thanksgiving Eve to Matt's parents house. Then we got a phone call at about noon that a tree had fallen on dad's car as he was pulling into the driveway. He was okay for two reasons: 1) He is a man of short stature 2) The car he drives, is built like a tank. But needless to say, with this accident blocking the entire road in/out of the complex and the mounting snow piling up...this made for very nervous parents for their kids.

So we played the waiting game...

Checks of road conditions every so many minutes, screenshots of the roads and snow accumulation were our new hobby. Eliza was chomping at the bit to go and see Grandma, and I had planned the food shopping to not have to deal with a dinner on Wednesday evening. Our parents encouraged us to leave early morning and they'd plan dinner around when we got there.

We are both not morning people..

By 9pm, we gathered that most of the accidents had been cleared up and the snow was going to knock off as we continued our travels.

It wasn't our best travel time, but we made it, safe and sound near close to 2am with only one stop to grab some drinks. It also allowed me to do a breathing treatment since I had been battling breathing for close to 4 weeks.

Thanksgiving morning, I would then later visit the local ER for the first time as my last visit to ours back home about a week prior hadn't been effective enough. Three nebulizer treatments later and script for antibiotics, we were sent home and enjoyed a quiet meal with just our immediate family.

The rest of our time was spent relaxing, shopping at a few stores we don't have near us (IKEA), family time at Billy Bee's and doing some elf work. We brought the Christmas presents from us and my mother along with us so I could have a place to wrap and store the gifts since we'll be returning for Christmas. Not to mention, having the time to assemble a few toys before hand. Knowing we might have to return home on Christmas day at night...the last thing I want to spend my time on is reading directions. Plus, it means less wrapping for me, wahoo!

I'll leave this post with a conversation we had with Eliza in the car.

E: But I miss grandma

Don't worry, we will come back to visit them at Christmas and even Santa will come

E: No, I don't want Santa to come!

But don't you want some new toys?

E: But I already have toys dad.

Then I guess you don't want any new games for your Innotab?

E: Wait, I want games!

Little by little, she is grasping the whole Santa game....but still has this love/hate relationship with the jolly man in red :)

Snip Snip Here....Snip Snip There

Eliza has never sat in a salon chair since birth. Last year near Nolan's birthday, I made one small trim to a section in the back to even out things, as we waited for the sides to catch up with the back.

Little did we know just how hazardous little brother would be to her hair, when he'd grab chunks of it at the roots! And always in the same area. Please, please...have mercy on your sisters hair!

Over all, Eliza was a pretty good girl for her first hair cutting experience, besides the extra prompts to stay still and keep her head up. We decided to take several inches off the back and give her bangs, with the hope of her left side growing in and overall fuller head of hair. It is so incredibly fine.

May this next baby be kinder to her fine locks....

Merry Maids

Do you have a weekly cleaning schedule you follow?

Since staying home full time, I had yet to put down any sort of schedule which pertained to house chores. I would see the areas that would be screaming, and I may or may not have attended to them depending on my mood or energy level. Of course there are the urgent ones like unexplained vomit, sippy cup disasters and the, "oh no you just didn't dump every toy bin out!"

We all know about the never ending story of laundry folding. Putting it away is a whole nother book!

Among other daily habits I've struggled to get into in my life...I've found that I need a steady base level of cleaning that gets done, even if nothing else is getting done outside of it. I NEED to know that I am being intentional in some form of house management.

Things like:

Bathroom(s)
Floors
Dishes/kitchen counters
Putting recycling and trash in its respective receptacles
Freeing up laundry baskets with clean clothes

I haven't been perfect in sticking to what is down for the day, but I know it will take time. Especially when your hubby has extra time off and throws your day time routine out the window. I've only put things down for M-F for this reason, so I can give myself the highest chance of success with this plan.

What is your dreaded/hated house chore that you wished would just disappear?

Parent Confessions

Sometimes, when after the kids have gone to bed....I dump out some of their toys and create my own adventures to see what is really possible with Lego bricks and train track configurations. Here we have Jake's pirate island hideaway, standing guard of Captain Hook.

I WAN DAT!

Picking out toys is exhausting work

As our adventurous and lively little girl becomes more aware of the world around her...there are lots of things she thinks she wants or wants for Christmas. The phrase, "maybe for Christmas" seems to work in ending any pleads for things she finds.

Until the next thing catches her eye!

Out of curiosity, I let her brows through the big toy catalog to see what she gravitated to.

No surprise....it was to just about anything.

Funny thing is, most of the stuff pointed out....were things she had no clue about what they did. All she knew was she had to have the pink one. This is where I am glad we don't have cable where many kids are exposed to all the toy commercials on children's stations.

Even perusing the toy aisles....plastic junk lines the shelves. I have nothing against toys being made of plastic, and wooden everything isn't always better either aka Melissa & Doug.

I had fond memories of playing with Calico Critters when I had just turned 4 for that Christmas. A nice sized critter house and bear family were under the tree, complete with furniture. Well, CC have come back and at a crazy price tag. Houses do not come with furniture or families and rooms are about $30 a piece. Yes, they are nicely detailed with drawers that slide out, compared to their pink plastic Barbie rivals.

EXCEPT....

We have a problem if my daughters doll furniture is nicer than the real stuff in our own home! I mean...look at the play kitchens out today. They continue to get "upgrades" over the years.

They need to come out with a true life kitchen that comes with an outdated refrigerator, complete with rattling cooling compressor sound. A sink where the hot/cold knobs have been switched around and an electric play stove that burns one side of your dish while under cooking the other. Oh, and we can't forget that one drawer that keeps coming of the track when pulled out!

THAT, my friends would be the best real play kitchen.

Sweet Silence

Sometimes, it is worth letting your child two fist lollipops given to them from your doctors visit. Stickers just can't do the same. Besides....he looks pretty cute doing it ;)

Its True

Yes, we will be expending our family of four into five, come June. I had spent the last year contemplating if our family felt complete or not. At times, I would trapes back and forth between each camp. And trust me....there were days filled with relief at the thought of never having to go through X phase.

For the first time, I wasn't feeling that baby fever like I had as Eliza became closer to 12 months. Instead, it was looking beyond the baby stage and a new member who would grow up within our family. I mean, of course, the cuddly snuggly baby is a perk ;)

I believe Nolan has helped me in that department. He wasn't as independent as his sister...didn't walk until several months later, and I went the distance in extending our time of breast feeding. Which, by the way, is still very fond of my chest and have to prompt him to please remove his hand from under my shirt. I think he will have the hardest transition due to this fact. Eliza just wanted to be included while I nursed, and kinda went on with a new normal.

So here is to a new chapter and adventure in our lives of having a Summer baby and not working through this pregnancy!

Now the dreaded..er fun challenge of coming up with a name....

Peddling my Goods

I stepped out into my comfort zone and ventured into a new world of being a craft vendor for a day.

Here is what I learned:

1. There are all sorts of people who do this year round, and it was interesting to see what else people sell. Many of them are just trying to make back the cost of supplies and a little extra to keep things enjoyable.

2. Many who come to craft fairs, will have no intention in buying anything, but to get ideas. Consumers are holding their purse strings tightly this season, and I predict that many will be last minute shoppers.

3. Compliments don't pay the bills. It can be very discouraging to get lots of compliments on your work, but not see the sales reflected.

4. My other fellow crafters are also seeing the trend of mass produced cheap products trumping over personal handcrafted work. Consumers will pay twice as much for the same item in store and not think twice, but hesitate for half the price when buying from someone locally at a fair or bazaar. We are making slave wage when you factor in how much time it really does take to produce our product.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

With using display props from my kitchen and personal collection, many people at first glance, though my gingerbread and snowmen were real cookies.

My day was not a total loss though, and I was grateful to those who did purchase some ornaments. I also made some connections where I can barter my photography services in exchange for selling space in their shop.

So in the mean time, if you do not live locally near me, just know that I do ship orders within the states. So you hear that west coast ;)

Mischief Managed

The Geddes clan went out in the night of sugar fueled fun, games, and of course CANDY! Our little Neverland Pirates, Jake and Izzy posed briefly for me, but it was quite hard to get Nolan to stand still.

This week has been a VERY busy one for the family, with 3 separate harvest/trunk r treating events attended before the very night. We settled on visiting a church where we had last year due to the cold rainy weather. Much to my surprise, this was the first Halloween night in which it did not rain and stayed a bearable cold temperature. So we decided to leave the church a little early and found a neighborhood nearby, littered with zombies, Elsa/Anna's, Ninja Turtles and various princesses. Matt went out to secure some take out while I went walking with the kids.

One house even had a haunted house walk through on the front lawn, with tented rooms. After deciding to skip it and just go for the candy at the end, the drama came to us. Nothing like an inebriated woman knocking your little pirate down on her butt. You could smell the booze on her breath and gave apologies as she was rushing off.

Nolan spent it from the view of the stroller and screamed every time you had to take his bag up to the door to collect some candy. Eliza struggled to walk and haul a candy sack at the same time, so guess who got to be the keeper of the candy ;) Then she noticed the candles in the pumpkins and kept trying to blow them out at every house.

Maybe one day, the whole family will dress up as a theme, but after having to drag a grumpy Captain Hook aka Daddy, he was glad at the end to be pushed out of the house. I think taking the kids out and having the opportunity to teach them social skills and manners shouldn't be overlooked. I guess either the parents never taught or the 6 ft teenage trick or treaters forgot how to take turns, say thank you and put the little kids before themselves.

I spent a total of just over $15 to do both of their costumes (white undershirt, blue and yellow felt, pixie dust bag, Izzy's shirt, puff paint and bandana), while using other clothing items already on hand. Felt really is your best friend when working with costumes. I didn't even pull out the sewing machine for Nolan's vest. Hot glue guns are a wonderful thing!

A House Divided by Milk

Found this setup at Walmart while kid free one night

There comes a time when one must face the music instead of dancing to it, oblivious and in denial to the words being sung.

In my case, it was a matter of getting my blood work back after procrastinating and using the excuse of having the kids with me as to why I couldn't do an 8 hour blood fast.

First the good news...

Things like my thyroid, sodium, platelet count, A1c (phew!) and blood pressure were great!

Not so great news...

The lipids panel could use some work. Cholesterol was only 12 pts over, while the good fats were lacking a little (but told a lot of people struggle and could be hereditary). Except my triglycerides were way way over where they should be.

Losing weight can lower them, along with a low fat diet (cue the boring elevator music)

With that being said, it really irked me that I hadn't had better numbers in something that I know can be super important when it comes to heart health. I didn't think my diet was that bad, and I certainly wasn't having a love affair with pork fat.

So, it has brought me to having to really take a look at my diet and portions to see how much of this is in my control without the use of drugs.

I've taken a look at just how I eat my food. After years of 30 min lunch breaks, I noticed that I don't chew my food all the way. And just before I've had a chance to swallow said food, my arm is bringing up another fork full. To help slow things down and make myself more conscious, I make myself put down the knife and fork between bites, not to be picked up until I've properly chewed and swallowed the last bite.

And believe me....I thought I was patient, but it has caused me to notice just how impatient I was becoming.

This brings me to the war on milk....

You should have heard the reaction Matt gave in regards to my recent purchase of fat free milk. Never mind the fact that I had purchased two gallons of 2% milk along with it. Threats of returning it to the store were thrown like random objects at a discovered spider. Statements such as, it's not healthy for you or anyone also ensued.

Oh honey...trust me...I will have no problem in our culture to make up the fats that you find lacking in my personal gallon of milk. More for me I guess!

Fall Fest @ Fort Ricky

It was a cold Fall Sunday afternoon, but we decided to brave the cloudy, but non existent rain weather and enjoy our last visit to Fort Ricky for the season. Visiting this time of the year means extra fun activities for all.

The kids enjoyed the rolled oats sensory bin

One has to feed the animals of course!

Big sister to the rescue when your little legs are a little too short

Eliza got to enjoy her very first pony ride and enjoyed the monster wheel trikes

The baby goats were the highlight of the visit. Nolan spent most of his time shrieking at any of them in fear and delight. Eliza wanted to hold each and everyone of them.all.the.time! She couldn't get enough of them and would try chasing and nearly tackling them to pull them on her lap.

If you have the crackers they sell, they are ALL your friends for a short while and Nolan got a little lovin in with the babies. Some even tolerated Eliza for a few moments...whether they wanted to or not ;)

We ended the day with a warm bubble bath, waiting for them as soon as we got in the door...compliments of daddy who came home that afternoon from being away for the weekend with a music ministry commitment. 

I think it took the rest of the evening for my backside to recover from the cold.

The Darndest Things (Eliza says/does)

You just never know what is going to come out of the mouths of babes...especially mine!

"My hair is tired"

(while looking at my bare stomach) "Look mommy, it like map" Then proceeds to point out where her's and friends houses are located on it.

(While getting dressed, Eliza pats each of my boobs) "They're just like daddies!"

She's caught on to the things we say to Nolan when he's got a bad diaper rash and it stings to be wiped. "There there, its okay Nolie"

Why bounce on your mini trampoline when you can jump naked!

Our Mary Poppins Bag

In times where we as a family are found to need to take one or both of the kids to a place where a) There are no kids to play with b)Not a place/event which looks kindly to loud playful children running circles around others or even biting large standing metal vases (yes I am serious about that last one)

This is where we've come up with a bag of fun when times are not so fun (ER, government offices, banks etc..) We came about to this solution when I didn't like handing some electronic binki to the kids to keep them quiet. Because, what we found was if they felt at any time outside of the house was too boring...they just about expected it. Not so much Nolan yet, but Eliza for sure. We've had to set some strict rules about the car dvd player.

Thanks to the recent hospital swag, I've dedicated this for Eliza. We have a mini back pack with other items for the whole family for later on also.

Items found:

Cheap dollar store markers- Who cares if one does get lost or a cap gets left off.
Fast food toys (unopened) - Delay that gratification in the bag for a later time.
Candy!- Well duh. A few suckers can work wonders.
Glow sticks- No matter the time of day...they are still magical.
Misc free notepads- You know the kinds with businesses on the top.
Mini coloring books
Stickers
Silly Putty
Crayola Twistables- I love these things for the paper free mess and no broken crayons at the bottom of bag.

I've hit up the dollar stores and my fav place to look is the dollar section at Target. Heck, they have stuff I would want to have in a busy bag!

For when they are older
Travel games- Wendy's had great family game night toys of popular full sized ones
Smart links- Flat slat building toy.
Scratch boards- Metal stylus that you scape a board with to revel color behind.
Trivia

As the kids get older, I am sure I will create special road trip bags filled with fun to use other than back to back movies. But for the time, I will enjoy being able to put together inexpensive fun distraction bags for as long as I can.

The One Car (part 1)

Most families couldn't fathom the thought of being without two cars in the driveway. This was us a few years ago, as we looked over the logistics of moving across the country. It came down to selling Matt's car and putting mine on a trailer to tow behind the moving truck.

For over a year, we had to survive with just the one car. I would take the bus into work, and then wait for the hubby to be done with work to pick me up. I remember being pregnant and bundled up to go out into the snow and wait for the bus. Out here, there are no bus shelters and the last bus leaves the depot at 5:30.

Not too long after I returned from maternity leave, we knew a second car was gonna have to be in the cards. Matt had been out of work not too long before the birth of Eliza and seeking work. This is when we purchased a used Ford Focus wagon. It was our first car for both of us to own a car in the new millenia!

Eventually, we purchased a mini van from a coworker of mine who was preparing to move her family to New Zealand.

I loved that van.

Having two kids and their carseats was proving the need of more space.

It didn't have all the sexy features like most other varieties, but it was ours.

......ours for just six months that is.

After the accident, we were able to pay off the remaining balance on the auto loan and still have money leftover to for a down payment on a new van. Which by the way, put us less in debt than before on the previous loan.

It was higher in miles, but came with some real bonus features our other van didn't like rear AC, captain chairs, a drop down dvd player and my personal winter favorite....an auto starter!

We both had cars for carting kids and making bacon.

To be continued....

Oh Fudge!

After getting a taste of some pumpkin fudge at the apple orchard, I wanted to find out how to make some of my own. Since I am not normally a fudge person, the pumpkin sounded like I nice alternative.

Off to Pintrest I went!

Most of the recipes I browsed were similar in the process, but there were some differences in the amount of butter, sugar, pulp, and if you used brown sugar. 

My first try at it was found here, and listed as an easy recipe. 

The most intensive part of the process is being held hostage at the stove while 

you have to constantly stir the pot for over 12 minutes

I had purchased the marshmallow fluff instead of the mini ones by mistake, but I 

think it may have made this a little easier to melt together. I used the entire jar. 

After this test, I went ahead and tried a different recipe that did call for a candy thermometer. It also calls for more pumpkin pulp and sugar, along with MUCH more butter...so I am sure it makes for a very rich and creamier than the above one. Let's call that the diet one shall we?

I followed the second recipe as followed ....and here is my result:

I think I just invented pumpkin caramel chews or something...or sticky piles of poo...

They taste amazing, and just like pie, so I tried to salvage them and wrapped bite sized portions 

up like taffy. 

Not sure if I'll venture into more fudge making or not...I might be pumpkin'd out at this point : /