The Happy Half-Baked Homemaker

Family Road-Trip For Grandma's 85th Birthday!!

2011-11-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

Great Grandma & Eleanor

Last Friday morning, me and the girls, my parents and brother Andy hopped into a minivan and headed up to Minneapolis for my Grandma's 85th Birthday!! I do love a good road-trip and the ride seemed surprisingly short (especially considering we were travelling with a 3 year old and 9 month old). We made it in seven hours (we had to stop a couple of times to let the kids out to run/move around). I must say I fell in love with the minivan too (love that all of the doors opened with just a click of a button, super helpful when you're trying to corral kids into the car and have your hands full)!

My sister Jen and my nephew Tug flew in from Cali to join us on Saturday, so it was quite a weekend! Grandma's face was priceless when they came walking in the front door (we had sent Dad and Auntie Lynda to the airport to pick them up, but told her that they were out looking at houses)!!

Four Generations

We all took Grandma out to dinner on Saturday night, with cousins Robin, Paige, Caitlin and Uncle Jimmy & Aunt Sharon. Then back to Grandma's for red velvet cake and ice cream. Sunday, me, Jen, Dad and the kids went to the St. Paul Children's Museum (which was an amazing five story complex and just awesome), while everyone else went to the casino.

The cousins had a blast playing together! Addie & Tug are both super head-strong, so there was some butting of heads, but I think their relationship mirrored that of siblings. It was nice having all of the grown-ups there to help me with the girls, but I definitely missed my partner in crime E by the end of the weekend!

My sister Jen with Tug, Addie and Nora

Attitude

These Aren't Your Mom's Cloth Diapers...

2011-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Eleanor At One Month Wearing Fuzzi-Bunz Perfect Size Small

Since I began cloth diapering my second child (about a month after she was born), I can't stop telling people about how much I love it! It is super easy, super affordable and truly better for your child and the environment.

I had a few cloth diapers that I used here and there with my first daughter, but at the time, I didn't feel that I had the money to purchase an initial cloth diaper inventory (nor did I realize just how easy it was), so we used Seventh Generation chlorine-free disposables for most of her time in diapers. Looking back now, I was spending approximately $50 at Diapers.com every month on disposable diapers and wipes for the first two years. An initial cloth diaper inventory could have easily been bought for $200.00 (saving me at least $1000 over those first two years).

I think that when most people think about cloth diapers, you remember the cloth diapers that our moms used, the old Gerber prefolds (which are still used today) with those obnoxiously huge safety pins that you were always sticking yourself (or the baby) with and the big plastic pants that were not only noisy, but in no way could've been comfortable. The cloth diapers of today are not your mom's cloth diapers.

Yes, you can still get the Gerber prefolds (the least expensive cloth diapering option) that need to be folded around baby just so, but they are now used with Snappi's (a virtually ouch-free method when trying to fasten the diaper) and a cute fitted Waterproof cover, like a Thirstie's or a Tweedlebug that are neither unsightly nor bulky under clothes.

To make it even easier than that, there are pocket diapers and All-in-One's, which are essentially the waterproof cover with a nice soft lined interior, that you stick an absorbent insert in between (before placing on the baby). You can get sized diapers (that will fit babies depending on their weight) or a one-size fits all (that can be used on the baby from newborn to potty-training). The One-Size are obviously your most economical option of pocket diapers or AIO, since you don't have to buy new ones as your baby grows.

Eleanor Wearing BumGenius 4.0 One-Size Diaper

My favorite one-size pocket diaper is the BumGenius 4.0. They are super easy to use, are super soft against baby's skin and in my humble opinion, offer the best fit. My favorite pocket diaper used to be FuzziBunz, but after using their Perfect Size diapers (that had been gifted to me), I decided to try their One-Size diapers and the fit is horrible. I have heard that they had recently switched manufacturers, so I'm not sure if all of their diapers have been affected by this, but I would not recommend their One-Size diapers. To change the size (or fit) on FuzziBunz One-Size, you have to mess with these annoying elastic pieces (just like the elastic/button sitation in adjustable kid's jeans) and I find that they are always leaking pee. In contrast, BumGenius 4.0's are much easier to adjust the size (you simply snap or un-snap the buttons on the front of the diaper).

BumGenius are one of the more economical choices as well, as they have great promotional offers every other month or so (where you can Buy 5 One-Size diapers, and get 1 free, for approximately $86.00). So all you would need to have a great starting inventory is to buy 12 diapers for $172.00 (and really, with the exception of probably needing some heavier or doubler inserts as your baby gets older, this could be all you ever needed to buy). You can find this special being run at any good cloth diaper website (Kelly's Closet is one of the best, but there are other options).

When I discuss cloth diapers with some people, they are generally disgusted by the idea and they are concerned with having to deal with poop, touch poop, wash poopy diapers in their washing machine, etc. Any mom will tell you that you're going to have to deal with or touch poop on a regular basis anyways, and there will be poopy blow-outs which require you to wash poopy clothes in your washing machine. My first child had blow-outs in her disposable diaper almost on a daily basis, and I can tell you that I have not yet experienced a blow-out with a cloth diaper (and I have been cloth diapering for eight months). Cloth diapers are fitted/snug around the baby's waist, which prevents most blow-outs. Also, if you are a breast-feeding mama, breast-fed poop is water soluble, so there is no need to rinse/swish the poopy diapers before you wash them. Just toss them in your diaper pail, and they can go directly into your washing machine when you're ready to wash. See this article here for related information.

Now, that my daughter is eating solids, the poop needs to be shaken off/swished in the toilet, but for those of you that really can't fathom doing this, you can buy a sprayer that attaches to the toilet to "spray" the poop off (I had bought one but then quickly returned it when I realized that once my three year old got wind of it, she would be hosing down my bathroom). There are also flushable liners that you can use once they get to solids that you would just drop into the toilet.

I wish I had known just how easy it would be to cloth diaper the first time around. There are so many different options/types out there to fit any budget or lifestyle. It feels really good now knowing that I'm making a choice that is best for my child and also for the environment. There are no harmful chemicals touching their skin; there has been some research indicating that the chemicals in disposables might contribute to male infertility. I truly feel that cloth is more comfortable for them, as there is nothing but super soft fabric touching their skin and the instances of diaper rash are few and far between. And I like the fact that I'm not dumping thousands of dirty diapers into a landfill that could take up to 500 years to decompose. If you want to try to make a change, but are unsure if you're ready to be fully committed to cloth, just try it out. Just using three cloth diapers a day, can make a huge difference to the environment and just might get you hooked...

For more cloth diapering facts, see here.

Pum'kins & Such

2011-10-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

Boy, does time fly! Can't believe it's already the end of October. We've been enjoying some ridiculously warm 60-70 degree weather this Fall, so it's hard to believe that Winter is almost upon us.

Eleanor is 9 months old this month and well on her way to walking. She has three teeth and a fourth is not far behind...She enjoys eating just about anything (acorn squash, butternut squash, apples, pears, zucchini, sweet potato) and I'm slowly trying to incorporate finger food she can eat herself. She can now "sign" for "momma milk" when she's hungry, which is awesome! She also loves playing Peek-A-Boo.

Addie recently started 3 year old preschool and of course, loves being at school! Her newest love seems to be singing/performing for others and I am amazed at how well she memorizes lyrics to songs. This kid is anything but shy!! Her current favorite to perform is The Blue Mermaid (Jordin Sparks/Team Umi Zoomi). She is very imaginative and loves to tell stories about her little brother JoJo and her big sister Susan (LOL). She is as sassy as ever these days (sometimes I feel like I'm dealing with a teenager already) and is constantly pushing boundaries.

The Girls And Our Carved/Painted Pumpkins

Review and Giveaway: My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software

2011-09-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

Please visit the Review I did on My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software at Little Lake County . You can enter to win a copy of the software at this link and also receive an online code to receive $10 off the cost of the software and also $10 to use at their online store.

Addie's First Day Of Preschool

2010-09-23T11:03:00.001-07:00

Addie's First Day of Preschool - She doesn't look it, but she's excited! Addie's New Bumble Bee Backpack

Addie's first day of preschool was on Tuesday. At drop-off, they had the parents sit down with the kids on the circle rug to sing a few songs together before we left. They sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and then moved on to two other songs that I am not yet familiar with. My funny lil girl insisted upon dancing to the other songs rather than sit in mommy's lap and sing. I was a little embarrassed at first, thinking that people were going to look at my daughter like the "hyper one" who can't sit still...but I soon got over it. She definitely marches to the tune of her own drummer and I don't think I ever want to hinder that behavior. Another lil girl stood up to follow suit and her mom kept trying to get her to sit back down - futile in my opinion, they are 2 after all!!

Once the songs were over, the kids all leapt up to go play with toys and the parents were told to give a quick goodbye and leave the room. Me & Grandma said goodbye to Addie and started to walk out of the room. I was shocked when I turned around to see her face start to scrunch up and she actually started to cry. Addie has always been super independent; when we go to parties or playdates or open gyms, she always runs off to play with things and rarely looks to see where I am or what I am doing. I imagined that she would be the one child who didn't cry when she was dropped off at preschool. I quickly left, as the cries of several other children started up as well, and I didn't want to prolong any sadness.

Today, they had the parents just drop the kids off, hang up their backpacks, and quickly say goodbye. They had playdoh set out at the table, so Addie was quickly interested in that and I don't know if she was one of the few that shed tears today. She told me on the way home though that she wants to go to school everyday, so I'm thinking she likes it a lot! Trust me, if I could afford it, I'd send her everyday - working in peace and quiet is a beautiful thing!!

Addie's New Room

2010-09-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

So, last weekend, we "officially" moved Addie into her new room. I was very happy that I didn't need to take apart her entire twin bed, the hubby and I were able to slide the base on its side, from one room to the other.

I put up these great decals that I bought with her bedding at Target, they're very cute and add some much needed life to the room. The only problem with them is that they're repositional and Addie has learned that she can peel them off and put them wherever she likes (which of course, drives me nuts, but I can see how they would appeal to a toddler!). I'm not sure how long they will last at this rate, but we're trying to explain to her that if they're taken off too many times, they won't stick anymore.

I came across a cute project at The Kindred Spirit Mommy for a hair barrette/ponytail ribbon holder which Addie so desperately needs, as I'm tired of finding her barrettes all over my house. So, I bought some coordinating Owl fabric and finished it last night (while watching the Big Brother finale, was a little bummed Lane didn't win the grand prize!). I didn't take any step by step photos, but it is super easy. You just buy a stretched canvas, I went with an 11" x 14" one, and get some fabric to cover it. Most people would use a staple gun for this project, but I don't currently own one, so I used my trusty glue gun.

The finished project.

Close up of the fabric (which I love!)

Back of the frame.

I simply glued the fabric to the back of my stretched canvas, starting with one side first, then the other, then the bottom/top and finishing up the corners last (after trimming off any excess fabric). You just want to make sure after you glue/staple down your first side, that you're pulling the fabric to make it as tight as possible before you tack down the next side. Then, I glued various sized coordinating ribbon to the back, starting with the top first, and then the bottom. I purposefully did not glue the bottom of two of the ribbons (the thin Hot Pink ones) to the frame to be able to use as ponytail holders. I sealed the end of those ribbons with a lighter to prevent them from fraying. This project literally took me 15 minutes and I think it will be a really decorative, yet functional addition to Addie's room.

I also plan on adding "Adeline" in wooden letters to the wall that her bed is against at some point, I just have to find letters that I like and figure out how I'm going to paint or decoupage them to match the rest of her room.

I'm working on organizing the baby's room still, I've gotten all of Addie's clothes bins from her first year out the basement and am working on washing and hanging them all in the baby's closet.

In addition to starting preschool next week (which I know Addie is super excited about), I've signed her up for swimming lessons with Daddy and gymnastics/tumbling class with me starting in November. I figure it's good for her to get out and about and be active in the winter months, especially since she doesn't really have the luxury of leaving the house during the week, while I'm working.

It's a Girl!!!!

2010-08-31T14:23:00.001-07:00

I cannot even express how happy I am that the baby is another girl! I think both me and my husband were fully expecting it to be a boy, so it was a nice surprise when the tech said it was a girl! Being able to re-use all of my baby stuff is huge, and I love that Addie will have a sister to play with. We also don't need to re-decorate Addie's bedroom (phew!). I spent part of the weekend cleaning out the "sewing/craft" room to make space for Addie's stuff. I think she is a little hesitant to change rooms, but I keep pointing out to her that she has so much more space to play in. I'm hoping the owl/forest decals I have for her new room will help get her excited as well. We've already decided to name the baby Eleanor - I think it goes beautifully with Adeline, and we'll call her "Nora" for short. I'm pretty sure her middle name will be Stacy, after Elliott's sister. It might seem a bit soon for some people, but I plan on having the nursey back together in the next couple of weeks (including having all the clothes washed/hung, everything organized and put in its place). The baby won't even be here until mid-late January, but I feel like I'll have less to worry about later.

We're going camping this weekend for Labor Day (with Grandma, Grandpa and our two nephews) and I'm really looking forward to it! Been busy the past two days organizing all our camping gear and making lists of everything we need to buy/bring.

Updates

2010-08-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't been around in awhile, life has a way of catching up with you I guess. I started working full-time from home in January. I have found it extremely overwhelming at times to manage my workload and my daughter at the same time, and also struggled with the fact that I can no longer really leave the house during the day, except for the occasional drs visit or quick errand.

And I also have that problem where I dive whole-heartedly into something and do it so much and so often that eventually I tire of it and have to move on to something else. I find it difficult to keep up with more than a few things at a time, for example, if I'm doing an awesome job managing our budget/meal-planning/coupon clipping/etc., I'll spend so much time and energy on these things that than all of a sudden, I'm not sewing or scrapbooking or blogging, and vice versa...

Unfortunately, with the arrival of a second child in January, I feel like I have to become more organized/more focused to do all that needs to be done and all that I love to do. We are very excited, I miss having a baby around! We'll find out the sex in five days!! I'm actually getting really excited/anxious to move Addie into the big bedroom and fix up the lil bedroom for the baby. That of course, means moving my sewing/crafting stuff to the basement.

We're in the full throes of potty-training right now and it's actually going fairly well. Addie expressed interest in going on the potty several months ago, so we let her do it when she wanted, but she lost interest after a week or two, so I didn't push it. She is now wearing big girl training pants all day (except at naptime and bedtime) and doesn't have any accidents involving P.P., after a week or so. Still working on #2 though. I bought her a bunch of "Potty Presents" to try and incent her to remember to get to the potty beforehand. We'll see how that goes. She actually starts preschool in mid-Sept, so I'd like her to be almost completely potty-trained by then, even though it's only a two hour class.

Elliott is going back to school to finish his degree, so he started a class this week, and while it's not a subject he's thrilled about (ART), I'm happy that he's starting to work on something that I know he will be super happy about when completed.

All Settled

2009-08-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

So, we've been all moved in our new home now for almost a month! There are still a few things that need to be organized (namely, the basement and my linen closet), but most everything is unpacked and put away where it belongs. I've settled into a great groove of cooking, cleaning, laundering, crafting, and entertaining the doodlebug since we moved (which is strange because my much smaller 2 bedroom apartment always looked like a tornado had hit it and I could never seem to keep up with all that needed to be done). Part of this, I will blame on inadequate appliances. I cannot express how much I LOVE my new washer and dryer - they are super quiet, super efficient, and can hold several loads compared to my old 70's stackable washer/dryer that would take ALL day to complete about three small loads from start to finish.

I also now live near several of those Fresh Produce Stores (there are three within a two block radius), an Aldi's, and a Jewel Osco (before my only real close option for groceries was Dominicks' - which we all know is expensive) - so I'm really enjoying being able to stay on a grocery budget, buy tons of fresh/cheap produce, and come up with new creative food to make for dinner.

My sewing has taken a hiatus this past week or so as I've been busy with my daughter (on days that we have plans to go out somewhere, she never seems to nap, and on the days that we're stuck at home, it's generally because I'm working and therefore can't stop to sew when she falls asleep). But I'm happy to say that I shipped all of my burp cloths/bibs out to Catalina Island and have sold most of them at my sister's friend's store Golden State...they are waiting for me to send more, but I haven't gotten around to actually finishing anything lately. I am going to visit my sister over Labor Day weekend so I'm hoping to have a stockpile of burp cloths, baby sundresses and possibly some tote bags/purses made up to bring with. I'm super excited to be going on our first family vacation - I've missed the Island so much!!!

Painting

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

Pics of the Master Bedroom Before and After:

We were able to finish painting last weekend, thanks largely due to my family helping out (my dad and both of my brothers were able to help two days and my mom helped out by whisking the baby off to have fun) - it was a lot of hard work and I have to admit that after the first day, it was no longer fun and we were wondering what we had gotten ourselves into.

But now that it's finished I think it looks so nice and it's made the home more "Ours". We've been making trips over to the house every night with some boxes and spending what seems like countless hours at Home Depot every other day.

Tomorrow we're having the upstairs carpeting cleaned, and hopefully it will get rid of the animal smell (having new carpet installed was too great an expense at this point). My new washer/dryer and living room set are also being delivered tomorrow. I can't wait to see them!

This Saturday is our official move-in date and we'll be up early picking up our truck to move all of our furniture and larger items. I can't wait to have my dining room table back (it's been sitting in my mother-in-law's basement for the past year as we had no room for it in this apartment) - it will be so nice to be able to sit down and eat as a family in one spot. And I just can't wait to be living in our new home.

Elliott's friend who is a carpenter is going to come out on Sunday to look at the backyard and give us an estimate on the deck, so I'm hoping our tax credit arrives soon so we can actually afford to put the deck on.

The House

2009-07-01T20:31:00.001-07:00

We close tomorrow on our new house! I'm so excited, I'm sure it will be hard to sleep tonight. We did our final walk-through last night and were a little disappointed in the shape of things - honestly when a house is full of furniture, it covers a lot of "blemishes"...so we have a lot of work to do! We're very fortunate that we have almost three weeks before we have to be out of our apartment so we can allow time to work on the house before we move everything over.

We're painting the master bedroom and the kitchen/dining room/family room on Friday (with the help of a couple of friends) and picked out the paint tonight (which was only about a 1 1/2 hour trip to Home Depot with our very impatient and curious toddler - fun!). We also bought a washer and dryer (as the previous owners took theirs with) - we picked out something large (so to be able to wash king size bedding and such) yet affordable. I can't wait to finally have a washing machine that can hold more than four towels at a time and a dryer that doesn't need two cycles to get the job done.

We have Empire and Luna both coming out to the house tomorrow for in-home estimates; unfortunately even though the previous owner's cat is now gone, the smell is not! Since only the upstairs is carpeted, we figure it won't be too big an expense, and we didn't want to shell out an arm-and-a-leg to have the carpets cleaned when there is no guarantee that it would help the smell.

I bought some fun polka-dot wall decals for Addie (I also have her wooden block letters that I never hung at the apartment) so I hope those arrive sometime this weekend so we can decorate her room. It will be so wonderful for her to have her own room...and I can't wait to get her sleeping in her crib again.

So, I'll try and post pics of this weekends efforts later, as I'm sure there will be some huliarity involved (seeing as me nor Elliott have ever really decorated a house before).

Check Out My Etsy Store

2009-06-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it. Last night, I posted six sets of items to my Etsy store (exactly one week after I made a goal of posting items before the end of July). I have more stuff currently in the works and will hopefully be adding more items in the next week or so (unfortunately, we are moving, so packing will take up a good deal of my time I'm sure).

I got my new business cards yesterday from Vista Print and they are too too cute! I think I'm going to make some homemade "happy new baby" cards that I can also sell in my Etsy store (for an additional couple bucks) when people buy a burp cloth or burp cloth & bib set. I'm really excited to get this venture going and am hoping that it does well!

www.whitneyellen77.etsy.com

Burp Cloths Galore

2009-06-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

So, I started cutting fabric and sewing today while my darling daughter was taking her nap and am working again now that she's asleep for the night. After much trial and error, I'm finally creating a good enough product to sell, in my opinion, and I'm very excited! I promised myself that I would have at least five separate items for sale in my Etsy store by the end of July, and I think I will be able to have this goal accomplished by the end of June.

I have finished three of the best burp cloths I have ever sewn today and can't wait to post them in my Etsy store - but I am going to wait until I have more of them done so I can have more than one listing in my store. I am also working on smaller baby bibs (than the ones I had originally sewn and posted pics of) in the matching fabrics - I want to create little gift sets (2 burp cloths, 1 burp cloth & matching bib, 2 bibs, etc, etc, etc) that will be perfect for baby shower gifts or just new moms in general in fabrics that aren't typically "baby" fabrics.

So, tomorrow during my "Alone" time, I plan on returning to the fabric store to get a Snaps Plier, as I'm really tired of sewing on snaps to the bibs and want to just be able to pop them on with this handy gadget. I also am running to Old Navy to get some $2 ribbed tank tops (seriously, one of my favorite products that they carry)!!!

2009 Goals

2009-06-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

So back in January I believe, I posted a list of goals that I want to achieve in 2009...here's the list:

Keep up my daily blog
Devote some time each week (or possibly day) to my crafts
Start up my own business so that I can make money doing something I love!!!
Buy our first home
Spend more alone time with my husband
Get pregnant (this can only happen once the above two goals have been accomplished)!!
Take a cake decorating class
Go back to school for a medical billing or coding certificate
Get more organized
Exercise more, make healthier meals
Be the best person (mom, wife, friend, fellow human being) I can possibly be in all arenas of my life!!!

Looking over this list, I haven't really accomplished much YET! I've highlighted in yellow the things that I have completed. I have definitely kept up with sewing/crafting, and generally work on it at least one day a week, if not more.

I am a lot more organized than I was at the beginning of the year, I was actually able to get Addie on a normal routine everyday and have pretty much kept up with it! Yay me!

And we are in the process of buying our first home - we close July 2nd and man, is it coming up soon! I can't wait! I already find myself making a large laundry list of all the things I'll want to buy for said new home.

So, here's an updated goals list:

Write in my blog at least twice a week (I'm finding that trying to write daily is just not happening)
Not to run my family into debt buying new home purchases (this will take tremendous willpower on both mine and my husbands part)!!
Read more (I'd like to make a goal of reading at least one book a week)
Get more time alone (my husband and I are currently taking turns every Saturday for a few hours with the baby, to ensure that each of us is getting time alone to do the things we want to)
Open up my Etsy store with at least 5 items for sale by the end of July (I just bought a handful of fabrics in which to start up an inventory, now I just need to sit down and sew!!!)
Start a Garden
Take a cake decorating class
Exercise more, eat healthier (this still stands and is even more important now that I'm not breastfeeding as much and thus burning less calories every day).
Get pregnant (probably sometime after the new year, as I feel that I've finally adjusted to being a stay-at-home mom and I want a little more time to just enjoy being Addie's mom)
Get a puppy (after we're settled, maybe around Christmastime)
Go on a family vacation to California

I think that about sums it up right now, I'll keep you posted on my progress!

1001 Books to Read

2009-06-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

So my friend Robyn over at Craftivist posted a list of 1001 books to read. I'm not sure from where the list originated, but it has definitely inspired me to want to get back to reading. As I looked over the list, I only found about 50 titles that I had previously read (some for pure pleasure and others for school assignments - for those that don't know me, I majored in English in college). Shocking!

Reading has dropped off the radar for me since I've had my baby (except of course, for parenting articles) and looking over this list reminded me just how much I love reading and that I do miss it. So, my goal is to start reading the books on this list and see many I can actually get through. As long as my daughter is sleeping, I know I will have the privacy (and quiet), and I know that I spend several hours every night watching tv, so I must have the time!

I do find that for me watching tv is usually a backdrop to doing something else, and being a busy mom, I feel the need to always be multi-tasking. Now that it's summer and most of the tv shows are reruns or just stupid, I think it's a great time to do some relaxing with a book in hand. I'll keep you posted on how well it goes.

Road-Tripping with the Heeters

2009-06-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

We got back from our whirlwind of a roadtrip Friday evening and I'm still trying to recover I think. Here's the recap: My sister and her hubby and my nephew Tug (who is 3 months older than Addie) flew in Tuesday night from Cali, so we all met at my parent's house for dinner and of course, drinks. Wednesday morning, The Heeters, along with my hungover younger brother Jon (who for all intensive purposes was tricked into going to visit his Grandma while under the influence), came and picked up me and Addie and off we went. Our first stop, Robbinsdale, a suburb of Minneapolis, only a little over 400 miles away where my Grandma and Aunt (and most of my dad's relations) live.

Thankfully, they had rented a Kia Sorrento that was large enough to not only accommodate four adults, and two carseats, but also all of the luggage, toys, snacks, and accessories that travelling with toddlers entails. The first day went well, due largely in part to the portable DVD player and Muppet Show DVD's that put the kids in a hypnotic state for much of the ride. We got to Grandma's around 7:15 pm, had a late dinner, and then stayed up playing 5 card draw and shit on your neighbor with nickles after the kids fell asleep.

We left Minneapolis the following morning around 11:00 am and headed down south to Davenport, Iowa (again, over 400 miles away) to visit Tony's Grandma and Uncle. We made good time though (or maybe stopped less) and were there before dinnertime. We got a suite (so my poor brother didn't have to share a bed again with me & Addie), went swimming, and ordered a feast of pizza/pasta/salad/chicken and of course beers and just chilled in the hotel room. Liquor is key to keeping your sanity when travelling with two tired displaced toddlers!

The following morning we went to the Niabi zoo in Rock Island, IL, which was a really great small zoo and the kids had a blast! After the zoo, we went to a beautiful park in Davenport, that reminded me of a mini-Central Park - unfortunately, the kids didn't understand that they couldn't just run into the pond and go for a swim...Addie finally crapped out in my lap and got in a nice little thirty minute nap before we headed off to Famous Dave's with all of Tony's family for a delicious dinner!!! Afterwards, it was time to drive back to Chi-town, and honestly, I thought the shortest drive (probably like 2 and a half hours tops) would have been the easiest...but after no long naps that day and probably being tired of sitting the car, the kids were cracking (Addie in particular). About 40 minutes from home, she started to carry on and worked herself up so much that her face was puffy from all the crying and she was choking on all of her saliva - we had to pull over and try and calm her down. She was fine sitting with me but she wanted absolutely nothing more to do with her car seat...we ended up moving Tug's car seat up a row, and I sat in the way back with Addie to attempt to make her more comfortable, but she didn't stop crying or fall asleep until about fifteen minutes from my parent's house.

It was a great time though overall, it was nice for my Grandma and Aunt to finally meet both of the babies, and I loved spending all of the extra time with my sister and her family. I've always loved roadtrips! It was nice to be off of work for three days too! hehe

Yesterday, after visiting one last time with my sister and her family, Elliott & I had an open house to attend. My friend's from college just bought their first home, so we spent a couple hours there last night eating, drinking, and chasing after Addie (to make sure she wasn't breaking any of their valuables)!!! Needless to say, I was extremely tired today and not really motivated to do much - I watched a Marathon of Crap Reality TV on MTV all afternoon and finally mustered up some energy to sew a new outfit for Addie when she & Elliott took a nap!

Here are some pics from our roadtrip!

Forever and a Day

2009-05-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, it's been awhile since I've checked in...I keep making myself promises that blogging is something I need to make a committment to (at least twice a week) and then I keep breaking said promises. Things have been super busy lately, so that is my excuse (albeit a lame one)!

We will close on our duplex on July 2nd and I'm so excited! I cannot wait to have all the space and am just hoping that I will be able to keep up with all the extra cleaning having a bigger living space will entail (I must confess that cleaning is NOT one of my strong points, which my husband will attest to). But I think there comes a certain pride in owning something and wanting to keep it nice, so hopefully I will be more invested in my home than I have been in my apartments!

I've been busy sewing a sundress with matching bloomers and a hat for Addie - my mom spent two days with me giving me "lessons" and helping me piece together this outfit. I seem to have a natural talent for sewing, but am not so great at deciphering sewing lingo or following patterns. Pics below on the finished product (it seems a little long on her, so it might actually fit for two summers instead of one)...I also have more fabric to make another one, so will get started on that this week too. The more sewing skills I acquire, the more I become motivated to make it a career. And I'll have a spare room at the new house to use as a sewing/craft room, so I'm getting closer to being able to actually make that happen!

My sister & her family are coming into town on Tuesday, and me & Addie are going to join them on a mini-roadtrip up to Minnesota to visit my Grandma and Aunt (whom have never met either of our babies) and then on to Iowa to visit Tony's Grandma and Uncle, and I'm very excited to be able to spend more time with her while they're here. There are always so many people for them to see when they come in, that I feel like we never have enough time together, so this will be nice!

Sweet & Sassy Pork Tenderloin

2009-04-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Here is a recipe I tried out last week with the help of my grill master hubby!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-and-Sassy-Pork-Tenderloin/Detail.aspx

We had never grilled pork tenderloin before and it took us a few minutes to decide how we would cut up the tenderloin (as when we opened the package, it was in two long "logs", and it had deceptively looked like one "log" in the plastic)...I simply cut the tenderloin "logs" in half and then cut them again lengthwise so that we had eight "filets" for Elliott to grill.

I brushed some olive oil on to the filets and seasoned with pepper, and Elliott grilled them!

I put together the sauce (minus the horseradish, which I didn't have on hand) and when he was done we simply poured it on top of each filet. It was delicious! Perfect combination of spicy and sweet! And the tenderloin was so juicy! This was such a great recipe, I wanted to share it, along with a pic, I served it with Herb & Butter Rice (am a huge fan of Knorr side dishes, as they're super easy to prepare) and sweet peas!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T13:34:00.001-07:00

Can you find the hidden eggs?

Addie found her first egg!

Yum, Cheerios!!

Here's another one!

Daddy, can you hold these please?

A Whole Basket!!!

Mommy and me

Here are some pics from this morning...we hid a few eggs (in plain sight) and her basket and helped Addie to find them. I can't wait until Addie is a little older so that we can actually hide the eggs. Growing up, my parents always did some elaborate egg hunt, with puzzles and clues to help us find more eggs and in the end, our baskets. It was always fun, and slightly educational too.

Looking for a house

2009-04-08T07:47:00.001-07:00

So, we finally talked to the mortgage broker yesterday and got prequalified for a home loan! We're so excited! We were worried we weren't going to be offered as much as we wanted/needed because we only have my husband's income (and the raise that he was promised in March hasn't come through yet!), but we were! So, the next step will be to hook up with the realtor and start looking at houses. I've been looking at houses online now for the past year, so to actually be able to go and see them in person is going to be so much fun. We have three months to find the house of our dreams (before our lease is up), so hopefully, we'll be able to do it!

Off to Winona!!

2009-03-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

So, tomorrow morning we leave for Winona, Minnesota - it's our first road trip with Addie!! I'm excited and scared at the same time, she does like to sleep in the car sometimes, but other times is just miserable, so hopefully it will go well. The trip is only about four and a half hours, we plan to stop for lunch, and will allow enough time to stop here and there to let her out to run around if need be (and weather permitting). The good news is here in Chicago we are supposed to have a windy, rainy, snowy weekend, so we'll be missing that, and the snow is not intended to hit Winona until Monday, so hopefully we'll miss out on these crazy spring storms alltogether.

I'll write more later, the doodle has just awoken and I must go comfort her!!

Elephant Flannel & Terry Cloth Bib

2009-03-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Here's the newest bib I've finished. I'm giving it to an old girlfriend for her newest son's baptism this weekend. I'm planning on making her two burp cloths too (but probably out of a different material/fabric). I know it's not a religious gift, but I'm sure she'll be getting plenty of those from the other attendees, so I wanted to give her something that was functional and cute!

The elephant fabric is flannel, and I've backed it with a brown/greenish colored terry cloth (perfect for wiping up extra mess afterwards), and I just binded it with white binding...Not sure if I'll do another bib in this fashion, just depends on whether or not I can get better at sewing the binding on.

I Won!!!

2009-03-21T19:11:00.000-07:00

Whoo-hoo, I just won a Sprout Shell from Jamie's Precious Peas blog and I'm so excited! It's a really great product that covers your infant car seat and shields your baby from the elements and I would've loved to have had one with Adeline. I picked a gender neutral fabric, in case our second baby isn't another girl. But I just had to share because I love to win things (who doesn't?). Thanks so much to Jamie & Sprout Shell for the opportunity to win this awesome product!!

This is the third blog giveaway I've won since February (although one of the items I "forfeited" cuz I didn't get back to the blog owner in the specified timeframe), and I'm totally addicted to entering bloggy giveaways now. There are so many great products out there for children & babies that I would never had heard of had it not been for starting my blog and seeking out other blogs by moms...and to be able to win some of these products is just awesome!!! It takes about a half hour every day to go through all of the bloggy giveaways (that I frequent) and enter the giveaways I'm interested in, and I think it's well worth the time spent! So, I highly recommend checking it out, because you CAN actually win stuff!

Baby Bib & Burp Cloth Set

2009-03-19T08:47:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I finished the burp cloth to go with the baby bib I made the other day to send to my friend who recently had a baby girl. There was definitely some trial and error, as in my tired state last night, I sewed the burp cloth pieces together backwards and had to completely unstitch it and start over...and there were a couple other minor boo-boos as well, but overall I think they're cute!! Not sure why a couple of the pics are not posting landscape...

Pics of the Baby Bib

2009-03-18T08:32:00.001-07:00

Ok, here are the pics of the baby bib I made yesterday. So, I need a little practice with my top-stitching, but other than that, I think it turned out really nice. The neck hole might need to be made a little smaller (as it looks huge on Addie) for any future bibs as well, but I love the soft flannel material, and the bib is reversible and can be worn on either side (the pics of the finished product on Addie are the proper color, it's a cream fabric which is hard to see in the first few pics I took). I can't wait to work up a couple of matching burp cloths, which I will post pics of as well. I plan on working on those today (since I'm not working, yah!!).

Before Top Stitching

The Reverse Side

After Top Stitching

Handsewn Snaps

The Finished Bib on My Baby Model Adeline (Whom I couldn't get to sit/stand still)

Baby Bib

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

So, I went to JoAnn's the other day and picked up some really cute flannel prints to start working on some baby bibs and burp cloths and am really excited!!! I have started my first bib, made the template myself (using my daughter as a guide), just need to top stitch it and add the snaps and it's completed! It actually turned out really well for my first time, I think. I'll post the pictures of the finished project when I'm done.

I'm getting so inspired by all of you other crafty blogs out there, and everyday am finding other fun sewing projects I'd like to try! I really do enjoy sewing, and it's super easy once you get the hang of it. I would definitely like to sell these bibs and burp cloths once I figure out how to do them. I'm lucky because I've had a lot of friends give birth recently, so I have presents to make, which will give me some practice before I try to sell them. I'll post more later when I'm finished.

Natural Mommie Spring Giveaway Event!!

2009-03-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Natural Mommie is having a eco-chic & eco-friendly "Naturally Step Into Spring" event that begins March 21st! She's going to be holding a month's worth of eco-friendly daily giveaways.

I've become obsessed (for lack of a better word) with entering bloggy giveaways lately, and it's always a bonus when the giveaways are for green products or from companies that are environmentally conscious!

Visit her blog at http://naturalmommie.blogspot.com/ today for a chance at winning a $25 Starbucks card and continue to visit through April for other fabulous giveaways, can't wait to see what else she has to give away!!!

I absolutely love Starbucks, but since becoming a stay-at-home mom I've had to give up my expensive daily grande peppermint mocha habit, so winning a gift card to Starbucks would really be awesome.

Anyways, be sure to check out her blog at http://naturalmommie.blogspot.com/ and join in on the fun!!!

Neglected

2009-03-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been awhile since I've last written. I decided that attempting to write every day was just too great a challenge for me, so I'm going to keep up with it when I can.

Just a few updates:

My baby girl Adeline is now one year old. I can't believe how quickly time has flown! She is the most amazing baby and is constantly changing and growing, it's so much fun to watch! She has learned to say "hi" and "bye bye" within the past month, and I'm waiting to hear what other fun words will be coming soon. She can identify "ears" on a person's face, and sometimes their nose or eyes. She's also recently started to shake her head "no" when we use the word, which just makes me laugh. Here are a few pics from her First Birthday Party, which was a blast!!

I just finished posting my first ever etsy handmade items to my etsy account, I'm selling two baby girl tag blankies. I had made a bunch of them (some boy and uni-sex too) but have recently had a few friends give birth so wanted to send them the blankies instead of selling them. I'm really excited, so I'll see how it all goes! I plan on working on more blankies soon and am hoping to branch out into other baby items like burp cloths, bibs, and possibly even diaper bags, changing pads, etc. to sell. My etsy store is whitneyellen77 - it's a work in progress, so it's a very basic looking site with no logo/etc yet...if the selling goes well, I'll look into revamping it.
My husband and I just recently paid off six credit card/medical/other bills and I'm looking forward to being debt free in the near future (we still have 3 more credit card bills to go, and am hoping to have those paid off within the next year). But right now, our current goal is to buy our first home this summer, and I'm getting so excited at the prospect of having much more space than our current two bedroom apartment (and being able to store all of our holiday, baby, etc. items properly) and be able to consider expanding our family! We've been working hard on fixing our credit and getting rid of old debt, so it's nice to see our hard work finally paying off (especially since we're living off of my husband's salary alone, with just a little supplemental income from me).

Addie's First Valentine's Day!!

2009-02-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-13T22:29:00.000-08:00

It was 2 Years ago today that my husband proposed to me and I of course, accepted that proposal. I can't believe how far we've come in so little time, married and the proud parents of our almost one year old daughter Adeline. Last year for Valentine's Day (when I was about 36 weeks pregnant), we went out to dinner at the restaurant (where my husband both proposed and where we were also later married) for our last dinner out as a "couple". I miss those days of "wine-ing and dining" a little, there was a lot more money to be spent, as we both worked full-time, and there was just a general carefree-ness that got left to the wayside once we became responsible for a little life.

The good thing now is the comfortability factor, our date nights currently consist of a 12 pack of Stella, a Red Baron frozen pizza, and movies from Netflix, while snuggling in bed with our baby bean (or letting her run amuck and pull out all the contents of our dresser drawers while we snuggle). There is no having to dress up, put on makeup, pretend to know the rules of fine dining or pick a great complementary wine with dinner - it's a totally no frills, cozy, life couldn't get any better than this kind-of night. I'm pretty sure that our Valentine's Day nights for the next few years (as we expand our brood) are going to be pretty casual, typical comfortable nights, and I'm ok with that. At least this year, I can enjoy a few drinks!

Sick

2009-02-08T18:47:00.000-08:00

So, I haven't gotten as much accomplished this weekend as I would've liked too, since the doodle and I are both sick. And we had to move around our plans this week to make sure we're not infecting anyone else (which means postponing our trip downtown to visit old friends - boo hoo!).

I was able to finish two blue unisex baby tag blankies, with a third almost finished, but still haven't gotten anything officially posted to Etsy yet. I perused Etsy earlier today to find out how much other people are charging for similar items and found a fairly large range in cost. So, I'm not yet sure what I will price my blankies at. I also started researching different fabric suppliers and whatnot, looking for fun fabric to create other baby items from. I'm going to attempt to do bib and burp cloth sets...I have this really cute elephant flannel print, but I bought a matching terry cloth to use as one side, and I thinking that it might be too thick to pair with the flannel. I also saw a few bibs/cloths with minky on one side and cotton on the other, which is interesting. They looked nice, but I'd prefer to use a fabric that is a little more functional...which is why I picked up the terry cloth in the first place. But I might have to revisit the fabric store and try something else.

I think my tag blankies are really cute, and babies love them, but I feel like I can easily find flaws in their design or just don't think they're good enough (that people might not actually pay for them or be happy afterwards that they did). I'm not sure where this self-doubt is coming from, maybe I will feel better after I've actually sold something or get feedback from someone who uses something I've made.

Anyways, it's a work in progress, and I'm going to continue plugging away and hopefully coming up with some products that are cute and functional. For now, me and the doodle need to get a little bit more rest. Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow.

Baby Girl Tag Blankies

2009-02-05T16:45:00.000-08:00

So, here are a couple of pics of the baby girl tag blankies that I completed today. I really like these, probably just cuz I'm a huge fan of pink, and I like the lime green too. I've also started to piece together three unisex tag blankies (they're multi-colored), so hoping to get those done by the weekend. I'd like to have a handful of items to post in my etsy store at one time, and then we'll see how it goes. Obviously, I need to make a little money to be able to purchase more supplies, so this might be slow going at first. I would eventually love to have a full-blown etsy shop (or even just my own internet page) that sells my handmade baby creations and also gift baskets for baby showers (including handmade and purchased items).

We've been doing really good with eating more healthy...here is a pic of Adeline today with her lunch - banana, avocado, and sweet potato. She ate most everything on her tray, except for the sweet potato, which is weird cuz she loves it pureed. She'll eat just about anything these days, so I hope that doesn't change too much as she gets older. I can't believe she's almost a year old, the time has flown!

Here's another pic of Addie recently passed out face down in the silkies...

Just checking in

2009-02-04T07:52:00.000-08:00

So, I haven't written anything in a few days, so I'm just checking in. I've been busy working on my new schedule with the baby, and eating healthier, and getting crafts done. So, far I'm feeling pretty good at the changes I've implemented in the past couple of weeks. We're all getting to bed at a more reasonable hour than before, but am still finding that I have to wake up for multiple feedings throughout the night. I really want to break Addie of this habit soon, but don't know if I have the patience yet to actually do anything about it while I'm in the dead of sleep.

I think that it might be easy to coincide breaking her of this habit at the same time as we're weaning her (I know I will not be getting up to give her any bottles in the night) from the nursing, but it will probably take some trial and error. Or a bunch of frustrating sleepless nights.

I'm working on two girly tag blankies, and I love these much better than the boys' ones I did before (probably just cuz I'm a big fan of pink). My goal is to finish multiple items this week to then post on my etsy site for sale. Between that, working, and keeping up with all of my fun "mommy group" activities, I am very busy this week. Hence, the lack of entries since Saturday.

We are going to be off to a playdate in a short while (without a nap) so we'll see what ensues. Then I'm going out tonight to Olive Garden with a few other moms for some dessert and drinks, while daddy plays with Addie! It should be a good time. I'll post some pics tomorrow of the new stuff I'm working on.

2009-01-31T19:14:00.000-08:00

So, nothing much going on today, just checking in. I made my second Black Apple Doll last night (pictures will be posted later as I haven't yet painted on her face) for an old co-worker that I plan on visiting soon. And today I started to work on a couple of baby girl tag blankies. I'm really hoping to get a couple of things posted to my etsy site by the end of next week.

Unfortunately, I have to work tomorrow morning for a couple of hours (but I guess it's ok, since I have most of this upcoming week off and have a bunch of fun stuff planned for me and doodle), so I can't stay up late again. My husband and I just watched part of the First Season of Jericho, and it's slightly cheesy, slightly amusing, and slightly intriguing, so I think we'll continue to get the rest of the season from Netflix and see what ensues.

Stubby Pencil Studio Giveaway at I Never Grew Up

2009-01-30T19:18:00.000-08:00

I Never Grew Up is hosting a giveway featuring eco-friendly art supplies from Stubby Pencil Studio at http://inevergrewup.net/giveaway-26-eco-friendly-art-supplies-from-stubby-pencil-studio/

Please check out her blog and the awesome giveaway which includes a pack of Color'n kids Valentine's cards, set of washable markers, crayon rocks, a recycled sketchbook, set of colored smencils, and a box #2 triangular pencils.

Also be sure to check out Stubby Pencil Studio's website, they have a ton of great products, including some great wooden toys! http://www.stubbypencilstudio.com/

T.G.I.F!!!

2009-01-30T18:22:00.001-08:00

I'm so happy it's Friday! That means I can spend as much time sewing this weekend (as my daughter & hubby will allow) and I can stay up late (provided I have enough caffeine), because I have absolutely no responsibilities tomorrow!! I actually am wishing I had a beer (a margarita would be the most ideal, but who I am kidding, like I've ever mixed up a batch of margarita's at home!)...

So, I found out today that I won a giveaway on one of the blogs that I follow called Feisty, Frugal, and Fabulous! I'm so excited, I can't tell you the last time that I won anything. I ended up winning a few different products from a company called Classy Kid Inc (that sells germ protection and easy clean-up products). Here's the website, I'll tell you more when I receive the products: http://www.classy-kid.com/juvenile.html

Another smoothie recipe

2009-01-29T15:05:00.001-08:00

I made this today and it was delicious!!

1/2 cup frozen blackberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
2 bananas
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk

The measurements are approximates, as I just tend to throw things in until I reach the desired consistency. My smoothies tend to be more like thick milkshakes. I'm not a yogurt fan so I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the vanilla yogurt and found it to be a custardy consistency that tasted a little like vanilla cheesecake. Yum-yum!

I had another great session with my life coach Claudia (www.significantself.com). The next step (or goal) is to eat healthier (and hopefully regain some long-lost energy that is not caffeine derived) and to work on relaxing in the evening (and preparing for sleep ahead of time, so I can actually close my eyes without seeing a laundry list of "to-dos" floating around). We came up with a great list of fast, easy foods that I can prepare for breakfast, lunch, or snacks that are healthy and also will help keep my energy at a normal level.

For example:
Breakfast - fruit smoothie with a hard-boiled egg or stick of cheese, multi-grain oatmeal with side of fruit
Lunch - omelette with cheese (optional meat & veggies), hummus & veggies on a pita, spinach salads with chicken, soup & crackers,
Snacks - triscuits with cheese & avocado, nuts, dark chocolate

The only hindrance I see to actually having a lot of these foods in my house is the cost of groceries these days. While fresh produce is relatively inexpensive (depending on what it is), certain foods like nuts are super high priced, in my opinion. So I might have to rethink my $50 a week grocery budget to accommodate some of these "healthier" tidbits.

Where did Tuesday Go?

2009-01-28T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I missed a day. I'm only a few weeks into my daily blogging and I've already missed a day. To be honest, there have been a few days when thinking of something I wanted to write about was like pulling teeth. So, maybe my goal of writing daily for a year was little overzealous...and maybe I should just let yesterday slide and carry on with full gusto, pretending that it never happened. Just an oversight.

I attempted to upload a video of my daughter here, but it's taking several hours, so I think it's a no go! Above is a pic instead....

Going Green

2009-01-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

So, the big thing these days is to be "green" (or what I would refer to as being environmentally responsible) and to try to leave as little a carbon footprint as possible. I've definitely made some changes in my life recently to live a more "green" life - I'm not sure if this is a direct result of having a child and wanting the world to be a better place for her (or at least last to see her children's children's children) or partly because "being green" is everywhere. There is a plethora of new products to choose from, so as a consumer we now have options in being able to buy products that are "environmentally responsible". And most of these new "green" products are priced comparable to the old stuff, and work just as well, if not better, so we should have no excuses as to why we can't do our little part to save our earth.

Here are the ways I am green:

I recycle
I breastfeed - I consider this being green as I am using my body (or natural resources) to feed my baby, no packaging involved
I do on occasion make my own baby food (which again reduces packaging)
I use a more "environmentally friendly" disposable diaper made by Seventh Generation (their diapers and wipes are chlorine free)
I have on occasion used cloth diapers (I definitely plan on using them almost exclusively with my next baby, now that I am armed with more info and knowledge about them, and just have my shit together more as a mom)
I have switched my laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, and dish soap (and other household cleaners) to vegetable and plant based products (as opposed to petroleum based products). Again, I use Seventh Generation and have nothing but great things to say about them. They have "free and clear" versions of their products, which obviously contain no scents or dyes, and are great for the sensitive skin of a baby.
I wash all of my laundry in cold water only

Factoid: If every household in the U.S. replaced just one bottle of 25 oz. petroleum-based dishwashing liquid with Seventh Generation's (or other) plant-derived product, we could save 86,000 barrels of oil, which is enough to heat and cool 4,900 U.S. homes for a year!

For more information on their great products, visit seventhgeneration.com. Their products are also available at your local grocery store or at diapers.com. I was able to purchase a Seventh Generations savings card through diapers.com, which saved me a percentage of my purchases for an entire year on their products. And you can purchase the products by the case at diapers.com, so I just stock up for awhile! All orders at diapers.com over $49 get free shipping, so I highly recommend using them for any/all baby needs.

Smoothies for Breakfast

2009-01-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, so my friend Autumn gave me this smoothie recipe to try, and we just bought a blender, so tomorrow will be the first taste test. I'm hoping to get in the habit of whipping us up different fruit smoothies so that we have something healthy, easy, and yummy for breakfast (since this is the meal Elliott and I most often forgo - except for our large weekend egg brunches).

For 2 servings:
1/2 cup soy milk (we chose vanilla flavor, since we've never tried soy milk before)
1/2 cup rainbow sherbert
2 bananas
4-8 oz of pineapple

I'll let you know tomorrow how they tasted. I'm exhausted tonight, so I am going to go relax with my hubby in front of the tv and hopefully go to sleep early.

Black Apple Doll

2009-01-24T22:25:00.000-08:00

So, I'm pretty proud of myself. I spent all evening working on a Black Apple Doll. You can get more info on the creator Emily Martin and actual templates/tutorials on Martha Stewart's website at http://www.marthastewart.com/article/black-apple-doll

They're really cute, and I wanted to make one for my daughter Adeline - I definitely can't give it to her now, she'll just rip it (or bite it) apart, but I think it will be nice to have something that Mommy made for her when she gets a little bit bigger!

Obviously, she's not perfect, but I think I did awesome for my first try! And she is almost entirely hand sewn, I used my machine just for her little arms and legs! I can't wait to make more for the other lil women in my life!

Here's a pic of my little doll too!

Baby Tag Blankies

2009-01-24T13:19:00.000-08:00

So, I've completed my goal of making two baby tag blankies this week. Hoo-ray! They're both made of the same fabric and ribbon. Both sides are fleece. All of the ribbons were anchored onto (sewn on) one side of the fabric first, and then I sew both pieces of the fleece together - so the ribbons are all sewn down twice to secure them.

I'm going to be giving these two blankets for friends who recently had boy babies, but in the future, I would like to post and sell the blankets on etsy. Any ideas on a reasonable price? I was thinking $12.00, but don't know what other people would think was appropriate. Any ideas? The blankets are approximately 12" x 12". I obviously want to make it worth my while and need to take into account the amount of materials plus the labor it took to actually put them together. I would say I worked on the blankets a total of five hours (hope that things will go quicker as I get better).

Well, I'm currently washing the rest of the fabric that I got the other day, and hope to get started on some "girly" tag blankies and also putting together a Black Apple Doll tonight and tomorrow. I'm so excited!!

Chili

2009-01-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

So, I make two kinds of chili...what I consider the really good stuff (and I've been told by a few people that it's the best chili they've ever tasted) and the other kind, which is more of an easy skillet version (the kind that I don't want to take all day to prepare/simmer).

Easy Skillet Chili

1 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1/2 large green pepper
1 can undrained red kidney beans (dark or light whichever you prefer)
1 can undrained diced tomatoes (I prefer Hunt's diced tomatoes with green pepper, onion, and celery, or the diced tomatoes with green chilies from some added kick)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup instant rice
2-3 garlic cloves

garlic powder
chili powder
pepper
cayenne
cumin

1/2 cup - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef with the chopped onion and garlic.
Drain the grease, and then add the remaining ingredients to the skillet, except the cheddar cheese and stir. With the seasonings, I never measure in teaspoons/etc, I always just add to my taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. After the 20 minutes is up, throw the shredded cheese on top and cover again to melt the cheese. Serve with Frito Lay corn chips or cornbread.

The Really Good Chili

The secret to the really good stuff is using Brooks Hot & Mild Chili Beans - whatever sauce the beans are in is great, and only gets better when you add to it...

So, when I usually make an entire pot of this chili (to serve for a party) or my husband and I will enjoy leftovers for awhile, this stuff is great for chili dogs!

1 Large Can Brooks Hot Chili Beans (I think it's the 40 oz - though not sure)
1 Large Can Brooks Mild Chili Beans
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Onion
3-4 Garlic Cloves
1 Green Pepper
1 Red or Yellow Pepper
1 Large Can of Undrained Diced Tomatoes or 2 smaller cans(again, I prefer the Hunts diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onion)
1 small can diced green chilies
1 small jalapeno (optional, if you like heat)

Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Cayenne
Cumin
Coriander

Brown the ground beef with the onions, garlic, and green or red peppers. Drain the grease, and then throw into a large pot. Add the Brooks beans (undrained of course), tomatoes, green chilies, to the pot, and then season to your liking. I usually simmer on low for about two hours or so, obviously watching carefully to make sure the bottom doesn't burn, stirring occasionally. You can also add fresh chopped cilantro to the top once you've dished it out. We usually top with shredded cheddar or jack/colby cheese and a dollop of sour cream and serve with corn bread.

Side Bar: I went to JoAnn's today (a sewing/craft store) and bought a bunch of fabric for my baby tag blankies and the Black Apple dolls (by Emily Martin) that I'd like to try my hand at making. I'm so excited to get started! I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Life Coach

2009-01-22T15:48:00.001-08:00

So, I just started to work with a Life Coach (for new moms), and I think it's going to help me tremendously. Her name is Claudia and her website is www.significantself.com. I almost wish I had known about her earlier, and then maybe it wouldn't have taken me so long to realize that I wasn't alone and that a lot of new moms end up feeling frazzled and lost.

I've only had two sessions so far, but I already feel like I'm taking the proper steps in the right direction to help clear my head, manage my time, and be the best mom I can be. Part of it, I believe, is that I just might be finally getting the hang of this mom business after 10 and a half months. I've always been very self aware mentally, and have always known when it was time to reach out for help, so sometimes just a little external nudge (usually in the form of my mother) in the right direction is all that is required. In comes Claudia.

I've always been kind-of against routines and schedules, a fly by the seat of my pants kind-of gal, but with Claudia's suggestion, I have established a very loose routine and so far, it seems to really be helping me out (ok, so I'm only two days in, but it's still a big deal to me, baby steps people!). I used to scoff at the mom's who couldn't attend certain playdates because they proclaimed that it was naptime at their house, and I knew that I didn't want to be tied down to any particular time everyday, and it didn't appear that my daughter did either, for she sleeps when she feels like it. But now, I half-see the wisdom of their ways, and realize that it is important for me and Addie to have some structure in our lives. And I said "some". I, at least, can have some idea of what I want to accomplish everyday, and make attempts to do that. And if something falls to the wayside one day, we'll just roll with it like we used to.

I'm excited because I feel like I'm going to be getting part of me back, and making time for stuff that I used to really enjoy (i.e. my crafts) and that I feel is essential for my sanity. I made my goal earlier this week of completing two tag blankies, and I'm on my way. The fabric has been cut and the ribbons pinned on, now I just need to sew them together. So, I'm giving myself until Saturday to complete them, as I have to work tomorrow.

Establishing A Routine

2009-01-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

So, I'm currently trying to figure out a daily routine that will help me get my shit together. I don't want it to be too structured, so that if we deviate from it one morning/afternoon that my baby goes nutz, but I do feel that some sort of routine will help.

I had to get up for work today at 7:30am and while that is like the butt-crack of dawn to me usually, I actually feel better today than days where I sleep until 9:00am or 10:00am. I am definitely tired and wishing I had made more than my usual two cups of coffee, but all in all, I actually had the morning to myself to work and play on the computer while the baby slept. So, I definitely think that rising earlier would be a huge help.

This is just going to be a loose routine for the time being (and will obviously only apply to days when I'm not working or have other plans), until I see how it goes and if I can stick with it...

Get Up - 8:00 - 8:30 am
Shower & Dress - 8:30 - 9:00 am
Spend a half hour on the computer checking email, blog, etc - 9:00 - 9:30 am
Baby Gets Up - Nurse, Change Diaper, Dress for the day - 9:30 - 10:00 am
Play with Baby & Eat Brunch - 10:00 - 11:00 am
Clean - 11:00 - 12:00 pm
Dad comes home for lunch - 12:00 - 12:30 pm
Baby Goes Down for a Nap - 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Work on Crafts/Other Interests While Baby Sleeps - 12:30 - 2:30 pm
Play with Baby - 2:30 - 3:30 pm
Clean - 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Make/Eat Dinner - 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Play with Baby, Feed Dinner - 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Tv/Computer Time - 7:00 - 10:00 pm
Give Baby a Bath Every Other Day - 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Put Baby to bed - 8:00 pm

As I look the list over, I still have plenty of time to myself or for my hobbies/entertainment, while still spending time with my baby and getting the housework done. I'm learning that cleaning up in little bits here and there helps there to be less time spent cleaning overall. I hate those days where I feel like I'm in the kitchen for several hours just cleaning! So, this is my newest goal, to try this routine out for a few days and see how it goes!

I love Tuesdays!!

2009-01-20T11:58:00.000-08:00

I love Tuesdays! Simply because it is no longer Monday, and partly because my favorite show The Biggest Loser is on tonight!!! I don't know exactly why it is I love this show, but maybe because it's uplifting to me. I have never been overweight, so I don't exactly identify with the contestants in that way, but I think it shows a general struggle and people overcoming that. I usually cry every episode and find myself seriously hoping that these people can change their lives for the better! I find it super inspiring!

Something else that has been inspiring me lately to get my act into shape, is looking at all of these amazing crafty creative blogs of mom's (and non-mom's - shoutout to my dear friend Robyn who is always whipping something up for charity) that find the time to do stuff that they love! I've come across so many neat and interesting crafty projects that I would love to dive into it...and honestly, feel that they are things that I can accomplish (if I manage my time more efficiently).

Top 5 "Spend" List

2009-01-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

Ok, so if I had any extra funds coming in right now, here's the top 5 things I would spend the money on:

A massage (a serious massage, at least 50 minutes long, and maybe involving something like hot stones)
A haircut and dye (way overdue and I don't feel like dying my own hair right now)
A blender (so I can make delicious, nutritious smoothies for breakfast)
Some rock lullaby cd's for Addie - I found this cool website (through another blog) called http://www.crazybabyclothing.com/ and they sell Rockabye Baby rock and metal lullaby CD's that transform timeless rock songs into beautiful instrumental lullabies. The ones I would get for Addie would be AC/DC (cuz she loves their music), Coldplay, and maybe Radiohead.
Materials to put together a "baby shower" gift basket or other craft materials to explore making crafts and selling them on etsy.com

What 5 things do you most want to spend your money on right now??

Awesome Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller Giveaway at I Never Grew Up

2009-01-18T18:08:00.000-08:00

Please visit the following link to view Vanessa's blog at I Never Grew Up for this amazing giveaway and to enter for a chance to win a bumbleride indie twin stroller:

http://inevergrewup.net/giveaway-25-bumbleride-indie-stroller/

This twin stroller is awesome and each side can be configured differently for your children (if they're of different ages). I love that you can put an infant car seat on one side and keep the other side in a regular sitting position for a toddler. Plus there is tons of cargo space underneath. This is exactly the type of stroller I would love to have for when the second baby comes along. The retail cost of this stroller is $589.99, so to win this stroller would be huge!!!

Left to my own devices

2009-01-18T16:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been really long, and really boring! Left to my own devices with too much time on my hands has never been a good thing for me. I end up wasting time instead of using it, and then I feel down and guilty because of it. I know that if I had a more structured schedule during the week, I would either use my weekend wisely or at least be able to relax and do nothing and be ok with that.

I'm not a winter person. The snow is nice for the holidays, but the fact that the cold/gray/dark days drag on for months after the holidays are over, just sucks!! I just feel trapped in my apartment lately (I was indoors from last Sunday until Friday, due to the doodle having a cold and not wanting to bring her out in the extreme cold)...major cabin fever. I am looking forward to the spring/summer days, so at least if I want to go outside or see something different, we can go for a little walk, get some exercise and fresh air.

I am looking into getting another part-time job (just doing retail on nights/weekends) to bring in some extra funds to help us get better situated for buying a house this summer, and that will definitely take up more of my time, and I think if I do get another job, that I will use the rest of my time more efficiently. Now, I just have to get out and actually apply for some jobs!!!

My goals for this week are to apply at the Panera near my house, and to also focus more on my crafting and what I can get done (while the baby naps) every day that I'm not at work. I hope to complete at least two tag blankies this week. We also have plans for a couple of playdates, so at least the time will be broken up a little bit!

Saturday's blog is a little late!!!

2009-01-17T21:58:00.000-08:00

I went to a Partylite Candle Party last night at a woman's house that I had never met. She and some of the other attendees are members of a "playdates group" that I've joined in the area. I'm not big on attending these types of "parties", where I feel obligated to buy something that is really overpriced that I probably don't even need, but my sole purpose of going was to meet some of these woman in my group. To get out of the house without the baby, maybe have a drink or two, and engage in some like-minded female chit-chat on a Friday night.

It always amazes me that some of the first information a mother will share with you is how she gave birth to her child - I mean, you'd think we'd leave the gory stuff for friends and family only, not complete strangers. But no, we dive right in, sparing no one all the graphic details, as if having vaginas and birthing children are all that we would have in common to talk about!

So, we're standing in the kitchen in a semi circle of about 5 of us, just chit-chatting, when I look down and realize my fly is open. Not because I forgot to pull it up after my last bathroom break, but because it's an older pair of jeans and the fly now has a mind of its own. I was mortified of course and wondered just how many of them had noticed and been too embarrassed to say something. I pulled my shirt down as far as it would go to hide it and had to wait another agonizing five minutes before we progressed into the other room and I could fix the problem. I almost laughed out loud later though when another mom was bent over her catalogue, thong halfway up her back, and realized that I'm not alone.

So, I've come to the conclusion that the older you get, the harder it is to make new friends. And I'm talking "good" friends, "true" friends, someone you really have a bond with. I haven't made any "true" friends since I became a mom (and it's not for lack of trying).

And it's not that I'm lacking friends, but I am lacking friends who live near me that also have babies or young children and are stay at home moms! This lack of friends has brought me to the internet in search of other moms in the area. But it hasn't been an easy road...I've met plenty of really nice women, but no one that I really have much in common with (save being a mom) or would choose to hang out with (if our babies weren't the same age). I've also met a few drama queens (which I haven't seen the likes of since highschool) that are all about gossip, and judging, and just despicable behavior that I am way too old for.

It's disappointing really. Being a stay-at-home mom can be very lonely, which is why I immersed myself into playdates and meeting new people shortly after Addie was born. Ten and a half months old, and still not a "true" friend to speak of. But I continue to join new groups and get out of the house as much as possible in the hopes that I might one day make at least one good friend, cuz honestly, that's all I need!

Seriously Delicious Quesadillas!!

2009-01-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

This picture doesn't do the quesadilla justice, but I thought I would try. I found this Rachael Ray egg recipe in her magazine and my husband just loves it!!! Below is the jist of it:

Ingredients - tortillas, eggs, bacon, avocado (sliced or mashed), shredded cheese, black beans

Fry up some bacon and break it into smaller pieces (usually between 4-6 pieces)
Make some fried eggs (or eggs over easy, depending on if you like runny eggs or not) - I use 2 eggs for my quesadilla and three for my hubbies
In the same pan that I fried the eggs, I melt butter and then throw one small tortilla in there
On top of the tortilla, place some shredded cheese, the eggs, the bacon pieces, some black beans, more cheese and avocado slices, and then top off with another tortilla.
I usually flip the quesadilla once (which can be difficult) so the cheese on both sides melts and holds it together. (Rachael actually folds the tortilla's in half to make one quesadilla, but we put too much fixin's on the inside to just fold over the bottom tortilla)
Cut into quarters, and serve with salsa, sour cream, or guac

Confession

2009-01-15T09:22:00.000-08:00

I still sleep with what I affectionately refer to as a "silky". It's just a regular ol' blanket with satin edges on it. But I like to run the satin edges through my fingers, and sometimes my toes.

The life of a silky is somewhat precarious, they can last months or they can last years. Eventually, the same fate befalls all of my silkies. The satin edge gets rubbed clean off the blanket, and I'm left with an old blanket and two ratty looking satin pieces. And then it's time for a new silky.

I have slept with a silky most of my life (not sure exactly when it was introduced, but figuring it was in infancy), and I find that it's hard to sleep without it. It obviously fulfills some slightly OCD habit I have of calming myself (used mostly at bedtime) by rhythmically running the silkies through my fingers. My husband definitely thinks it's odd, and doesn't care for "the rag", as he affectionately calls it. I often find the silkies discarded onto the floor next to our bed. :(

My daughter loves the silkies and reaches for it everytime she's in bed with us. She likes to chew on it, of course, but I find that she also likes to hold the satin piece in her little fingers while she's nursing and falling asleep. It's the cutest thing in the world! And despite, my husband's prejudice towards the silkies, he agrees!

The daily jumble

2009-01-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

So, I used to have this amazing sense of humor. I can still laugh at a good joke with the best of them, but I used to say funny things too! Back in the day, I used to regale my fellow female co-workers with my funny dating mishaps and bawdy, drunken shenanigans, and have the crowd gathered in my cubicle roaring with laughter. The only difference between my life then and now is that I am not dating, getting drunk, or going to work every day. OK - so those are huge differences!! I'm going to have to learn to pool my material from something else, but what?? My adult humor has definitely taken a vacation (probably for all eternity or at least until my children are 18). I guess there are still naked poop stories to be told, only now they involve my infant.

List of Goals for 2009
Keep up my daily blog
Devote some time each week (or possibly day) to my crafts
Start up my own business so that I can make money doing something I love!!!
Buy our first home
Spend more alone time with my husband
Get pregnant (this can only happen once the above two goals have been accomplished)!!
Take a cake decorating class
Go back to school for a medical billing or coding certificate
Get more organized
Exercise more, make healthier meals
Be the best person (mom, wife, friend, fellow human being) I can possibly be in all arenas of my life!!!

Here are some pics of Adeline enjoying her first meal of spaghetti:

Half-Baked

2009-01-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

I feel lately (or since I had my baby and quit working full-time) that I'm walking around in a perpetual haze, hence the half-baked part. My brain has become fuzzy. For example, the first thing in the morning I think about is making coffee (MUST HAVE COFFEE!), so I'll head into the kitchen to make a pot. My eyes will fall upon the sink full of dishes from last night's dinner, and soon I am washing and loading the dishwasher, thinking to myself, I should've made the coffee first and then done the dishes, and by the time I was done I would have a nice, hot delicious cup! But I still don't stop to make the coffee. As I'm throwing something in the recycling bin, I spot the washing machine, and think I should throw a load in real quick. So I'll gather up some laundry and start a load. While I'm in the bedroom gathering laundry, I'll spot some toys that have slowly progressed from the computer "toy" room across our apartment, so I'll go back in and scoop them up to return them to their home. Once I'm in the computer room, I HAVE to start my computer up, and maybe at that point, I'll remember again that I wanted a cup of coffee and return to the kitchen to actually make it. These inefficiencies (or the reason why I can never get anything done) occur all day long.

Does this happen to everyone? I think I'm ready for another baby, but shit, what the hell will my life be like with two lil babies demanding attention from their inefficient, foggy-headed mother??? Any suggestions/tips at this point would be greatly appreciated!!

Side-Bar: Easy Recipe I Made For Dinner Last Night
Cheesy Slow-Cooker Chicken

1 1/2 lbs of Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
2 Cans of Campbell Cheese Soup/Sauce - I used Fiesta Nacho Cheese for some added flavor
1/2 cup milk

Spray some PAM in your slow cooker or I usually use butter to grease stuff up. Season the chicken breast with salt/pepper/garlic powder, put in the slow cooker. Mix the cheese soup with the milk and then pour over the chicken. Cook on high for about three hours (or I'm sure you could cook it on low for five-six hours).

The chicken was moist, shreddable, and just plain delicious. I served it with Taco flavored rice and a vegetable. My husband loved it! A really good recipe for someone who doesn't have a lot of time to put dinner together or has picky eaters...

a work in progress

2009-01-12T15:50:00.000-08:00

I am a dreamer by nature - I love to create, imagine, and exist in some "otherworld" and have since I was very young. Though I hardly ever shared my dreams with others, I spent a great deal of my childhood hunched over a typewriter meticulously crafting my dreams into stories. My goal, of course, was to one day be a writer. I've made certain half-assed efforts to further my craft (taken the obligatory creative writing classes in college, kept a journal for much of my adolescence/young adulthood), but haven't in years finished anything I've started (with the exception of a couple of B+ poems). So, here I am, 31 years old, part-time homemaker, part-time administrative assistant, and full-time mom to a beautiful 10 month old baby girl, and I have never felt so incredibly clueless, inefficient, inadequate and extremely disorganized in my life. And I've also never been so happy!

So, that is what brings me here. I figure there must be a way to regain my former organized, witty, silly, creative "writer" self, fluent in not only husband and baby speak, but in intelligent adult speak as well. So, this is my promise to myself. I vow to maintain this blog, to visit on a daily basis and offer up whatever it is I can possibly offer at the moment (a story, news, a recipe, advice, etc., etc., etc.) for an entire year. And well, if I can manage that (with all my inefficiencies), I can do anything!

My Family