So, I wrenched my back last night while horse playing with Mark. I love that we still DO just mess around and horse play. It keeps us laughing and enjoying one another's company. I don't enjoy how much I hurt today though and how hard today has been. Just picking up Cody is torture. Just changing Audrey's diaper, even though she climbs up onto the changing table herself is very painful. :( Just sitting, standing, or laying down, is excruciating today. Ibuprofen, Tylenol with Codeine and my ice pack have been very good friends to me today. While I'm not pain free, the combination of those three takes the edge off.
I'm still working on getting things together for the boys birthday party tomorrow. So far we have:
*pinata items prepped
*bean bags from colored balloons for games are done
*colored rice with Mickey Mouse confetti for sensory table is ready to go
*beans are soaking for baked beans that I will do overnight in my crock pot
Next item is to make my BBQ sauce that I make from scratch. I use my friend Hallee's recipe you can find here. I do a couple things a little different, but that's my base recipe. Thank you Hallee for what has become a favorite in my family.
In between all this, my washing machine overflowed the other day. It's bad people. My room smells musty from the water I just can't seem to get out of the carpet area. Thank goodness the fix was an easy one. It was a zip tie. Yeah... you read that right... a zip tie. I paid the Sear's repair guy $75 to diagnose and give me a 3 inch zip tie to put on a hose that had come off. It would have been $109 if HE had put the zip tie on. LOL At least it was easy.
And onto my next thing: I have a MAJOR pay it forward to do. As many of you know, money has been extremely tight in the last year. EXTREMELY. I had mentioned on a FB board of good friends that I didn't know how I would pay to get my washer fixed. Within an hour of the post, a friend put $75 into my PayPal account so that I could get it fixed. I did not ask my friend, or anyone for that matter, to help me pay for it. I planned to try to sell as much as I could from my Etsy shop to pay for it. I will be ever forever grateful to this friend for this beautiful gift. Not only does it show the depth of our friendship, even though she is one of my online friends I have never met in person, it also shows me how God works His miracles every day. I'm sure she would agree with me.
Since I can't afford to pay $75 forward, at least for now... I have a sale in my Etsy shop. It's for 25% off of anything. Use the code OVERFLOWINGWASHER and you will get 25% off. There are some beautiful felted scarves that would be perfect end of the year teacher gifts. This code will be active until I've saved my customers and friends $75.
Thank you to my sweet friend. You know who you are. <3
Friday, June 1, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Craft Fair
It's been forever and a day since I wrote it seems. I've been BUSY.
I was a vendor at my first craft fair as a Fiber Artist on Sunday. It went very well! I came home with profit so it was a success!
I now have TONS of product just waiting to get new homes though. After I finish cleaning my house and getting caught up on laundry tomorrow, I will start taking photographs of my items and slowly list them in my Etsy shop.
Here's what my table looked like at the craft fair:
This was actually on the set up day and I had forgotten a few pretty boxes, but I got those all set up the next day. I TOTALLY forgot to take more pics the day of! I got to spin for most of the day and Colleen and I educated a lot of people about all the various properties of wool and wool items! My best selling items? Wool dryer balls. I will be making many more of these for future craft fairs! :)
I was a vendor at my first craft fair as a Fiber Artist on Sunday. It went very well! I came home with profit so it was a success!
I now have TONS of product just waiting to get new homes though. After I finish cleaning my house and getting caught up on laundry tomorrow, I will start taking photographs of my items and slowly list them in my Etsy shop.
Here's what my table looked like at the craft fair:
Thursday, March 8, 2012
How to make Yogurt.
What am I into today?
Homemade yogurt is all the rave these days! Lots of people are doing it. I started about a month and a half ago, and I've been experimenting each time. I finally found a recipe that works for us! I'm going to tell you... I'm not big on measuring. Ready?
Okay... first I do use a yogurt maker. I got this yogurt maker on Amazon, which is where that link takes you. I like that it's glass jars. And I like that it has a high top as well for using larger jars. My last batch was in two mason jars and a pint size jar together. So, you can make more than just what's in the little jars.
I use a vanilla greek yogurt as my starter. I could buy the starters, but they end up expensive. So, I get the Ralph's brand of vanilla greek yogurt for about $.80. If it's on sale, I can get it for $.60. Any yogurt will work, but I've found that you want to use a flavor that you want YOUR yogurt to taste like after it's all done. If you use plain, your yogurt will be plain. I like using vanilla because I can add things to it like berries and the flavors meld well together. :)
Okay.. here's my process. I'm going to take you through it as if I was using the jars that come with the yogurt maker. There's 7 of them.
I pour 6 jars of milk into a pan, and 1 jar of cream. I've been told you can use any type of milk except skim, but we use whole milk in our home. I then add some honey. I squirt until it looks like enough. It's a feeling of how much is enough. It's probably about 1/3 cup of honey. I whisk that together and then add a generous squirt of vanilla. I use imitation vanilla. Just our preference around here. Whisk that together as well, all over a medium heat. Now, here is where a lot of places will tell you to use your thermometer and watch it carefully. I have 3 little ones who need me a lot. Watching this rise to 185 degrees is a pain. So, I've learned that I can let it heat until it foams up. Just about a full boil, but not quite. I can usually hear it get to this point because it sorta sizzles as it works it's way up the sides of the pan. :) Once it hits this point, turn the heat off.
I then fill one side of my sink with about 2" of water. I then use a large drinking glass, and fill it with ice. You should have about 15-20 ice cubes and put that in the water. Put your pan in to help it cool. When the ice cubes just finish melting, your mix should be the right temperature to add your starter. Put your finger in it, and if it's still very warm, but not too hot to stick your finger in, it's good. For those of you using a thermometer, it should be between 110 and 120 degrees.
Okay... Now... there's probably a film on top. Strain about 1/2 a cup or so of this into a bowl. Then add your starter and gently mix. I strain using a metal mesh type of strainer. Just to get the film out. It's okay if it's not 100% smooth. Then strain the rest of your mix into this same bowl and GENTLY mix. If you have a couple little chunks in there, you are doing perfect!!!!
Now add your mix to your jars. You should have a perfect amount for each jar if you used the actual jars for your milk/cream measurements in the beginning.
Place these in your yogurt maker, plug it in, cover them with the cover, do not put the plastic lids on the jars themselves, and walk away for 4-6 hours.
Take the cover off and just gently test the top of one of them with your finger. It should be yogurt texture. Nice and firm (for yogurt) and creamy.
Put the caps on and refrigerate. Let it cool and enjoy! It will get just slightly firmer in the fridge.
You can see how thick mine is in the little jar by how I'm cutting into it with a spoon.
Here it is in a mason jar when I used the high lid on my yogurt maker.
And just in case you didn't believe me on how thick it was... I can hold the mason jar upside down and it stays in place.
You can add jam or fresh fruit to your yogurt or eat it just by itself. Either way is very YUMMY!
ENJOY!
Homemade yogurt is all the rave these days! Lots of people are doing it. I started about a month and a half ago, and I've been experimenting each time. I finally found a recipe that works for us! I'm going to tell you... I'm not big on measuring. Ready?
Okay... first I do use a yogurt maker. I got this yogurt maker on Amazon, which is where that link takes you. I like that it's glass jars. And I like that it has a high top as well for using larger jars. My last batch was in two mason jars and a pint size jar together. So, you can make more than just what's in the little jars.
I use a vanilla greek yogurt as my starter. I could buy the starters, but they end up expensive. So, I get the Ralph's brand of vanilla greek yogurt for about $.80. If it's on sale, I can get it for $.60. Any yogurt will work, but I've found that you want to use a flavor that you want YOUR yogurt to taste like after it's all done. If you use plain, your yogurt will be plain. I like using vanilla because I can add things to it like berries and the flavors meld well together. :)
Okay.. here's my process. I'm going to take you through it as if I was using the jars that come with the yogurt maker. There's 7 of them.
I pour 6 jars of milk into a pan, and 1 jar of cream. I've been told you can use any type of milk except skim, but we use whole milk in our home. I then add some honey. I squirt until it looks like enough. It's a feeling of how much is enough. It's probably about 1/3 cup of honey. I whisk that together and then add a generous squirt of vanilla. I use imitation vanilla. Just our preference around here. Whisk that together as well, all over a medium heat. Now, here is where a lot of places will tell you to use your thermometer and watch it carefully. I have 3 little ones who need me a lot. Watching this rise to 185 degrees is a pain. So, I've learned that I can let it heat until it foams up. Just about a full boil, but not quite. I can usually hear it get to this point because it sorta sizzles as it works it's way up the sides of the pan. :) Once it hits this point, turn the heat off.
I then fill one side of my sink with about 2" of water. I then use a large drinking glass, and fill it with ice. You should have about 15-20 ice cubes and put that in the water. Put your pan in to help it cool. When the ice cubes just finish melting, your mix should be the right temperature to add your starter. Put your finger in it, and if it's still very warm, but not too hot to stick your finger in, it's good. For those of you using a thermometer, it should be between 110 and 120 degrees.
Okay... Now... there's probably a film on top. Strain about 1/2 a cup or so of this into a bowl. Then add your starter and gently mix. I strain using a metal mesh type of strainer. Just to get the film out. It's okay if it's not 100% smooth. Then strain the rest of your mix into this same bowl and GENTLY mix. If you have a couple little chunks in there, you are doing perfect!!!!
Now add your mix to your jars. You should have a perfect amount for each jar if you used the actual jars for your milk/cream measurements in the beginning.
Place these in your yogurt maker, plug it in, cover them with the cover, do not put the plastic lids on the jars themselves, and walk away for 4-6 hours.
Take the cover off and just gently test the top of one of them with your finger. It should be yogurt texture. Nice and firm (for yogurt) and creamy.
Put the caps on and refrigerate. Let it cool and enjoy! It will get just slightly firmer in the fridge.
You can see how thick mine is in the little jar by how I'm cutting into it with a spoon.
Here it is in a mason jar when I used the high lid on my yogurt maker.
And just in case you didn't believe me on how thick it was... I can hold the mason jar upside down and it stays in place.
You can add jam or fresh fruit to your yogurt or eat it just by itself. Either way is very YUMMY!
ENJOY!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Rainy Day activities
What am I into today?
It's going to rain today. It's going to be windy. OH JOY! Keeping kids entertained on days when you have to stay inside is hard sometimes.
I'll be playing Chutes and Ladders with them today. And Memory games, and hopefully some Candyland. I also have a bag that I keep coloring books and crayons and markers in for days like this. Austin also got some of the color wonder crayola paints last year for his birthday that I might break out. And then there's TV. On days when we just can't go out, I will let them watch pretty much whatever they want. They just saw Lady and the Tramp for the first time 2 days ago, and so they are on that kick. And that's okay. I see Austin processing the story and giggling at things now that he didn't the first time he watched it. I see Audrey watching the dogs and the cats and figuring out which ones are good and which ones are naughty.
And, if we just HAVE to get out. I'll load them up in the van and we will go to Sam's Club and walk around and taste the samples and have a $5 lunch of hot dogs and a pretzel. Or we will just go to a fast food place, just to get a small fry for each kid as a treat. Just something to get us out.
Considering that my kids spend up to 3 hours outside every morning before lunch, and sometimes 2+ hours outside in the evenings, days when we are stuck inside are hard. But we make do.
What is your favorite rainy day activity to do with your kids?
It's going to rain today. It's going to be windy. OH JOY! Keeping kids entertained on days when you have to stay inside is hard sometimes.
I'll be playing Chutes and Ladders with them today. And Memory games, and hopefully some Candyland. I also have a bag that I keep coloring books and crayons and markers in for days like this. Austin also got some of the color wonder crayola paints last year for his birthday that I might break out. And then there's TV. On days when we just can't go out, I will let them watch pretty much whatever they want. They just saw Lady and the Tramp for the first time 2 days ago, and so they are on that kick. And that's okay. I see Austin processing the story and giggling at things now that he didn't the first time he watched it. I see Audrey watching the dogs and the cats and figuring out which ones are good and which ones are naughty.
And, if we just HAVE to get out. I'll load them up in the van and we will go to Sam's Club and walk around and taste the samples and have a $5 lunch of hot dogs and a pretzel. Or we will just go to a fast food place, just to get a small fry for each kid as a treat. Just something to get us out.
Considering that my kids spend up to 3 hours outside every morning before lunch, and sometimes 2+ hours outside in the evenings, days when we are stuck inside are hard. But we make do.
What is your favorite rainy day activity to do with your kids?
Friday, March 2, 2012
Yogurt
What am I into today?
Well, first things first. I ate yogurt this morning. Not store bought! MY OWN! It was so so yummy! I finally figured out how to get mine to the right consistency on a regular basis.
First of all, I use this yogurt maker that I got recently. Remember that box that was unopened for a bit? And I had you all guess? And no one guessed???? Yeah.. you remember. That one. My yogurt maker was inside. :) This is just another step towards me decide how many preservatives and other crud that they put into food these days, goes into my family's bodies. It's a small step, but a good one.
It's really very simple. You heat your milk to 185. For me, I have a really hard time getting it to 185 without boiling, so I tend to let it heat until it foams up, and then I turn the heat off. So far, this has worked for me. Then you have to let it cool, or use an ice bath, to cool it down to around 110-115. Then you add your starter (for me, this is a store bought yogurt) and then I spoon it into the glass jars, and put it into the yogurt maker. That's it. 4-6 hours later, it's done. I do add honey and vanilla to mine for sweetness and flavor. No one here likes plain, and we add fresh fruit to it just before eating.
It comes out looking like this:
Yep. I already took a bite. But you can see by how my spoon is cutting into it, that it's nice and thick. Very creamy. Personally, I don't even need to add fruit to make it taste good. It tastes good just the way it is. :)
Otherwise? Tonight is the fish fry at St. Gregory's. It's pretty much the BEST fish fry around, and I'm not just saying that. I've run into people from lots of other parish's there because it's THAT good! Even Mark's cousin is coming with her girls from Los Angeles to go to OUR fish fry because it is THAT good! I believe there is at least 12-15 of going tonight. I may be under estimating though. LOL Then we will all head back here for a fire outside!
Tomorrow? I can't guarantee a post. We are going out on a boat that my brother in law, Greg, is renting, and I will be running around trying to get us ready to go tomorrow morning. At least I'll post pictures of it next week!!!!
Happy Friday and have a Blessed Weekend!
Well, first things first. I ate yogurt this morning. Not store bought! MY OWN! It was so so yummy! I finally figured out how to get mine to the right consistency on a regular basis.
First of all, I use this yogurt maker that I got recently. Remember that box that was unopened for a bit? And I had you all guess? And no one guessed???? Yeah.. you remember. That one. My yogurt maker was inside. :) This is just another step towards me decide how many preservatives and other crud that they put into food these days, goes into my family's bodies. It's a small step, but a good one.
It's really very simple. You heat your milk to 185. For me, I have a really hard time getting it to 185 without boiling, so I tend to let it heat until it foams up, and then I turn the heat off. So far, this has worked for me. Then you have to let it cool, or use an ice bath, to cool it down to around 110-115. Then you add your starter (for me, this is a store bought yogurt) and then I spoon it into the glass jars, and put it into the yogurt maker. That's it. 4-6 hours later, it's done. I do add honey and vanilla to mine for sweetness and flavor. No one here likes plain, and we add fresh fruit to it just before eating.
It comes out looking like this:
Yep. I already took a bite. But you can see by how my spoon is cutting into it, that it's nice and thick. Very creamy. Personally, I don't even need to add fruit to make it taste good. It tastes good just the way it is. :)
Otherwise? Tonight is the fish fry at St. Gregory's. It's pretty much the BEST fish fry around, and I'm not just saying that. I've run into people from lots of other parish's there because it's THAT good! Even Mark's cousin is coming with her girls from Los Angeles to go to OUR fish fry because it is THAT good! I believe there is at least 12-15 of going tonight. I may be under estimating though. LOL Then we will all head back here for a fire outside!
Tomorrow? I can't guarantee a post. We are going out on a boat that my brother in law, Greg, is renting, and I will be running around trying to get us ready to go tomorrow morning. At least I'll post pictures of it next week!!!!
Happy Friday and have a Blessed Weekend!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Leap Year 2012
What am I into today?
I'm enjoying my kids. And doing laundry. And baking bread. Yep. That's about it.
Oh... I'm offering a 15% off coupon in my Etsy store today: LEAP2012 is the code to use! There's some new things listed, and I plan on listing more throughout the day as well as I get the pics uploaded and what not.
Here's my store: Under the Hill Crafts
Have a great Leap Year Day!
I'm enjoying my kids. And doing laundry. And baking bread. Yep. That's about it.
Oh... I'm offering a 15% off coupon in my Etsy store today: LEAP2012 is the code to use! There's some new things listed, and I plan on listing more throughout the day as well as I get the pics uploaded and what not.
Here's my store: Under the Hill Crafts
Have a great Leap Year Day!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Dyeing and more!
What am I into today?
Dyeing. It's 8:15, and I've already dyed some silk hankies. I also dyed some locks yesterday and this was Audrey this morning:
Yep... she is totally ME! And she LOVES my fiber. She has been known as a fiber thief as well as a yarn thief. And don't even try to give her the store bought stuff. She will throw it down and grab the good stuff! LOL No joke!
So, I'm hoping to have my dyepot going all day. I have some fiber I want to get in there and get going as well. It's a great motivation to wake up to 3 sales in my Etsy store! "They like me! They like me! They really really like me!" I know.. childish, but true! I get all happy and giddy when I see I have a sale! For those of you who think, "she must really be making a lot of $ doing this." Not yet. In over a year, I sold, ready??? $245 worth of items. Not much... but a start. I do this because I love it. Not for the $. Well... a little for the $, but it's more because I love it. The fact that I've branched out into other forms of fiber arts have helped me though. I'm making more on my batts and my kettle dyed items than I was on my handspun yarns. :)
So, I'm off to check my dyepot to see if the dye has all exhausted yet. Happy Tuesday!
Dyeing. It's 8:15, and I've already dyed some silk hankies. I also dyed some locks yesterday and this was Audrey this morning:
 | |||||
| "Please I touch it Mama!!??? It's so soft! And pretty!" That's my girl! Bedhead and all! Future fiberista! |
Yep... she is totally ME! And she LOVES my fiber. She has been known as a fiber thief as well as a yarn thief. And don't even try to give her the store bought stuff. She will throw it down and grab the good stuff! LOL No joke!
So, I'm hoping to have my dyepot going all day. I have some fiber I want to get in there and get going as well. It's a great motivation to wake up to 3 sales in my Etsy store! "They like me! They like me! They really really like me!" I know.. childish, but true! I get all happy and giddy when I see I have a sale! For those of you who think, "she must really be making a lot of $ doing this." Not yet. In over a year, I sold, ready??? $245 worth of items. Not much... but a start. I do this because I love it. Not for the $. Well... a little for the $, but it's more because I love it. The fact that I've branched out into other forms of fiber arts have helped me though. I'm making more on my batts and my kettle dyed items than I was on my handspun yarns. :)
So, I'm off to check my dyepot to see if the dye has all exhausted yet. Happy Tuesday!
Monday, February 27, 2012
slacking...
What am I into today?
I'm slacking on my posting for one. Slacking on making breakfast for Mark on work days for two. Mark and I discussed that it's just not the right time for me to be trying to take on this task. Too many nights, I'm up for hours sometimes with the kids. He understands this, and I'm so grateful for that.
I have been working out almost every day though. And I'm trying really hard to make that time prayer time for myself as well.
Otherwise, I'm just watching it rain and deciding for sure what dinner will be. I'm thinking homemade fried rice and Trader Joe's Orange Chicken. Pretty simple, but oh so good!
Happy Monday!
God Bless!!
I'm slacking on my posting for one. Slacking on making breakfast for Mark on work days for two. Mark and I discussed that it's just not the right time for me to be trying to take on this task. Too many nights, I'm up for hours sometimes with the kids. He understands this, and I'm so grateful for that.
I have been working out almost every day though. And I'm trying really hard to make that time prayer time for myself as well.
Otherwise, I'm just watching it rain and deciding for sure what dinner will be. I'm thinking homemade fried rice and Trader Joe's Orange Chicken. Pretty simple, but oh so good!
Happy Monday!
God Bless!!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
I have curtains in my dining room!!! (with a tutorial)
What am I into today?
Enjoying my new curtains!!!!! Seriously. It's been over 3 years since we re-did the kitchen and dining room area's and it's taken me that long to get curtains in there. I couldn't decide on blinds when we had the $. and now that we are short on cash, I decided to make my own! I can't believe I waited 3 years to do this! It took me about an hour. Seriously. And I didn't sew a single stitch! Want to see how? I'm sure you do!
Start with getting your materials together. Measure your window and then buy your fabric. If you want the curtains to be totally straight when closed, then buy just a bit more than you would need for them. I wanted 8 yards so I could make 4 panels for each window, but they only had 6.5 of what I chose, so 2 panels each is what I've got. And that's okay. I have enough fabric left to make two small panels for my small kitchen window, and a bit of fabric left over for whatever. Maybe a small throw pillow? Total cost of fabric: $42
So, you've got your fabric. When you are at the fabric store, also pick up a box of Steam a Seam 2. It's basically a double sided fusible web of tape. This is what's going to help you with your seams. I didn't even use one box, but I had gotten two just in case. I believe it was $3.99 each.
You will also need to buy some curtain rods if you don't already have them. Since we didn't have any, I chose to get these. These are simple spring tension rods that extend from 48" to 84". I actually had purchased the smaller size before this and had to run out and exchange them as I was getting ready to put my curtains up. Total cost of these: $18
Okay. Now. Get out your ironing board and iron. Seriously. Dig that iron out of the back of the linen closet and find the ironing board in the back of the kids closet. Or wherever you keep it. Many people don't iron anymore these days. The clothes many of us wear don't necessitate us ironing like we used to. If you don't have an ironing board, you can use a bath towel folded and placed on your kitchen counter or dining room table. But I highly recommend an ironing board. This is my iron:
It's a Panasonic with two steam settings and blah blah blah. It has a golden color plate for the iron plate. Seriously. You know why I bought this iron??? Because it has a retractable cord. That's it. The one singular reason why I purchased this one years ago. I love not having a cord dangling about when I'm all done. AND that I can reel it in when I've just turned the iron off and not worry about melting the cord around the hot iron plate.
What ever iron you have, it will work. Get it set up and set to a temperature good for your fabric. My fabric is just a cotton quilting fabric, so setting 5 was the one for me.
Lastly, you need a way to cut your fabric. Some people like scissors. Some like a straight edge. I like this set up.
This is a self healing cutting mat. A quick cut guide with 1/2 spaces, and a rotary cutter. For me, this is the best and most simple way to cut straight lines in fabric. And yes, that is the fabric I chose for my curtains under the quick cut guide. Isn't it pretty???? Totally NOT what I had in mind when I walked into JoAnn's... but it totally works!
Now... I can't show you how I measured my fabric for my curtains. I didn't use a tape measure. In fact, I didn't use one at all for this entire process. AT ALL. Seriously. First I folded the fabric in half width wise so it would fit under my quick cut guide. Then I literally, made what I though was a good allowance for a top seam, and held the fabric up to the top of the window and let it hang down. Then I marked it with my hand at the bottom where I thought it should end, allowing for seams, and that's it. Yep. I eyeballed it. Basically. LOL
Then I folded my fabric over onto itself to make as many panels as I could in that length. I ended up with enough for 5 panels. Then I lined it up on my mat and with my guide and cut it with the rotary cutter. I did not cut panel by panel. I just had it all folded up on the mat and cut about 1/2" off the end of the seams and wa lah! Done! Cutting took me all of 2 minutes.
Now you are ready to make your seams.
First, using your fingers, make approximately a 1/4 inch fold along what will be the bottom edge of your curtain. You can see my thumb guiding the fabric into place. IRON this seam down. I like to iron it and guide as I go. So I'm really only guiding a few inches at a time and not trying to guide 44" of fabric at one time. That's too hard.
Next, you will fold this same seam up to make it about 1/4" to 1/2" wide total. Again. Iron it down.
You can see me ironing the bottom seam down here. (I'm using a previously finished panel as my guide to make them all as close to the same as possible.
I take the whole thing apart so I have this strip of webbing. I then place this strip of webbing inside the seam as close to the top edge of it as I can. It doesn't have to be perfect. Make sure the webbing lays flat though.
After getting tape in place, you guessed it, iron it again. You will need to go over every part of the seam for about 10-15 seconds. I tend to just iron very slowly and make 5-7 passes. I go over the ends again, just to make sure.
Now you are ready to make your top seam. This is slightly different, but begins the same way. Make a 1/4" fold and iron it down. NOW, it changes. You need to have a pocket for the curtain rod to go into. So, you need to make your seam bigger. Mine is approximately 2" wide. So, you fold over your fabric that 2" and iron it down. Doing the same thing with the tape, placing it as close to the top edge as possible (top from the perspective shown below), and iron it down. Once that webbing tape is ironed and fused to the fabric, you are done with your first panel! Yeah! Done! (If you had to cut your edges due to selvaged stuff on the sides, you may have to also make seams on the sides...follow the same idea as the bottom edge... but if you didn't have to cut the sides, you are done.)
You can see here how I used a previously done panel as a guide to make sure my seams were the same size. I just layed a finished one on top of the one I was getting ready to press down with my iron. :) Simple huh? Again... no tape measure involved.
Make as many panels as you need for your windows. For me, that was 4!
I put up the curtain rods according to directions. Simple really. Took 5 minutes. Then I took them down and threaded my curtains onto them.
Here's a before picture of my south facing window:
See how bright the sun is coming in? It's obnoxiously bright in the afternoons and especially in summer.
This is my west facing window. Eating dinner at this table in summer is almost impossible due to the sun setting and coming in at an angle that blinds pretty much everyone sitting there.
And now?????? Ready????
Opened up a bit just by sliding the curtains with my hand.
Ignore the mess on the table: look at how nice the curtains in the back look on my west window!!!!
See how nice they hang and how pretty they look?
And that my friends, is how to make curtains in about an hour. I hope you enjoy and can make some of your own! If you do, please send me some pics! I'd love to see them!
Happy Saturday!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Growing closer to God.
What am I into today?
Day one of making Mark breakfast in the morning: FAIL
I remembered I was going to do it as I was shooing him out the door to get to work on time.
Take two tomorrow.
Today, I'll be working on photographing some of my fiber art items and carding some new batts as well as listing said items in my Etsy store. Money is extremely tight in our household and I need to really try to make a go of my little side business.
It's going to be a beautiful day here today! Should be around 75 which I find is PERFECT. Nice enough to let the kids play outside for hours while I work on my stuff in my shed/studio. I'm really trying to make my shed into a working space for myself... but it's hard when there's all sorts of stuff in the way. It will happen. Just not overnight.
We went to Ash Wednesday Mass last night. Oh my word! You would not believe how many people showed up for the Mass last night! There were more people at that Mass (and we had 5 or 6 opportunities throughout the day to recieve ashes) than I see on a normal Sunday. People who don't even go to Christmas or Easter mass, show up to receive ashes. It's CRAZY!
I really liked what my Pastor had to say in his sermon last night. First, he asked if we remembered what we gave up for Lent last year. He told us that whatever we decide to give up, should be something that helps us grow in our faith and grow closer to God. Just giving up chocolate is not what it's about. It needs to be something you do to better yourself. Basically. I like that. Which is why a couple of years ago, I had decided to start doing something extra, vs just give something up. I gave up fast food once. And it was good. But did it last? No. Did it really help me grow closer to God? No. Will exercising 15 minutes a day help me grow closer to God? Yes. IF I use that time to also pray. Will making breakfast for Mark help me grow closer to God? YES! It will give Mark and I a few moments to pray together and thank God for our blessings first thing in the morning. Will both of these things be hard? YOU BET! Are these things I can continue to do after Lent is over? YES! That's what makes it a good thing to 'give up for Lent' vs just giving up chocolate or beer or TV.
This is also another reason why I LOVE teaching my pre-baptism class and why I LOVE doing Little Church. Each of these ministries help bring me closer to God. I learn something from my pre-baptism class every time I teach it. I have a better understanding myself of what baptism means for me, my children, my godchild, and for those around me. You would think after teaching it for 2.5 years, I would already understand baptism. I do! But I gain a BETTER understanding and more knowledge about it every time. Teaching kids in Little Church is another way to grow in my own faith because I'm teaching about it. I learn more about my own faith as I'm teaching kids about theirs. I love how it works out!
How are you growing closer to God in your own walk of faith?
Day one of making Mark breakfast in the morning: FAIL
I remembered I was going to do it as I was shooing him out the door to get to work on time.
Take two tomorrow.
Today, I'll be working on photographing some of my fiber art items and carding some new batts as well as listing said items in my Etsy store. Money is extremely tight in our household and I need to really try to make a go of my little side business.
It's going to be a beautiful day here today! Should be around 75 which I find is PERFECT. Nice enough to let the kids play outside for hours while I work on my stuff in my shed/studio. I'm really trying to make my shed into a working space for myself... but it's hard when there's all sorts of stuff in the way. It will happen. Just not overnight.
We went to Ash Wednesday Mass last night. Oh my word! You would not believe how many people showed up for the Mass last night! There were more people at that Mass (and we had 5 or 6 opportunities throughout the day to recieve ashes) than I see on a normal Sunday. People who don't even go to Christmas or Easter mass, show up to receive ashes. It's CRAZY!
I really liked what my Pastor had to say in his sermon last night. First, he asked if we remembered what we gave up for Lent last year. He told us that whatever we decide to give up, should be something that helps us grow in our faith and grow closer to God. Just giving up chocolate is not what it's about. It needs to be something you do to better yourself. Basically. I like that. Which is why a couple of years ago, I had decided to start doing something extra, vs just give something up. I gave up fast food once. And it was good. But did it last? No. Did it really help me grow closer to God? No. Will exercising 15 minutes a day help me grow closer to God? Yes. IF I use that time to also pray. Will making breakfast for Mark help me grow closer to God? YES! It will give Mark and I a few moments to pray together and thank God for our blessings first thing in the morning. Will both of these things be hard? YOU BET! Are these things I can continue to do after Lent is over? YES! That's what makes it a good thing to 'give up for Lent' vs just giving up chocolate or beer or TV.
This is also another reason why I LOVE teaching my pre-baptism class and why I LOVE doing Little Church. Each of these ministries help bring me closer to God. I learn something from my pre-baptism class every time I teach it. I have a better understanding myself of what baptism means for me, my children, my godchild, and for those around me. You would think after teaching it for 2.5 years, I would already understand baptism. I do! But I gain a BETTER understanding and more knowledge about it every time. Teaching kids in Little Church is another way to grow in my own faith because I'm teaching about it. I learn more about my own faith as I'm teaching kids about theirs. I love how it works out!
How are you growing closer to God in your own walk of faith?
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ash Wednesday
What am I into today?
Today is Ash Wednesday. Did you know that they typically burn the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday to make the ashes they place on your forehead?
This post is extremely late in the day. I was up for almost 2 hours in the middle of the night with Cody and slept until Austin woke me up at 7:25. I barely remember getting Mark up to go to work.
Then I went out and picked up my mom. We went to Target, then back to her house for PB&J sandwiches for the kids. Then off to Kohl's. I love Kohl's. If you shop there 'right' you can save a TON of $. Shop the clearance. Then use a coupon. Then get Kohl's cash. Use that for free stuff. It's amazing how much money you can save. Plus, they have really cute clothes! I got a 'little black dress' for myself today. For $8. Yes... you read that right. $8. EIGHT DOLLARS. I didn't forget a number in front of the 8. It was on clearance. Then it was a goldstar clearance item, meaning it was the last one. Then I got 20% off that! Seriously. Amazing deal.
And tonight we will be having dinner around 5 so we can make it to church by 6 for the Ash Wednesday service. The beginning of Lent. 40 days of doing something in your life that is hard. Some people give up things. I choose to take on extra things instead. 15 minutes of exercise. EVERY DAY. No if's, and's or but's. Also, I plan on getting up with Mark every morning and making him breakfast. This is something I have not done since we've been married. But I should. It means getting up over an hour earlier than I normally do, but it's worth if if it sets him up for a better day. I pray that I can do it and keep it up.
If you would like to share, what are giving up or doing extra for Lent?
Today is Ash Wednesday. Did you know that they typically burn the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday to make the ashes they place on your forehead?
This post is extremely late in the day. I was up for almost 2 hours in the middle of the night with Cody and slept until Austin woke me up at 7:25. I barely remember getting Mark up to go to work.
Then I went out and picked up my mom. We went to Target, then back to her house for PB&J sandwiches for the kids. Then off to Kohl's. I love Kohl's. If you shop there 'right' you can save a TON of $. Shop the clearance. Then use a coupon. Then get Kohl's cash. Use that for free stuff. It's amazing how much money you can save. Plus, they have really cute clothes! I got a 'little black dress' for myself today. For $8. Yes... you read that right. $8. EIGHT DOLLARS. I didn't forget a number in front of the 8. It was on clearance. Then it was a goldstar clearance item, meaning it was the last one. Then I got 20% off that! Seriously. Amazing deal.
And tonight we will be having dinner around 5 so we can make it to church by 6 for the Ash Wednesday service. The beginning of Lent. 40 days of doing something in your life that is hard. Some people give up things. I choose to take on extra things instead. 15 minutes of exercise. EVERY DAY. No if's, and's or but's. Also, I plan on getting up with Mark every morning and making him breakfast. This is something I have not done since we've been married. But I should. It means getting up over an hour earlier than I normally do, but it's worth if if it sets him up for a better day. I pray that I can do it and keep it up.
If you would like to share, what are giving up or doing extra for Lent?
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Overfull closets and fat Tuesday
What am I into today?
I have to finish getting stuff organized in my bedroom and do laundry. UGH. I despise laundry. It's the worst of all the chores. Just plain the worst. I think I'll try to go through my clothes as well and get rid of what I just don't wear anymore. As much as I'd like to think I'm getting into those size 12 jeans anytime soon, it's not gonna happen. They need to go.
I went through all the kids clothes the other day. It takes an amazing amount of time to find teeny tiny tags or read the white on white printing where the tags used to go just to see what size the clothes are. I realize that Audrey needs more shirts. A lot more shirts. She has about 4 that are actually her size. T-shirts that is. She also needs pants. 2T's fit her great in length, but they just don't fit her butt. She's got a big butt for a 2 year old. I put her in a pair of 3T's the other day, and it's amazing how much better they fit in her butt. So I will be on the lookout for 3T capris because I think they will be good on length for regular pants for her for a while. Plus, they should fit her for a LONG time being 3T's. :) She also needs dresses. Ugh.
.....insert break for crying screaming kids (Audrey hit Austin... they are totally fine... it's not even bad... Austin is just making a big deal of it because he can.)...
I've learned that holding on to clothes for the next kid doesn't work well. Even if you have two boys both born in June months, 3 years apart, it doesn't work. Cody has always been in the next size up from his age and has been able to wear very little of Austin's old clothes because they weren't the right season. I give up. From now on, I'm just going to save a couple of my favorites and donate the rest, or hand them down if I can. The one thing I did successfully hand down were Austin's pants. Audrey has been wearing Austin's old jeans for a long time now. :)
So, when's the last time you went through your kids closet and found items that didn't fit them anymore? And have you been able to successfully hand down clothes from kid to kid?
Oh.. and it's Fat Tuesday! The day before the beginning of Lent. That means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the day you are supposed to begin giving something up. It's difficult at best to figure out the best thing I can give up. I've also been told in recent years that you should keep it to yourself unless it affects others around you. That's difficult too. :shrug: I'll let you know if I decide on something.
Happy Fat Tuesday!
I have to finish getting stuff organized in my bedroom and do laundry. UGH. I despise laundry. It's the worst of all the chores. Just plain the worst. I think I'll try to go through my clothes as well and get rid of what I just don't wear anymore. As much as I'd like to think I'm getting into those size 12 jeans anytime soon, it's not gonna happen. They need to go.
I went through all the kids clothes the other day. It takes an amazing amount of time to find teeny tiny tags or read the white on white printing where the tags used to go just to see what size the clothes are. I realize that Audrey needs more shirts. A lot more shirts. She has about 4 that are actually her size. T-shirts that is. She also needs pants. 2T's fit her great in length, but they just don't fit her butt. She's got a big butt for a 2 year old. I put her in a pair of 3T's the other day, and it's amazing how much better they fit in her butt. So I will be on the lookout for 3T capris because I think they will be good on length for regular pants for her for a while. Plus, they should fit her for a LONG time being 3T's. :) She also needs dresses. Ugh.
.....insert break for crying screaming kids (Audrey hit Austin... they are totally fine... it's not even bad... Austin is just making a big deal of it because he can.)...
I've learned that holding on to clothes for the next kid doesn't work well. Even if you have two boys both born in June months, 3 years apart, it doesn't work. Cody has always been in the next size up from his age and has been able to wear very little of Austin's old clothes because they weren't the right season. I give up. From now on, I'm just going to save a couple of my favorites and donate the rest, or hand them down if I can. The one thing I did successfully hand down were Austin's pants. Audrey has been wearing Austin's old jeans for a long time now. :)
So, when's the last time you went through your kids closet and found items that didn't fit them anymore? And have you been able to successfully hand down clothes from kid to kid?
Oh.. and it's Fat Tuesday! The day before the beginning of Lent. That means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the day you are supposed to begin giving something up. It's difficult at best to figure out the best thing I can give up. I've also been told in recent years that you should keep it to yourself unless it affects others around you. That's difficult too. :shrug: I'll let you know if I decide on something.
Happy Fat Tuesday!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Short and sweet
What am I into today?
Well, first of all. I'm sorry I missed yesterday. The third Sunday of the month is very busy for me. I have to be at church early for Little Church and then I have my pre-baptism class that I teach in the afternoon. And yesterday, we went to Downtown Disney with my wonderful in-laws! :)
Today? My goal is to pay all the bills. YUCK. When that's done, I'll be able to tell Mark how much he can spend on stuff for the front yard.
I also will be working on finishing cleaning up our bedroom. The kids room is pretty good right now. There's still a bunch of stuff in the closet that needs to be gone through and what not, but at least I can open and shut it with ease now.
This has to be short and sweet today. I love having Mark home, but man does it mess up my schedule!
Happy Monday everyone!
Well, first of all. I'm sorry I missed yesterday. The third Sunday of the month is very busy for me. I have to be at church early for Little Church and then I have my pre-baptism class that I teach in the afternoon. And yesterday, we went to Downtown Disney with my wonderful in-laws! :)
Today? My goal is to pay all the bills. YUCK. When that's done, I'll be able to tell Mark how much he can spend on stuff for the front yard.
I also will be working on finishing cleaning up our bedroom. The kids room is pretty good right now. There's still a bunch of stuff in the closet that needs to be gone through and what not, but at least I can open and shut it with ease now.
This has to be short and sweet today. I love having Mark home, but man does it mess up my schedule!
Happy Monday everyone!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
What chores do your kids do?
What am I into today?
Well? Remember that organizing I was all set to do yesterday? I got some of it done. Not all by any means, but I did make progress in my shed/studio. I had some brainstorming ideas that I just need to put into play. They will take time and effort, but I'm sure by the end, I'll be very happy.
Today is all about getting the kids room back in order. Go through clothes and sort out the ones that don't fit anymore and put those aside. I also really want to make the dressers more accessible for the kids so I can tell them: "Go find a shirt and a pair of pants for today." I'm trying to set them up to be more responsible and make their own choices. Audrey has already, at 2, had meltdowns because of what I chose for her to wear. If I let her make her own choices, it would be easier. Plus, she can almost dress herself already, so why not make it one of her 'chores' just like Austin. :)
Speaking of chores? What chores do your kids do? I found a chart on 45 chores young children can do. I'm pleased that my kids are doing most of what's on this chart for their ages. If they aren't doing it, they are getting there. For example: Audrey made a mess with her water cup yesterday. I handed her a towel and she had to clean it up. Did she get it all? No. But that's not the point. The fact is, she realized that she made a mess and then cleaned it up. I came in behind her and finished it... but she did pretty good for 2!
The hardest thing for me is getting the kids to put their toys away. It takes time. More time than I normally have the patience for to sit there and continue to encourage them to put them away. You know what happens here? Grandma or Mark come along and just throw everything into drawers and baskets, even if that's not where they go. So I feel defeated that I can't teach my kids where their toys go because no one else puts them away in the right places. Mark's idea of 'put away' is out of sight, out of mind. So, for him. They are put away. For me, it's just a jumbled mess. I've noticed that when I organize them and put them in the right places. Less toys come out the next couple of days. Because they can FIND what they want. So, on my own Weekly chores chart, Organizing Toys, is something I will be doing every week now. At least I will know that they are put away the RIGHT way, once a week.
I believe too many kids don't have chores these days. I had chores. And yes, I complained about them. Put them off. DESPISED cleaning my room. (Funny... that hasn't changed.) And yet, I agree that kids need them. It helps to teach responsibility and how to make our house a home by all who live there.
What about you and your family? What chores do your kids do?
Well? Remember that organizing I was all set to do yesterday? I got some of it done. Not all by any means, but I did make progress in my shed/studio. I had some brainstorming ideas that I just need to put into play. They will take time and effort, but I'm sure by the end, I'll be very happy.
Today is all about getting the kids room back in order. Go through clothes and sort out the ones that don't fit anymore and put those aside. I also really want to make the dressers more accessible for the kids so I can tell them: "Go find a shirt and a pair of pants for today." I'm trying to set them up to be more responsible and make their own choices. Audrey has already, at 2, had meltdowns because of what I chose for her to wear. If I let her make her own choices, it would be easier. Plus, she can almost dress herself already, so why not make it one of her 'chores' just like Austin. :)
Speaking of chores? What chores do your kids do? I found a chart on 45 chores young children can do. I'm pleased that my kids are doing most of what's on this chart for their ages. If they aren't doing it, they are getting there. For example: Audrey made a mess with her water cup yesterday. I handed her a towel and she had to clean it up. Did she get it all? No. But that's not the point. The fact is, she realized that she made a mess and then cleaned it up. I came in behind her and finished it... but she did pretty good for 2!
The hardest thing for me is getting the kids to put their toys away. It takes time. More time than I normally have the patience for to sit there and continue to encourage them to put them away. You know what happens here? Grandma or Mark come along and just throw everything into drawers and baskets, even if that's not where they go. So I feel defeated that I can't teach my kids where their toys go because no one else puts them away in the right places. Mark's idea of 'put away' is out of sight, out of mind. So, for him. They are put away. For me, it's just a jumbled mess. I've noticed that when I organize them and put them in the right places. Less toys come out the next couple of days. Because they can FIND what they want. So, on my own Weekly chores chart, Organizing Toys, is something I will be doing every week now. At least I will know that they are put away the RIGHT way, once a week.
I believe too many kids don't have chores these days. I had chores. And yes, I complained about them. Put them off. DESPISED cleaning my room. (Funny... that hasn't changed.) And yet, I agree that kids need them. It helps to teach responsibility and how to make our house a home by all who live there.
What about you and your family? What chores do your kids do?
Friday, February 17, 2012
Organizing.
What am I into today?
Organization. I NEED to get myself organized. This needs to start in my shed. I want to make this a semi-studio for myself. Anything that needs to be stored, needs to go on top. Things that I can/will use in my 'studio' will stay on the bottom. This means getting rid of things that aren't mine in there, and re-arranging as well.
I will admit it. I'm a collector of stuff. Just stuff. Things that I have a hard time giving up. Things that I might use when the kids are older. Or things I can use if we have another baby. For me, it's hard to give up that 'stuff.' Whether my mom and dad like it or not, I learned it from them. And it's an extremely hard habit to break.
All of my fiber and yarn things are a good collection. They are useful and are used on a regular basis.
That collection of jars and bottles from various sauces? Not so much. I need to learn how to reduce the amount of stuff and only keep the things I need or can use in a reasonable amount of time.
There are also things in my shed that just straight up aren't mine. There's a rocking chair in there that takes up a large amount of space that is Grandma's. We have no place in the house for it. It's not even comfortable to me. But she doesn't want to let go of it. So, it ended up in my shed, taking up precious floor space. Mark is taking it out tonight and he's going to stack it, somehow, in her side of the garage. I have no clue how he's going to do it, but he is. It should be interesting.
I did recently give a huge bag of yarn to our cousin Colleen. She's using it for a yarn bombing project at her daughter's school. I told her I didn't want it back. It was yarn that was given to me through an estate sale that my in laws went to. I used some of it, gave some away, and I still had a ton. Most of it I could not use though. At least I know it went to a good cause. :)
So, join me in my organizing today. Take 10 minutes to organize that junk drawer or take 30 minutes to go through your closet and get rid of the clothes you haven't worn in 2 years. I'll be spending HOURS outside in my shed today, and hopefully, getting a lot accomplished. :)
Organization. I NEED to get myself organized. This needs to start in my shed. I want to make this a semi-studio for myself. Anything that needs to be stored, needs to go on top. Things that I can/will use in my 'studio' will stay on the bottom. This means getting rid of things that aren't mine in there, and re-arranging as well.
I will admit it. I'm a collector of stuff. Just stuff. Things that I have a hard time giving up. Things that I might use when the kids are older. Or things I can use if we have another baby. For me, it's hard to give up that 'stuff.' Whether my mom and dad like it or not, I learned it from them. And it's an extremely hard habit to break.
All of my fiber and yarn things are a good collection. They are useful and are used on a regular basis.
That collection of jars and bottles from various sauces? Not so much. I need to learn how to reduce the amount of stuff and only keep the things I need or can use in a reasonable amount of time.
There are also things in my shed that just straight up aren't mine. There's a rocking chair in there that takes up a large amount of space that is Grandma's. We have no place in the house for it. It's not even comfortable to me. But she doesn't want to let go of it. So, it ended up in my shed, taking up precious floor space. Mark is taking it out tonight and he's going to stack it, somehow, in her side of the garage. I have no clue how he's going to do it, but he is. It should be interesting.
I did recently give a huge bag of yarn to our cousin Colleen. She's using it for a yarn bombing project at her daughter's school. I told her I didn't want it back. It was yarn that was given to me through an estate sale that my in laws went to. I used some of it, gave some away, and I still had a ton. Most of it I could not use though. At least I know it went to a good cause. :)
So, join me in my organizing today. Take 10 minutes to organize that junk drawer or take 30 minutes to go through your closet and get rid of the clothes you haven't worn in 2 years. I'll be spending HOURS outside in my shed today, and hopefully, getting a lot accomplished. :)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Weekly Chores
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Weekly Chores
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Monday
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Clean out Fridge
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Make Bread
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Tuesday
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Kids Laundry
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Organize Toys
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Wednesday
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Adult Laundry
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Vacuum and Mop
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Thursday
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All Other Laundry
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Dust
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Friday
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Bathrooms
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Clean
Kitchen
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Bi-Weekly Chores (to be done on Wednesday or Thursdays)
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Change and wash
all sheets
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Clean shower
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Monthly Chores
(goal to complete before 15th)
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Deep Vacuum
including under couches and all corners.
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Wash windows on
the inside.
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Wipe all ceiling
fan blades and blinds down.
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Daily Chores
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Sweep hardwood
floors
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Wipe down kitchen
counters
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Check on all
animals and collect eggs from chickens
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Bread must sometimes be made one more time during the week.
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Yogurt must be made at least 2x a week
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Go to sleep already!
What am I into today?
Well, first off. We did not get enough Yosemite reservations for our planned July 7-14 trip this year. We needed at least 5 campsites, and got 2. Seriously, they are sold out in 30 seconds. You have to time it just right to get what you want. It's extremely difficult. But, we will try again for a later date in March. So, you have that post to look forward to on March 15th when we do it all over again. :)
Today? I'm mostly back in the land of the living. I'm still coughing and now feel like I've completed about 800 sit ups in the last 3 days. I'm still really tired though being that Audrey woke Cody up from his naps, BOTH times by slamming the bedroom door. She didn't do it on purpose, but man was I ANGRY both times. So, he's been a bit sleep deprived and that makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep for him at night. I posted a picture on my facebook timeline that showed him sound asleep on my lap around 10:30. I was so happy! I put him down, and less than 5 minutes later, he was awake. Then Austin woke up. I took care of him. He was just scared because I left the closet door open. Ugh. Closed that. Grab Cody, start nursing and rocking. Again. 15 minutes later, put him down. Sound asleep. NO SOONER had I crawled under the covers, Audrey starts crying. No joke. I go in and she's coughing up a storm. :( I have found a Hyland's Natural Cough and Cold syrup for kids ages 2 and up, so she got some of that. I go back in, and what do you know? Cody is awake. It's now about 11:45. I'm nursing and rocking. Nursing and rocking. Rocking and nursing. I always try to nurse for long periods at night so he will sleep a little longer. By 12:30, I'm DONE. I had been up since 4am. I put him down. He's asleep. Audrey wakes up again. AUGH! I go comfort her. Again. She's okay. Just needed her tag and her baby. Fine. I go back in to our room, Cody wakes up. You've GOT. TO. BE. KIDDING. ME. At 1am I physically could not take it anymore. I had rocked, sang, hummed, nursed and whispered to Cody. I had swayed with him. I had given Tylenol. I could not do it anymore. I layed him down, and he cried. I put his music on, covered him with his quilt, and let him cry. I know that many people do not believe in crying it out for babies. But I was at a point of sheer exhaustion. Mark was awake through much of this and he agreed. Just let him cry. His music goes for 20 minutes. I was in and out of that. At the end of the music though, he did fall asleep. At 315 AM, Mark went in to comfort Audrey again. I heard her once again around 430, but she went back to sleep on her own. At 5:30ish, I got Mark up and made sure he was out the door on time for work. At 7:30, i heard the kids door open. At 7:45, Austin peeked into my room and quietly waved at me. At 7:50, I was out of bed and helped him turn on the Disney Channel. NOTE TO SELF: Make sure that the Disney channel and an appropriate volume is set the night before so he can turn it on by himself in the mornings now. :)
Sigh. Did you get through all that????? I can't believe I did.
That is what parenting is about. Being there for your kids as much as possible. I know that Cody has had a little bit of the cough I do. It's no where near as bad. But his constant waking when laying him down is a sign of sleep deprivation for him. If he gets a good 2-3 hour nap today, I can put $ on it that he will also go down better tonight. It's just the way he is.
Today though: I came up with a new Chores chart for myself. Yes, for me. If I see it in writing, it may be easier for me to keep up with things. Instead of waiting until Thursday and Friday to get things done, I can try to get it all done throughout the week and break it up into smaller jobs. When I can figure out how to get it copied from Excel and shown here, I'll post it up so you can see! :)
Have a great Wednesday. (Gosh, it is only Wednesday? I swore it was Thursday until I wrote it down. UGH.)
Yes, I did actually think it was Wednesday for a bit there. I'm exhausted. Can you tell? Oh my. I need sleep. Have a great Thursday everyone!
Well, first off. We did not get enough Yosemite reservations for our planned July 7-14 trip this year. We needed at least 5 campsites, and got 2. Seriously, they are sold out in 30 seconds. You have to time it just right to get what you want. It's extremely difficult. But, we will try again for a later date in March. So, you have that post to look forward to on March 15th when we do it all over again. :)
Today? I'm mostly back in the land of the living. I'm still coughing and now feel like I've completed about 800 sit ups in the last 3 days. I'm still really tired though being that Audrey woke Cody up from his naps, BOTH times by slamming the bedroom door. She didn't do it on purpose, but man was I ANGRY both times. So, he's been a bit sleep deprived and that makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep for him at night. I posted a picture on my facebook timeline that showed him sound asleep on my lap around 10:30. I was so happy! I put him down, and less than 5 minutes later, he was awake. Then Austin woke up. I took care of him. He was just scared because I left the closet door open. Ugh. Closed that. Grab Cody, start nursing and rocking. Again. 15 minutes later, put him down. Sound asleep. NO SOONER had I crawled under the covers, Audrey starts crying. No joke. I go in and she's coughing up a storm. :( I have found a Hyland's Natural Cough and Cold syrup for kids ages 2 and up, so she got some of that. I go back in, and what do you know? Cody is awake. It's now about 11:45. I'm nursing and rocking. Nursing and rocking. Rocking and nursing. I always try to nurse for long periods at night so he will sleep a little longer. By 12:30, I'm DONE. I had been up since 4am. I put him down. He's asleep. Audrey wakes up again. AUGH! I go comfort her. Again. She's okay. Just needed her tag and her baby. Fine. I go back in to our room, Cody wakes up. You've GOT. TO. BE. KIDDING. ME. At 1am I physically could not take it anymore. I had rocked, sang, hummed, nursed and whispered to Cody. I had swayed with him. I had given Tylenol. I could not do it anymore. I layed him down, and he cried. I put his music on, covered him with his quilt, and let him cry. I know that many people do not believe in crying it out for babies. But I was at a point of sheer exhaustion. Mark was awake through much of this and he agreed. Just let him cry. His music goes for 20 minutes. I was in and out of that. At the end of the music though, he did fall asleep. At 315 AM, Mark went in to comfort Audrey again. I heard her once again around 430, but she went back to sleep on her own. At 5:30ish, I got Mark up and made sure he was out the door on time for work. At 7:30, i heard the kids door open. At 7:45, Austin peeked into my room and quietly waved at me. At 7:50, I was out of bed and helped him turn on the Disney Channel. NOTE TO SELF: Make sure that the Disney channel and an appropriate volume is set the night before so he can turn it on by himself in the mornings now. :)
Sigh. Did you get through all that????? I can't believe I did.
That is what parenting is about. Being there for your kids as much as possible. I know that Cody has had a little bit of the cough I do. It's no where near as bad. But his constant waking when laying him down is a sign of sleep deprivation for him. If he gets a good 2-3 hour nap today, I can put $ on it that he will also go down better tonight. It's just the way he is.
Today though: I came up with a new Chores chart for myself. Yes, for me. If I see it in writing, it may be easier for me to keep up with things. Instead of waiting until Thursday and Friday to get things done, I can try to get it all done throughout the week and break it up into smaller jobs. When I can figure out how to get it copied from Excel and shown here, I'll post it up so you can see! :)
Yes, I did actually think it was Wednesday for a bit there. I'm exhausted. Can you tell? Oh my. I need sleep. Have a great Thursday everyone!
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