Why You Don't Give a Toddler a Milkshake in the Car

Oh well ... clothes may need to be washed, but happy children and the memories they make are worth it.

Two Great Baby Gifts and Their Tutorials to Go With Them

Last week I made I wipes case and diaper clutch for a friend of mine who is due in August.  

It was remarkably easy to do.  For the diaper clutch I followed this tutorial at Boogaboo Babies, and for the wipes case I used the tutorial from Make It and Love It.  If you ever want to make either one of these items I completely recommend using these tutorials.  I certainly hope Baby Catherine enjoys using them as much I enjoyed making them for her.

Don't You Wish You Lived Here?

You could play dress up all day ...

... and then sleep in your tu-tu.  

It's days like these that reinforce how happy I am to be a stay at home mama. 

Tuesday Tip - Laundry Aides

I ran across a blog by The Simple Green Frugal Co-Op about getting stains out of clothing.  It's something that I think is a great resource to have up in your laundry closet ready when you find yourself with an especially rough stain.  I've copied her entry for you reading pleasure:

It makes good sense to look after your clothes to prolong their useful life as long as possible. As a mother with three young children though, I have a constant battle with a variety of stains on their clothing! So I thought today it might be useful to share some methods for removing stains from machine-washable clothing, using commonly available ingredients. I keep a notebook to jot down methods as I come across them in magazines, books or the internet, and asterix the ones that work well to use next time. As always, use your judgement when spot-cleaning any item of clothing and if you think it might not be colorfast, test a small hidden area first (like a hem) and be as gentle as possible with more delicate or printed items.

I also try to avoid using methods which require specialised products like dry-cleaning fluid or white spirits as two of us have very sensitive skin, and for environmental reasons I prefer the simpler, the better. Usually, my first line of defence for dried stains is to soak in an oxygen bleach prewash such as NapiSan or OxiClean (although I use a cheaper generic version of these), and then move on to other stain removal methods for persistant stains, while the garment is still wet.

Firstly, note that all spills should - ideally - be seen to as soon as possible for the best chance of removal. When that isn't possible, or you don't have the time (or the energy) to deal with it, rinse the item in COLD water and leave it to soak until you can get to it.

Secondly, heat will invariably set stains, making them very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. If you miss a stain when you are washing your clothes as normal, but notice it when removing it from the machine, deal with it while it is still wet. The heat from drying the item in the sun, in the dryer or ironing it, will usually set it.

Thirdly, if you can, work from the back of the stain to the front so that you don't accidentally force the stain further into the fabric. For most clothing items therefore, turn them inside out and rinse from the back. Treat delicate items with appropriate care; don't rub vigorously.

Lastly, if you can't remove a stain, don't throw the garment away immediately - it may be possible to save the garment with some creative sewing! Cover up stains on children's clothing using applique, fabric paint and buttons. Oh and a word about hairspray and perfume - these are commonly discussed online as being good for removing certain stains, but it is the alcohol in them that does the job. Go for rubbing alcohol in preference if you can, as hairspray and perfume contain other ingredients which can make the stain worse in some cases.

Ballpoint pen: Cover fresh stains with salt to absorb as much of the ink as possible, and then soak in milk before washing as usual. If you know that the fabric is colorfast, you can use a paste made from cream of tartar and lemon juice. Apply to the stain and leave for 30 minutes before rinsing and washing. If you aren't sure, test the paste on a hidden section of fabric like the hem, first.

Beetroot: For fresh stains, rinse as much juice from the item with cool water as possible. Then soak a piece of white bread in cool water, place over the stain and leave to absorb the stain. Wash as normal in cool water. If it has dried, rub the stain gently from the outside edges inwards with glycerine, or try soaking it in white vinegar. Rinse and wash as normal.

Blood: Wash as much of the stain out as possible with cold running water. Rub the remaining stain with a bar of pure soap until removed, and launder with your normal powder or liquid in cold water. For dried stains on colorfast items, soak in cold water first to loosen the stain, then apply a paste made of 6 tablespoons baking soda and 1/2 cup water. Work it in a little and leave to sit for 30 minutes to an hour, then wash as normal in cold water.

Chocolate: Rinse in cold water, then scrub with a cake of pure soap and cold water to remove the brown stain. Then to remove the oil stain, rub with a cake of pure soap in hot water. Rinse and wash as normal.

Coffee and tea: Soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Wash on a cold cycle and hang in the sun to dry.

Crayon: Mix two drops of tea tree oil with one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and then massage gently into the stain with your fingers. Rinse and wash as usual.

Curry powder/ turmeric: Wipe with a small amount of lavender oil before washing as usual.

Fruit juice: Wash in white vinegar and then hang in the sunshine to dry. Many fruit stains are UV sensitive and will break down with exposure to sunlight. Dark fruit stains like stone fruits may benefit from rubbing with glycerine first.

Grass: Try soaking the item in full strength vinegar for half an hour before washing. If stains remain, try sponging the stain gently with rubbing alcohol before rewashing.

Grease and greasy stains: Cover fresh stains immediately with salt to blot up the excess oil. Brush off gently and dab any remaining stains with vinegar, or gently rub a small amount of dishwashing liquid into the stain. Wash as usual.

Marker pens: Try dabbing gently with methylated spirits, changing the cloth frequently to remove the marker. Wash as usual.

Mud: Allow to dry and brush off as much as possible (you can even try the vacuum cleaner nozzle). Rub liquid detergent into the remaining stain and allow to soak, rubbing occasionally, for 30 minutes, then wash as normal.

Paint: With water-based paints, try rubbing the mark with dishwashing liquid or dab the stain gently with methylated spirits. Rinse and wash as usual. For acrylic paints, dab with turpentine or gently apply rubbing alcohol with a toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and wash as usual.

Rust and mildew: Make a paste of lemon juice and salt and apply to the stain. Leave to sit for 30 minutes - if the garment is white leave it in the sun (don't do this with coloured garments as it will bleach the fabric). Rinse and allow to dry (but not in a dryer). Repeat if necessary.

Soft drink/ soda: Treat as per fruit juice stains (most soft drink dyes are vegetable-based).

Tomatoes: Sunlight! Wash the item as normal, and then hang right-side out in the sun. Like many fruit stains, tomato stains are UV-sensitive and will fade to nothing with exposure to the sun. Many a bolognaise-stained white shirt has been saved this way at my house ;-)

Green Giggling Girls

This week the girls received a set of matching green bathing suits from a great aunt of mine.  I tried to get a picture of the girls in the suits so that my aunt could see them, but it's hard to get a picture where the suits really show.  Oh well - the girls are still pretty cute.

Do you see that?  It's the first picture we've been able to get with Verity smiling.  She's been smiling for months now, but I couldn't ever get it on film.  Mission completion.  :)

The Best Mother's Day Present

This year I got the best Mother's Day present: a nap.  It was wonderful.  Almost 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  This was followed by the second greatest present: a clean home.  What more could I want?  I did also get a fun black tote bag.  And pizza for dinner.  

What a great day. :)

Mowing Buddy

Charissa is a Daddy's girl.  If Daddy is home Charissa wants to be with him.  It doesn't matter what he's doing - she wants to be involved.  As evidenced by this:

Yup, she's riding on Britt's back in the Ergo while he mows the grass.  

That kid is just plain funny. 

Becoming Real

"What is real?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room.  "does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse.  "It's a thing that happens to you.  When a child loves you for a long,long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful.  "When you are real you don't mind being hurt."  

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse.  "You become.  It takes a long time.  That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.  Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.  But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

- Excerpt from The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams

I was getting ready for bed tonight and was beyond thrilled that it was only 1100.  Today had been a long day in a week of long days, so I was feeling tired and much too ready to close my eyes and take a break from feeding, changing, and caring for small bodies (at least for a few hours).  Then I heard Britt say, "I hear someone crying."  

It only took me a second to realize that it wasn't Verity, and it wasn't Charissa's "I just woke up and feel alone" cry - she was in distress.  And when I got to her room it only took a whiff to realize why.  I guess my sensitive spirited little girl also has a sensitive tummy.  After calming her down, I quickly set to work gathering all the dirty sheets and blankets and stuffed animals to put them in the wash.  Unfortunately, Buddy was among those headed for a late night bath.  

Who is Buddy?  Buddy is Charissa's best friend.  She's a little pink bunny with purple flowers who used to play music, but lost that ability a few washings ago.  Once a fluffy and clean little bunny, she now has permanent markings and tears from CJ loving on her.  Buddy is Charissa's constant companion.  She sleeps with buddy.  Buddy plays games with us.  Buddy likes to watch Veggie Tales.  Buddy even potty trained with us.  There are few things we do that Buddy isn't involved.  And tonight, Buddy was dirty.  

After saying goodnight to Buddy and putting her in the wash, Charissa and I went back to her room and sat down on the floor while Britt made her bed with fresh linens.  I knew that going to bed without her fluffy friend would be hard, and she had made several comments about getting Buddy dirty, so I thought I should reassure her.  I started telling her that Buddy loves her so much and that Buddy wasn't upset about getting dirty.  We talked a bit more about how Buddy loves to be there with her so much that she didn't mind if that meant she got a little worn along the way.  

While talking with Charissa, tears came to my eyes.   So I went on to tell her that Daddy and Mama love her even more than Buddy does.  And that even though we get tired, we aren't upset that she needed us late and that she'll probably get us up early tomorrow morning.  She's totally worth it.  

After I left my room I was thinking about how I have changed so much in the last few years.  While I still don't love changing diapers and cleaning sheets with vomit on them, it doesn't phase me anymore.  I don't have the time to primp and get ready like I used to.  Clothes not only fit differently, but I need them to function differently.  They aren't for going out on the town - my clothes are for crawling around on the floor and running through the park chasing my little girl.  

But it doesn't truly matter.  God has so blessed me with a wonderful family.  My husband loves me, my two little girls love me - and they think I'm beautiful.  So I am. 

Charissa's Prayers

This afternoon during naptime I overheard Charissa praying while she was in her bed. This is her prayer:

"Jesus, Pray Verity goes to sleep. Pray Buddy goes to sleep. Pray Mama goes to sleep. Pray Dissa goes to sleep. Thank you for my cereal. Aaa-men!"

It actually became more of a chant and she repeated it over and over again for about 5 minutes. It's so amazing to me what that little mind thinks up.

Rock'n'Roll CJ

CJ sat down with the guitar and started singing her favorite rock'n'roll song over and over and over.  And by "playing" I mean she was strumming and tapping the guitar (which reminiscent of August Rush) and she sang the same two lyrics over and over.  It was ridiculously cute and entertaining.  

Tuesday Tip - Kissing Shoes

Charissa loves putting her shoes on when we "go-go" - and of course she insists on doing it herself.  Now with shoes you'd think that there is a 50-50 chance that she'd put the right shoe on the right foot, but she pretty much always got them wrong.  Not that I cared.  It didn't bother her so I just let it go.  But for some reason strangers felt the need to tell her that her shoes were on backwards, and Charissa is a bit sensitive to people laughing at her, so I decided to try to help her put them on the right feet.  After several rounds of "This is your right foot and this is the right shoe" I realized that wasn't going to go anywhere with her.  Fortunately I found* an idea that works: kissing shoes.  You put a little smiley face on the instep of each shoe and teach your child that their shoes are on the right feet when the faces can kiss.  

It works wonders!  Charissa now puts her shoes on the right feet like 95% of the time.  Everyone's happy now!

*Right now I can't remember where I found this.  So if anyone runs across it or knows, please let me know!

The Amazing Technicolor Skirt Sets

Last week I popped into the fabric store to get white and black thread.  That was all.  I just needed two spools of thread.  But then I saw this really fun brightly colored stripedy fabric and I was drawn to it.  And it was on sale!  So I ended up getting it and another coordinating fabric that was also on sale.  I don't always have an intended use for fabrics when I buy them, but this time I knew that I would make skirts out of them.  

I made Charissa a pretty basic little skirt with an elastic waist.  I added a 2 inch trim at the bottom and a little applique flower.  Verity's dress was a bit more complicated.  The skirt of the dress is the same length of Charissa's but I attached it to a white onesie to make it into a dress.  The only onesie I had on hand was a 3-6 month, which worked out fine for now, but I lost a little length in the sewing so she might grow out of it soon.  The next time I'll use a bigger onesie.  But it'll work out ok because I'll just cut off the bottom part of the onesie which she gets too tall for it.  

In addition to the appliques on the front of the skirts, I put one on the back of Verity's onesie.  I love hiney decorations! 
And what outfit is complete without hair accessories?  So here is Charissa's ...
... and this one's Verity's.  Of course after I made it I found out that Verity's head isn't big enough for the headband and keeps flopping off.  Oh well.  

The girls were very cute on Sunday in their little outfits.  As much fun as it was to have a new outfit for Sunday, I don't think I'll be making them every week.  

Baby V Now Comes With Bows

Verity is losing her hair - there's just no denying it anymore.  So gone were the hopes that she'd be able to wear bows in her hair.  Until I remembered seeing headbands that you can change out bows with so even those with no hair can still accessorize.  So I made one last week:

I basically just wrapped a plastic headband with white ribbon and then made a loop off to one side that was big enough to clip a bow on.  So easy!
Sorry for the bad pictures, I'm having a little trouble with my camera right now.  I've done something to it and I can't figure out what I did.  But isn't she precious?  I mean, she was precious before, the bow just accents it.  

One Lump or Two?

If you come to our house, you'll probably be served a nice hot cup of cheese cubes.  Life is fun here. :)

EDIT :: Apparently some people were confused - Charissa put her cheese cubes that she had for a snack into one of her play tea cups.  She brought it to me and asked me if I wanted a "sip" and then proceeded to give me a piece of cheese.  It's very fun being her mother.  

We've Been Busy

As you can tell from the lack of blogging, we've been busy.  Between potty training and changing schedules and spring break we've been running around crazy.  But things are settling down for us now and I'm starting to feel like a normal person again.  And CJ is almost completely potty trained!  She still wears a diaper at night, but other than that she's good all day - even during nap time!  I'm very impressed with her.  

Anyway - I don't have a ton of time right now to post right now, but hopefully I'll be back again soon!

Tuesday Tip - What to Do With Bone-In Split Chicken Breasts

I don't know about you, but I don't really enjoy dealing with raw meat.  I prefer to buy my meat neatly packaged with no skins and no bones - it's just so easy.  But it's not the cheapest way to get meat.  And I think everyone is looking for ways to do things cheaper these days.  My friend Candace sent me a link to $5 Dollar Dinners where she explains how you can pretty easily use bone-in split chicken breasts.  I tried to copy it onto my blog, but that didn't work for some reason.  I really recommend reading her article because it'll probably save you tons of money and it's a lot easier than you would think.  

Tuesday Tip - Freeze Your Herbs

I love using fresh herbs when I cook. In fact I'm hoping to start growing my own herbs so that I can conviently walk out my back door, pick a few leaves and give my dinners a fresh burst of flavor. Until then, I'm stuck picking them up at the store. The thing I don't like about this, is that it's so wasteful. I use the rosemary (or thyme or cilantro or parsley) for one meal and then I'm left with the vast majority of the package and nothing to do with it. And then about a month later I find it at the bottom of my produce bin and hate that I have to throw it away. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?

Well, I think I've found a solution. Freeze your leftover herbs. It's so simple! And one would think I would have found out about this earlier since we all know I have a great affection for all things freezable. And this was actually an accidental discovery - just like so many other great accidental discoveries (penicillin, champagne ...). Anyway - on one of those very rare shopping trips in which I was child-free I was lingering over the fun frozen foods when I saw a package of frozen parsley. It came in this tray with little pop out sections that each measured out to be about 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley. Fascinated, I took it out of the swirling mist and checked it out. As I'm looking it over and reading the labels I think to myself, "I could so do this." Especially since I have tiny Martha Stewart ice trays that are just the right size.

Ok - down to the nitty-gritty how to's.

Method One:

1. Pick the freshiest, healthiest leaves.
2. Wash (if necessary) and pat dry.
3. Spread the individual leaves on a small tray or cookie sheet. Freezing the leaves flat and individually will prevent them from freezing together.
4. Cover and place the tray into the freezer.
5. When frozen (which shouldn't take but a few hours), place in an airtight container or ziploc bag and return to the freezer.
   
   Method Two:

1. Harvest the freshest, healthiest leaves.
2. Wash (if necessary) and pat dry.
3. Stuff 2-3 individual leaves or a spoonful of chopped herbs in ice cube trays.
4. Fill the tray half way with water.  Make sure the leaves are down into the water.  They will tend to float, but that's ok for now.  Place the tray in the freezer.
5. Once the ice cubes are pretty much frozen, finish filling the tray with water.  The leaves should now be completely submerged in the water.  Put them back in the freezer until frozen solid.
6. Once the ice cubes are frozen, remove them from the tray and store in ziploc bags.

 Ta-da!  May you never waste herbs again! 

A Crafty Fun Giveaway

So my friend Nicole had a craft giveaway where the first 5 people to respond to her post would receive something made by her.  The only catch was that you had to offer the giveaway on your own blog.  Well, I was quick on the draw (barely) and was the 5th person to respond on her blog.  So now I am offering you that same chance.  Here are the rules:

1. You must be one of the first 5 people to leave me a comment on my blog.  
2. You must offer this on your own blog.
3. I will make something just for you.  Which means I'm going to try to make it something you'll like.
4. You must be patient with me to finish this project - no 6-8 week delivery guarantee.  Although I will try to do it in a timely fashion.  

So ... who wants to win something?

Easter Recap

This past weekend we went to my parents' house to celebrate Easter with them.  Charissa had lots of fun with Nana and Grumpa and all the egg-tivities that they had planned.  

CJ finding eggs in the backyard

Coloring eggs with Nana

It's hard to see in this picture, but apparently someone thought Verity's name was "Verity Treat."  I certainly think she's a treat.

Charissa and Verity in the Sunday Finery.  For those of you looking closely, you can see that this chair is just like CJ's, just in a different fabric.  It's actually Verity's chair that is waiting for her at Nana's until she's big enough to use it. 

Searching for her Easter basket ...

... and then when she finds it she just dumps it on the floor.

You can always count on Nana and Grumpa to have a good time. 

Easter Ideas for Next Year

    I don't know about you, but sometimes I find a really good idea for a holiday a few days after the holiday is over.  I have a file on my computer to keep track of these ideas so I can use them the next time.  So for any of you who do the same, I have a few good ideas for you.  

    Sarah over at Create Studio shared how her mother used plastic Easter eggs to share the Gospel.  Each egg has a scripture and an object in it going through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Since these were super easy to assemble, I made them one day before dinner and we went through them after dinner.  Charissa had a lot of fun playing with all the little objects, and we were able to go through a lot of the Gospel with her.

    Another idea came from a friend of mine from church.   Again, it was something her mom did with her every year.  They're called Resurrection Cookies and with each ingredient you talk about one aspect of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  The Gospel and cookies?  Now that's pretty cool.  

    So store these ideas away for next year.  And what holiday is coming up next that I can celebrate?   I have a desire to decorate and celebrate.