Controlled Chaos

A boy and his robot

2009-08-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Quick! Before Jack wakes up. I made this robot for Jack a few weeks ago and it has stayed in his crib ever since. Thank god he doesn't care that mom messed up the arms. Sweet boy.

Saving Money

2009-07-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Wow. That's a generic title if I ever saw one.

Over here at Casa de Chapin we are trying to save money for a variety of reasons. The main reason we want to save cash is to pay extra on loans to get them over and done with in a reasonable time frame. Here's what I did today:

1. Loss leaders. You know those annoying ads you get in the mail from Save Mart and other grocery stores? Those "deals" they advertise are called loss leaders it's what they use to get you in the door. Once you're there you'll buy a bunch of overpriced stuff that will negate your savings, at least that's what they are hoping. Loss leaders only work if you stick to a list. I got my ad yesterday in the mail and this morning I spent about $28 and saved $20 and some change. Had I stuck to my list and not bought a bottle of extra virgin olive oil I would have saved more than I spent. Good stuff. Oh, and always remember that if it's a really good deal and can store well buy multiples. I bought five loaves of bread because they were around $2 off. They'll all go in the freezer until I need one.
2. Bibs. Back before I had a child (actually before I was even pregnant) I saw these spiffy bibs that pulled over the head instead of being velcroed (is that a word?) at the neck. Now that Jack is eating some food on his own I decided that I needed one. At Target they are $6.99 each. Ummmmm, no thanks. Instead I bought some shirts at Goodwill for a $2 each, cut the arms and back off and there you have it. Jack is wearing one in the picture above. If you want super absorbent bibs you could also sew old washcloths or a cut up old towel to the back. I didn't do that but it's an idea.

3. Repurposing. You know that suitcase full of old bedsheets, pillowcases and scraps that I buy at the thrift store? I actually use that stuff. I had made quite a few pull over bibs for Jack but I had nowhere convenient to store them so I made a simple bag that hangs off the back of the high chair. The straps velcro so if I ever need to take the bag off I can.
When I was done I still had a lot of fabric left over so I decided to make something I had seen a while back but never got around to. Obviously it's on the left since it matches the bag. It hangs on the inside of the pantry door and it's for storing plastic bags. Yes, we still get plastic bags every once and a while, I'm a slacker sometimes. Besides, what else am I gonna use to clean up cat and dog poo?

Anyway, it's a tube open on both ends. You shove bags in the top and pull bags out the bottom. Simple concept really. The multi colored thing next to it is a reasonably priced closet shoe rack (I didn't get the cheapest because it was flimsy plastic) and hung it on the back of my pantry door. From top to bottom we have: 1) bottle liners 2) bottles and straws (random) 3) nipples, rings, lids, pacifiers that my son never uses 4) long pasta (angel hair, ect), small and large Ziploc bags 5) aluminum foil, wax paper, stuff like that.

Done!

2009-07-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Finally, I have finished a quilt. I was on a serious quilting rut for quite some time. I though the "Giant Janell Project" was going to be my only successful project. Thankfully, I got a kick in the rear and plowed through this in a week. This was my first time machine quilting so the lines are a little wonky but the recipient is nice enough to say she doesn't care.

Lazy Summer

2009-07-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

Summer here borders on dreadful. It's hot, hot, hot. I stay in most of the time only leaving my home in the early mornings or late evenings the only exception being swimming. While we've dedicated our back yard to a garden Travi's mom has a pool in hers. Thankfully she only lives few blocks from us so I try to get over there every other day with Jack just to cool off and do something other than sit in the house. Last weekend I had the day off so we made it a family swim day.
While staying inside does sound like a great reason to sew till my hearts content Jack's curiosity makes it hard. He's opening cabinets, trash cans and I'm pretty sure he's gonna figure out how to open the toilet lid soon. Also, like I've mentioned before, he likes to push on the foot pedal of my sewing machine when I'm sewing. It gets a little frustrating. There is crafting hope, The Bissat's and the Crum's are both due soon which means I need to kick it into high gear if they hope to ever get a gift. I'm not too sure what I'm making but I some fabric caught my eye and it sits on my table ready to spark my imagination. One more thing before I leave. Jack and the plum. Ignore the blurryness, Jack does not sit still.

Not much

2009-06-22T16:09:00.001-07:00

So my crafting has come to a halt due to Jack wanting whatever mama has. Currently he's trying to grab the keyboard. He will grab skeins of yarn and pull away from me, he will push the foot pedal down while I'm sewing or he will shove things in his mouth that do not belong there. Oh well, I'll have more than enough time to craft later when he's a pre-teen/teen and wants nothing to do with me because I'm old and his mom.

I do want to mention that I got a Mac on Father's Day. I don't know how I managed to get a gift from Trav on Father's Day but I'm not complaining. No longer do I have to deal with my computer randomly switching over to all caps, opening a new window with every click or holding the power cord in just the right spot to keep it running. Yay!

He walks. A lot

2009-06-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

So, Jack just decided to start walking and he hasn't stopped. Pretty steady but tends to look like a drunken sailor when trying to walk fast/run. He's more determined than ever to do what he wants. I think he has his momma's stubborn streak which may drive me insane just like I did to my mom. What goes around comes around I guess.Travis is at his new job. We love it. He says the hardest day at this job is still better than a regular day in the ED. Yay! He even has a lunch break that doesn't consist of him eating at the desk while charting on patients. At least once a week Jack and I meet dad in Exeter for lunch. The other day we walked in the grass while we waited for our food. My little hippie baby doesn't wear shoes, he doesn't like them. Oh well, I don't wear shoes when I don't have to either.

Quick update

2009-06-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

So I spent two evening making this dress from Weekend Sewing. I was super excited. Great fabric (I love red with white polka dots!), great summer style. I put it on at 10PM the night before I had to work and wanted to cry. It's about two sizes too big for me. What.The.F***? I followed the directions exactly. I'm small but I'm not that small. Boooooooooooo.

Something that did work out for me was my baking. We had two giant zucchinis and some browning bananas so I made four loaves of bread and some banana chocolate chips muffins. Yum.

Jack is walking now, everyday he goes a little bit further. I'd take the time to post a picture but currently he is pulling on my shirt and screaming. Gotta go!

I can can.

2009-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

For my first canning attempt ever I decided to water bath can some BBQ sauce. So I got my stuff together.

What exactly is "liquid smoke" anyone know? Do I want to know? How do you make smoke liquid? The science of liquid smoke wasn't the weird part for me. The weird part was pouring in the molasses. A few weekends back I was at work and helped a fellow RN give a warm milk and molasses enema. Pouring the molasses into the pot of tomato sauce was kinda unnerving.

After I made the sauce I kept it simmering while prepping the water, jars and lids. Everything has to be 180 degrees F to prevent thermal shock (AKA glass shattering due to rapid temp changes). When everything was ready I poured in the sauce put the lid and ring on and got to boiling water. Because I have a pressure canner I left the pressure control thing off so steam would just escape. Around 10 min later I shut it all off, removed the lid and let them cool for about five more minutes. As I was getting ready to transfer the jars to a wood cutting board with a towel (to prevent thermal shock) I heard the lids one by one POP. Success!
There they are five jars of home made BBQ sauce ready for the pantry.

Next up: Pressure canning when I have something to actually can.

Speaking of cans thanks Uncle Jason for being such a good example to my son.

2009-05-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

It's here! It's here! My pressure cooker/canner is here! Just in time for a test run before we start harvesting and canning our excess. Yay! I'm totally terrified of the canner since I've heard lots of horror stories about pressure cookers. Eeep. The giant warning notes on the side and top are not helping. An All American 21 1/2 Quart pressure cooker/canner. Got it off of Amazon. This thing weighs a ton. There is no way I'm gonna be able to fill it at the sink and transfer to the stove.
Mom is happy and so is Jack because he got a new toy in the form of a box. Nice muscle tee dude.

My first attempt at canning will be BBQ sauce. I got a great recipe off of allrecipes.com that has been approved by Travis. I'll make a huge batch, can it and no longer have to buy pre-made sauce. No crazy ingredients I can't pronounce. No HFCS (happy Carolyn?) and no preservatives. I know I could just make the sauce everytime we grill but we grill a lot and I don't always have the time to make it. This way I'll take the time today and have it redily avaliable for months on end. Just reach in the pantry and grab a jar.

Since I have the time I'll update everyone on the garden. The weather has been a bit hot but so far the only thing that has suffered are the hydrangia.

I love colorful stuff.
Still getting artichokes. I will be attempting to can these soon. Beans. Yup, I'll can these. Can you see the wall o' floweres behind them? Love it. Don't know what this is but it's edible and it looks cool. Chances of canning this? Zero.Zuccini squash. Yellow squash. Corn! Lots and lots of corn. I will keep these in the chest freezer on the cob. These are our "volunteer" sunflowers. They are huge. Some are red, some yellow and some are a mix. Good stuff.Peas. This type is not the kind that are shelled so any excess will be frozen. I know we have the other type but I haven't seen any action from them.
Blueberries. These are along the path where the clothesline is. I will hang clothes, turn around and eat them. I think that's the coolest thing ever.
Of course tomatoes. We will make our own tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce to can for the winter with all our extras.
There is more stuff in the ground like watermelons and soy beans but they aren't showing much. When they do I'll promise to share.

The projects never stop

2009-05-06T13:36:00.001-07:00

Thankfully I'm the type to actually finish projects. Last Friday, it was the master closet. Once again I forget "before" pictures but here's kinda what it looked like.

Imagine that black rack holding lots and lots of pants. I had hung closet shelving in the laundry room closet before back when I was pregnant so this was nothing new.

When I was a kid my not so handy step-dad would hang things up in the house with plastic drywall anchors. He never took the time to figure out what could and could not be hung with those anchors. I remember lots and lots of holes where drywall anchors used to be and things coming out of the wall with anchor still attached to the screw. Good times. Since I did not want this happening with my closet shelves I opted for this:
It's a toggle bolt, referred to as the "cadillac" of drywall anchors. More often than not the wall gives way before the bolt does. The nerve racking thing about these, if you've never seen them, is the size of the hole you have to drill in the wall to use it. That bolt above requires a hole this large:

The first time I used one I read the directions four times because I didn't think I was reading correctly. Nope, you need a hole that big to get the bolt in. Jack is also amazed at the size of the hole.So, you put the bolt on the screw leaving enough room for the bolt reach the back side of the drywall.
Then you just pop it it. Literally, you wait for the "pop" of the bolt opening up on the other side.

FYI, if you mess up in anyway after this point the bolt is long gone. Pulling the screw out isn't gonna happen and unscrewing it from the bold will result in the bolt falling down in between two sheets of drywall.

Install the shelves. Curse the guy at Lowe's for not cutting the shelves to the proper length resulting in a gouge in your wall. Then remember that spackle is your friend.

Admire your curious child and his giant cloth diaper butt.

Put everything back and jump with joy as your closet looks somewhat more organized.

Turn around and realize that your bathroom is now a disaster.

In this house...

2009-05-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

...mom is not afraid of a mess. This is why I don't get puree baby food. At this stage food is for learning not the base of his nutrition. Babies this age still rely on breastmilk/formula for nutritional needs so why bother with puree? He eats what's on my plate: whole green beans, whole peas, sliced banana, sliced avocado, bread, edamame, applesauce, zucchini, pasta, rice, pinto beans, pita bread and broccoli. Why should I pay for puree food? He won't let me spoon feed him, he wants to use the spoon himself so I give it to him.

P.S. That plate is a set of four plastic plates that I bought at Goodwill for $1 each. They were new from Target. How could I tell? They still had the Target clearance tag on them that read $2.38. I saved $5.52, yes!

Room project + impulse buy = long post

2009-05-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

I got the new Windex Outdoor Window Cleaner the other day. I was hunting around at Wal Mart for ammonia and saw it. Earlier in the week Trav had complained about dirty windows so I picked it up.Now, before anyone complains about Wal Mart let me just say that my mom worked in the pharmacy (not a pharmacist, mainly stocking shelves) for years and liked it as much as you can like a retail job. She came in at 5AM and they let her clock out every morning to pick us up at home and take us to school. Can't argue with that.

On with the impulse buy. I like it. Worked really well. Now, I just have to figure out how to make my own refill. The problem is finding a detergent that leaves a "streak free shine" because not having to squeeee/dry windows was nice.I don't care for ladders.

Now on to the good stuff. The sewing/reading/play/family room. Previously it was the sewing/guest room but we really don't have out of town guests over and Jack needs a place to play where I can get stuff done. I also need to not have a TV in the room or I end up turning it on (I have little self control). Travis thinks kids should not spend all their time playing in their rooms and I think a family space is important so this was my solution. I have no "before" pics because I forgot. Sorry. Just picture a sewing table, bookcases and a high, black 1930's bed sitting in the middle of the room.

Here's my sewing table flanked by two bookshelves. Travis bought the table and stool, his aunt and uncle gave us the bookselves. They don't match but I'm not one to turn down free stuff. On the left is some of my fabric. On the right is notions, books (for me and Jack) and photo albums.
Two nursing caps, one from LVN school and one from RN school. Bonus points to anyone other than the Jollyewe who can tell me which hat is which. All my essential mamma books. The nursing texts are in the office with the other boring stuff. Under the table is the luggage I scored at Rescued Treasures.

The vanity case is for knitting.
The smaller suitcase is for patterns and quarter flats/fat quarters (whatever you choose to call them).
The large case is filled with vintage linen. I clean out Goodwill of all sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths with a 1960's or 1970's print or embroidery.
These yummy fabrics I bought on Monday will join the rest.The big sewing project for this room was this wall hanging I made for Jack. Hung at his level so he can touch, feel and play with a basket of stuffed animals to the right.Two more baskets. One has toys and the other has the many blankets made for him by Great Grandma Chapin. The gate is up to keep him out of the bathroom since he now enjoys throwing stuff in the toilet. Can't forget the sleepy dog, Manny.Mamma's spot complete with laptop, bowl of edamame, my fuel of choice (I don't like coffee) and a fat cat warming the seat.
There is also a mirror to play with. I kept the bed but put it on the floor Montessori style. I lay on it to read or knit. Jack climbs up, down and naps on it.

I hung ten paper lanterns hanging above the bed. Honestly, I think that's my favorite part.

Hope you enjoyed the room tour!

I kick my own ass

2009-04-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

I am not a competitive person. I take little satisfaction in being better than people. Apparently, I have been this way my entire life. Mom says that when she asked me if I wanted to play sports as a kid I responded "What about the kids that lose?" I don't care if you can run faster than me, have a better test score than me, have a cooler car than me. Quite honestly the only thing I ever envy in others is good hair (ha!). This little factoid drives Travis crazy. Competitiveness is a Chapin trait, it's in their blood. Travis is that guy that will push himself at any type if sport until he vomits. I have also heard that his brother does the same thing. Me? Not so much.

What drives Travis even more crazy is the fact that I'm naturally athletic with a short attention span. I can pick up most sports after a few tries and excel if I choose to keep with it. I played three sports in high school (water polo, soccer and diving) but by my third year I was bored and opted to not participate. In fact, I was so over high school that I took two classes on campus and spent the rest of my time taking courses at the community college. I get bored very easily if I don't feel I can challenge myself enough.

What's the point in all this? That picture at the top has been my morning view lately. I like to exercise, it's in my genes. My dad is in his 60's still jogging, cycling and swimming. With my short attention span I rotate between three things to stay in shape (yoga, weight lifting/treadmill and swimming). I choose three activities that are virtually solitary because I don't like to compete with others. I don't need someone breathing down my neck to keep me moving, I can push myself.

I haven't swam since my last few months of pregnancy. It was hot, I was large and jumping off the treadmill every few mintues to pee was getting old. The pool felt good in the 90+ degree weather but I just puttered around back and forth with the kickboard. Now that I'm back to swimming I remember why I like it so much. I'm getting a great workout without that overheated/sweaty feeling. In the water it's just me and my thoughts, the rest of the world is silent. I glide through the water graceful, watching the black tiles of the lane marker as I go back and forth. Slow. Steady. Quitet. Such a lovely way to stay healthy.

Lunch at the park

2009-04-25T11:49:00.000-07:00

Travis and I had one of those rare days off together so we decided to have a picnic since the weather was wonderful. We all had a great time laying around on a blanket under a big tree.

Jack didn't particularly like the feeling of grass on his knees so he opted to stay on the blanket or walk with Dad's help.
He has my eyebrows, poor guy.

Jack also sat in a swing for the first time and by the looks of it he had a great time.

It's gonna be a good day

2009-04-23T09:11:00.001-07:00

A sleeping baby, knitting and watching "Singin' in the Rain." Sounds like the start of a good day to me.

It has been found!

2009-04-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

I found my camera on the mantle behind my favorite vase. I do things like that thinking "I'm going to remember that I put that there because it's such an unusual place..." Then I always forget. Is this dementia or just being a busy momma?Nice cookie stuck to your head little man.

I am in the middle of a big project right now. I have not ignored my little projects, but I'm on that creative high when you think you just came up with the coolest thing ever. Don't you love that feeling? Focused. Determined. Creative. Energetic. Gah, I love it. What pushed me into this creative rush? Why SouleMama's book of course. Doesn't that inspire every one of us crunchy/hippie mommas out there?

This have been a little chaotic the last two days as I scheme, ponder, move thing 101 times and declutter (my spell check says this is not a word, WTH?).
Not everything I'm doing is cleaning. My big project does include some sewing, knitting and possibly some painting. Oh, and I've got Travi hanging cool guy lights. I'll be at my real job tomorrow and Monday so I can't work on my project for two days. While at work I'll fill any downtime with reading SouleMama's book, making a list and keeping the excitiment up by dreaming of what it's all going to look like in the end.

Gotta go, sleeping pill has kicked in.

Frustrating

2009-04-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

I have no clue where my small point and shoot camera is. I can't blog without it!

FYI, Jack has a new tooth.

No really, I'm cheap

2009-04-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

First, let's get the important stuff out of the way.
Welcome to the world baby Sef! Your gift is still on the needles but I promise it'll still fit by the time I finish. I hope.

A few weeks ago I was driving to the gym and passed an old lady having a yard sale (or yarrrr sale as some of us say). At the end of her driveway was a rocking chair. I've been wanting a wood rocking chair but didn't feel like shelling out $100+ for one so when I saw this I knew I needed to at least check it out. It was beat up and one arm rest was kinda loose but not a bad deal for $25. I cleaned it, added some pillows and now it's my favorite spot to sit.The pillows are two throws from the couch that I recovered with old pillowcases found at Goodwill. I cut the pillowcases to fit and sewed the end shut. They open in the back by a long slit where the fabric overlaps itself. The table next to the chair was made by Travis. The thing next to the table is a vanity case that I found as a set at Rescued Treasures. It's yellow with a yellow liner and the mirror is still there, it's in perfect condition. I love it. I'll take a picture of the whole set that I bought some time.

Don't assume my house is always clean based on that picture. It's not. I like to referr to it as "controled chaos." A lot of the time it looks more like this.
That mess is from a marathon dough making session the other day. Yeah, that really is three different kinds of flour on the counter (Travis is a bread snob).

Travis and I are researching different methods of food storage for three reasons. First, to make the most of this year's garden. Last time we couldn't eat everything fast enough, there's only so many tomatoes you can eat in a week. Second, I want to minimize the amount of time that I spend grocery shopping and actually preparing food. Third, I'm cheap. I've read a lot about stockpiling food which is different from hording. Stockpiling is "store what you eat and eat what you store." It's stocking up on sales, buying in bulk, rotating your pantry and saving money/time. This is why we are planning to can as much of our garden as possible and why we are buying a chest freezer next week.

I read that you can make bread dough and freeze it to bake later. I tested it out and it really worked. That day I made four batches (two white, two wheat) using the bread machine to knead the dough. Why the bread machine? I'm lazy and I don't have to keep a timer going to remind myself to knead after it's rises, the machine does it all for me. I can also do other things while the machine is going. Like, make sure Jack isn't killing himself as he tries to walk.

On to Jack, here he is dying to play outside. He's fixated on the ferns out on the patio.
Nice legs dude.

Last, but not least, my cat driking out of the sprinklers.

2009-03-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

Spring is here.

More eco friendly cleaning.
More room for food.

More flowers.

More things to eat.

More growing.

Getting the hang of it?

2009-03-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

So, the hat I was knitting for Jack is finally done. Let me just say that I hate double pointed needles. I kept that hat on circular needles as long as possible and I was getting a lot done. When I switched to double pointed needles I completely stalled out. I could only do a few rows before getting frustrated and taking a break. But I stuck with it.
I had a picture of him with it on but now that he refuses to sit still it was blurry.

While taking breaks from the hat I decided to work on pattern. See, the hat was the same thing throughout. When it comes to pattern, I get lost. So I made something functional with a slight pattern, a washcloth. The pattern is simple and subtle but I needed that to keep from quitting.I forgot to take a picture before I used it so here it is drying in my sink. I'm loving the Sugar 'n Cream yarn. Good colors and it can handle actually being used to wash dishes. Many more washcloths in my future. Next on the needles is a gift for baby Feierbach, it won't be anywhere near done by the time he gets here but he'll get it before he turns one I swear.

If you're wondering how I get things done it's one of two ways. First, when he's sleeping.

Or I do it outside while he's in his walker discovering everything on the porch. He's such a tactile kid. He wants to feel everything if there is a pattern he runs his fingers over it repeatedly.
What else have I made? Well, I ripped mt ring sling pulling it out of my car, it caught on something under the seat and tore. Boo. I just bought the thing a few weeks ago and loving it. For those who didn't see it, it was simple black cotton with padded rails. Anyway, I took the rings off the sling and used fabric that I already had to make a new sling.
Look at that 70's print! I love it! I'm keeping the tail long so I can cover his head when he's sleeping and when I have the next kid I can breastfeed without offending people. It's two layers of the same fabric hemmed, then top stitched and I sewed the heck out of the area around the ring. If you plan on making a ring sling yourself please keep in mind that you need high quality rings. The rings at a craft store are NOT suitable for hauling around a child. Those rings can break. You can purchase rings specifically made for slings on the internet or you can go to a hardware store for steel rings. I don't know how hard they are to find but I'll be looking for some next week Lowe's.

Thank you to Goodwill for having tons of cheap sheets, pillowcases and fabric so I can make stuff. I got that sheet, 12 vintage pillowcases and an apron for less than $20. I've already got plans for it all.

An idea for Heather & a project for CJ

2009-03-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Did you know Jack is now crawling? He's all over the place now. Since I don't believe in playpens (unless it's to keep him safe) or those kid corral things he's what I call a "free range" baby. I baby poof, he goes where he pleases to explore and learn like a baby is supposed to. I don't understand how a baby can move/explore/learn the world around them if they are regulated to a baby cage or a piece of carpet. I only put Jack in the playpen to sleep or to keep him safe somewhere that's not baby proofed.
Where am I going with this? Well, because Jack's crawl is half army crawl, half actual crawl he slides all over the floor. His clothes are filthy when he's done. I hate mopping and it is clearly evident on his clothes. Two cats and one dog all of which go inside and out means lots of dirt and animal hair. I needed a way to sweep and mop easily.

We have a Swiffer but I hate buying refills. So, I asked my friend Google if it was possible to make homemade Swiffer pads. It is, and lots of people are doing it. I gleaned a little bit from a bunch of blogs and this was the first incarnation of my Swiffer.
It's a Gerber brand prefold diaper (we'll have the cloth diaper conversation eventually). I like these because it's lint free, absorbant and $6 for a dozen at the Tulare Wal-Mart. Yes, I held it on with clothespins. I am from Porterville afterall. I used my all purpose cleaner (vineger, water and a tiny bit of soap) in a spray bottle. I spray a little on the floor and go. Did it work?Awwwww, yeah. Success. I told you my floors are dirty. My carpets are way better because I actually enjoy using my Dyson. Don't call CPS on me.

Now that I know that it worked I needed to use my new found knowledge to fine tune this. I know that fleece is used in place as the dry version of Swiffer. I gathered some scrap fleece, a couple of prefolds and made a rough pattern (and I do mean rough). To keep Jack occupied while I sew I do this:
Good stuff. He's happy. Don't call CPS.

Here is the finished product, the fleece version, in action.
Gross.

And here are the few I managed to sew before Jack got bored sitting in the chair. The fleece glides beautifully over the floor, the cotton is a little harder but worth the effort.
As for the CJ project? There is a knitted version of this.

Third times the charm?

2009-03-11T17:00:00.001-07:00

Why I do what I do - Part 1

2009-03-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

When we were kids we had a bunch of plastic toys and no one was concerned about what happened to them after we grew out of them. I had a African-American Barbie (don't ask, my dad is weird) Right now, that thing is probably the same color as Michael Jackson due to fading from the sun but still all in one piece. Now, think about all the plastic toys that you had that are sitting in a landfill right this minute.

Because of this I'm trying to have little to no plastic toys for Jack. I know having zero plastic toys is near impossible but I'm trying. I don't care about toxins "off gassing" from the toys. I care about the fact that the toys I had as a child will be here long after my children and grandchildren are gone. That's a whole bunch of red and yellow Tonka trucks laying around.

Goodwill

2009-03-01T18:35:00.003-08:00

When I was younger we would go to the local Salvation Army to get stuff for our Halloween costumes. One year I actually had the option of three different costumes. I could be Loretta Lynn, a witch or Jackie O. In high school I took over my mom's old sewing machine and would make over anything and everything. I was hitting up the thrift store for shirts/pants/ect to tear apart and put back together. Sometimes it would actually be wearable. My mom is totally skeeved out by thrift stores. Anything I brought home had to be washed in hot, hot, hot water, detergent and Lysol. Not the yellow Lysol the stuff in the dark brown bottle that smelled like an old hospital. My clothes were practically sterile.

A friend of mine who was a pot smoking hippy living on practically nothing took me to the Goodwill in Visalia. Wow, it was soooo much nicer than the thirft stores in P'ville. Now that I live here and still cheap I go there on a regular basis. I have no shame in admitting that. I've scored tons of stuff for Jack. They are all new looking, clean and some even have the tags still on them. I even pick up stuff for myself. I still reconstruct the clothes.

My last trip I bagged the following.From left to right: Three toddler zip up hoodies, one pair of sweats size 18 month, one Nine and Co. dress, one random brand dress, two Old Navy t-shirts, one skirt(not pictured) and one super cool hat for Jack.

The two dresses will be turned into skirts, the kids clothes will be packed away for future use. Did I mention that the kids clothes were all from Target and still had tags on them? They were $3 each.

I should probably mention the clothes storage. I buy future sizes when I can find good, clean stuff at Goodwill. Jack has a bunch of clothes form 18 months to 5T stored away. To make sure I don't buy too much of one thing I keep a small notebook of sizes and a running tally of how much. I bring this book with me whenever I go so I don't go overboard and he has 15 pairs of jeans with two shirts.

I love the thrift store. It can tedious sometimes having to go through every.single.thing. on the rack but it's worth the time and effort. I would totally hit up yard sales but I work most weekends and Travis is grossed out by yard sale clothes (he doesn't mind thrift store clothes though, weird huh?).

Garden Update

2009-03-01T18:35:00.001-08:00

It's almost spring. Here's what's going on in our garden.

Lettuce is growing strong and giving up tons of leaves.

The broccoli hasn't flowered.

Manny dug a hole where the spinach seeds are.

Nectarines are blooming.

And the flowers I picked out are kicking ass.

I love geriatrics

2009-03-01T12:50:00.001-08:00

My stint as a CNA and LVN at a nursing home cemented my love of old people. Tiny old ladies? Love them. Old men who call me beautiful because they can't see very well? LOVE them. Anywho during my research of stockpiling food, the crappy economy, saving money and The Great Depression (more on that when Jack falls asleep tonight) I was lead to a YouTube page. Not only is this lady super cute, very sharp for a 93 year old but she shares recipes for quick, easy, cheap food. If you're not interested in the recipies at least enjoy her supreme cuteness.

Depression cooking with Clara

Reason #1 to buy Travis a table saw

2009-02-15T22:18:00.000-08:00

Ralph, Pernella and myself want him to build this oh so spiffy cat castle. It's the coolest alternative to a cat tower I saw this on a blog when I was looking for a decent cat tower (not possible).

Snow!

2009-02-13T22:09:00.001-08:00

Jack liked the snowshoeing but didn't like being away from home.

Belly sleeping

2009-02-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

So, basically it has been drilled into our brains that if we let our baby's sleep on their bellies they will die of SIDS. What if your kid likes to sleep on his belly? What if when you lay him down, on his back, in his crib and come back to find him asleep on his belly? Do you leave him there? If I let him roll over to his belly he'll fall asleep on his own. No help from mom. No drama. Now I walk into his room every 15 minutes to watch him breathe.

One more excuse not to clean the kitchen

2009-01-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

Eight favorite TV shows

Girls Next Door
Anderson Cooper 360
Chelsea Lately
17 Kids and Counting
House Hunters
Lost
Toddlers and Tiaras (damn you TLC!)
....

Eight favorite things I did yesterday/what a wonderful life I lead (really Kim?)

BLS recertification
Cleaned, as usual
Forced Travis to make dinner
Walked the dog
Hung out with friends
Enjoyed the fact that I only work two days a week
Made Jack laugh
Slept in between my two favorite boys all night

Eight things I look forward to

Jack sleeping in past 6AM
Waking up to Jack smiling
Travis getting up with Jack in the morning
The fact that Travis does not work tomorrow
I get paid tomorrow
Hanging out with our friends tomorrow
Visiting Maine in the fall so Jack can meet his Uncle's Jeff and Michael, Aunt's Dani and Zanny and his east coast BFF Thor
Seeing snow next weekend

Eight favorite restaurants

El Tapatio
Jack and Charlie's
Wildflower
...
...
...
...
...

Eight things on my wish list

Pass a certian test I plan on taking
Learn some damn patience
Travis gets the job I hope he gets
A big abundant garden
That I don't complain too much about working in said garden
New kitten or tiny puppy
Ralph stops gaining so much weight
Lots of siblings for Jack

Big boy

2009-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

He's getting bigger. He can sit up unassisted for at least a minute before tumbling over on his face.
For the last two weeks I searched high and low for two things: the highchair that clamps on to the table top and a baby walker. I thought it was a lost cause with the baby walker, someone had told me that they were outlawed. The exersaucer type deals are really expensive and I didn't want to spend so much money on something that he'll only be in for a few minutes a day. He doesn't like the bouncy seat much, will not sit in the swing, tries to tip over the Bumbo, gets bored on the floor and really just wants to sit up like a big boy. I just need something to put him in so I can do things like clean the shower. One day I was in Toys R Us (I have no idea why) and right next to the $100 exercauser-type deal was a $35 walker. Yes! He loves it.Please note the paint sample in the background, there are seven more of them on other walls in our entry/living room. We STILL have not made up our minds.

So, I got the walker what about the highchair? I haven't seen one them since I was 10 years old and my mom's best friend used it with her kids. Were these no longer made? I found one while gawking at the $250 (and up) Tripp Trapp highchair on Amazon. I didn't want the fabric kind, they didn't seem to have much support for a kid still trying to sit up on his own. Finally, I found what I had been searching for. That's right a highchair that is portable and fits in my tiny dining area. Look ma no legs!

It's pretty busy around here

2009-01-27T20:54:00.000-08:00

There is no shortage of pregnant ladies at my work. I think I said earlier that it's somewhere around 9 (?) all at different stages of pregnancy. This does not include the two friends of mine who are also pregnant. For a few weeks I was a sewing machine (ha!) trying to get gifts out to those who should be going into labor soon.

These were all for Lucy. I don't know why I didn't take pictures of Adrianna's or Amy's gifts but it was just different variations on the same thing. The booties were from a free tutorial at Stardust Shoes. Good stuff and not that difficult to make.
Everyone gets a Moby wrap, they are that awesome.

The warm weather has allowed our garden to grow well. Fresh lettuce only, the broccoli and artichoke have yet to give us anything. The lettuce is growing like crazy.Here is the broccoli.

Finally, Jack watching dad work in the garden.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-21T20:11:00.001-08:00

How does your garden grow?

2009-01-17T19:31:00.001-08:00

Jack wants to help in the garden. That's him tending to the artichoke. If you look in the background you can see that the cover crop is coming in great. The broccoli is growing slowly and we've already managed to have a salad for lunch with our lettuce. It's so neat to eat food right out of your own backyard.

We sat down this week and looked over the Territorial Seed Company catalog and picked out seeds for this spring/summer. We will be growing the following:

asparagus
green beans
pole beans
soy beans
corn
cucumbers
kale
melon
watermelon
onion
peas
sugar snap peas
peppers
spinach
zucchini
squash
roma tomato
cherry tomatoes
basil
catnip
cilantro
stevia (this stuff is sooo cool)
california mix of wild flowers
two types of sunflowers

Good thing I work part-time. Good thing I come from a family of field workers. Too bad I don't know what to do with Jack while I slave away in the heat. Baby pool in the shade? Pack 'N Play in the shade with a fan and him in just a diaper? Suggestions? I don't think I can pay him to help, he didn't look too impressed when I gave him a ten dollar bill on his five month birthday.In milestone news he's trying to get up on his hands and knees and he can spin around in a circle. He started out facing away from the toys...

...and ended up facing them.

Such a big strong boy.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-14T13:03:00.001-08:00

Back from the dead

2009-01-13T19:46:00.000-08:00

So, the computer that Travis uses is the one that has all the cool-guy software for the camera. The computer I am writing on now is just a laptop. Travis' computer died and it took a while to get everything back up. That, combined with the fact that Travis bought me this:
for the PS3 is the reason that nothing has been getting done in this house. When Jack sleeps, momma is climbing ruins in far off countries, solving puzzles and killing tigers, lizards and panthers. Oh, yes. We will be back to our regularly scheduled craftyness soon. I promise.

Oh, and I'll be participating in "Wordless Wednesday" starting tomorrow. Feel free to join in, all you have to do is post a picture on Wednesdays.

This is how we (uh, I) do laundry

2008-12-18T22:01:00.000-08:00

If you Google "home made laundry detergent" you will get thousands of hits that will lead you to blog posts just like this. I had heard of making your own laundry soap but I figured it was too hard and Travis would think I was crazy. One night while watching 17 Kids and Counting (I LOVE this show) the family explained how they save money by making their own laundry detergent. Travis actually thought this was a great idea and wanted to know if I had ever considered it. I had but I thought it was too time consuming and storage takes up a ton of room. I also need a laundry detergent that leaves no residue (no brighteners, no softeners) or it will ruin the cloth diapers. Finally, I really doubted that it saved any money.

When the kids on the show were making the laundry detergent they were making a liquid version. I don't really like liquid detergent and every recipe I have seen requires boiling water, lots of water and a five gallon bucket to store it in. Um....no. I had my nice Charlie's Soap that was cleaning all my clothes/diapers well with no residue, no fragrance, no need for fabric softener and it was non-toxic. Would I be able to find a powder version of the home made stuff that does all these things? I scoured the internet and found a recipe. Basically it was all the ingredients of the liquid version, no water added and no boiling required. Yes!

Home made laundry detergent
1/2 bar Fels-Naptha laundry soap or Zote laundry soap or 1 bar Ivory soap
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax

*Unwrap the bar of soap and leave it alone for a few hours to dry out. Over night would be best.
*Grate one half of the bar of soap (I cut mine up into chunks and tossed it in the food processer) save the other half for the next batch .
*Mix the grated soap with the washing soda and borax (I tossed all three into the food processer to get a really finely mixed powder).
*Use one tablespoon for regular loads and two for extra dirty loads. Makes about 40 loads.

Here is the double batch I made, stored in an old baby formula can.

Pretty. The scooper is from Charlie's Soap you could totally use the scoop that comes with the formula.
So, now I'm sure you've got some questions.

What the heck are these ingredients? Where do you even find them? Fels-Naptha can be found at Winco for $1.07 a bar, Zote can be found at my nearby Target for $0.97 and Ivory can be found anywhere for $1. You can actually use any soap you like, castile soap is popular, as long as it does not have moisturizers. You want plain Jane soap. Fels-Naptha and Zote are specifically made for laundry so I personally stick with those. Fels-Naptha has a strong pine scent that does not transfer to the clothes, they all come out smelling like...nothing. The Zote has a clean smell but again, the clothes come out smelling like nothing. Here's what they look like.
Borax. I used 20 Mule Team Borax because it was the easiest to find, this was $3 for 76oz at Winco. More info on Borax here. Basically, it acts as a cleaner/brightener.
Washing soda. Probably the most elusive of the three because it often is confused with baking soda. Washing soda is sodium carbonate while baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. One molecule, big difference. Washing soda info here. This acts as a grease cutter and deodorizer. I found mine at Winco in the laundry section for $2.58 for 55oz. I read that it can be found with the pool supplies and is called "Soda Ash."

Is is clean rinsing? Yes. It leaves no residue which is why it's safe to use on cloth diapers. Any residue buildup from cleaners, diaper rash ointment or fabric softener will cause cloth diapers to repel moisture causing leaks. This is why I'm so adamant about clean rinsing detergents.

What do your clothes smell like after you wash them? Nothing. Clean. Even poopy diapers? Yup.

What about fabric softener? We don't use it at all. I will pour white vinegar ($2.19 for a gallon) into the fabric softener dispenser for a good clean rinse. Do you smell like vinegar? Nope, it does not leave a vinegar smell. Are you crazy? A little. Travis says I'm a lot crazy. What about static cling? Doesn't happen. Are your clothes crunchy when you line dry them you crazy hippy? Nope.

What about HE washers? It's perfect for HE washing machines because it doesn't suds up (Travis is looking over my shoulder saying "It should be 'sud up'." Whatever). I'd recommend the liquid version for the HE washer though.

Does it work in cold water? Yes. The only thing I wash in hot water is diapers and everything washed in cold comes out clean.

What about white clothes? I totally admit to using bleach (bad Monica!). I bleach my whites every fourth or fifth wash. I have heard of whites looking gray after using this detergent for a while but those folks also had really hard water. Also, most commercial detergents have optical brighteners which are basically these tiny particle dyes that cling to your clothes when you wash them. They absorb UV light causing clothes to look brighter even if they aren't. Something like that. Google it. You're clothes probably aren't as white as you think they are.

Some people toss in Oxy Clean but I don't really like it. Something to think about.

What's the cost? Do you really save money? The Charlie's Soap I was using was costing me $0.19 per load, this does not include shipping. I looked on Amazon and found the cheapest laundry detergent they offered, it worked out to be $0.22 per load. Tide was up around $0.27 per load. I have no clue what laundry detergent costs locally because I haven't bought since we started using Charlie's a year ago. The home made laundry detergent using the recipe above costs $0.03 per load. That's not a typo, it costs three pennies a load.

Is it good for the environment? Yes and no. It's better than most commecial detergents since it has minimal chemicals, it's non-toxic and it's clean rinsing so those with allergies/sensitivities can use it. It's not perfect, borax can be toxic if consumed in large quantities or left on the skin since it has a pH of around 9. I'm pretty sure Fels-Naptha can't be too kind on the old GI tract either.

I think I covered it. Leave any other questions in the comments.

It's cold outside

2008-12-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

I love the fog. It's makes everything seem so....still. The snow gives me the same feeling but since it doesn't snow here the fog will have to do. Our fireplace actually gives off heat so we've been turning it on in the morning and evening. Jack stares at the flames, all the animals love to lay in front of it or stare at it. Unfortunately, it's freezing in my sewing room. I have managed to knock out a few things one being Jack's new favorite blanket.
Fleece lined with striped flannel. I still need to add velcro, right now I'm holding it shut with diaper pins. Thank you Joann for have huge fleece remnants in your pile so I don't have to pay full price. I picked up black, beige, dark gray, lime green, green and pink fleece all at a discount simply because they were remnants. I also happened to be there when Simplicity patterns were $1.99. Score!

Speaking of patterns I tried to make my own by simply measuring Jack and transferring it to paper.

If you can't tell I was trying to make Jack a pair of overalls. I didn't know what to make the pattern out of. Travis' mom had told me that she used to make patterns out of newspaper but I wanted to trace it out with pencil and the print would have made it hard to see. I opted for using a paper bag.
Sadly, they didn't work out. Boo.

Next up on the machine is a lamb (as in, stuffed animal) for a pregnant co-worker who is the sweetest thing ever. I'm thinking about using my pink fleece to make a wrap blanket for her but I need to look for coordinating flannel. I'm also wondering if my two pregnant friends would like a wrap blanket along with the Moby wrap I'm buying them. I know one could use it since she lives in Maine but the other already has a Miracle wrap, I think.

I'm also trying to learn how to knit, it seems like a good thing to do while vegging out in front of the TV. That way I can be productive and a slacker at the same time. I imagine it something like "Travis, can't you see I'm making you a pair of socks while watching The Girls Next Door? I can't possibly stop to cook you dinner/change Jacks's diaper/wash dishes..." Yesssssss, that would be nice.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm totally envious of what the Jollyewe can do with a pair of knitting needles. I don't think I'll be as good as she is nor do I think I'll be spinning my own yarn but it would be nice to bust out some socks, a hat or little sweater for the kid.

Now for the obligatory Jack pictures since that's why you're here. First, look how long he's getting!
Next, bathtime. Ignore the death grip I have on his arm. If I drop him in the sink Travis will kill me.

And finally, Jack meeting his Great Grandpa Gerry on Thanksgiving.

Great Grandpa's are cool.

Cheap, frugal, penny pincher, tightwad....

2008-12-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

Whatever you want to call it I've (we've?) decided to cut wayyyyyy back on what we spend and how much trash we produce. I started thinking about this, not very seriously, back when I was pregnant. When the economy began to tank in a big way I decided to jump into action. By reading the frugality area of what Travis calls the crazy mom boards I was directed to this bookThis by no means is a "Do this plan and all your problems will be solved" kind of book. There are tons of tips, ticks and how-to's but a huge part about it is to make frugalty a mindset, a habit. She encourages her readers to think about their individual situation and apply frugalty to their lives to attain their goals. I love this book. When I first got it, I thumbed though it like I do magazines and the like. Now I'm pouring over this book like I'm studing for a test (maybe even harder than I studied!). If you look at my copy of the book it's highlighted in various sections and has a ton of paperclips marking pages for easy access. Now I'm not gonna start fixing shoes with dental floss (a real tip from a reader!) but I'm all about the cheap and easy recipes. I took this book over to Travis' Mom's house for Thanksgiving and didn't even get to read it because everyone else was. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who is serious about cutting back, saving, getting out of debt and consuming less. Don't ask to borrow my copy, I'm not letting this thing out of my sight. You can look at it while your at my house but before your leave I'm checking your bag! Better yet, check it out yourself at the local library.

Mmmmmm, steak

2008-11-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

This is for Kim. It's a steak rub that we used last night for our BBQ. I found it somewhere, I think it was Everyday Food Storage but I'm not positive. It's a good recipe, not amazing enough to dedicate an entire post to it but if I don't do this now I'll forget. I'm getting old.

4 tsp salt
4 tsp paprika
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric

Progress

2008-11-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

If Travis didn't have to work he would work in the garden all day long (and woodwork, and ride his bike). He just had seven days off in a row and most of them were spent in the backyard. He managed to get the pile of gravel out of our driveway.

He worked on the path, cleaning it up and planting something (I have no clue what) in between the stones.
Did I mention that he planted cover crop, lettuce and broccoli? I love broccoli. Can you see the teeny tiny cover crop? It's there, I promise. Travis says he's not done until the backyard looks like "a jungle."
Now, on to the big guy. Jack. The hair on the side of his head is falling out leaving the coolest looking natural mohawk ever. I love it, goes great with his new Chucks.
He's growing so fast. Long and skinny just like his dad. He's three months yet his three month sleepers don't quite fit. He can't stretch out his legs when he wears them. I put him in six month sleepers but those are too long so the feet flop around. I can't help it though, I have a bunch of terry cloth sleepers, they are so soft and make you wanna cuddle him all day.

Speaking of cuddles, this kid does not like to sleep alone. I don't mind it at night, in fact I love sleeping with him at night. My problem is that he doesn't like to nap alone and mom wants to get things done when he's asleep. I could wear him in the sling but there are some things that I want to do (scrub the shower) where having him in the sling just won't cut it. We need to work on that.

Did you know that we have pets? They love Jack.
They love each other also. Ralph and Pernella, my two cats who are named after my favorite residents back when I worked in the nursing home. I got Ralph as a surprise from my parents about four months before I met Travis. We got Pernella when Ralph decided to start attacking our feet because he was bored and needed someone to play with. Ralph is big, fat, old, grumpy, rarely meows and loves to cuddle. He sleeps by our feet every night. He used to sleep on my chest but that changed when I was pregnant and he no longer fit. Pernella is tiny, has a high pitched meow that sounds more like a squeek and is an all around spaz.
Alright, gotta cut this short I have a whiny child waking up.
Jack says "See ya!"

Did you remember to vote?

2008-11-06T15:53:00.001-08:00

Did you remember to vote on election day? We all got up and took a family walk on down to the polls first thing in the morning. No long lines like in other areas of the country. We were in and out in 15 minutes. For Jack and I, it was our first time voting. At one point Travis leaned over and said "What am I supposed to vote on this?" while holding up his four fingers indicating Prop 4. He looked like a kid trying to cheat on a math test.

After we walked home Travis went to work while Jack and I hung out watching CNN all day. I was glued to that TV. Man it was a stressful night, I needed a margarita. I even broke out the Petron that the Jollyewe gave me for my birthday.

How nifty were the folks on CNN? Holograms? It looked like Star Trek. The magic board is pretty cool. I was watching the BBC coverage of the elections and they had even cooler graphics but the announcers were so. dang. boring.

I'll leave you with a picture of Jack in a pumpkin outfit that grandma put him in. I think this is right before he started screaming.

Travis is melting, secret santa and I've become domesticated

2008-10-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

Travis noticed the other day that he looked like he was melting. Closer inspection revealed that he was rotting away. He diagnosed himself as having a depressed skull fracture.

Apparently when I cut the stem off the pumpkin I managed to cut a little too much off.

Mandatory Jack picture (so Kim doesn't complain). I love this one.

Only one more day left of maternity leave. Through the entire three months I've been taking care of Jack (obviously) but I also took advantage of the fact that newborns sleep, a lot. Before I met Travis I was not much of a cook, my baking was so so and I didn't craft/sew at all. My mom is not a homemaker in any way so I really didn't have anyone to learn from. Now after three months of sitting at home on the internet I have started to learn more and more about making food, storing food and that cooking isn't that scary. If you look at the links on the side that's just a small sample of all the blogs I've read trying to learn how to cook, organize, sew, craft and be an all around Suzie homemaker.

Look I even made bread and pizza all from scratch! Considering that my specialty three years ago was beans and rice I'd say I'm improving. Thank you Travi.
Oh the secret santa. I found a bag by my front door when I came home from the grocery store. There was no card or any note left behind. When I found out who left this for Jack I was quite surprised. Look what Jack got.

2008-10-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

No time to make a long post. Jack just wanted to say "Hi!" to his buddy Sam.

Procrastinator? Slacker?

2008-10-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Two posts in one day!

Lately, Jack has had more awake time which means more time mom has to entertain him. He loves the mobile that hangs above his crib but that will only satisfy him for half an hour or so. We don't have a play mat (note to self: buy one!) and I can't park him in front of the TV. I read somewhere that every hour of TV watched before the age of seven increases the chances of a child having ADD. Something about all the flashing lights and rapid movement. Anyway, you can see how my craft/sewing time has been reduced to almost nothing. I can't even sew with Jack in the sling since I tend to lean forward while sewing. If he were in the sling I'd smoosh him against the table. I'm on maternity leave shouldn't this be like an extended vacation?

Yesterday Travis worked on the backyard. He had a truck full of compost which make my backyard smell like poop. Boo.Jack and I sat on the back porch to keep dad company. I sat in our new chair and quilted away on what I have decided to name "The quilt that will never die" all while listening to the Slackers. Putting this thing together was a breeze, hand quilting it has taken me over a year. I get so frustrated because it takes forever to move from frame to frame so then I stop. For weeks.
After a while the flys were too much to handle, it smelled terrible outside and I was tired of Ralph begging to come out so we went inside where my other quilt lays on the table just asking to be worked on.

So that's two quilts that need to be finished. Plus, I was planning on making a pig quilt for Donna's Christmas present this year which is probably not gonna happen. Last year I made the "Giant Janell Project" and there's no way I can dedicate that much time to quilting a single project this year.

Vacation

2008-10-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

We took our first trip out of town as a family this week. A few days in San Diego disguised as a work conference for Travis. The hotel was nice, right on the water with a great view.We enjoyed the free food and drink offered but instead of attending meetings Travis hung out with me and Jack.

He's still got blue eyes.
Jack had no problem reminding us that he'd rather be held than stay in the stroller while on our walk.
We hung out with couples who had children as not to annoy those who left their kids at home or are childless (you know who you are). It was a good trip but we left a day early because I got sick and when I'm sick all I want is my own bed no matter how nice the hotel bed is.

A new family tradition?

2008-10-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

Last year I painted two small pumpkins to look like me and Travis but for the life of me I can't find the picture of them. This year I decided to do it again and Travis asked if it would be a tradition. Why not? I gave Travis glasses made out of pipe cleaners (I know, I craft like a five year old). I'm supposed to be yawning but it looks like I'm yelling but either emotion is appropriate. Why didn't I carve them? I like carving pumpkins but I hate rotting fruit (yes, a pumpkin is a fruit) on my front porch. Painted pumpkins are fun because no one risks losing a finger, it's much easier clean up and it's easier to be creative with them. The downside is you can't light them up at night. I managed to get them done with Jack in the sling.

The magic of the Moby wrap is amazing. I tried two other slings before getting this and Jack wasn't having it. It's super comfortable, fits everyone in the family and can be used multiple ways up to toddlerhood (one word? two?). It does have a slight learning curve at the beginning but easy to get the hang of.
Even dad can wear it.
I finally managed to get a picture of him smiling this morning while he was in the sling staring at dad.
We recently found out that two of our favorite family's are each expecting a new baby this summer. This is Jack's reaction when he found out he'd be getting two more friends.
He can't wait to welcome new friends and beat the crap outta Thor in a snowball fight!

First Rain

2008-10-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning we woke up to discover that it finally rained for the first time this fall. The weather has been nothing but hot, still felt like summer, so waking up to wet ground and a sunless sky was actually nice. I've lived here for most of my life and I can't get over the heat of summer. I love a cloudy sky, the smell/sound of rain, being able to actually see the mountains that we live near and I even like the crazy dense fog. I love jeans, hoodies, sweaters, boots and gloves.
Honestly, who doesn't love a reason to stay in bed most of the day, eat soup, read and watch movies? Rainstorms are the perfect reason to stay in side and be lazy "We can't go out, it's raining." I wish it rained more, like in Oregon.

I managed to get out and take some pictures out in the garden while Jack was still sleeping since I knew that the rain wasn't going to last forever, although I wish it would. I love my new fancy camera and use any excuse to break it out and take tons of pictures. Unfortunately, Jack doesn't care what I want to do. Since he's still only two months old so when he wakes up it's time for Mom to drop the camera and play with him. I do take pictures of him quite often but since he's still in that blob mode where he doesn't do much it's not to exciting. I've been trying to get pictures of his smile but everytime I pick up the camera he stops smiling and gives me the old man face. One day Jack, one day...