I am at "work" today (a long-scheduled day in the office for a freelance editing job) while Jon is home sick. And Nate is sick too. :( I'm feeling terrible about that but am glad Jennifer was able to come over to watch the kids so Jon can stay in bed.
Meanwhile, to make myself feel better about being absent, I used my lunch break to find a couple of cool books I'm getting Nate for his birthday. I got three of the Nate the Great books. I hope they are good!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
D-land
We had a great time at Disneyland yesterday. I started the day thinking Lucy wouldn't make it past one hour in the park before one of us would have to leave with her, but Casey also pointed out that that has so much more of an impact on a child than missing the event entirely (better to have them see what fun it would be and then have to leave it). Lucy did pretty well, considering what "normal" has been the past week or 10 days. Still, I got plenty of these pictures (prompted by, "Lucy, smile!"):
After the lines to park and the lines to take the tram and the line to buy Nate's ticket, we went through the line to get in the park, and we made our way back to the teacups, which were a hit.
Everyone loved It's a Small World:
Even though it was a crowded day (spring break for some schools already), most of the lines for the children's rides weren't more than 30 minutes. The longest wait we endured was the line to meet the princesses, but it was sweet watching Nate and Lucy go up and meet them together.
We even found a place in the park that had fries Nate could eat. Woo hoo! After we ate dinner at that place, we decided to call it a day; Lucy and Nate were tired (Lucy especially--she's used to a 2-hour+ nap every day) and we had already spent 8 solid hours inside the park. We saved plenty to do for next time!
After the lines to park and the lines to take the tram and the line to buy Nate's ticket, we went through the line to get in the park, and we made our way back to the teacups, which were a hit.
Everyone loved It's a Small World:
Even though it was a crowded day (spring break for some schools already), most of the lines for the children's rides weren't more than 30 minutes. The longest wait we endured was the line to meet the princesses, but it was sweet watching Nate and Lucy go up and meet them together.
We even found a place in the park that had fries Nate could eat. Woo hoo! After we ate dinner at that place, we decided to call it a day; Lucy and Nate were tired (Lucy especially--she's used to a 2-hour+ nap every day) and we had already spent 8 solid hours inside the park. We saved plenty to do for next time!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Update
Sorry for the nearly-week-long blogging break! I guess we've just been out enjoying the great weather. OH, and we've been dealing with a way-more-difficult-than-usual daughter. Remember that wonderful week she had a few weeks back? Well, it is long gone, and this past week was full of unnecessary tantrums, constant whining/crying, and lots of discipline. Yuck. I took her to the doctor this morning just in case it's an ear infection or something I would later blame myself for not noticing, but apparently she's in tip-top shape. Just a case of the very bad attitudes.
Despite the above info, we are planning on taking Nate and Lucy to Disneyland for the first time tomorrow. Jon and I got free tickets through the "give a day, get a day" promotion, so we only have to pay for Nate (Lucy is free until she turns 3 next week!). It might end up that one of us has to leave the park with Lucy to drive her back to Janel, who is watching Levi for us all day, if her (Lucy's) behavior is poor. We'll see! Funny story: the kids knew we were planning a "special family trip" for tomorrow, but they didn't know the destination. This morning at breakfast, we told them it was Disneyland. Lucy jumped up and down and announced with glee the things/rides she wanted to see/do (princesses! the splashing water ride!). Nate started crying. "I don't want to go to Disneyland!" he said sadly. When we asked him why, he said, "I don't want to see Mickey!" Nate doesn't like dressed-up characters (like Chuck E. Cheese, or the cow at Chick-fil-a). Poor kid! We told him he won't have to see Mickey and it'll be a SUPER fun day.
Despite the above info, we are planning on taking Nate and Lucy to Disneyland for the first time tomorrow. Jon and I got free tickets through the "give a day, get a day" promotion, so we only have to pay for Nate (Lucy is free until she turns 3 next week!). It might end up that one of us has to leave the park with Lucy to drive her back to Janel, who is watching Levi for us all day, if her (Lucy's) behavior is poor. We'll see! Funny story: the kids knew we were planning a "special family trip" for tomorrow, but they didn't know the destination. This morning at breakfast, we told them it was Disneyland. Lucy jumped up and down and announced with glee the things/rides she wanted to see/do (princesses! the splashing water ride!). Nate started crying. "I don't want to go to Disneyland!" he said sadly. When we asked him why, he said, "I don't want to see Mickey!" Nate doesn't like dressed-up characters (like Chuck E. Cheese, or the cow at Chick-fil-a). Poor kid! We told him he won't have to see Mickey and it'll be a SUPER fun day.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Craigslist finds
I found a plain bookshelf through Craigslist for $5, and today (with some Mod Podge-y "help" from Lucy and Nate) I finished putting on all of these papers. I really like how it turned out. The shelf is for toy storage, so it will never again look this pretty. ;)
The black cabinet is also a Craigslist find, and I am so excited about it: it's my sewing cabinet! I finally have a place for my machine, iron, fabric, tools, etc. Up 'til now, they'd been neatly stored (haha---more like piled) in the corner of the dining area.
Both of these pieces are in between the dining area and the kitchen, tucked underneath the bar area of the countertop.
The black cabinet is also a Craigslist find, and I am so excited about it: it's my sewing cabinet! I finally have a place for my machine, iron, fabric, tools, etc. Up 'til now, they'd been neatly stored (haha---more like piled) in the corner of the dining area.
Both of these pieces are in between the dining area and the kitchen, tucked underneath the bar area of the countertop.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Great giveaway
There's a giveaway over on this blog this week for a gift certificate to Mikarose, a website with stylish, modest clothes. I like the Cynthia dress. :)
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Friday, March 05, 2010
Recipe: Cabbage & bacon over rice
This is one of those recipes where the combination of ingredients sounds a bit strange. But the results are really delicious! I love that there are so few ingredients, and I love that cabbage is really good for you. Another bonus for our family: this recipe is already gluten-, casein-, and soy free.
Cabbage & Bacon over Rice, originally from Jon’s Grandma Capps (his dad’s mom)
1 large head cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
½ lb. bacon
8 oz. can tomato sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
Slice bacon into ½” pieces and put into large skillet with onion. Chop cabbage into bite-size pieces. Cook bacon & onion over low/medium heat until onion begins to get tender. Add 3 cloves garlic, crushed. Stir, adding small amount of water (maybe ¼ cup). Add cabbage over top, pouring 1 can tomato sauce on top of it (swishing a little water in can & pouring it in). Cook, stirring until cabbage cooks down & is tender over low heat (can cover the skillet to make cooking go faster if necessary). Add salt & pepper to taste.
Serve over rice.
Cabbage & Bacon over Rice, originally from Jon’s Grandma Capps (his dad’s mom)
1 large head cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
½ lb. bacon
8 oz. can tomato sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
Slice bacon into ½” pieces and put into large skillet with onion. Chop cabbage into bite-size pieces. Cook bacon & onion over low/medium heat until onion begins to get tender. Add 3 cloves garlic, crushed. Stir, adding small amount of water (maybe ¼ cup). Add cabbage over top, pouring 1 can tomato sauce on top of it (swishing a little water in can & pouring it in). Cook, stirring until cabbage cooks down & is tender over low heat (can cover the skillet to make cooking go faster if necessary). Add salt & pepper to taste.
Serve over rice.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Getting crafty
My mom is coming to visit in a few weeks (yayyyyyyy!), and she has promised to help with a project. (Remember when she wallpapered my bathroom?). I think I'll have her help me paint our bedroom (April Mist is the pick! I bought a sample can and love it), and in preparation for that I've been doing some projects that will complete the room. I sent off my quilt to be quilted. I'm redoing a lampshade. And when I came across this on Etsy, I thought I could recreate it myself.
Here's the inspiration:
The Etsy listing is for just an 8x10 without a frame, but I wanted to go bigger. I found a 16x20 frame for $7 at Goodwill and spray-painted it black. The burlap is from Joann's for about $1. I got the buttons on Etsy for about $8. So, for less than the cost of the Etsy version, I made my own just how I wanted it. I'm so happy with how it turned out!
Here's the inspiration:
The Etsy listing is for just an 8x10 without a frame, but I wanted to go bigger. I found a 16x20 frame for $7 at Goodwill and spray-painted it black. The burlap is from Joann's for about $1. I got the buttons on Etsy for about $8. So, for less than the cost of the Etsy version, I made my own just how I wanted it. I'm so happy with how it turned out!
Monday, March 01, 2010
Toddler belly
I just love the toddler belly. These were taken yesterday so Lucy could model the flower pin I made for her shirt (she was so proud).
Friday, February 26, 2010
Random
Levi got his first haircut yesterday. He looks like a boy now--no more baby. :)
He also had a small surgery/procedure this morning to remove a spot on his neck (he was born with it). He had to have general anesthesia for the procedure. Everything went great and we're home and doing well.
And only a mother would be excited about this:
A griddle. It can do 15-16 pancakes at a time. I make a full batch of GFCFSF pancakes every week for Nate and Levi (now it's more like twice a week since Levi eats so much), and this griddle is SOOO much nicer than doing 4 or 5 pancakes at a time in the skillet. Yay!
He also had a small surgery/procedure this morning to remove a spot on his neck (he was born with it). He had to have general anesthesia for the procedure. Everything went great and we're home and doing well.
And only a mother would be excited about this:
A griddle. It can do 15-16 pancakes at a time. I make a full batch of GFCFSF pancakes every week for Nate and Levi (now it's more like twice a week since Levi eats so much), and this griddle is SOOO much nicer than doing 4 or 5 pancakes at a time in the skillet. Yay!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Consistency in parenting
I went to coffee with Casey last night. What would I do without my best friend? We get to bounce ideas off each other, commiserate on the difficult mothering issue du jour, encourage each other, and laugh together.
Last night she asked how Lucy is doing in her two-ness (if you know Lucy, you know what I mean), and I reflected that she has had three or four very good days. I didn't change anything or do anything differently; she just all of a sudden stopped throwing fits about usual fit-throwing issues (e.g., the car seat being too tight every single car ride, or throwing a taco across the table because it somehow didn't please her) a few days ago. I'm not ready to call it a turning point yet, but we have had a nice few days. Casey chalked it up to a year's worth of consistency in dealing with and disciplining Lucy. While I have failed many times with Lucy this past year, I do think overall we have been pretty consistent with her. Perhaps one day this week, it just clicked. (Or perhaps tomorrow will be back to the old normal.)
So much of parenting in these early years (and perhaps later too) seems to be about consistency. About persisting and pushing through way longer than you thought you'd have to. About reinforcing, showing through actions, and telling your child one specific thing at least 500 times, all the while thinking that absolutely none of it is sinking in. And then, maybe on the 501st time, it clicks and all the consistency falls into place and comes to fruition. And then you have to move on to the next issue and start all over.
Consistency is so much harder in the moment. When I've told Lucy she may not have the lollipop because she threw a fit about its color, it would be much easier just to give her the color she wants to avoid a meltdown. Then I wouldn't be embarrassed in public about my shrieking child. But of course, then she learns that she gets what she wants when she throws a fit, and that hurts all of us in the long run.
To all my fellow mamas out there in the trenches: with God's help, we can do the hard work now and reap the benefits later!
Last night she asked how Lucy is doing in her two-ness (if you know Lucy, you know what I mean), and I reflected that she has had three or four very good days. I didn't change anything or do anything differently; she just all of a sudden stopped throwing fits about usual fit-throwing issues (e.g., the car seat being too tight every single car ride, or throwing a taco across the table because it somehow didn't please her) a few days ago. I'm not ready to call it a turning point yet, but we have had a nice few days. Casey chalked it up to a year's worth of consistency in dealing with and disciplining Lucy. While I have failed many times with Lucy this past year, I do think overall we have been pretty consistent with her. Perhaps one day this week, it just clicked. (Or perhaps tomorrow will be back to the old normal.)
So much of parenting in these early years (and perhaps later too) seems to be about consistency. About persisting and pushing through way longer than you thought you'd have to. About reinforcing, showing through actions, and telling your child one specific thing at least 500 times, all the while thinking that absolutely none of it is sinking in. And then, maybe on the 501st time, it clicks and all the consistency falls into place and comes to fruition. And then you have to move on to the next issue and start all over.
Consistency is so much harder in the moment. When I've told Lucy she may not have the lollipop because she threw a fit about its color, it would be much easier just to give her the color she wants to avoid a meltdown. Then I wouldn't be embarrassed in public about my shrieking child. But of course, then she learns that she gets what she wants when she throws a fit, and that hurts all of us in the long run.
To all my fellow mamas out there in the trenches: with God's help, we can do the hard work now and reap the benefits later!
Lucy photo shoot
Lucy was very happy when I said she would only have to keep the jeans on during the pictures, so she smiled a lot!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Review of my pattern
Desiree over at Wee Share did a review of my circle-top shirt pattern here. She's also hosting a giveaway (one pattern each to three winners). Cool!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
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