Check this out. Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House is giving away a Britax stroller.
I totally want it.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
That's more like it
My husband is done with the bar!! Woo hoo!! He took it this past Tuesday and Wednesday and we are ALL glad he is finished. We hardly saw him for the past 2.5 months and now we see him all the time.
I have to admit, when a student husband who is normally gone and is then home for a break or whatnot, an adjustment period is necessary. Suddenly there's one more person around the house. A big person, not a tiny person like when Little Peach was born. Kids have two parents to answer to and listen to and play with instead of one. I'm not really sure whether to plan big fun filled family activities to enjoy daddy or schedule low-key days around the house to all be together. Or do I take the kids somewhere so Hubs can relax and enjoy peace and quiet? Then there're MY needs, aka ALONE TIME. We have to strike a balance.
I did have some mommy time this past week (thanks Hubs). It was amazing. I went shopping with my sisters and ate gourmet cupcakes. Another time I went to Target and walked around, looking at everything. It was delightful. I had a nap today, and twice Hubs has taken the two big girls to grandma's to play while I stay home with Little Peach (who slept and let me clean). Can I tell you what a difference that alone time makes for a mommy? It's astounding. Suddenly I have a ton more patience with the kiddos, I gaze at their beautiful little faces more, I remember my discipline goals better, and I'm excited to see them in the morning.
I also painted my fingernails. They are tangerine orange, which apparently is the "in" color this season for fingernails. I feel so on top of it.
I have to admit, when a student husband who is normally gone and is then home for a break or whatnot, an adjustment period is necessary. Suddenly there's one more person around the house. A big person, not a tiny person like when Little Peach was born. Kids have two parents to answer to and listen to and play with instead of one. I'm not really sure whether to plan big fun filled family activities to enjoy daddy or schedule low-key days around the house to all be together. Or do I take the kids somewhere so Hubs can relax and enjoy peace and quiet? Then there're MY needs, aka ALONE TIME. We have to strike a balance.
I did have some mommy time this past week (thanks Hubs). It was amazing. I went shopping with my sisters and ate gourmet cupcakes. Another time I went to Target and walked around, looking at everything. It was delightful. I had a nap today, and twice Hubs has taken the two big girls to grandma's to play while I stay home with Little Peach (who slept and let me clean). Can I tell you what a difference that alone time makes for a mommy? It's astounding. Suddenly I have a ton more patience with the kiddos, I gaze at their beautiful little faces more, I remember my discipline goals better, and I'm excited to see them in the morning.
I also painted my fingernails. They are tangerine orange, which apparently is the "in" color this season for fingernails. I feel so on top of it.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Meh...
I shampoo'd today. Yep. I had heard about this "transition period" where you have gross hair while it adjusts to no-poo, but wow. My hair was a grease pit yesterday. I couldn't stand it any longer and washed it with shampoo in the shower today. Then I went and got a hair cut where she washed my hair again. Take my greasy head to a professional hairstylist? No thanks. I'm still a poo-er. Maybe someday I'll try again. We'll see.
Can I just tell you how excited I am to see Harry Potter 7? I am waiting until after Hubs takes the bar exam (next Tuesday and Wednesday) so I'll see it next week sometime. Arrrg! I keep hearing how awesome it is and everyone is blogging about it (I probably will too) but I am not reading those blogs. I am going into it ready to be amazed. Eeeek!
I think my baby is teething. She is 4.5 months which is when my second daughter got her first teeth. She is cranky, drooly, and runny nose-y. I know "they" say that runny nose is not a symptom of teething, but anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. Ya never know, I guess. My thinking is that you can blame any sleep/eating/behavioral problems on teeth until they are all in.
I love to floss. It is so incredibly satisfying. And now my children let me floss their teeth. It's so fun! Sweetcakes actually asked me if I wash my hands in between flossing their mouths (I do). Funny how she is becoming aware of germs!
Can I just tell you how excited I am to see Harry Potter 7? I am waiting until after Hubs takes the bar exam (next Tuesday and Wednesday) so I'll see it next week sometime. Arrrg! I keep hearing how awesome it is and everyone is blogging about it (I probably will too) but I am not reading those blogs. I am going into it ready to be amazed. Eeeek!
I think my baby is teething. She is 4.5 months which is when my second daughter got her first teeth. She is cranky, drooly, and runny nose-y. I know "they" say that runny nose is not a symptom of teething, but anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. Ya never know, I guess. My thinking is that you can blame any sleep/eating/behavioral problems on teeth until they are all in.
I love to floss. It is so incredibly satisfying. And now my children let me floss their teeth. It's so fun! Sweetcakes actually asked me if I wash my hands in between flossing their mouths (I do). Funny how she is becoming aware of germs!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
DIY Natural
We live in a world of synthetics, toxins, chemicals, and fake food. Yup. While I try to limit the amount of stuff like that to enter our home and family, it is inevitable that we come in contact with yucky stuff all the time. Slowly over the years especially since being a mom, I have become more aware of alternative approaches to every day parts of life and have embraced them. I suppose you could call me more "crunchy" than most. Natural birth, cloth diapering, essential oils, washing my face with oil instead of soap, make my own laundry detergent, etc are the types of things that appeal to me.
If you clicked on the above link you'll see my friend Jenna's blog, who is the one who nudged me into trying the oil cleansing method thing. At first it was so weird to rub oil on my face. Now it is soothing and relaxing, and my face feels refreshed and clean, yet not dried out and stiff like it did with my previous face wash. However, it does take a lot longer than face wash. I was getting tired of the length of time it took so I scrapped it and started washing my face again. With face wash. I thought, "surely this won't make any difference, since my face was clear before and has been since doing the oils." Nope. Bam! My face broke out like crazy. I had more zits than the last time I was in a first trimester (my skin doesn't like pregnancy hormones). Yikes. I immediately started oil cleansing two nights ago and ahhhhh. Much better. Quick and dramatic improvement.
Another thing Jenna does is "no-poo." As in sham-poo. It entails washing your hair with baking soda. Weird! The idea is that shampoo has chemicals and other undesirable ingredients that strip your hair of its natural moisture, then it overcompensates thus creating oily hair and the need for further shampooing. "Well," I said to myself, "MY hair is greasy hair. It is nasty when I wake up in the morning, and the instant I scrub suds through my hair I feel much better. That would never work for me." Enter in a second blog I just found--"DIY Natural" This site has a plethora of recipes for commercial products you can make at home, much more friendly to your health. I used the dish detergent recipe when we ran out the other day and I didn't want to spend the money (or time and energy it takes to get all three kids in the car and into a store) for more. It works great! So...when I came across this recipe for "making your own shampoo" I knew I had to try it. I'll have to admit, it appealed to me in the beginning but I didn't think I could do it.
So last night I whipped up some shampoo and conditioner (apple cider vinegar and water) and put it in my bathroom for use this morning. I was highly skeptical as I sloshed baking soda water over my hair and scrubbed around. I couldn't tell if it felt clean or not, so I just kept doing more. Rinsing was weird too--no suds? How do I know it's out? And uh, the smell of vinegar in my shower was strange. The site promised that my hair would not smell like vinegar....so on I went. It did not. I knew the moment of truth would come when I blew my hair dry. Greasy or no? Dirty or clean? Lo and behold--it was clean! It was fluffy and felt a little different (natural moisture still retained, perhaps?) and styled nicely. I used way less styling product than usual (even more $$ savings) and it's felt fresh all day.
Will I continue to go "no-poo?" We shall see. But I like the money I'm saving by not having to buy more shampoo.
If you clicked on the above link you'll see my friend Jenna's blog, who is the one who nudged me into trying the oil cleansing method thing. At first it was so weird to rub oil on my face. Now it is soothing and relaxing, and my face feels refreshed and clean, yet not dried out and stiff like it did with my previous face wash. However, it does take a lot longer than face wash. I was getting tired of the length of time it took so I scrapped it and started washing my face again. With face wash. I thought, "surely this won't make any difference, since my face was clear before and has been since doing the oils." Nope. Bam! My face broke out like crazy. I had more zits than the last time I was in a first trimester (my skin doesn't like pregnancy hormones). Yikes. I immediately started oil cleansing two nights ago and ahhhhh. Much better. Quick and dramatic improvement.
Another thing Jenna does is "no-poo." As in sham-poo. It entails washing your hair with baking soda. Weird! The idea is that shampoo has chemicals and other undesirable ingredients that strip your hair of its natural moisture, then it overcompensates thus creating oily hair and the need for further shampooing. "Well," I said to myself, "MY hair is greasy hair. It is nasty when I wake up in the morning, and the instant I scrub suds through my hair I feel much better. That would never work for me." Enter in a second blog I just found--"DIY Natural" This site has a plethora of recipes for commercial products you can make at home, much more friendly to your health. I used the dish detergent recipe when we ran out the other day and I didn't want to spend the money (or time and energy it takes to get all three kids in the car and into a store) for more. It works great! So...when I came across this recipe for "making your own shampoo" I knew I had to try it. I'll have to admit, it appealed to me in the beginning but I didn't think I could do it.
So last night I whipped up some shampoo and conditioner (apple cider vinegar and water) and put it in my bathroom for use this morning. I was highly skeptical as I sloshed baking soda water over my hair and scrubbed around. I couldn't tell if it felt clean or not, so I just kept doing more. Rinsing was weird too--no suds? How do I know it's out? And uh, the smell of vinegar in my shower was strange. The site promised that my hair would not smell like vinegar....so on I went. It did not. I knew the moment of truth would come when I blew my hair dry. Greasy or no? Dirty or clean? Lo and behold--it was clean! It was fluffy and felt a little different (natural moisture still retained, perhaps?) and styled nicely. I used way less styling product than usual (even more $$ savings) and it's felt fresh all day.
Will I continue to go "no-poo?" We shall see. But I like the money I'm saving by not having to buy more shampoo.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
I'm back
Do you like my new header? My last title ("Manna for my soul") was just too...boring. Heavy? I don't know. But it wasn't really describing what I want my blog to be.
Enter mothering poem, "Song for a Sixth Child" by Mary Ryan:
Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth.
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button, and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house
is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby too.)
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,
(Pat-a-cake, darling and peek, peek-a-boo!)
The shopping's not done and there's
nothing for stew,
And out in the yeard there's a hullabaloo!
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo,
Look, aren't his eyes the most wonderful blue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby too.)
Oh, cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
So this sorta describes my mantra as I move through this mothering stage in my life. I just love how this reminds me to slow down and enjoy my children as they are, and to not get caught up in the mundane housekeeping duties and errands that pepper my life.
Enter mothering poem, "Song for a Sixth Child" by Mary Ryan:
Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth.
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button, and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house
is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby too.)
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,
(Pat-a-cake, darling and peek, peek-a-boo!)
The shopping's not done and there's
nothing for stew,
And out in the yeard there's a hullabaloo!
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo,
Look, aren't his eyes the most wonderful blue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby too.)
Oh, cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
So this sorta describes my mantra as I move through this mothering stage in my life. I just love how this reminds me to slow down and enjoy my children as they are, and to not get caught up in the mundane housekeeping duties and errands that pepper my life.
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