Trying new things

I'm going to be trying out some new things with the blog. If they work I'll post where I found the tutorials so you can try them too!

Quite Simply My Favorite Show!!!

Why do I LOVE the Amazing Race?

This article pretty much sums it up! Here

Mark my words ----SOMEDAY HUBBY AND I WILL BE CONTESTANTS!!!

I have no doubt because

1. We're hilarious!
2. We're entertaining!
3. We're odd (in the sense that we're completely run of the mill, old-fashioned, average, married couple, stay at home mom - go to work dad, parents of 5 kids, who like to sing and dance around the house, try to have adventures everyday with our kids, like to pretend we're on the amazing race just so we can practice, good at agreeing to disagree or just agreeing couple)!
4. We're talented -- oh boy are we ever talented! If I'm being honest here then you need to know -- our skill sets are almost beyond words, we have brownie making skills, we have root beer connoisseur skills, wild animal taming skills, chaos wrangling skills, foreign language skills (I can speak toddler like nobody's business), the list could go on and on.
5. By the time we get around to submitting our application we'll be the old couple on the show and if we're entertaining NOW just wait until then!

Can't wait to watch the new season premier tonight!!!

Diaper Carrier, Changing Pad Clutch and some Alexander Henry Fabric

I have some new items in the shop.

I'm not sure what to call them, the name I've been calling them is kind of long....

Diaper-Wipe Case Carrier and Changing-Pad Clutch.

At least it's descriptive because that's what it is.

A Changing pad with a pocket to hold diapers and wipes. The whole thing fold up and looks like a classy clutch. You can carry it on it's own or in a diaper bag to keep your changing supplies organized.

Most of them I've made so far have been fabric with a slightly padded lining --- completely washable.

Yesterday, however, I fused some vinyl to some fabric and made a clutch that is one side fabric and the other side wipe able vinyl. (Pictured below, pink and brown damask)

I was really please with how it turned out and I'm excited to try this technique on some other clutches and maybe just plain changing pads or even a bib or two.

I made this black and white one out of some Alexander Henry fabric and I've completely fallen in love with it. I love how it's gender neutral and so classy. I had a lady email me and tell me she loved hers so much that after she no longer needs to use it for diaper changing she's going to use it as a purse. That's quite a compliment!!!

You can check them out in the shop here.

Birthday Cake? I don't think so!

I have a son who is, shall I say, a picky eater. Maybe picky is putting it too mildly. Severely selective would probably be a better description. Roast beef, roast chicken, dino-nuggets, potatoes, pepperoni pizza and goldfish crackers are what he has managed to live on these past 5 years. When the rest of the family is enjoying, say, peach pie, he asks if he can have goldfish as his treat. With my other children the theory of , you won't get anything else to eat until you eat your dinner, has worked great......but not with this boy. He'll just wait until we eat something he likes and then he eats and eats and eats. We call it filling his "hump" like a camel.
My rule has always been when it comes to meals is this; Eat at least one bite of everything on your plate and finish all of one thing. That way they at least try everything and eventually my older kids have begun enjoying all different kinds of foods. But not with this boy.......the textures make him throw-up. Sure sometimes he can gulp it down with a dry-heave or two but more often than not everything comes shooting right back up-----it's just so frustrating. I keep hoping he'll grow out of it ----- so far no such luck!!!

With all that being said, it was his birthday this weekend. His favorite day of the year! He's been waiting for this day for 364 days. For him this is a great day because 1)it's his special day! 2)he gets toys! 3)we decorate the house just for him! and finally 4)he gets to choose all of his meals!!!! (he gets to fill his hump quite possibly for the year!)

Is it morally right to serve a boy who gags on cake a cake for his birthday? It just doesn't seem right to me.
In the past I've served him goldfish for his birthday.
One year he wanted peanut butter cookies --- he didn't even eat them though.
This year we came up with the perfect solution!

A BIRTHDAY DONUT!!!!!
Perfect!
He loved it......and ate it.....but not all at once he wanted to save some for later!!!
That's okay, I wish I had the self control to do that with a donut!

So it comes down to this. He had a great day! and he's talking about his next birthday already, just like he did last year. AND the other kids have asked if they can have birthday donuts too.

I think a new tradition may have been born!!!

A little crazy at the local Wal-of-all-Marts!

It's no secret that I've had my fair share of crazy moments at the Wall.
Yes I went ballistic on the employee who didn't want me to take my cart into the bathroom because she was afraid I'd steal the loaf of bread I had in my cart and because she didn't understand I needed that cart to hold my infant and toddler while I helped my other toddler who was getting sick all over the place. Yes I threw the loaf of bread at her and hit her in the head but we're not going to talk about that today.

NO!

Today we're going to talk about the crazy check-out girl (what's the p.c. word for them? Anyway.....)
Today while checking out @ the Wall the girl scanned my Cascade dishwasher detergent and then she sniffed it. While holding my box of detergent and taking a very deep breath she looks at me and says, "AHHHHH, that smells soooooo gooooood." all long and drawn out.
Sniffs again, "MMMmmmmMMM"
"Oh, man you don't know how good that smells!"
Sniffs AGAIN.
"I don't even have words to describe how good this smells."
AGAIN sniffs.
"Do you know what I mean."
Me, "UM, no."
She sniffs once more. "OH, that's good stuff"
Me thinking...........AWKWARD!!!! Is she ever going to put that box down and get on with it?

Finally she bags the Cascade and gets on with business.
Then she starts to say something about how they do business there at their store.
I say something like this, "When I lived in Reno the Wall Mart did....blah...blah...."
She says, "Where was that?"
I say, "Reno."
She says, "Reno, Utah? where's that?"
I say, "NO, Reno Nevada."
she says, "Are you sure it's in Nevada? Not California?"
I say, "I'm pretty sure we lived in Nevada."
She says, "Oh, it's hard to tell which Reno, there's just so many of them."
I say, "Okay?"
I think-----WOW---sniffing to much Cascade and who knows what else!

At least the Wall is good for a story or two!!!

Finding Hope

Pumpkin Spice Treasury

Fun Autumn Treasury On Etsy Here!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=81536

Put together by WoodcraftsandCandles!

Kindergarten? Really?!

My youngest son started Kindergarten yesterday!
The thought is so crazy!!!! Yes I know he's old enough but really has it been that long since he was born. It seems just yesterday I was bigger than a truck waddling around in the humid heat of Southern Oregon ticked at my OB she was so darn into natural medicine and wouldn't induce me.
I was ticked for two reasons, One: I was huge -- mammoth--and miserable, Two: at our little hospital there was only one anesthesiologist and he lived 45 minutes away and didn't work nights. I knew that with my quick labors if I went into labor in the night there was no way I was going to get any epidural and the thought terrified me. Of course living where we did the hospital staff didn't see that as a problem, in fact, they thought it was better that way. But, I'm of the opinion that if I can save my self some pain after 9 months of agony I'm going to do it.

Turns out I was right....I went into labor in the middle of the night....no epidural for me....no Dr. and no hospital room for that matter. My son was born basically in the hall on a gurney delivered by the nurse and my husband. My Dr. came running in right after he was delivered (she lived across the street) she missed it because she couldn't find her shoes and ended up wearing her muddy gardening shoes. There are a whole bunch of gory insane details that I'm sure my son will love to hear someday, like, my IV was only partway in and was squirting blood everywhere the whole delivery (doesn't that sound like something a boy would think was cool?).
What it comes right down to though....he was healthy...I was healthy and as much as I hate to admit it my recovery was much quicker because I didn't have the epidural and because I wasn't induced and most importantly he's part of our family and we love him!

So now fast forward almost 6 years and here we are. He's going to kindergarten. He loved his first day. He was shocked when he found out he had to go to school everyday.....he was relieved when we told him he got weekends and holidays off. He wanted to know if ".....there's really that much I need to learn?" that would require he go to school every day. Unfortunately/fortunately there is that much he needs to learn and more.

I'm so grateful there are good people out there who are willing to teach my kids.
The PTA hosted what they called a Boo Hoo lunch for all of the parents sending their kids to kindergarten and they passed out tissues (pictured above) and chocolate to the parents...yeah, the chocolate didn't last long enough for me to get a picture and as you can see the tissues haven't been opened (too happy to cry).
Although I can't believe he's old enough to head off to school I'm excited for him. What a great time in his life....he'll be learning so much and making so many friends!!! Do you remember how easy it was to make friends in kindergarten? Oh man do I ever! He came home from his first day saying he had a new best friend and he didn't even know his name. I love it!!!

So----Here's to new beginnings and new things to learn!

Have I mentioned?

I LOVE FLOWERS!!!!

My Dear Husband introduced me to zinnia's years ago and we've been good friends ever since. They've been champs this year particularly. Dealing with abuse and neglect due to my surgery and still coming through with a full face of colorful delight.

Autumn Spice Table Runner and CraftGawker

Admittedly I'm a little jealous of great photographers (and people who can spell. If you can do both I'm not sure I can have you as a friend anymore---sorry;-)). I've always enjoyed looking at pictures that can portray beauty, emotion, memory and clarity. Somewhere along the line in the past couple of years I've tried to check out a few books from the library and learn a little something about photography. I'm no where close to being good but I feel like I'm a little better......than I used to be. Turns out my few skills are coming in handy with my new business. Yet another reason why although I thought of doing this years ago it wouldn't have ever worked.On my shop blog a few weeks ago I posted about Craftgawker. A web site that features great photography of handmade items that are for sale. I just had my second item accepted!!! You can check it out at the site if you want, http://craftgawker.com/post/2009/08/29/4179/ or just look at it here. It's what I'm calling my 'Autumn Spice table runner'. It's another one of those things that I'm okay if it doesn't sell because that means I can keep it. I've decided that's the way to create things for the shop. Make things I'd love to keep then I won't feel bad if it sells and I won't feel bad if it doesn't sell. Okay, so enough of me bragging on myself. Thanks for looking and being patient with me

By the way, my friend Amy let me borrow her living room and dining room and take these pictures at her house. She has great light, great furniture, and a clean house. Perfect for taking pictures! Thanks Amy!


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29874132