'Ello Gov'na

Today was fishing opener's kick-off here. The Governor came to celebrate. Ben and I really like our governor, and it was exciting when Ben was asked to be part of the Color Guard and 21-gun salute that his VFW Post performed. It was a beautiful afternoon and a privilege to be a part of the festivities.

I have always been a patriotic old soul, but anything that has to do with Ben's military service about makes me bust my buttons in pride.

Family Photo-Op

Ben is the youngest guy up there, with the shiniest boots. ;) He's just to the right of the Veteran's flag.

After Ben finished today, we were blessed to get our picture taken with the governor. I wish we'd looked better as a family, but the governor is a busy guy, so you can't keep shooting to get the best possible shot for one's blog. ;)

We're back!

Wow! I sit here thinking of everything that we have done while I have been away from my blog, and it is no wonder I couldn't find the time to squeeze it in!

My parents came to visit, which was fabulous. We planned and shopped for everything my mom needed to throw a baby shower when she got home. It was fun, and after the shower, I'll post some pictures of our handiwork. We also went to swimming lessons twice, into the city twice, to the Great Lakes over night --where we went hiking, shopping, swimming, and eating. I caught a pretty wicked cold for a good part of their visit. And I got my brother's graduation gift altogether. Another thing I can write about once it is given.

My mom and dad had to take off this afternoon, which was sad, but Ben made Amish White Bread and a really good Chicken and Wild Rice Salad for lunch before they left, and we finished the last of our pie from Betty's pies--which we got while we were up North. *licks lips*

Most of the pictures are on my mom's camera, so the details will follow after they get home and have some time to e-mail them back to me.

My schedule was totally thrown off, so it may take awhile to get back into the swing of things, but it is sunny and Springy now, with all of the ice off of the lakes, so it probably won't take too long!

New Every Morning

Yes it is nearly May and there is snow in my yard, but there are also sure signs of Spring. Check out what I captured from my side door this morning:

Confessions of an Over-eager Blogger...

Or, what I have learned (so far) about blog etiquette.

This week has been a bit of a learning experience. I have never had anything "published" before, and now I know why there are teams of editors for people who publish their writings for a living.

I have my own team of sorts, that I didn't know was there, and it is a good, albeit humbling thing.


Lesson #1: Know thy audience: Or rather, know that you may not know thy audience, and they may not know you. They don't all have assumptions about your writings or personality based on personal experiences that they share with you, because let's face it, they may have never met you! I was checking out some of the features on my site tracker the other day and was amazed to see that people from Belarus, Slovakia, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, El Salvador, Brazil and Korea were checking in on my blog!

Lesson #2: Fact check: I posted something this week in a hurry, and I had a mantra running through my head that I recalled from somewhere back in US History. I used it as something I loved about this country, and then I was reminded that it was actually a segregationist mantra--yikes! *blushes* I really should have taken a minute to look it up and confirm what I was saying. Accuracy is important even in one's personal writings, when they are up for the world to see. Thanks for the save dear editors!

Lesson #3: Someone else's news isn't always yours to tell: So if you are one of my readers who knows me in real life, you know that I have a very enthusiastic, exuberant side of me that is extremely loyal to both my friends and family, and that when something great happens, I desire to shout it from the rooftops! Now, this can be a good thing, but sometimes your greatest strengths are also your greatest weaknesses. Sometimes someone else wants to do the shouting. This is something I will probably have to work on my whole life long. My last personality test compared me to Oprah. That is really great, but it also means that I require an audience of many people. Which makes blogging a super outlet. Unless you use it to steal thunder. Thank you again dear editors.

I don't do well with criticism. It cuts me to my core. BUT, it is necessary, and it will make me a better person and writer, so I cringe as I write this (because sometimes you get what you ask for), but in the interest of growth, bring it on!

Lots of livin' going on

My parents are going to arrive for a visit on Sunday, and there is so much to do before they get here! The weekend that they return home is a doosie for our fam! It is the weekend that my mom graduates with her Master's degree, my brother graduates with his teaching degree, it is Mother's Day weekend, and the weekend of my sister-in-law's baby shower! Whew! It's exhausting just thinking about it. Since I won't be physically present (boo hoo), I want to send gifts for the occasions, however, this is the time of year where Ben and I really have to tighten our belts, because he doesn't attend school during the busy summer camping season, which means no GI Bill money comes in. So we live on substantially less May through September.

All of that being said. I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be blogging less frequently than normal. Probably taking a bit of a blogging break so that I can make a bunch of gifts to send back. Once the gifts are given, perhaps I will post pictures of whatever creativity I have mustered on my family's behalf! ;)

Fun and busy times ahead!

PS--I also ask for your prayers. It is supposed to snow yet again tomorrow. I'm not sure how much more winter my heart that is longing for Spring and life can take! I'm sure it will be fine, it has just been so long this year!

Fargo-ho!

We are off to the illustrious Fargodome today on a business and family trip! Hurrah!

When we were driving through North Dakota a few years ago (while I was still teaching my multigrain class--as I refer to my diverse group, you know, as opposed to whitebread?), we stopped for a meal at the Cracker Barrel and I was shocked to see a disclaimer that they welcome all races without discrimination at the door. I wasn't sure why they needed such a sign until we sat down to eat, and the place was filled to the brim with elderly white couples settling down for lunch. Then I got it...Oh! The Cracker--Barrel! It made me laugh--I hadn't seen such a homogeneous crew in a very long time. Now it has been awhile since I have seen much else!

That is one of the reasons I love our country. We are different, but all a part of one nation.

Spring Cleaning

Today I raked up a bunch of pine needles and leaves and picked up many small limbs from the recent wind storms. It was a lot of work, but my iPod came in handy, and Nehemiah took a really great afternoon nap to give me the time.

When Ben came home, he was happy, and we decided to have a good old-fashioned leaf burning. Ben made a fire pit in the middle of the driveway and went to town collecting my piles in the trailer on the lawn mower. It was really nice, and we even roasted hot dogs for dinner.

Here are some photos of the fun:

Make your own paints

When I was at the park the other day with a friend, I was telling her about some fun make your own recipes I have happened upon. One for making your own stickers, and some for making your own finger paints and bath paints. She asked that I post the links up on my blog, so here they are:

Paints (watercolors, bath paints, jello and kool-aid finger paints)
or here or shaving creme bath paint.

and

Make Your own Sticker Solution

I hope you guys enjoy these, and let me know how they turn out, because it will be a little while before Nehemiah is ready to use these fun things yet! :)

Clutsified

Man, what a day! Please tell me I am not the only one out there that has days filled with mishaps and mayhem! This morning as I was walking under our door-mounted pull-up bar, Nehemiah looked up at it longingly. Oftentimes I lift him up. He likes peering at me from up high while I hold him up; remember the picture?

Well this morning, I lifted him up, and on the way down, he bonked his chin on the bar and bit his tongue hard-core! It is all reddish-purple, like he actually bruised and cut it. I didn't think you could bruise your tongue!

Then after a fun trip to the park, we were snuggling on the couch and Nehemiah head-butted my front tooth! The poor guy! There he was thinking he was all safe (again), and BAM! A bump on the head. :[

Then when I was off to my Friday night nursery job, I shut my finger in the front screen door!

Come quickly tomorrow! I shall sing to you and greet you with a kiss! :)

Jumpin' Jack

We went to a friend's house for dinner, and they have two things Nehemiah loves; a trampoline and a 9 year old daughter! :) Here are some pictures of our foray.

I think the dog has PTSD

or some kind of a complex anyway! A few days after we came home from the hospital with Nehemiah, and Ben's first day back at work, I woke up around 6am to nurse and realized it was a beautiful, sunny morning. I thought it would be nice for Maltby (our dog) to spend some time outside until I woke up again for good.

At about 9am I heard a ruckus, and swore that someone was breaking into our little house. I rushed out of the room, and found Maltby inside. I thought perhaps I was delirious from lack of sleep and had not actually put him outside to begin with, but I still couldn't figure out the noise. I went in the laundry room, and it became apparent that Maltby, upon seeing the screen blown out of the window, and the window open, decided to jump through our window and into the house. I'd say it was a good 4 and 1/2 feet. I was really surprised! Then I noticed that the wind had picked up unexpectedly, and there were a few large limbs down in the yard. I figured Maltby was so freaked out that he climbed to safety. Feeling bad for him, I petted him to calm him down and fussed over him quite a bit.

The rest of the summer, Maltby spent his time ruining our screens trying to climb back in the windows. I chalked it up to him adjusting to the new baby. Since then however, he has been, REALLY FREAKED out by the wind. I mean crawl under desk and hide freaked out! It is quite humorous to watch an 80 pound dog curl up under our desk, though it can also be annoying when he is on you like ugly on an ape at the slightest hint of a breeze!

Last night, he spent the night wandering the house scratching on doors and whining. It was really windy yesterday, and I think he had a ton of pent up nervous energy. That morning around 4am, as the wind began, he nudged his way into the nursery and licked Nehemiah until he woke up. Because, as you know, 9 month olds are great comfort when one perceives a hurricane!

Uugh! I must admit my patience with him wears thin--especially when he deprives me of one of my current best friends...sleep!

Cruisin' the Ave

Back when I was in high school the local ne'er do wells used to drive their low rider cars up and down a street called Nevada Avenue. It was known as Cruisin' the Ave.

I am happy to report that we now have our own Ave Cruiser! Yep...Nehemiah is scootching backwards. Not crawling--he hasn't mastered sticking his butt up and getting his knees under him yet, but he does enjoy himself. He grins up at you while motivating around the house. :) How fun!

Hail the Conquering Hero!

Nehemiah was particularly chatty this morning during church. It was the high voltage babble of a delighted baby, which is great, when your pastor isn't in the middle of praying. ;) I thought that since he was in such an amiable mood I would try him out in the nursery. It is only the second time in 9 months that he has been out of his parents' care for more than 20 minutes!

When I arrived on the scene, I found one lady in the nursery, with 6 other kids, under the age of 4, without a helper. I was a little nervous, because no one would be able to run up and get me if Nehemiah lost it, and Cindy already had her hands full. But, bless her, she said to go ahead and leave him, and I promised to come back and check in. Twenty minutes later I peeked my head in, and there was NO screaming! I went back up for the rest of the service, and when I picked Nehemiah up, he was blissfully busy playing with "new" nursery toys and watching the other kiddos.

Success! What a blessing!

S.A.D?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (I think that's what it is called) seems to be catching around here lately!

As a Colorado native who is accustomed to over 300 days with sun in them a year, it is a big adjustment. Even bigger than living in WA State. The difference for me is that everything was green, lush, and alive there, and here, I haven't seen green grass in well over 6 months. Uugh!

I have one friend who was on her way into town to get Vitamin D, one friend who is tanning, one friend who is on her way to the doctor, and me. My counselor recently suggested getting a sun lamp.

Yikes! It's an epidemic! Pray that God sends the sun, and pronto! Otherwise we are going to have a bunch of grumpy mommas for a long time. And you know what they say..."If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

Good friends

Do you ever find that you take on mannerisms of your close friends?

Today Ben and I ventured out and there was a robin in the middle of the highway who would not move. Ben eventually honked at him to get him moving. At times like these I imagine what might be going through the bird's brain.

Immediately the Robin thought he was a chicken and had a distinct Mexican accent. He was playing chicken and was going to win no matter what. I had the voice down! When I finished my little imaginary charade, Ben and I were laughing (probably one of those had to be there moments). I sounded just like one of our great friends from our time in the military out in WA. John Tafoya has the best "fake Mexican with an attitude" accent. I ended up sounding similar and it was too funny.

There are those people in your life that you will never forget. The same type of people that you may not talk to or see often, but when you do, there are no hard feelings and you pick up right where you left off. The Tafoyas are that for us. Boy do I miss them! ;)

Peace Pipe

When I first met Ben in college, he used to smoke a pipe on occasion. He said it was part of his quest to enjoy the delights of being an old man throughout his life. I remember one day when I came out of my dorm room and knew he had a big test he was about to go to...I saw him leaned up against a wall puffing away like Sherlock Holmes on a case. I am not really into smoking, mostly because it makes me sick, but I thought it was really cute. It must be love, eh?

Well, we went out with some fun new friends tonight and Ben thinks that when the guy gets together for a fooseball night with some buddies that they may smoke cigars. He was a little excited, because I bet it has been well over a year since the last time he has done anything like that, and he prefers to do it socially.

It got us to talking, and I decided the pipe may make a comeback...especially if I'm not around. I mean it is reusable. The ultimate in green indulgences, right? Surely if you cloth diaper and smoke, it only makes sense to go with the pipe! Ha!

What random thoughts on the eve of another blizzard.

Swimming Lessons

It's like fake Spring (we are supposed to get 10-14 more inches of white stuff tomorrow night and Friday):

And a few more

of our little fishy!

Plow Watch 2008

Well the snow started over 36 hours and 14 inches ago, and we still haven't seen the plow on my road. It will be an occasion for rejoicing when it comes with its bright orange and flashing lights.

Ben had to shovel out the driveway to go to work. Not easy when it is heavy Spring snow.

It is great fun to attempt to get out of our driveway and off of our street after it snows and before the plow comes. I almost always find myself stuck--I think I hesitate too much (my Dad could tell you about that one). I am so afraid that I'm going to get stuck or careen off the road or into something that I don't give it enough guts.

Ben on the other hand is an amazing driver. In the snow and out. He ought to have his own theme song for peeling out in the snow. He guns it and slides around a bit, and then roars off in his intended direction. I am green with envy over his mad skills.

I'll be waiting for the Return of the Plow before I venture out.

Narnia

I live in Narnia in the era prior to Aslan's reign! Here's what happened today...all 8 inches (or so--since we're not to the end yet):

Nehemiah trying to catch snowflakes on his tongue

A Snowy Smile

Real Eskimo Kisses!

We're trying to enjoy it, because in 3 months, we'll be roasting!

The Calm Before the Storm

As I type, we are sort of gearing up for a storm. There are estimates of anywhere between 3 and 12 inches of snow or rain within the next 24 hours. The thunder rolls and the lightning flashes. We are ready...we have a few unwatched movies, several recorded t.v. shows to catch up on, and a bunch of new books from the library to get the creative juices flowing. :)

We are on the verge of the storm as far as Ben's work schedule goes as well. This week he will have 2 days off in a row, and as it turns out a few others here and there. After this week, it may be nearly 6 months before that luxury presents itself again. There is very little certainty about that because the schedule at camp seems to be in a state of flux, except for those 10 steady weeks in the middle of the summer. We are gearing up for the Spring Retreat Season, then Summer, and then the Fall Retreat Season. I wish I felt as prepared for this as I do for the weather! I am taking steps to make sure that I have activities planned and prepared for so that I can stay busy with Nehemiah. Just pray that it all goes well and that I know how to stay healthy for myself, Nehemiah, and Ben! Gracias!

A Teacher Moment

Trying to teach volume? Need a quick tip? This is what I used to use with my students. :) Every third grader I had could draw this out in their sleep, and quickly too! A wonderful thing during a standardized test *groans* or during a kitchen bonding time *grins*. I posted this after reading about the much loved Mr. Gallon over at My Many Colored Crayons (which I ADORE!). And while I do love me some Mr. Gallon (hee hee), I am all about simplicity and ease! So for those of you who would like an explanation of how best to do this, start with the G for gallon--leave lots of space inside--this is important. Then draw 4 large Qs (for quart) inside--once again very open in the middle--then 2 Ps (for pints) in each Q and 2 Cs (for cups) in each P. It's a sort of venn diagram-ish sort of thing, and super easy! Oh, the different colors help kids see it easier initially, but once they get it, they can draw it with any ole' thing! ;)

Delights

Two days ago, I looked out my window to this and nearly cried:


Today it may reach 60 degrees, most of the snow is gone from the land, and I feel like doing a Spring Dance--hurrah!

I got a surprise after-Easter package from my Grandma in the mail. There was a little something for me, and a little something for Nehemiah.


It is great to have a grandma! Especially when she is so sweet! In a way my blog reminds me of her. It is my little daily journal of odds and ends.

Ever since I can remember, the little squares on my grandma's calendar have been her journal. It is so cool. A little bit of the weather and whatever was accomplished in the day fills each square--not a lot of pressure, but when you write really small, it is amazing what you can fit! :) Anyway, here's to Grandmas! (And yes, that is my sewing maching lurking in the background...I can't bear to put it away just yet--is it laziness? Or as I prefer to think of it, am I waiting for a bit more inspiration to strike?!) ;)

Our Business Idea

I have to say I am naturally just a little suspicious of people stealing ideas (just because it seems like such an easy and natural thing to do--imitation being the sincerest form of flattery and all), but I think my friend Susan and I came up with a good one for our fledgling (meaning just conceptual at this point) WAHM business.

I have told a few people about it, and I find that they are excited and contribute some rockin' ideas, so I'm breaking down to blog about what we've settled on for now. :) AND I would LOVE some feedback in the form of ideas, if there is a good market, and business start up suggestions--because I know some of the moms reading this blog have so much more experience than I do with these kind of things...

First off, our credentials. I am a certified Elementary School teacher, and Susan is an English and Drama double major. Throw those two heads together, and what came out? An idea for making Imaginative Play Birthday Kits!

What the?

I'll explain...

We think that there is a market amongst parents who A) live in a more rural area with fewer places to go have a party, or live in a city but are tired of the current "birthday circuit" B) Are a little tired of over commercialization with character licensed everything C) Want an exciting birthday party and D) Would like the party favors to be more "green"--something a child will take home and use over and over again...not break in the car on the way home and never look at again. And, oh yeah, a lot less plastic. :)

Anyway, we have several (okay, like 20) theme ideas that we will need to narrow down, but I'll toss out a few...

Slumber Party Kit: Pre-cut fleece squares so that each girl can tie her own blanket to take home, and some kind of pillowcase decorating activity. Sleep masks that we make will be included, and possibly cake ideas, and recipes for facial masks, etc.

Pirates: Felt pirate hats, a different colored beard for all pirate boys (Red Beard, Black Beard, Blue Beard, etc) ;) , and braids for pirate girls, directions and props for a "Walk the Plank" game, etc.

We are hoping to find things to make that are relatively easy but that spark imagination and can be put altogether to make one original and fun theme party! We have a few themes for girls only, boys only, and coed, and even the beginnings of a Socially Conscious Party where the activities are made from Recyclables--and we follow the 3R's principle. :)

We may add story starters to get the ball rolling, and I have some thoughts about networking with some other WAHM businesses to provide themed invitations, Parent Birthday Party Survival Kits, etc.

So, what do you think? Is it doable? How much would you be willing to pay for such a thing (ie: could we recoup our material and labor costs)? Any fabulous ideas you are willing to share? What size kit would be best (I was thinking one for 6 kids as a base and then add a per kid fee on top of that for extras)? Can you buy accessories and things (like a roll of caution tape) and legally sell them as part of the kit? Or do you have to create everything yourself to be within the law? Just a bunch of the things running around in my head currently. Do you know of any good "start your own business" resources (books, websites, blogs, etc.)?

Thanks for your thoughts!

What a day!

Nehemiah had a weigh-in this morning. First one since his 6 month appointment since we don't vaccinate him monthly (the verdict is still out on that one for us--whether we will selectively vaccinate or skip it altogether). He has gained a little under 2 lbs and dropped from the 87th percentile to the 64th. It isn't cause for concern, which I am glad to hear. :) I was a little nervous because I know he hasn't been gaining as quickly as he used to. He doesn't really eat cereal though--he has never liked it, and when we found that he did like the finger food types of cereal, he started having an allergic reaction to it. We're going to try again in a month. All that aside, we had a really fun afternoon!

It was Nehemiah's first swimming lesson! He is my little fish! He loved the kickboard and the noodle and just feeling his body whooshing back and forth in the water. I was flipping him over from his back to front and accidentally dunked him, and he didn't even fuss! It was great. :)

First Day at the Park

Well it was almost 40 degrees and sunny, so we got outside! Here are some photos of our first foray to the park...notice all of the snow is still not gone. :)

Irony

If someone wants to hit a cloth diapering family where it counts, what can they do? Hmm...how 'bout cause their just over a year old (and thus no longer under warranty), uber cool, front loading washer to break down and cost over $300 and 2 weeks to fix! Um yeah, it happened.

So now there are Huggies sitting in the nursery. Ben and I chose Huggies, because every other diaper brand we tried when Nehemiah was a wee little one caused him to have some major diaper rash issues, and we were too cheap to go with the Huggies (hee hee). I was amazed when I pulled these top of the line disposables out of the pack. They felt so, hmm... well, fake! No soft fabric, just slippy-slidey, papery plastic.

It is weird, because when Nehemiah was first born, I thought they felt so cozy, and now that I am used to cloth--I was a little shocked at my reaction. And Ben's too. I guess we're converts.

One interesting thing--Nehemiah doesn't look nearly as chubby! Hee hee! He fits in his clothes better because they are made for the majority of kids, who wear disposables and not cloth. His pjs were so easy to zip up!

But I miss my little guy's cloth diapered booty! ;)

Stressed spelled backwards and all that

So, we got a brand spankin' new refrigerator delivered to our house yesterday...it is GORGEOUS! We love it, but true to Murphy's Law, our year-old spiffy Kenmore Front Loader washing machine broke today. I think it is a computer issue, which means Ben can't fix it--uugh! It seems like you save and spend money on one big purchase and then something else (unexpected) goes. :( Oh well, the repair guy will come tomorrow to tell us what the damage is.

Ben was frustrated after futzing with the washer for a few hours, and he had several hours of homework to accomplish, so he sent the babe and I to Dairy Queen. He really wanted a DQ cake, but those are expensive, so I made a Hot Fudge Cake and we got a quart of DQ Softserve to go with it, and added some Caramel Sauce we already had. I think it was close to as good as the cake would have been, and at least $10 less expensive.

After our yummy dessert, Nehemiah required a bath--and a mohawk. He just looks so stinkin' cute with one that I couldn't resist!

After I got him contented in his pjs and off to bed, I embarked on a craft project. I was browsing blogs earlier today (sadly I cannot remember the original) and found one where a mom made little stuffed frogs for her childrens' Easter baskets. She linked over to this tutorial, which has a pattern ready to print and super easy instructions. If it takes me less than 3 hours, it must be easy! Didn't my froggy friend come out cute?

Brainiac

I can literally see Nehemiah's brain growing before my eyes. Maybe it is that latent teacher in me. Or, maybe it is just the proud Mama; though I don't know many other mamas that forget to record the 3rd tooth, but rush to the calendar to scribble down that her baby crossed his midline for the first time! (That was several months ago, by the way)

In the past few days, Nehemiah has really learned to look for things you hide. I have been sneaking things under blankies when he is looking and when he isn't, and he has gotten really good at finding them! Today he even found a sunshine in this little Velcro envelope it hides in, and all of the toys in his mailbox. He opened them up and pulled them out proudly. I was impressed!
The other exciting occurrence of the day? We were reading some books before naptime this afternoon, and HE TURNED THE PAGES! Yeehaw--my little reader! I am so proud! *Beams*

Nighty night

Our bedtime routine is pretty standard. Put on the pjs, turn down the lights and on the night light, read a few stories, sing a few lullabies, say bedtime prayers and nurse to sleep. Every 2 or 3 nights there is a bath thrown in before the routine. Anybody else have anything to spice up a bedtime routine in a mellow way?

I mostly use the one my parents used with my brother and I, but I thought there might be other tried and true traditions worth throwing in. Plus I have been a little low on comments lately, and I have been wondering if people are actually out there! ;)

I'd love to hear how you were put to bed/how you put your kiddos down for the night. What was good? What would you skip?

Learning Early

Nehemiah devouring a good book:

Goofy, smiley shots (I love these!):

Rileyroos!!!

I won these adorable shoes over at: BabyLuxe {daily} in a very cool giveaway. They were contributed by Bediboo boutique and they came in the mail today...look how awesome they are! I ordered them a little big, otherwise there would be pictures of them on Nehemiah...I love, love, LOVE them! They were even cute in the box, before I had the chance to unwrap them!

And here is a picture of the happy recipient, just because he is such a willing subject for photographing!

For kicks and grins

As my Aunt Dawn would say. :) I saw this HILARIOUS little youtube video on bias tape today. I was looking into buying a serger so that I could make cute receiving blankets that are actually large enough to swaddle my jumbo sized babies (assuming that eventually there will be more than Nehemiah)! :) And those of my friends. However I can use bias tape or make my own instead. You'll die laughing, so run on over to Angry Chicken and check it out. Whether you sew or not, it is worth it!

I was out surfing the parenting blogs for a few minutes today, and I came across a simple, sanity saving idea for those times when babies "boycott" their naps. :) Here is the: good no nap suggestion --Now that the sun is starting to shine, and some of the mud on our dirt road is solidifying, I think I'll grab my iPod, pop Nehemiah in the jogging stroller and head out for a walk in the clear, Spring air, when we can.

Speaking of my iPod, when I first got it, I asked for name suggestions. My mom was the only one who came through for me. Since mine is a beautiful product(Red) nano, and it is cherry red, she thought Rosebud fit. That was indeed the name for awhile, until last Sunday.

We went to church and talked to a gentleman who does some contracting work out at camp now and then. We told him that we went to this yummy, little ribs place around the corner, called The Salty Dog. Being a longtime local, he laughed and settled in to regale us with a historic tale of the spot, formerly known as Rosie's Diner. Here is what we heard:

There was a couple that used to own and run that place. They bickered constantly. The lady was practically anorexic. One day the husband wasn't there anymore. Rosie was tried for his murder. She got off.

She claimed self-defense. He came home one night and she thought he was an intruder so she shot him with the shotgun. (At this point our storyteller intimated that this was a "likely story" and rolled his eyes.)

Ever since then, people were cautious and polite when they went in to Rosie's Diner. You made sure you tipped real well and watched your back. And the spot was known as Shotgun Rosie's to the regulars until new ownership took over and it became The Salty Dog.

Now I listen to tunes on Shotgun Rosie--and giggle at this foreign land I find myself in. :)

Birthdays, Confirmations, and Baptisms, Oh My!

All 3 in 2 days! What fun! I really love to celebrate momentous occasions with those near and dear to me. :) AND I immensely enjoy picking out "just the right gift." Exciting! It really is more blessed to give than to receive. Thank you to those of you who have let us be a part of your big moments--it has made my weekend sweet and memorable, with more to come. Happy Easter! Christ is Risen...He is Risen Indeed!

CUTE parenting tip/project

I have taken to adding a bit of cinnamon here and there to the tarter baby foods that I make for Nehemiah and calling them "sprinkles!" Apparently I am not the only one, AND this sweet momma takes it a little further in a great way!

There has been alot of snow where you live when...

...you go out for a drive and you realize that Holiday decorations have been showing up in layers the last few days. The first layer contains Christmas decorations. The next Thanksgiving. And today, I saw that the sun had un-earthed the kicker...Halloween leaf bags and spiders! Ha! At least Spring is coming!

Praise the Lord and Pass the Pizza

Ordinarily I would say that it was a rough day, but you know what? It really wasn't. Sure Nehemiah was uber fussy and boycotted his morning nap entirely, but the Lord gifted me with an extra measure of compassion today. I had the energy and creativity to try out several different activities and methods of distraction. We went on 2 walks out in the sunshine (yay!). And this evening we got to visit with some friends and eat a really yummy Buffalo Chicken Pizza. It was a nice end to a pretty good day! Maybe this is what Zen is supposed to feel like. I like it, but I refuse to attribute it to my own nature, it is all Him!

Getting down to business?

I am talking about starting a WAHM business with one of my friends, but we are having a tough time narrowing our scope, coming up with unique ideas, and thinking of a hook/niche.

Any ideas or suggestions?

I think we would like to make children's/baby things. A few of our ideas are:

Burp cloths
Receiving blankets
Hats and booties
Nursing covers
Baby carrier washable strap covers
Baby wearing slings, etc.
Dress up and make-believe garb and accessories
Cloth diapering accessories

I'm sure there will be more, but this is what we have ideas for so far. A little too broad, but exciting all the same. Here's hoping we can make it work!

Doubley Happy Homemaker

It's been a busy few days! We went to town and did our bi-monthly stock up. We had a fabulous time with friends this weekend. I tried my hand at 2 new baby foods (plums and peaches), and made 2 burp cloths from a new (to me) tutorial! Today I made 2 recipes of truffles from Bakerella with my friend Sarah. We were festive in our green, and as always, had a fun time.

I have also been enjoying our read-aloud time with Nehemiah quite a bit. He is starting to get very interested in the books, and he knows a little of what we are doing! I also like to watch he and his Daddy have fun with books! Nehemiah seems to like all of our stories, but prefers Touch and Feel Farm because he can interact with the different textures.

Fun with the Little Buggers

I worked in the child care room for Celebrate Recovery tonight, and man was I prepared! Nothing like a holiday to get you mulling over fun ideas. We had a special treat left by "Lucky the Leprechaun," and we made Shrinkydinks.

It was a fun time, though I was a little bummed that more kids didn't show up. On the other hand, it made it a really relaxing and fun night, because the only kiddo other than Nehemiah was my helper's daughter.

We went shrink plastic crazy! I had forgotten about this fun craft. And it turns out that it is cheap, easy, and takes up quite a bit of time, and in the end, you get a fun thing to take home. I'll tell you how it is done:

1.) Procure some #6 Recyclable plastic. This is the clear stuff that you often see baked goods packaged in at the grocery store. Look for that little #6 because it is the only stuff you can use effectively. They are normally clamshell style containers, and sometimes they come with salads too. Anyway, save those, because they are a little tough to find recycling centers for, and making shrinky dinks is more fun anyway!

2.) Cut it out so that you have a flat piece of the clear stuff (after you have cleaned it of course). Rough up one side with fine grit sandpaper.

3.) Then find a picture you would like to trace, or freehand something. Use permanent markers for the outlining and colored pencils to fill it in. You can use permanent markers for everything, but it is a little much for kids and gets messy quickly, so the colored pencils offer a cleaner, cheaper, more colorful option. You use these on the roughed up side of the plastic (which you made this way so that the color will stick).

4.) Use a hole punch to punch a hole on the side of your design so that you can later string it on a key chain or necklace. You could even use them as zipper pulls.

5.) Cut out around your shape and the hole.

6.) Preheat your oven to 350*F. Then place the plastic on a foil lined cookie sheet (not the airbake kind) with the foil shiny side up.

7.) Place the tray on the bottom rack and turn on the oven light if you have one.

8.) It should take about 3.5 minutes for the plastic to shrink up.

They will curl up first and then sort of flatten out. When you take them out, you can sort of flatten them out with a spatula if you need to (though we didn't have to).

I put the picture up so you can see how much they shrink.

These are really fun. And thanks to our local grocery store for donating some containers, since this was a spur-of-the-moment project plan.

What is Muck good for?

Well, in my case, I got a fun new pair of boots out of this current season! We have water and mud everywhere. As the snow melts here, it all kind of collects for a few weeks. Then, miraculously, you wake up one day to dry ground. This means that the "frost has gone out" and the water can be absorbed because the ground underneath is no longer frozen solid. :) Here are my new kicks:
I hope they will keep my toes from getting too soggy. I had a hard time choosing which pair I wanted...Target has an amazing selection of rainboots online--most for $19.99 or less! They range from classic to funky--it really is a fun shopping experience.

The other day, I found out I was pregnant...

from someone at church! Apparently it has been going around that I am "with child." Which was news to me! Hee hee. Oh the funny things that happen. :)

In other pregnancy rumor news...yes, there is more. I had a friend come over to my house to take a pregnancy test today. It was for moral support. What fun moral support to give--it is an honor to be among the trusted few that know right off. At least, I feel that way. I'm sort of sorry to report that my friend "Teddy" is not expecting. ;) We still had a delightful visit, complete with 2 jumbo, steaming mugs of consolation cocoa.

Energy...

...I am sapped of it currently. We (Nehemiah and I) were gone for nearly 12 straight hours today. We went to a much bigger city-yay! With my friend Sarah and her 3 munchkins--double yay! The day was really great, but I am nearly zombified. ;)

And where all of my energy has evaporated, I fear it condensed and rained down onto Nehemiah. It is nearly 10pm and he is going bonkers! He is yelling and yanking Ben's hair, whilst climbing on him, whilst sucking on his face or blowing raspberries. What a nut! Hopefully he crashes here sometime soon. Then, glorious sleep.

The Library

I ran into the library today, minutes before they closed. I had a few books on hold, and I wanted to drop off my application for one of the fancy shmancy new cards. I like our library. It is small, but you can get many things through inter-library loan. I think my favorite feature is that they check out life vests of all sizes in the summer. Who knew?

Another library close by also loans out fishing poles.

Yep. Tourism is big around here. :)

...And I hear tell that the Spring is on it's way!!!

Guilty Pleasure

I really enjoy checking in on those parenting blogs that I mentioned. Their tips are great, and the fun new products that they review are, well, fun and new! But another wonderful feature is the giveaways! I had only been visiting the Parent Hacks blog for a week when they had a giveaway for a chic new baby cape! I entered with my Spring Family Vacation destination (Pacific Beach, WA), and I was drawn as the winner! :)

I have been waiting eagerly for our prize. Ben checked the mail yesterday...no dice. This morning, he came back in from putting our Netflix movie in the outgoing mail and realized that he hadn't reached back all the way, and low and behold...a cape!

I really like it. Nehemiah looks so sweet peeking out from the little hood. (It was discovered early enough that the little man was still in his pjs-hee hee!) It conjures up thoughts of The Fellowship of the Ring or maybe Star Wars, depending on who you are. Here's a shot for your viewing pleasure...

Thanks Parent Hacks! I love it!

PS--It is SUPER soft, and would be absolutely wonderful for a baby in an infant carrier. They could be strapped in under their cape because the back opens. Just the perfect thing to keep a little one toasty in the chilly winter!

A Bonnet and a Prophecy...

Somehow when you go to the grocery store, you expect to come out with groceries...well, I guess I did, but that wasn't all I came out with this morning!

Nehemiah and I ran in to pick up a few staples after our Thursday Mothers and Children (M.A.C.) fellowship time. It is bitterly cold here (where's that Global Warming again?!), so Nehemiah was wearing a hat, but somehow they always end up twisting around his face and covering up his eyes, which leads to much protestation. As soon as we were inside, I took it off.

We were wandering around the aisles when a nice, older lady came up to us and asked if my son needed a bonnet. Hmm...never heard that one before! Especially not from a random stranger in the grocery store! My immediate thought was that she must think I don't have a hat for Nehemiah on this frozen day, so I quickly pulled the hat out of the back of the cart to explain that I was not neglecting my baby--or in need. To tell you the truth, I saw only one at first and thought she'd made it for someone special (like a grandchild) and that she felt bad that my baby didn't have a hat. However, as she opened her bag, I saw approximately 16 nifty little handmade bonnets--random! I'm kind of a sucker for nice little lady projects. :) She said, "Here, you can have one." And I said, "Uh...well, okay, sure, thanks!" I guess I expected that to be it.

As soon as I stuck the bonnet on my babe, she proceeded to tell me about the many visions that she has had lately and slipped a prophecy in my hand. Huh?! Yep--I was a little surprised. I quickly recognized Scripture verses as well as verses from the Books of Wisdom of the Catholic Church. It was a curious encounter. I am glad that she is well-intentioned, though I'm not really buying what she is selling.

Please understand that this is in no way my commentary on the Catholic Church as a whole. In every single church on this planet, you will find well-intentioned and misguided people, and sometimes even ill-intentioned and misguided people, as well as the opposite (in most churches anyway). No one has a corner on the market of Christian living in my opinion--least of all me! We can only live each day through the lens of God's Word. My antenna goes up as soon as people (and names) become the focus instead of the Lord.

But it sure is a nice bonnet. :)

Blogs of interest--Part II

Here are some of the really nifty parenting blogs I have stumbled across:

Parent Hacks

Baby Toolkit

MumsTheWurd!

Cool Mom Picks

Pennies in My Pocket Blog

Rocks In My Dryer


Some of them have giveaways, which I love entering...I have even won! More on that later this week when I get my winnings! ;)

Blogs of interest--Part I

I have several blogs that I visit on a frequent basis. I don't want to link to all of them on the side of my own blog, but I have some friends who have asked where I am finding these gems. :) So, I will reveal my secret: I link to them from mentions in other blogs, and I found some of them while looking for free patterns.

Here are some fun ones.

These are the crafting or cooking sort (often they go hand in hand):

Not Martha

Homemade By Jill

How About Orange

Everybody Likes Sandwiches

Angry Chicken

101 Cookbooks-Recipe Journal

Simply Recipes Food and Cooking Blog

Bakerella

Baking Bites

Equal Opportunity Kitchen

Okay...wow...I check in on a ton! I think I'll save the other categories for another day! Enjoy!

Happy Holidays to meeee!

My mom sent me a package today! Yeehaw! She called it our St. Patrick's Day/Easter package. What a thoughtful mom! Anyway, there was something for everyone.

Nehemiah got an adorable pair of overalls from Old Navy and some cutie pjs that say "Mom's Lucky Charm" on them for now, and a pair of jeans, windpants, and a sweatshirt for later this summer/fall. He is always cute, but it is nice to know that we'll be able to carry on the tradition! ;)

Ben got a hilarious Price is Right DVD Game and a green t-shirt.

...And I got, a really comfy hooded sweater, a long-sleeved green t-shirt, and the Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood book. I have been eying this for quite some time, and I am SO excited to have it. I'd like to give the Love and Logic method and shot, and it makes sense to me to start ASAP. We're 2 chapters in, and so far both Ben and I are enjoying the philosophy and practical examples. I'll have to let you more as we learn and practice more. Uh-oh! Mr. man is waking up--I guess his routine was a bit thrown off today (Ben stayed home sick, and then we had an impromptu trip to both the town nearby (bank and post office) and to the bigger city. There were some sick day entertainment/belated birthday gift needs to be met there. Part of the reason Nehemiah is up is probably due to the muted sound of a Wii Mission-in-progress.

Gotta run!

Chip off the old Rock

Nehemiah discovered Daddy's uber-cool, new, door frame mounted, pull up bar. I got it for Ben's birthday. You don't use any hardware to mount it, and then you can remove it in a snap and use it to hold your feet for sit ups or use the handles for push-up bars. I'm all for multipurpose.

Anyway, I thought it was too cute not to snap a picture of. He'll be building those rock hard lats any day now! Ow! Ow!

Minnesotans For Global Warming

I've figured out how to post You tube videos on my blog! We could use some Global Warming right now, but I settled for this hilarious video instead!

Turns out the group, M4GW (that's right, Minnesotans for Global Warming), sells Free the Flamingo T-Shirts and Bumper Stickers, and even holds rallies at the capitol! Now these guys, I gotta' meet. ;)