Conversations

I had this conversation with 4 year old Princess earlier today:

Me: I'm going to use the bathroom and then I'll be right back to play with you some more. 

Princess *slightly hysterical*: You mean you're going to leave us?!?!

Me: Um, no.  I'm going to the bathroom.  I'm not leaving the house.

Princess *Starting to sob*: But who's going to take care of us?!?!

Me: Seriously.  I'll be gone less than 2 minutes.  And besides, Daddy is standing right next to you.  I'm sure he can take care of you while I'm in the bathroom.

Princess *A little more hysterical*: Don't close the bathroom door!!!!!

Me: How come you get to close the bathroom door and I don't?!

Princess: Because I'm not a Mommy with kids!!

Hubby: Just go.  I'll hold her back.


*Sigh*.  We've been having some issues at my house lately.


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2012 Etsy Gift Guide-Sibling Outfits

Welcome to my 2012 Etsy Gift Guide series!  Over the next couple of weeks, I will be posting gift guides with different themes.

How many of you like to coordinate your kids' Christmas outfits?  *Raises hand and waves it wildly in the air*  Yep, I'm guilty of doing that all year round, but Christmas is especially fun to match my kids outfits with each other.

Click on the caption below each picture to follow the link to the specific item. 

Rudolf Shirts

For her: Rudolf with a hairbow applique onesie or t-shirt.

For him: Rudolf onesie or t-shirt.

$36 for the set

Outfits from Head over Heels

 

Pillowcase Dress and Jon Jon

For her: Sparkle red and green plaid pillowcase dress with red ribbons.  Personalization is extra.
For him: Green jon jon overalls with personalization included.
$73.00 for the set
Outfits from BoogerBear & PunkinPooh

Bowtie and Pillowcase Dress

For her: Red and green candy cane striped pillowcase dress with red dot ribbons.
For him: Red and green candy cane striped bowtie with velcro closure.
$32.00 for the set
Outfits from Alma Expressions

 

Dress and Shirt

For her: White minky pillowcase dress with snowman applique and included monogram on the back.
For him: Snowman applique onesie or shirt (not included in the listing).
Prices start at $35 and vary depending on sizes needed.
Outfits from Babys BOWtique
Baby's BOWtique is offering my readers a coupon code for 15% off any purchase except for complete bedding sets.  Use the code "MOM15" at checkout.

Dress and Shirt

For her: Personalized reindeer dress (you choose color of dress).
For him: Personalized reindeer shirt or onesie (you choose color of shirt or onesie). 
$63.00 for the set
Outfits from Round the Bend Again

Dress and Vest/Tie Shirt

For her: Peppermint print peasant dress with gray sash.
For him: Onesie or shirt with appliqued peppermint print necktie and vest.
$72.50 for the set
Outfits from HaddyGrace Designs

Grinch Shirts and Skirt

For her: Red applique shirt and matching skirt.
For him: Red Grinch applique shirt.
$84.99 for the set
Outfits from SweetSophiaBowtique

 

Dress and Button Up Shirt

For her: Circle dress with matching hairbow.
For him: Coordinating red button up shirt.
$55.00 for the set
Outfits from LilBethKids
LilBethKids is offering my readers a coupon code for 15% off any purchase through December 6th.  Use the code "lbksmn" at checkout.

Reindeer shirts

For her: Reindeer applique onesie or shirt and a matching hairbow.
For him: Reindeer applique onesie or shirt.
$68.00 for the set
Outfits from The Bowtique Mama
The Bowtique Mama is offering my readers a coupon code for free shipping on any purchase through December 15th.  Use the code "HOLIDAY2012" at checkout.

Dress and Necktie

For her: Peasant dress with detachable sash. 
For him: Necktie in your choice of 6 different coordinating fabrics.
$71.00 for the set
Outfits from MellonMonkeys

Green Argyle Shirts

For her: Green argyle Christmas tree onesie or shirt.
For him: Green argyle vest and bowtie onesie or shirt.
$34.00 for the set
Outfits from Token Blonde
Token Blonde is offering my readers a coupon code for 10% off any purchase.  Use the code "TokenFriend" at checkout.  No expiration date.

Shirts and Skirt Set

For her: Bib front shirt with matching skirt.
For him: Tie applique shirt
Outfits sold separately!
$84.90 for the set
Outfits from My Little Legacies

Mickey/Minnie Mouse Shirts

For her: Minnie Mouse applique onesie or shirt.
For him: Mickey Mouse tie and suspenders onesie or shirt.
$36.95 for the set
Outfits from Running Bobbin Designs

Dress and Tie Shirt

For her: Red chevron peasant dress
For him: Red chevron tie applique shirt
$55 for the set
Outfits from The Happy Honeysuckle

Jumper and Jon Jon

For her: Red gingham jumper dress with Santa applique.
For him: Red gingham jon jon overalls with Santa applique.
Personalization is not included.
$70.00 for the set.
Outfits from Threadbands

Bubble Skirt and Vest/Bowtie Set

For her: Corduroy houndstooth bubble skirt with removable red corduroy sash.
For him: Corduroy houndstooth vest with your choice of either a red corduroy bowtie or red cotton necktie
$65.00 for the set.
Outfits from Annalie's Baby Boutique
I'm offering my readers a coupon code for 10% off any purchase.  Use the code "10Percent" at checkout.  No expiration date.



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Cleaning House

If you've been around my blog for a while, then you might remember the 31 Days series I did last October called "31 Days to a Clean House".  Shortly after finishing the series, things went downhill.  First, I got a ton of Christmas orders from my Etsy shop (not complaining about that, by the way!  It was awesome!) and was so busy cutting, pinning, and sewing fabric into cute little outfits that housecleaning got sent to the bottom of my to-do list.

And then I got the best gift for Christmas ever and, between the crazy hormones, morning sickness, and fatigue, it completely threw me off my game for 9+ months.  Most days, I could barely get off the couch to take care of the older two kids let alone do any cleaning.

But yesterday, I pulled out my Control Journal and started following it again.  I also helped my older sister set up her own Control Journal and we're keeping each other accountable and on track.  Everything is easier when you've got someone to do it with!

I'm only 2 days into it, but things are already looking better around here.  And seriously, I spend 30 minutes to 2 hours cleaning every morning and that's it.  What's not to love about a system that keeps your house basically spotless with little effort on your part?
 

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Organizing Paper Flow

Between mail, announcements, school papers, etc, paper organization can be a pain to manage.

The best way to organize paper flow and keep it from taking over your house is to take care of it as it comes into your home.  I pick up my mail from the post office so the junk mail goes straight into the recycling bin there instead of coming into my house.  If you have a mailbox at your home instead, I recommend tossing the junk mail as soon as it comes inside.

But then you still have the rest of the mail and random papers to deal with.

I saw these plastic letter trays sitting around at my sister's house and asked if she was going to use it.  She said no and gave it to me.  Woohoo!!  Score one for free organizing tools!  If you don't have a sister who will just give you one, you can find them at most office stores or on Amazon.

I put a shoebox on the top tray (don't you think I need to cover it with pretty paper?) to hold the random small stuff that collects on my kitchen counter.  The next shelf down is for Princess's school papers.  The second one from the bottom is for bills and mail that needs my attention which is a must since I keep losing bills and not finding them until right before the due date.  The bottom unit is for the two local papers we get free every week.  I usually keep a few back issues as I reuse newspaper for several different things, plus every time I throw a recent copy out, Hubby asks for it the next day.



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Princessisms

Princess will be five in a few months and her language skills are improving daily.  Which sometimes makes me sad because I love how cute she talks sometimes.  Here are a few of my favorite things she says:

Drinky
Translation: Thirsty
Use it in a sentence: "I'm still drinky.  Can I have some more milk?"


Ge-naskin 
Translation: Nasty
Use it in a sentence: "Little Man's stinky diaper is soooo ge-naskin!"


Long sleeves up the top
Translation: Short sleeves
Use it in a sentence: "It's hot outside so I'm going to wear my pink shirt with the long sleeves up the top."


Long heels
Translation: High heels
Use it in a sentence: "I'm wearing my long heels with my princess dress so I can look pretty."


Brooming
Translation: Sweeping
Use it in a sentence: "Look, mommy!  I'm brooming the floor for you!"

Princess holding Star

 What are some cute things your kids say?


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...Then We Had Bat Poop For Dessert.

If you're gagging after reading the title of this blog post, don't worry.  I'm not that bad of a cook.

But I did make Bat Poop for dessert tonight.  I know my mom is reading this and thinking something along the lines of, "Seriously?  She couldn't rename it something a little less...revolting?" 

I could.  But it's kind of fun to see the looks on people's faces when I offer them Bat Poop for a treat.  Although I've also called these "Fluffernutter Balls" when I'm not trying to horrify people.

This is something that Hubby's mother makes every fall and, after we got married, Hubby asked me to carry on the tradition.  The first year he asked me to make him some Bat Poop to take to work, I thought he had lost his marbles.  

Bat Poop

One 7-ounce jar of marshmallow fluff
One 18-ounce jar of smooth or crunchy peanut butter
Two cups of chocolate chips
One package of chocolate almond bark

Mix the first three ingredients together.

It will make a stiff dough when it's all mixed up.

 Use a spring loaded scoop or a teaspoon to form balls of the mixture and drop the balls onto a parchment paper or wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes to let the balls harden.

While they are hardening, melt the almond bark, following the package directions.  Dip the balls in the almond bark and let them set on a piece of parchment or wax paper.

 Enjoy your bat poop!  Yum, yum!




This post is linked up at Blissful and Domestic

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31 Days - Share your tips!

I hope you've enjoyed the tips I've shared this month during my 31 Days series.  I've had a lot of fun writing the posts and reading your comments. 

To finish up the this 31 Days series, I'd love to see your tips and tricks for simplifying your life!  Add a link to your blog post or post your tip in the comments section. 


Here is a list of the posts from this series in case you missed any:

Day 2: How to Keep Brown Sugar Soft
Day 3: 5 Ways to Reuse Old Newspapers
Day 4: Freezing Meat For Easier meals 
Day 5: Feeding Time with a Newborn 
Day 6: Non-Messy Way to Eat Applesauce
Days 7 & 8: Folding and Organizing Fabric
Day 9: Making Cookies
Days 10 & 11: Organizing Sewing Patterns 
Day 12: Organizing Shoes 
Day 13: Memory Boxes
Day 14: Folding Towels and Washcloths 
Day 15: 10 Tips for Shopping with Kids 
Day 16: Stop Losing Baby Socks
Days 17 & 18: Keeping a Day Planner 
Day 19: Trust Your Gut! 
Day 20: An Easier Shopping List 
Days 21 & 22: Easy Cleanup In the Kitchen 
Day 23: Gift Giving 
Day 24: Freezing Food 
Day 25: Organizing Clothes 
Day 26: Reusable Activity Pages 
Day 27: Organizing the Toy Chaos 
Days 28 & 29: Making a Daily Chore List 
Day 30: Organizing Hair Accessories


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31 Days-Organizing Hair Accessories

Considering that Princess really only grew enough hair for me to do anything with it after she was two, she has a lot of hair accessories.  Of course, now that she has a little sister (who has lots of hair!!  Hooray!) she'll have to share her hairbows and headbands.  I used to keep all of the hair accessories in a shoebox in Princess's closet, but that was overflowing and impossible to find anything in before long.  So I bought a shoebag and put it on her bedroom door.
*Note: don't be cheap like me and buy the plastic shoebags.  They rip.  Especially when a small child thinks it's fun to hang on the pockets.  Spend the extra money and get a nice canvas shoebag that will last a lot longer*    

I tied long ribbons to the hooks at the top of the bag that hold the shoebag over the door and clip all of Princess's hairbows to the ribbons so they don't get crushed.  Her hard plastic headbands can be looped over a pocket and everything else (soft headbands, barrettes, hair elastics) get organized into its own pocket.  I also have an over-the-door set of hooks next to the shoebag that I use to hang both of the kids' hats on.  

I use some of the (non-ripped) pockets at the bottom to keep all the singleton socks in.  When the pockets get full, I match them up. 

The ribbons to hang the hairbows on are tied onto the metal hooks at the top of the shoebag that hook over the door.  They can easily be moved aside to see the pockets clearly.

Pockets for the soft headbands, small hairbow barrettes, and regular barrettes.  Small clips can be clipped on the edges of the pockets.

Frankly, you can't have too many shoebags in your house.  There are so many uses for them!  For more ideas, you can visit my Pinterest board, Shoebag Organizing.

Tomorrow, I'll be hosting a link-up of your favorite organizing tips.  Be sure to come check it out and add your own tips!

Want to see a complete list of the posts in the 31 Days to Simplify Your Life series?  Click here. 



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Star - 1 Month

Age: 1 month


Weight and height: I'm not sure because she doesn't have a doctor's appointment until next month, but I'm guessing she weighs between 8 and 9 pounds now.

Wearing size: Just moved from newborn to size 1 diapers although the size 1 diapers are still a bit big.  Wearing newborn and 0-3 month clothes.

Likes: Snuggling on mommy or daddy's chest to fall asleep, being swaddled, and is starting to like her pacifier a bit more.  Loves the infant swing (we have one like this and I swear by the side-to-side motion for soothing babies!).  Star also loves her big sister and almost always has smiles for her.  I know she loves her big brother too, but he's 2 years old and hasn't learned to give her personal space yet.  She also likes tummy time and staring at lights.

Dislikes: Having a dirty or wet diaper.  Being buckled into her carseat although she usually stops crying as soon as it's being moved.   

Eating habits: Star eats about 3 ounces of formula every 2-4 hours.  She's a good eater, but very messy which I think has something to do with her being tongue-tied. 

Sleeping habits: She's a good sleeper!  She usually takes one really long nap everyday and several shorter ones.  She's ready for bed by 9 pm, wakes up to eat at about 3:30 am, and then sleeps again until 6:30/7.  She usually needs to be rocked to sleep, but sometimes she prefers to be swaddled and laid down to fall asleep. 

Milestones: She smiled for the first time at less than a week old!  Since then, I've seen quite a few smiles from her.  She's getting very good at holding her head up and can push up with her legs to a standing position if someone is holding her upright on their lap.  Her umbilical cord fell off at 1 week old.
  

1 month old

Star's baby acne is clearing up with the help of vaseline.  She has a "stork bite" on her forehead between her eyes and another at the crown of her head, although that one is covered pretty well by her hair.
 

I love that this outfit says "Little Star" on it since that's her blog nickname.

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31 Days-Daily Chore List

How do houses get messy so quickly?  If I don't stay on top of things, my house turns into a declared disaster zone within a few days.

Since I'm a born procrastinator and dedicated list keeper, the best way for me to stay on top of the housework is to have a daily chore list.  It covers the basics, takes 15-20 minutes to accomplish, and gives me the satisfaction of crossing things off a list.  I do have other lists of chores to do to keep up with the deeper cleaning.  But, with a preschooler, toddler, and a new baby in the house, if I can get my daily chore list done everyday, I call it good enough.

I wrote my basic chores on a sheet of paper (this was before I had a working printer so everything was handwritten) and put it in a sheet protector in my Control Journal.  When I finish a task, I cross it off with a dry erase marker.  I call it my morning routine, but let's face it...if everything on the list gets done by evening, it's good.

"Hot Spots" are any place in the house that seems to accumulate clutter.  For me, it's the coffee table and the computer desk.

Writing up your own list like this will help you keep your house clean without spending a lot of time cleaning.  Just pick the things that are essential and need to be done everyday.  Don't make it too complicated or long, the point here is to keep it simple.  If you're feeling ambitious, go ahead and make a Control Journal to keep your house sparkly clean, but if not, give yourself a pat on the back for starting with the basics.

Want to see a complete list of the posts in the 31 Days to Simplify Your Life series?  Click here.



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