The yuckies! And a recipe for MAGIC Mouthwash!

I haven't had much time the past couple months to do anything other than visit our pediatrician and clean puke.  It happens.  With 4 little ones...2 in school...we get the yuckies.  We seem to keep them lately!  Besides giving them the speech about hand washing and covering their cough there's not a whole lot I can do from home.  So, while combating all this yuck I came across a recipe for the wondrous substance known as MAGIC MOUTHWASH!!  Here you go ...enjoy!  AND Get well soon!

Magic Mouthwash:
 * 2 tsp Maalox 
 * 2 tsp childrens liquid benadryl 
  Mix...gargle, swish and spit!  You CAN swallow it...if you plan on your little one swallowing make sure you adjust the Maalox and benadryl to the dosage for your childs height and weight.  AND have a glass of 8 oz of water for them to drink after swallowing it.  Relief for strep, mouth sores and sore throat. 


NOTE: I am not a doctor and you should always check with your doctor if you have any questions. Basically, be smart and safe! 

Tips and tricks for making it on a BUDGET

  As you know...Harlow is currently laid off.  Which really isn't anything new since he works for CSX ;)  So, here is a list of tips and tricks of how we have survived furloughs and live COMFORTABLY on a budget.  It's mostly common sense.

1.)Groceries: First, we have no "bad" food habits.  What I mean is...we don't drink pop.  And we don't buy snack cakes or junk food.  Well, Harlow still holds on to his chip eating habit...but..besides that..NO JUNK!  As for veggies and fruit, we buy frozen.  Why frozen...well...it's cheaper than fresh and more nutritious and better tasting than canned.  Don't get me wrong, canned beans are where it's at for chili and soups.  But as for vegetable, they're frozen closer to the source they're harvested from...the longer they sit on a shelf the more nutrients they lose. Making frozen sometimes HEALTHIER than fresh.  Which is important to me because I want my kids to establish healthy eating habits now.  I use the sale paper to stock up on meats.  I don't buy bottled water....just watch the movie "Tapped".   If it's coming out of your faucet and you don't have a well ...it's filtered.

2.)Clothes: I now shop for 6 people.  AND being that I LOVE fabric and sewing I have a hard time paying for names.  Basically, a cotton T-shirt is a cotton t-shirt whether it has Justice or Garanimals on the tag.  Don't get me wrong, I will definitely pay more for quality in a piece my kids will get a lot of wear out of.  Like coats and little boy jeans.  Which I now buy wrangler from Walmart for Ace because he rubs the knees out of everything else.  I'm a sale shopper.  I usually shop twice a year for everyone.  Once on black Friday, online at home....and once at the start of spring.  The reason, well, black Friday there are some really great deals on jeans, coats and sweaters.  I can load up the whole family for fall and winter.  Old Navy and Childrens Place are two of my favorites.  And in Spring..right when the season starts to change you can find great deals on fall and winter clothes...I buy a size larger for the following year ;)  AND they usually have a 40% off sale on their new arrivals.  So I get a jump start on summer too.  ALSO....Walmart is my favorite place for summer stuff.  They put out these little $5.00 outfits for boys EVERY year..and I will grab about 10 for each boy and let them wear them till their worn out.  And if you have boys you know that doesn't take long.  So, that's about $150.00 for 3 boys....NOT BAD EH?!?  Also, I LOVE www.thredup.com !!  If you've never visited the site...GO..NOW..seriously.

3.)Entertainment: Here is where I really get savvy.  We don't have cable!  We haven't in years.  Through our phone company we bundled our DSL, phone and a ROKU box for 50.00.  Now, the ROKU box streams Netflix, HULU, Amazon, and Pandora.  We subscribe to Netflix..$8.00 a month...and Amazon Prime $75.00 a YEAR.  Amazon prime comes with all kinds of perks...a ton of movie selections and some movies you can even watch while they're still in theaters AND free 2 day shipping from their site.  We get to monitor what our kids see, avoid commercials and save $$$.  We also use Red Box.  Also, pay attention to your local calendar for things to do.  There's always something going on in Hazard...SWEAR it!  In the summer we LOVE Way Bak Wyn Drive In.  Good prices and our kids love it.  Family time is also a biggie in our house.  With 4 kids i'm never really lacking in entertainment.

4.)Exercise: We usually enjoy running.  When i'm not recovering from having a baby and Harlow isn't nursing a bad foot.  There are many places to work out in Hazard.  We have a park to walk/run....many hiking trails...the pavilion for when it's bad out.  My personal favorite...I LOVE to run/walk up by where Trus Joist used to be.  SOOOO many dirt trails.  My joints and heart always thank me for it.

5.)Cleaning and Home supplies: One store....the Dollar Tree.  In fact the BEST dishwasher detergent I have ever used is their Sun brand.  No white gunk and they come out clean.  The only cleaning supply i'm really a snob about is laundry detergent.  I either make my own (Really...you can do that) or buy gain.  Just depends on how low I let my supply get before running out to the store.  You can even find toilet paper at the Dollar Tree...and honestly...do you really care what brand of toilet paper you ...well..you know what you're doing with it.

6.)Medicine: Always ask if there's a generic...it's that easy.  And for over the counter stuff....look for the store brand.  Look at the active ingredient and compare it to the store brand.  For example...benadryl...the active ingredient in benadryl is diphenhydramine.  Now you can buy the brand name diphenhydramine, benadryl..OR you can buy your diphenhydramine for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree.  Will it work any better the more you pay for it...NO.  Always ALWAYS go for the generic if you can.

That's all I have for now.  If you have any tips or tricks that you feel is savvy please leave them in a comment here or shoot me a message.  I'd love to hear them!

We will overcome, by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.

  I offended people today.  I spoke up about the death of an industry that has provided for our community for decades.  The coal industry.  I didn't speak ill about it.  In fact it's fed my family.  My husband is a railroad conductor for CSX...or he was..until this past November.  Their main freight in this area...obviously..coal. There's a reason I am so confident about  the future of my family...my friends...and our area. Let me explain.
  This past Wednesday I attended refuel at Journey Church on Main St. Ben, our preacher, spoke about how we all have a story, a past..God has brought us through.  Basically, how do you know you'll be alright?  Now, I know not everyone reading this attends church, is a Christian or knows the story of Job.  So, bare with me.  Job was a man who lost all he had.  Not just his way of making money..but his family...his property.  I know a lot in this community are feeling loses.  I am one of them.  So, to meet the challenge Ben gave us to tell our story...our testimony....here it goes.
  I lost my Mom at age 11.  Not to an illness or anything foreseen...but a house fire.  An 11 year old girl who just lost her Mom, you know I was angry...terrified...and SO depressed.  Do I believe it was God's doing...absolutely!  But from that I developed a great relationship with my Dad AND my Mom's family who I had never really known.  I had to grow up fast...but God was there..looking back I can see how he met me in that dark time.  In every situation...even when I was mad at him.  Even when I didn't understand what was going on.   Because I wasn't there in that fire....nope.  I was saved from that.  And so was my Dad.  I could be angry that he took her...but i'm not.  He saw me through it...and it was her time.  She was a christian and I know she wouldn't trade this for that.. not for anything.
  Fast forward to 19.  Harlow and I bought our first house!  A beautiful 2000 sq ft house just 45 minutes from Virginia Beach.  Perfection in wood...huge porch...big yard..big living room with a fireplace.  Close enough to Richmond to be convenient but far enough away to not be bothered.  We were SO happy with our purchase.  It was home...for the first time since my previous house went up in flames...I felt at home.  This was in 2007...JUST before the mortgage bubble popped.  Being young and dare I say...dumb..or..well green...we had never heard of an ARM aka adjustable rate mortgage.  The payment went up within the first 3 months...and after you added the insurance..$1300.00 a month.  Which was fine...just fine.  Until Harlow lost his job...our very first CSX furlough!  The first month....I didn't panic...until we caught word that this furlough was going to last awhile.  And if you're not familiar with railroading...ALL you get is word of mouth about things to come.  Looking back...that word was right on!  It took 2 years to call those men back.  Now, we had an out.  We had a home here...in Hazard...family, ready and willing to welcome us back..to help..with open arms!  So...I put our house up for rent...to a nice couple who signed every page I asked them to sign of their lease.  Handed me a check for $1800.00 as a deposit and we loaded a big UHAUL and drove away from that home for the last time.
  Harlow hadn't been with CSX long enough to get unemployment..so I took a job at the first place that called me back..SYKES.  I made nothing compared to what he made before and at the time we had 2 kids. But we always managed to make it.  Little did I know the sweet couple who was renting our house had written me a cold check and had NO intention of ever paying rent.  After not hearing from them for 3 months I finally had to call the cops in the area and have them check to see if they were even still occupying the residence.  Now...you do the math...3 months behind on a mortgage I couldn't possibly pay..while trying to pay bills that I had acquired when we were actually making decent pay...yeah.  Here's where we make a tough decision....struggle and try to pay debt we can't possibly pay...or meet with a lawyer and face the inevitable.  I still have nightmares of the number....quarter of a million dollars in debt....and I did it in 1 year of being legal!  That has to be a record right?  Anyway...we filed bankruptcy.  Bankrupt at 19!  And glad of it.  I had an ulcer and the stress was killing my marriage.  Looking back now...I see God in that dark time.  I had family...I had food....my kids were loved and provided for.  Maybe not in the manner they were accustomed to...but they were taken care of.  And I vowed back then to NEVER set my bar according to what others thought was success.  Because when it came down to it...I left that house on a table in a courtroom...and didn't blink.  What mattered to me were the people I loved.  And I NEVER have to buy them.
  Now we're back in Hazard...and guess what!  CSX called Harlow to work in Ashland.  21/2 hours away from our home in Hazard.  It was a job with benefits..so...he took it!  And the driving and the going with no sleep got difficult.  So he marked up on a board in Martin, KY..just 45 minutes from our house.  (Again, sorry for the railroad speak...but basically he could work in Martin)  Still a drive...but...we were home...we had a place to live thanks to my Dad...and our kids were taken care of.  We made it through.  It looked like we were losing it all....but that bankruptcy saved our marriage.  Without that happening we wouldn't have our 2 youngest boys..Weston and Sawyer.
  There are many other ways God has met me in dark times.  Medical problems...marital problems...a couple car accidents and an 11 month long furlough since the first.  But I already feel naked...so...we'll leave it as it is.  The reason I am so confident...and maybe a little cocky..is that God has seen me through everything.  I am here.  I am happy....I am provided for and I am strong!  And I praise the God who continues to meet me in EVERY challenge and hard situation I am in.  And I really hope this comes across in the tone I mean it to.  I love you all....and God loves you all.  Have faith..and a little creativity to view this as what it is.  A new beginning and a fresh start to something bigger and better.
 

The REAL Daddy issue

  If you have me on facebook, then you know that the topic of  involved Dads is VERY dear to me.  It's one thing to have a husband who works and provides for his family...that's fantastic!  You have an excellent provider.  There's a BIG difference in a provider and an involved Dad.  Let me explain.
  An involved Dad is one who does 80 to 100% as much as you do with and for your child/children.  The diaper changes, the night time feedings, the boo boo kisses..the breakfast making.  ALL that.  No good marriage is 50/50..it's 100/100...parenting is the same.   And to those single Mom's...you amazing fantastic ladies..you do 200!  But you're a whole other post!
  I get so frustrated to hear a Mom say that her husband is "babysitting".  No...NO..NO..if your husband has his own children..it's parenting.  I think it starts when you bring baby home.  As Mom's there's so much pressure these days to be BUSY.  And perfect.  You see women who work full time jobs and their kids are in all kinds of sports.  Or you see the new Mom who's already in her size 5 pre pregnancy jeans, her baby NEVER seems to cry and she just gave birth 2 months ago.  It looks legit!  And facebook doesn't help!  You see posts and pictures of how wonderful and together everyone has it.  What you don't see is the honest to God story.  You don't see that it took 2 hours to get that photo of that happy baby.  Or the fact that the Mom who works full time struggles just to get 5 minutes of quality time with her kids....you get it....no one has it all together.  Not really.  We're all just learning as we go.  AND that brings it back around to Dad.  In the same way that no one is just born having it all together as a mother.....no man is just born knowing how to be a Dad.
  Admit it...you've accidentally given your baby formula thats sat out longer than it should.  Bottles get confusing in the middle of the night!  Breast feeding isn't easy for every woman!  Swaddling isn't something you just naturally knew how to do!  It takes time...trial and error.  It's the same for men!
  I remember bringing Natalie home, she was our first baby, and I wanted to be perfect for her.  The ultimate Mom.  I never wanted her to cry...I never wanted her to feel cold...I counted her dirty diapers for goodness sake!  I had read every book I could get my hands on about parenting.  From attachment parenting to the ferber method.  Then I decided that I really didn't need it.  I took the good..and chucked the ridiculous.   I lost my Mom when I was 11...so I really relied on the internet, books and my cousins (LOVE you for always taking my calls Tasha!) when I had questions.  And it wasn't until I started following my own instincts that it all came together.  And do you know who got left out of all this parenting decision making...poor Harlow.  Here he was...holding my precious angel like a football.....burping her all "wrong"...blowing in her face to make her make funny faces.  It would stress me out.  It wasn't until we had Ace and sheer exhaustion sat in that I realized I was missing something.  Something big..and wonderful.  HE was holding my babies...my babies WERE burping.....HE was making them smile.  These were HIS babies too.  And it wasn't until I expected him to help me and do more that he did.  I haven't looked back since and i'm so glad.
  Harlow, he really is an amazing Dad.  He does just as much if not more than me on any given day.  Don't rob your husband of the same things you don't want to miss.  Taking care of a baby and children is so messy and so rewarding.  The real bonds are made from changing the baby...they're getting out of an uncomfortable mess......and feeding them..even if it's chili dogs or pizza for breakfast...the day to day norm.  Let him have that joy too.  You won't be remembered as a sub par Mom by sharing the parenting load....but you'll be giving your children an amazing gift.  And yourself too.  Harlow has never been more sexy than when he's caring for our children.  Or more hilarious!
Sincerely, from a girl raised by a hands on Dad ;)

Harlow aka The Swaddle King and Baby Natalie (Photo by Natasha Bowling)

A "different" list of baby essentials and DIY wrap 2 for under $20.00!!!

I am a mother of 4.  I have been given SOOOO much baby advice.  And like all mothers...I keep the good and toss the rest..(OR call up my friends and laugh at the bizarre!! For example, tape a quarter to the baby's belly button to turn an outie into an innie! HA!)  Here is a list of some of THE best advice i've received and discovered for baby products.

1.) Sandwich bags: These things are great, cheap and found just about everywhere!  The reason they're fantastic...you can use them to pack paci's, dirty diapers, medicine AND outfits that get messy when you're out.  Explosive diarrhea can happen ANYWHERE.  Keep these handy in your diaper bag.  And not just for the diaper bag.  Nursery too.  Diaper genies are pricey...really..they are.  Once you add in all the refills...babies go A LOT!  Simply keep a box of sandwich bags by the changing table..put your dirty diapers in em.."zip" em up..and toss.  Cheap and effective odor control!

2.)Cloth diapers: If you are choosing to cloth diaper..then for obvious reasons.  If not..BURP CLOTHS!  They really are the best.  My cousin, Natasha (also a Mom of 4), got me a 13 pack when I was pregnant with my first baby, Natalie.  They really are fantastic.  They're actually absorbent! The cutesy ones in boutiques and at Walmart just aren't.  AND they're bleachable!  And 13 for around $10.00 versus $10.00 for 3 that are basically printed wash cloths...think about it!  And if cutesy prints are important to you...stitch some fabric over these.  You'd still come out saving $$$...and some of your tops.

3.)This Infant Bather: 

The reason it's awesome, well..it's mesh.  A newborn is not going to be able to sit comfortably in a plastic tub until they're able to sit.  At that point baby can just sit in the bathroom tub!  This little $13.00 (found at Walmart) mesh bather holds the baby softly.  The baby is not floating up or slipping down which happens in the big bulky plastic tubs.  AND it warms up with the water...because it's mesh and like a big cloth.  I love these things..they're cheap..and all you'll need until baby is ready to sit in the big people tub :)  You can go without ANY tub or bather by simply sitting in the tub with your baby or showering with baby.

4.)THE nasal bulb syringe from the hospital: DO NOT LOSE IT!  They're THE best one's you can have.  And I haven't been able to buy one in a store that can compete with the one's i've brought home from the hospital with me.  They're soft and flexible.  Perfect.  I don't know why you can't find them in that quality from a store...conspiracy!

5.)White men's T-shirts: This really isn't for baby.  And you really don't NEED them.  But I LOVE mine.  I have 20 white mens v-neck tee's.  They're perfect for days at home....and when you're just bringing baby home...especially if you're nursing...you don't really get out that often.  At least I don't.  They're cheap, bleachable (spit up and baby food stain friendly), they stretch and they look cute with jeans and a cardigan (for when people just SURPRISE you and show up to meet baby) OR with sweat pants.  They've become a staple in my Mommy wardrobe.
  That's really it for my list...so..here's a wrap tutorial :)
  If you've looked at the price tags on a Moby or Boba wrap you know they're not cheap.  What you may NOT know is...this is just a 10 ft. piece of Jersey knit cotton fabric.  Really....that's it.  Now...go check the price of jersey knit cotton fabric.  Yup..that's right....on average $3.97 a yard in a fabric store.  Since I live in HAZARD there is no fabric store.  So..off to Walmart I went.  I paid $18.86 for 5 yards.  That's all you need.  5 yards.  The fabric is usually 50-55 inches wide.  The wrap only needs to be 25!  So..BARGAIN..2 wraps for under $20.00 versus the price tag on a Moby.  I'll take it!  Of course you need to cut the fabric in half ...giving you two 5 yard pieces with the width of 25 inches each. TWO WRAPS! Fold one of your pieces in half again...and lets put this thing on!

 Find the middle of your fabric..place it in the center of your belly. SEAM side up.

 Like this! Where..it's really a personal comfort thing...but you'll want it pretty close under your breasts.

 Take one side....and wrap it behind and over your shoulder.  CAREFUL not to twist or bunch the fabric.  The seam "pocket" should be pointed at your face.

 Repeat for the other side.  AGAIN..Careful not to twist or bunch.















Should look like this in the back.

 Now....Take your shoulder pieces and hold them together...again...careful not to twist or bunch.

 Slide them under the piece at your navel.

 Now....this depends on which hand is your dominate hand. I'm right handed so I take the right piece over the left.  If you're left handed..do the opposite.

 AND tie it in the back.

 Take baby...lay baby on your dominate shoulder...my right.

 Open your little seam pocket.

 And slide baby in feet first.  Careful to make sure there is fabric between your chest and baby.  Baby's head should be resting pretty close/on your heart.

My snuggle buddy was lifting his head though. Take the other pocket and fold over baby.  Like so.

 Now take the bottom piece and pull over baby's bottom.

 And on up!

My little snuggle buddy was wiggly...but here he is...all snuggled in and i'm hands free!  To eat...to paint...to sew..to shop.  And there ya have it!  Wear your baby..on a budget!

Strep throat and maternity jeans!

  Sometimes I fight the universe.  It's true!  I demand positive things!  I try to keep positive thoughts on my mind...and positive words in my mouth.  The latter is a bit hard.  ANYWAY...our family has been fighting a cold.  A nasty one...headaches...ear aches...scratchy throats.  It's fall..so silly me just assumes allergies and weather changes are to blame.  But...in the back of my mind there's this tiny voice saying.."it's strep...oh gosh...what if it's strep!".  There are 2 common illnesses that I fear.  A stomach virus and STREP THROAT!  If they get into our home it seems like they linger for weeks!  Strep throat requires everyone going to the doctor($$$..and well, have you ever tried taking 3 or 4 kids to the doctor in the same day?)....everyone getting medicine($$$)....everyone feeling cranky and crappy....time out of school..basically a bad time all around.  AND IT LINGERS.  It's WAY worse when it's a one at a time deal.  But in this instance we lucked out!
    Harlow decided he was going to the doctor this morning after dropping off the kids.  I refused.  I was thinking positive thoughts and deciding that we all just had a sinus infection and would get well on our own.  Fighting the universe!  Ace was going to go with him but decided he felt better at the last minute so...off to school he went.( Parents of children in his class...I apologize!). *sigh*
   I waited at home...feeling awful with my sore throat and headache.  The phone rings around 9 am....it's Harlow...out of the doctors office..it's strep.  AWESOME!  Just awesome!  So, I went to find some clothes to put on...Now, I just had Sawyer 4 weeks ago.  So..why I decided to pull out my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans I don't know!  I got one leg in....HA..pulled them off and sadly walked back in my closet to find my maternity jeans.  Tops don't fit either so instead of putting on a maternity top (I REFUSE!) I grabbed one of Harlows sweaters and pulled it on.  Maternity jeans and my husbands shirt...I have pretty high self confidence..but lets be honest, any woman would be feeling lousy at this point!
   We put the toddler and baby in the van and Harlow drove us to the clinic.  Once we're there I realize that I will have to be weighed.  I actually got pretty excited to see what the scales read! ( I won't give you guys a number...but lets just say i'll go through a couple pairs of running shoes before I get back into those skinny jeans! ) And answer questions like "Are you still breastfeeding?" ..(No, wish I was...but my body fails at that soooo)...and "Do you drink?" ( No...but now that you mentioned it! )
  When we got back in our room I tried busying Weston with magazines and songs.  I'm so blessed that we never have to wait long at our doctors office.  They came right in and we were out with the sad diagnosis that we, too, have strep!  Awesome...so now it's 3 out of 6.

   We went straight to the school...checked the kids out and headed straight back to the clinic.  SURPRISE SURPRISE 5 out of 6 now!  After spending FOREVER in CVS we're now home.  With antibiotics, new toothbrushes and tylenol.  AND this...

   Yes, folks...that is a coffee cup of cheap wine.  :)  I don't think I could end this day any better!
 

A new stool for Weston

Our toddler, Weston is just learning to use the potty.  He needed a new step stool so he could reach the potty to flush and wash his hands by himself.  We try to promote as much independence as possible. The problem is....a good step stool is hard to find!  We've had plastic ones....AND wooden ones. But as i've come to find out..even the wooden ones we find in department stores are poor quality and seem to break under the daily use and abuse of my little ones.  Harlow, that sweet SWEET man went through his scrap wood pile and found some pieces that would be perfect for what I want.  A STURDY STEP STOOL!  One to last until our youngest no longer needs one.  How many step stools has this woman had to buy to be causing her this must frustration...over something so seemingly mundane.....TOO MANY my friends...way too many!  SO here's some photos of Harlow at work.  No set plans (we didn't have any..just wen with what we had)....and this is what we ended up with.

Harlow had so much help with this project!  Natalie, Aiden and Weston LOVE "helping" Daddy with his woodworking.

 I love wood!  I really do.  rough cut and all pretty and sanded like this.  Watching scrap pieces of wood coming together to make something useful.

 Now here's where I got crafty.  We don't own a wood burning tool.  And i really wanted a carved out look to this stool.  SOOOO I got to thinking..if I took white paint and used choppy quick brush strokes and painted the words to LOOK like a carving...it just might get me the look I want.

 Once it was all phrased up Harlow stained over my lettering with our favorite stain "mission oak".  And here is what we got!!!

 I LOVE it!  And I can't wait to give the finished stool to the kids tomorrow morning.

Thanks Papa Bear!  You never fail to give me exactly what we need!

What to do when the Tooth Fairy FORGETS to stop by!

Our daughter, Natalie, lost her front tooth yesterday.  She was SOOOO excited for the tooth fairy to come. Normally i'm on top of this.  I make a big deal of it and make special Tooth Fairy coins by painting them with glitter nail polish.  She gets up and is so excited to find the sparkly coins.  It makes me feel so great to give them a bit of magic.  WELL, not this time i'm afraid.  You see, I forgot ALL about the tooth fairy's visit last night.  I was awakened at 8 am by shrill cries "She forgot me!  The Tooth Fairy forgot me!".  There is no guilt like Mommy guilt.  I felt like crying.  Maybe it was the turkey...maybe the fact that i'm running on very little sleep since bringing home Sawyer...either way..no excuse!  Harlow, quickly jumped up...smoothly slid $2.00 under her blanket as he pretended to frantically search her room with her.  She was satisfied with her dollar bills...but concerned that the tooth fairy had paid her for a tooth she didn't take.  My response "She must have been new!  I hope she doesn't get into trouble.  We better leave it out again tonight...and write her a note!"

Why a note?  Because the Tooth Fairy can read any letter you write addressed to her right away!  In her mind!  It's MAGIC!

Forgive the penmanship.  If you can't read my writing..it says
Dear Tooth Fairy,
   I hope this letter finds you well.  I woke up to realize that you had left my daughter payment for her tooth this morning.  Thank you, for a job ALMOST well done.  You must have been groggy from eating turkey because you forgot her tooth!  We have left it in plain sight tonight as i'm sure you'll be back for it.
                              Sincerely, Mrs.Ashley Caudill
                                        Natalie's Mom


 Then I had Natalie take the letter and her tooth...lay it on her dresser for the Tooth Fairy to find.  Then I waited patiently for my sweet girl to fall asleep.  I tip toed to her room once I knew she was good and asleep..snapped a picture of her dresser, grabbed the note and tooth..and slipped back out.
  I then visited this handy website www.toothfairy.capturethemagic.com.  Uploaded my photo..followed the steps...and voila!  Mama captured the newbie Tooth Fairy coming back for Natalie's tooth and reading the note!

I hope that i've made this a GREAT memory for her.  I could have come clean and told her the sad truth about the Tooth Fairy....but why ruin the magic?!?!  And the fun!

Milestones that REALLY matter.

Sawyer, is our newborn.  A whole 3 weeks and 6 days old.  Sawyer, has a cold.  And if you're a parent you know how pitiful a stuffed up newborn baby can be.  The fussiness...the crying...the fighting the sleep!  Anyway, for those non-parental friends of mine who have never had to use a nasal bulb syringe ..AKA snot sucker...it's not a pleasant experience.  Not for baby...not for Mama and Daddy.  While fighting Sawyer to suction his nose..I got to thinking...the baby books really do have it all wrong.  Don't get me wrong..sitting up..walking, talking...those are some biggies.  But the REAL milestones that count, in my opinion, are:

1.) Being able to blow their own nose!  No more nasal bulb syringe, nose frida or crying parents!  The kids a lot happier too.  But then you get a whole new problem of wiping their noses on their little sleeves....eh..one step at a time!

2.)Self burping! No more patting and waiting.  :)

3.)Being able to retrieve their own pacifier!  You know you'll enjoy not being woken by shrill cries in the middle of the night...ones that you're sure means you'll find your kids head stuck between the mattress and the bed..or any number of horrible things you imagine in the few feet it takes to get from your bed to theirs.  Only to find that it's just their best friend..the paci is missing!

4.)Coming when called as opposed to running and hiding! Now, this could just be my kids..but...we're in this stage with our 2 year old, Weston.  He thinks it's a game to run and hide when he hears us call to him. Especially when we're all at the door..ready to leave.  He ALWAYS..never fails..turns and bolts..he'll hide under the bed usually.  There's been a few times he's been crafty.  The most terrifying of these was with Natalie.  She was about 2 years old and hid in a clothes rack at our local Walmart.  I ran frantically up and down the women's department!  SCREAMING her name!  It wasn't until I heard a little giggle coming from a  rack of dresses that I found her.

5.)Being able to buckle their own seat belt! It's awesome to be able to get in and say.."buckle up!"!

That's all I have for now.  Whats your favorite un-celebrated milestone?

Displaying your kids artwork...BEYOND THE FRIDGE!

If your home is like mine..you're bombarded with drawings!  Drawings from school, drawings from Sunday school, drawings from the doctors office...you get it...i'm sure.  Even being covered in paper...I still can't make myself throw it away!  Maybe it's watching them actually creating..maybe it's the look on their faces when they excitedly show me their work. I have a difficult time de-cluttering the paper.  With that said, I had to get creative with displaying all this ART!

Now some pieces are just too precious not to showcase ALL the time..ya know, for all who visit to enjoy.
These are some cheap ($5.00 for 2) diploma frames I snagged at Big Lots.  Easy to switch the pictures out...The glass pops off the front.

OR

We use our windows!  We have these 3 big windows in the kitchen of the double wide.  (Excuse the bareness of it..we're in the middle of a complete overhaul of this place.  I'll blog more on that later.  SO excited though...picture a massive craft project...anyway..)The kids LOVE to cover them in their art and crafts.  Showcased now is their turkeys from Thanksgiving.

I also use a curtain rod with jump rings attached to clothes pins.  It's our brag board for good grades and reports from school.  I'm also working on compiling a book.  Snapping pictures of their artwork and making a photo album is a GREAT way to hold onto those memories and still keep from drowning in paper.  Of course this means you can toss the originals..without guilt.  Just not in front of your littles...of course :)

If it calls for a roux..I call for pizza :)

OK..so not really.  But I did just make my first roux..aka GRAVY!!!  Not going to lie...I panicked when I saw that in order to make this


I HAD to make a roux.  It just looked to tasty to not give it a go.  My kids have gone this long without homemade gravy...and Harlow was cheering me on while browning the chicken.  We had come to far to turn back!  So far so good!  BEST part...took 20 minutes...start to finish!  Minus the 10 minute cooling period...so..I guess, 30 minutes from fridge to table!  Fingers crossed that it tastes OK...if it does i'll pass along the recipe later tonight.

So, you're starting a blog.... :)

   So, I wake up on this beautiful dreary day..and say to Harlow "I'm going to start a blog!".  The kids are busy playing..and i'm just sitting here trying to figure this out.  So, friends..if you'd like to offer advice on this new endeavor feel free to share! :)  I'm actually really excited for this.  I can't wait to share some crafting tutorials with you all.  Not to mention post the goings on of the kids!  They're the funniest people I know.  And if you're here reading it (as opposed to being forced to read my FB updates) then I know you're not completely without a sense of humor.  So..here it goes...the start of a *hopefully* daily blog.