Crafty and a little bit nerdy.

You're no stranger to the fact that I'm a Whovian. To the extreme. Well, I am very proud to have spread the sickness to my sister, and by accident, my soon to be eleven year old niece. She is a feisty little redhead, and reminds me of a young Amy Pond. So much so, that's I've stopped addressing her by name, and now only call her 'Come along Pond.'

She hasn't noticed.

That's where the soon to be part comes in. My little jujube (her prior nickname) will be ELEVEN (it's a sign!) on September 8. So in honor of my favorite little Whovian, I am attempting Tardis shoes. They are very expensive on Etsy and other places, and I am understanding why.

Here's what I bought from the store:
Plain white canvas shoes
Acrylic paint markers (dark blue, black and white)
4 pack of foam brushes
2 bottles Tardis blue acrylic paint
1 can modge podge clear acrylic sealer

What I ordered from etsy to go with them

And various other bottles of paint I had on hand.

Additional supplies
Newspaper for work space
Cup for paint
Masking tape for taping off shoes
Q-tips for cleaning out the holes for shoelaces
Napkins/paper towels

First thing I did was PLAN. Plan, plan, plan. Plan so hard and so long that you don't even WANT to make them anymore.

I sketched the shoe from the side, and then a top view. This was helpful for planning the elements I wanted to include, as well as helping scale the elements to fit.

When you have your plan in place, set up your work space somewhere comfortable. I personally set mine up on my glass cook top. With the light right overhead, makes an excellent craft space. Tape off the shoes. I did these, not only around the bottom, but marked out the black bar on top and the white windows/sign below.

Stuffing the inside with paper towels helped it keep its shape and helped absorb any paint that seeped through. It's not captured on photo, but I also folded a piece of paper towel and pushed it between the tongue of the shoe and the shoe, to keep it clean. I have plans for it later :)

Paint away. My foam brushes were about one inch wide and just perfect for these shoes. I recommend holding the shoe from from bottom in the hand you do not write with. Don't switch hands, just turn your wrist back and forth, painting with your 'good' hand. I did up over the top lip around the shoe, but not inside. I did the placket last. Paint over the whole thing, use cotton swabs to clean out the rings and then use a napkin, kind of rolled into a fine point and carefully wipe down the placket. The paint won't come off the shoes, only the rings. Please note, these are metal, so this method may not work as well with plastic rings.

Once I was done, I slowly took off the tape and used the paint pen to go around the bottom. It worked very nicely, as the color I used was a few shades darker than Tardis blue, but still not as dark as black, so it mimicked the lines on the Tardis very nicely. Then I set them up in a high area (where Bubber could not find them) and let them dry.

The next step was removing the strip of masking tape on the top. I used a black paint pen to line and fill in. Really very easy, if not a bit of time consuming to fill in all the little white spots. As you can see, I started out trying to invert the writing with the black paint, but my E turned out funny and it went downhill from there. Never fear, I have a white fine tip paint pen for later. Oh and for the love of BANANAS, do NOT shake your paint pen ANYWHERE near the shoes. Have you ever seen a grown nerdy woman sob? It's not pretty.

Now the masking tape squares came off. I took the blue paint pen and outlined the boxes to make them look nicer and more uniform. One line midway horizontally and two evenly spaced vertical lines to make the window. Lightly outlined in black over the blue. 

I used a white paint pen for the lettering and it was actually very easy with the calligraphy tip. The very edge and a steady hand worked well. It's not horribly time consuming either. The longest part is the waiting between stages. Paint drying and all that.

I painted the tongue black, for reasons you'll see later. Now you'll notice, some blue paint got on the rubber trim around the shoe. If these were for my own use, I would have sucked it up and left it. Since these are going to be a gift, presentation is key, so I went over some of the bad spots with the white paint pen. This cleaned up with appearance very nicely. I know that these are going to be WORN by a KID no less, but I feel confident in taking this step, knowing it won't last long. 

I also did some lettering on the sign. You can probably make out the free. The first line says telephone (as tiny and small as it is) and the third line is 'of.'  I feel like these are "ALMOST" done, save for some surprises and a clear coat spray. Allons-y!

As you can see, I added a fez and a bow tie. She is, after all 'Come along Pond,' and you can't come along Pond, unless you're with 11. Plus my niece likes him best. So :::pffffllllttttt:::

Set them outside on the back porch and sprayed per directed. 

Below are all the exact brand.colors used for the paint.

ALL paint pens are Elmer's Painters Brand

Black/Noir/Negro for band/sign text and minor detailing (fine tip)

Navy blue/Bleu Marine/Azul Marino for the indented boxes and touch ups (medium tip)

White/Blanc/Blanco for bar text, touch up and tongue design (calligraphy tip)

Black acrylic paint bottle Plaid-FolkArt in regular old black for tongue

Blue acrylic paint bottle Plaid Apple Barrel Too Blue (20771) for shoe base

Here is the final product (sans fun wholaces). Feel free to use and share the tutorial. I don't care if you use this to make and sell them. If you're willing, go for it, but PLEASE link back to me if you re-post or (re)pin on Pinterest. That's all I ask :)

I'll be sure to post a picture with the laces when they come, with the Who birthday card and Who gift bag :D

If you love the blog, please be sure to pin the recipes and crafts to pinterest to share with the world, and be sure to send your friends here to join up and follow. We only need 39 more members for the giveaway, which I am planning now.  Also be sure to vote for me by clicking the Top Mommy Blogs button to the right.   Thanks loves!

Fluffimama out <3

Out with the hot, in with the cool

Here is a short list on this hot Wednesday about what I love about fall and am looking forward to the most.

Yankee Candle fall scents. The scents I keep in our house are:

Cranberry Chutney, Be Thankful and Apple Cider

Hot chocolate. I love getting the flavored kinds too. Caramel

mint, etc. Whipped cream on top is my favorite, but the kids love

marshmallows. Use a candy cane as a stir stick as Christmas <3

The Apple Orchard. Everyone has that one place. Mine

is Edward's Apple Orchard. Doughnuts, play area, animals,

barn to shop in. Pumpkins in October and live music on the 

weekends. Sunny LOVES dancing along with the band!

Fall soups and stews. Pictured is chicken with noodles

by Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman). The is the 

reason I own a dutch oven now.

Pumpkins and apples. The smell, the taste. I love baking

and cooking with them and their colors are beautiful and

they make awesome fall decor.

Sunny's Birthday! She will turn six this year on October 2nd. I

LOVE having an October baby!

Cuddling. Looks a lot like this actually.

Halloween. It's no secret I am BIG ON CHRISTMAS,

but Halloween comes a close second. Sunny and I always

pick out her costume and have lots of fun with it. She has been

a skunk, Cinderella, Tinkerbell and a bride. This year she is

torn between Miss Piggy, a mermaid, Jasmine or a fairy.

Last year Bubber was a train conductor and this year he will

be Woody!

Falling leaves/raking/leaf piles. Sadly I didn't get a leaf blower

for Christmas OR my birthday, so no go on that. I do need

a new rake though, because somehow now I have only 3 tines

on our old one. So YAY for new rake!

Soft and cozy sweatshirts. Seriously. LOOOOOOVE.

Oh look. A top ten. Completely on accident. Happy accident at that. Hurry up fall! I am excited for September 1st to change out all our summer decor for fall and pull out my fall candles!

Fluffimama out <3

Zombiemomisms

Zombiemom says: Rather greet 5:30 from the back side and with great fun than head on with coffee and teething toddler.

Coooooffffeeeeeeeeeeee. brrrrrrrrraaaaaaaiiiiinnnnnnsssssssss. coooofffffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeee flavooooored braiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnssssssssssss.

ZombieMom down.

Boobookissicus and other magical mom remedies

When you're a kid, doesn't your Mom almost seem...magical...?

Those kisses, though only using the placebo affect, really do make those boo boos feel better. Moms overwork themselves, under reward them selves and really, more than anyone; husband and children alike, Moms are the worst offenders when it comes to taking themselves for granted. Some of us work outside the home, some of us try to work from home and some of us, our only jobs ARE our homes and families. I am of the last group, and I HAVE to say, I cannot imagine doing all I do everyday AND going to work from 9-5 so kudos, to those who do!

Your Mom is the beginning. The foundation upon which you will grow and your first example. She should always be the BEST example too, because you're the one whose instruction will stick with you throughout your life. After she is gone, you will still have the wisdom she has imparted on you. It may be your ability to cook, your love for reading, or Magical Mama remedies. So I'm going to give you ten Mom truths/remedies/reminders that will get you through life.

1. Chicken soup can cure almost anything that ails you. Whether you're physically sick, emotionally sick, or just home sick, a good bowl of chicken soup can help. It might be different for everyone. It could be Grandma's special recipe, or come from a can. For me it's Mrs Grass' chicken soup mix (you know the kind with the golden egg?) My dad used to make it when I was a kid, so it has a double meaning for me.

2. Eyes in the back of your head. Not necessarily. We've just learned to keep one eye on you, no matter what we're doing. It also means a keen sense of hearing, and making sure to watch more closely when you're being quiet or we hear a sound we shouldn't be hearing (like when I hear the sound of the marker bag slowly being opened and you know you're not supposed to use them around your brother without asking). I always tell her to put them away and ALWAYS, ALWAYS you come back with 'MOM, how did you know?!' No matter what is it you were getting into'

3. Built in ththermometer. As a kid, I never understood how Mom's KNEW their kids had a fever just based on touch. I was actually worried that I lacked the ability to tell and this would someday be a detriment. Fear not though, for I have discovered that when they spend SO much time in your arms, you KNOW when they are *too* hot and so you know when to act.

4. Sunny cleaning her room is a big thing in our house. It usually starts with 'Is your room clean?' and she has to go check. Lately, since school has started, it's been yes, or she only has to empty her laundry basket. I go up there every morning after drop off and make her bed and put away clean clothes. But sometimes, particularly on the weekend, it's not clean and she has some work to do. I always remind her to put the barbies, stuffies, clothes and books in their appropriate places. A LOT of times I find things shoved up under her bed. Like, all the time, to the max. Then she looks as me sheepishly and says 'oops.'  I remind her that I was 5 once too, and I know where she likes to hide toys. Then she has to RE-clean. Hopefully *someday* she'll realize it goes quicker if she does it right the first time.

5. Kissing boo-boos. A mother's love has SOME sort of healing properties. It has to. Because every time Bubber comes to me with an 'oush,' I always kiss it and say 'all better!'  Then he walks away happy, because he BELIEVES Mommy's kisses can cure him. If that's not humbling, I don't know what is. 

6. Built in lie-detector. We all lie when we're kids. Sometimes it's to keep from getting in trouble, sometimes it's because you wish your life was different, and sometimes it's to spare some one's feelings. But having watched Sunny grow the past (ooooh almost 6 years waaaaahhh) I've learned her tells. She'll play with her hands, she won't look right at me (or she will pretend to, but will actually look PAST me). She's also real quiet. Like if she says it too loudly, I'll catch her. The MOST telling thing though, is not the look of her when she lies, but the look of her when she tells the truth. Confident, firm and makes sure I hear her. A gentle reminder, is usually all they need. Remind them that they will get in LESS trouble, if they come to you with the truth first. That's been our number one rule with her in the past year. I *HOPE* it's helping.

Did I forget any? Do you have any Mom/child magic power stories to share?

 Fluffimama out <3

Every part of the chicken

A good friend of mine inspired me to remember just how MUCH I love cooking whole chickens. My crock pot makes it a CINCH. I took one 5 pound fryer and slow cooked it for 7 hours on low. I used 1/4 cup melted butter mixed with an envelope of french onion soup mix and rubbed it all over inside and out. I also took one yellow onion (whole) and stuffed it before tying the legs together. The smell, all day was heavenly.

When it came out, I immediately took the meat off the bones. Once I had the bones/skin/scraps I put it back in the slow cooker and added water till covered. I cooked it over night (about 12 hours) on high. In the morning I came back and shut it off, took off the lid and let it sit till I could handle it. Then I took a large strainer, over a mixing bowl and strained the pieces out. THEN I strained it again, using FINE cheesecloth over a pitcher. The pitcher went into the fridge, the scraps got tossed and the cheesecloth got washed.

Twenty four hours later I took the pitcher out, skimmed the top and jarred for the freezer. I got 8 cups of stock, and that's going to make some amazing fall/winter dishes in my kitchen. So that is ONE thing made, from a whole chicken.

Once the chicken was picked off, I shredded it and immediately used 2 cups of it to make chicken ranch tacos. The same inspiring friend gave me the recipe, which I found here as well (because I forgot some details lol). They were FANTASTIC and I have a new favorite!

There was just enough of the taco seasoned chicken to have a salad the next day. Took some greens, warmed the meat, added shredded carrots, cheese and broke up some tortilla chips for crunch and topped it with a bit of ranch. Made a delicious lunch for me (something I usually don't get because I'm more worried about everyone else's meals).  So this is TWO things I made now from a whole chicken.

The following day (having been spoiled with an awesome lunch the day before) I decided to make some chicken salad. This is how I made it.


handful of grapes washed and sliced
spoonful of mayo
dash of pepper
salt
splash of lemon juice
handful of green leafy lettuce
1/2 cup or so of cold cooked chicken

My measuring system is SOOOOOO precise. I intended this to be a one sandwich batch, but it bulked up quickly and lasted two days (one sandwich each).  I use lettuce in place of celery in sandwich salads (tuna, egg, chicken, etc) because I dislike the taste of celery but I like the green punch of color and the tasty crunch. I imagine I could do the same thing and just use lettuce leaves instead of bread, but for me at least it's a package deal ;)

So that's the THIRD thing I did with my whole chicken. Annnnnnd there's still like 3-4 cups left (my chicken yielded about 7 cups I *think*

My next recipe I am planning is chicken fettuccine alfredo with broccoli. Beyond that, I'm actually kind of lost, so if you would be so kind as to share your favorite shredded chicken/anything you can toss chicken into recipe I would be SO appreciative.

I want to thank all of you, my readers and members (who are growing by the minute!) at my last count 156. Wait really? It was 150 this morning! You all rock!

When we get to 200 members I will do a giveaway. I'm playing around with a couple ideas. Do I do a 'one of my favorite things giveaway,' do I giveaway something I've talked about on here? Just know I'm thinking, about you all and what you would LOVE to enter to win. Have suggestions, or HEY do YOU make something? Are you a WAHM or own a company/product? Feel free to contact me on here, leave me an email where I can get information. I am always looking to help WAHMs and small business owners/inventors.
Fluffimama out <3

Ten things I wish Aldi would sell

I'm an Aldi shopper and proud. I'm also a hardcore budget-er and extremely cheap. So when I sat down and really looked at how much we were spending on groceries, I was disappointed. So I made a change. It has helped tremendously, and I actually look FORWARD to grocery shopping. With a kid or two! The downside is, Aldi doesn't sell everything our family needs. I find myself still having to supplement Aldi with one or two other stores, for our health and beauty and some specific food items, as well as that ONE item, that is hard to find and you always have to drive to the next town over to find it. I'll share mine at the bottom :D

So here is my list of ten items I wish Aldi would sell. Maybe they'll take notice, but probably not. Most likely you guys will just nod along. Please note, these are in no particular order.

10. Meatloaf mix. They have taco and gravy mix, but no meatloaf.

9. 1% milk. My store for the longest time ONLY carried 2% but now they carry whole and skim as well. But not the ONE milk we DO drink. I grew up a 2% girl. I can't do skim. My son has a slight intolerance and the 1% helps his body handle it better than 2%. So for this, I still have to go to Walmart.

8. Free & clear detergent. They do carry laundry detergent, but no dye/perfume free, which is what we need.

7. Diapers. I would definitely try them. We go as cheap as we can (using disposables) that we can get with the Walmart brand and they work just fine for us. But I would do cartwheels* if Aldi started carrying them.

6. Baby food. This was my beef when Bubber was young. Why don't they carry baby food? People would buy it! I ended up making his food myself with a 2.5 cup food processor and fruits/veggies from Aldi.

5. Heavy cream. They do actually carry this, but ONLY at the holidays. I need it various times throughout the year. My best batch of mashed potatoes requires it, as do ALMOST all my creamy pasta sauce recipes. Plus, hello, fresh whipped cream!

4. Charcoal. They have packaged picnic salads, all the meats you could want, but not the charcoal to cook it with. Boo on that.

3. Pasta shapes beyond macaroni and spaghetti. Sometimes you need shells and sometimes you need bowties. But they just don't have them.

2. Ricotta. They claim this is a seasonal product, but I tend to see it ALLTHEFREAKINGTIME except, of course the one time I plan to buy it -.-

1. Ok, so it's a list of 9 things. So sue me :D I don't do things halfway. Just 90% of the way :D

Are you store loyal when you shop for your family? For clothes? For groceries? Are you an Aldi shopper? What's that one item you are always on the hunt for, that your family won't do without?

This is ours...

House of Tsang Classic Stir fry sauce. They have several items in this line and something like
THREE variations of this sauce. None of my stores here in town carry it, so I usually have to go
the town over to get it. I've been using this sauce for years in Asian dishes (beef with broccoli and
various stir fries). Yet about a year ago, Mekius (who is a creator in the kitchen of his own right, though
I find some of his creations gross) threw this on ramen noodles and proclaimed it a miracle.   You're
welcome Mekius -.-

Fluffimama out <3

My Blog Was Nominated for a Liebster Award!

My Blog Was Nominated for a Liebster Award by Kate at CanIgetanotherbottleofwhine

What is a Liebster Award, you ask?

The Liebster Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It's given to up and coming bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  It's a way to acknowledge and encourage each other, and its a great way to spread the word about smaller blogs who deserve a larger audience.  

Here's what I (the recipient) have to do:

1) Each person must list 11 things about themselves.

2) Answer the 11 questions that the tagger has set for you PLUS you MUST create 11 questions of your own for the 11 people you will nominate with this award.

3) Choose up to 11 bloggers linking them to your post.

4) Go to their pages and inform them of the nominations.

5) Absolutely NO tag backs.

6) Remember to ONLY tag bloggers with less than 200 followers  

So eleven facts about me. Hmmm.
1. I am a published poet under my real name and am published for fiction under a pen name.
2. I am left handed.
3. I am allergic to 27 types of trees.
4. I met my husband at the ripe old age of 16.
5. I have spent most of my life trying to decide what I want to be when I grew up beyond just being happy.
6. I am a dollar store JUNKIE.
7. I named my daughter after a friend I had in elementary school that I thought was SO awesome.
8. I have a crazy love for mashed potatoes.
9. I have a blankie.
10. I make fun of myself often.
11. I am a reigning ladderball champion.

And now I have to answer Kate's questions...

1. What is your favorite book of all time? What a question to ask a bibliophile. Before I fell for Harry Potter sophomore year of HS, I'd have told you 'Catcher in the Rye' and though I still hold high affection for Holden Caulfield, I would definitely have to say ALLTHEHARRYPOTTERBOOKS. And yes I know I just cheated :)
2. Who is your favorite comedian? I don't know if I can pick just one, seriously. I have MAD love for Jim Gaffigan and Jeff Dunham. I would love to see either of them live.
3. What made you want to start blogging? I'm a writer by nature and by instruction, and rule number one, is write what you know, so here I am.
4. What is your least favorite food?
5. Introvert or extrovert? Oh. This is hard. If I'm with people I dig, extro for sure. In a crowd I don't know, intro. Social issues for sure.
6. Where did you grow up? Arlington Heights, IL.
7. Where was the last place you went on vacation? Uh. Wisconsin Dells.
8. What is your biggest pet peeve? People who don't plan. Fly by the seat of their pants-ers. Cannot stand em. I need a plan.
9. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? More patience. Ooooodles of patience.
10. Who's your favorite Olympian? Nancy Kerrigan. Yes, still.
11. What did you eat for breakfast this morning? A donut and coffee :D

Below are my 10 nominees. All they need to do is make their own post about the awards, answer my questions listed, nominate 10 blogs with LESS than 200 members and then post their own questions to be answered.

The Kate Chronicles
Donkeys to college
Finding Ben's voice
Adventures of Insomnamom
Mom on the run x2
Built from love
Little Orso
Another silly baby blog
The Harmon Baby farm
The motivated fat girl

And my 11 questions for the nominees are...
1. Pickles: Sour or sweet?
2. Favorite movie of all time?
3. Handsdown best comfort food ever?
4. Favorite crayon color?
5. Digital or print photography?
6. Early bird or night owl?
7. Coffee or tea?
8. Curl up with a good book, or a movie?
9. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
10. Is 3.14 was really a pie, what flavor would it be?
11. Doctor Who?

So if you're on the list, make a post, answer my questions, nominate MORE blogs (no tag backs) and ask some questions. Then pick one of those buttons there at the top to throw on your blog. It shows that you're getting yourself out there, and darn it, people LIKE you! So enjoy my lovely birds. Until next time.

Fluffimama out <3

And we're off; a rundown of week one

Our Kindergarten Kick-off was this past Wednesday. This week was a three day school week and I'll give a rundown and also show you one of our lunches from this week as well, built in our east lunchbox, using several of my supplies.

Wednesday: Mekius stayed late so that I could drive Sunny to school and walk her to her class. Making this moment about her (and not her little brother) was very important to me. I made a show of walking the doors and going towards her room so she would be able to find it again the following days. She dropped her lunch in the big basket, and strode happily into her room. I stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do, and just as I had decided to just go, and let her be, she remembered to come back and give dear old Mom a kiss. Then she was off.  This was my one and only experience with the 'drop-off circle' it's as dangerous as the drop-off from Nemo and we're never going back.  Afterwards, her opinion of the day was: it's hot. and boring.

Thursday:  We were tested in our drop off abilities during the rain EARLY. We parked in our new spot, at the top of the hill, which is actually very close to the door. Except it was raining, so grassy hill is a no go. Oh and also, K & 1st aren't allowed umbrellas, because people get poked in the eye. So I ran her down to the corner with my dollar store umbrella and then she ran for it the rest of the way. Thank goodness she had rain boots and the hood from her backpack. Next week she'll also have a raincoat and I will have new, more awesome umbrellas. 'To school' Mommy fail #1 right there for me. No one put raincoat/umbrellas on the school supply list -.-

Friday: Enter pizza day. Sunny got her first hot lunch and promptly came home to tell me she wants it EVERY DAY. Sorry dear, no dice. We'll stick with pizza days. Pickup/drop-off went smoothly, and I didn't feel like a dunce. We parked, I got her across the street to the hill and watched her run down. Once I was back to my car and she was inside, I discovered 'To school' Mommy fail #2. Her morning snack, was still in my purse. She hadn't wanted breakfast, and the kids are allowed to have a healthy snack in the mornings. So I grabbed a granola bar and stuck it in my purse, proud of my foresight. Uh yeah, except fail. She was a bit hungry she said, but thankfully they eat lunch first, so it wasn't HORRIBLE. Still felt that way to me though.

It's growing on her. She doesn't want to admit it yet, but she's a bit more excited each day when she comes home. My favorite part is sitting down after her snack and hearing about her day. I'm so used to knowing everything about her day, that's it's both exciting and still a bit sad, that I have to hear about it after the fact.

So with our week in review, here is the lunch I packed on Thursday. Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, wheat thins with cheese slices, banana yogurt, teddy grahams and mini corn dogs.  She asked for the corn dogs, so I cooked them in the oven Wednesday night and then packed them in her lunch. I figured the oven would help maintain the texture and keep them from getting soggy. She LOVED it she said. The only thing she didn't eat was the yogurt 'I didn't know it was banana yogurt' and 2 of the carrot sticks.

 This lunch was packed in our easy lunchbox trays. Sitting inside our lunch bag, there is enough room to put our ice pack, and either a juice box or a kid sized bottle of water. It zips easily, and once it's closed, it's full enough that things don't slide around.

 This is our lunch bag, just in case you were wondering. This bag is a perfect size for our setup. The best thing is, there are hundred of these at your local Walmart store, with any character imaginable. It's like the standard BTS lunch box. I think this cost $6. We probably won't get any use out of our Hello Kitty bag because of it's funky layout, but I'm considering going back and getting the Hello Kitty and Tinkerbell version of this bag.

Sunny's first day of school outfit. I've had this ready for over a month. It's Gymboree's bright tulip line. Dress, shoes, socks & M2M bow

Rainbow Brite backpack. My sister found this one day at Hot Topic and after a small amount of begging, she went back and picked it up. This was my favorite when I was a kid, and thanks to nostalgia, netflix and old characters coming back, it's a big favorite of Sunny's too. I won't lie, I will celebrate the day she outgrows this backpack and I can claim it for my own :D

Bright and sunny...well Sunny, all ready for her first day of Kindergarten. Love that smile :)

More to come this weekend, stay tuned!

Fluffimama out <3

Fantastic Friday!

I hope you have all had a wonderful week! This weekend I will have a breakdown of our first week in kindergarten, some bento lunch fun and what I'm doing this week with my slow cooker whole chicken. For now though, I want to share with you what I'm eating for lunch right now.

Chunky cucumber dip w/wheat thins and pretzels

Chunky cucumber dip, freshly made from the ingredients in my kitchen. I am a fan of light, but delicious and filling lunches. 

1/4 C fat free cream cheese (meh, I know but you won't miss the fat when you taste this!)
About 8-10 medium sized slices cucumber peeled and diced

A healthy dose of dried dill weed

1. Put diced cucumber on a pile of paper towels, roll and squeeze to get out excess water.

2. Mix the cream cheese and dill well until uniform.

3. Add cucumber and mix.

The cucumber bulks this up QUITE a bit, and now that I'm done with it, I still have about half left. This recipe yields about 1 cup, and I'd say that's two servings. You can dip anything in it that holds its shape, as it's more like a spread than a dip. Carrot sticks in this would be awesome I think, broccoli as well. It's so satisfying without weighing you down. I couple it with a serving of no sugar added fruit cocktail (so now I have one serving veggies and one serving fruit) and a mini can of diet coke. You can keep this UBER healthy by sticking to fruits as dipping, or using whole grain pita or even reduced fat wheat thins. I used the regular old kind, because these are *technically* for Sunny's lunches (please don't tell on me ;)  ) and I am very wary of what I buy low fat/fat free for the kids. 

I hope you'll try this out and I'll be back this weekend for more!

Fluffimama out <3

An excerpt from my 365 project

As promised today, I have an excerpt from my 365 project for Sunny. But that will be down towards the end. First I'd like to explain why I chose this bit to share with you today. This morning as we shared a hug and a snuggle, she told me she loved me and would until I was old and started to die. Sounds morbid right?

It's not. This is the age where death, though they cannot yet grasp the finality of it, is a concept they are starting to ponder. They're going to ask lots of questions. Some will be morbid, and some will make you want to bawl.  Answer them the best you can. Everyone will have different answers based on their religion and beliefs. Just know that when your child starts asking these questions, it's normal; and totally OK to give them real answers. It's also OK to step away and think about it before you answer. There's nothing wrong with asking your child to give you some time to think about it, and compose yourself. Death is a very real and scary thing, and the thought of your child wanting to know about something so sad, well it can be very hard on parents. Particularly, when the child wants to know about YOUR death, and how it will pertain to them.

Hello mortality.

So our conversation continued with me telling Sunny I would love her while I was in heaven as well. She decided she was going to pick a stuffed animal for me to take with me when I go. She picked a spotted dalmatian dog and gave it to me right away. I gave it back and assured her, I am not going anywhere anytime soon, I'm not ready. The first part is a lie, since we don't get to choose, we never know when it will come. The second part is not a lie. But really, who is EVER ready. Especially when you're young and have kids.

I asked her to hold on to the dog, to fill him with love and care for him until I was ready for him to go with me. She liked that idea. Then we went on with our morning and pretended to be dolphins. It's really amazing how they can go from heavy to light so easily. I spent my mermaid time coming down from it. But I'm really proud of myself and the fact that I stayed calm enough to talk to her about it.

So below is a page from the journal I am keeping for Sunny, full of letters, messages and love. A little background on this particular one, I wrote it March of this year. We were watching UP after dinner (remember the super sad sequence where we watch their lives as they fall in love, get married, get pregnant, lose the baby, grow old and she dies?) this conversation came right after that. I didn't want to forget it, so as soon as we had all calmed down, I grabbed my journal and wrote it down with both kids in my arms.

Sunny: When do Mommies go?
Me: Go where?
Your chin started to quibble and your eyes start to tear up
Sunny: When you get old will you have to go away forever?
Me: Someday, really far from now Mommy will have to leave, but it won't be forever. I'll go to heaven and then I'll wait for you to get really old.
Sunny: But I'll miss you. I won't have a Mommy.
Me: You'll always have a Mommy and I'll always love you, even if we can't always be together.

There was crying. And lots of hugs and kisses. LOTS. I'm tearing up a bit now. No one wants to think of leaving their kids behind. As you can see, I 'lied' again. I think this is the kind of lie that's OK though. It could be tomorrow, four months from now, or 2 weeks after my 104th birthday. I won't lie, I'm really aiming for the last one.

I hope that you take something from this post, because it's not the easiest thing to write about. I hope some of you will decide to do one of these journals for your daughters (or sons!) If you decide to do one for your son, I would love insight on topics to talk about, messages to send. Having been a girl myself, I know personally what I would have liked to know/hear about growing up, so that gives me an inside on what to write to Sunny.

If nothing else from this post, know that when YOUR child asks you these questions, you've got MILLIONS of Moms out there who have answered the same questions, and we're all there to hold your hand when the sad gets to you too <3

Fluffimama out

Lunch; Kindergarten Style

It's back to school time, or for those of us with Kindergartners, it's just, 'to school time.'  Whether it's half day or full day, I know there a lot of us out there going through a myriad of emotions. Excitement, worry, fear. It's all normal, and we're all feeling it; sometimes all of them in one day. Our kids are as well. One of the things that has comforted both Sunny and I is planning lunches for her. We'll be in all day kindergarten, from about 7:40 to 2:05. Which means she'll be there for lunch. I *MAY* have gone a little bit crazy on all the lunch stuff.  We're both really excited though, and we've been practicing. K & 1st eats lunch from 10:30-11:15 am. So at 10:35 (walk to cafeteria and get lunch box) Sunny sits down at the table with a fully packed lunch (I am NO good at remembering a spoon).

Doing this everyday has helped with several aspects. It gets her used to eating at a slightly earlier time, she sits down at a table and opens her lunch, and eats. I do give her warnings throughout, so she has an idea of how much time she has. At 11:05 I tell her to start wrapping it up and at 11:10 it's time to clean up. Put all our items back in our lunch bag, zip it up and throw away garbage. I've also been trying to get her to use the bathroom beforehand so she doesn't have to take a break.  This has been a tremendous help for my slow eater, as it gives me a good idea of what she can and cannot open by herself, how I can make it easier and also what items she can eat more quickly than others. While it is always a good idea to eat slowly and chew thoroughly, not only for safety but for good eating reasons; I do want her to get as much nutrition in a small amount of time. Even though we've been doing trial runs, there is little way for me to mimic a lunchroom full of small kids, and she will want to befriend EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

So now I'm going to go through some items with you, all of these I have bought and will be using for her lunch. I'll tell you where I got them, roughly how much I paid and some little tips and tricks for each.

Starting with, lunch bags. I don't have a photo of these but one is a rectangular Disney princess bag and the other is a smaller upright hello kitty bag with a separate compartment on the bottom for ice.

'Souffle cups' popular at restaurants for sauces, particularly to go. I got about
100 of these with lids off of amazon for under $10. I will use these for peanut butter,
nutella, salad dressing, ranch dip etc. Allows me to add a covered liquid without making
a mess in the lunchbox. Lid stays tight, but easy enough for little fingers.

Glad press'n seal wrap. I got this at Walmart for $3. For use to cover smaller portions of the  lunch
tray. Helps cover yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, pudding etc. The lunch trays are NOT leak proof,
but this makes it so it is. It also makes it so you can save money by buying the jars of applesauce, yogurt, etc
instead of spending more money on the single serve items for kids :)

Silicone baking cups. $10 on Amazon. I went a little spendy on these, but they are square
and fun colors. Two of these will fit in the sandwich area of the tray with a half sandwich. Today
Sunny got grapes in one and carrots in another. These are fun and she loves the color they add.

Stainless steel vegetable cutters. These are a 'bento' lunch tool, and used to make shapes from vegetables.
For us it's practical as well, as Sunny loves cucumbers but hates the skins. This takes care of it for me, and
I can imagine her now at the lunch table 'I got star shaped cucumber today!' These were $4 on amazon and I'm
actually still awaiting them.

Rubbermaid blue ice pack. I measured the bottom of the Hello Kitty lunch bag specifically and this is a
perfect fit. $5 on Amazon. This also fits on top of the lunch tray next to a juice box when in our large rectangular
lunch box.

Bento forks, $3 on Amazon. I didn't think they'd ACTUALLY be useful beyond creating squeals of joy when
Sunny discovered brightly colored animals in her lunchbox. But lo and behold she picked that
blue giraffe right up and started spearing her grapes with it. And she 'doesn't like' grapes anymore ;)

I probably should have listed these first, but here are the lunch trays which you can find here.
They are 4/$14 and I got mine from Amazon. They are SERIOUSLY awesome. Durable, easy for little hands
and clean up nicely. I cannot say enough awesome things about these. Check them out for yourself!

I'll try to take some photos throughout the school year of particularly awesome lunches and I hope you'll check out some of these products. Please keep in mind I am not being compensated, not was I approached by any of these companies for this post. Just good old fashioned, Mom to Mom advice. A good luck to BOTH Moms and kids alike who are going BTS or just TS in the coming weeks. Feel free to come by and commiserate with me over a cup of coffee, because what better way to get through the day ;)

Fluffimama out <3

Mommy-Brain Mixer: My girl

Sunny is my unexpected blessing. Something I never thought I would get to have. I am lucky enough to have both her and her brother. 

My sunshine girl, born October 2, 2006 at 5:10pm

For 6 years now, until babycenter.com told me your ears were functioning and could 

hear me, I have been singing you the same song. Now, at almost 6 years old you can ask for 

it by name...

You Are My Sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away

My 365 projects for her is a little different than your typical 365 project. Mine doesn't include pictures. It doesn't even include any images. It's letter to my daughter. 365 of them. I have a black moleskine journal and I write entries to her. It's my hope, someday to give it to her myself, or god forbid, have someone else give it to her for me. There will be times when she needs help or advice but is scared to ask. Having been where she will go, I know that you need your Mom's guidance the most when you want it the least. If she won't listen to my voice, then she can still have my words.

I talk about a lot of things. A LOT. Everything from friends/boys/bullies to why you should respect your body and take care of yourself. In a week, I'll post an excerpt to give you an idea, in case you want to start something similar for your own daughter (or son!)

Welcome to week 3 of the Mommy-Brain Mixer, ladies!

Last week we had over 75 link-ups! The Mixer is thriving!

If you haven't noticed, one of my favorite things to do here at Two In Diapers is to share stories about motherhood and my littles. One of my favorite things about sharing these stories is your comments with stories of your own children!

Welcome to...

At the Mommy-Brain Mixer, we will be linking up our writings about anything and everything motherhood!

We want to see funny posts, serious posts, sweet & sappy stories, mommy-brain episodes, memories from when your older children were younger, thoughts & lessons learned, and anything related to motherhood or little people. You know that post you wrote yesterday about your teething baby? Or that hilarious post you wrote about your 2nd grader's school play? Those are perfect, so link 'em up! 

The Mommy-Brain Mixer is the perfect place to find some great new blogs to follow, make some wonderful new blog friends, and enjoy some entertaining new reads!

To make things even more fun, my friend Mar, over at Raising Bean, is hosting a sister link-up for you to join, too!

Head on over there after your finished here and link up your recipes, DIY, arts & crafts, and sensory activities!  

Let's get to it, friends!

 

RULES:

1.Follow Two In Diapers

{the first link below}

2. Follow your co-hosts

This week's lovely co-hosts {the first 3 on the linky} are:

Jelli from Jellibean Journals

Sara from The Caffeinated Chronicles of a Supermom

Dana from Mastering Mommy Brain

3. Link up your mommy post!

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link-up and maybe even follow them!

{and comments are always loved} 

5. Tweet about the Mommy-Brain Mixer to help spread the word! 

Tweet  

6. Grab this adorable button and place it somewhere on your blog!

<a href="http://www.two-in-diapers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" src="http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w351/laurenjh04/Gracie%20Marie/mommybrain-mixer200.png" /></a><br/>

If you are interested in co-hosting the next Mommy-Brain Mixer, send me an email at twoindiapers@gmail.com!

My new decorating scheme

Without further ado, my doctor who interior decorating guide. Some of these are just freakin' fantastic, some are a little much for me. Let's see what you, my lovely readers think.

Come along Pond....

#10. Weeping angel statue. These might actually be very good deterrents

for tiny people who refuse to stay in their bed. Maybe we could put a second 

one somewhere in the house with the scary face on it. JUST DON'T BLINK! 

#9. Tardis front door. Really this *MIGHT* be the one that I would love the most.

Because really, every time you leave, you'd be going on an adventure and when you

came back, well it's bigger on the inside, eh? But really I may have to require people

run both in, and out of the door. Because you don't just troll in or out of the Tardis...

#8. Tardis teapot. Though Mekius denies it, I am absolutely positive that both Matt Smith

and David Tennant trade weeks where they greet people at the airport and hand these out. 

I am not flipping kidding.

#7.  Jack Harkness cardboard cutout. Actually I need like 10 of these. Ten, Eleven, Rose, Gwen, Owen, Ianto. Ok that's seven total. Maybe just make the rest of Ten? I can have one in the living room to watch the telly with, one in the kitchen to make breakfast, one in the bedroom to.....moving on...

#6.  Ten and Eleven pillowcases. His and hers. I'll get stuck with Eleven because he hasn't

warmed up to him yet. Ten is apparently his Doctor. 

#5.  Tardis cookie jar. Because really, do I need to explain it? There's Tardis AND cookies...

#4. So I lied. THIS and the teapot are tied for the spot in my heart that IS THE thing I want most

for my Doctor who decorating. I love books AND Doctor Who. And look, it's bigger on the inside :D

#3. Tardis entertainment center. This is a bit much for me, but I have to applaud their style.

Besides, who even owns as square TV anymore? Everyone knows rectangles are in :D

#2. The exploding Tardis Van Gogh painting. This definitely needs to be framed and hung in

the reception room!

#1. Last but not least (and I'm not going in ANY kind of order, unless random is a kind or order)...

Vinyl wall decals. Of course. And look at that play on words! 'Home is where the Tard(is) BWAHAHA

GENIUS!

There you have it, Doctor Decor in 10 easy and hilarious steps. I hereby promise, at least ONE of these items will make it into our place if we move to London. Maybe I'll even double up and make the bookcase via IKEA hack ;D

Much love

Fluffimama out