stupid computer

My main computer is in the shop. Apparently it can't handle Norton AND Windows update launching at the same time upon booting. Did that make sense? Because, honestly, I don't really know what all that means. I think I know what it means...but I'm not sure. I'll see ya on the flip side.

tagged

I won't tag anyone back but here is my sixth picture from my sixth folder. As you may have noticed, I don't post pictures of my kids because I am paranoid like that. However, it just so happened my picture wasn't of my children so I could play along. This is the finger of a young man who works with the Baron. They were playing football, I believe, when he suffered this injury.

I've been busy finishing up Pay It Forward projects. I had a load of packages to mail out today, including one the Baron has been patiently waiting for. The big kid is still having a bit of a rough time with his absence so I'm trying to spend less of the kids' waking hours online and doing projects. It means you may see me less, or not. I can always snap pictures during the day and wait until the evening to post.

Pay It Forward folks, keep an eye out for your treats!

unplug

Who is with me on this?

the crazy neighbor lady

I'm sure that's what the people in my neighborhood were calling me today. Do you know what these are? They sang to me from the recycle bins. I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. If nothing else, the kids will enjoy using them in the sand and water table.

chicken and ducklings

OR chicken and dumplings, as most of you may know it. It was rainy and dreary here the past few days. I felt the need for comfort food. I guess I've never made dumplings for the big kid because she had a hard time understanding we weren't eating ducklings. She was fascinated with the concept because it tasted like chicken noodle soup - without the noodles! She's as easily amused as her mother.

By the way, we do real dumplings. Not that biscuits-floating-on-top-of-soup business so many are fond of. I have an aversion to anything bread-like being left near moisture on purpose. Bread pudding? No thanks. Just 2 eggs and a 1/2 cup of flour, some salt and pepper, and dinner is served.

If I am staying authentic and have it on hand, whole allspice in with the chicken and broth is a must. Sounds weird, right? It's how granny always makes it. Yum. This is the same way granny makes her noodles, just add more flour, roll, cut and let dry. Depending on where you fall in my family, you may or may not serve the noodles, chicken, and broth over (ready for this?) mashed potatoes. Carbs galore.

sew-sew projects

I'm not terribly pleased with how either of these turned out. I followed Cute2Carry's tutorial, tracing a cardboard sleeve. The coffee cozy seems bulky. I know I've seen a tutorial for a button and hair elastic closure; I may need to give that a whirl.

The crayon roll was irritating. It didn't take a long time but the steps seemed to drag on. No way around it, that I can see, just not as much fun as I thought it would be. The 3/4" spacing to fit 16 crayons was too close, I think. I'm going to try again using 1" spacing and only fill with 12 crayons. I've already cut 2 more using the 13" length from the Chocolate On My Cranium tute. I'm going to try the 16 1/2" length tute from Skip To My Lou, next.

love, hate, and dust bunnies

Have I mentioned my love/hate relationship with sewing? When I'm in the groove, I enjoy myself. After a (usually frenzied) bout of sewing, I don't want to look at my machine for months. I once went almost two years without sewing a stitch. Which leads me to the dust bunnies.

I had to loan out my sewing table today. The horrors that lurked underneath would shock and amaze most anyone. Tonight I clean rather than sew. I have a dozen projects floating around my head. No way can I replace the table without exterminating the bunnies. Once the table is back in place, I'll be sewing and swearing in no time.

And now, a question:

Once I'm bored with sewing again I plan to have my abused and neglected machine serviced. Any tips or thoughts on that? This reminds me, I'll have to get a snap of my old Singer. She's a beauty. My grandmother gave it to me post tune-up about 5 years ago. Poor thing has barely seen the light of day. The feet that came with it are amazing! (Not that I know how any of them work, mind you.)

my sanity on a leash

Things get really bad if (when) I "lose" my military identification. I can't buy groceries at the commissary. I can't get cheap gas. More importantly, if I'm off base, I can't get on base to go home. I have to call someone (you know one of my OODLES of friends who is willing to roll out of bed to come rescue me from the front gate) to vouch for my authenticity and then escort me home.

I don't actually lose it. Ninety percent of the time it's at the commissary. That's the only place I have to take it from it's regular spot and carry it anywhere. I must drop it in the shuffle of bags and kids. I am not a purse kind of gal. Even a wallet is too cumbersome for me. I opted for a lanyard. For the cost of one designer fabric lanyard on Etsy, I purchased enough materials to make ten. No, I don't need ten but that's not the point! I got the hardware from a dog collar supply site. Now, I can put my ID on a leash and throw it around my neck while I'm in the store.

I finished the other two hybrid kidlets last night.

one of three

I'm making these for a special someone. They live in a charming, small space and don't have a lot of storage. I wanted these to be something the child can carry without all the goodies inside falling out. I didn't want to add another webbing strap because it wouldn't be as cute hanging on a doorknob or coat rack. Plus, the contents would be harder to get at for little hands, I think.

speaking of clutter...

Scattered around the house, I have projects at various stages of completion. This was a late night curious attempt at crocheting a small ball. I didn't have stitch markers when I started it and I'm going to pull it apart and restart.

These are kidlets I am making for a friend. I'm going to try another variation to make them more kid-toting friendly without interfering with the hanging design.

Here we have an Ikea easel the big kid and I rescued from the garbage truck a couple of weeks ago. It needs a cleaning (maybe paint?) and some new hinges.

This is my second dishcloth attempt. The cheap circular needles that came with the Knit Knack kit broke. No big deal, they were a pain in the rear anyway.

The Baron fished these beauties out of the dumpster a while back. I need to get them done before it gets too hot and humid out. I'm a little nervous because I plan to use spray paint, a first for me. They make that plastic spray paint and I'm hoping it works like I'm expecting it to. I want to go bright and cheery with these. I'm on the hunt for some bright and sturdy fabric to recover the seats and backs. All of this hinges on me being able to get them apart, of course.

i am thankful

I've been reading blogs from other frugal folks, watching the news, and going through the information sent to us from our bank. They all say the same things.

• Have a budget
• Use cash
• Save while paying down debt

We've been doing all of the above for four years and I'm just now realizing what a blessing it is. I believe we were pointed in this direction intentionally. I can't remember exactly how or why we started using cash only but I know it had something to do with ATM fees. The cash-only system needed a budget to give me an idea of how much cash we needed. After hearing a few different places that even with debt we should be paying ourselves (aka saving) first, I started a college fund for the big kid and IRAs for the Baron and me.

I've never been as pleased with the Baron's job (USN) as I am now. I know things will work out and we will be provided for but I do hope the economy will be on the rebound by 2013, when he's up for retirement.

Even my bland social life with my blah schedule paid off. I had all the time in the world last year to clip coupons, chase deals, and stock up. Now, with the Baron deployed and the competition for deals on the rise, I can stay home and live off what we have.

I want to put out there how thankful I am and how blessed I feel to have been given the opportunity to learn about budgets and frugal living. I think the crunch is still a part of our lives, but we've been living differently for so long, we haven't needed to make drastic changes.

pay it forward - update

These are two of the PIF projects I sent out last week. They were based on the Kidlet tutorial. I read on Dani's blog that her daughter had Webkinz, same as my big kid. I'd been wanting to come up with something to hold the annoying little critters. I used this as an opportunity to be creative.

Amy had/has a thing for pirates and the fabric just had to be used for her item.

i really am an old dog

I enjoy the company of friends. I tell myself I am miserable without it. I feel sorry for myself when we move and I leave good people behind. I pick myself up and make an effort to meet new people. I'm starting to feel a part of the community after a year and a half into this duty station. Once again, I'm having good times with good people.

I was the girl who would do it all. Thank goodness I'm slowly learning to say no. I hate saying no to people. Will they still like me if I tell them no? I have to hope they will and remember my own peace of mind and body, because I'm dragging. It won't stop me from offering help. I feel good when helping people. I love getting help when I need it and I truly enjoy making what comes around, go around.

But...I'm tired. I guess I really am getting older? Two kids :hiding from those of you with big, lovely families who will roll their eyes at me: must take more of my energy than I realized. Being a temporary single parent probably contributes a little, too. We had such a fun, busy weekend that I really need today off to today to recover.

I notice the kids can't go go go like I assumed they could either. The wee one's nap gets pushed back. She's either being restrained some place not kid friendly or she's left to run wild in a safe environment, both of which irritate her after a while. The big kid seems to need a break from constant kid to kid interaction, too. I assumed we would all adapt well to being busy with friends, nonstop.

We love our new friends but I'm learning we need moderation. No surprise there. This Baroness has always had a problem with moderation. While trying to rush my way to the end of this deployment, I'm rushing us past quality mommy-daughter interaction. Time to slow down.

*The above blog post was in no way directed at any one new friends and we would never want our new friends to think we are tired of them. We are just plain tired. We thank our new friends for making us tired.

spring forward

bah humbug!

this old dog swears like a sailor when learning new tricks

Ever heard of Sort Floor Books? Their prices are amazing! I like to go there and search for the words, "kit" and "set" and "deck." Because the site is very basic, I usually have a window open with Amazon so I can read reviews and get a description. Before my spending freeze, I ordered a bunch of fun "how-to" books and they arrived today.

Knit Knack Kit (Amazon page)
Down & Dirty: 43 Fun & Funky First-time Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening (Sort Floor Books must be sold out of this one but I paid WAY less than the Amazon price.)
Kids Crochet: Projects for Kids of All Ages (Amazon Page)
It's a Stitch: 21 Patchwork Quilt Projects with an Eye on Tradition (Amazon page)
Stitch-It Kit (Amazon page)

My total was around $32 and I'm pleased with all my purchases. They arrived in excellent condition even though two of them were listed as used. Which brings me to the title of this blog entry... It's a good thing I waited until the big kid and wee one were in bed before I attempted the knitting kit. Thank goodness for You Tube! I nearly tossed the whole lot in the trash. I think the book explains it as best it can, but I am a visual learner and needed the extra insight.

I don't see any sweaters or booties in my future, so be on the look-out for an exciting dish cloth hand knit by yours truly.

excuse me, ma'am

"Is everything alright?"

These were the words spoken to me by a nice police officer yesterday morning. She had pulled up next to me and motioned for me to roll down my window. Turning seven shades of red, I obliged. Thoughts were racing around my head as I contemplated an answer to the question. I decided honesty is the best policy, no matter how weird it made me sound. Besides, I am a terrible liar.

"I'm looking for coupons...coupons people drop...you know, from Winn Dixie? The people in the apartments over there...they sometimes drop their coupons....?" nervous laugh. blush. stammer. smile.

I'm not sure what she was expecting; probably a lost cat or wallet. She nodded in an understanding way (what with the economy and all, I suppose) and left.

Funny thing is, I wasn't picking them up for me this time. All my frugal penny pinching last year has us set for a while. Not that I would pass up a $10 off $50 to fill the freezer with meat, but I was doing reconnaissance. I am supposed to teach a couponing class to a group of homeschooling parents sometime this month.

clutter cutter

I found this tutorial for a "kidlet" and thought it would be a nice project for one of my PIF recipients. I didn't get quite as fancy with the pocket because I wanted to keep it simple on my first attempt. I can't post pictures yet, but it's going in the mail tomorrow. It was super easy and I am going to modify it slightly to make another PIF project.

another beverage wallet

I like this much better. I modified it so I have three small pockets for the Crystal Light on-the-go sticks (A). I also have pockets that fit either fake lemon/lime/etc. (B) and/or sweeteners (D). I stuck two regular tea packets in, but my big 4 packs fit (C).

I made a hook and loop closure because I am impatient and don't have any buttons. This is more my style, too. I used lemon and bee fabric inside...get it?

bev wallet

Not just a tea wallet but also a Crystal Light wallet. Next time around, I'll sew in the dividers for the drink mix packets (top left) so they don't slide around. My tea comes in these packets of 4. I adjusted the size of this tutorial by an inch each way (6x8) to accommodate. I think I'll sew in the dividers for the sweetener packets, also. I need to get buttons and this will be done.

cupcakes and flowers

Hairclips made from felt...I'm so over these. I'm probably giving most of them away or donating to the FRG to sell at the base yard sale. There are 12 more flowers I didn't bother putting in the picture.

swiffer project

I finally got around to turning the big kid's old diaper soakers into swiffer pads. They were frayed and worn so I thought I'd give them an extra zig-zag stitch around the edge to keep them whole. I used four pieces of 2" loop side Aplix (a) approximately 2 1/2 inches long. The diaper soaker (b) is quite a bit longer than the Swiffer but I thought it came in handy for getting right up against the baseboards.

I put the Aplix on so it would catch the outside edge of the hook material on the Swiffer.

Getting that "non-refillable" bottle apart? That's something I didn't have great success with so you may want to read this. I cut the lower rim of the cap off but now it leaks...a little. I refilled it with vinegar and water and just took the bottle off after mopping. I was tempted to post how filthy the new soaker-pad was but didn't want to gross anyone out. I'm pleased with the outcome!

steamed fire ants with a side of spring greens

On one hand, these things are evil. They leave nasty, red bumps that itch and burn something fierce. On the other hand, as I tell the big kid, God created them to bite so they could protect themselves. If they are in my yard, they are fair game. Okay, so this is actually the neighbors yard, just over the fence aka too close to my yard.

I wish I would have taken a photo of the true before. This was after 3 pots of boiling water and a few days. Oh yeah...you should have seen me on my tip-toe trying to dump a stock pot of water on this mound of fire ants.

They are hard to see in this picture but the brown patches are acutally piles of dead ants from the previous attempts. Here they are, pot number four, steaming away. I doused them with one more pot and haven't seen any activity since.

my pre-lent economic stimulus

I went on a bit of a spree the past couple of weeks, which inspired my no-frivolous-spending-for-Lent decision. To inspire others to do a little stimulating of their own and to prolong my shopping glow by just a bit, I thought I'd share my recent purchases.

I already posted about the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book I received last week. To supplement this new love I also bought the following; Oxo Good Grips Pastry Scraper, a Cambro 6qt storage container and lid, and a Polder oven thermometer. I also took advantage of a free shipping code at Williams Sonoma and picked up the All Clad measuring cup and spoon set. This is something I really needed. I went with quality in the hopes of never needing to replace them. I learned it is hard to find good quality (highly rated on Amazon) kitchen products that are made in the USA. The Cambro was the only item out of these that wasn't made in China. Boo.

I ordered the girls Easter gifts (shhh, the wee one is playing with them now but they are going to be put away before the big kid gets home) from Gifted Imaginations. They were offering 25% off and free shipping over $65. This was the best price I'd seen on the Haba stroller. I was happy to replace the broken (after just a few months) junky Walmart kid's shopping cart with this cute Plan model. I figured I could put the standard chocolates, PJs, and books in these rather than inside Easter baskets.

sorry, mr. president

I dug through old posts and found the people who commented to get in on the Pay it Forward project. I have a list of names and a general idea of what I'm going to create for each person. I'm excited to finally get started on this.

I'm giving up spending money, for Lent. I'll buy the essentials, but no more frivolous spending. I feel a bit guilty after the lovely address the President gave last night, but we've got financial goals that need to be met. So, good-bye Amazon. So long, Ebay. I'll miss you, dear Slickdeals.

Much of my time (wasted) online is spent scouring for deals. Now, I'll have all the time I need to complete my project list. Wish me luck!

another hodge podge

I decided to go with a wrap rather than a sandwich this time around. A little turkey, cheese, avocado, smidge of cream cheese, and of course, sprouts!

This nasty fellow was under my desk, in the toy room, the other day. He was crawling along, minding his own business, when he suddenly found himself in the great outdoors. A sheet of paper and nerves of steel got the job done without anybody having a breakdown.

This little beauty is my first result from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I bought the book after having an online discussion about cookbooks. I was amazed at the success I managed with so little effort. Crispy outside and chewy inside, this was a little slice of heaven. It was made only more unbelievable once dipped in olive oil, roasted garlic, salt and pepper.

mardi gras

Here in the south, this is an honest-to-goodness holiday. The big kid is off from school. Some schools are out for a couple of days, others for the whole week. I need to research this celebration. Keep us in your thoughts on this looong, looong break.

ta-da!

quick tip

The wee one is in everything. What almost two year old isn't? At Christmas I came up with the idea of keeping some non-breakable, less-loved decorations down where she can reach them. They are fairly kid safe and let her feel important. This is the Easter version of that concept.

Some old school Beanie Babies, sturdy Longaberger baskets, and dollar store flowers.

is this thing on?

I'm afraid I've bored you all so much, you've fallen asleep. You know what you need? Some nice, fresh sprouts. They'll put pep in your step.

Here they are, after sitting in the window sill for a few hours on day 5. They almost fill the container.

This is after they've been plopped into the salad spinner for their de-hulling and refreshing rinse.

They've been spun and dried and arepatiently waiting for an avocado and some swiss cheese to create a tasty, happy family in a bun.


What you see before you now is a well loved cabinet. It was the bottom half of an inexpensive china cupboard purchased over ten years ago, at Walmart, of all places. It's currently home to toys and puzzles.

This is the top (ignore the clutter inside, please) that the Baron has hung in our laundry room. It sits over my sewing table and houses stationary, spare school supplies, plus some odds and ends.

I haven't felt like sewing so I'm taking advantage of the cool weather. I've wanted to repaint the cabinet for over a year. These are the drawers to the bottom piece, waiting to be reunited with their brightly painted pals.

off to a slow start

The weekends exhaust me. Without the Baron around to give me a breather, I'm tapped out by Sunday night. I had big plans for this crisp Monday morning. However, the house is a little messier and my motivation is probably lost amongst the clutter.

I'll delight you with a hodge podge of blah, today.

The big kid is apparently pursuing a career in comdey. Even though I am on a six month drug-store/slick-dealing hiatus, my fondness for such things are front and center in her little mind.

Big Kid: Why did the hampster cross the road?
Me: Why?
Big Kid: To get to Walgreens.

Yikes!

I've been growing sprouts this weekend. I purchase this fun leafy green starter kit from SproutPeople a few months ago. I've neglected this little hobby for a few weeks and wanted to get back to it. Here on some photos of their progression from soaking seeds to day three. I'll snap another picture after they have sat near the window for a few hours on day five.

Here we have the sprout seeds, I believe it's Nick's Hot Sprout Salad, in their first stage, soaking.

This is day two

This is day three

I'm envisioning something tasty, like this veggie sandwich I made a few months back, when I first received the kit. I've learned I really enjoy the radish sprouts. There is something irresistable about that tiny sprout, with it's cute little red tinged root.

Last, but most expensive of all, is my desire for a Learning Tower. The wee one and the big kid both like to be in the kitchen. The big kid can help as long as she has a little boost from a step stool. The wee one, on the other hand, is constantly under foot. She wants to see the toaster toasting, the mixer mixing and the water running. The apple green Learning Tower will go perfectly with my Kitchenaid mixer in green. Plus, it's cheery, like my Fiesta dishes.

While doing a google search for deals, I came across Deal Seeking Mom's blog. I signed up for the giveaway and fell in love with the quick and easy deal highlights. I'm planning to make this a regular read. I don't have time to chase the deals like I used to. This way I can see if there is something I'm missing without wasting my every free moment on Slickdeals.

next week, i swear

Things are picking up. Routines are being honed. Structure is appearing. I'm trapped in the illusion that everything must be in order before I can start my crafty magic. The idea of adding bits of thread and snips of fabric to an already cluttered home doesn't appeal to me.

Another thing, my life is a little less bland these days. There is some sweet and some savory making their way in. I know I mentioned it before, but it doesn't look like it's going away. I have people to talk to. Literally "to" not "with" because after a year with nobody, I have a hard time shutting up. (No comments from those of you just itching to mention that I've ALWAYS talked too much, thankyouverymuch.) I promise I'll get better about the listening (see previous comment for those of you naysayers.) I have to, it's going to be part of the new me. You'll see.

After a year of super frugal living, an indulgence of various memberships have helped us get out of the house more. In meeting new people I've learned there are things to do here, even if they aren't advertised. Remember, I live in an area that was the landing strip for Katrina. There are still a lot of overgrown lots and mis-information about what is or isn't open and operating.

I hope to be back, in full swing, perhaps with a new twist on things, next week.

one project down...

Many, many more to go. The big kid has been asking about sewing for a few weeks now. I kept putting it off, waiting until we had the time to fill on weekends, while the wee one napped. This was a simple way, to teach her to stitch, where the imperfections added some character.

Basic heart shapes cut out of cheap craft store felt. These would be super special out of nice wool felt, but I have a lot of felt from my days of making hair clips.



Tiny uneven stitches...

This shot is blown but I don't have time to retake. The wee one is up from her nap and I'm being bellowed at by the big kid.

falling asleep in church?

Take a 20 month old and let the fun, begin! We went to mass* with the big kid's school today after a 4 month hiatus. The wee one would fuss and squirm to an extent I wasn't willing to endure. With the Baron's recent departure to the European continent, I told the big kid we'd give it another go. She's missing him and needs all the extra support I can muster.

The difficulties begin with a drop-off time that is 20 or so minutes prior to mass. I need to keep the wee one content that much longer. No small task, I assure you. As soon as we enter the absolute soundless church, my anxiety begins. This silence won't last long. As if on cue, the lights are raised. The wee one takes to announcing the brightening of each of the 20 or so hanging light fixtures. "Liiight! Light! Liiiggghhht..."

Then, the silence is broken again by the charming guitarist. Apparently, the wee one isn't a fan of soft strumming as she announces, "Noisy!" a dozen or so times. Through all of this, I'm smiling and nodding at the turning heads. Once her sister enters the sanctuary, with her class, everyone is introduced, fifty times over, to "Big Kid!" The big kid sheepishly lumbers over to sit with us.

The entire congregation is then treated to the wee one's rendition of "O, Holy Night" (which she is still singing, as I type this.) She babbles through most of the service. Something sparks a series of "Eeewww!"s and "Nuh-Uuuhhh!"s that can not be quieted. At one point, the big kid NEEDS to go to the bathroom. I am almost certain the priest waited until we were back in our seats, on the other side of the room, before continuing.

Because she is talking, loudly, through the Holy Gospel, I try to reason with the wee one by explaining everyone else is being quiet and blah, blah, blah. She screams, "NO, Mama!" in my face and then goes about chattering some more.

As a grand finale, the entire bag of cereal I brought to keep her busy, is dumped, on purpose, all over the floor. It kept someone busy, but it wasn't the wee one.

*I am not Catholic which is why we sit in the back. I try to avoid sticking out because I don't know all the "stuff" Catholics do during their mass. So much for being inconspicuous.

bitter sweet

We decided to play the Baron's last night state-side as normal as possible. That meant a trip to our fav-o-rite pizza buffet for a school fund-raiser. This place was our first stop when we arrived back on the coast, over a year ago. The wee one was a tiny four month old blob.

We normally carry the wee one in and out because nobody likes a baby underfoot with a plateful of precious pizza cargo. Last night, the restaurant wasn't very busy so I let her walk through the dining room on her own, over to the Baron and the big kid. Our favorite server came over and commented on how cute the wee one looked toddling around the tables and chairs.

She went on to reminisce about the wee one being carried in, strapped to her bucket seat. There were the memories of the first time she ate baby food from a jar, her first saltine cracker, her first plain pasta from the buffet, and her first piece of pizza.

This lovely person can recall more about our baby than most of our friends and relatives can. It was sweet. It was also sad. Either way, it was a funny little trip down memory lane.

I told her she had a lot to look forward to; we are stuck here for almost three more years.

the next two weeks

I'll be scarce around here and many of my other favorite online hang outs for the next couple of weeks. The Baron is leaving for deployment soon. It's been six years since our last separation and in that time the big kid has grown to an age where she'll realize her daddy is gone. The wee one will have a rough time with it because she is a big Daddy's girl. If he leaves her sight, she is constantly asking where he's gone.

The big kid has a special bond with her father. They generate more crazy creations and useless doo-dads than I can discretely throw away. It's a unique situation when a father with my husband's job doesn't leave his child for over 5 years. We were blessed.

I'll need some time for myself. Time to be sad. Time to adjust. Time to create a new routine. Once that's all happened, I'll be back. My first order of business is to finish those projects I posted about and get my PIF items sent to their new owner.

Take care.

fabric ban

I was motivated this morning. The big kid and I went through my fabric tub, sorting the remnants from the scraps from the half finished projects. I shouldn't be allowed near a fabric store. I shouldn't be allowed near my cutting mat. I have enough cut out projects to keep me busy for a while. I found one half finished mei tai and enough twill to make at least one for a petite friend. Shameful!

In the picture I have three novelty (not big enough for many gifts) stockings I cut out two years ago, two reusable bottle carriers I started sometime last year (sorry Jessica), five old diaper soakers from all-in-ones that I'm going to repurpose into Swiffer WetJet pads, and a fabulous blanket idea I came up with for the big kid a few years ago.

Stay tuned for photos of the completed projects. To be sure you are actually reading, the first three to respond to this post will be added to the PIF project.

i heart tutes

I may not follow through on the many tutuorials I find online, but I do enjoy seeing creativity exhibited in simple, easy steps. This goes along well with my passion for fabric. You'd never guess I have a eye for such things, considering how basic and not-trendy my wardrobe is. My uniform of the day is usually jeans/khakis and a v-neck/polo shirt.

My craft drive is a hot or cold thing. I'm either sewing night and day or I scowl and curse my machine everytime I pass it in the laundry room. I have a hard time doing certain things in moderation but that's a conversation for another day (or never.)

I found several online tutorial lists and decided to compile my own. Here's my dream list of things I'd like to start and complete.

Pincushion/Thread-catcher
Tea Wallet
Sewing Kit (baby food jar)
Sandwich Wrap
Journal Cover

I have my own idea, swirling in my head for an over-night toiletry bag. Something both cute and functional to hold a small shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, and razor. I want this for our quick getaways when we evacuate.

I've played around with reusable bottle carriers and pint ice cream cozies but would love to perfect these patterns.

For kids, I want to try:

Crayon Roll
Felt Food
Fabric Concentration

I've made felt hairclips and have a ton that are half done. Shock!

I found some 2ml Pul on ebay. I picked up a few half yards of fabric from The Fat Quarter Shop. I couldn't resist a bundle of remnants from littlefishbigpond on Etsy.

Wish me luck. I hope I am still feeling inspired when it all arrives.

toddler amnesia

Except that's not what it is. The big kid was, I can now admit, an easy toddler. The terrible twos weren't that terrible. Our home was easy to baby proof, only requiring a couple of gates and some closed doors. We experienced more of a terrible threes but that's not the point. The point is how out of our minds we are with the wee one. She's clever. She's cunning. She's resourceful.

To you and me, it's a decorative pillow for the sofa. To the wee one, it is all she needs to plunder the kitchen. She'd been out of sight for 10 seconds, which is cause for alarm. I get up to check. What's that she's dragging off the counter and bringing to me? Ah, yes, my expensive (even though it's no longer new) dSLR that I thought was pushed back far enough.

It was cute when she was 15 months old and wanted an eating utensil for every piece of food. (Try explaining to a persistent child, you don't need a spoon to eat goldfish crackers.) It's not cute when she's running away from us with a fist full of forks. Who needs storage bags, foil, and plastic wrap stored in their convenient packaging? Not I! The wee one delights in yanking them free and hiding them around the house. Sure, it's okay if she gnaws on that stick of butter. It's not my day to change the "fun" diapers. Perhaps the big kid did something to deserve being beaten over the head, by her little sister, with a miniature rolling pin. It's possible.

I just placed an order at One Step Ahead. If anyone has any favorite baby-proofing products, I'd love to hear about them. Our major problem is the not-square, irregular opening to the kitchen. On one side, there is a door we can close. The other side is a challenge. I have a gate coming that is similar to one we used with the big kid. I also ordered drawer locks, a fridge lock, an oven lock, and a stove guard. All of those are in case the gate doesn't work (or as back up.)

When is it they are capable of some impulse control? It's going to feel like forever before we are there.

who needs cable?

Part of becoming a more frugal family included turning off our cable. We spent roughly $100 a month for a bunch of channels and DVR. We would DVR most shows and watch them at our leisure, rarely watching anything "live". It was more fun to fast forward through commercials (boo hiss to pushy or crude ads) and get to the meat of it all.

We have an old TV. No high def or 1080 blah blah blah for us. I ordered our digital converter box coupon as soon as I tired of the snowy picture on the two channels we picked up with our rabbit ears. What a difference! We get our local channel (ABC), Fox, and three public television stations. The best part? They come in crystal clear with out rabbit ears. Right now we are debating the investment into a stronger antenna.

I'm sure most of you reading know about watching TV shows online. I didn't. Okay, I did. However, I was unaware of just how much there is to watch online. Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC all offer full episodes of their popular programming. I can watch House, all three CSIs, 30 Rock, and anything I miss in its regular time slot on ABC.

Bring on February 17th. We're ready.

retreating from a retreat

We were lucky enough to spend the weekend in New Orleans. We stayed at a very nice hotel on the river. The Lobby had a great view. The rooms were clean and modern. The staff was very helpful. None of it cost us a penny. We did have to drive ourselves over but the parking, hotel and food were included. A joint effort between programs on the base made the weekend getaway possible.

We had our time filled with presentations and mini workshops. Family life, couple's issues, and self care were all included. Unfortunately, this was the pilot program and there were quite a few kinks. Mainly, nobody to entertain the children so we could soak up the information. By the time Sunday rolled around, it's hard to say if we were in a better or worse state of mind.

All things considered, it was an eventful weekend filled with ups and downs (the same as any other day.) We became members of the zoo and aquarium. I died and went to heaven at Whole Foods on Market Street. I saw more crazy people between the hotel and Cafe Du Monde than I thought possible outside of an institution.

By the way, do you have any idea how long it can take a giraffe to pee? Like, over a minute! You should have seen the puddle under this guy. It was like that scene from Austin Powers. Crazy.

"your nice!! very nice! and funny!"

We went to America's Thrift Store yesterday. The kids had a blast in the toy aisles. Everything is tossed on shelves and most of the electronic stuff is in working order. The wee one found a baby she liked and pushed her up and down in a sagging, squeaking broken doll stroller. Poor baby doll only had one shoe. After much digging, the wee one exclaimed, "Found it!" She had to come find me when the bitty Barbie shoe wouldn't fit on the standards size baby doll.

After two hours and plenty of my own digging, I found oodles of good books. For example, Classic Books-with-Holes. Six titles at .39 each, including my favorite from when I was a kid, There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.



Even though nobody seemed to appreciate my last book treasure, I found this token of esteem from Richard, to Tracy.




We spent New Year's Eve day at the Discovery Center. I think my frugal shopping has rubbed off on the big kid. She came up with this all on her own.



We've decided to start homeschooling next year. I can go to the convention and pick a curriculum with more confidence. The big kid will have some stability in her life which is important with the Baron leaving for six months in February.

The Baron and I have been on a Boggle kick. We love Boggle. We've always loved Boggle. It's nice to have the big kid playing one of our games instead of the other way around. We bought a pocket dictionary but it sucks. It didn't have "mite" or "roe" which are the kinds or words one needs to back up when playing Boggle. Of course, the Baron and I know these are legitimate words but we're always trying to eke out one more 3-4 letter word the other wouldn't think of.