Toddler Blight

Monday was a beautiful day here. So sunny and bright and warm that we planted our little seedlings!

Only there seems to be some sort of problem ... looks like we have Toddler Blight.

Oh you haven't heard of this destructive "disease" that can damage and ultimately ruin the chance of a bountiful harvest? There were signs that our yard might contain such a pathogen when the sod was being removed to make way for a little urban farm plot. Yep, dirt mysteriously was flying everywhere mixed with giggles whirling in the air. After the grass was completely gone, I thought bringing in bags of fresh dirt and peat moss could improve the soil quality. Only to find that lots of this dirt picked itself up and moved to various parts of the yard... even on my oldest son's head and my own... again those giggles filled the air and we all couldn't help ourselves from laughing. Sure enough though, when the plants were planted, the toddler blight really reared it's adorable head and tiny vegetation were stomped, picked out of the ground, and buried deeper than the recommended amount.

Really, I don't mind this part of gardening during this time in my family's life and love my little toddler farmer! I love that he wants to help. That he is hilarious to watch laugh and smile with dirt flying in the air. That he tried to help put plant way under the dirt. I couldn't ask for anything better to happen for my garden. :)

Anyone else have a small farmer working in your garden this year???

Things Toddlers Say

In a rare moment for my 4 year old I caught him standing still so I gave him a big hug and said, "You're so cute!"

He smiled really big and replied, "You're HAIRY! HehHehHeh." Then flipped all my hair to the top of my head.

Flying Time...

I'm not sure where the time goes but am pretty sure it's somewhere between at the very least one load of dishes a day(that's not counting the paperplates we always use at lunch), beating the laundry monster back in its room, changing someone's bedsheet every day due to peepee or cracker crumbs or whatever, cleaning the car to keep the hoard to a minimum once a week, sweeping and vaccuming and having the robot vaccume, taking out trash, changing diapers, cleaning underwear, making beds(which my kids are learning about!), fixing up garden plot, cleaning fishtank, grocery shopping, did I mention changing diapers, washing faces and hands, dressing, undressing, bathing babies, redressing, and I can't even think of what else... Oh, yea, cleaning out and organizing the master bedroom closet, sending off warranty cards for appliances and electronics, finding out about homestead exemptions, paying bills, and somewhere in there finding time with my honey to watch Person of Interest and other TV shows. Hmmmm, no wonder I'm worn out! I need a vacation... oh wait, no that would be too much work! How about a staycation?! LOL Tomorrow it is! Staycation here I come!

Mommy Tips Monday

Today's tip comes from ...

Mrs. Hines' Class. Mrs. Hines' writes "Welcome to Mrs. Hines' Class, a virtual classroom where I share the creative process behind turning my house into a home. My hope is that we will learn something along the way that will stir our inner creativity and inspire transformation: not only in our homes, but in our hearts too. So, please join me for the lessons that await in mrs. hines class."

Vinegar as a Household Deodorizer

I’ve always heard that if you set out a bowl of vinegar over night, it will get rid of unwanted odors.

So, last week, I decided to give it a try after using paint to touch up scuffs and nail holes in the walls.

I filled a bowl with vinegar and left it on the counter overnight.

It worked! No paint fumes.

I didn’t want to waste the vinegar, so I poured it down the disposal and chased it with a lemon.

Now, that’s what I call a “two fer.” (That’s Texan for “two for one.”)

See you in class,

Mrs. Hines

Things Toddlers Say

This afternoon while "helping" me in the garden, I asked my beautiful little girl, "Is it hard being that adorable?" She replied a-matter-of-factly, "Yes."

Later, we were talking about what all we would be planting in the garden. "Flowers," she said multiple times. Then I asked, "What type of vegetables?" "Tomatoes, um, flowers, mashed potatoes," she replies. I just couldn't stop giggling at how cute my little girl is!

Things Toddlers Say

This morning we are having pancakes for breakfast. My two year old asked, "Do we need syrup for our awfuls(waffles)?"

Time to consider cooking classes.

Not-So-Great Clips

A word of advice... just because a place says it's Great Clips and just because the lady is AMAZING at cutting your kids hair, doesn't mean you should just assume she can read your mind and you think will only TRIM, yes not CUT, doesn't mean she can read your mind. Sigh.

Tackle It Tuesday

Ok, I really did all this stuff on Sunday and Monday but must post about it! The biggest news is that I caught up on almost all the laundry on Sunday... including folding and putting away. That's right folks. Just had maybe 2 loads of darks and then a little bit of reds/pinks and a little of whites. Tah dah!!! I was so happy.

Then on Monday, I went through all the clothes in my 2-1/2yr olds room and also my 1yr old. Out with the old and in with the new! I have a giant gift bag of stuff to give to a friend that is having a boy this summer. Then I hung up a bunch of clothes to put in a resale in March. woot woot! AWEEESOMMMMEEEE!

Did you do any organizing or maintenance or just something fun off your to do list?

Research

While getting ready for my big radio spot coming up, I thought I would do some research on what other's out there in bloggy land think about needs for bringing home baby. Found a hilarious blog for guys at ArtofManliness. It cracked me up that he referred to the stork as the baby grenade launcher. hahaha! Now going back to finish reading the article...

Comfort

I just read this I can't remember where... "Comfort is the killer of the will." This has happened many times in my life. I get comfortable eating unhealthy foods. I get comfortable (and lazy) and don't get gussied up for my man. I get comfortable and start to drift from God. I have clean water, flush potties, and so much more but get consumed by easy daily life and forget who it is that fills my cup every morning. My quiet time suffers. Then my attitude gets sour. Then everyone around me is like, "Um, what's with Mrs. Cranky Bags."

Recently, at Bible study, the video leader talked about how when we go looking for our souls to be filled we can become very disappointed in our lives. Jesus is the only One that can fill our souls. It cracked me up when the speaker said that if we hold out our cups to be filled by our spouses, or our children, or material things, then the most they can do is spit in your cup. eew. Then the speaker lifted a pitcher of water and filled the cup to overflowing. Everyone was laughing as she sloshed it around the stage. What a great visual. When we spend time in God's presence, our cups are filled. We start sharing His love and our peace with others. We are enabled to love others. Sometimes this isn't comfortable but it's sooo worth it!

Mommy Tips Monday

Today's tip comes from none other than moi - MageeMommy. The owner of this here lil' blog. I've got 3 kids 4-1/2 and younger and hope to give you tips that help make your life a little less stinky - whether that means for you home, health, or heart. :)

So what tip can I give ya? If you have kiddos that are still in diapers, consider keeping some plastic grocery bags in your glovebox of your vehicle. Why? Well, there's so many uses and it's recycling at it's stinkiest! I've kept them in the car for diaper changes. Not just the peepee ones. We can all stand to just wrap these into themselves and search out garbage cans on the outside of fast food joints or big box retailers. I'm talking about the oh-my-eeeeew-I-hope-I-have-enough-wipes diapers. You can't just leave them wrapped into themselves because they just don't.

And it is sooo very handy to have a plastic grocery bag to toss these stinkies into. Oh, and what about when there is a blow out... You know when the diaper has a malfunction and now the baby's clothes have joined in the fun. A plastic grocery bag is PERFECT for making sure you aren't tempted to throw out a perfectly good, albeit dirty, outfit before you can run home and put it in the washing machine(with loads of spray and wash).

Lastly, I like to use plastic grocery bags in the vehicle to pick up random trash. I've got toddlers. Enough said? No, well, along with toddlers come packaging for kids meal toys, small snacks littering the bottom of the vehicle, grass/dirt/dried up weeds flowers, etc. It's so handy to have something to collect all the litter with and throw away quickly.

How do you reuse plastic grocery bags???

Aquarium, AaaaquarEEEEum

Lately, we've been discussing fish a WHOLE lot. Daddy is very interested in getting a salt-water aquarium soon. So my little boy has asked literally every day for about a week or more, "Are we going to get a fish now?" Saltwater aquarium's take a lot of work and study - especially if you venture into live coral. Whew! But I think the benefits outweigh the time and patience it's going to take for Daddy to setup and run this home aquarium. (Notice, I said Daddy will be taking care of this.) I'm also thinking of charging neighborhood kids a dollar to come to TheSmellyArmpit's Home Aquarium. I'm not sure if I'll need a permit but am going to risk it to offset the cost.

And with that thought, I'm labeling this post under Budgeting. LOL

Things Toddlers Say

My birthday is just around the corner and we were discussing the annual ice cream cake that Daddy gets me every year. My little girl, wide-eyed, exclaimed innocently, "Mommy, you're oooollllddddd!" ahahaha

Up Late....

Last night, I decided to make a quick run to the grocery store after the kids went to bed. I wasn't there too long considering all the groceries I got, but ended up perusing the discount book bin and found "You Can Run but You Can't Hide" for $5. I bought it. Yes, I bought a book by and about Dog. You know... Dog the Bounty Hunter. I know. It was a weird moment and I giggle to myself that I was picking up a book about a bounty hunter sporting a mullet. Ugh, a mullet.(I'm just not a fan.) But I am a fan of the show so why not?!

So I stayed up literally until 3am and got halfway through the book. Whewwww. He sure is honest and open and has "colorful" language. What a crazy life this guy has had with the choices he's made. I really like though that he seems to always run back to God and wants to give the Lord glory the way he knows how. It's so easy for me to be judgemental. I think it's one of my favorite sins which isn't cool. And reading this book has made me realize how judgemental I can be. I mean I know I'm judgemental at times but last night I feel like I had a spotlight on this particular sin of mine. OUCH. One more thing to ask God for forgiveness about!

I've had a thing in the past about finding books to challenge me spiritually at the Kroger book bargain bin. Who knew this one would be no different! LOL

What You Never Knew You Needed when Preparing for Baby

"What You Never Knew You Needed when Preparing for Baby" is the title for the MomTalk radio segment that I've been invited to participate in on February 21st! Wahooo! Not heard of MomTalk radio(http://momtalkradio.com/)??? Well, let me tell ya about the very first nationally syndicated radio show just for moms... It was founded by Maria Baily who launched Mom Talk Radio in 2001. And if being a mom and launching this talk radio show isn't enough she also created BSM Media and its media properties, BlueSuitMom.com, Mom Talk Radio, MomSelect.com and SmartMomSolutions.com. Additionally she is a founding partner in Newbaby.com and MomTV.com. Whewwww! I'm tired just reading all that! Where in the world does she find the time or energy!

Ok, so MomTalk radio is where I'll be on February 21st getting recorded and the show will air on the following Sunday following taping at 8pm EST and can also be found on MomTalkRadio.com. So what would I say on the show and hopefully help some new mommies out there? I guess one of the most important things I never knew I needed before having my first little baby was how many onsies that a little baby needed. Or how many wipes and diapers that my sweet little ones could go through in a day - well, in an hour, or even ONE diaper change! LOL I know there were many times I would be changing a diaper and almost get the clean one on and a fountain would occur so clean up after that and then sometimes the tab would break on the next diaper. So what should have just taken one diaper would have taken three! Or how about the rookie mistake of changing a diaper immediately seeing that "I've got a special gift I'm making you" face from your precious angel. Then to your overtired horror in the middle of the change, getting poo'd on and having to change a second diaper during a poopy diaper change. And don't even get me started about the infamous(at least in our house) 3am poo fountains! So I guess I knew our babies would need onsies, diapers, and wipes but just had no clue how many!

Something else I had NO clue about was Mylicon. OH, you haven't heard of the miracle gas-away drops??? When we had our first little baby, he cried from the time we brought him home and for several nights straight. Let's face it, we all cried. I might have even seen my husband tear up a little; oh, we were so tired. Then about a week after he was born, my husband went back to work and a fellow employee gave him the tip. He brought home some mylicon from the store and I've been a believer ever since!!!!!! He even went to Walgreens the first night in the hospital with our second baby to help sooth her (much to one of the nurses chagrin but WHATEVER!). So something you definitely can use that I had no clue about with our new baby was these gas away drops! BRILLIANT!!!

How about you? Is there something that you wish someone would have told you about before bringing home your first baby? Please comment below and help some mommies out! :)

Mommy Tips Monday

A tip for car rides... Always make sure your little ones are not sleepy in the least before giving them a giant marshmellow for a snack.

Funny!

"A two year old is like a blender... without a lid." Jerry Seinfeld