tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36113981576616792182024-03-06T21:34:07.371-06:00A Rich Man's FamilyLiving on a Poor Man's BudgetChristinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-42317209683467958922011-03-08T21:12:00.003-06:002011-03-08T21:42:10.349-06:00Smothered ChickenI eat a lot of chicken. It's pretty much my go to meat. So, I found a recipe a few months ago for smothered chicken and I was so excited because it combines several of my favorite foods; chicken, cheese, and mushrooms...Yum!<br /><br />This is a super easy meal and can be spiced up by adding different veggies.<br /><br />Smothered Chicken<br /><br />4 boneless skinless chicken breasts<br />half an onion chopped<br />1 small can mushrooms<br />1 green bell pepper chopped<br />2 T olive oil<br />2-3 garlic cloves minced<br />1 cup cheddar cheese shredded<br />half cup colby jack cheese shredded<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Heat oil in skillet. Brown chicken breasts in skillet about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set to the side. Add onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic to skillet and cook until onions are translucent.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOaAoSlDBk7fqWHmYsH731M268N9pGQkSoEHa_Y_jRzPoLxsYDa9wqJTkQz8PCZM1b2-9wCDDrM5NjeGS1zS1RAVadEpYAceCna9ULVbVKtjhFt39LRTnk1bNr3x1NpY44cjYzDlPfCYP/s1600/My+favorite+meal+1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOaAoSlDBk7fqWHmYsH731M268N9pGQkSoEHa_Y_jRzPoLxsYDa9wqJTkQz8PCZM1b2-9wCDDrM5NjeGS1zS1RAVadEpYAceCna9ULVbVKtjhFt39LRTnk1bNr3x1NpY44cjYzDlPfCYP/s320/My+favorite+meal+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581917355448705106" border="0" /></a>Place chicken back in skillet.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg628GaSv8duinM3CBvLme9Uydej2ixYiGQxxCZQi357cws8gwryYBqzRDMIUxeRKZHJRfNe610faSCBp0e_6XqxIXfgH8AFLCSX_o3SBQRXPJySTDPhKl20qBjkCSlorvcfq_FepMgyrmy/s1600/My+favorite+Meal+2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg628GaSv8duinM3CBvLme9Uydej2ixYiGQxxCZQi357cws8gwryYBqzRDMIUxeRKZHJRfNe610faSCBp0e_6XqxIXfgH8AFLCSX_o3SBQRXPJySTDPhKl20qBjkCSlorvcfq_FepMgyrmy/s320/My+favorite+Meal+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581917356535118594" border="0" /></a>Cover the chicken with cheese and then place a lid on the skillet. Reduce heat and keep covered until cheese is melted. I usually leave it for about 5-10 minutes.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtwkbpx-5Gynoq-d3t71Mo0eInxHQYAhBy6bI-aaOt2nESMcmm3uVtxn8sUc6rAVlRaaH3I0YgrJHKSARr0UP5YYjK1LjgNRMreW2ZpZ_T1S0bFtHHacCMutYP11Y-4PQeB7RoXQT_f-t/s1600/My+Favorite+Meal+3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtwkbpx-5Gynoq-d3t71Mo0eInxHQYAhBy6bI-aaOt2nESMcmm3uVtxn8sUc6rAVlRaaH3I0YgrJHKSARr0UP5YYjK1LjgNRMreW2ZpZ_T1S0bFtHHacCMutYP11Y-4PQeB7RoXQT_f-t/s320/My+Favorite+Meal+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581917360089428194" border="0" /></a>So good! Last time I made this I added some black beans and tomatoes in and it was really good. This time I added some spinach leaves. Serve with rice or potatoes. You can really change this up to your liking. Yumm!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-48511262812925811932011-03-02T21:40:00.003-06:002011-03-02T22:10:30.065-06:00Today I was "That Mom"Today I was "that mom." You know, the one with a baby on her hip and the toddler running around like crazy. The mom with the kid that's crying for food or a toy. The mom with two kids that are just screaming their lungs off. The mom that looks beaten down by life and is just trying to keep it together. The mom that bribes her kids with juice and food so, they'll give her a minute of peace.<br /><br />Today that was me.<br /><br />First, we had to drive over an hour to get to a doctor's appointment that I had. When we got there C was going nuts. He ran around the office and was drawing on everything he could, including the poster on the wall. Luckily, the staff was super nice but, I could tell by the end of the visit it was getting to them. I tried redirection, I tried talking calmly, I tried holding him. I tried everything I could think of without bribing him. Finally, I broke down and gave him some crackers. That held him for 5 minutes. Then we moved on to raisins. After that, he just kept crying until I gave him more crackers.<br /><br />And of course he didn't eat his lunch an hour later.<br /><br />Luckily, after we got home and took a nap he got to run around outside and burn off some energy. But, it started all over at dinner time. He refused to eat his dinner and sat at the table and cried. This time I explained to him that if he didn't eat his dinner he wasn't going to get any other food. He was fine with that and went to play.<br /><br />What has happened to my sweet little boy?!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-81884156028731333062011-02-22T22:48:00.004-06:002011-02-22T23:13:52.124-06:00Dirty 30In two days I'll be turning 30. I've been a little freaked out that I'm leaving my 20's behind because although I'm married and have two kids, I'm still not quite ready to admit I'm a responsible adult. So, in honor of my 30th birthday I will give you the 10 most memorable events of my 20's...<br /><ol><li>Turning 21 and doing as many shots as humanly possible at The University Pub at TCU...that was awesome<br /></li><li>Graduating from TCU at 23<br /></li><li>Walking down the aisle with my dad and marrying my college sweetheart at 24</li><li>Going out of the country for the first time to Jamaica for our honeymoon at 24<br /></li><li>Buying our first house at 25, and then buying our second two years later at 27...I don't recommend moving twice in two years</li><li>Buying my first car by myself at 25</li><li>Walking 60 miles in three days for the Breast Cancer 3Day at 25<br /></li><li>Losing my dad at 25<br /></li><li>Becoming a mom to C at 27</li><li>Becoming a mom to K at 29</li></ol>Hopefully my 30's will be even more memorable than my 20's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopwDyVrXAOke7hif_wPKfbFyL6ek1kDdWwj5FVhAAP-tld8lQ5SfFZug5ZLM3SLnc44-unzKShvw4QJV2UjVpt164pIiZ4yLlmw86zRvqdYvAd4ilvtBPXxwKpPpVV2yxR2LTZYAFDs4Y/s1600/christine+fb.jpg"><br /></a>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-52795538021845304352011-02-20T20:57:00.002-06:002011-02-20T21:17:50.635-06:00GuiltyBefore C was born I worked a LOT. During grad school I had started working for Pier 1 and found that I really enjoyed retail. I know it sounds weird but, it was fun because you never had the same day twice. Every day was different. I was always busy. It burned a lot of calories! After 3 years of moving up from associate to assistant manager, I became a store manager with my own store. At the time it was cool because my husband was a musician and worked odd hours. It worked for us. <br /><br />Retail has its down sides though. Crazy hours, working at 6am the day after Thanksgiving or staying until midnight because you have a visit the next day from the VP. Shoppers that assume you're uneducated because you work in a retail store. Shoppers that treat you like you're their servant. People that come in and seem to feel like they are entitled to something more than every one else. Or that person that wants to take their bad day out on every one else.<br /><br />Despite these things I loved working in retail. I loved the visual aspects of it, moving displays and changing products for the appropriate seasons. I liked helping customers find what they were looking for and more. I even liked unloading trucks. So, when I became a stay at home mom it was a hard change. <br /><br />Days began to feel like weeks when C would just sleep for hours and hours. I didn't know what to do with myself. Gradually, I adjusted and begin to love my new career as Mommy. When K came along I couldn't imagine myself working outside the home, at least until both kids were in school. Unfortunately, life doesn't always work out like we think. <br /><br />When it was decided that I had to return to work part-time the first thing I thought of was retail. It's what I know and what I enjoy doing. It's also flexible with those crazy hours. I ended up getting a job at The Container Store which is not only and awesome place to shop, it's an awesome place to work. <br /><br />But, I find myself feeling guilty for liking my job so much. When the ice storm hit a few weeks ago and I wasn't able to get to work for two days I found myself feeling sad that I was missing work. Some times it seems as if my job is actually a break from my life as Mom. I love C and K more than the world but, it's nice to have some time to breathe and not have a small person hanging off your leg. I know there are moms out there that feel guilty for having to work but, do they feel guilty that they like to work?Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-6382613113689882702011-02-16T15:24:00.004-06:002011-02-16T21:23:27.429-06:00Great Moms Think Alike Wednesday 2/16<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/HattonGravely/great3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx173/HattonGravely/great3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It's <a href="http://theunexpectedmother.net/great-moms-think-alike-blog-hop-february-16th/">Great Moms Think Alike Wednesday</a> again over at <a href="http://theunexpectedmother.net/">The Unexpected Mother</a>. Today we're talking about the Cry It Out method and sleeping.<br /><br />Oh, sleep how I have missed it!<br /><br />When C was born I was an attachment parent from the start, or as much as I could be from the outside of a box in the NICU. When C came home we had a co-sleeper attached to the bed but most of the time he was actually in the bed with us. I was so afraid that he would stop breathing I just needed him next to me. But, when he started growing and squirming around in the bed and FINALLY slept through the night around 5-6 months it was time for him to go to his own room.<br /><br />One thing that was in our favor was that he was already sleeping through the night. He wasn't waking up for feedings or changing which was nice. We started putting him down for naps in his crib around 4 months and the first time it happened he cried like crazy. My mom was there and she told me he would just cry himself out. It was so hard but, I let him do it and he only cried for 10 minutes. The next day he cried for 5-10 minutes and after that he would go down easy. So, when we transitioned him to the crib it was actually no problem. I was so happy I almost through myself a party! Now, every now and then we do have some crying at bed time and if it persists more than half an hour I make sure to check and make sure there isn't something wrong.<br /><br />K is 7 months and a totally different story. I've been co-sleeping with her since she came home as well. Around 4 months I started putting her to bed in the co-sleeper by herself a little while after C went to bed. I have been so ready for her to move into her room because I am just so tired. But, the kids share a room so, I have been super reluctant to transition her to the crib using the cry it out method. I think the cry it out method does work but, not when you have two kids in the same room.<br /><br />During K's morning nap she sleeps in her crib but, during her afternoon nap she still sleeps in the co-sleeper. In the last week I've actually been able to put her down in the crib for the night without her crying but, she still wakes up crying at 2 am. Ugh! I guess the whole point of the cry it out method is to let her actually cry it out. But, what do you do when there's another child in the room?? Right now, C is the only one in the house getting a full night's sleep!<br /><br />Be sure to stop by <a href="http://theunexpectedmother.net/">The Unexpected Mother</a> for <a href="http://theunexpectedmother.net/great-moms-think-alike-blog-hop-february-16th/">Great Moms Think Alike Wednesday!<br /></a>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-79273262727052982292011-02-13T20:46:00.003-06:002011-02-13T20:58:44.362-06:00I Can Use Power Tools!When we sell <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/elfa/whatiselfa/index.html">elfa</a> closet solutions at <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm">The Container Store</a>, where I work, we design them to the specifications of the customer. This means that every customer's closet or pantry or desk solution is different and that's what is so freaking cool about it. Not only do they get a space designed exactly for them that no one else has but, they can change it later on because of the versatility of the product! Okay, enough of my elfa rant(for those of you that don't live close to a <a href="http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm">Container Store</a> you must check them out online and check out their<a href="http://www.containerstore.com/elfa/whatiselfa/index.html"> elfa</a> closet section!).<br /><br />Anyway, because we design to meet the customer's specifications we have to cut certain metal shelves or posts. That means using a heavy duty saw or bolt cutters. And you have tobe trained in order to do that so you don't cut your fingers off. <br /><br />Guess who can cut through metal things??<br /><br />That's right, yours truly! Back in December I was trained to use the heavy duty tools. It's pretty sweet to get back there and just saw through a piece of metal. Today, I got to cut several different things for a closet solution and I have to say that it was very satisfying!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-75141413740003689892011-02-11T17:35:00.002-06:002011-02-11T18:02:56.144-06:00What a Surprise!I've been given an award by one of my favorite bloggers! Monica from <a href="http://fernaaysfamily.blogspot.com/">Organized Chaos!!</a> awarded me with the<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzG_BDI0qYihLIKdGs1KkV9ck5LmncGRIFrROzoeTDezffNwtN_GcT5WLLrlVikQtrdq5Nx4hFaNguKh1m-xg_-SyTP51AvgY-yM4KL5Nsd1dE7lMEmNR0kV5YJQ7osz1_WxSk0XBug/s1600/stylish-blogger+award.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzG_BDI0qYihLIKdGs1KkV9ck5LmncGRIFrROzoeTDezffNwtN_GcT5WLLrlVikQtrdq5Nx4hFaNguKh1m-xg_-SyTP51AvgY-yM4KL5Nsd1dE7lMEmNR0kV5YJQ7osz1_WxSk0XBug/s1600/stylish-blogger+award.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>How fun! To accept the award, I'm supposed to share 7 facts about myself and then pass the award on to other Stylish Bloggers. So, here goes...<br /><br /><ol><li> I recently gave up coke or for you northerners pop or soda. It was a very sad day but, I was drinking way too much!</li><li>Fall is my favorite season, I love when the air gets cooler. Of course, in Texas that means the 70's!</li><li>I have an irrational fear of fish...eek I'm afraid of them touching me...it makes me shudder just thinking about it!</li><li>I played the flute from 2nd grade all the way through college, which is how I met my husband.</li><li>I'm totally jealous of people that can sew.</li><li>I make all of my own baby food and I love it!</li><li>I love, love, love the show Parenthood.</li></ol>I hope you enjoyed learning more silly things about me!<br /><br />I'll be passing this award on to...<br /><br />Babbs at <a href="http://babbsplace.blogspot.com/">Babbs Place</a> even though I think she already got this award but, she's just so darn Stylish!!<br /><br />and<br /><br />Mommyfriend Lori over at <a href="http://mommyfriend.com/">Mommyfriend</a>.<br /><br />Be sure to check them out a well as Monica over at <a href="http://fernaaysfamily.blogspot.com/">Organized Chaos!!</a> because they are awesome ladies!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-32312744009658524012011-02-02T20:14:00.005-06:002011-02-02T20:33:09.170-06:00Great Moms Think Alike WednesdayIt's<a href="http://theunexpectedmother.net/a-letter-to-the-old-me/"> Great Moms Think Alike Wednesday</a> over at <a href="http://theunexpectedmother.net/">The Unexpected Mom</a> and today's prompt is what would you say in a letter to your pre-kiddo self...<br /><br />Dear pre-kiddo self,<br /><br />You will hate being pregnant. You will worry that there is something wrong with you because you hate it so much.<br /><br />Your OBGYN for your first child will be a horrible person but, you will find a wonderful doctor mid-pregnancy who will deliver you at 29 weeks.<br /><br />It will be very scary and you will spend 47 days by your son's side in the NICU.<br /><br />You will realize that you are a thousand times stronger than you think you are.<br /><br />You won't lose your pregnancy weight after your first child.<br /><br />You will get pregnant with your second child before you are ready and you will hate being pregnant AGAIN.<br /><br />You will realize the symptoms of pre-eclampsia earlier than your first pregnancy and will spend 2 weeks on bed rest.<br /><br />You will lose your pregnancy weight after your second child...yay!<br /><br />You will love your children more than you can ever imagine and they will amaze you every day.<br /><br />You will throw yourself a private party when your husband volunteers to get a vasectomy.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-2906175900209207712011-02-01T16:52:00.007-06:002011-02-01T21:18:05.060-06:00Snow Day Chicken ChiliWe had a snow day here today which only happens in Texas because no one knows how to drive when that white stuff starts coming down. It was really fun having Mark home with me and the kids and also a nice break for me.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvL_l7mv2HnqnscJtnfjEoGNYT1_cM6plfc4dVlz3l6hbanpMLQktRlC8t_UIOO38mWSYM-bx40wp1B1eT1TWz6Z2UDIaM28pO5z3a0AbRg8DDFOBN4BvmmZxCWUNyZuQA30yimyLlcBL/s1600/chili.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvL_l7mv2HnqnscJtnfjEoGNYT1_cM6plfc4dVlz3l6hbanpMLQktRlC8t_UIOO38mWSYM-bx40wp1B1eT1TWz6Z2UDIaM28pO5z3a0AbRg8DDFOBN4BvmmZxCWUNyZuQA30yimyLlcBL/s320/chili.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568925422754266690" border="0" /></a><br />When I first saw this Chicken Chili recipe over at <a href="http://cuttingbackkitchen.blogspot.com/">The Cutting Back Kitchen</a> I wanted to make it right away. But, last week it was 70 degrees and no one wants to eat chili when it's 70 outside. I knew it was supposed to be crazy cold this week so I decided I would make it today. This turned out so well, it's definitely a keeper. One weird/cool thing is that the black beans turned the chicken purple. So, this would be great for all of my TCU tailgating friends! I adapted this recipe from Katie at <a href="http://cuttingbackkitchen.blogspot.com/">The Cutting Back Kitchen</a>, if you want to see her original recipe click <a href="http://cuttingbackkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/chicken-chili.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheCuttingBackKitchen+%28The+Cutting+Back+Kitchen%29">here</a>.<br /><br /><br />Chicken Chili<br /><br />3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and cubed<br />3 cans (or one bag dry) black beans<br />32 oz chicken broth<br />16 oz jar of salsa<br />8 oz shredded Colby jack cheese<br />2 tsp cumin<br />1 small can green chilies ( I have awesome in-laws that bring us real green chilies from New Mexico so I used these)<br /><br />This is so easy! Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours and then on low for 2 more hours. Scoop into bowl and add some shredded cheddar or sour cream. I served it with tortilla chips.<br /><br />If you use a bag of dry black beans be sure to sort and soak them over night and then put them in the slow cooker on high by themselves for 2-3 hours before you put the rest of the ingredients in.<br /><br />Yumm!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-12581081728466758912011-01-25T22:11:00.004-06:002011-01-25T22:19:26.163-06:00Dear Makers of JeansDear Makers of Jeans,<br /><br />Just because I have big hips does not mean I have a big waist and thighs. Just because my backside is small does not mean that I want it to look like I have a flat back side. It doesn't make sense that my jeans give me muffin top but I still have to pull them up. Although I am in my 20's I don't want my butt to hang out the back of low rise jeans. Even though I am a mom, I don't want to wear mom jeans. Please make a pair of jeans that fits a normal person.<br /><br />Thank you.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-78108927324152021102011-01-22T09:30:00.001-06:002011-01-22T18:35:16.617-06:00Organizational FailSo, this week my plan was to reorganize the kids drawers. Right now, the dresser/changer holds all of C's clothes and there is a dresser in the closet that holds K's clothes as well as a bunch that are hung up. I wanted to go through and pack up all of the clothes that they had outgrown and make more space in the dresser/changer.<br /><br />Once I packed up all the old clothes I was hoping to have some extra space to pull some of K's clothes into the dresser/changer so they are at hand when I'm changing her instead of across the room.<br /><br />Well, this week was not the week to get this done. K spiked a 103 fever on Sunday through Monday night and the week went downhill from there. So, the new plan is to get this project done next week and if I can get some vacuuming done before Sunday I'll be a happy person. Wish me luck!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-3562522284054558072011-01-21T22:35:00.003-06:002011-01-21T22:49:57.977-06:00The Two Scariest Words Ever... Potty TrainingEeek! C is now 2 and getting bigger by the day. Changing his diaper has become an exercise in torture with the kicking and screaming. One of my non-resolutions for this year is to have him potty trained. I wanted to start right after Christmas but, I'm procrastinating because although I hate changing his diapers, I'm afraid of all the work were going to have to do as a family to get this done.<br /><br />A lot of my friends are about to jump on the potty training band wagon as well. So, we've all been researching and reading and updating our facebook pages with where we are in the process. And everyone has a different approach. With all of the information out there I've heard about <span style="font-weight: bold;">"<a href="http://www.ohcrappottytraining.com/index.html">Oh Crap Potty Training</a>"</span> more than once. Jaime, the author, tells it like it is with a sense of humor which I really like because for those of you who know me outside of bloggyland, I'm pretty straight and to the point. So, I'm pretty interested in this e-book.<br /><br />Shannon over at <a href="http://milkandcuddles.com/">Milk & Cuddles</a> has been using it and considers it 1 of her 4 tools for <a href="http://milkandcuddles.com/2011/01/potty-training-the-four-tools-that-helped-us/">"Potty Training Success"</a> and she's doing a <a href="http://milkandcuddles.com/2011/01/potty-training-a-giveaway/">giveaway</a> right now for one lucky reader to win this book and a 1-hour consultation with Jaime! This is an awesome prize for all us scaredy cat potty training mommas. So hop on over and enter to win!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-53631484647248743162011-01-17T20:38:00.003-06:002011-01-17T20:59:21.892-06:00Just Had to ShareSomething I've been waiting for for the last two years finally happened today. When I walked in the door C called me "Mama." I almost cried.<br /><br />Many of you know that C was born 10.5 weeks early and spent several weeks in the hospital before he could come home. We were told that he could experience developmental delays and we were thrilled when he caught up to his peers more quickly than anticipated. But, there was one area that we have had major delays and that's speech.<br /><br />At 1 year C didn't have any words. He was "talking" like crazy but, in his own language. I wasn't really worried about it knowing that eventually he would catch up. At 18 months he had maybe 5 words, neither of them were "Mama" or "Dada." It was starting to get a little bit frustrating. At his 18 month developmental appointment we learned his speech skills were categorized at around 12 months. Our doctors had us get his hearing tested and we started working with Early Childhood Intervention. <br /><br />All this time we kept hearing people say he'd have a breakthrough and that their children just started talking one day, or he'd talk when he was ready. I'd been pretty patient with not hearing "Mama" from my child but, deep down that's what I really wanted. <br /><br />C turned 2 last month and still wasn't using more than 5-10 words but, over the last two weeks he has started saying more and more things. I almost fell out of my chair when he said "please" for more milk. And today was the best day ever for me as a mom when I walked in the door and he looked at me and said "Mama." I almost hugged him to death!<br /><br />I know we still have more progress to make but, I'm just so excited about this accomplishment I can go back to being patient again.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-67722993458659652312011-01-14T21:15:00.003-06:002011-01-14T21:21:23.199-06:00Make Your Own Baby Wipes<p>When someone first mentioned this to me I thought "that's crazy! what can work like store bought baby wipes??" But, with going down to one income for C's first two years and Baby K coming along and having to go back to work we needed to save some money. So, one day I was out of wipes and I thought, "okay I'll give this a try and maybe I'll save some money. How hard could it be?"</p> <p>Actually, not hard at all, and it does save you money. I've been doing this for almost a year now and I thought I would share it with you.</p> <p>There are a ton of "recipes" for home made baby wipes around the internet but, this is the one I use that works for me.</p> <p>1 jumbo roll Bounty paper towels (these are really thick and won't disintegrate)</p> <p>1 1/2 cups hot water (if you use a regular size roll of paper towels you'll need less water)<br /></p> <p>1 Tbs baby wash (I have used Johnson & Johnson and also generic Target brand baby sensitive)</p> <p>1 Tbs baby oil (whichever you prefer)</p> <p>You will also need a container to keep them in. I use an old ice cream tub that has a handle on it.</p> <div class="mceTemp" draggable=""><dl id="attachment_195" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 310px;" _mce_style="width: 310px;"><dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01574.jpg" _mce_href="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01574.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-195" title="DSC01574" src="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01574.jpg?w=300" _mce_src="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01574.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><br /></dt><dd class="wp-caption-dd">Ingredients</dd></dl></div><p>1. Cut your paper towel roll in half and remove cardboard cylinder. You can save one half for your next batch.</p> <p><a href="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01572.jpg" _mce_href="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01572.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-196" title="DSC01572" src="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01572.jpg?w=300" _mce_src="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01572.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><br /></p> <p>2. Heat your water in the microwave for 2 minutes. Place your halved paper towels cut side down in your container.</p> <p>3. Add baby wash and baby oil to water and stir gently to not create bubbles.</p> <p>4. Pour mixture over paper towel roll. Put lid on container and flip upside down for 5 minutes to let mixture get all the way through.</p> <p><a href="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01575.jpg" _mce_href="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01575.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-197" title="DSC01575" src="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01575.jpg?w=300" _mce_src="http://twoby2.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/dsc01575.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><br /></p> <p>5. Use wipes!</p> <p>Easy! This usually lasts me a week or so depending on how messy the kids' diapers are, if you only have one child in diapers it would probably lasts 2-3 weeks. And you still have the other paper towel half for the next batch. This is also a great idea for babies with skin allergies because you can use whichever baby wash and oils your baby is able to tolerate. And if you're really creative you can decorate the container and give these as a shower gift with the recipe attached.</p>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-334477831209329282011-01-13T17:08:00.007-06:002011-01-13T21:06:00.570-06:00Kid's Room Clean UpI was so excited about getting organized I hopped right in with something I've been wanting to do for a while. I forgot to take a before picture so, just pretend that the huge brown bookcase is next to the dresser/changer combo you see in picture 3.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkiOeRnJjt3uM5doohkC871a7s_o5OlzPqCcxxkaqj37Rvs_ecsQcwlNx-3sZPppbTLiLE6ozfR5PteWgdrAiAOQOLHbTyoQWHLNo4wutxZxpCgV5ZX0BvafTWEQ2UPkYh_2-huTJEKE6/s1600/DSC01947.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkiOeRnJjt3uM5doohkC871a7s_o5OlzPqCcxxkaqj37Rvs_ecsQcwlNx-3sZPppbTLiLE6ozfR5PteWgdrAiAOQOLHbTyoQWHLNo4wutxZxpCgV5ZX0BvafTWEQ2UPkYh_2-huTJEKE6/s200/DSC01947.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561811433117445714" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Over the summer my brother-in-law moved in with us to help take care of the kids so that I could work part-time. In order to do this we had to put both kids in one room. It's been driving me crazy to have all the clutter and stuff in that room! The big brown bookcase was full of stuff...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pCOllkRo3LWLlF5MKliEUIEvri8vVlmWy5YS0WaXCdVO-R25uNG4EPNMU6xV_GVmaU0aaq0W2gy00v8DdvvRTyC99nR38rP6TahWOFcYEuAGQ7SJb89RUwkf1JcNpkTTFw_lqvdq8DBV/s1600/DSC01950.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pCOllkRo3LWLlF5MKliEUIEvri8vVlmWy5YS0WaXCdVO-R25uNG4EPNMU6xV_GVmaU0aaq0W2gy00v8DdvvRTyC99nR38rP6TahWOFcYEuAGQ7SJb89RUwkf1JcNpkTTFw_lqvdq8DBV/s200/DSC01950.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561811660151900898" border="0" /></a><br />Ugh!<br /><br />I originally thought the brown bookcase would be great because we use cloth diapers for our daughter and we needed a place to put them along with the disposables we're still using for C. But, it's just so massive it made the room feel smaller and blocked the window. Also, C really likes to rock in the rocking chair that is a family heirloom and he knocks it into the bookcase constantly damaging both.<br /><br />Once I moved the monster bookcase out of the room, I brought in a shelf unit that we've been dragging around since college. It's sturdy and can take a beating.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk6UF_2cCxkKmjpFYUNQts_8vQwSBLj3t8bPKnQc4jHV8WnmiHPQXv09Rnc3fdttsS413LB31wlhZKIOumOXzvX3z9ezPOGUfQS91GGXIGZg6FhUcMbLEac4rqFCt3OoCxo1KYJFaGEME/s1600/DSC01949.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkk6UF_2cCxkKmjpFYUNQts_8vQwSBLj3t8bPKnQc4jHV8WnmiHPQXv09Rnc3fdttsS413LB31wlhZKIOumOXzvX3z9ezPOGUfQS91GGXIGZg6FhUcMbLEac4rqFCt3OoCxo1KYJFaGEME/s200/DSC01949.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561811558267429682" border="0" /></a><br />I brought in a basket we were using for C's books in the living room cabinet to put all of the cloth diaper stuff in to keep it organized. I also put a lamp on top for our night time book reading. Then I put all of C's books on the shelf below that.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQv_fcIoMXm1OKmwZIEslqmdDJhmaCMm_UWVHjACYqNX6YSILQW6sf76SARzv0vKJPfF-Og_jVtHoO2qNodfBSrAz5BhKasJ4f-AMiykyEPA9wIvowz3cxJfZMPiUpmqbXblNuU463NCo/s1600/DSC01952.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQv_fcIoMXm1OKmwZIEslqmdDJhmaCMm_UWVHjACYqNX6YSILQW6sf76SARzv0vKJPfF-Og_jVtHoO2qNodfBSrAz5BhKasJ4f-AMiykyEPA9wIvowz3cxJfZMPiUpmqbXblNuU463NCo/s200/DSC01952.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561811760943887810" border="0" /></a><br />The last thing I did and the only thing I actually bought was to put some baskets on the bottom two shelves to hold toys and small board books. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyFOBBpbY2Jo2Kx14oaBuP0hvHdVmoy6OeHAF7nULqDhjQWBR8EubBHcnXuMp1AXVr4J91Rlost7D_0YelCY627NYP6nhlwvD9M_AnKb90QXs_U_eZHUdQfbiPAv-PZS0hJiatkVmvyj-/s1600/DSC01966.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyFOBBpbY2Jo2Kx14oaBuP0hvHdVmoy6OeHAF7nULqDhjQWBR8EubBHcnXuMp1AXVr4J91Rlost7D_0YelCY627NYP6nhlwvD9M_AnKb90QXs_U_eZHUdQfbiPAv-PZS0hJiatkVmvyj-/s200/DSC01966.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561811847617173810" border="0" /></a>I love it! It really opens up the room and I can see the window when I walk into the room(the window is to the right of the rocking chair). I love that C no longer climbs on the rocking chair to reach his books too. <br /><br />Next week's project... figuring out what to do with the monster bookcase.Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-27572532808974483262011-01-07T21:26:00.004-06:002011-01-07T22:03:04.881-06:00Organization is My New Middle Name<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://orgjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Org-Junkie-small-2011.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 125px;" src="http://orgjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Org-Junkie-small-2011.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Lara/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png" alt="" /><br />Browsing through blogs today I came across<a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2011/01/52-weeks-1-where-will-you-start.html"><span style="font-style: italic;"> I'm an Organizing Junkie</span></a>'s 52 week organization challenge. I thought to myself, "this is awesome!"<br /><br />When I got my part-time job in October it was at The Container Store, the guru of organization. I love The Container Store, I've shopped there since college. Unfortunately, I am not a guru of organization. I'm more of an organized mess. I feel like a hypocrite some days working there helping people organize their lives when I can't even organize my own. I will say though, that I have started to organize more of my stuff and look for more creative ways to do so since I started there. There are just so many cool ways to store and organize your things.<br /><br />I've been trying to figure out how to organize myself and my family better. My husband is constantly trying to get me to put my things away and they just pile up on my dresser. I would love to buy a ton of elfa products from The Container Store but, until I've saved enough for that I'll be content to reorganize(or organize for the first time) what I have. This is where Org Junkie's <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/2011/01/52-weeks-of-organizing.html">52 week challenge</a> comes in. Each week you do something little so you don't feel overwhelmed by it all. I love that!<br /><br />This is the first week and the topic is "Where will you start?" Each week Laura will post a few questions about the week's projects on Friday for everyone to discuss. I'm just so excited about it!! I found out about this at the end of the week but, I already have tons of ideas brewing. So, this week's questions are...<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;"> <p>1. Do you have your list written? (if you missed it, you can find the pdf <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/52-wks-of-organizing-checklist.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>)</p><p>I'm still working on my list but, among the things on it are...February do the kids closet, March the kitchen, April master bedroom closet, May master bathroom, I need to work on each individual week.<br /></p> <p>2. What is the first thing on it that you hope to accomplish this week?</p><p>I actually had a goal before I saw this challenge to clean out my glass and tupperware cabinet and I did it on Tuesday. I was so excited!<br /></p> <p>3. How are you going to make it happen?</p><p>I love to cross things off of a list that's a huge motivation but, I'm also counting on my husband and readers to hold me accountable.</p><p><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /></p></blockquote>This should be fun. I'll take pictures of each project I'm tackling and do a post each Friday. Are you in??Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-46746394208904893092011-01-05T21:53:00.000-06:002011-01-05T21:15:10.592-06:00A New Year a Non ResolutionI've been thinking about New Year's resolutions along with the rest of the world for the past week. Every year I try to think of a creative resolution, like in 2006 I resolved to do something different that I hadn't done before. That year I raised $2300 and walked 60 miles in the Breast Cancer 3Day. I think that was about the coolest resolution I've had and actually followed through on.<br />Last year my resolution was to be a good mom. It's not a creative or unique resolution, it's not even measurable. But, I think I achieved it. I've been away from the blog a while, pretty much since baby K was born in July. During that time I was fulfilling my resolution to be a good mom, not that I wasn't before then, I just had a little more time! In June and July I spent several weeks on bed rest before baby K was born and in October I went back to work for the first time in two years so I could help pay for baby K and C. Kiddos are expensive! Those are just two big things in between the loving my new baby girl and her big brother, changing diapers, midnight feedings, working, changing diapers, 3am feedings, playing, and did I mention changing diapers?<br />So, this year I had a hard time thinking of a resolution. Of course I still want to be a good mom but, I wanted a new resolution. And no using the "I want to lose weight or diet and exercise." That's a cop out resolution. Every one wants to lose weight! So, I decided this year no resolutions for me just a list of things I would like to do this year. Here are my non resolutions for 2011...<br /><ol><li>Potty train C...eek!</li><li>Write on this blog twice a week and actually keep it up the whole year.</li><li>Read blogs again, I really miss all my blog peeps.</li><li>Stop getting caught up in what I don't have and enjoy what I do have.</li><li>Go on a date with my husband</li><li>Go on a date with my husband and not regret leaving the kids at home.</li><li>Take the kids to the zoo.</li><li>Keep up with the house cleaning...ugh</li></ol>Here we go 2011. Happy New Year to all!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-30682853992985310202011-01-04T22:09:00.003-06:002011-01-04T22:11:19.333-06:00Please Excuse the MessSince it's been 5 months since my last post some things will be changing around here. Please excuse the roughness while I change some things around. <br /><br />Happy New Year!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-38014113400927445862010-08-18T15:19:00.002-05:002010-08-18T15:36:26.117-05:00Nuts and BoltsSaturday night C climbed/fell out of his crib and came screaming into the living room because all of a sudden he seems to have a fear of sleeping. So, immediately my husband converted K's crib (which she isn't using yet) into the toddler day bed with the rail and switched the two cribs. This would have gone a lot smoother if we would have realized two years ago that C's crib which does convert requires a $70 conversion kit. Hence, the taking apart two cribs and switching rooms. <br /><br />C is not a fan of the new situation either. He eventually goes to sleep at night after screaming at the gate we had to put up in his door way for half an hour or longer. And the two hour afternoon nap he desperately needs? Nope, hasn't taken one for two days. His books are getting a work out though.<br /><br />Last night, C fell asleep sitting straight up in his booster chair at dinner. The poor kid is so tired he can't handle anything. He's crying all the time and on top of new baby clingy-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ness</span>, he's even more clingy. I read an article on baby center that said after a few days if the toddler is still having issues with his new bed, it's a good idea to put him back in the crib because he's just not ready to transition. It's only been 5 weeks since K came home from the hospital and I know he's just having a really hard time.<br /><br />Then today rolls around. He slept until 9:15 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">woohoo</span>! We try to go meet our play group for breakfast which turns into a disaster so, we come home and I try to put him down for a nap. Of course he doesn't sleep. I talk to my husband and tell him one of the other girls in my group took the spring out of the crib and put the mattress on the floor and her kid didn't die. We didn't do that originally because we know our kid would find some way to wriggle under there and get stuck. So, we decided since someone else tried it, I would make the switch. Keep in mind, we've already taken both cribs apart and put them back together in different rooms once...<br /><br />I remove the bed rail from K's crib that's in C's room, put the front back on and the mattress on the floor...it's noon. By 12:45 this is finished and C is put in the crib for 5 minutes before he crawls underneath the crib and comes out. Sigh. We have lunch. At 2 pm we go back to C's room with the measuring tape, only 6 inches of space between the bottom of the crib and the floor! K's room with C's original crib only 4 inches...okay round 2.<br /><br />I take apart C's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">original</span> crib and move it C's room and put it back together with the mattress on the floor. With this one there is no way he's getting out of there. The mattress is stuck between the crib walls and nothing can get between it, no little hands or feet. Why didn't we do this in the first place??! It's 3 pm. I put C in the crib move K's fully assembled crib to the side of C's room because now I have to disassemble and reassemble it back in her room but, that will wait until after C's much needed nap. <br /><br />3:34 C finally stopped crying while I'm writing this and has gone down for his nap. He used to be awesome at nap time and bed time, what the heck happened? And why do cribs have so much hardware??Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-10617155957662378912010-08-05T22:23:00.002-05:002010-08-05T22:30:39.374-05:00I'm Still Alive I Promise!It has been one crazy month. After two weeks in the hospital on bed rest, my body decided that it could no longer be pregnant. Katherine Grace made her appearance on July 9th at 1:49 pm via emergency C-section, weighing in at 5 lbs 10 oz and 18.5 inches long. She was perfectly healthy and was able to stay with me in my room after the first harrowing night that I had. I was not perfectly healthy but, I am now. <br /><br />Katherine has been doing great and made it over 6 lbs by her 2 week appointment! C has been having some adjustment issues but, we're working on it. <br /><br />I've been working on recovering and taking care of 2 children under 2 so, that's why I have been MIA. I'm still here, I promise and soon we'll be back in the swing of things! And in the meantime, if you have any suggestions on how to make C feel more included and better about his role as big brother please let me know!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-78355914870863782182010-07-03T09:24:00.005-05:002010-07-03T09:47:15.189-05:00Tyne Boden Necklaces reviewRecently, I had a chance to win a necklace from <a href="http://tynebodennecklaces.blogspot.com/">Tyne <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Boden</span> Necklaces</a>. Since Tyne was getting geared up for the 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> of July she was offering her <a href="http://tynebodennecklaces.blogspot.com/2010/06/american-saturday-night-giveaway.html">American Saturday Night Necklace</a>. It was a super cute silver linked necklace with a blue ribbon and red, white, and blue stars hanging off of it. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of me wearing it since I'm still in the hospital but here is a picture of the necklace...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyswxCQxrFUlPCX42KoGIZUC20Ce2S3wWULcBU4I0mnN4qMdEjS08FTMepntyf-Zx5m5PV3-HiVy9zyPPmAkRGe_xDQJazCttA8SLxotvtPX-ktPwubaaaGF4IzdpHadVYJnQkVYscL2vI/s1600/Ameican+Saturday+Night.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyswxCQxrFUlPCX42KoGIZUC20Ce2S3wWULcBU4I0mnN4qMdEjS08FTMepntyf-Zx5m5PV3-HiVy9zyPPmAkRGe_xDQJazCttA8SLxotvtPX-ktPwubaaaGF4IzdpHadVYJnQkVYscL2vI/s200/Ameican+Saturday+Night.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489690232747587170" border="0" /></a><br />When I got the necklace, I was super excited and C loved the little stars hanging off of it. I am also a big fan of Tyne's other necklaces she made one recently called <a href="http://tynebodennecklaces.blogspot.com/2010/06/stone-and-green-world.html">The Stone and the Green World</a> that was just beautiful.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKim22sa3rv2D2L7_G4l7T2UBCjI1WcJahpsOlKq_4Q5fACiLtfqqqt5W3hx5TM0oZ8bhUXt3wT-Yhun9n7qzywnBIVhy2Yjhwh0IFDQmpr4iBhGh-6wEhtlkqztLhyphenhyphenbVW3-NjxwYWFRE/s1600/The+Stone+and+The+Green+World.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKim22sa3rv2D2L7_G4l7T2UBCjI1WcJahpsOlKq_4Q5fACiLtfqqqt5W3hx5TM0oZ8bhUXt3wT-Yhun9n7qzywnBIVhy2Yjhwh0IFDQmpr4iBhGh-6wEhtlkqztLhyphenhyphenbVW3-NjxwYWFRE/s200/The+Stone+and+The+Green+World.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489690369678024786" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You can order a necklace that she has already made with her order form or you can custom order necklaces from her.<br /><br />Want to win a necklace from Tyne?? Today is the last day of her <a href="http://tynebodennecklaces.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html">Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams</a> July giveaway where she is giving away not one but two awesome necklaces! Make sure to check her out and enter her giveaway...you won't be disappointed!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Disclosure: I won this necklace from a giveaway and did a review of it. I was not compensated in any way</span>.</span><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/mlara/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" />Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-58352989874761100522010-06-28T13:19:00.003-05:002010-06-28T13:46:38.345-05:00Proud to be a Theta MomHeather at <a href="http://www.thetamom.com/">Theta Mom</a> is celebrating her one year "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">blogoversary</span>." <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Woohoo</span>! Part of her celebration has been to ask her readers to submit posts telling what makes them Theta Moms. If you haven't been over to Theta Mom you must go there immediately. Heather writes genuinely about what it is to be a mom, what other moms don't tell you before your children are born, and other fun topics. Check out her Mission describing what it is to be a Theta Mom and you'll see you fit right in!<br /><br />I've been thinking about this post for a few days and during this time some things have changed dramatically in my life as a mom so, it should be interesting to see what I come up with...<br /><br />My son C, now 18 months, wasn't exactly planned. I always knew I wanted to be a mom and have two kids but, the timing of his conception wasn't quite what we were expecting. I had a tough pregnancy working up until I went into the hospital at 29 weeks. But, I was happy to be welcoming him into the world. When at 29 weeks and 5 days I had to deliver via emergency C-section due to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Pre</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">eclampsia</span>, I wasn't worried about my own health, I was worried about this precious new life that was coming too soon.<br /><br />I did worry a little about the fact that we didn't have any baby clothes, the nursery wasn't set up, we weren't baby proofed at home. But, more than anything I was worried about being the mom I would need to be to guide this fragile life into the world and get him through his extended stay in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">NICU</span>. <br /><br />The thing about being a mom of a preemie is that no one really talks about it. Mothers don't want to scare new mothers about the ins and outs of what happens in there. I didn't want to tell some of my friends that were expecting because I didn't want them to freak out. But, during C's time and mine in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">NICU</span> I found my true calling as a mother. I found that you will do whatever it takes to make sure your child is happy and healthy, whether it is sitting round the clock holding his hand through the window of an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">isolette</span> or pumping milk every three hours for 6 weeks because you want him to have the best nutrition available even though he can't breast feed.<br /><br />I spent every day for 47 days with C and no one will tell you how hard that is. No mother ever wants to see her child hurt or suffering whether they are 5 days, 5 years, or 35 years. But, I know that this experience is what shaped me for my role as a mother. At 18 months, C is thriving you wouldn't be able to tell that he was born so early. He looks just like his father and has a laugh that will make you grin.<br /><br />I am currently pregnant with Baby Girl and this past week at 33 weeks started showing signs of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pre</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">eclampsia</span> again. I have now been on bed rest for 5 days in the hospital and we are waiting to see how things go but, it's looking like Baby Girl will be coming early as well. This time around I'm not as nervous. I've been through this. I know I can do it and I know that I have what it takes to be the mom I need to be. This time my worries are on my husband and C. I think C has it under control to take care of his dad :-)<br /><br />Being a Theta Mom, a proud mother, for me is knowing that I have what it takes even if it is a different road than all of the others, knowing that I will do anything for my children, including laying on my side for days on end. It's being willing to share with other mothers the hard parts of being a mom and not putting a sunny face and telling them it's so easy when in fact, it is the hardest job out there. And above everything, loving your role as a mother and embracing it with everything you have.<br /><br />Happy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Blogoversary</span> Theta Mom and thanks to all you other Theta moms out there!!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-30897347597826145732010-06-26T21:53:00.002-05:002010-06-26T22:08:57.673-05:00Bed Rest Day 3... Things They Don't Tell YouHere it is, day 3 in the hospital. So far, I've been pretty optimistic. I can make it through the next 3 weeks on bed rest either in or out of the hospital...today I discovered it gets harder to be optimistic as the days drag on.<br /><br />Thankfully, hubby brought the laptop yesterday which helps pass a few hours at a time. He also came by again today with C for a few hours and that helped a lot. The downside...they came to take my blood pressure while the family was here and it had sky rocketed. It has since gone down slightly which is good.<br /><br />So, the things your doctor doesn't tell you about when you might have to go on bed rest...<br /><br />1. Obviously, it sucks<br /><br />2. Even though your bed goes up and down you are supposed to stay flat. You can only sit up to eat.<br /><br />3. Because you aren't moving, your bowels won't move... yup, no poop<br /><br />4. TV gets old after while, even if you don't usually have access to cable.<br /><br />5. Doing nothing makes you tired but, it's hard to sleep.<br /><br />6. Every day on bed rest keeps your baby out of the NICU three extra days... a nurse told me this today, I don't know if it's actually true.<br /><br />As I think of more, I'll add them. So far, it's looking like I'm going to be enjoying and extended stay here at Presby Dallas. We should find out more on Monday. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-69518598197142282722010-06-25T18:33:00.002-05:002010-06-25T18:44:16.867-05:00It's Been a Rough DayOkay fabulous readers, I'm taking a time-out from deals and house stuff. For the past two days I have been chilling in my very own roof/parking garage view room of the hospital. At 33 weeks, my blood pressure has started to inch up into Pre-eclampsia territory.<br /><br />The good news... I'm 4 weeks more pregnant this time than with C. Which means if delivery happens early, less time in the NICU. To read more about C's story go <a href="http://twoby2.wordpress.com/christophers-story/">here</a>.<br /><br />The bad news... I'm being monitored until at least Monday, and may be here for 3.5 more weeks until I hit 37 and can deliver or, I can go home Monday for 3.5 weeks of bed rest at home. <br /><br />The other bad news... The Illinois job fell through, we're not moving, we're taking the house off the market. <br /><br />It's safe to say, it has been a rough few days for my family. We're holding together and hubby is being a champ staying with C. Uncle J is pretty awesome too, watching C yesterday for 7 hours and changing his first diaper!<br /><br />So, I've now joined the ranks of the bed resting mommas. I have limited access to the internet but, I'll try to come up with some fun posts on how to survive bed rest!Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3611398157661679218.post-91401446138693838082010-06-23T20:38:00.003-05:002010-06-23T20:54:56.308-05:00Diapers.com is Awesome!With all of the crazy stuff that is going on around here, I've become a big fan of shopping online. Usually, I'll run out to Target or my local Albertson's with my coupons and pick up the 9,000 diapers I need. But, right now we just have so much to do and my pregnant body doesn't really like loading and unloading a toddler in 100 degree weather.<br /><br />I had heard of <a href="http://www.diapers.com/">Diapers.com</a> before and was sort of skeptical because I'm one of those people that waits until you're using the last diaper out of your diaper bag before you go to the store. I thought I probably wouldn't get my diapers in my time of need! But, if you order before 6 pm about 2 days before you are about to run out of diapers you will be good to go. The diapers ship quickly and you don't have to worry about leaving the house.<br /><br />I was so excited when I ordered my diapers because I was a first time customer, I got $10 off of my order as well as the coupons for $3 off Huggies that Diapers.com supplied. I also received free shipping because my order was just over $49. It was awesome! On top of that, I went through Ebates.com (which you should also check out) and I received 1% cash back on my purchase. You can get 1-4% cash back from Ebates.com when you shop Diapers.com. One other thing, you can also mail them your manufacturers coupons and they will credit them to you account! How cool is that??<br /><br />I was so happy with my purchase that I am about to order a few more things for Baby Girl from them during their huge June sale. When you sign up for an account with them you can also get credit for referring other shoppers. Your friends can also save $10 on their first order and they can get $5 towards their second order! And you get credit too! This is definitely something worth checking out. If you're interested in visiting Diapers.com click on the button from my side bar and if you purchase something you can enter my referral code for you $10 off...HAAR6944 is my code, it's also on my button. You can join the referring fun by checking out their <a href="https://www.diapers.com/MyAccount/ReferralProgram.aspx">Refer-a-Friend Program</a>. Have fun checking out all of their great gear, toys, and fun things for mom!<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Disclaimer: I did not receive anything from Diapers.com for this post. I'm just sharing my enthusiasm for a great company!</span><br /></span>Christinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09134017510171714667noreply@blogger.com0