Solved!

Thanks for the tips everyone!  That's why I asked!  The most obvious solution to my shoe storage issue hadn't even occurred to me.  But we definitely have a winner, YAY!  And for $10 (with coupon) at Bed Bath and Beyond, I'm THRILLED!  I have shoe storage and room for other things (mail, garage door openers, sunglasses, etc.)  WOOT!

Happy Summer 2011

It's a Monday on a Tuesday!  Gotta love holiday weeks.  Happy summer, everyone!!

HELP!

I am in need of some tips for shoe storage in our "mudroom" (just off the garage), which is also our laundry room.  Not counting the floor-space where the washer and dryer are, we have about 4' by 5' of floor space.  And two doors open INTO this room into each other on the wall opposite the washer and dryer.  Hence, no floor-space against any walls.  Super handy, I know.  All of our shoes seem to congregate in this room.  Winter is by far worse....a pile of flip-flops in the summer isn't the worst thing but it still annoys me.  Anyone else have this issue?  And if so, what is your resolution?  I really don't want to keep shoes in the garage.  First of all I don't think it would work.  Second of all, we have spiders in the garage sometimes and I don't want to have to worry about one of us putting our foot into a shoe crawling with spiders.  BLEH!  If I set something up elsewhere in the house, again, I am convinced it will not work. My family (including myself) takes our shoes off in the mudroom.  We just do and probably always will.  So any suggestions you may have to help tidy up this problem would be greatly appreciated!!

Daddy and Gemma at bedtime

Here they are reading a story the other night at bedtime.  I walked by the room and just thought this was too sweet, so I had to grab the camera. 

Small successes XXXV

1.  Turned four of my t-shirts into sleeveless shirts for summer with about 45 minutes time, some scissors and my sewing machine.  I am THRILLED with how they turned out.  I'm not a fan of tank-tops, but I really despise the idea of rocking a farmer's tan all summer, so these will be just perfect for our summer activities (time at the park, nature walks, etc.) And it was sooooo easy.  Here I am wearing the Cabo san Lucas one.  It was our honeymoon destination, and oh how I hope to make it back there some day...

2.  Became a "Gold Member" at our library.  For $25 a year we no longer have to pay the quarter fee for holds.  YAY!  Bring on the books!!!

3. Morning prayers with the children had been getting a little too crazy lately.  Too many distractions for Gemma, too many things for Kolbe to get into, which led to one grumpy mommy.  Just the right combination for our starting-the-day-prayers.  Not.  We typically prayed in the living room by our "prayer table" (which is simply one of our end tables).  We have now started praying at the kitchen table after breakfast.  I just move the candle and crucifix in there during prayer-time.  It has been working splendidly.  Thank you God!

Share your successes and read about others' each Thursday over at Chocolate For Your Brain!

Whiney Wednesday XX

1.  Somehow almost every shirt in my son's wardrobe this summer is striped.  I mean, it's not really a big deal, and he looks very handsome in stripes (I guess that's why I bought over half a dozen striped shirts in the first place...)  But really?  I mean, could I have not been just a little more creative when it came to variety?

2. I am noticing that I often talk to my daughter with the same tone/words that I often turn my nose up at in a very judgmental way when I hear another parent talking to their children in the same manner (at the store, the park, etc.)  This frustrates me greatly at myself. 

3. I washed our bed linens this past weekend.  As I was putting them back on I somehow cut my thumb (because I am clever like that) and bled on the clean sheets in several places.  BLAST!  (And for the record, yes, I left it and didn't rewash the sheets.  Don't judge.)

Got a whine?  Care to share?  Check out simplemama for the info and rules.

Kolbe's favorite toy

If this car had an odometer, it would probably have miles on it by now!  It belongs to my in-laws, and they graciously loaned it to us after seeing how much Kolbe enjoyed it at their house.  He can get around pretty good with this thing.  He and Gemma have invented a new game called "Running and Chasing".  As if you need an explanation of how that game works...but they run around the living room and couch like a bunch of crazy banshees (all the while Kolbe pushing his car), squealing gleefully and, well, running and chasing each other.  It is crazy times but it keeps them happy and entertained and they surprisingly get along fairly well while doing this (for the most part), so I've been known to just turn a blind eye rather than discouraging it.  I have, however, declined Gemma's invitations to join in.  One must draw the line somewhere.

Review: Retail-Me-Not

I believe I have mentioned this site before, but I wanted to again sing the praises of Retail-Me-Not.  This site has saved me lots of money on items I intend to purchase.  Before I shop (online or in a store) I quickly check Retail-Me-Not for coupons (printable) or coupon codes.  Often I come up with something, sometimes for the most random things.  Current Labels, for instance, I saved 15% (I think?) on my order, plus got free shipping, which was going to be $6.  So next time you go to order something online, give this site a quick search, you just may be pleasantly surprised.

What are your favorite coupon/coupon-code sites?  Please share in the comments section!

Sweet siblings VIII

Love these moments...

Monthly update - May 2011

I decided to try bullets instead of paragraphs this month.  That way I can be more random and (hopefully) less wordy.  ;-D

GEMMA - 3 years 4 months

• read about some of Gemma's recent "likes" here
• she loves to count things
• She is very trustable.  She likes to get her "treat" (3 chocolate chips and 3 M&M's) by herself after dinner, and even if we are out of the room she will only get three of each.  One day she dropped some and found one on the floor later.  She didn't even ask to eat it.  She drug a chair over, climbed up on the cabinet and put it away.
• She has a disproportionate and irrational fear of bugs.  So much so that she does not want to go to the park anymore for fear of "buggies".  This is starting to drive me a little crazy.
• speaking of things that drive me crazy, she has also discovered that she can pick Kolbe up and carry him around.  heaven help us.
• she has a very strong sense of the way things should be
• Still working on convincing her to wear shorts, but we have packed the jacket away (only to drag it back out the 15th of MAY due to how cold it was, seriously?!)
• She can occasionally carry a tune if it's a song she knows well

KOLBE - 16 months

• took his first steps on the last day of April, but still isn't walking as a means of getting around
• he does love his little push-toy car we are borrowing from grandma and grandpa, and pushes it all over the house with ease
• he knee walks and occasionally bear-walks.  i find both of these to be incredibly amusing and entertaining to watch.
• likes blowing candles out
• "ba-bo" or "ba-ba" is his word for pretty much everything
• he had his first haircut this past month
• he LOVES strawberries.  loves loves loves loves loves them.
• he likes using a fork or spoon and feeding himself from his plate or bowl at dinner.  he does not want help.
• he has gone potty on the potty several mornings.  nothing regular or earth-shattering, but exciting none-the-less.  he typically gets up in the morning with a not-very-wet diaper (odd, I know).
• weighs around 23 lbs and is 33 inches long

Gemma (3yrs 4 months, in the same pants as last month)
Kolbe (16 months, in the same shirt as last month)

Coloring

We have all been enjoying some time coloring lately, even Kolbe!  Gemma likes to draw people, rain and fruit.  She definitely prefers markers to crayons.  She loves to hang her and Kolbe's "art" on the fridge when they are finished.  I need more clip-magnets.  And a bigger refrigerator front. Kolbe likes to scribble and eat the markers.  Or throw them.  But overall it makes for good times and cheap-entertainment, so I can't complain!

Waffles for dinner

I made waffles the other night for dinner (and to stock up my freezer for future breakfasts).  This time I left out the cloves, ginger and nutmeg and added strawberries (and maybe a few chocolate chips too).  With a few scrambled farm-eggs and some fresh cantaloupes it was quite a tasty dinner!!

Bucket-heads

Didn't I just do a post like this a few weeks ago?

Gardening 2011

I suppose "gardening" is probably the incorrect term for me to use, knowing some of the die-hard gardeners who read my blog, but we planted what I consider my (container) garden the other evening.  It mainly consists of several pots and hanging baskets of flowers on the deck.  We are debating some jalapenos in another pot...we have a recipe we love that uses jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and a strip of venison or wild game (or steak or chicken) all wrapped with bacon then grilled.  You should try it!  Fab.u.lous.  But I digress.  This year's flowers...

Red geraniums (my favorite) with a spike

Pansies (these will be replaced by something else
more summer-friendly come late June or so)

Impatiens and ageratum with viney lobelia on either side

Red and pink begonias with silver licorice plant (that will
probably need cut back soon) on either side

Small successes XXXIV

1.  Planted pretty spring flowers on the deck!!

2.  Bought some more rubbermaid tubs for our ever-multiplying pile of childrens' clothing (AAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!) and got everything organized and labeled accordingly.  This wasn't too huge a feat, most of it was already done...we were just beginning to have more clothes than we had tubs so I remedied that and labeled some things a bit more specifically.

3. I think we are finally seeing a small bit of success in the nap department with Kolbe.  It was becoming apparent that the only place he liked to nap was my arms/the mei tai carrier. As much as I try to saver those snuggly moments, I was just reaching a point where it would be nice to have him sleep a bit longer unassisted.  I knew this was not going to happen in his crib (at least without screaming and crying, and I am opposed to going that route), so I got creative.  I nurse/rock him down the first time and put him down sleeping in his crib.  When he wakes up (any where from 30 minutes to an hour later typically) I go in and we lay on a little pallet on his floor together until he falls back asleep (most days this takes less than 5 minutes).  Then I sneak out.  I have a monitor that's very sensitive to any sound in his room, so I know the moment he stirs or wakes up.  This has worked great some days and fair others, but overall it is definitely some positive progress.  YAY!!!

As moms, it's important to recognize our successes big and small!  Share yours and read about others' each Thursday over at Chocolate For Your Brain, and as always, don't forget to check out all the great articles at Faith and Family Live!

Gemma lately

Gemma has some new interests of late.  I mentioned last week about her new puzzles.  She also got Candy Land for Christmas and I finally broke it out the other week.  It's been kind of a source of frustration for me, because she gets it but not quite.  But we're trekking on and often play at least once a day.  She really loves it.

She got Nina Ballerina from her godmother a few years ago and is just now growing into this toy.  She still doesn't quite understand how to dress her "correctly" (as evidenced in the picture), but she really enjoys playing with her and I think it is a nice, less frustrating take on paper-dolls.  It's something she can do by herself or we can work on it together, so that is nice.

We were coloring the other day and I was drawing some fruit.  She was looking at my paper and trying to draw the same thing I was.  I thought she did a pretty decent job. 

Review: Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

I am kind of obsessed with cleaning.  Right or wrong, good or bad (because believe me, it's all those things) I enjoy having a clean house.  Vinegar has always been a favorite go-to of mine for various cleaning projects, and it is still hands-down my number one fave for windows.  I found though, for whatever reason, that I wasn't a huge fan of how it worked on our laminate floors.  So for the past several years I've just been using warm/hot water on its own which works fine.  Well, switching gears for a moment...about eight months ago when Gemma was getting towards the end of her "potty chair career" I was looking for something a little less harsh than Lysol to spray in the chair after she did her business.  I liked the fact that Lysol disinfected.  I did not like the fact that I felt like I was breathing noxious chemicals into my lungs (and those of my babies) every time I sprayed it.  I like to be earth-friendly, and I certainly like to be people friendly when it comes to cleaning products.  I do use a few of the more harsh chemicals on some things, I just haven't found any way around it for toilets and tubs.  Don't worry, they are safely locked away in a cabinet with our Tot-Loks, another product I'd highly recommend by the way.  I do try to use more earth-friendly options for laundry and our dishwasher. So now back to my original point...an option for the potty chair.  A few friends mentioned that I might like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, and let me tell you, "like" would be the understatement of the year.  I really, really like this product a whole lot.  It has a nice, light, clean scent, and it's not just a scent that is masking chemicals (which I have found to be the case with some of the Clorox Green Works products).  It just smells fresh and clean and very pleasant.  There are several scents available, I am partial to the lemon verbena.  This product worked great in the potty chair (which has currently just made its way back out for Kolbe to begin getting acquainted).  I have several of the spray bottles in our bathrooms, and they are very handy for the countertops (which are currently formica).  I also bought a big (32 oz.) bottle of the All Purpose cleaner and I love adding around a tablespoon of it to a gallon or so of hot water when I scrub my laminate and ceramic tile floors.  It works great, smells wonderful, and doesn't leave a residue.  I found this to be a little pricier than other common cleaning products, but I also found that I use less of it (compared to other products) so this kind of off-sets the cost.  I have had the big bottle for 6-8 months now and it's not even yet halfway gone, a little bit goes a long way.  I would highly recommend this product if you're looking for something natural/earth-friendly and effective for various every-day cleaning projects.  The wonderful scent is a great added bonus in my books. 

I received nothing for this review, I simply wanted to take the opportunity to recommend a product that I like.

Look, look!

Look what we have under the lilies in our front yard!!

 

Kolbe's first haircut

Yes, you read that right. My essentially bald son had his first haircut here recently.  While he has the appearance of being bald from the front, he was actually beginning to rock quite the fuzzy mullet in the back, so it was definitely time.  Aaron used his beard-trimmer with the guard set on 4.  It was tough getting that little fuzz to catch, and ended up being a two-person job (!!) but in the end it was a success and our little guy looks very handsome I think.

BEFORE

AFTER

And the "during" shots!

MOMMY!  Make him STOP!!!!

Birthday flowers

I celebrated my birthday recently (31 if you were wondering) and my sweet mama brought me hydrangeas (my favorite!) on my birthday morning.  I was disappointed that most of them were wilted the very next day, but one blessed little stem hung on for around two weeks, and I enjoyed it immensely in a little vase on the center of my table.

Recent reads (April 2011)

Inspired by my friend Kansas Mom, I've decided to keep closer track of what I'm reading here on the blog, for my own sake as well as for the purpose of recommending good reads to others.  SO, my most recent reads along with a brief review of each have been: 

Our Lady of Kibeho: Mary Speaks to the World from the Heart of Africa
by Immaculee Ilibagiza

I will be completely honest here, this book did not do a lot for me.  And I absolutely LOVED Immaculee's other two books (Left to Tell and Led by Faith).  There is just something about Marian apparitions...it's not that I don't believe, it's just that I guess I view them as something that is private revelation (which they certainly are) and while some of the messages are timeless and apply to all, I think it is a very gray line and in my opinion some private information is just best left private.  I'm probably not being incredibly articulate, but that's how I feel in a nutshell.  I think I would have done better either not reading this book at all or simply putting it down after getting into it. The book was however interesting, informative and well-written, so if you enjoy stories on Marian apparitions then I would definitely recommend this book.

They Just Don't Get It: Changing Resistance into Understanding by Leslie Yerkes

This was a FAST read.  Like, 45 minutes to an hour and I was done.  It gave some really good insight into relationships and how to deal with people, especially those who may not be of the same opinion as myself.  Definitely a worthwhile read.

The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux

This book was good.  Very good.  It got better the more I read, I found myself wanting to pick it up every chance I got.  The style in which it was written was definitely different than what I'm used to, so it took awhile to really feel like I was getting into it, but once I did, WOW.  Just gem after gem of wonderful, beautiful wisdom.  A must read for any Catholic.

Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Jacques Philippe

This short (a 1-2 hour read) treatise on internal peace/peace of heart was just amazing.  I actually got this book about a year ago, read the first 20 pages or so...then it sat on my end-table, and in the book basket, and made its way down the basement to my bookshelf.  I'm not sure why I didn't finish it then.  I guess I was just somewhere else spiritually, or maybe God knew how good it would be for me just now.  At any rate, I re-stumbled upon it the other day as I was putting some books up and literally devoured it.  Its message of peace and hope left my heart feeling, well, peaceful and hopeful.  ;-D  It was truly beautiful.  I'd like to quote a bit from the end (don't worry, it's not a 'spoiler').

"If I am still not able to remain at peace when faced with difficult situations, then it is better that I should begin to strive to keep this peace in the easier situations of everyday life: to quietly and without irritability do my daily chores, to commit myself to doing each thing well in the present moment without preoccupying myself with what follows, to speak peacefully and with gentleness to those around me, to avoid excessive hurry in my gestures and in the way I climb stairs! (this really struck me) The first steps on the ladder of sanctity could very well be those of my own apartment!  The soul often is reeducated by the body!  Small things done with love and to please God are extremely beneficial in making us grow."

The whole thing is really just that good. It addresses ways to maintain spiritual peace through all different circumstances and situations.  It heavily quoted St. Francis de Sales, of whom I  found myself quickly becoming a huge fan.  Anyways, I'm definitely intrigued enough to read more Jacques Philippe.

Next up on my bookshelf:

Mountains of Spices by Hannah Hurnard

Crossing the Threshold of Hope by BLESSED John Paul II

I've decided (as you can see) that it's time to give JPII a try. I know I will LOVE what he has to say, his works have just seemed a bit daunting in the past.  I will certainly report back.

Whiney Wednesday IXX

1. I shrunk one of my nice "church" shirts.  Apparently it was "hand wash only".  I read this on the tag after rendering it unwearable. Bleh.

2.  Dear ice cream struck: Please PLEASE, for the love of my sanity, stop driving down my street with your annoying music blaring loudly during my childrens' nap-times (on school days no-less, really??).  You are going to make me lose my mind.

3.  Never again will I buy shoes in advance for my children only to find they are too small by the time the appropriate season rolls around.  Never again will I buy shoes in advance for my children only to find they are too small by the time the appropriate season rolls around.  Never again will I... you get the picture.  ACK!  To clarify, I was able to take said shoes - yes plural - back for exchanges/refunds etc.  Even so...didn't really save a lot of time buying them ahead as I'd intended.  Live and learn.

Got a whine?  Feel free to join in each Wednesday.  Click here for the rules.

Puzzles

Gemma has always enjoyed puzzles.  She got a 24 piece "real" puzzle for Easter, so we opened it (plus a few others I had put back for her) and she is doing really well with them  She still needs quite a bit of help, but she's learning, and requests to put them together several times a day, often first thing in the morning (hence the horrendous bed-head in the picture).