Olivia's Christmas List

It's about that time of year again... Christmas! I know that family will be asking what Olivia wants for Christmas so I thought I would start compiling a list now to prevent the deer-in-head lights response I normally give and then later think of better ideas. This.. and it helps me organize my OWN thoughts. FAMILY! If you decide to get something from the list, please let me know so we do not duplicate efforts. Lucky for you.. I won't shop until a week before. :p I procrastinate like that... shocking? I bet. Ha!

Please note, these are in no particular order:

1. Legos (the real, original size for big girls)


2. Highlights High Five Magazine Subscription


3. Board Games


4. Books - Anything age appropriate or educational (she likes space and dinosaurs right now)


5. Colored Socks - She loves these. No ankle socks - they bug her


6. Puzzles - 25 to 45 pieces are age appropriate


7. Preschool Computer Games


8. Tag Reading System and books


9. Leadpad Tablet


10. Gift Certificate for Build-a-Bear


11. Preschool Workbooks


12. Dress Up Clothes


13. Kids National Geographic Magazine or Videos

Home Made Laundry Soap - DIY Project

You many not know this... but I am a laundry Nazi. Seriously... just ask my husband. There are many rules and regulations I have about the way laundry should be done to perserve the clothing and get them the absolute cleanest possible. The basics go like this:



1. Sort by Color - Whites, Darks, Lights

2. Sort by Type - Delicates, Jeans, Towels, Cottons

3. Jeans should ALWAYS be turned inside out to assure minimal fading

4. Water temperature - Towels, sheets, and whites all require HOT water... everything else is cold

5. Whites always use bleach

6. Olivia's laundry requires search and application of stain remover on every piece... also requires an added laundry boost such as Oxy Clean



Ok.. those are the basics. :p There are much more 'sub rules'. Needless to say I am a little nuts. But please note that this method allows my daughter to sport expensive labels (that were bargain shopped) and I never throw away stained clothes. Stains don't happen in my house... ever. So quality of laundry care is important. I loved the initial idea of making laundry soap.. its green and better for your family (less chemicals).

However... what my family DOESN'T know.. is I will gladly continue to subject them to harsh laundry chemicals for the sake of my laundry. That's terrible.. isn't it? However after MUCH research I was convinced that:


A. My laundry will, in fact, get cleaned

B. Stains will NOT be an issue

C. It will not wear my clothes out any faster


So This was a go-ahead for me! I bought the supplies at my local walmart and a cheese grater at the Dollar Tree for... you guessed it... a dollar.






REQUIRED ITEMS:



Washing Soda - $2.00

Borax - $4.00

1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap - $1.00

1 Cheese Grater - $1.00



TOTAL COST: $8.00

** Please note teh above supplies will make FAR more than one set of detergent!!!






Directions:

Grate 1 Bar of Fels Naptha Soap (I hear Zote works great too)

Combine the grated Soap with 1 Cup Washing Soda and 1 Cup Borax and mix well.


Thats it! I use 2 tablespoons per LARGE load of laundry. I did laundry all weekend and the clothes look GREAT!!! So how much does it cost per load of laundry? I don't know.. dirt cheap... pennies maybe?? I made one batch of the detergent and did about 6 loads of laundry.. there is no dent so far. It is clearly going to last a LONGGGG time. If you want to give it a try, I encourage you! However, I know there are special instructions for people who have hard water so you may want to do some research if thats you.



The recipe I used is from the diynatural site.

Nap time for everyone... except the pregnant momma!!

This afternoon I am experiencing a rarity in my house.... quiet time. If you are a mom you will understand when I say that no matter just how sleep deprived you become, on the rare occasion everyone naps without you... you will beyond a shadow of a doubt, stay up to enjoy the sweetness that is a quiet house.

This afternoon I was feeling exhausted. Our air conditioner went out so it was hot, I was cleaning and that made me tired, not to mention the baby I am carrying arou

nd these days. However, after starting to doze off my daughter wanted some time and attention, so... I got up! My husband, on the other hand, continued to nap. haha!

So I got up, spent some time with her and she wanted to watch a movie so I gladly put one in. At this point I dismissed myself to the kitchen to start prepping dinner for later this evening, folded some laundry, switched some out, and put in a new load. Then I peek in the office room where my daughter is... and shes ACTUALLY napping! This is rare t

hese days now that we are quickly approaching her fourth birth

day.

I peek in at my husband... and hes out cold too. However, unlike my daughter who was chillaxing, my husband has burrowed himself under blankets to block out the light, I am sure.

Whats a post like this with out pictures??? I agree. I just love this.

Talks with a Preschooler

So... we pick Olivia up from school the other day. I ask her how her day is and she is telling me all about it. I asked her some questions I normally ask such as ... what did you learn about today? Who did you play with? Read any good books? And then I asked..... what did you guys have for snack? This is when she informed me 'junk food'. Then she goes on to tell me that she asked her teacher why they always feed her junk food. And I said (stifling a laugh) so what did she say? She pipes up and said "she just looooooooooked at me... like this" (immitates a glare).

It cracked me up.

Kids really do say the darndest things. And I am sure her teacher thinks she got that from me. Ooooops!

Criminals, Media, and our fellow Americans - A Small Rant

This is something that I had no intention on blogging about. However, this is something that constantly resurfaces in my mind especially since the Casey Anthony trial exploded through the media.

I am experiencing frustration and disappointment, not just with the despicable crimes that are becoming even more common, not just with the common failures of our justice system, but also with my peers. We can expect our media to glamourize crimes, it happens all the time. It's news. The media is filled with speculation, assumptions, arrogance, opinions, and even entertainment. The justice system is imperfect. No one has the solution to common problems and everyone wants to make an example of someone to promote their own agendas. Lawyers do this, judges do this, and now... jury members do this. But sense when do Americans feel it necessary to play God and determine another person’s fate without proof?

Everyone seems to be on a modern day witch hunt with the Casey Anthony trial. Everyone is emotionally fueled and not thinking clearly which is why our justice systems motto is "innocent until proven guilty". There was no proof of anything substantial in the trial and yet everyone wants to see this woman get the death penalty. People scream that the justice system failed.... failed how? My letting a woman go that the government couldn't prove did a crime? Perhaps we should give people life in prison and the death penalty based on assumptions? Would they feel the same way if the person on trial was their mother, father, or child?

It is a terrible tragedy that a child was harmed and her life was cut short, this is undisputable. However, without any motive or proof for Casey Anthony it is now between her and whichever god she prays to. It is not our job to hold our peers accountable... it is the lords. Perhaps we should all practice love, forgiveness, and focus on our own lives instead of promoting a witch hunt fueled by vindication. Let us ask ourselves not what can we do to punish but what can we do to help keep our own loved ones safe?

Kids say the darndest (and most embarrassing) things!

This evening my family was putzing around Big Lots.. just shop looking, mostly. When I paused to look at some pictures for the living room walls... and it just HAPPENED! Olivia single-handedly mortified me in less than 5 seconds!

"Hey mom... what does SHEEE have in HERRR Tummy?"

After I realized what she said I looked up, horrified, to see a rather large woman walking towards us. Luckily she wasn't looking at me, although I am sure she heard it. I quickly turned our cart around and moved swiftly 3 isles back where my husband was admiring bathroom furnishings. I quickly told him what she said, but I think he was only half paying attention. Still mortified, I quickly told him I would tell him later. It just occurred to me... I forgot to tell him.

So in hushed whispers, frantically looking all around us, I explain to my three year old why we don't ask those questions. This is a very difficult task because to her, it was a perfectly legitimate question to ask, but to an adult it was a perfectly rude statement to make. I paused for a moment weighing the pros and cons of explaining weight issues and carefully planning reciprocating answers for each following question that would surely ensue...

But why are some people overweight?

Why don't they fix it if they don't like it?

Why do people eat bad food?

Why don't people exercise?

What kind of health issues?

Will I be overweight?

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

It was at this point that I settled on .... because some peoples tummies are just larger, but saying that might hurt their feelings. If you want to know an answer to something like that just quietly ask momma next time. We will save the explanations on the hardships of life for another day.