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.

Finger Paint Fun

It has been raining quite a bit lately, so we planned a bunch of indoor activities. One, of which, was making our own finger paints to paint with. Olivia is a bit old for finger paints, but lately she has been asking to do them so I figured... sure! Why not? I was so excited when I just happened to find a recipe online to make your own. We gave it a whirl. He is the recipe:

You’ll Need

* 2 tbsp sugar

* 1/3 cup cornstarch

* 2 cups water

* large sauce pan

* food coloring

Directions:

In a large sauce pan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and water.

Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat (under adult supervision), stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a smooth gel.

Pour into individual containers.

Place food coloring in each container and mix while it is still warm.

Let cool, then store in the glass jars (or other container with a lid).

Use like any finger paint.

Luckily, just as we were done making out finger paint the rain parted ways. We packed up our stuff and headed out to the patio to do our painting out there. I always prefer to do messy things outside.... soooo much easier to hose off a patio than scrub a carpet, wouldn't you agree?

Oh... and in case you didn't notice.... wee do crafts in our jammies. That's right! It helps the creative juices. Or maybe... we are just silly! :)

Have a great week!

xoxo

MO, Marriage, and More

Sadly, I am quite behind in blogging. I will be making an attempt to catch up to speed and get back at it.

We moved to Kansas City, MO and we live out in the outskirts in the middle of no where. We just love it here. It is quiet, peacefully, and we are surrounded by trees, plants, and other shrubbery. It just smells greener here. :) Our house is much larger, which we all love. And we have a backyard again... which we also all love.

Also, Jared and I got married on May 20th. Sooo... feel free to send us a present. Just kidding. :p Someone asked me the other day how married life is. How does one answer that? It feel just like shacking up did... but a bit more official. All is well and we are all happy. Olivia is happy to have a dad.

Hope you are all having a great day!

xoxo

KC Bound!

So this will come as a surprise to everyone.. but we moved again! We left the beautiful majestic mountains of Colorado for... Missouri! However, I was so very pleasantly surprised by how wonderful it is here. Our house is beautiful, much larger, and way more affordable and we have a yard again. That isnt even the best part, the best part is the area! I just love that we are surrounded by greenery in all forms: tall wild grass, lots of trees, great lawns, and even some wildflowers! It is just beautiful here and oh-so-quiet. We live in this very unique subdivision of Kansas City that is surrounded by vacantness (is that a word?). I never realized how much I was ready to get out of the city. I just love the peace and quiet here and we are only about 15 min from civilization and highways.

On another note... I also didn't realize how much I missed the heat!! Colorado fluctuated greatly but the mornings and evenings were frigid regardless! Here? It is 75-80 at night and 90 during the day and sunshiney beautiful and I just love it!

We took a great walk around our subdivision yesterday afternoon: just me, Liv, and the dog. We all enjoyed the fresh air and vitamin D as well as achieved a little first summer glow.

This morning I sat on my patio and drank some coffee in shorts and a tank while reading the news. A little in love. :)

Tip: Hard Boiled Eggs

I am 27 years old, and I love to cook all kinds of foods. However, one thing that seemed beyond me is, quite possibly, the simplest thing in the world: hard boiling eggs!

I never trusted that they would come out right so my theory was to boil the hell out of them. This often results in too firm yolks in the middle and even discoloration. I never minded too much, because it was better than raw! However, I recently learned a trick and I was impressed that it has evaded me all of these years. So... I thought I would share with you!

For the perfectly hard boiled egg:

1. Place the eggs in water and turn on the stove (Med High is good)

2. Wait for them to boil

3. When they boil, turn the burner off and cover the pot with the lid

4. Wait 10-12 minutes... then they are done!

Who knew? Probably you did.... but at any rate, I learned something new!

Laundry VS Purex Complete Softener Crystals

For those of you that know me, I am fascinated by new household products. Kind of silly? Maybe so!

I don't know about you guys but I have always struggled with laundry softener. It seems I never have a washer that has a compartment for softener ... so what do I do? I tried the downy ball... it wasn't all bad although I sincerely question whether or not it releases at the right time. I also hate dryer sheets! I don't know why but they seem too waxy and over-chemically. Most recently though, I discovered the Tide dryer bar. The theory is you replace the bar every three months. This seemed to work great... although the smell left something to desire. However, over time the bar seemed to get nasty and it still seemed a bit too chemically.

Most recently I saw an ad for Purex Complete Softener Crystals and it made me want to try it! The theory here is there are crystals you pour in at the beginning of the wash when you do the soap. I'm assuming they slowly dissolve through the cycles. For those that care, Purex boasts that the crystals are 92% natural... whatever that means. They come in three scents: Fresh Spring Waters (blue), Lavender Blossom (purple), Tropical Splash (yellow). I like a clean scent and I have a man in the house so I chose the Fresh Spring Waters scent which is pretty good.

At any rate, after I used this I was hooked! Not only is the clean smell pleasant but I can actually SMELL it. Static is gone as well, which seems to be a large problem here in Colorado.

I recommend anyone that faces the softener dilemma like I do, to check it out! It cost me just under $4 at Walmart. Not bad!

Laundry and other exciting adventures

So today olivia and I ventured out to find a laundromat. Why you ask? Because I have a king sized comforter that needs to be washed that will not fit in mu washer..which I learned the hard way.

So I found a laundromat ... no thanks to my gps which is currently riding shotgun in jareds car.  This laundromat has bars on the windows and is blaring latin music.  I finally found a large machine...it costs 7 dollars. I am thinking at this point that it might not be much more to dry clean ..which would certainly be more convienent.  So I ask the lady at the counter, whom im not entirely sure understood me and she tells me it would coat 45 dollars!   Back to the expensive machine.

Meanwhile...olivia thinks this is big fun and is dancing to the marriachi band.  The next thing I know she spots a gumball machine to which I give her a quarter..upon further inspection the inside of the machine appears to have years of filth.  Yuck!  But she it her gumball an couldn't bite it. After several tries she had red dye all over her shirt because her mouth is too small and it kept popping out. At this point I did what any good mothr would do... I put tha filthy gumball in my mouth and bit it in half and gave her half.

So here we sit... in dirty chairs chewing dirty gum. What fun and its only 11!

Project 31. Day 6.

Day 6. Jaded beauty. Has the world's definition of beauty ever jaded you?

So, I sat here and stared at this question for quite a while. Jaded isn't exactly a foreign word, you hear it all the time. To me, Jaded always meant something similar to scorned, a chip on your shoulder, made bitter. That is typically the way jaded is used in our society. So I am staring at this question and wondering how I could ever be jaded by the world's deffinition of beauty. Like a puzzle piece, I kept trying to make past thoughts and feelings fit in the jaded spot.

Have I ever been disappointed that I am not as skinny as the world prefers? Sure. Jaded? Not so much. So with this, I wanted to be able to actually write on this topic so I visited dictionary.com to see what THEIR definition of jaded was. Perhaps I can take a different spin? I was surprised at what I found:

Looking at their definition, it doesn't carry near the heavy negative connotation as I felt that it did. So lets look at #2 here, as it would be the most fitting of our topic: worn out or wearied, as by overwork or overuse. I still don't think that I can ever say I was 'jaded' by the world's definition of beauty. Beauty is all about perception, confidence, and inner spirit. None of these things I have ever felt jaded about. I certainly do not give physical attributes enough weight in my worries to be considered wearied or worn out.

So... final answer: NO, I do not ever feel jaded by the world's definition of beauty.

Project 31. Day 5.

Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive

To my sweet & precious love,

Since the day I first felt you move in my belly, I was overcome with a feeling I wasn't sure that I recognized. You continued to grow, and I began singing to you and telling you stories. I think you heard me. :)

We have been through so much my pretty baby. You came into this world with such a struggle on your tiny, little hands. From the moment I saw you, I recognized that feeling: true, unconditional, unaltered, deep-seeded love. It seems like the first year we fought, and fought hard together to get through one obstacle after another. But we made it.

I love you more than words can tell you, I want things for you even greater than I can know. You are intelligent, beautiful, happy, funny, witty, creative, and loving and I admire you in so many ways. I hope that I can guide you down the path of life and help you gain every glory and success your heart desires in this life.

The one thing you may not know, or ever know... is how completely, and utterly you changed not just my heart... but my soul. Before you I was lost and struggling to find myself and my purpose, and by just existing you pulled the blindfold off my eyes and revealed a beautiful, delightful world to me that I never knew existed around me before. In loving you, I was able to find me. Thank you, my Olivia. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for showing me real beauty and helping me to understand my heart and my soul. Thank you for making me want to be a better person for me as well as for you. Thank you for blessing each day.

Olivia full of Grace... I love you.

-Momma

xoxo

I feel pretty.... ohhh so pretty!

This just tickled me this morning, so I wanted to share! We were getting ready and this morning Olivia was particularly adamant that SHE was going to brush her hair this morning before I put it up. No big deal.

As you can see she has a big lump of hair, well I told her not to worry about it because we were going to put it up anyway and you wont be able to tell.

It was at this point that she pipes up and INSISTS that she must make it all "beautiful" for her friends at school. Then she continued to go on and on about how it has to be beautiful for her friends.

Kids say the darndest things, don't they?

Project 31. Day 3

Day 3. Who is someone you know who inspires beauty?

First of all... I apologize for skipping Sunday. It was a very busy day for me. So lets call today... Day 3, shall we?

When being asked who is someone I know that inspires beauty, my mind automatically goes to one person, my sister. Katrina has a way of making anything she touches beautiful. She also makes anything ordinarily beautiful simply amazing. Her creative soul, and positive demeanor is wonderful and even inspiring. She sees the world through pink puffy glasses and just being near her is infectious! Her sense of humor is so very candid that you cannot help but retract to a child-like self.

Besides her glowing self she is so very creative. You could give her popsickle sticks, construction paper, and glitter and she would build you a modern, ultra-hip kitchen table. Ok -- maybe not really -- but at least something cool to sit on TOP of the table.

Thank you for being your wonderful, beautiful self. I encourage you all to take a peek at her blog.

xoxo

Project 31. Day 2.

Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?

I'm a mother

a daughter

a sister

a friend

an employee

a student

a girlfriend

a homemaker

an aspiring chef (in my own home!)

a humanitarian

a realist

So what makes me uniquely me? My heart. I adore most people I meet.... I worry about those I will never meet.... I want to make a difference and touch others lives, as so many have touched mine. Whether it is through volunteering, being a good friend, helping when needed, or any other means, I hope I too can make a difference. There is so much ugly in this world and such a lack of beauty that I believe that we can make it so much more promising if we all work together.

"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." -Gandhi

Project 31. Day 1

Day 1: What does beauty mean to you?

Beauty comes in so many forms, shapes, and designs. Everything from mother nature… to your neighbor down the street. It is too easy to get wrapped up in daily tasks and ignore all the beauty that surrounds us every minute of every day. While I appreciate nature, it’s beauty is fairly obvious. People, on the other hand, do not get nearly enough credit. People are beautiful. To me, nothing is more beautiful than a person with a kind heart. So for this blog, I won’t give a single definition for beauty… instead I will share with you traits that I find beautiful, that I admire, and above all that I hope to possess.

• Laughing without caring who hears you.
• Smiling…just because it feels good.
• Loving with your whole heart.
• Rejoicing in your victories and accepting your failures.
• Compassion.
• Creating your environment, not letting it create you.
• Respect and appreciation for everyone and everything around you.
• Loving yourself just the way you are without needing someone else to.

So, what do you find most beautiful?

Project 31. Celebrate Your Beauty.

Some say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I say beauty is within each of us. It is so easy to get caught up in how other people perceive beauty that we forget to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us as well as the beauty we possess. Every woman is beautiful.. so let us celebrate!

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” -Ashley Smith

What is "Project 31"? It is a collection of thoughts, ideas, and women who portray beauty in a inspired way. "Project 31" is you celebrating your God given beauty, and celebrating the beautiful women around you.

Wanna join in? Here is the challenge... For 31 days, blog each day about things that celebrate your beauty, and the beauty of the women around you. I attached a list below you can follow, or you can make up your own.

THE LIST OF UPCOMING TOPICS:

Day 1. What does beauty mean to you?
Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?
Day 3. Who is someone you know who inspires beauty?
Day 4. Style 31. Post a pic of you in your favorite outfit.
Day 5. Write a blog thanking someone who has made your heart come alive.
Day 6. Jaded beauty. Has the world's definition of beauty ever jaded you?
Day 7. Write a blog to encourage another beautiful woman.
Day 8. Have a beauty secret (e.g. hair tip, make up tip)? Share, please!
Day 9. What virtues do you value in yourself?
Day 10. What are you learning as a wife, mom, or friend? (Or just woman in general?)
Day 11. Post a recipe. Or if you don't cook, try a new recipe and write about it.
Day 12. Write about what wears you out as a woman.
Day 13. Tell us omething you would like to change about yourself for the better.
Day 14. Style 31. Post an outfit pic!
Day 15. Write to encourage a friend. Inspire her beauty.
Day 16. Write a letter to (daughter,niece,young girl). Tell her what beauty means.
Day 17. Write about 3 things that make you happy.
Day 18. Describe your personality.
Day 19. Write about your favorite comfort food.
Day 20. Write about your job and why you love it or hate it.
Day 21. Write a letter to your husband to encourage him.
Day 22. Write a letter to your family as a whole.
Day 23. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
Day 24. What are you being taught you presently?
Day 25. Style 31. Post a pic of your favorite comfy clothes.
Day 26. What do you hope your grandchildren will say about you someday?
Day 27. Write a blog to encourage someone and build their confidence!
Day 28. Write about your insecurities as a woman.
Day 29. Write about "a day in the life of me." (Pics are great!)
Day 30. Who is your role model as a woman?
Day 31. Write about your dreams and goals as a beautiful woman!



Ready? Goto: Mandy's page or Kat's page to link up. Let's encourage each other in this project by visiting each other blogs and leaving encouraging comments.