tightwad thoughts

oh there is so much to blog, but there is so much more to do ...

1. Corn is on sale at Target 10 ears/$1 - I will be blanching and freezing like crazy - I learned all about it at Janette's awesome Penny Pinchers tutorial!!

2. I have some major stains to get out, so I'll be using the Tightwad gazette recipe:

Add one cup each of powdered Dishwasher soap and Clorox 2 to five gallons (a bucket from home depot works perfect or your son's twilight camp bucket) to the hottest water to come out of your tap, soak several articles overnight then wash as usual.

This will remove 90%+ of the stains that do not come out with normal wash and normal pre-treat. Not for delicates. Its very good at food stains!!

This recipe came from a woman who runs a kids consignment shop.

I use it for items I get from thrift stores, plus our usual messes. I have even had success revitalizing baby clothes that accidentally got stored with stains.

PS. to be extra tightwad like, you can reuse the solution.

I would have packed the car more often

I have an absolute favorite article that I read every once in a while, I share it often with friends and I keep a copy of it in my computer desk drawer. I sometimes think about breaking it up and blogging about it.

Its "10 lessons of parenting from one wise guy who's done the dad thing" by Hugh O'Neill

I thought about this part from that article all weekend:

1. I Would Have Packed the Car More Often

Some of my most vivid family memories are from on the road - midnight swimming at Disneyworld, hiking above the treeline as night swallowed Colorado. Sure, in part they stand out just because they were exceptions to the dailyness of our three-bedroom cape in New Jersey, and we saw new places. But for me, the appeal of traveling as a team isn't that it's broadening, but the exact opposite; it's sweetly narrowing. Somehow, when you're lifted out of your normal habitat, dropped into an unfamiliar place where nobody knows who the four of you are, you see your team with fresh eyes. Somehow, after a day at Colonel Wilson's Reptile Village, with all of you cuddled in two beds in the $39.95-a-night anonymity of motel America, watching some corny movie and eating pizza, you feel bound, not merely by DNA or circumstance, but by the memories you've made together. No passports or planning or piles of money required. Just go. Three days hiking in the nearest national park. A weekend trip to watch the Yanks play in Camden Yards. Just go.

It was exhausting to pack and it continues to be exhausting to unpack - but we had so much fun!!!!! I have a mountain of clothes to wash so I'll share more details later. but here are some snapshots:

Did I tell you how awesome Sarah Rager is...

Maiya turns four on Sunday... SUPER FOUR that is...You thought Sarah was my best friend, well really she is Maiya's best friend because she made her this:

its reversible for the days when she is feeling more like a Queen

Ella begrudgingly modeled it:

I don't know how to make that little heart symbol.... but I HEART SARAH.

all the beautiful people

enjoy a sampling of my recent work. Have you thought about having me take your picture? I hope so...

everyone keeps saying I need to up my prices. Right now you get an hour+session plus all high res images on CD for $50 - that averages about $1.00 an image. With a little mental reorganization I will be up'n the prices soon. So if you are on the fence email me now...

http://imagesfromoz.com/

PS. Did I tell you my dream is to be a birth photograher? I didn't, well I meant to. So if you know of any free spirit expecting moms who would like a professionally documented birth send them my way...

Duh...

The pool wore out the kids today- they all napped (so I did too) It was wonderful.

But everyone also got sunburned. Something about swimming at your own house makes you forget to put on sunscreen.

If sunscreen is on your to buy list - Consumer reports gave this one the highest rating - surprisingly its a store brand:

Walgreens Continuous spray SPF 50

I have two cameras

so you have to be subjected to the random downloads that pile up...

We have affectionately termed this the ghetto pool. Its very nice to let the older three play in the water ("swim" would be a stretch) while Cora naps in the comfort of her own bed. We are still going to mooch off of anyone's offers to go to their neighborhood pool but this is perfect for my "I have to get some things DONE" days.

This is so "last month" but Benjamin's whole class became published authors. This was the book signing at school. I was so proud of him!!!

also last month - see we did get her cake (cheesecake -that is- her fav)

Ella took this - I think she takes pretty good pics if it wasn't for her finger in the way - she does that all the time!

Lest you think this post was not random enough: we have weeds. I am sick of them - any thoughts? - How come our backyard is nicer than our front yard?? maybe Zeke's pee is magic

I love lazy summer mornings. They are the best, we talk about our dreams, well really Maiya just talks about her dreams.

Ella sleeps in everyday.

Benjamin watches morning cartoons.

Maiya talks our ears off.

Other random thoughts: Cora still only has four teeth. Funny I thought that timeline would be the same for each kid. She is not about to even think about walking but that isn't expected until 15 months - the magic month for that. We are having success in one big area: She is still nursing!!!! I will be so happy to make it past a year.

I have always had a quote stuck in my head from college, but I can't find it now. "Lucky is the child that is breastfed until one, Blessed is the child that is breastfed until two" - I don't know how long Cora and I can make it - but since she has already beat her siblings I am going to try.

This morning I breastfed against my will. Benjamin brought her to our bed and she laid a across me, lifted my clothes and helped herself. She has quite the system going. She has a doting older brother that won't let her fuss for a second so as soon as she wakes up all she has to do is lift up and get his attention and he gets her out of the crib. Lucky girl - She'd have to wait for me.

The rest all rejected breastfeeding around 10 months. But with her I have been very careful to limit bottles and sippy cups to almost nilch. And since she can now drink from a straw I only give her these straw cups (LOVE THEM) with water. I would be so ecstatic if we can wean without sippies. I despise sippy cups. oh the valves, the toddlers that think any cup can be turned upside down, the constant carrying it around, the curdled sippy found in the van. ugggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh.

Another fav quote:

"Milk is a side effect of love."

Christina M. Smilie, MD

I am attempting to keep to a schedule this summer. We have a lazy breakfast, then they write in a journal. After lunch they have to rest/read. They have zoomed through the books we got a the library. So tomorrow we will have to make another trip. Which is good because we leave early Friday morning for my family reunion in Mississippi. While there we are celebrating Maiya's fourth birthday. I can't believe it. The thought of her going to kindergarten one day and getting all big like Benjamin and Ella makes my heart stop. I told Kyle as we went to bed last night that I didn't appreciate him giving me babies that grow up too fast.

wondering what the kids are reading:

Benjamin is loving this series: Warriors an epic story about warrior cats.

Maiya loves the Black Lagoon books

Ella against my better prodding is still in love with Junie B - I don't need to link we have all been affected by Junie B right? but she does also really like Allie Frinkle right now

Our gameroom is the bee's knees

- that is just the light overexposed making the rope swing look thread bare - its not.

yes the baby swing is in front of the sofa, and yes that may lend itself to all sorts of lazy - wide - load parent jokes but it has several advantages:

She can swing while I fold clothes, She can swing during family movie night, and Maiya can reach up there to swing her baby dolls.

Nobody sat on that sqaure of the sofa anyway. And I didn't want the swings near each other to avoid overzealous kids getting hurt.

The most important thing is CORA LOVES IT!!!

see those curls above her ears? That means her hair is going to start growing - yayyyy!!!!!!! with the other girls it was curls above the ears then poof - a head full of hair.

You already know how I feel:

so is it wrong that this article made me laugh out loud?

High Levels' of Disease-Causing Bacteria Found in Certain Hand Sanitizers

you don't even need antibacterial soap - just soap, friction, and water does wonders.

frowny face

The air conditioner came on this weekend. Kyle was sweating from installing a swing upstairs for Cora - got the swing from the give and get. I love the Give and Get - can't beat free!

Glad I stole the swing idea from Janette - Seriously a swing is better than a bucket of toys.

Anyway I don't think the air conditioner will be turned off anytime soon. The night time temp needs to get in the 60's for the house to stay cool enough all day. I loved sleeping with the windows open. It created a dependence on nature - Every little breeze was a nice gift. I was more comfortable with the windows open than with air conditioner. With the air conditioner I know it will be at least 77 - with the windows open sometimes it got down to 62 - loved that

I went to bed last night consumed by thoughts of the two reporters in North Korea sentenced to 12 years in a Labor Camp. I hope there is a better headline about them when I click on Fox News after this.

I am also feeling the need to revamp - I want to paint, frame new pictures and shake up my photography site. When I'll get around to any of those we'll see.

we slept with our garage door open.

nice.

let me try this again

well photobucket was being funny so here are some pics of the kiddos...