Why not start this post with a picture of my child in an adult raccoon costume? This is actually from right before Christmas, but I only JUST took all my pictures off of my camera. Why? because I literally had no space on my hard drive. So we finally went to Costco and bought their 4TB external hard drive. No more picture storage problems for a long time, I think.
Anyway. HELLO! I have loved reading all the posts, even though I haven't gotten any time to do much posting. Between school, children being sick, baby showers, mom's group and preparing for leading worship the next week, I have felt like a mad woman. In a good way, I suppose. I think mostly I feel crazy because Hailey has NOT been sleeping well lately and I have not had much chances of getting naps during the day, so that has really been wearing me down.
I can hardly remember anything going on. SO I'll just post the pictures I have and see if that jogs my memory, ha.
I'll start with TODAY! Because after Jeremy came home early from work, we went out to run some errands and get out of the house, and when I returned there was a box on my doorstep! From who? ANGELA! So unexpected and totally made my day! Look at all the fun goodies she sent me :) And she had the sweetest little notes attached to everything. Loved it!! And how in the world did you know I've been wanting one of those scraper/paddle attachments for my KitchenAid? I totally forgot about wanting one until today! Can't wait to try it out!
Last week, we had pajama day at school. It is amazing how exciting this is to a three year old. Here is Shea, all ready to go! He was running around like a crazy person, he was so excited.
It was a super easy school day. We made pancakes, built a blanket fort, read books, and played in costumes. This week, since my mother in law was out of town and couldn't watch Hailey, Tawny just dropped John off at our house and we did school at home. The kids sat on the couch with Shea's cars as we sang praise songs and read some books.
Later, we built a race track (it was R week), had a nice long recess outside (so nice out that day!), had a snack, and did some workpages. It was actually really nice doing it at home. Baby got to take a nap in her own bed and was able to stay close to me. Shea loved having "home school" too!
And some pictures of my girl from this month. Poor thing has been really sick lately! She had a cold...then got better...then caught another cold, but this time has a really bad cough with it. She hasn't been able to breathe at night and just seems miserable. The only thing I can do to help is try to hold her upright, but she isn't able to get comfortable sleeping with me in bed, so this means me being up a lot at night bouncing her back to sleep and trying to clear out her nose. I hope she gets better soon, because I need sleep!
A couple of weeks ago I finally started cloth diapering for real. I got a little discouraged at first, because all the diapers I made for her didn't fit and they seemed to take so much effort to make. Well, in my quest to reduce waste this year, diapers is a biggie. I grabbed a disposable, traced a pattern, and after one adjustment they work PERFECT! I got the diaper fever and whipped up 10 of them in 2 days, using just flannel and old receiving blankets I had. I also made flannel reusable wipes with all the scraps. I still need to make at least 10 more diapers, which I have cut out and ready to make. I went and bought a flannel sheet at goodwill to make them with, so this is staying pretty inexpensive and has been working great.
For lent, Jeremy and I decided that we were going to go on a veggie/fruit ONLY fast. Yeah. Crazy, right? Especially since we had just gone grocery shopping and realized lent was like...the next day practically. But, we are allowing ourselves "feast days" from Saturday dinner to Sunday dinner so we can participate with family and church things without being total weirdos and stay humble (no, "I am so amazing I haven't eaten bread for 50 days!" stuff, ha). Let me tell you, I have never fasted from anything for this long before. I thought it was going to be a lot harder too, but ends up I love vegetables and have gotten to figure out a lot of fun recipes to make with them. I do miss milk and cheese and black tea and coffee and all those wonderful things though, and I was basically drooling while I read Angela's post and saw her cupcakes and cookies and coffee. Especially since I made a huge batch of iced coffee which is just sitting in the fridge right before this. But its not bad, and both of us have already lost a little bit of weight, so thats a nice by-product. Can't lie though, I am looking forward to Saturday night, and having a coffee! Although for this time period we are being really strict about it, we are hoping it will translate into a bit of a lifestyle change for us. We both feel a lot better eating these foods and not all the processed junk. I basically just go buy fresh produce and that is what we eat for the week.
I finally made tomato soup from scratch too! Easiest and tastiest thing ever. I will do this from now on forever. I stopped buying canned tomato soup because it has msg and high fructose corn syrup, and the natural stuff is too expensive, but it used to be a regular lunch for Shea, so I was at a loss about what to do some days for him to keep up a variety. The picture below is the "before" then I pureed all the veggies up in my blender and it is heavenly. Plus, Shea doesn't know there are "green" things in it, haha.
1.) I also got a new flannel shirt. 2.) and eight mason jars for $1.60 (which I now use instead of tupperware), and 3.) Shea has been rocking his new hat and scarf from old navy, which we scored for under $3! He is so funny in it.
Oh, almost forgot this one. I made this little top for Hailey last week while I was sewing. I love it on her and must start making more clothes for her.
In other news...the no shampoo thing is still working out OK, but I've decided I want to make a homemade coconut milk shampoo to try out. I just miss the lathering of my hair, but this one is pretty cheap to make and also no crazy chemicals in it. Today I made homemade body wash which I am super excited to try out! It smells heeeaaavenly and I spent like 2 bucks and it made over half a gallons worth!
This Sunday is the first week I go lead worship at the church in Renton. I am getting pretty excited about it. This week I won't be playing with their team - just my brother is coming to play bass and Jeremy will play his djembe. Then the following week I'll be playing with the band, so I've been trying to get all the chord sheets and stuff ready for them so I don't have to scramble next week.
Anyway, 9PM...I should go to bed since the kids are asleep, so I better go quickly clean the kitchen and get things ready for school tomorrow.
Let me start by saying your kids are adorable! Even if Hailey has been sick those pictures of her are precious! And Shea in the raccoon costume is too much, he looks like he is having the time of his life! And I love how chill and "cool dude" he looks in his hat and scarf.
ReplyDeleteI am so inspired by you and Jeremy finding ways to live more fiscally responsible, because I feel you guys already do so. I keep saying Paul and I need to cut down our monthly costs, but it seems to be more talk than doing. We have gotten a little better, but still have a long way to go. I definitely need you to teach me how to make those perfect diapers when I have kiddos!
And nice work on your fruit and veggie fast! I am impressed. My favorite foods are definitely fruits and vegetables but I don't know I could only eat them. I crave carbs after not eating them for a while!
Oh I am so glad you like your present, I had so much fun putting it together! :) And you can come over and make tons of hearts for Hailey anytime. It takes the silhouette like a minute and a half to cut them all out! so in 10 minutes we could have a walls worth!
ReplyDeleteYou have been a mad woman! ;) You are amazing with handling all that is going on and being organized, and then sewing on top of it all! Ditto what Angela said, you'll have to teach me how to make those diapers too someday when I have babies.
ReplyDeleteShea looks so cute in his pj's and boots. I can just see from the pictures how much all those kids were having, you do such a good job with them Becca!
I can't wait to hear how leading worship goes, I'm sure it'll be awesome.
Thanks for the post, you are so inspiring with all the things you make, I especially loved the top for Hailey.
When you say fruits and vegetables are you including beans? Because can you survive being a full time mom with no protein?!
ReplyDeleteI have been very nauseous today with a migraine and for some reason I went and bought $20 worth of vegetables at Fred Meyer. I haven't even put them away yet. I cooked some mushrooms because Joe doesn't like them, and ate them all myself. Then I cut up some asparagus and cooked that but ate a piece and it made me feel sicker so it's just sitting on the stove. Everything else is just sitting there.
I still love my homemade laundry soap!
I can't wait to hear about the worship at the church!!!
Amber - Yes, we are including beans and nuts! Just not peanut butter because I will snack endlessly on it and that is why I haven't lost the rest of my baby weight yet ha. Don't worry, I am trying to eat a good variety and I feel good, so I think its been fine. :) I'm glad the laundry soap is working out! I can't even remember what it was like to have to buy laundry detergent at the store now. ha.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better today!