So so very sick

I'm tired of us all being sick with this flu. I'm on my 5th day of a fever. Molly, Ellie, Graedon and I each have a fever today. Not to mention runny noses and hacking coughs. Brian has it too. Ava, Maddie and Lauren are over it.

We've been eating bread, cheese and whatever else we can scrounge up as no one has the energy to make anything. We all want a home cooked meal, something cheesy and comforting. But we have hardly any ingredients to make it and no engery to go the store. Brian is picking up something to eat for us on the way home.

I wish there was a store that sold comfort food or hot soup that tasted homemade for time like these! Anyway, Molly is down for a nap now so I've got to get some more laundry done, although I just want to curl up and take a nap myself ;)

Eat a lime

We took the kids to the Children's Musuem for a pirate party. The reason we went was Captain Bogg & Salty, the kids first pirate concert. We listen to the cd almost everyday and I actually enjoy it. Here's a link to their site and music video.



I had to make Grae a pirate outfit so I started two days before. I made the shirt and appliqued Yar on it. I also made his pirate hat and pants. The pants are sailor style with buttons on the sides. Buttons that Graedon picked out and made sure I sewed on.



Here are some pics from the museum that Lauren took.







Graedon's favorite, the crocodile from Peter Pan ;)



This is before the concert. No pictures turned out during the concert because of poor lighting.



He was really excited by the concert and fell asleep several times. After the concert he met Captain Bogg and shook "hooks" with him. He wanted to stay and chat but we had to get Brian to work.

It was fun and exhausting. Grae and Molly took really long afternoon naps that day which was my favorite part.

Nice boy...

After tonights dinner and I got out the "nice" chocolate to split with all the family. Graedon and I were in the living room and the rest of the family were in the school room. I carefully broke up 6 pieces and asked Graedon if he would go hand them out.

His response..."no, I'm not a nice boy." He wanted all the chocolate for himself!

He did hand them out, stuffed his chocolate in his mouth and then came back to ask for more. Who do you think got another piece when no one else did?

Sometimes I struggle...

I noticed that lately when I sit around on the floor and watch my kids play, I feel a slight resentment. Like I should be doing something better with my life. Like I'm just wasting time and could be doing the laundry, sewing, working on my websites.

I didn't feel this way when my first 3 were small. I sat around with them and played and didn't think twice about it. I also didn't have 3 business to run, a house to clean and homeschooling to do.

Nevertheless, I tell myself that I'm a stay at home mom for a reason. I don't want someone else raising my kids. I don't want to miss the firsts. I would miss my kids and do enjoy being around them all day (for the most part). They are so creative and make me so proud everyday. But I also feel happy to have my businesses. To chat with other moms with the same interests and feel like I'm providing some great services, whether to help spotlight work at home children's clothing designers or make some super squishy diapers, it's important to me.

I guess I just need to focus on the fact that my kids are only small for such a short time and I want to enjoy them. To not get upset when I'm laying on the floor and they are crawling and jumping all over me and I have other "work" to do. To stop and watch the beautiful children God gave me. I know I will want these days back when they are all grown up.

So there...my struggle put into words. I already feel better and ready to face tomorrow. I hope it's sunny and we can go for a walk together. Who cares about the laundry ;) it won't go anywhere.

Things I love...

I love the girls working together - and even better when cookies are in my future.


I love when Ava plays with Ellie - I'm not so sure that Ellie loves it.


I love that my little boy is growing up - but I'm sad too.


I love Lost (Ben & Locke are my favorite characters) and love that it's on tonight!


I love seeing Brian's car in the driveway because that means he's home and things feel whole again.

Happy Valentines Day.

Me and my Molly (at almost 8 mths old)

Uh-oh, I've been spotted.


Here she comes (she can crawl now).


Sitting in my lap and trying to grab the camera strap.

More cloth diapering 101

FITTEDS

I like fitteds and use them for naptimes with Molly and Graedon. They are easy to use with no folding. Fitteds come in a variety of fabrics and a variety of closures. The most popular closures are aplix (like velcro) and snaps. They can be made of absorbant material like bamboo, cotton, hemp, terry cloth, velour and I'm sure I'm forgetting some. Fitteds typically have elastic around the legs and are shaped like a disposable.

Here is a Blueberry One Size Fitted made from cotton velour. (I'm not sure Blueberry makes these anymore)

This is what makes it "one size". See all those snaps. You can snap down the length of the diaper to make it fit from birth to potty learning. You can also snap it tighter or looser. Really - this fits Molly and Graedon.


Here is Graedon's Mother-ease One Size. They are made from cotton terry cloth. I really like these for older kids and not babies as they are a bit bulky through the crotch.
Notice that these don't have elastic at the legs so the potential for little babies to "blow out" is great, lol. Mother-ease does make a diaper with elastic at the legs called the Sandy's Diaper.


Here is a sized fitted from Sustainablebabyish in hemp fleece. This is a Medium.



See it doesn't have the snaps down the front and is only adjustable in the waist.



That's all the fitteds that I have but would love to own a bamboo velour Goodmama. This is a one size diaper and so plush. I make bamboo prefolds at Pbellie.com so I know how wonderfully luxurious the fabric is. Okay - I did own a couple but sold them to buy diaper making supplies. I wish I had them back now!

I also want a Mutt diaper. Who knew cloth diapers could be so fun, colorful and good for the environment!

Next time AIO: All in Ones...

What we got in the mail today...

Yay! We got a package. I wonder what's in it.


Shredded newspaper?


A cloth bag?


Let's open the bag...


Red worms! I put them in an old Lego box.


Grae wasn't too sure about them and especially when his sister told him to touch them.


The worms are currently in my mud room and will have a permanent home outside in our compost box.

Ummm, okay?

They called it Bahamas.

This about explains cloth diapering...

This video is truly hilarious!

Paypal has competition!

Have you heard of Revolution Money Exchange? It's going to be Paypal's competition and it lets you send money (and receive it) FREE! Yes, free. I signed up and they gave me $25 which I can either spend if I can find someone else that takes it or do the not-so-fun thing and transfer it to my checking account to keep paying down the van. Guess which one I did? Yep, I'm no fun.

Brian also signed up (using me as a referral and I got $10) and he bought red composting worms. Oh yeah, more fun times. He bought them from eBay using paypal and just transferred the RME to our checking account to pay for it.

Anyway, if you sign up through a person who is already a member, you will recieve $25.00 and I'll receive $10. We got our money in about 5 minutes (you have to login and "accept" it).

RME is backed by some high powered people including the former CEO of Mastercard and former Federal Treasury Secretary or Chairman, I don't remember. Pretty much RME is here to stay. They plan on making money by getting into the merchant account business.

So if you want to sign up, just email me and I'll send you a referral email. pbeboutique @ gmail dot com