I need to vent

today while I was feeding the kids lunch I was flipping through a Better Home and Gardens magazine. They had an article about optimism. I think I'm a pretty optimistic person... but it turns out I'm wrong. I did the little quiz (even trying to pick what I thought were the optimistic answers to choose) and I was dead wrong!!! I know I'm high strung, and slightly crazy, and WAY crazy about my kids/scheduling/driving anywhere/etc, but I genuinely thought of myself of a happy and optimistic person. Don't get me wrong, I'm not basing my whole personality review off this one quiz, but it really got me thinking. I NEED TO LIGHTEN UP!!! Sometimes I feel envious of people who have cute little families and their kids never look like ragamuffins and their houses are always clean and wonder how in the world they do it. Even for being high strung I can't accomplish even one of those things. Maybe I"m just having an off day-- listen to the list of woes we've had going on around here. We've all had some sort of cold over the last 2 weeks-- and the kids have been sick the whole two weeks. We've had coughs, runny noses, sleepless nights, anxiety attacks about the kids being sick at night (which means I've been getting sometimes only 2-3 hours of sleep at night), fevers, throw up, teething, and diarrhea. Yesterday I was going to call the kids' doctor if their colds weren't better... they seemed slightly better but the fevers/throwing up/diarrhea started instead. Needless to say I maybe have an excuse to be a little down in the dumps. It's hard to have sick kids!!! But, I really do need to lighten up and be better about looking at the bright side of things. Any tips?? What do you guys to do be generally happy?

kissing, pointing, and ribbons

my sweet boy giving me a KISS.

Hendrix has been pointing lately. It's the funniest thing. Maybe it's his chubby little hands? today he was on the floor fussing so I walked over to him and asked him if he wanted up... I got a two-handed point. ha.

a new snack pouch for my diaper bag. I used THIS tutorial. and yes... I'm slightly obsessed with her blog. I can wish to be only half as cool as her.

slowly but surely I'm organizing my craft room. This is a picture of my ribbon box half-way through sorting. bad, I know.

much better. I would love to organize on those cute little wooden spools or something, but let's face it, I only have about 6 inches of most of the ribbon I own. plus zip-locks are a lot cheaper :)

music class, bean bags, and teeth

Music class today was a success!! There were two songs where I was holding BOTH kids, but after that Quinn got down and sang. danced, played maracas, and marched in the circle. hooray!

Are you all DYING to see pictures of the bean bag chairs I'm making the kids for their birthdays?? I'm 90% done sewing them, and still have to stuff Hendrix's-- but then I'll take pictures. You know how I didn't want to spend the $6 for the full pattern?? haha... I've spent WELL over that in stuffing Quinn's because I accidentally made it HUGE. whoops. anyway--you'll see.

Sorry no pictures-- both kids have been under the weather. Plus Hendrix is working on getting his top two teeth. I'll take some pictures when the kids are feeling better and have teeth :)

diaper holder

I've been trying really hard to be more organized lately. It's hard for me, but I love it when I actually am. My diaper bag is usually filled with little draw-string bags. one for diapers, one for snacks, etc. Except, I've hated my diaper one because it isn't big enough... it had diapers in it, but I still had my changing pad and wipes floating around my diaper bag. So here's what I made today (to go in my new diaper bag)

another problem with my draw string bags is that they are never tied shut since I'm always reaching my hands in while I'm driving or something. So I put a magnetic clasp on it-- which will hopefully help :)

I'm usually a great copycat, but I made this puppy up-- which is why it has character-- but at least it's the perfect size!!!

so..... you would LAUGH if you saw how UNorganized my craft room is. I promise I'm trying... baby steps.

More freezer paper stuff

a dinosaur shirt I made for Hendrix

I told him to give me his best 'dinosaur face.'

My sister sent me a Target gift card for Valentine's Day (I know, I know... I have the best sister ever). I have really been wanting a new diaper bag since the one I have is pretty thrashed. I went on the hunt for a BIG bag that was kind of plain (and not diaper-bag-looking). I found this puppy on clearance for $9 but decided it needed a little something.

Here's the bag now!

hendrix standing up

this is definitely his longest unassisted-stand-up so far!! And we caught it on camera!! too bad we also caught an up-make-upped Amber... I realized half- way through taping that i was in the shot.

Freezer paper

I made Quinn and Hendix a shirt using a freezer paper stencil. It was so fun! I have a feeling I'm going to make a lot more stuff... I have a plan for a new diaper bag I just got.



Don't mind the apple in her mouth :)

Here's a TUTORIAL for the using a Freezer paper stencil.

My mom!!!

10 things I love about my mom: (in no particular order)

1. She's so cute.... I get 50% of my good looks from her

2. She's silly and funny and knows how to have fun even as an adult

3. She's a health nut (and hopefully SOME of that will rub off on her sweet-toothed daughter)

4. She loves and spoils my kids

5. She teaches me to be a good/kind/honest/cheerful

6. She works to buy plane tickets to come see me

7. She listens to me when I'm upset-- and listens to LOTS of *boring* stories about what my kids do every day.

8. She's one of my favorite people to eat/shop/cook/watch movies with

9. She's thoughtful

10. Today's her birthday!!!! Happy Birthday mom! I love you!

thanks

thanks for all of your advice about quinn. you are all so nice to help me when i'm discouraged. i realized that her class actually goes until the end of February. Dave asked her last night if she wanted to go to music class next week and she said no. i think we'll go and try. maybe she'll get used to her new teacher/songs and like it again. don't worry, i'll make her wear pants

and may hendrix never again be seen in a girl bib. these are most of what i've made this last week (minus 4 that were dirty)

I actually made most of these with scraps. some of the backs are half minky half chenille... but who cares?? both are soft. and some of them were made with burp rags I never thought turned out just right.

Spring?

Hendrix is always dying to look out the window... but he's not quite tall enough

"Is it Spring yet?"

Oh, the things you can accomplish with a 2-year-old around to help.

Parenting 101

Help.
Quinn's 6 week music class started 5 weeks ago.
1st class: it took her 28 of the 30 minute class to decide to participate. But the song she participated in was the dinosaur song... you know "what do you think of that??" which she obviously likes.
2nd class: she SCREAMED during the first 3 songs but then had fun and sang and danced
3rd class: She loved every minute
4th class: we found out that her usual teacher had broken her arm and would be out for the rest of the session... she sat on the floor the whole class and wouldn't sing or dance or go get props/instruments.
The 5th class (today) she wouldn't get up off the floor again so I told her if she didn't get up and participate we were leaving. We left.
The great things about the class: I KNOW she likes it. She asks me to sing the songs all week and looks forward to going. I think it's good for her social skills. It teaches her music, following directions, how to move her body.
The bad things about the class: she hates crouds. and by crouds I mean a room full of 12 other toddlers and their mom's. She loves to go get the props/instruments, but only after all the other kids are done and sitting down again. Quinn is HORRIBLY shy around lots of people
I felt like I needed to follow through and leave, after I warned her that if she didn't stand up and do the song that we were leaving. But was that really the right thing to do? It's not like this free class at the library is life or death, and it's SUPPOSED to be fun. And the truth of the matter is, I WANT her to like it. It's free, it's close, it's not during nap time. Let's face it, I live in the boonies... NOTHING else we do is close. So... what do I do? I can't MAKE her participate. I wish. Should I continue going? After the 3rd class I had decided that I would sign her up for the next session. Should I not?? Am I forcing her to do something I shouldn't? Or is it a worthwhile thing to TRY to do every week? Maybe she'll like her next teacher better... Anyway.... my mom friends out there. Tell me what to do :)

Quinn

just a couple of videos of Quinn being silly and talking.

this one she was calling Grandpa Dan on her pretend phone. Watch out dad-- you're in trouble... it sounds like you fell in a lake. And Quinn's not going to help you because she'd get all 'watery.'