Ah, easy crochet pattern. Easy to love. Perfect for Valentine’s Day. Thanks, Roxycraft. I haven’t quite figured out what the kids want to do for Valentine’s this year – something homemade. We’re still on the hunt. I just can’t bear to buy those cheap yucky store valentines another year. As soon as I’m feeling better (we’ve been slackers and sick all week long), this is sure to get done – mostly because Valentine’s class parties are next week.
I’d never heard of Egg Press before but so glad I ran across them! Cute cards. They also offer this adorable monkey. Check them out here.
He’s so darn cute. Just wanted to share something simple since I’m really under the weather today. That’s what I get for bragging that we just hadn’t got sick like everybody else around us. I should know better by now. Plus, I’m thinking it’s time for a giveaway – gotta think up something good to share!
We had to get away. From the constant weekend cleaning for open houses and showings. So, we thought we’d be proactive and go stay with my parents for the weekend and just hang out. We had a lot of fun! Don, Cole, Gabe and I tried rollerblading for the first time. We ate glorious food cooked by somebody else. I love having my Mom around – I will miss her so much when we move – she is fun to talk to. My Dad watches Western movies all the time. One of the best things I like about my parents is that I know they both are always there for me. They’re the kind of parents who would respond if I murdered somebody like this, “Well, she must have just had a bad day!” Okay, so they wouldn’t justify murder but they would find SOME way to be my advocate. They are about as Christ-like as parents get and I’m so glad they’re mine.
I have a thing for magazines. Even if I never get all of the projects done! This new Knitscene magazine looks interesting – I love the cover project! Wish I were 18 years old again so I could wear most of the stuff!
Thanks, Diana, for scouting this out. What a great idea. This could only come from a friend who has more boys than I do!!! Click on her boys’ pic above to see her blog.
Homemade Laundry Soap
– 1 bar of soap (I bought Ivory but most recipes call for a soap called Zote, I haven’t seen it but they say it is at wal-mart and in all fairness I didn’t look)
– 20 mule Borax
– Arm and Hammer WASHING soda
1. Shave the soap and add to 6 cups of slow boiling water and stir until dissolved.
2. Add to the water 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Washing soda. Now different recipes say different things some do 1/2 cup and others do 1 1/2 cup so I just did 1 you can play around with it.
3. After it all dissolves add 4 cups of HOT water to the bucket that you will be holding the soap in. I bought a plastic container that will hold 32 cups of water cause that is how much you will have when its all done. And it came with a hinged lid on it.
4. Pour the soap mixture to the hot water and stir
5. Now finish by adding 22 cups of water to the mixture.
6. Stir and let sit for about 24 hours
It will be a gel mixture but everyone says that the mixture will separate so you just have to stir it before you scoop it.
Scoop 1/2 cup to your laundry!
We were talking about how diverse the kids’ new school district will most likely be when we move to Houston as compared to Gretna, Nebraska. Jack proclaimed with much disappointment, “We’re going to be Texans?!? I wanted to be German!” He then went on to proclaim “No, no…I really wanted to be Egyptian!”
Cole informed me that when Gabe walked in from school he proclaimed, “Oh, yeah, baby! The furnace is working!” Cole thought it was funny because most of the time people only say anything about the furnace when it’s broken.
Where do they come up with this stuff???
I had just finished a new Everlast: Strike class at the gym and needed to get milk at the grocery store. I love Baker’s because of the Manager’s Special milk. Anyway, there are two boys who work there with Downs Syndrome who bag groceries and help you to your car. I frequent the store enough that I’ve been helped by them at least a few times. I’m ashamed to say I still do not know their names. Well, today I was standing there, holding a very heavy Ben, with my hair still half wet from showering at the gym – no coat – just a sweatshirt and the weather was plummeting into the single digits with extreme wind and snow pellets. I was freezing cold but it didn’t bother me at all because of what I was saw: one of those divine moments when you witness the Lord’s hand in everyday details. I happened to have Daisy, our chocolate lab, with me in the car today because while I was at the gym, somebody was going through our house that is for sale. I asked the bag boy if he was afraid of dogs and he said that he wasn’t. Well, when the car door opened and he started loading groceries, she kissed him and when he was done he stood in the car door and hugged and kissed that dog and told her that he loved her for the longest time. It was really touching. There was no pretense, no social mores or taboo, he just kissed that dog right on the snout. I was freezing, holding Ben, and my heart was so warm that the cold didn’t bother me a bit. I can see why dogs are so therapeutic to us all – it just took a very special bag boy to help me remember that.
Having 4 boys, I’ve been through a few strollers. My friend, Kathleen, is on the lookout for a double stroller and asked my advice (isn’t she sweet?). Anyway, her provoking question led me to reminisce about my favorite strollers and reconsider what I might do if I needed to do it all over again.
I can tell you that my favorite stroller HANDS DOWN is the one we bought 13 years ago when Cole was born – it was a single jogging stroller made by Kool-Stop called the Kool-Stride. It was purple and on clearance for $399 (I know, I know – it didn’t feel like clearance to me, either). This company has replaced the sun shield, the wheels when they got a new easier-to-install feature and the basket for us, as well as two soft grip tubings for the handlebars. It has held up extremely well and it is still my stroller of choice (and still looks great to boot!). I have loaned this stroller out while I needed a double and even now, I still regularly use this stroller to walk, jog, run or even go to the zoo with Ben. If you visit their website, here, they also have strollers for seniors/handicapped and started as a cycling company. They’ve been doing strollers, though, since at least 1996!
My second favorite stroller was my Kelty Deuce Coupe. I used this stroller for Gabe & Jack when they were both small and I needed a double. I remember the day I bought this clearly – blizzard conditions and I spun out over the median near Oakview Mall in order to get it but it was worth it (nobody was hurt!). Zany Brainy was going out of business plus I had a coupon and I got this stroller for somewhere in the mid $200s. When we were done with the double jogging beast, I sold it on ebay for a small profit (low $300s). It was wonderful – great colors, the elasticized net pockets held a ton, easy buckles, great for a tall person, and I did learn how to squeeze it through doors – with my kids still riding in it. I didn’t ever like stadium type double strollers (can you just imagine the hair pulling, candy sticking incidents?). I prefer side-by-sides. We loved this stroller and there have been a few times I’ve wanted it back. Kelty does make a very similar one now and it sells for around $400.
My current garage holds two strollers: 1) the original Kool-Stride and 2) a Peg Perego Venezia that I bought for Ben. It was also expensive (low $200s) but it had a pram option for a newborn and I keep this in the car for places where I know my jogging stroller won’t fit. It has worked well and held up, too, though little things have gone wrong like the logo sticker coming off, snaps no longer snap, and I can never figure out the straps. I do love how you can switch the handlebar to face toward or away from you so the baby can look at you or forward. I also love the swivel wheels but sometimes it’s hard to steer and I don’t like to lock them. We took this out on the ice at Chalco a few weeks back and had to ditch it roadside – it’s pretty much a city stroller. I wished I’d had my Kool-Stride with me then! I would consider Peg Perego for a double but only if I never, ever had to go over a curb or dirt.
Some strollers I’ve had and did not like: Graco, Evenflo. They fell apart quickly and wheels were not sturdy at all. I had liked the infant seat combo convenience but it’s really only necessary for such a short while. I never have liked the Duo Gliders – so many friends say they’ve fallen apart. I think you do get what you pay for! If I had to do it over again, I would like to try Phil & Teds. Maybe a Bugaboo – but I don’t see any of those in double. Maclaren is supposed to make great double models. I would buy another Kool-Stride in a heartbeat – although I did try a double of this stroller that I bought on Ebay and, although it worked, it was mammoth and hard to maneuver. The front swivel wheel on some of the new strollers intrigues me but I don’t think I’d like one for actually jogging (knowing how much I hate the swivel on my Peg Perego). I would buy the Kelty again and would consider a single jogger, too from them – if I still didn’t have mine from thirteen years ago!
p.s. Here’s a link to Cookie Mag’s top strollers – see what they have to say!
Gabe is a gifted kid in so many ways but it’s funny to hear him on what he personally thinks are his gifts. I caught this conversation last week:
Gabe: “Hey, Mom! I can make Jack laugh just by lookin’ at him….it’s a gift.”
In my quest for beautiful kitchen islands, I ran across many photos and thought I’d share my favorites. The photos are from Armstrong, Thomasville, and Southern Living.
I love these bags. This weekender bag is genius. I am going to have to make one. Someday. Thank goodness for “someday” because then I don’t have to admit that it will actually never get done. I am feeling this need to learn how to do everything at least once and cannot figure out why. Midlife crisis, I guess. This ruffle bag seems much more doable and an easy way to dress up your recycled grocery t-shirt bags. Yeah, I’ll try that one first. They’re both beautiful and found on The Weekender blog.
I had insomnia and was up until 3 a.m. wondering what I could do relatively inexpensively to spruce up our kitchen to maybe help sell our house. I was online searching for remodeling or refinishing kitchen islands and I found Kate Madison and fell in love (every Kate that I know is adorable so it is only fitting that furniture named Kate should be as well). So much for inexpensive! A girl can dream, right? I love to browse pictures and discover what I truly think feels like home. It’s all about home and not so much about the stuff, I try to remember most of the time but some of these really do just feel like home to me! Be sure to check out the Kate Madison website for more inspirational ideas.
We were discussing the meaning of horsepower and Cole commented, surprised, “Oh! I thought it meant how many horses a car could drag.” He claims to be kidding but we’re not sure. Sorry, Cole. Hopefully Elizabeth won’t tease you too much over this one. xoxo Mom & Dad
