tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80607474475552326142024-02-18T21:24:30.412-08:00Our Umble AbodeAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-68460782641580727172014-03-31T12:07:00.002-07:002014-03-31T12:07:22.328-07:00Conversations with a toddler <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DbutaRRstaJ-TKI7yTyEK6xuIgDUB_QfVs2TchmzyfiKJU5K4Q9jtGC5LdWvopqLRqZ1bE_DTG2Rpuc7fE4Lb5hEOIurefIek2cEQaA_g8Zae_Rexzz0ecZlAQXVEt_sSsHMHjcVdoLC/s1600/harps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DbutaRRstaJ-TKI7yTyEK6xuIgDUB_QfVs2TchmzyfiKJU5K4Q9jtGC5LdWvopqLRqZ1bE_DTG2Rpuc7fE4Lb5hEOIurefIek2cEQaA_g8Zae_Rexzz0ecZlAQXVEt_sSsHMHjcVdoLC/s1600/harps.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
I can't even explain how surreal it is to chat with a toddler. It's probably odd for most parents--but neither of my older children spoke before the age of 2--my oldest, at 17, still doesn't talk. <br />
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So I was completely unprepared for our first conversation, which happened simply because I'm used to talking without expecting a response. <br />
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It happened after I'd confiscated a penny Harper tried to put in her mouth. She wasn't screaming like she usually does, which made me suspicious. <br />
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Me: Is there something in your mouth?<br />
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Harper thinks for a moment.<br />
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Harper: Yes!<br />
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Me: What is in your mouth?<br />
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Harper sticks out her tongue. <br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-35315316270179457832013-12-11T06:45:00.000-08:002013-12-11T06:45:25.008-08:00DIY mistletoe pillow. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOM0xAxyIXuboxES3WjPG0Vd5UvEHtKXauV0_doMcvGjtj1AaTL-SIukQsPMN_NJnziUh7VeJ0nDQeoGR73o3BFv9nS9k5ght_ewOiAz5pdfFUDb9jsosaV8DKCxFSGpIkjMqxyPAnwoQc/s1600/embrasse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOM0xAxyIXuboxES3WjPG0Vd5UvEHtKXauV0_doMcvGjtj1AaTL-SIukQsPMN_NJnziUh7VeJ0nDQeoGR73o3BFv9nS9k5ght_ewOiAz5pdfFUDb9jsosaV8DKCxFSGpIkjMqxyPAnwoQc/s320/embrasse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm a little bit in love with my new Christmas pillow. We don't have a lot of holiday décor--despite my best intentions, I never get my holiday shopping started before Thanksgiving, which means there's just enough money to buy presents and not much for the fun decorations. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Plus, this year we have a toddler. And her favorite part of the holidays so far (besides the Bubble Guppies special <a href="http://www.nickjr.com/bubble-guppies/the-puppy-and-the-ring.html" target="_blank">"The Puppy and The Ring"</a>) seems to be undecorating the tree and any other surfaces that may seem festive. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bCSaqHTMH8yZWA4Ike5cBizcD8PUtui4jRNuT5P0qyvtAA_FdfmufaxHxhCXNeeb5z_Ump5SKD3iColC8HaNs7ID24sI-aLHyCEReL1M2aWsNzmBI52mYzZjBBLzoZGpHuM2MNwqGOO5/s1600/embrasse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3bCSaqHTMH8yZWA4Ike5cBizcD8PUtui4jRNuT5P0qyvtAA_FdfmufaxHxhCXNeeb5z_Ump5SKD3iColC8HaNs7ID24sI-aLHyCEReL1M2aWsNzmBI52mYzZjBBLzoZGpHuM2MNwqGOO5/s320/embrasse2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I saw this pillow at<a href="http://www.wayfair.com/Eastern-Accents-Joyeaux-Noel-Embrasse-Moi-Decorative-Pillow-ATE-264-EAN5233.html" target="_blank"> Wayfair.com</a> and had to have it. I decided that I was going to break down and buy myself some holiday décor. Until I saw the price tag. $145. That's more than I spend on each child with their gifts and stockings combined. And it wasn't an amount I could shave off the budget by being thrifty somewhere else. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I couldn't forget about the pillow--its adorable French holiday message, the fluffy mistletoe, its charming messiness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One night as I was getting ready for bed, it popped into my head: I could make one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I shook that notion right out and tried to sleep. I've never made a pillow. I am in the very, very early stages of learning to sew. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I drifted off thinking of my canvas drop cloth, which I'd just used for a painting project. About one-third of the drop cloth remained clean during the project. That could be enough for a pillow. And I had some batting left over from a project two years earlier. I was planning to get rid of the batting. I also had an old green sweater, which I'd used to make stockings for homeless high-school students. And half of a piece of green felt. And some black fabric paint. I could make a pillow out of things I had lying around the house--it would be free, so if I screwed it up, I'd only have wasted some of my time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I got started the next morning, when I should have been getting ready for work. I downloaded some templates for mistletoe and cut them out of the sweater and felt scraps. I created a stencil for the saying using my Silhouette (and one of my favorite fonts, <a href="http://www.losttype.com/lavanderia/" target="_blank">Lavanderia</a>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Over the next few days, I worked in pieces--an hour here, 30 minutes there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I created the mistletoe and sewed the first three sprigs onto the drop cloth fabric, then used fabric glue on the other sprigs, as it was getting a bit thick for my sewing machine. I used a scrap of red gingham fabric to create a bow, then sewed that on the fabric. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I created the pillow by folding the drop cloth fabric in half, then sewing the wrong sides together, leaving a hole to turn it right side out and then stuff. Then I top-stitched the front of the pillow. I'm sure there are better ways to create a pillow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I still love the pillow from Wayfair. But for $0, I think my copycat isn't so bad. And it adds a sweet, festive touch to our home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I already have plans to make another one sometime during the new year, when things have calmed down and I can spend some more time--and perhaps money--on some of the elements. I'd like to add a border to the pillow and experiment with other ways to create the mistletoe, perhaps sewing on a few pearls too. </span><br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-87085455052549732592013-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:002013-12-02T09:00:07.061-08:00Picture-perfect teacher gifts<span style="font-size: large;">I am convinced that some of the most amazing people in the world go into special education--as teachers, therapists and paraprofessionals. Each Christmas, I wish there was a way to truly express how grateful our family is for the magic they work in our lives every single day.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sadly, I'm constrained by a budget--and the fact that this magic requires a heck of a lot of people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We do write thank you notes--and I hope that the people who work with Xander know that I mean every word. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVeP0Cdt8XHjtIebxGnS2fOPWKybSmDPEoOoCB6vu_9HwvC_HxRWTnAUsJdOP4bUX6uC0mPpcWyUfbnHo-L-0WWVc0ufRWbbt6-Lem_h6a9-PtM9kh6qw3kPAOjbhyu7j5ppknNfTbdd-/s1600/pictureperfect1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVeP0Cdt8XHjtIebxGnS2fOPWKybSmDPEoOoCB6vu_9HwvC_HxRWTnAUsJdOP4bUX6uC0mPpcWyUfbnHo-L-0WWVc0ufRWbbt6-Lem_h6a9-PtM9kh6qw3kPAOjbhyu7j5ppknNfTbdd-/s320/pictureperfect1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">When it comes to gifts, it's hard to think of ideas that aren't tacky but won't eat up our entire holiday budget. This year, I was really excited to think of one--which I will share in detail later. I'm going to order poinsettias from the local activity center, which provides a day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. It's where Xander will spend his days after he leaves school--and where many of his teacher's and paras' graduates wind up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I can easily drop these off at Xander's school. But his after-school life skills program is pretty far from our house and I began to worry that with all of the hustle and bustle, I wouldn't have time to deliver the flowers. So I wanted an alternative, something that could fit in the backpack he brings to the day program.
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcEW7GTDE9b4CwT0YiUdrjBFZQStSrv2af6YsV4WF6unaxt8sxc2hftNmfrqaX6xMcff2OcQbhOuXsxJjiEwzhKju_A1bCUryEfs3eg69N9KnTrBzfV8oqWXh12x4xc-QIM-1Ntsh2quh/s1600/pictureperfect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcEW7GTDE9b4CwT0YiUdrjBFZQStSrv2af6YsV4WF6unaxt8sxc2hftNmfrqaX6xMcff2OcQbhOuXsxJjiEwzhKju_A1bCUryEfs3eg69N9KnTrBzfV8oqWXh12x4xc-QIM-1Ntsh2quh/s320/pictureperfect.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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These picture-frame ornaments from Michaels fit the bill perfectly. To make the gift extra special, I tucked each one into a red chevron-patterned paper bag and added a tag that I designed to match the gift. The best part--these tags can be used a lot this year, as I'm giving family photos to several people on my list. I'm putting them in larger frames, wrapping in tissue paper, then sticking the sticker on the tissue paper, putting the gift in a box and wrapping. So simple, but adds a layer of delight!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Want to print some tags out for your picture-perfect presents? Click <a href="https://app.box.com/s/4fkd1vb82f0m26hwdo6l" target="_blank">here</a>. If you have one handy, a 3-inch circle punch works great for cutting these out. If not, a pair of scissors works well too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are you giving your child's teachers this year?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-4095155155850730942013-12-02T05:44:00.001-08:002013-12-02T07:19:34.542-08:00Free printables to make DIY nutcracker kits for gift-giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnZWRSAuEyQAubCbVd0sgupgc0gaGuQu2jKjufbRBsy9ChRezz-geveqzDsfVyTQiBfDPgXL38fHBS0sBwaHhQU9Imy_gjQbAs-zprbLvRpV_nvtuACz093jHqtOO0m8cYAm3VlvItLDO/s1600/insidevintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnZWRSAuEyQAubCbVd0sgupgc0gaGuQu2jKjufbRBsy9ChRezz-geveqzDsfVyTQiBfDPgXL38fHBS0sBwaHhQU9Imy_gjQbAs-zprbLvRpV_nvtuACz093jHqtOO0m8cYAm3VlvItLDO/s320/insidevintage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I have some young boys on my Christmas list--young boys I see only during the holidays. So it's hard to know what to buy. I know their interests but not the things they already have. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We exchange gifts with these relatives a few days before Christmas. I remember well what those last days before the Big Day were like with young boys--school is out, anticipation is high and boredom is a given. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So I decided to give them a gift that would break that boredom: A paint-your-own nutcracker kit.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLvLR_OVVVsypvRJGk0dxmE-0RsBbSZjzKjh1FA8yvTukhdrZFDMNxpOYMx2VwNj2cOuMKxMHts8zNxJOgpW6nQnDPd7PPKN8i4z4k3y7Z9ppHwbM52sAB9kcpmAuCTbh5TCZrFWAEqfd/s1600/nutcrackeroutside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhLvLR_OVVVsypvRJGk0dxmE-0RsBbSZjzKjh1FA8yvTukhdrZFDMNxpOYMx2VwNj2cOuMKxMHts8zNxJOgpW6nQnDPd7PPKN8i4z4k3y7Z9ppHwbM52sAB9kcpmAuCTbh5TCZrFWAEqfd/s320/nutcrackeroutside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I bought a set of six unpainted nutcrackers at Hobby Lobby, then bought some empty tiny paint canisters in the art supply section. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I bought a set of brushes (I can't stand the super-cheap brushes that always come with kids' art kits). I also got some clear plastic containers from </span><a href="http://www.pickyourplum.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Pick Your Plum</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Then I designed some labels for the various parts of the kit.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNjKTyAxfNvPwtNtgdMw2stKbwe9Gkrl5xyFtquuQapSKs9hs3dcr6GWaZX-IHeTdwdYb6yjX4rIfkQqh6UbPUblW3M1zO1UvI9c00pVkmq7qCwhQetiEkOGKZVaA4qWerbO5J-oJcvUL/s1600/paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNjKTyAxfNvPwtNtgdMw2stKbwe9Gkrl5xyFtquuQapSKs9hs3dcr6GWaZX-IHeTdwdYb6yjX4rIfkQqh6UbPUblW3M1zO1UvI9c00pVkmq7qCwhQetiEkOGKZVaA4qWerbO5J-oJcvUL/s320/paint.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">The last and most frustrating part was finding a container that could fit the whole kit. I </span> <span style="font-size: large;">could have avoided some of the pain by simply measuring everything and figuring it out. Instead, I kept ordering containers only to have them delivered and discover they wouldn't hold the kit. Then, I saw these cardboard suitcases in one of the Christmas sections of Target. They were perfect--and exactly the kind of thing a young boy would like to have to store treasures in long after the kit was used. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">To make sure they could continue to use the suitcases, I affixed the outer label with temporary adhesive. I printed the other labels onto sticker paper, then cut them out and stuck them on the containers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The containers include--a long, skinny one to keep the paints in and two short, square ones. One of those has two stocking stuffer toys (a small car and a Christmas kaleidoscope) and the other has Christmas gum drops (hence the "goody goody" label). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I can't wait to give these presents--although I kinda wish I'd made one for my own kids (and myself). They look like a lot of fun, and I bet they'd work well for boys and girls of many different ages. If you'd like to make a kit, you can download the labels </span><a href="https://app.box.com/s/pzhfvd7t2ijlou5xjhum" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> (one outer label and the "oh what fun!" and "goody goody" circles),</span><a href="https://app.box.com/s/49ykgk14nf6jarxfqm6o" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"> here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> (just the outer label) and</span><a href="https://app.box.com/s/yahecge8as541b80b5k5" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"> here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> (the labels for the paint containers, plus different circle labels). </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are some great ideas you have for the kids on your list?</span><br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-43078607825416122332013-11-25T06:00:00.000-08:002013-12-02T06:00:26.463-08:00Random Acts of Kindness: Stockings for Homeless Students<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have an amazing friend who has <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/258174904335896/?ref_dashboard_filter=calendar" target="_blank">challenged her friends and family to do random acts of kindness for the month before her birthday</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">She's the kind of person who is always helping other people--I know, everyone says that. But it's true in this case. One example: A few years ago, we hosted an orphan from Moldova, a 13-year-old boy who came with a host of problems and an incredible spirit and beautiful smile. But it didn't look like we'd be able to adopt him. So my friend and her husband volunteered without hesitation, even though they had a handful of young children at the time. It so happens that Moldova has some strict adoption laws, and my friend and I were both too young to adopt the teen. But the experience still stands out--with so many smaller examples--as a testament to my friend's character.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">And when she learned that her fifth baby would be born with a serious heart condition, my friend faced those challenges with remarkable courage and grace. Those traits shined through again when my friend was diagnosed with brain cancer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So when she asked us to perform random acts of kindness for her birthday, it was impossible to say no. My friend created a Facebook group for people to share their experiences. I was hesitant at first; I usually hate writing about things that I do like that. But as I kept up with the group, it really was inspiring to read about how others were reaching out and helping. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I decided that this challenge would be a great opportunity to get my kids involved and chose three projects, one that fit with each of them. For my 16-month-old daughter, we went through her clothes and toys and donated them to Just a Hand, a local charity that gives gently used clothes, toys, baby stuff and more to foster parents. Often, they get foster children with no notice--and nothing more than what they are wearing. I talked with a foster mom once who got a baby girl on Christmas Eve dressed in pajamas. This local woman started just getting leftovers from yard sales. And in the past few years, her effort has grown so much that she now also offers two giveaway events each year, where she gives clothes, toys, baby and kid stuff to hundreds of families who are referred to her by social services. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For my younger son, I decided to make stockings for homeless students at his school. His school is one of the wealthiest in our district, but there are still many who are homeless. Some live in motels with their families. But many are on their own, trying to navigate high school while entering the adult world all too soon. I still call on my mom for help on a pretty regular basis, so I can't even imagine being 16 and not having anyone to call. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This project won't fix that for them. But I hope it helps them feel a little less alone. I sewed stockings out of a sweater that has some holes in it--it was a favorite sweater, made out of a beautiful pale green wool and I hated the thought of getting rid of it. Then, we stuffed those stockings with toiletries (Axe body spray for the boys, glossy lip balm (and trial sized boxes of tampons) for the girls, plus shampoo, body wash, etc. Then we added hot chocolate, an instant Starbucks caramel coffee package, mini candy canes and a festive tag. I dropped them off at the school for the social worker. I know that in her office, she keeps a bin filled with toiletries and gives them to the homeless students when she meets with them. I thought she could just keep these on the shelf and hand them out through the month of December.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you'd like to do a similar project, your school district should have a homeless liaison. Call the district and ask for that contact information. Or, show up at your child's school (or a nearby school) and drop off toiletries with the social worker. They always meet students who need these items. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlkF_5zind0LVa6UXqZZO915ElldK1RvCjmmsFXwB3joab_AXNCnu7J8FIAK3IP4tcLSbtbNNbWsWLVNs5u9fXsPBNSLtlzYwuJs5U0uRuVaHZJ6G5O00-E4cqfAHnWKs3E7GQETEPt7v/s1600/stocking2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUlkF_5zind0LVa6UXqZZO915ElldK1RvCjmmsFXwB3joab_AXNCnu7J8FIAK3IP4tcLSbtbNNbWsWLVNs5u9fXsPBNSLtlzYwuJs5U0uRuVaHZJ6G5O00-E4cqfAHnWKs3E7GQETEPt7v/s320/stocking2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I plan to do our third act on Thanksgiving. My parents live down the street from a group home for adults with intellectual disabilities. We're hoping that in about two years, our oldest son will be living in that home (or one like it). I have to confess that some days, I'm looking forward to that time, when I won't have to change his diapers or worry about poop smeared throughout his room. But most of the time, when I think about him moving away, it makes me cry. It's hard to think of him living somewhere else--but I know we'll be visiting often and will have him home with us for the holidays. But some families can't or won't take their loved ones home for the holidays, which means they'll spend the holiday at the group home while their roommates celebrate elsewhere. So we're going to bring some mini pies over to the group home for the residents--and the staff--who are having Thanksgiving there. </span></div>
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-38664070075574544042013-11-24T09:21:00.001-08:002013-11-24T09:23:34.012-08:00You Rock: A simple touch for Thanksgiving cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3blrLQXD_R9fW-xA3Rq7ttQoxfVPrQ2amRtp90BbFJw2ifQanx67JHauci1jwSREZFm6TVmb7zrVBh_N7XyU4Yn7XAlZkhKQE9Le9ATbvm8Zju4xOVxh_X3zaHlITciA3Ox_zXxwovd4/s1600/pilgrimrock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3blrLQXD_R9fW-xA3Rq7ttQoxfVPrQ2amRtp90BbFJw2ifQanx67JHauci1jwSREZFm6TVmb7zrVBh_N7XyU4Yn7XAlZkhKQE9Le9ATbvm8Zju4xOVxh_X3zaHlITciA3Ox_zXxwovd4/s320/pilgrimrock.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes you have the best holiday intentions--like freshly baked desserts for Thanksgiving--and then your toddler gets the first cold of her life and needs extra special attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So you need something quick and easy. Like cupcakes from the bakery. To give them a homemade touch, add a cute topper. I love these little pilgrims. And they were perfect for my son's classroom Thanksgiving party. It turns out that you can only send in store-bought treats these days, anyway, so it all worked out. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0Zf4eBfVLmoJHLNhWUlh8GsR5qjfNdtkeTfjcr_X-WQUorpyqtQLiVRMjbLm8F7hfuq2XSgO9sr7lvtx-byP6FYSgGdx4P6Qa4S7fvE2HBsv_z_3d-Ayd-S5vOJk-UkZ9E5g-l9dJK6w/s1600/harpsicing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0Zf4eBfVLmoJHLNhWUlh8GsR5qjfNdtkeTfjcr_X-WQUorpyqtQLiVRMjbLm8F7hfuq2XSgO9sr7lvtx-byP6FYSgGdx4P6Qa4S7fvE2HBsv_z_3d-Ayd-S5vOJk-UkZ9E5g-l9dJK6w/s320/harpsicing.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">And it also turns out that icing is great for making miserable toddlers feel better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You can download the cupcake toppers <a href="https://app.box.com/s/o9x8xbz93g20oxx4v7jk" target="_blank">here</a>. Simply punch them out with a 2-inch circle punch, glue them to toothpicks (or, as I did, little wooden appetizer picks) and insert into cupcakes.</span> <br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-74060414094081022982013-11-19T07:10:00.000-08:002013-11-19T07:10:00.814-08:00Vintage Logo Overlays, Some More Examples<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3dJifB_2dbGJSOyekZsmGDr9BaXJVSy5OAHhkXth3dSOSY7fpLkwcT55xg51c16T4DtUfcNU60vR1Okp-Ha2WaUdZPY6UCO8B66qD6Yy9_Ii9AV7OisSoIqWAe-YDCkPRvCphWF_koRJ/s1600/overlay1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3dJifB_2dbGJSOyekZsmGDr9BaXJVSy5OAHhkXth3dSOSY7fpLkwcT55xg51c16T4DtUfcNU60vR1Okp-Ha2WaUdZPY6UCO8B66qD6Yy9_Ii9AV7OisSoIqWAe-YDCkPRvCphWF_koRJ/s320/overlay1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Here are some more examples of how to use <a href="https://app.box.com/s/dj7753rl885zsvmhxiqf" target="_blank">the overlays</a> I shared yesterday to simply turn a photo into a Christmas card. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvRvSYSbgxLEtVbaaNQHVB8EwrOiRRwsdoS9310y1uzRzPhal-3imh6LEKplQQOTkS854VW607bmyJ19KmM4puKuyuv5e41EU4yA7ETUXUCjlPA0I57-INI_3va-Q78Z0QZXL91Je53B5/s1600/overlay2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAvRvSYSbgxLEtVbaaNQHVB8EwrOiRRwsdoS9310y1uzRzPhal-3imh6LEKplQQOTkS854VW607bmyJ19KmM4puKuyuv5e41EU4yA7ETUXUCjlPA0I57-INI_3va-Q78Z0QZXL91Je53B5/s320/overlay2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYi3-A_6mnamhhaB2W0blXWHR0jQGRrk7eUW2drmFApuiq4nsb1LoAWrS3PZRALHdKtwWADGsjCUacnm4lbyEhdeJvPuGmzvW5a-_bv0E0lDBDZq7dLDEzk4TMlkCeCHDO8QCR5wNBm4I/s1600/overlay3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYi3-A_6mnamhhaB2W0blXWHR0jQGRrk7eUW2drmFApuiq4nsb1LoAWrS3PZRALHdKtwWADGsjCUacnm4lbyEhdeJvPuGmzvW5a-_bv0E0lDBDZq7dLDEzk4TMlkCeCHDO8QCR5wNBm4I/s320/overlay3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-56120683332280995552013-11-18T09:00:00.000-08:002013-11-18T09:00:07.255-08:00Make your own laundry detergent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrJg24Y5I-XNnNwL0LIPVF_4S6R_EcO7lMGWmYlfGRcR8FNriCFcYB3Dz-uHum4DqVfTOBvKue-gWPKHTXbS1l5zA4nMD5gjZ3ZqLa5RHxga59pOESMupVyZxOlpTlf9VwUcoRZCEKbEP/s1600/laundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrJg24Y5I-XNnNwL0LIPVF_4S6R_EcO7lMGWmYlfGRcR8FNriCFcYB3Dz-uHum4DqVfTOBvKue-gWPKHTXbS1l5zA4nMD5gjZ3ZqLa5RHxga59pOESMupVyZxOlpTlf9VwUcoRZCEKbEP/s320/laundry.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Having three kids means doing a lot of laundry. And with the addition of a very unplanned baby, we're trying to cut costs wherever we can. However, I was very skeptical about all of the make-your-own laundry detergents floating around Pinterest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But the recipes are fairly cheap and easy, and so I decided to give it a try. We've been using this detergent more than a year now, and it really is great. I started with a very basic recipe, but did add a container of OxyClean Baby, because every five loads or so, there was a stain that didn't come out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I originally grated the soap, which was a lengthy process. Before the baby was born, I grated soap while watching TV. Now, I don't have that much downtime. So I tried grating it with the food processor--it turned out great, and the soap completely washed out of the food processor. I was a little worried about that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So here's my recipe:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 box of Borax</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 box of washing soda</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 containter of OxyClean Baby (optional, and regular OxyClean would probably work too)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 bars of Fels Naptha soap</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I put the soap in the microwave for just a few seconds (it softens the soap and makes grating easier). Then, I slice each bar into four slices. I put those slices, one at a time, into the food processor using the grating blade. If you don't have a food processor, you can definitely grate by hand. I recommend doing it while watching an NCIS marathon on USA. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mix the other ingredients together in a large container.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mix in the soap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pour into containers to store the laundry detergent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When you use the detergent, you only need about 2 Tablespoons. I sometimes add more, just out of habit from years of laundry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Also, when I first made the detergent, I had no idea what any of the ingredients are or where to find them. I've been able to find them in the laundry aisle of two nearby grocery stores, but I can't find any of the ingredients at Target. I know some people order them off Amazon, too. </span></div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-29962183928162379202013-11-18T05:52:00.000-08:002013-11-18T06:42:51.851-08:00Free Christmas Card Overlays, Vintage Logo Style<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyd4Q3ZwRdY66XlZYRLJavGs5j-41Oz6oc2AiD-F60kdfX2_IAexbipooldlUotcxH0venSlJA0BdXBAcuIfMlhddrX0LDHuEm55-yv1mwKrnRlH8fpBXSmJZeEu0_uIh5JpxDCCSzPq6S/s320/movelogo.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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I had visions of glittery Christmas cards dancing in my head this season. But then our family got hit with a horrible cold, followed by a stomach bug.<br />
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So I opted for super simple holiday cards. Because sometimes, done is better than sparkling. I started with some awesome logo files, added some holiday cheer, inserted photos and sent them to the printers. <br />
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Now, I see that gold and glittery is quite the trend this year. Sometimes that makes me sad. But mostly it makes me happy that I opted for simplicity. And I wanted to share some of the logos I made, so you could make some simple holiday cards too. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRhPf0lQXW3Dvi3H3FHZdzN9ALZGe4zcTuOdCGrFYIqxO8m7I5NRvhL_XzbuiVvNb2-XzIZRJ9GHldM11sJGCwOBwdSbdI2U0QpS2zmovJHZJNegpHNcghOCIE2dkHKiCH77YPN4MjW9s/s1600/layeropacity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRhPf0lQXW3Dvi3H3FHZdzN9ALZGe4zcTuOdCGrFYIqxO8m7I5NRvhL_XzbuiVvNb2-XzIZRJ9GHldM11sJGCwOBwdSbdI2U0QpS2zmovJHZJNegpHNcghOCIE2dkHKiCH77YPN4MjW9s/s200/layeropacity.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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There are so many different ways you can use these--I saved them in PSD files, so you can change the opacity, do a color overlay, etc. <br />
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Here is the same overlay as above, with a lower opacity, for example. And you can see what it looks like at the top, instead of the bottom of the photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPeqcma58m1R161A_mpPII15JhV5SSlik3DXtHjxm7qRkv3Oogvcu7Jdn9lwijHauMPO0D6FIUhyphenhyphen3g-HzwOTXQETI2ONesHMRa7dr_1HuB1w6CYy2G7MN6f-LDF8g-VojDlsK6YvmPnLK/s1600/merry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPeqcma58m1R161A_mpPII15JhV5SSlik3DXtHjxm7qRkv3Oogvcu7Jdn9lwijHauMPO0D6FIUhyphenhyphen3g-HzwOTXQETI2ONesHMRa7dr_1HuB1w6CYy2G7MN6f-LDF8g-VojDlsK6YvmPnLK/s320/merry.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here's an example of one of the other logos on this <a href="https://app.box.com/s/dj7753rl885zsvmhxiqf" target="_blank">free download</a>. Click on the link for more logos. Happy card-making! And I'd love to see what you create with these logos. <br />
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Also, some photos don't work so well with the logos--they don't have enough dark or light spots for a logo to show up on. Here's how I handled that in our family card:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtww4rplI1DumpDQqFcxYO0xHcTUMdnmuPEj5MN_y-K-g3ZMM-w3Iw1uYYIFJRDdVdBQFiCsoLqjPd-wSNwVLYQxE0a1h5pW4BlBc23QFYYTGTuu_zcNccLOnKH2OatryuDcE4aCcz2Js/s1600/insder2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtww4rplI1DumpDQqFcxYO0xHcTUMdnmuPEj5MN_y-K-g3ZMM-w3Iw1uYYIFJRDdVdBQFiCsoLqjPd-wSNwVLYQxE0a1h5pW4BlBc23QFYYTGTuu_zcNccLOnKH2OatryuDcE4aCcz2Js/s320/insder2.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-42633605297479634812013-02-01T11:20:00.000-08:002013-02-01T11:20:53.704-08:00DIY deodorizers for diaper pails--and anything else<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BX-1qevd36ySomkicfke1FLA_pkdXOOgCivGvZWolcXp_JZ34MprMKOqXkrZoDwhezAK5-ELv7QjAGjjKHQFwq4Hptnqd8-cauG_D6PeN1NSvpesQxCyySy_9bFp3hayw9TW8ajBJg-7/s1600/morepiggiesw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5BX-1qevd36ySomkicfke1FLA_pkdXOOgCivGvZWolcXp_JZ34MprMKOqXkrZoDwhezAK5-ELv7QjAGjjKHQFwq4Hptnqd8-cauG_D6PeN1NSvpesQxCyySy_9bFp3hayw9TW8ajBJg-7/s320/morepiggiesw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I love having a baby in the house again. They are so much fun! The diaper smell not so much. I gave into the tempation and bought some diaper pail deodorizers at Target. They really helped cut down on that diaper smell. But they were more spendy than I liked. So I was very excited to find a </span><a href="http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/09/freshen-up-your-home-make-your-own-homemade-deodorizing-disks.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">recipe for DIY deodorizers</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> at One Good Thing by Jillee. I made my own, and they were super easy and super cheap--and they're working very nicely!</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJk1FK4Us1RiQvwX5W9BmnEtDw0o9WKAIeCk6nWJ2rtAB7fpURgsfHvMqaEhlxUrTP9FRD3rdx4wtkcTd7ceqq-jfV2CK8os8m1Ur9BVeh2puJ1b23kb5ASdohMWUJysCTech-t9qPIvJ1/s1600/deodorizers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJk1FK4Us1RiQvwX5W9BmnEtDw0o9WKAIeCk6nWJ2rtAB7fpURgsfHvMqaEhlxUrTP9FRD3rdx4wtkcTd7ceqq-jfV2CK8os8m1Ur9BVeh2puJ1b23kb5ASdohMWUJysCTech-t9qPIvJ1/s320/deodorizers.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here's how I made them:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I gathered my supplies: 2 cups baking soda, 2 cups of water, some orange essential oil and a silicone mold.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I boiled the 2 cups of water for 10 minutes, then let it cool a little bit.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I put half of a cup of the boiled water into a bowl and added several drops of the essential oil.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Then I added the baking soda and mixed them together, adding a little bit more water until I got a thick paste.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I loaded the paste up into the molds.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">I set the molds on a shelf and let them dry for 36 hours.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Then I popped the deodorizers out of the mold and put one of the disks in the diaper pail.</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I made hearts because that was the only shape of silicone molds I had--and what says "I love you" more than eliminating the smell of diapers? I also put a deodorizer in the bottom of our kitchen trash can, which always seems to smell. And I put one in the wastebasket of my boys' bathroom, because that second-grade friend who told me that boys stink was sooooo right. </span><br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-28585279801253271512012-12-26T07:26:00.001-08:002012-12-26T07:26:27.003-08:00Indoor activities for kids<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE62SzZOd_7-K32UKuR6qGacgzXlfMksCyXpDo5Djavmvnmpdo6-rGDQ8hkAN821qlab-kZvSTbMHSVzcT07PcJb-mvVFNgECUvG5Tj3rp4hhZ-oBAT2Kxch6UEwe_dYTEZ_c2zjU60PEb/s1600/hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE62SzZOd_7-K32UKuR6qGacgzXlfMksCyXpDo5Djavmvnmpdo6-rGDQ8hkAN821qlab-kZvSTbMHSVzcT07PcJb-mvVFNgECUvG5Tj3rp4hhZ-oBAT2Kxch6UEwe_dYTEZ_c2zjU60PEb/s320/hat.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="http://mermag.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-years-hat-making-party.html" target="_blank">Mermag</a></td></tr>
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It's not really a snow day--what's going on outside is too wet and gross for play. And the Christmas toys have all been played with--again and again. Now, it's the day after Christmas and your kids are bored. Here are a few ways to keep them busy, and most can be made with things you have on hand already:<br />
1. <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/266694/decorating-with-paper-snowflakes" target="_blank">Make paper snowflakes</a>: When my sons were smaller, they hated it when I took down the Christmas decorations. The house looked so plain. So my younger son would spend hours the day after Christmas crafting paper snowflakes, making so many that I ran out of places to hang them. If that's the case in your house, send some to the children of Sandy Hook Elementary School. In the New Year, the students won't return to the school where a gunman killed 26 people. They will attend a new school nearby, and the Conneticut Parent Teacher Association wants a winter wonderland to welcome these students on their first day. So they're asking people around the country to send in paper snowflakes by Jan. 12 to: Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway Building 12, Suite 103; Hamden, CT 06514.<br />
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2. Make paper New Year's Eve hats: Get the kids excited for the next holiday by making hats to ring in the New Year. <a data-mce-href="http://mermag.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-years-hat-making-party.html" href="http://mermag.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-years-hat-making-party.html" target="_blank">These hats </a>are pretty festive, but if you don't have the right supplies on hand, you can make them with paper and simply decorate with stickers, markers and crayons.<br />
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3. Put away the toys: It might not sound like fun, but this is a great time to get the kids' stuff organized. Try <a data-mce-href="http://www.ivillage.com/fun-things-do-winter-kids/6-b-300886#300916" href="http://www.ivillage.com/fun-things-do-winter-kids/6-b-300886#300916" target="_blank">these tips</a> for organization. While putting away the new toys, have your kids get rid of any toys they haven't played with in a while.<br />
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4. Build a fort: Use blankets, pillows, chairs, couches, etc. Build a cozy fort, and eat a picnic lunch inside.<br />
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5.<a data-mce-href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/11/easy-monster-sock-puppet-tutorial.html" href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/11/easy-monster-sock-puppet-tutorial.html" target="_blank"> Make a monster sock puppet</a>: Sometimes the best way to unwind after a hectic holiday is with an oldie but goodie.<br />
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6. Balloon tennis: Need to get some excess energy out but don't want the kids throwing balls in the house? <a data-mce-href="http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2012/01/active-indoors-balloon-tennis.html" href="http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2012/01/active-indoors-balloon-tennis.html" target="_blank">This game </a>uses paper plates for rackets and balloons for balls.<br />
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7. Ring toss: <a data-mce-href="http://alittlelearningfortwo.blogspot.com/2010/11/paper-plate-ring-toss-game.html" href="http://alittlelearningfortwo.blogspot.com/2010/11/paper-plate-ring-toss-game.html" target="_blank">This game </a>uses a cardboard paper towel roll, and paper plates cut into rings.<br />
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8. <a data-mce-href="http://www.lilsugar.com/Bubble-Wrap-Painting-24586969" href="http://www.lilsugar.com/Bubble-Wrap-Painting-24586969" target="_blank">Bubble wrap painting</a>: You probably have a bunch of bubble wrap lying around from your holiday shipments. Use it to make some really unique artwork.<br />
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9. Make a newspaper fort: As a reporter, I have to encourage people to get the paper. And this really <a href="http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2012/06/play.html" target="_blank">cool fort</a> is definitely worth the subscription.<br />
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10. Make your own Play-Doh: <a data-mce-href="http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2012/05/play-dough.html" href="http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2012/05/play-dough.html" target="_blank">This recipe </a>uses Jello to make the play clay colorful and scented.<br />
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11. <a data-mce-href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-idea-velcro-catch-101197" href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/good-idea-velcro-catch-101197" target="_blank">Make your own velcro catch game</a>: Use those cheap, stretchy gloves, Velcro dots and wiffle balls.<br />
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12. And get ready for Valentine's Day by<a data-mce-href="http://rustsunshine.blogspot.com/2012/01/heart-stamps.html" href="http://rustsunshine.blogspot.com/2012/01/heart-stamps.html" target="_blank"> making heart stamps out of toilet paper rolls</a>.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-43267479303547312562012-11-27T06:48:00.000-08:002012-11-27T06:48:26.313-08:00Dreaming of a chalky Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggmcAbgKE-zrZxcHP134Qqfka9ZEMwWsGq8ux0TLvo7ukc8KI63SH0_luSpNksJA0M4aCjiWIv2uLB_pCkUd-DBK0qlwaDhZYisWc87ivFTqfzae_msHkqTDNQ5LxXmx7odfhm0IVOOCaV/s1600/12cardtest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggmcAbgKE-zrZxcHP134Qqfka9ZEMwWsGq8ux0TLvo7ukc8KI63SH0_luSpNksJA0M4aCjiWIv2uLB_pCkUd-DBK0qlwaDhZYisWc87ivFTqfzae_msHkqTDNQ5LxXmx7odfhm0IVOOCaV/s320/12cardtest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If I'd been planning this baby, I might have had her a month or two earlier. That way, she'd be sitting up a little bit better and wouldn't be so awkward for the Christmas card photo. But I think she's cute enough to pull off the awkward look.<br />
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I totally jumped on the chalkboard bandwagon. I'd had a much different idea in mind. But then this popped in my head, and I ditched the first plans. I just got the cards back from the printer (I use <a href="http://www.bayphoto.com/" target="_blank">Bay Photo</a>, they're great), and I can't wait to send them out. I'd hoped for something a little bit more spectacular, but this is the best I can do on two hours of sleep each night.<br />
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Here's the back, by the way:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP0dJ_xM_dcMm9Tb6cgWTYJJbZkK_r_auOv-PVenuWgNNvMVkvEAp-UaN3fOtFLSS6VJkK-cf6EwYZ40KLis5xgt65_iS5OtnfT40cYT4x-mdgt_-H-IF2AzH0usd7Xom-Ip92EGJmjLJ/s1600/12backtest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP0dJ_xM_dcMm9Tb6cgWTYJJbZkK_r_auOv-PVenuWgNNvMVkvEAp-UaN3fOtFLSS6VJkK-cf6EwYZ40KLis5xgt65_iS5OtnfT40cYT4x-mdgt_-H-IF2AzH0usd7Xom-Ip92EGJmjLJ/s320/12backtest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And here's a more generic card I designed while playing around:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWy21YUAtSopwlu4li0dejzrCloTNmtoBCFTTXXCZz3OLPQXJT4vbktyp5PwO90AF4X2osE1FmskZwCXR216-ONknqmZzRAskwg3t7K5xpfOu3JczeaRsDq86fTKR7Mx43mSf5iHgWzZh/s1600/bemerry2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWy21YUAtSopwlu4li0dejzrCloTNmtoBCFTTXXCZz3OLPQXJT4vbktyp5PwO90AF4X2osE1FmskZwCXR216-ONknqmZzRAskwg3t7K5xpfOu3JczeaRsDq86fTKR7Mx43mSf5iHgWzZh/s320/bemerry2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
You can download a template to use in Photoshop <a href="https://www.box.com/s/p5k9md7j719pudpqccet" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
Don't have Photoshop? <a href="https://www.box.com/s/hj16s3gkckg0sb8y8gzs" target="_blank">Here's</a> a card I made in jpeg, so you can print it out and just glue on a photo:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfHcL7Eud6Hv-vxlUbXx7mYab5kpJ0m1AsNHdC9rgPsf3TJa0iw1ZMShKJrr9STup_dH0-4_UXMvixeatGaUfv5qbKJkw9CulNHcy_ArzfHh96540ybxzfsYEE-knU_VZ-2rSlAG2uZ-P/s1600/holidaycard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfHcL7Eud6Hv-vxlUbXx7mYab5kpJ0m1AsNHdC9rgPsf3TJa0iw1ZMShKJrr9STup_dH0-4_UXMvixeatGaUfv5qbKJkw9CulNHcy_ArzfHh96540ybxzfsYEE-knU_VZ-2rSlAG2uZ-P/s320/holidaycard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-2581421929567299112012-11-27T06:17:00.000-08:002012-11-27T06:17:26.800-08:00Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Teen GuysStockings have always been a big deal in my family. Often, they're even better than any of the big gifts. When I was a child, they were filled with cassette tapes (I still remember the year I got "Joshua Tree" by U2 in my stocking, best stocking stuffer ever), candy, small toys and a gift card. And when my guys were small, I loved shopping for their stockings. Now that they're teens, I find the stockings to be the most challenging part of the holidays. I rack my brain repeatedly.<br />
Knowing how hard finding stocking stuffers for teen boys is, I'm sharing my list with you. And if you have any ideas, <em>please</em> share them with me. Together, we might just come up with the best stockings yet.<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/20121127_082314.jpg" href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/20121127_082314.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-507" data-mce-src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/20121127_082314-150x150.jpg" height="150" src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/20121127_082314-150x150.jpg" title="20121127_082314" width="150" /></a>Some ideas: sunglasses, key chain, gloves, ear buds, cologne, a Magic 8 ball (I did this last year, and it was a hit. Also, the ball predicted the Redskins would have a mediocre season, which seems to be accurate), iTunes gift card, chapstick, candy, an atlas (my younger son loves maps, so he gets a new atlas each year), a book (my sons aren't big readers, but I picked up a copy of "Moneyball," which happens to be my younger son's favorite movie), socks.<br />
My son also loves change--he likes to go to Coinstar once a month to turn his change into bills. So I made him this. <a data-mce-href="https://www.box.com/s/kmse4326zi9by7iivzn4" href="https://www.box.com/s/kmse4326zi9by7iivzn4" target="_blank">Here</a> is a downloadable bag topper file, so you can print one out and make your pocket change into a festive stocking stuffer.<br />
Here are some ideas I found of stocking stuffers you can order online:<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/nose.jpg" href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/pick-punch" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-487" data-mce-src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/nose-150x150.jpg" height="150" src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/nose-150x150.jpg" title="nose" width="150" /></a><a data-mce-href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/pick-punch" href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/pick-punch" target="_blank">Pick Punch: </a> At $25, this might be a bit pricey for a stocking stuffer, but its coolness factor could mean you can get away with fewer stuffers. This gadget is basically like a hole punch in the shape of a guitar pick, and the product description says it can cut picks out of thick materials like old credit cards or unused gym membership badges.<br /> <br /> <a data-mce-href="http://www.retroplanet.com/PROD/35158" href="http://www.retroplanet.com/PROD/35158%22%20target=%22_blank" target="_blank">Nose Pencil Sharpener</a>: Something that's functional and fun, if not a little bit gross. It costs $1.69 at Retroplanet.com. You can find a lot more gag-type stocking stuffers at the website<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.fredflare.com/gift-guide-STOCKING-STUFFERS/Drumstick-Pencils/" href="http://www.fredflare.com/gift-guide-STOCKING-STUFFERS/Drumstick-Pencils/%22%20target=%22_blank" target="_blank">Drumstick pencils</a>, $12, are pretty much what they sound like--pencils shaped like drumsticks, perfect for your favorite teen drummer.<br />
Or how about a <a data-mce-href="http://www.fredflare.com/gift-guide-STOCKING-STUFFERS/Drumstick-Pencils/" href="http://www.fredflare.com/ACCESSORIES-bags/Bacon-Wallet/" target="_blank">bacon wallet</a>? My teenage sons could eat bacon 50 times a day, if I'd let them. So this could be perfect, for $12.<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/baconwallet.jpg" href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/baconwallet.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-489" data-mce-src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/baconwallet-150x150.jpg" height="150" src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/fredericksburgfamilies/files/2012/11/baconwallet-150x150.jpg" title="baconwallet" width="150" /></a>While we're on the bacon theme, there's also <a data-mce-href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=24295982&parentid=SHOP_STOCKINGSTUFFERS" href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=24295982&parentid=SHOP_STOCKINGSTUFFERS" target="_blank">bacon frosting</a>, $8. Which combines my younger son's two favorite foods.<br />
Or <a data-mce-href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=20087987&parentid=SHOP_STOCKINGSTUFFERS" href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=20087987&parentid=SHOP_STOCKINGSTUFFERS" target="_blank">Like and Dislike stamp</a>s for the Facebook fan in your life, $14.<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/111418236/bag-of-coal-soap-naughty-or-nice" href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/111418236/bag-of-coal-soap-naughty-or-nice" target="_blank">Coal Soap</a>: For the past few years, I've been tempted to pick up one of those bags of coal-shaped bubble gum the stores all sell at Christmas time. But for the fourth year in a row, my son is still wearing braces. This soap, at $12, is a good substitute.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-21164813170183066692012-11-12T12:30:00.000-08:002012-11-12T12:30:00.926-08:00God's providence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUn2-6WaHY_XJS-jBby5w9XyWorxZvXfwW0gpV3J3mLryoAmqJYcwmOo2w9JWXAlg9ZhQlzswWcq1OtJ9oIWoYLt-NvVFC1dPqvPMlFyNX2vyJrm8Xu0lyexEBb5b9wd9oRSi0-GV9q_Jw/s1600/micah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUn2-6WaHY_XJS-jBby5w9XyWorxZvXfwW0gpV3J3mLryoAmqJYcwmOo2w9JWXAlg9ZhQlzswWcq1OtJ9oIWoYLt-NvVFC1dPqvPMlFyNX2vyJrm8Xu0lyexEBb5b9wd9oRSi0-GV9q_Jw/s1600/micah.jpg" /></a></div>
One day, I was chatting with a pastor who asked me how we can know about "God's providence." <br />
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I asked him, "What do you mean?"<br />
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"Well," he replied, "would you like to know why God gave you two autistic sons?"<br />
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Of course I would, and I began to get excited, thinking this pastor was finally going to be able to answer one of my biggest struggles.<br />
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Instead, he replied, "We may never know. But we know what God expects of us, he's made that clear. And there aren't any asteriks, or exceptions for people who have hard lives. So we don't need to question what God has done, we just need to ask, 'What do we need to do?' and the answer to that is simple: Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God.'"<br />
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Sometimes I forget, so I made myself a reminder. You can get one for yourself <a href="https://www.box.com/s/rvysytr6l7dbuhbkxwyt" target="_blank">here</a>. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-85562536688880974642012-11-12T09:01:00.000-08:002012-11-12T09:01:00.250-08:00Stylin' Burp Cloths<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvx3G43i7MFvrCu9oBFOZESX18UKH4D4a4H4to9h3vnaXFM7A9Olp5tpV4h7u4GnR066f9cHB1MEreJk5Rk_RRVYb4lC3OSj6mulZ8iYvC0sGNMgcEbsRnohKNQlX-n7m2ByiFXCFLWeIl/s1600/burp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvx3G43i7MFvrCu9oBFOZESX18UKH4D4a4H4to9h3vnaXFM7A9Olp5tpV4h7u4GnR066f9cHB1MEreJk5Rk_RRVYb4lC3OSj6mulZ8iYvC0sGNMgcEbsRnohKNQlX-n7m2ByiFXCFLWeIl/s320/burp.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Walk in my house these days and it's a given, you're going to see a burp cloth over just about every chair. When you've got a baby who spits up as much as ours does, you need one of these things within reach at all times. When I learned I was having a girl, I wanted some feminine burp cloths. But I didn't want to shell out money for something that would be covered in spit up most of the time.<br />
So I made them--and spent $2 for a dozen burp cloths. I got two receiving blankets from Rappahannock Goodwill Industries' thrift store. They happened to be 50% off the day I was there, so I got two for about $2. Then, I cut up an old pair of my pajama pants, and used some fabric scraps I had laying around. I also cut the receiving blankets (I had one that was a hand-me-down, in addition to the two I picked up at Goodwill) into rectangles of 18"x 8". I sewed the wrong side of the fabric from the scraps and the pj pants to the wrong side of the receiving blanket rectangles. I left about an inch open, so I could turn them inside out. Then, when I turned them inside out (which is really the right way), I sewed over the top of the burp cloths. And voila! I had stylish burp cloths.<a data-mce-href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpback.jpg" href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpback.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1265645867" data-mce-src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpback-300x199.jpg" height="199" src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpback-300x199.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
You may be thinking, "That's a great project, if you sew." It just so happens that I am a terrible seamstress. When I was a kid, my friends and I would make Barbie clothes. My friends sewed theirs, and handed me Scotch tape and a stapler for my creations--I was that inept at sewing. My mom signed me up for a sewing class and the instructor quickly picked up on my lack of ability and completed the project herself. So, really, if I can do these burp cloths, anyone can. In fact, some of them are a bit misshapen, but Harper doesn't seem to mind when she's spewing onto them.<br />
<a data-mce-href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpfront.jpg" href="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpfront.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1265645864" data-mce-src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpfront-300x199.jpg" height="199" src="http://news.fredericksburg.com/doinggood/files/2012/11/burpfront-300x199.jpg" width="300" /></a> If you, by chance, can sew in a straight line, these would make awesome baby gifts. They're something every parent needs plenty of--and it's awesome to get burp cloths that look a little different from the usual baby prints.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-62203351998382609492012-11-09T08:35:00.001-08:002012-11-09T08:35:15.534-08:00Praise God...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3rZxinsC05k2UgoJi3jAVokoIDI2v73F9ghvOpEQhJiRaoEIEaJOg6n6VzKiW6OxVW34IUEFFO1N_k-f3CZ0GKqo8W1N9lDvpoEDkKhkPVimkh-ks4JDF8j9__T2dsby0rA7MnBj6WVO/s1600/mantle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3rZxinsC05k2UgoJi3jAVokoIDI2v73F9ghvOpEQhJiRaoEIEaJOg6n6VzKiW6OxVW34IUEFFO1N_k-f3CZ0GKqo8W1N9lDvpoEDkKhkPVimkh-ks4JDF8j9__T2dsby0rA7MnBj6WVO/s320/mantle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Lately, I've been really stressed. When I start to get anxious, I just head downstairs and peek at my Thanksgiving mantle. It sounds corny, but it really does remind me to count my blessings and remember that I have so much stress because I have so many blessings.<br />
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The mantle's a little rough this year, I apologize. I constantly struggle with what to do with that ugly silver circle. See, this isn't a fireplace. It used to house a wood-burning stove. For about 30 years. Then we bought the house and suddenly the insurance company decided it was a fire hazard. We could keep it if we moved the stove a few feet from where it stood. Which would have placed is smack dab in the center of our small family room. So we had to get rid of it. I bought this awesome mantle at a wonderful antiques store called <a href="http://www.luckettstore.com/" target="_blank">Old Lucketts Store</a>. If you live anywhere near Virginia, you should check this place out. Anyway, I love decorating the mantle but the circle remains an issue. I made an awesome chalkboard that I'll show you later, and that is tall enough to hide the circle. But this sign, which I love, is not.<br />
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The sign, by the way, was super easy to make. It's made from two old boards in my parents shed. They're nailed together with a long board in the back. Then, I painted the whole thing with white craft paint, just one coat because I wanted it to look a little bit rough. I cut out the letters for the sign with my Silhouette (wishing I had the newer version, because I would have liked them to be just a little bit bigger). I cut them out of vinyl, then laid the vinyl on the sign and painted over the letters with a walnut stain. I painted two coats of the stain, let it dry overnight. Then I peeled the vinyl letters--and the leaf design, also cut from vinyl--off the sign. That took some patience. The last line, for some reason, didn't come out so well. I had to go over it with white paint, and it looks a bit rougher than I wanted. But I still love the sign. I think the flaws give it character and they remind me that sometimes, blessings aren't perfect. Which is a great reminder when your blessings are stressing you out.<br />
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Some other aspects of the mantle: The pumpkins in the jar on the right are made from scraps of scrapbook paper. I hunted for every scrap with orange for this project, using <a href="http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/mini-paper-pumpkins-tutorial" target="_blank">this tutorial</a> to turn the scraps into little pumpkins. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfaM-QIVfARoz03SJB4Unuj26rmhR7Yat3PDyZK544ll5fKbNsobXOsXV7BoqEyfmsCzLwVYSZmn1pakC7uLLHFQfCnaunvCinCqDM6Jwnr2p8jE3oF5fCuOL620gUyTyzhTQmaIV0zbx/s1600/pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfaM-QIVfARoz03SJB4Unuj26rmhR7Yat3PDyZK544ll5fKbNsobXOsXV7BoqEyfmsCzLwVYSZmn1pakC7uLLHFQfCnaunvCinCqDM6Jwnr2p8jE3oF5fCuOL620gUyTyzhTQmaIV0zbx/s320/pumpkin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And I made this pumpkin my taking Modge Podge and old book pages to a ceramic pumpkin. I finished it off by hot-gluing some faux fall leaves near the stem. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-81499483701797856392012-11-02T12:20:00.003-07:002012-11-02T12:20:54.740-07:00Stealing JoyWe have a lot of photos on our walls. Call it poor man's art. Or an arrogant belief that our kids are really, really good-looking. I love looking at their photos.<br />
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But the displays in no way resemble this amazing photo display from <a href="http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2011/08/gallery-wall-decorating-tips-photo.html" target="_blank">House of Smiths</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GMldxwsQ3hodhe7eXFs8Z2KFLlED64GoVWKVsVkk08EpPiyiEuZG5EUwwMSrbklLzIigyLwXMgCPx1THU-Z10uZUf2EJ8gynb1WOxOQ32sqJmOQIBVyBmgT9fHLC8N3mHNaZxPTNq95R/s1600/gallerywall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GMldxwsQ3hodhe7eXFs8Z2KFLlED64GoVWKVsVkk08EpPiyiEuZG5EUwwMSrbklLzIigyLwXMgCPx1THU-Z10uZUf2EJ8gynb1WOxOQ32sqJmOQIBVyBmgT9fHLC8N3mHNaZxPTNq95R/s320/gallerywall.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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Or this lovely gallery display from Pottery Barn:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LhEptNPSKdcfi-h3w4iVDv2T_5wTjSZ5hEFBW6ftX5EjHE9q_zoAlHpV0GwE6wwLrDKOiI7QyzimHzhryK5WdJBKR6rmLncFARj-5MoAaLX89BapK630O_c3t4b-DjPFEV4q5cYH77Is/s1600/gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LhEptNPSKdcfi-h3w4iVDv2T_5wTjSZ5hEFBW6ftX5EjHE9q_zoAlHpV0GwE6wwLrDKOiI7QyzimHzhryK5WdJBKR6rmLncFARj-5MoAaLX89BapK630O_c3t4b-DjPFEV4q5cYH77Is/s320/gallery.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
In fact, it looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNZWlr66CBME6sz9UtyV4zMOWv_T3m8jzd5FGVLFZfEtQ8N0xdjAA0uOohLJndGbg01AnTHTD8Qpa29aHDKRD3GAAIVXln81J61d6FxAdeWnJWvGlghLrGzda675fyh4q_WNV9OWNOmHG/s1600/gallery2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkNZWlr66CBME6sz9UtyV4zMOWv_T3m8jzd5FGVLFZfEtQ8N0xdjAA0uOohLJndGbg01AnTHTD8Qpa29aHDKRD3GAAIVXln81J61d6FxAdeWnJWvGlghLrGzda675fyh4q_WNV9OWNOmHG/s320/gallery2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Yes, Martha Stewart told me I needed to design a template on my floor first, to make sure the frames would fit and would be evenly spaced. But really, who has time for that? If those pictures were going to get on my wall, I needed to just get them up.<br />
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And most days, I'm pretty happy with the gallery. No, the portraits aren't color coordinated. Most come from The Picture People or the JCPenney studio, not professional photographers. But these are the people I love. And I love to look at them.<br />
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But then I get on Pinterest. Or into the blogosphere. And I see what a gallery wall should look like. And suddenly, that wall of love turns into a wall of shame.<br />
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And it's not just walls. I look at these blogs and my house feels shabby. Messy. Poor. <br />
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I console myself by remembering that most of these lifestyle bloggers don't have kids with autism. <br />
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Then I stumble onto the autism blogs. And those moms are making sensory tables. Doing serious advocacy work. Totally rocking the autism life.<br />
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So I remind myself that most of them don't have demanding, but low-paying full-time jobs.<br />
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But the damage is done. On its own, my life is pretty good. I have three awesome kids. A home that's still standing (which is pretty miraculous some days). A sweet gig in the career track I chose as a second grader. Money is a struggle, but we have enough to live on. <br />
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But then I compare my life to other people. They get to have vacations. Family pictures with smiling kids. Mornings that don't include poop smeared on walls. Time for workouts or 5-mile runs every day. <br />
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And it's even worse when I compare myself to other people. Women who are skinny. Moms who don't seem flustered. Career women who take everything in stride. Women with coordinated accessories and outfits.<br />
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But mostly I compare myself to other moms. Those who are doing fun activities with their kids, decorating their homes for every holiday, coming up with out-of-the-box strategies to get their kids to do their homework and their chores. <br />
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I look at myself: A good 40 pounds overweight, exhausted, going to work in clothes that have baby spitup on them, popping in a Stouffer's lasagna for dinner, every night fighting with a teen to do his homework, vegging out in front of the TV while nursing the baby...<br />
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You get the picture. <br />
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The truth is, I'm doing the best I can. And most days, it really is enough. Amazing, even. So I need to stop comparing. <br />
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I made myself a little reminder that I printed out and tacked to a corkboard:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ7stHIkYJ4NXcuvEJ2SW4oSwg_6xIxQxYWgMdI1KON2kOc_DdyUrV8tA2_o0Hxsc4SnSseLdwKHVQGO-lSFyumrOq_ZSmjIoFuoCE6Xom_QgDYV1VF33rmfQE2xSnZmzhzm-iPBzv0gQ/s1600/comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ7stHIkYJ4NXcuvEJ2SW4oSwg_6xIxQxYWgMdI1KON2kOc_DdyUrV8tA2_o0Hxsc4SnSseLdwKHVQGO-lSFyumrOq_ZSmjIoFuoCE6Xom_QgDYV1VF33rmfQE2xSnZmzhzm-iPBzv0gQ/s320/comparison.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Then I compared it to<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/113751593/comparison-is-the-thief-of-joy-printable?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=comparison+is+the+thief+of+joy&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_ref=auto2&ga_explicit_scope=1&ga_search_type=all" target="_blank"> this really cool print</a> on etsy and felt bad. I guess some habits are hard to break.<br />
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If you'd like to print out your own reminder, click<a href="https://www.box.com/s/4eylk8jhmxpbwzbzsxm3" target="_blank"> here</a>. <br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060747447555232614.post-11688054796718760252012-10-02T12:27:00.000-07:002012-10-02T12:27:00.669-07:00Expecting graceI pictured this moment thousands of times. In my fantasies, my hand was dry. But in reality, a warm sprinkle of urine landed on my left wrist.<br />
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Perhaps that is what dampened my enthusiasm. Instead of the unmitigated joy I'd expected, I felt a numbing sense of shock. And a creeping panic. <br />
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For 10 years, I had prayed fervently for a positive pregnancy test. Now that the streaky blue positive sign was in my hand, I could only pray "Dear God, dear God, dear God." I'm not even sure what I wanted to say.<br />
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I was going to have a baby. And I was terrified.<br />
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For 10 years, I had prayed fervently for a positive pregnancy test. But in the past year, I'd changed my mind. The past year had beaten any desire for another child out of me. For 12 long months, my life spiraled out of control. Whenever I thought our family had hit rock bottom, we dropped some more, free falling down a cliff that never seemed to end.<br />
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We were still climbing our way out. And now we'd climb with an extra weight.<br />
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Just two months before I found myself sitting on the toilet with a plastic wand in my hand, my husband had admitted he couldn't handle a third child. A year earlier, I would have been devastated to hear those words. This time, I understood completely. And while a third child had been my greatest desire for so long, I was willing to give up on that dream. So willing that scheduling a hysterectomy was on my to-do list for the week. But every morning, I woke up sick and exhausted, too nauseous even to make the phone call. <br />
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I'd been there before. In the past 10 years, I got nauseous often. For the first eight years, I always assumed my prayers had been answered. But dozens of negative pregnancy tests showed me that my body just didn't react well to stress. I had felt pregnant so many times that I wondered if my body could fake an entire pregnancy, move outside of the morning sickness phase and into a belly bump. <br />
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So I took this pregnancy test with no expectations. <br />
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For five days, I kept the news to myself. It didn't seem real. I would forget about it for hours at a time. And then suddenly, it would pop in my head--I was going to have a baby. I would look at my family and correct myself--we were going to have a baby. <br />
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Just months before I learned I was pregnant, I hit a wall. Our year had been rough. I felt like a failure as a mother. As a wife. As a housekeeper. My body literally stopped working. I had been running 5 miles a day but suddenly couldn't complete a mile. I couldn't stay awake for a full day of work. Sitting at home, feeling sorry for myself, I looked around. And hated what I saw. <br />
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Our house was from the 70s. We'd bought it eight years earlier. It was the best we could afford, and we told ourselves we'd fix it up, brighten up the overpowering brownness, a dreary decorating scheme broken only by the strangely multicolored bedrooms--orange and teal in one, green and pink in another. But we'd barely touched the house. And it was still depressing.<br />
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I looked at my kitchen--with its heavy brown cabinets, wheat-themed wallpaper and peeling floor tiles. No wonder my life was a mess, I thought. My surroundings were terrible. For years, I ignored them, telling myself I had more important things to concentrate on. <br />
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Suddenly, my kitchen seemed like a metaphor for my family. If I could fix what was ugly there, I could fix my family. Soon, I would have an extremely rare child-free five days. One son would go to the beach with Grandma while another went to summer camp. I decided to take a week off of work and paint my kitchen cabinets.<br />
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The project was a nightmare that left me in pain and in tears. But at the end of the week, the dark cabinets were a cheery white. Look closely enough and you can see paint drips and dents. But overall, the kitchen looked much better. I tore down the wallpaper and painted (with a lot of help from my mom) the walls a cheery aqua. My mom made me a valance out of my favorite black and white striped material. I made a sign to hang above the window. The kitchen was coming along.<br />
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And slowly, so was my family. We were all in counseling. Look closely and you'd see the effects of our year. But we were starting to resemble a family again. I began to believe we'd make it. I was determined to redeem us and I started making a plan.<br />
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And then I got pregnant.<br />
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At first, I saw this as a detour. But I began to see my growing belly as another metaphor. This baby would be living proof of God's grace, a reminder that things always change. And that God answers prayers--even 10 years after you ask.<br />
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After an exhausting pregnancy, and 25 long hours of labor, we welcomed a daughter into our family. She does indeed serve as a daily reminder of God's grace. And she reminds me of all the dreams I once had for our family. Determined to reclaim those dreams, I'm chronicling our life improvement in this blog.<br />
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This will include the mundane--small creative projects to relieve stress; the shallow--decorating to improve our surroundings; the profound--dealing with two teenagers on the autism spectrum; and the divine--improving my relationship with God. <br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17149425402573118145noreply@blogger.com0