Muse of the Day

Sentiment is deeply steeped in what you loved as a child and what you love as a child is usually heavily influenced by your parents.  This painting hung in my mother's house for as long as I can remember.  The legend of King Arthur was a fairy tale for me.  The Mists of Avalon seemed like an enormous book, sitting on my mother's shelf.  When I came across an email detailing the work of a man in Australia, I was stopped in my tracks at this depiction of Waterhouse's painting about The Lady of Shallot in Tennyson poems.  I do love tales of tragedy...don't even get me started on Romeo and Juliet movie day in English class!  The real tragedy is that most of this beautiful art, on the artists property in Australia was destroyed by fires.  Check it out HERE

Saving Pennies

Poopy diapers are messy, regardless of the child's age.  Save yourself diaper wipes, mess and money by making your own rinse free cleanser.  We got this one as a gift and felt like we couldn't live without it...then I went to buy more and saw the price tag and thought twice about that!  Eco Baby sites talk a lot about cloth diapers and making your own wipes so I just adapted one of those recipes.
You will need:
1 Pump type container
1 Tbsp of baby wash
2 Tbsp of baby oil gel(see photo) 
Warm water
Add solvents then fill with warm water, this helps to dissolve them better.  Gently roll the closed container for two minutes.  Don't shake it, you're not making butter. Use and repeat, and repeat, and repeat...because poopy diapers seem never ending. 
We have used this solution for almost 3 years and it works great and doesn't irritate the skin.  It also stings less than just a wipe when they have diaper rash.

You can make your own wipes with Paper Towels...I have not done this but it looks like a great idea:
Baby Wipe Tutorial

Academy Awards 2012

I hope that the other actresses in movies this year are not set on an Oscar!  After seeing just the extended trailer, it looks like Glenn Close has her name all over that award.  Albert Nobbs

Golden Globe Nominations:
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

Glenn Close- Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis- The Help

Rooney Mara- The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo

Meryl Streep- The Iron Lady

Tilda Swinton- We Need To Talk About Kevin

2009 christmas star

Finally getting things completed...2010 will be done quickly too, just need more glue for my glue gun.  No major burns this time either!  That hot glue gun will kill you.  See my 2008 Post for instructions.

Trevors First Tree Climbing!

I can't believe Darren got far enough away to take this picture...he is more over protective than I am.

Happy 2012

New Year's Resolutions are usually pretty meaningless...but, these just happen to be happening this time of year.
1.  Deactivating Facebook- done
2.  Changing my email habits at work- done
3.  Drink more water- working on it
4.  Eat a MUCH better diet and detox from sugar- that is going to be a tough one
5.  Let Trevor get dirty- tough as well!
6.  Calling my friends and sending thoughtful things their way- very important!
7.  Craft MORE!- Thank you Pinterest!
8.  Beat this hip problem and run in the DRC Half Marathon in November 2012- please let this happen!

New Year's Resolution #2

Unplug at work....get more done!  Check and Check!!  Not one email in my inbox, emails that need to be kept filed away.  Productivity, I am hot on your trail!  An incoming email will no longer take precedence over what I am already doing because I don't know it is there until I check for it...when I have actually completed whatever it is that I am working on.  If it's an emergency, call me or stop by...don't email me!  It's nice to only check my email at 8AM, 1PM and 4:30PM...so much time to get things done UNINTERRUPTED.  I turned off all notifications on my phone too!

12 Days of Facebook

I am deactivating my Facebook account for 2012...my New Year's Resolution and hypothesis that I am not going to be missing anything by doing so.  I am going to spend the time I spent on Facebook ACTUALLY connecting with my friends and being present when they are right in front of me instead.

iPad for Christmas

I am a bit alarmed at the number of "iPads for Christmas" I have heard for a child...a child under the age of 5 at that!  Seriously, $600 on a Christmas present for a toddler.  Ok...those big swingset things, tree houses, huge doll houses...well, anything from Pottery Barn!  I guess it's not that out of the ordinary for some people but it is for me.  I realize that some people are just using their toddler as an excuse to get an iPad for it's "educational" purposes and books.

Even if you do have $600 to spend on your toddler this Christmas, let me advocate for an iTouch instead. I "throw" my iTouch in my purse.  I would never "throw" an iPad in my purse.  Trevor has dropped my iTouch in the street...it got a mild response but nothing compared to how I would feel when that iPad hit the floor.  I don't know about your toddler but mine would watch Thomas and Friends or Yo Gabba Gabba on a postage stamp if it meant he got to watch a video, so selling the screen size doesn't fly.

A good friend once advised to NEVER get the on board entertainment system in your vehicle.  Her daughter would just want a video every single time she got in the car...and who wants to do that?  Also, when on vacation...do you really want to sit in the car in your PJ's so that your little darling can zone out to Dora in the morning.  The whole point of baby crack is so that you can actually shower or have a minute to yourself.  You can't do that if your kid is watching a video in the hotel parking lot.  The iTouch props nicely between the headrest and the seatback...you just need one of those grippy covers on it and leather seats help but...you get the idea!

If I really tried to convince myself that it would be so great to have award winning, color illustrated, portable and eco friendly books with me all the times....I would get a Kindle Fire for Trevor.  The sustainability thing is an attractive incentive.  But, what about growing up...going to the library?  Having that book return deadline to spur on your passion for getting through a book and being responsible to bring it back...and they are FREE!  How else can you spend an afternoon with your kid doing something totally free and walk out the door with something to show for it?

If you already bought your toddler an iPad for Christmas...that is really cool because the iPad is truly VERY COOL (not even being snarky here!).  The Monster At the End Of This Book APP is really fun, totally worth $3.99.  But, if you are like me and have an iTouch that you share with your little munchkin...that APP is available for you micro screen peeps!

Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE!

We had such a great time with our familiar friends.  It was just like any other concert...you are so excited when they play one of your favorite songs..."I Love Bugs!"  Click HERE for more pics.