tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38952652213883835492024-03-13T20:07:52.716-07:00Medical Laboratory MommyStories from a Medical Laboratory Scientist turned Mommy.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-73218066385282341172014-12-02T14:38:00.000-08:002014-12-02T14:38:59.366-08:00RSVIf you have a baby or toddler under the age of 2 this winter, please take a moment to read this. This is the season for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV. This is our story.<br />
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About this time last year, it was cold. Really cold. It's pretty cold right now, but I feel like the high temperatures were only the low 20s. Maybe it's just my faulty memory, but I remember it was colder than usual. My 9 month old son woke up at 3:30am on a Monday morning and coughed once, which sounded a lot like croup, and then started crying. He had never had croup before and neither had my daughter. I did a quick internet search to see what to do, even though I was pretty sure that I was supposed to take him out in the cold air. With it being so cold, I was apprehensive to do this. The article I read also said to consult your doctor. Okay. So I called the pediatrician and asked to have the on call doctor paged. The on-call pedi was quite rude, asking me "didn't you look it up on the internet" and when I began my reply with "I did but I was afraid..." he interrupted me to say that if I was so afraid to treat me son properly there was really nothing he could do to help.<br />
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So he was an ass.<br />
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Any way, over the next few days the cough did not continue, but my baby did develop a runny nose and a fever and was refusing to eat. His fever was quite high, reaching 103 degrees Fahrenheit, but was treatable with Motrin and acetaminophen. He was uncomfortable and unhappy and I did my best to cuddle him and make him as comfortable as possible. He continued to nurse and that was about all the sustenance he was taking. By Thursday, I took him to the convenient care to make sure there was nothing else going on, such as an ear infection or any other treatable condition. I was assured this was "just a virus" and to continue with the over-the-counter fever reducers and making sure he was getting enough fluids, etc.<br />
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That evening his fever hit 104.3. My baby was whining almost constantly. I joked to myself that men were whiny when the were sick from the very beginning of life. I called the doctor's office as it was still business hours. I told the nurse about the high fever, that it wasn't responding to Motrin like I had expected (it only brought it down to 101.something), and that he was whining constantly. My husband was standing next to me holding our son who was whimpering. The nurse asked me to go in a different room so she could hear me better since he was being loud. She said that since the Motrin was bringing the fever down somewhat, it was working. She suggested I give him a cool bath to help with the fever and another dose of acetaminophen. She mentioned that if the fever continues after that, I may need to take him to the emergency room. At this I started crying. I don't know why I'm like this, but when I get really nervous about my babies and their health, I irrationally cry. So she back peddled and told me that as long as he's responsive, he is fine.<br />
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The next day, the fever wasn't as bad, but the whining continued off and on. My mom came by and basically forced me to take him back to the convenient care. As soon as we walked to the back where the exam rooms are, the doctor ran to us and told me they were calling an ambulance, and he needed to go to the emergency room because he wasn't able to breath effectively. What I thought was whining was really my son grunting. Talk about crying. They immediately started him on a vaporizer while we waited for the ambulance. We were rushed to the closest hospital, not the one where I worked about 20 minutes away that has a highly rated children's emergency room. Once there, they took me to a separate room where the doctor informed me that they believed he had RSV and pneumonia and that he would need to be put on a ventilator. A few hours later, he was transferred to the hospital where I worked.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CHY7wZqrEFs/VH44yRbtjaI/AAAAAAAAAK8/hRmlLQe7VVY/s1600/vent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CHY7wZqrEFs/VH44yRbtjaI/AAAAAAAAAK8/hRmlLQe7VVY/s1600/vent.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the ventilator. Our "fighter" had to be restrained.</td></tr>
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Fortunately, he ended up okay. It's a year later, and he's a normal 21 month old. He stayed in the PICU for four days while the nurses cleaned out the junk in his lungs that he wasn't able to cough out on his own. There were a few other hiccups along the way, such as his IVs that were placed on the way to the first hospital coming out and the nurses not being able to find a vein. There was more complications associated with that, but that's another story all together.<br />
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What I want other moms to know is about the grunting thing. I did find stuff online about the grunting after the fact. But when I think of grunting, I think of a deeper sound. This was a whimpering, whining noise. And I was never told to be watching for this. I was told to make sure he wasn't having retractions, where you can see his ribs or straining in his neck because he's breathing so hard. But I never saw that, and even the nurses said they didn't see it. You see, my son was a butterball and his extra layer of flub hid all that. His breathing was quick, but no quicker than it had been the day before when we first visited the convenient care. Even so, why didn't the nurse hear that over the phone and tell me to take him right away? Why did she tell me that crazy thing about "as long as he's responding to you, he's fine"? As the PICU nurse said, if I had waited until he wasn't responding, it would have been too late.<br />
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Here's<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP2EPL-pR54" target="_blank"> a link to a video</a> I took of him just before we went to the convenient care the second time. Looking at it now, I do notice his nostrils flaring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aXZfTMuMroA/VH44yWx4FSI/AAAAAAAAAK4/0HlkDuKPGVc/s1600/rsv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aXZfTMuMroA/VH44yWx4FSI/AAAAAAAAAK4/0HlkDuKPGVc/s1600/rsv.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After getting of the ventilator.</td></tr>
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The statistic the PICU nurse gave me when were were admitted was that 90% of children under the age of 2 have contracted RSV at one time or another. Some are able to handle it. Some need help. Yes, this can be fatal. The younger the child, the harder it is on them. Coughing is a good thing. What RSV does is coat the lungs with a thick mucus. Eventually, the mucus turns more liquid-y and the child can drown in the mucus. It scary, but very treatable.<br />
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So this is the take home. If it's winter and your child is sick, don't worry about taking them to the doctors too many times. I was told that RSV is tricky. It goes from cold symptoms to scary, respiratory distress in no time. The PICU doctor assured me that when we went to the convenient care on Thursday, it was "just a virus" (RSV is a virus) and he wasn't in distress. But it changed very rapidly. I was lectured by the paramedic who transported us from the first hospital to our wonderful hospital that I should have just taken him to the "good ER" the first time. But how did I know? My reluctance to go to the ER was based on the fact that I didn't want to expose my baby to other, possibly worse, infections in the ER. I knew that our convenient care had lower wait times and it would be faster to be able to see a doctor. Hind sight is 20/20. And even if I had taken him to the ER on Thursday night, it probably wouldn't have prevented him from being put on a ventilator. Learn from my mista<br />
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<br />SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-59830314429350304852014-11-16T19:18:00.001-08:002014-11-21T13:51:13.722-08:00Romper RevisionI know it has been awhile since I've posted anything. Almost two years is quite awhile. Life has gotten away from me with the addition of our little man in February 2013. Add to that a new addiction to sewing, and I have not had much time to blog. But I'm going to try to fix that. I've had many ideas of posts to make and hopefully, I will get around to typing them up.<br />
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To start out with, I've fallen in love with <a href="http://thecottagemama.com/" target="_blank">The Cottage Mama</a> blog and patterns. Lindsey Wilkes has created some beautiful patterns, great tutorials, and a wonderful Facebook page to follow for help from fellow Cottage Mama blog followers. Most of her patterns are beautiful dresses for girls, but she has an awesome pattern, the Run-Around Romper, that I love for my little guy. I wanted to make him one for Thanksgiving, but wanted to make it with a snap crotch for easier diaper changes. Another fan on the Facebook group posted that she had done it, and agreed to send me a message telling me how to do it. It was easier than I expected, and with her permission I want to share that help with you.<br />
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First, you will need to purchase the Run-Around Romper pattern. You can get it from the Cottage Mama shop <a href="http://thecottagemama.com/product/printed-run-around-romper-pattern/" target="_blank">here</a>, or from her Etsy store. All the Cottage Mama patterns are available in PDF form for instant downloads. Follow along until you finish step 7 (sewing the top of the romper together). <br />
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<span id="goog_2137153336"></span><span id="goog_2137153337"></span>Once you turn and press the straps that have been stitched,<br />
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A. Press the edge of the crotch 1/2 inch down all the way around from one ankle to the other on both the exterior fabric and the lining fabric (I did not do this step here, but figured that it would helpful in retrospect). Unfold the pressed edges and sew the bottoms of the legs together, twisting the fabric to put them right sides together. Turn right sides out and press.<br />
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B. Measure up one leg from the ankle to the crotch and back down the other leg (basically the inseam x 2) and add one inch. For example, for the 18 month pants, this measurement is approximately 22 inch+1 inch=23 inch. Cut a piece of fabric that length by 2.5 inches. Fold right sides together and sew 1/2 inch seam on each short edge. Cut corners and turn right sides out and press. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JhfD9GY5vm0/VGlmbf7PXeI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/HlpdQn_MUiI/s1600/C1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JhfD9GY5vm0/VGlmbf7PXeI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/HlpdQn_MUiI/s1600/C1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>C. On the back edge, pin your narrow strip of fabric to the right side of the exterior fabric (raw edge to raw edge), making sure its the correct length. Baste together with a 1/4 inch seam. Fold under 1/2 inch (already pressed in step A) and sew the lining fabric to the exterior fabric with the strip sandwiched in between, using a 1/8 inch seam. Pin together the front edge and sew with a 1/8 inch seam. <br />
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D. Add snaps or buttons/button holes to finish. I used snaps.<br />
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You can do this with either View A as shown or View B (shorts). I'm not sure how you could do it with the ruffles at the bottom in View C, but it is probably possible. </div>
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I hope this tutorial was helpful to you. Leave me any comments or suggestions for any changes or improvements or any questions you might have. </div>
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<br />SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-75966770267227201872013-02-03T09:14:00.004-08:002013-02-03T09:14:56.805-08:00Come On, Baby!38 weeks today and I am ready to be done. It's not really that I'm super uncomfortable, I'm just ready to meet my newest offspring, and to find out if it's a boy like everyone keeps predicting or another girl. And I hate waiting. <br />
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With my daughter, I wasn't expecting her to come early. It was a complete shock to me at 37 weeks, 6 days when my water broke. 17 hours of labor later, she was born. 2 years, 10 months later here we are, and I still haven't finished recording her birth story. Bad mommy!<br />
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This pregnancy was a ton different than my first, at least in the way of how my life was. Obviously, having your second child typically means you already have one that you have to take care of. This has kept me more active (if not on my feet as continuosly as I was when I was pregnant with my first and still working evenings in the laboratory). I have to carry around a petite person (so glad she only weighs 25lbs!), chase that little person, and get on the ground to play with that little person. So different than when I spent my free time reading parenting books and napping during my first pregnancy. <br />
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I also have been preparing in different ways for this new baby. I realize now how much cooking is going to be an afterthought once this new baby comes, so I've prepped and frozen a bunch of meals for our family so we don't need to stare blankly at one another when 5:30pm rolls around. I also have a group of mommy friends who take care of one another by bringing meals after new babies arrive, and my husband and I couldn't be more excited by this prospect. They have it so organized, they even use a website to coordinate who is bringing what on specific days (check out <a href="http://www.takethemameal.com/">http://www.takethemameal.com/</a>) and allow me to see what to expect and when so I can plan other meals around these wonderful gifts. <br />
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Today, to beat my impatience, I've decided to bake some cookies. I might as well indulge and enjoy myself, plus there's the added excuse that I must bring something to share to a Super Bowl party this evening. Check out this wonderful recipe, the <a href="http://divascancook.com/2012/03/chocolate-chip-cheesecake-cookies-bites-recipe.html" target="_blank">yummiest cookie recipe</a> I have ever come across. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-8544119004807672532013-01-28T12:07:00.001-08:002013-01-28T12:07:21.106-08:00Feelings of Mommy InadequacyFor months I have procrastinated... well, infact, it's been almost a year since we enrolled our daughter in our dental plan so we could take her to see the dentist. I had heard different suggestions: take them soon after they get their first baby teeth. No, you can wait until they're two. Well our dentist won't see kids until they're three. My daughter is 3 months shy of her third birthday and I am weeks away from my due date for baby number two... I figured I need to get this done and over with. <br />
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I never expected it to go so terribly.<br />
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Ok, so that's probably an exageration. She did pretty well for her age. She let the hygentist brush her teeth with a tooth brush. She didn't let her clean her teeth or anything like that. But she didn't scream or cry or bite or anything horrible. Instead, we just found out that she has two cavities in her two year molars. <br />
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I feel like the world's worst mother. <br />
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How could this possibly be? How could a child who refuses to drink anything except water and white milk, who is incredibly fantastic at eating vegetables and often only eats vegetables, and who is only fed minimal sweets have two cavaties in teeth she's had for only a year or less? We brush her teeth twice daily. She was nursed for over 20 months. The water we give her is filtered tap water, so she's getting a decent amount of flouride. What did I miss??<br />
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I know deep down that this isn't my fault. We were just delt a random case of weak enamel or something like that. I know I am extremely fortunate that this is our biggest health concern. We have been blessed to have such a healthy little girl, who has never had to be on antibiotics in her life and has not had a single ear infection. But my irrational mommy guilt, coupled with 9 month pregnant hormones, is getting the best of my emotions and has caused me to cry hysterically almost constantly since walking out of the dentist's office. <br />
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We all have something that causes us to feel inadequate, that maybe we have slacked at our job of mothering our children. We all have a chink in our armor somewhere, a weak spot, where we feel we haven't done the best to be the best mom we can for our children. In fact, we probably all feel that we have more than one weak spot. Most of the time, as in this case, our failings are imagined. Knowing this doesn't make it easier to deal with. I'm doing my best to bring this to the Lord, and to stop with this huge pity party for one. I am trying to remind myself that these are cavaties that we're talking about, not a serious genetic defect or a life threatening disease. And I pray for the mothers who have children with true health issues to deal with. SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-66133351874275339302012-10-19T09:04:00.000-07:002012-10-19T09:04:01.513-07:00Yummmm.... Soup!I LOVE SOUP! Soup, chili, stew, chowder, whatever, it's like the ultimate comfort food to me. I'll be honest, there are some kinds I can live without. I don't like seafood, so that leaves out clam chowder, and I am not a big fan of tomato soup. And unfortunately, most creamy soups aren't my friend. But soup is still one of my favorite meals and starters. <br />
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Soup is one of my favorite parts of cool weather. It's only mid October and I've already made chicken noodle (twice), chili, chicken taco chili, beef and vegetable barley, and beef stew. Oh, and I'm in the processes of making <a href="http://luluthebaker.blogspot.com/2011/09/cheesy-vegetable-chowder.html" target="_blank">Cheesy Vegetable Chowder</a> as we speak. My favorite kinds of soups to make are the kinds where you chop a whole bunch of stuff up, toss it in the pot with some broth, boil, and simmer. It makes the whole house smell heavenly. I am willing to make soups that require more steps, but I do what I can to make the process as simple as possible. I'm going to share some of these tips with you!<br />
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<strong>Chicken at the Ready</strong><br />
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I always try to keep a stash of diced (or shredded) cooked chicken in the freezer. Sometimes this is leftovers from a rotisserie chicken I picked up at the supermarket. Just pick the excess meat off the bones (if you've never done this before, you'll be surprised how much meat is hidden in there!) and put these pieces in a freezer bag and toss in the freezer. Other times this is an extra breast that I didn't need for dinner (why does fresh chicken breasts always come as 3 humongous breasts? I think it's for this express purpose) and then boil or grill, dice and stick in a freezer bag. If I have the foresight, I sometimes toss a whole bunch of frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker and cook for a few hours, then chop or shred and freeze in one cup batches. <br />
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<strong>Frozen Celery</strong><br />
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I buy celery to use in a dish and end up tossing most of the celery in the trash when it becomes rubbery and gross. After finding the tip on Pinterest about chopping and freezing green onions to have at the ready, I thought, why not do this with celery? It works! It saves money since you're not tossing all that wasted celery and it saves time since you already have the chopped celery ready to go! This celery also comes in handy any other time you need celery to saute for a dish. <br />
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<strong>Convenience Foods</strong><br />
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Because I'm lazy, I use some convenience foods in my soups. I rarely make my own stock (too much work and I go through it like water) and prefer store bought. I hate chopping garlic, and although I'm getting better at using fresh, I like having the jar in the fridge. I also hate chopping onions, and don't really like eating cooked onions, but onions are essential in cooking most things. The are like the king of flavor. So for my chicken soup, I just add a whole (peeled) onion to my soup and remove it just before serving, after squeezing out as much broth as possible. <br />
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That's all the tips I have for you now. Happy Soup Season! SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-37129345184756213142012-10-04T17:24:00.000-07:002012-10-04T17:24:25.891-07:00Mashed Cauliflower... Never Again!I will never again make straight up mashed cauliflower. I have tried and tried again and it never even comes close to reaching my expectations. It's just plain yucky! The texture is gross and the taste is bland. I've tried making it a variety of was and I always end up profusely apologizing to my husband and gaging on my own portion. Tonight I wanted to use a delicious looking recipe I had found on Pinterest... only to find that it was a dead link. So I went ahead and "winged it". I ended up making a huge mess in my freshly cleaned kitchen (I attempted to use my hand mixer... cauliflower bits everywhere!) and only had a bland, taste-less mess of gritty mush. It would have been comical if the end result wasn't so damn gross. If I were cuter and funnier it could have been a scene out of <em>Bridget Jones.</em> <br />
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Next time I try to make a healthier version of mashed potatoes, I'll revert back to my half-potato, half-cauliflower stand by. I boil two potatoes and about a half a head of cauliflower, drain the water, then add milk and margarine and either mash them by hand or whip them with my hand mixer. Sometimes I add sour cream or some cheese to switch it up a bit. I know it's not the purist's mashed potatoes nor is it extremely healthy (or exciting), but it's comfort food that my family can appreciate. Well, at least my husband and myself; mashed potatoes are one of the foods my two year old has refused to eat. SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-24303998350441439262012-09-26T07:05:00.000-07:002012-09-26T07:05:15.757-07:00Mini MacGyverEveryday with a two-year-old is an adventure.<br />
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My husband is a salesman and works from home frequently. He's set up an office in one of our spare bedrooms. In order to decrease the amount of chaos my child can create, we keep his office door closed and locked. The previous owners left a small Allen wrench on the door frame as a key. Since we are so short and it is used often, we keep the key on the light switch outside the door. <br />
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Today, my mini MacGyver pulled her step-stool out into the hallway, stole the "key" off the light switch and proceeded to attempt to unlock the door. However, she instead succeeded in shoving the entire Allen wrench into the lock hole. She came to get me babbling something about a key and daddy's "ossice" and led me to the scene of the crime (she's not yet good at hiding the evidence). <br />
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First, I tried to use tweezers to free the "key", but they didn't fit into the hole. I found some needle-nosed pliers, and then proceeded to search for a flashlight (another one of my little one's favorite things to steal). I couldn't find a flashlight, so I ended up using a book light instead. Fortunately, the needle-nosed pliers were a success and I was able to free the "key" and save the day. <br />
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And all this before 9am. It's going to be a long day. SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-5775163624193774852012-09-20T17:02:00.000-07:002012-09-20T17:02:17.124-07:00Super Easy Chocolate Zucchini MuffinsI know I've been beyond horrible about posting this summer. It was one thing after another and then my laptop crashed, so I just gave up until we got a new one last week. Yay! <br />
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This summer consisted of super hot days, fun times with my first real garden, and weekly playdates with some of my favorite mommies. At one of the playdates, the host mom made these delicious and simple<a href="http://www.artsyfartsymama.com/2011/11/easy-banana-bread.html" target="_blank"> banana muffins</a> (the recipe on the website is for banana bread, but can easily be made into muffins). She shared the pin with me and I made some for my sister after she delivered my second nephew two weeks ago. With an overabundance of zucchini from my garden and inspiration stemming from questions in the comments section, I tweaked the recipe to make chocolate zucchini muffins. Here's my version of the recipe:<br />
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<strong>Super Easy Chocolate Zucchini Muffins</strong><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Chocolate cake box mix<br />
3 eggs<br />
2 cups zucchini peeled and grated<br />
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Directions: <br />
Mix ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Put in muffin pans. Bake at 350 for 16-19 minutes.<br />
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Seriously, it's just that easy. And you get yummy, moist chocolate muffins. I'm sure you could add other ingredients if you want, but I felt that it was perfect being simple. I was able to get a dozen regular-sized muffins and two dozen mini muffins. I probably could even stretch it to make a few more. SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-34899042759748770882012-04-14T18:31:00.000-07:002012-04-14T18:31:05.585-07:00Ladybug BirthdayMy baby girl turned 2 this week. I can't believe that she's growing up so fast! <br />
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We threw her a little party for our close family and mommy decided to go with a ladybug theme. Here are some pictures from the party.<br />
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<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RfLjIqXIVso/T4oiD0-jEgI/AAAAAAAAAFg/ljuiWeHAKyU/s1600/IMG_2769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RfLjIqXIVso/T4oiD0-jEgI/AAAAAAAAAFg/ljuiWeHAKyU/s320/IMG_2769.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her <a href="http://sweetemmelie.blogspot.com/2010/01/summer-time-fun-dress-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Summer Time Fun Dress</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ERWzdgnVmHg/T4oigTHnttI/AAAAAAAAAGI/Nq-2r02Jjxk/s1600/IMG_2793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ERWzdgnVmHg/T4oigTHnttI/AAAAAAAAAGI/Nq-2r02Jjxk/s320/IMG_2793.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soup can utensil holders </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERaSYJaN6xU/T4oiRfNCCwI/AAAAAAAAAFw/_lEImUTNJ8c/s1600/IMG_2789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ERaSYJaN6xU/T4oiRfNCCwI/AAAAAAAAAFw/_lEImUTNJ8c/s320/IMG_2789.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybug garland</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5h_J_LczrpQ/T4oiVORBoGI/AAAAAAAAAF4/IePx2dabKV8/s1600/IMG_2790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5h_J_LczrpQ/T4oiVORBoGI/AAAAAAAAAF4/IePx2dabKV8/s320/IMG_2790.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybug door hanging</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opzcZ5Y85WY/T4okfE-JtFI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/fE5WoUdD_ZU/s1600/IMG_2781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-opzcZ5Y85WY/T4okfE-JtFI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/fE5WoUdD_ZU/s320/IMG_2781.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybug cake</td></tr>
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</div>SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-30775652143613793362012-03-26T09:16:00.001-07:002012-03-26T09:16:27.952-07:00Spring Cleaning... Lets make it fun!I started my spring cleaning today. I always thought I'd be one of those people who do the deep cleaning incrementally, so I don't have to pack it in to one small amount of time. But alas, Procrastination and I are super good friends and March 20th has come and gone with my house still in dire need of deep cleaning. So might as well make it fun, right?<br />
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Ok, so there really is no way to truly make spring cleaning fun. But there are ways to make it slighly less painful. Here are my suggestions:<br />
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1. Put on your favorite up-beat music. Might as well dance around and sing while you clean!<br />
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2. Before you start, fill up an extra big cup of water so you keep yourself hydrated! Dehydration is the biggest culprit of making you feel sluggish and hungry. I'm using the giant cup with a straw and handle that I got from the hospital when I had my daughter. <br />
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3. Set small goals for yourself. They are easier to accomplish and won't make you feel so overwhelmed. For instance, I pick a project each week. This week I'm cleaning baseboards, doors, and door frames. I'm doing the downstairs today and the upstairs the following two days (I have way more doors upstairs than down). Next week I'm going to clean the windows. Yes, this will probably mean that I'll be spring cleaning well into summer. Oh well, at least my house will be slightly cleaner than if I never did anything. <br />
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4. Reward yourself for a job well done! When you've accomplished your goal for the day, treat yourself to a peice of chocolate or a glass of wine. What's that, you would have had that glass of wine anyway? Well, now you can at least justify it. <br />
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If you need ideas of what things need to be cleaned, here's a thorough <a href="http://www.imperfecthomemaking.com/p/thorough-spring-cleaning-checklist.html" target="_blank">spring cleaning checklist</a>. <br />
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Happy Cleaning!SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-50360345305193135512012-03-07T14:26:00.001-08:002012-03-07T14:30:02.371-08:00A Very Pinterest-ing Baby ShowerAs you have probably seen on some of my previous blog posts, I am quite the Pinterest addict. I waste countless hours pinning crafts, sewing tutorials, and recipes, as well as a million other things to my plethora of boards. I still dream of the day when something from my own blog will be pinned. When my best friend and I decided we'd throw a baby shower for a couple of our friends who are due for new additions in late March and early April, I knew I had some great ideas pinned already! Check out some of my Pinterest inspired items, and one I came up with on my own. I must admit, I have to work on my photography skills. <br />
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To make the Baby Kisses favors, I followed <a href="http://crissyscrafts.blogspot.com/2011/04/teacher-appreciation-day.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a>. I filled mine with Hershey Kisses. The Cupcake gifts for the mama's were made following <a href="http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2011/02/baby-onesie-cupcake-tutorial-and-sweet.html" target="_blank">this tutorial</a>, although I used a pair of newborn pants for one of them. <br />
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My <a href="http://thelittlebrownhouse.us/2010/08/12/dollar-store-cupcake-stands/" target="_blank">Dollar Store cupcake stand</a>; also, I used these helpful <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2011/08/perfect-buttercream-icing-recipe-and.html" target="_blank">tips for better cupcakes</a>.</div>
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For the vases I used a couple of Ball jars and one upcycled spaghetti sauce jar and just added a ribbon. The votive holders are upcycled baby food jars I saved from a shower I threw my sister almost 3 years ago! (I may have a minor hoarding problem). To remove the stubborn glue from the jars, I warmed them with a hair dryer to get the worst of it off, then used an S.O.S. pad to get the rest of the glue and any stamped expiration dates off. </div>
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It was just a small shower since this isn't the first baby for either girl. We also had a girl/boy/neutral theme since one mama is having a girl and the other has been told she has a 75% chance of having a boy. <br />
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I wish I would have taken pictures of the food. We had a lovely spread of sliders, cucumber sandwiches, fruit salsa, veggie pizza, and the most delicious <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/strawberry-angel-food-dessert/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=strawberry%20dessert&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page" target="_blank">strawberry angel food dessert</a> I've ever eaten!SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-17091032551006623792012-02-23T12:31:00.002-08:002012-02-23T12:36:27.424-08:00My Pasta e FagioliI've been wanting to make a Pasta e Fagioli soup for awhile, but I was quite intimidated by most of the recipes I found. They looked wonderfully delicious, but they always had some ingredients that I wasn't so sure about. I decided to make my own version instead of following any one recipe, and it turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Pasta e Fagioli</span></strong><br />
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1 lb. ground sausage<br />
1 medium onion, chopped<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
2 stalks celery, chopped<br />
4 c. beef broth<br />
1 c. water<br />
1 (15 oz) can butter beans, drained<br />
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained<br />
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes<br />
1 tbs. Worchestershire sauce<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
seasoned with: parsley, thyme, basil, fresh ground pepper<br />
1 cup small pasta (I used elbow macaroni)<br />
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Brown the sausage with the onions and garlic; drain fat. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the pasta and bring to a boil. Once a boil is reached, turn down the heat, cover, and simmer about a half an hour. Add the pasta, turn the heat up to return soup to a boil; then turn down to a simmer again until pasta is tender (about 6 minutes). <br />
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Note: The pasta soaks up a lot of the liquid, you may need to add more water or broth.<br />
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That's it, super easy, super hearty and great for a winter day.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-40705827994638538702012-02-02T11:30:00.000-08:002012-02-02T11:30:48.784-08:00Stop and Enjoy the FogI love foggy days. I feel like a blanket of clouds has descended and wrapped around me. I love how the fog changes the whole world, reducing your view to only a block or two radius. The fog forces you to see what is right in front of you, focus on your immediate surroundings, not losing them in the vast openness of the rest of the world. <br />
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As a mother, I find myself constantly saying things like "I can't wait until she can..." "It will be so much easier when she learns to...", or, now that she's at the curious, get into everything toddler stage, "I miss when she would just stay in one place." I find myself wishing her little life away, awaiting the bigger and better things. Sometimes, I need a fog to descend on my life, forcing me only to see the present, only the wonderful, amazing stage that she currently is in, not taking it for granted. <br />
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True, every stage has its difficulties. We are currently struggling through the biting stage. Each time I drop her off at Sunday School or the daycare at my mom's group I say a little prayer that she can get through it without biting any of the other kids. But I don't want to miss the great parts either. How her vocabulary is constantly growing, how you can watch her and see how she learns and figures things out, and seeing her loving and mothering her dolls and stuffed animals; these are things I don't want to miss out on or forget while I'm trying to see what is ahead. <br />
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I hope reading this helps others to stop and enjoy the fog. Do not take for granted what is currently happening in your life. We all have struggles, but life is more than getting from one stage to the next. Enjoy the journey, savour the fog.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-80075995806494192532012-01-20T12:39:00.000-08:002012-01-20T12:39:53.098-08:00Stuffed SoupI hosted our family Christmas party last weekend. Traditionally, my grandmother always brought stuffed peppers and cabbage to Christmas Eve. Due to growing families, we no longer get together on Christmas Eve, so I decided to make stuffed peppers and cabbage for our Christmas party. As usual there was way too much food, and I ended up with a bunch of leftovers. <br />
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Fast forward to this morning. It's cold and snowy, and I wanted to make some kind of soup that would be hearty and warm. I wasn't feeling the usual chicken noodle, and I'd already made a few batches of beef barley this winter. I wanted to make something different, but needed to use ingredients on hand. That's when I spied the leftover stuffed peppers and cabbage. I was a little nervous, but it turned out fabulously! Here's the recipe:<br />
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<u>Stuffed Soup</u><br />
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3-4 leftover stuffed peppers/cabbage, cut/mashed up, plus juice they were cooked in<br />
4 cups stock or broth (I used turkey stock, chicken broth would be just fine as well)<br />
1 can diced tomatoes<br />
2 stalks celery, chopped<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
enough dry parsley to cover the top of the soup<br />
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Combine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for about a hour or longer. <br />
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If you want a thicker soup, try adding about half a jar of tomato paste and bring to a boil. <br />
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I'm sorry I once again forgot to take a picture. I was so hungry and it looked so good, I just jumped right in.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-65005098407487910162012-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:002012-03-06T10:47:17.805-08:00Chicken Bruschetta Bake<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I was online this summer searching for a grilled chicken bruschetta recipe that would compare to a super yummy one I got from Simply Homemade after I had my daughter (Simply Homemade is one of those food prep places where they supply the ingredients, you assemble, and then take home a freeze to make at a later time. Some girls at my work went together to buy me a package with free assembly after I had my daughter, and it was the most fabulous gift I was given!). While searching, I stumbled upon <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bruschetta-chicken-bake-2/detail.aspx" target="_blank">this recipe</a> at AllRecipes.com. It wasn't what I was looking for at the time, but it was perfect for a winter meal. </div>
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Yesterday, I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner when I found that recipe again. It looked delicious and warm and perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't have any stuffing mix on hand (I never do, I don't like stuffing), so with the help of a commenter and my own cooking skills, I came up with the following version.</div>
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Chicken Bruschetta Bake</div>
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3 chicken breasts, cut into cubes</div>
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1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs (if you only have plain, use this and add 1 tbsp Italian seasoning)</div>
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1 (15 oz) can Italian diced tomatoes, drained</div>
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1 tsp minced garlic (more if you love garlic)</div>
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1 tsp dried basil </div>
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1 tsp dried oregano</div>
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1/2 tsp sea salt</div>
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 11x8 in glass pan (or similar sized casserole dish) with cooking spray. Place the bread crumbs in a gallon sized storage bag. Put diced chicken into bag and shake. Pour breaded chicken and any remaining crumbs into pan, bake for 20 mins. </div>
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While this is cooking, combine drained diced tomatoes, minced garlic, and seasoning in a bowl. When the 20 mins are up, pour tomato mixture over chicken and cover with cheese. Bake another 10 mins. </div>
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I served mine over some pasta with a little marinara. It was so good. If I had any fresh basil, that would probably make it even better! I can't wait to try this again and wanted to make sure this version was written down somewhere so I could find it later. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.</div>
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<br /></div>SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-41010117876487038182011-12-31T10:34:00.000-08:002011-12-31T10:34:02.144-08:00No Breastfeeding in 2012It's not so much a resolution as a statement. It's a statement that I'm completely and utterly conflicted about, but resolute none-the-less. I will miss our breastfeeding relationship. It was wonderful to stop everything and have a little one-on-one cuddle time with my favorite little person. But like everything, this too must come to an end. I'm very proud of our 20+ months of nursing. I entered this arrangement thinking it would last no longer than a year. A few months ago, I decided we'd be done before her second birthday. The last few weeks, our breastfeeding relationship kind of wrapped up on it's own. <br />
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If you read about weaning, it's always suggested to avoid weaning at stressful times, including the holidays. I was planning on starting to really wean her after the holidays had commenced. We were already down to just two sessions a day (before nap and before bed), but the hectic schedule of the holidays made my toddler too busy to remember to nurse, and I wasn't about to remind her. I kept our before bed ritual as best I could until this week. Before I knew it, three days had passed without her nursing at all due to evening plans that kept her out past her normal bedtime and falling asleep in the car. We were home all day yesterday, and she asked to be nursed a couple of times, but was easily distracted and despite following all our other nightly rituals, didn't have any problems going to sleep without it. <br />
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I'm sure if I wanted to continue nursing, I would still produce milk, but I feel that perhaps this easy weaning was an answer to my prayers for the last 8 months. I was so afraid of a tearful, painful weaning. While it is bittersweet, she doesn't seem to upset by it at all. And I can't tell you how excited I am to go out and purchase bras that don't have escape hatches and actually fit (although I'm willing to bet that the girls are not quite done shrinking yet). <br />
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2011 was a wonderful year for my family and I hope 2012 will bring new growth to our little family as we hope to start trying for baby #2 this summer. I wish you all a blessed new year and that you find joy in your families, as I have in mine.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-85424043266339605142011-12-22T14:29:00.000-08:002011-12-22T14:37:30.279-08:00Quick Last Minute GiftHas this ever happened to you?<br />
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You forgot to get a hostess gift for a party you are attending later this evening. You'd rather stab a fork through your hand than go out again in that last minute Christmas shopping hell, so you grab that bottle of Pinot you were hoping to enjoy yourself. But how do you make it look like you put a little effort into the gift instead of grabbing it at a liquor store on your way to the party? <br />
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Enter: the super easy to make wine bag. It says you're thoughtful and crafty, but what your hostess doesn't have to know is that it took you less than 10 minutes to make! </div>
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First, you'll need some festive fabric, about 13 inches by 11 inches. If you have a pair of pinking shears, use these to cut your fabric, it will make your life a million times easier*. Fold the fabric in half hot-dog way (so it becomes 13x5.5"), wrong side out. Sew along the long side and one of the short sides. </div>
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Now here's the fancy part: on the sewn short end, pinch your corner and sew a triangle into the corner like this: </div>
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Repeat with the other corner. This creates a more rounded bottom to your bag. Just make sure that your seam lays in the same direction on both corners, so it doesn't look like this: </div>
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Now, flip your bag right side out, insert your bottle of wine, and tie closed with a pretty ribbon. Voila!</div>
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*If you don't have pinking shears, make your fabric 1/2 inch longer (13.5x11), fold down the top edge 1/4" twice, and sew this seam down.</div>SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-52070966475376053832011-12-21T05:58:00.000-08:002011-12-22T14:30:37.174-08:00Two Must Have Sewing TutorialsI have to share these two sewing tutorials that I've found and used. They are must haves for sewing mamas with small frys. Just starting out at sewing? No worries, they are super easy to follow and don't require any advanced sewing skills.<br />
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The first tutorial is perfect for the season: <a href="http://mycottoncreations.blogspot.com/2010/07/christmas-eve-pajama-pants-tutorial.html" target="_blank">flannel PJ pants</a>! I've already made two pair for my kiddo and a pair for my nephew. My sister wanted our kids to have matching PJs for Christmas Eve, so this was the most economical solution I could find and paired them up with some Christmas Tshirts from Old Navy. I added a bow on the front since my husband was a little weirded out that the first pair didn't have a front and back. </div>
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The second tutorial is perfect for my girlie-girl. It's rare to see my daughter not carrying around a baby doll or purse, and I was tired of watching her drag around silly gift bags or reusable shopping bags as her purse. I found this super cute tutorial on <a href="http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/low-sew-purse/" target="_blank">how to make a purse from old jeans</a>. The blogger uses her daughters old embellished jeans to create an adorable purse. I didn't have any old jeans of my daughters that needed to be up-cycled (and lets face it, she's only now wearing 18 months; that would be one tiny purse), so I used some pieces of my own old jeans that I had cut off and just sewed on a purple heart. If I use this tutorial again (who am I kidding; WHEN I use this again), I will avoid using the original cuff; it was too hard to sew over. </div>
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Our newest and most challenging change for me is nap time. For the last almost five months, since cutting down to only one nap, our routine before nap has been very simple. After lunch and a little play time, we go up to her room, close the curtains, and nurse to sleep. Of course, some days when we're out and about, she'll fall asleep in the car, and then I'll carry her to her crib where she continues to sleep. Unfortunately, this past week, nursing to sleep has been wholly unsuccessful. Mind you, she'll fall asleep while nursing; its during the transfer where she wakes up, stands up in her crib, and screams bloody murder. <br />
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Today, we tried a completely different approach. After church, she decided she really wanted her "boobies". Ok, fine. So I told her that she could have her boobies now, but then she would have to eat lunch and for nap time she would not get boobies. She agreed, but I was skeptical. As nap time approached, I could tell she was getting quite tired. I told her again, we would go upstairs and read books, but then she would have to close her eyes and go to sleep. <br />
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Amazingly, it worked! I mimicked our bed time routine with the exception of a bath and putting on pajamas. We put on her sleep sack, turned on her music, sat in the rocking chair, and read three books. After our three books, and a quick diaper change due to an unexpected poop, I laid her down in her crib and told her night-night. I did not hear a single crab or cry on my way downstairs. I'm sitting here typing and checking the monitor and feel like I was just granted a miracle! <br />
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I'm sure with time, this wonderful stage will end and another will begin. I was once told never to get used to any stage, good or bad, because before I know, it will pass. For now, I will enjoy this small victory until the next battle begins.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-55007455096126389452011-12-02T19:56:00.001-08:002011-12-04T11:08:47.273-08:00Mini Ring Sling<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I was so excited when I saw these super cute <a href="http://www.becobabycarrier.com/cat-2/mini" target="_blank">mini Beco's</a> for little girls to carry their baby dolls in. I wanted to get one for my daughter and was immediately convinced that it was going to be one of her Christmas presents. But as I thought about it, I had a few concerns. First of all, would it be small enough for her? My daughter is super tiny, only in the 4th percentile for height and 2nd for weight. Then there was the whole issue of spending almost $30 for something that I might be able to make myself. While a soft-structured carrier might be a little above my skill level, I knew I could come up with something that would produce similar results. </div>
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After thinking on it awhile, I decided to make her a mini ring-sling. I had made a few regular ring slings using a tutorial on the Maya Wrap website that appears to no longer exist, so a mini ring sling should be pretty simple, right? I first had to figure out what to use as the rings. I would typically use rings purchased from SlingRings.com, but since this ring sling would be much smaller and carry plastic or fabric baby dolls, I didn't really think anything that fancy was necessary. So I found some large D-rings at Hobby Lobby and used those. I bought a yard of cute fabric and cut it in half so it was approximately 18"x45". I hemmed the long edges and secured the D-rings on one end. I looped the free end through the D-rings, tried it on my somewhat unwilling model, and found that it fit!</div>
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A fabric that is "reversible" or cute on both sides might work better, but lets be honest folks, this is for my 20 month old. She doesn't mind! After making sure it fit, I hemmed the loose end and hid it so she would forget about it. It's now wrapped and waiting to be put under the tree. Yay for simple, inexpensive Christmas gifts!</div>
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</div>SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-28778954824370503082011-11-17T10:36:00.001-08:002011-12-04T11:09:10.334-08:00My Grandmother's Legacy<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SnbO_4GG8A0/Tsm1b0NOGqI/AAAAAAAAACo/MQUtrHLP_UE/s1600/IMG_2167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SnbO_4GG8A0/Tsm1b0NOGqI/AAAAAAAAACo/MQUtrHLP_UE/s320/IMG_2167.JPG" width="320" /></a>This is my Grandmother's Legacy.</div>
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You might think it odd or even disrespectful that I consider a pot of dumplings (or Spaetzle for the rest of the world) to be my grandmother's legacy. But this pot of dumplings signifies so much more than that.</div>
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My grandma passed away this August at the age of 86. She was very much the matriarch of our family. Out of 7 brothers and sisters, she was the last one living (if any of my family reads this, I counted baby Julie). She had two daughters, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. She was the surrogate mother and grandmother to the children and grandchildren of her sisters and brothers as they passed and welcomed anyone into the family. And she did it in the most delicious way. </div>
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My grandmother was the best cook and baker I ever met. Walking through her door always meant being greeted by the most wonderful smells imaginable, and she made everything from scratch, including soup noodles. Her food meant comfort, love, and family. </div>
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This will be the first holiday season without Grandma. While she hasn't been able to cook or bake for the last few years, her mind was still present and she was always ready to share stories and memories of the past. I will miss her more than anything. But she will always live on with us, since we still have her recipes. We will still enjoy Tarhonya, stuffed peppers, cucumber salad, berliner krantz, kifli's, kolach, angel wings, chicken and dumplings, and a bunch of other recipes that I have no idea how to spell. She taught us how to make these recipes, and when we do, we know she will be with us in spirit.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-78555238764064790662011-11-17T05:23:00.001-08:002012-01-20T12:42:39.613-08:00Doing it AloneI have to give a lot of credit to single parents, parents whose spouses are deployed in the military, and parents whose spouses travel frequently for work. I honestly don't know how they do it.<br />
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My husband is traveling this week for work. This means I am alone with our child from the moment she wakes up in the morning until she utters her last whimper at night. At 19 months old, she is exhausting! If I had to do this week in and week out, I think my life expectancy would be cut by at least 20 years. Thankfully, my husband's job doesn't require him to be gone more than a few weeks out of the year. <br />
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I enjoy evenings with my husband. When "daddy's home" it signifies a milestone of the day. The energy of the house changes and it's like we all (the child, the dog, and I) take a deep breath and know that someone is here to save us! to entertain us! and to distract us from our crabbiness. My daughter looks forward to having someone else to "UP!", and I enjoy not being the only arms around. Not to mention the fact that I finally have someone who can talk to me in fully intelligible sentences... well, mostly. Even if he has to go straight to his office and continue working, I feel a sense of peace knowing he's here. <br />
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My husband thinks his job is hard. I know he works hard. He starts his workday at 6am and works until 5pm and often later. He deals with impossible demands and constant complaints from customers and disgruntled and uncooperative coworkers each and every day. But he gets to talk to adults, eat real food at restaurants (and often gets reimbursed for it), and since he's in sales, his scenery is constantly changing. And most importantly, every other week his employer deposits a whole buncha money into our checking account for his efforts. <br />
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Being a stay at home mom has much different perks. I wouldn't change it for the world. But I also am grateful, each and every evening, for my teammate to come and help me with this teeny tiny Tasmanian devil we call our daughter.SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-8376576985268878932011-11-09T18:24:00.000-08:002011-11-11T05:32:05.021-08:00Organize Your Tops!I am not a neat person. Ask my husband, this is his biggest issue with me. I constantly leave stuff EVERYWHERE. But somehow, I still believe that I'm organized. I'm probably not really organized, but the trick is believing you are. If you can get past the clutter on my counter tops and open my cabinets, you will see there is some truth in this. It does help that in our new house I have more cabinets than I know what to do with. But that's besides the point. <br />
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One organizational issue I had was how to organize the lids to my pots. Do you try to stack them up? Lean them against the sides of the cabinet? There really didn't seem to be any solution to this problem. I wanted some kind of organizer, and in my mind I envisioned a wooden rack with dowel-rods separating the lids to hold them vertical. The problem was I had no one to make it for me and wood work is a hobby I have no desire to pursue. I was complaining to my sister when she suggested I try a dish rack. I couldn't believe how simple the solution could be. I found <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70177175/" target="_blank">this perfect dish drying rack</a> at Ikea for $5.99! The size is perfect for my cabinet and fits all but one of my lids (it's just a smidge too bulky to fit). <br />
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Happy Organizing!SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-33755562697725846212011-11-08T12:51:00.000-08:002011-11-11T05:31:44.384-08:00Wine Cork GarlandI've recently joined Pintrest, and I've been amazed by all the wonderful and creative crafts I've come across. It's awesome to me how people come up with these things. I've actually started to make some of the crafts that I've pinned, although I have yet to actually finish any of them. <br />
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While looking through many tutorials, I've realized that I'm pretty crafty myself. One craft I came up with myself and am most proud of is my wine cork garland. My husband and I love wine, as does many of our friends and family members. When we were married, our wedding had a wine theme and I collected wine corks to use as table card holders. I ended up with way more corks than I knew what to do with (mostly collected by friends and family, I promise, I'm not that big of a wino). So I came up with this ingenious idea to create Christmas Tree garland from it. I had been trying to find a unique garland for our tree, and nothing I found fit our personality until I came up with this. </div>
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So here's my very own tutorial:<br />
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Supplies:</div>
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<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">many, many corks. I've found the rubber ones are the easiest, but this can be done with cork corks as well and I've even used a champagne cork.</li>
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<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">wooden beads (I used 3/4in ones from Michael's)</li>
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<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Phillips head screw driver</li>
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1. Paint the wooden beads and allow them to dry thoroughly. I did half of mine red, the other half green. <br />
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2. Cut your twine; I made mine about 7-8 feet long to begin with.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1zdtJRRCbA/TrmTMD00kiI/AAAAAAAAACI/PR18zysprIA/s1600/IMG_2131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1zdtJRRCbA/TrmTMD00kiI/AAAAAAAAACI/PR18zysprIA/s200/IMG_2131.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">loop knot</td></tr>
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3. Tie a knot at the end of your twine. I also added a loop, as I feel it makes it easier to hang the garland on the tree</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tz8MZkz3GU/TrmTQCyCTqI/AAAAAAAAACQ/0nFoS5Qzdjs/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tz8MZkz3GU/TrmTQCyCTqI/AAAAAAAAACQ/0nFoS5Qzdjs/s200/IMG_2136.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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4. Start making holes in your corks. I used a Phillips head screwdriver. Please be careful not to hurt yourself or your table. For some corks, I put the holes width-wise, others length-wise. Not all of my holes were very straight, but I don't think that really matters.</div>
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5. String your beads and corks on in a way that is pleasing to you. To make it easier to string the corks, I made a giant needle out of some wire.</div>
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6. Once you've reached your desired length, tie another knot with a loop at the end and you're done!</div>
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The best part of this, is that every year you can make a new string! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C6areFovZNs/TrmU_JV_r6I/AAAAAAAAACY/-e0B5G1UMuc/s1600/christmas+garland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C6areFovZNs/TrmU_JV_r6I/AAAAAAAAACY/-e0B5G1UMuc/s640/christmas+garland.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my tree the first year I did this. One strand isn't quite enough for a 7 ft tree, <br />
but I think it's a pretty unique garland!</td></tr>
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<br /></div>SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3895265221388383549.post-4078203870612429662011-08-13T09:56:00.000-07:002011-08-13T09:56:37.719-07:00No Shirt, No Shoes, No ChildrenI find it continuously shocking how unwelcome small children are at many stores and restaurants. Ok, so maybe "unwelcome" is being a little extreme. It may be more accurate to say that many stores and restaurants are not very accommodating to parents with small children. The carts and high chairs supplied for these children are all the same and extremely inadequate. I don't know any toddler who is unable to escape from the single strap placed around their tummy (chest?). High chairs for my peanut, until very recently, brought her about chin height to the table... as if that's going to entice her to eat. And that's just the start of my complaints about serving children in restaurants. <br />
<br />
Besides one-size-fits-none high chairs found at restaurants, I can't believe how many eating establishments have plopped down a steaming hot, ceramic plate of food in front of my toddler. Might as well hand her that steak knife too. I realize that serving food luke warm is probably not good business at a restaurant, but perhaps they could offer to bring the child's food a little bit before the adult entrees and serve it on something a little less breakable. Sometimes I think enough to ask, but I usually feel like I'm being super high-maintenance and keep my mouth shut. <br />
<br />
Even one establishment considered by many to be the most kid-friendly of all, falls short. On the way home from the grocery store today, feeling a little sorry for myself for being a golf widow on a beautiful August Saturday, I swung by the McDonald's drive thru. After requesting my Daily Double, I was promptly informed that on Saturdays, breakfast is served until 11am, and it was currently only 10:50. "Are you kidding me?!" I asked. "No, ma'am, we don't serve lunch for 10 more minutes." Yes, I know it was early, but my child had been awake since before 6 am. Sleepy time is fast approaching and I need food for her little belly. I am not going to sit and wait 10 minutes while my Skinny Cow melts in the trunk so you can deam it proper lunch time. <br />
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Stores are just as bad, too. Have you ever tried to open a door to a store while pushing a stroller through? You would think that establishments that thrive on the business of stay at home moms could make it just a tad easier for them to get into their establishment. <br />
<br />
There is one store that has kid-friendly down to a science. Ikea isn't where I do a majority of my shopping, but when an Ikea trip is planned, I know it will be as pleasant as possible. Ikea offers family bathrooms fit for a queen with a comfortable chair for mothers who are nursing, sinks at low heights for our little-bits to reach, and even little play areas for tots to stay occupied while mommy takes a pit-stop. Their restaurant offers genuine kid-sized portions and even baby food and bottle warmers. Their high chairs are made for small children to sit securely. Did junior have an over-active colon and you ran out of diapers? Never fear, they even offer FREE diapers! While they aren't infallible (shopping carts are only available on the first floor, something you probably won't find out until you reach the second floor and are forced to return to the first in search of a proper cart) they do offer hope to parents that some establishments do want you to bring your child with you. <br />
<br />
I am going to continue to shop with my little miss, mainly because I have no other options. I will grin and bear it and make sure my eye never strays long enough for her escape attempts to be successful. But I will continue to hope that one day, store owners will realize the type of torture they are inflicting on parents of small children and will take steps to make our life easier. SaraDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16768766865993992626noreply@blogger.com0