Animal Storage revisited and some cuteness

I finished the animal storage "unit". I basically just took an old towel and cut the ends where the bands are off and then hemmed those edges. Then, I folded one of the long ends up to make a big pocket. I sewed both sides and then sewed down the middle making two pockets. I added the the ribbon loops at the top first, then sewed that ribbon band over them for aesthetic purposes. I added the ribbon to the edges of the pocket because I was convinced it was needed. :) At first, I was going to put this under the window where all the other toys are "arranged", but then got the idea to hang it on the front of her crib where she would have access at night or whenever, since she likes to sleep with them all anyway.

Not too shabby, well maybe shabby chic? I think I want to aim that way in decorating her room. It'll fit her for a long time until she older and starts having her own ideas about how she wants her room to look and feel. :)

While I was in the process of capturing my latest "creation", Ailey came in to investigate. She had a really big smile on her face. She peeked in the pockets and then in her bed. I left her bunny and Baby Brenna in her bed and she decided that they needed to join the rest of the clan. So, up and over she climbed to retrieve them.

She tried to put them in from the top....

They didn't quite fit, so....

She climbed back out of her bed with them to try it from the front.

There was some rearranging involved to make room.

Brenna fits that way just fine...apparently.

I mentioned in a previous post that Ailey has a liking for backpacks. She was carrying Braden's Thomas backpack around for a few days until.....This came in the mail from Aunt Jenny, Uncle Ben and her cousins Elijah, Luke, Gabe and Boaz!!!!

How perfect is that?!?! She LOVES this thing. Its name, as you can see is Tippy Toad, but she calls her Tippy Toes. I love that. Gonna keep that going. Its just so cute! See the grabby hands? She couldn't handle that I had put it up there where she couldn't get to it. Oh, and all those necklaces, save one, are courtesy of Granny who also brought a bag full of dress up clothes. Still working on the dress-up trunk.

Curtains!

I finally finished the curtains for the living room and Ailey's room over the weekend. I may add some embellishments to Ailey's eventually, but for now they cover the windows and are finished enough.

The living room curtains turned out better than I expected. I was a bit concerned that after all the seam allowances that they wouldn't end up spanning the window all the way. They took a lot more thought and math and problem solving than I originally expected as well. Whew! Math as many people know is definitely NOT my strong suit and often, my calculations go awry. This time, however, all went as planned! Yippee!! I actually managed to make them reversible, so when you see the pics, I have one hung on one side and the other on the other to show the variation. I haven't decided which side I like better, yet. Anyway, here are pics of the finished product:

I think I'll end up hanging them both with the light side majority. To me it makes the walls seem less dark. I really like the texture of the darker tan, though, so its a tough decision. I might hang them on the lighter side in the cold months and the darker in the warm or something....

Those two chairs are going to receive a makeover at some point....mwwhhahaha!

I thought these turned out pretty cute.

I might add some flower buttons at the top in between the seems under the tabs at some point, but I've got other stuff in my queue for now, so it'll just have to wait. I am also wanting to do different curtain rods, but we'll have to see what I come up with, eh?

I found the ribbon in the middle at Hobby Lobby and had to get it. It was calling to me...a driving force, if you will.;p Plus, it was 50% off and all. I already had the striped ribbon from a while back and thought it paired well together and so there you have it.

The funny thing is, I did one curtain for my bedroom first in the beginning of all the curtain commotion. I quilted it. I was working with fabric I already had. The silk curtains I got many years ago and a sheet that went to a set that I got around the same time that lost its fitted partner to an over-eager laundromat washing machine a year or so ago. I also had a package of craft-size batting that I had for a LONG time. Add in some half off ribbon from ye 'ole favorite craft store Hobby Lobby and viola! Curtains! I'll take a pic some day. I quilted the one and then left the other unquilted and decided I liked the unquilted one better. So, eventually, I intend to take a seam ripper to the quilted one to make them look alike and all. Eventually.

I decided not to quilt the curtains for the kids' rooms because, well....its a lot of stinkin' work! I made the boy's curtains curtains first. I cut up the curtains I had hanging in there and backed them with a flat sheet my mom brought me from her get-rid-of stash. They are pretty plain and after making Ailey's, I feel the need to dress them up a bit.. later. I am wanting to get them both bed sets for their birthday, so I'll wait until after then. Plus, I need to paint both rooms and then I'll do more accessorizing. Hopefully, the finished product will look something like the idea I have in my head... :)

Unexpected-ness

Yesterday, I washed all of the 0-3 mos. baby clothes that Sam so graciously got down out of storage for me and then folded it all. We then moved the chest of drawers into Ailey's room so that the aforementioned clothing has a place to be kept. I had also gotten the bassinet out so I could go ahead and set it up. I didn't get a chance to set it up right away, so it was right before bed time when I went ahead and started that and realized that I had put the material covering for the whole thing somewhere else. I also found that I did not have the boppy where I thought I had put it. yeah. irritation. So, now Sam has to get back up into the loft area and see if he can find it. Meanwhile, in my now-feeling-the-baby-coming-soon-crunch, I have begun to search on craigslist for a used bassinet and I'll have to see where I can get a boppy the cheapest if it can't be found. Not really what I had in mind at this point. Oh, well.

*****Update**** Sam, who is just awesomeness, got back up in the loft and found both the missing items! Yay!!! Ya see, Nersa, the baby usually ends up in the bed after the first time I have to wake up to nurse, but what I do is put the boppy in the bassinet and then during the day the baby has a place to nap and stays swaddled really well. Seems to sleep longer that way. Now to find a way to sound-proof my room from all the other kid noises.....

Zekey's first dentist visit

Today Zekey went for his first check up at the dentist office. He did such a good job. The lady that cleaned his teeth said that he did better than some of the older kids that come in there. I thought that was funny. When he goes to appointments that are just about him, he's usually super laid back and follows instructions very well. The x-rays were a bit of a challenge because the film for the sides of his mouth were a bit big for him and he kept gagging. The first lady kept trying, but couldn't get him to close his mouth right over it, so she was just going to leave it. They ended up having to retake the frontal x-ray anyway and a different lady did it the second time and she was able to get the sides as well. :) Try, try again! The dentist office has two play areas and there is a t.v. in the exam area as well, so Zekey was super focused on the movie they had playing. It all ended with no cavities, a yellow balloon and a prize bag with a new toothbrush and little flossers. He was quite the happy camper. Way to go Zekes!!!

Big time disappointment!

Back in December, I placed an order with Mabel White Laboratories. Its a DIY site for homemade soap, lotion, etc. and they have essential oils and bases for lotions and such. I was super excited because this site had the best prices in conjunction with the shipping prices for the essential oils and shea butter and container and what-have-you! Well, a couple of weeks went by and I still had not received my order, so I emailed them to see what was going on. I got a response that same day saying that she and her staff had gotten sick over the holidays and they were just getting back into getting the orders out. She told me that she would send it the next day by a much quicker way than what I had paid for and that she would also include a free gift for the long wait. Well, I can understand about being sick and having to get caught up. I told her that since I knew it was on its way, she didn't have to worry about the free gift or the speedier mailing process and that I was content to wait for my order to get here by the mailing preference I had paid for. I also gave her my hopes for a speedy recovery for her and her staff.

Okay, fast forward another month. Yep, it had still not arrived! So, I emailed again. I asked if my order had been shipped yet. I just figured that the catching up was still behind. I will give the benefit of the doubt for a while. I got NO response this time.

Now another month has gone by and I wrote again to inform them that I wanted a refund and that I was going to pursue reimbursement through paypal. Unfortunately, I can't because it has been over 45 days. Bummer! So, I did the next best thing I could think of....I contacted the Better Business Bureau in the state she is licensed in and filed a complaint and request for reimbursement. We'll see how it goes.

Now you all know that when I am excited about something I will do a post and promote it. The opposite is true when I come across a situation like this. I will do a post and warn as many people about it as possible!!! I certainly don't see the need for anyone else to pay for a product(s) they are never going to receive. So, here's my warning:

I would highly advise AGAINST buying from Mabel White Laboratories, Mabel White DIY or Mabel White Home Living Corporation!!!

Here is the web address so you know: http://www.mabelwhite.com/ and this is the supply co. I actually ordered from: http://www.mabelwhite.com/SupplyCo/index.htm

After not receiving a response for so long, I went and did a little google research and much to my dismay, I am not the only one who has had issues of this sort with this company. There are apparently many complaints about this company and if I had researched it more thoroughly, I could have completely avoided this whole thing. Oh, well, live and learn!

Preggo pics!

A slackin' I have been.... I did take a couple of belly pics back in November, after I started feeling better. I think that was around 4.5 months. I took some more the other day, so 8-months-ish. Here ya go:

Don't hate on my messy house. ;p

This is what Sam and I affectionately call my buda-belly.

Deo update....

I was really thinking the homemade deodorant experiment was a complete success, but alas I ran into a warm weather snag. Yeah, ew. Hello, B-O! Who invited you?! I was using the simple coconut oil, baking soda and corn starch recipe. For the winter it was just fine. Didn't have any issues. I ran out about two weeks ago and decided to try a recipe that included beeswax. Now, in all fairness the recipe calls for tea tree oil and shea butter and I didn't have either. Tea tree oil is a combatant of bacteria, so I'm sure it probably is an important ingredient. I just winged it since it was not present in this here house. Let's just say I was out and about a couple of times and B.O. decided to rear its ugly head. Yuck! I hate it when that happens. The only thing I could do was use baby wipes to buy myself some time until I could get home and reapply. Anyway, I was on the verge of going back to a store bought deodorant, though more in the natural direction like the crystal deodorant or the like. Anyway, I remember seeing this one guy's comment at the bottom of one of the deodorant recipes I had come across in my google wanderings. He said all he does is get his pit damp and pat on plain ole baking soda. Well, I tried it in my desperation. Anything not to have to go to the store at this point....;p So far, so good. Apparently, I was trying too hard. Now we will have the true test when we go to homeschool group coop. There are stairs which leads to sweating on my part at this point. Plus, its getting warmer and my body in its hormonal state takes issue with the temperature. Anyway, I will be taking a small container of the baking soda with me just in case, but I will definitely report on my findings........

****Reporting on findings: I'm dry and smell free! I don't even have to apply it every day. Amazing. I'll keep ya updated as summer approaches along with a baby, nursing and moby wrap wearing. Gonna put this stuff through its paces and see how it holds up!

Stuffed Animal Storage Genius and a Pondering

Okay, so whoever came up with this is a GENIUS!!!

This is the Boon animal storage bag. It also doubles as a seat. Where was this when I was growing up?! I had stuffed animals out the wazoo! (Don't ask me what a wazoo is because I don't know. Fun to say, though. :) I am going in a different direction for Ailey's growing pile of cuddlies, but I just had to share this because it is such a fantastic solution! When I have finished maiming a towel we don't really use anymore, I'll show you the destination of the direction in which I'm aiming.

On to the pondering. There are times when I, in my preggo state, get awakened by an overly full bladder and must make a mad waddle to the bathroom before disaster strikes. If I have not weaned my water intake in the evening, sometimes said midnight potty rendezvous doubles and possibly triples. On nights like these, usually I end up not being able to go back to sleep for a long period of time and I start pondering things. The other night's pondering had to do with -clude. First of all, it really does sound funny if you think about it. Second of all, look at all the prefixes just for -clude: in-, ex-, pre-, oc-, con-, se- and those are just the ones I could think of....I'm sure there are more. Oh, and don't ask me why I was thinking about that, I'm just giving you a little peak into my brain activity at 3 in the morning...

Happy Birthday, Ailey Grace!!!

Ailey turned 2 today. Wow. She's quite an amazing little girl. Lots of mess mixed with lots of cute sweetness and hoh-boy! She's so much fun, though and we are truly blessed by her. Thank you so much ,Precious Lord, for giving us such a special gift! It is such an adventure to be her parents and I know that God has power-packed her full of amazing things to use in furthering His kingdom! So, without further ado:

Happy Birthday, Sweet Lerloo!!!!

Here is the onslaught of photographic memories -

Good morning, Birthday Girl!

I decorated the night before. That's what the group of things from Target and the special occasion was about a few posts back.... I wanted to keep it simple, but I had to do a pinnacle birthday banner, so I ended staying up too late making it on the computer, cutting it out and threading the ribbon through each one.

Zekey was more excited about the whole affair than Ailey and kept asking if it was his birthday. :)

This one is a keeper. I hope she likes pink and green for many years to come.... ;p

Sweetness!

I put some of those party blowers on the table, so the kids were very entertained while I got breakfast ready.

Ailey couldn't blow hard enough in it to make it work, but she was having a good time trying....

Waffle birthday breakfast

Cookie Birthday Cake, yummmmm!

Wasn't exactly what I had planned to do and I went all kinds of crazy with the icing and colors, but its the taste that counts and it counted!

The whole shebang

closeup

Ailey has been wearing this back pack around for most of day lately.

Ailey was LOVING all the attention as we sang to her. She kept singing "happy birthday to you" over and over again.

Zekey actually blew her candles out for her in all his excitement, so Sam lit them again so she could blow them out.

See Zekey's puggy face? :) She did a very good job blowing them out!

That is an "I did it!" grin.

Granny got her a pink vacuum.

Daddy was having a fun time opening it....

Some assembly was required.

And off she went!

We got her a pink bean bag, so they all now have their very own.

Zekes was having a very hard time because Ailey was in no mood to share her new toy and he VERY much wanted to play with it. Braden was more interested in the assembly part. :)

Braden and Zekey helped open her presents. Braden sounded like he was her tour guide. It was funny. He helped me put this present together because it was from him and Zekes.

That plush flower was only a dollar at Target and she loved it. So funny!

Apparently the scepter and crown that I made her isn't of interest, yet. Maybe later, eh?

Zekey, however, was most willing to try it on and pose for a pic.

I didn't get pictures, but Sam put both the crown and the flower headband on and oh, how I wish I had captured that!