Memorial Day Weekend...Full of memories...

Thursday...Nana and Aunt C. came to visit and whisked Kj off to Nana's house a day early for some extra love and spoiling (Kj and mama!). I spent an afternoon with Baby L.

Friday...A day with Baby L. We went grocery shopping, she took a nap, we packed, sorted, watered plants, and waited for Kevin to get off of work. He got off a little early and we headed up to his hometown for a weekend of family fun and memories.

Saturday...Lots of fun with family. We went to the state park and wandered. We bbq'ed and ate meals in the screened porch. We made desserts and dessert boxes from greeting cards for an auction.




Sunday...Went to church in Kevin's hometown. Participated in a potluck in honor of his sister. (She is raising support to move to Africa to help at an orphanage for two years!) Enjoyed looking at and craving all the deserts people made for the dessert auction (also in her honor). Spent lots of time talking with the aunts and loving all the family time...and then it hit around 4PM...the chills! The fever (over 102)! The not being able to walk around on my own! Depending on Kevin to get me to bed and to help me feed the baby and get me water and...and...and! I even remember laying in bed that night calling for Kevin and the next moment calling out mom?!

Monday...Layed on my in-law's couches most of the day and slept. Got up enough to feed Baby L. and eat a few bites of food. Cried as my toddler went down for her nap after saying goodbye to her aunt, realizing that Kj didn't know that this would be a long term goodbye, but the goodbyes were getting more real for the rest of us. It was the first of many teary goodbyes this week! You will be missed and prayed for Aunt C.!!

Tuesday...Kevin stayed home today with the girls and I so that I could rest. We really weren't sure what my body was doing but he set up a doctor's appointment and the verdict was Strep Throat. Hope no one else caught it from me! Something I forgot to ask the doctor...Did I catch it from something/someone? Or does your body just get worn down and just randomly get it? And really how do illnesses really work? Hahaha...well, feeling a little better now...which is most obvious to me because I can't fall asleep tonight. I slept too much today! That only happens when I'm well. But really I must fall asleep now or I'll be falling asleep tomorrow morning on the couch!! Sorry, Kj.

New Expedition

My newest project is learning how to use my serger. I had a lot of leftover flannel from my long ago pj pant projects and so I cut them in to 8 inch squares and made baby wipes. The first few went very poorly so I had to research online how to round corners. I found most people saying to go fast! I had been going slow. So, I tried again and found that I could do it! The faster the better, I guess. I also had to start marking the curve on each corner otherwise I would never make it all the way around. I still am experimenting with finishing off the threads...

To go along with the wipes I found a great wipe solution:

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon baby wash
1 tablespoon baby oil
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

Spring Cleaning

The last week or so I have really been going through drawers and cupboards and whatever else there is in the house to go through. That is, if I have a spare moment when the girls are sleeping or Kevin is watching them...so, really, I haven't gotten very far. Anyways, this afternoon the girls are both sleeping (not sure how much longer...) and I started sorting all the bathroom "things" that have been sitting in my sewing room during the bathroom renovation. I hope to sort them into the bathroom, the waste basket or the recycling bin.

I came across 2 half used conditioner bottles. I have not used either for almost a year now and was wondering how else I could use them. I don't particularly cherish the idea of just dumping them all and don't know who would want them. So, I "Google-ed" it. Here are some things I found:

~Pour 1T conditioner into a sink of warm water. Soak sweater for 30 minutes, remove, reshape, and dry.

~Use conditioner to shave your legs (or your face, I suppose if any men are reading this...never tried it myself).

~Use conditioner as body wash. Shampoo can also be used in the way.

~Use conditioner in the same way you would use WD40 in you home.

~Use conditioner to clean your bathroom tile--it removes soap scum.

~Use conditioner instead of fabric softener.

All very interesting and more applicable to me then the original use. So, I can't say I'll follow up and tell you how any of these works, but I'm thinking of using it as fabric softener. I don't use fabric softener in the first place, but I'll see how I like it! Oh, and the WD40 idea. That sounds good to me too! Enjoy!!

Our littlest lady...

Our littlest lady was born on Saturday. We headed home from the hospital on Monday with a bili-blanket. We had to check her bili-level on Tuesday and then on Wednesday and it progressively got worse. So, after the Wednesday appointment we were told to head back to the NICU at our local hospital.

Friday now and her bili-level is way down and she is down to 1 of the original 3 bili-lights. I can now take her off the bed to nurse her--originally it was bottle feeding under the lights on the bed in a very awkward position.

This bottom picture is an example of her sneaky side. We had just put her goggles back on the wide-eyed girl and she was fussing about that. Grandma L. was here and we were talking on the other side of the room...all the sudden she was quiet...we looked over and there she was peeking at us. She figured if she stopped fussing we wouldn't notice that her eyes were uncovered. Hehehe.

Passing on the crafts

Made this hat for Kristi, a friend, having a baby a month after ours. Then had leftover yarn to make Kj her hat for next winter. I'm waiting to sew down the back seam because I think it might be a bit large for a toddler. We'll find out next winter!


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Then, I had bought fabric to make myself a diaper bag last summer. I never got to it and still had the ideas in my head. I found out another friend made diaper bags. She had a particular pattern that she used, but told me to write down my ideas and she would give it a try. Having two in diapers soon, I decided that a bag with a divider was the way to go. I gave her the fabric (just the green), patch and buttons and away she went. Took her 2 days!! Wow. And now I have a personalized diaper bag without having to put in my 2 months of hard labor!! Haha... Thank you, Beth!

So, I guess my advice to you is to share your craft and see if others will share theirs with you. It is a good exchange or passing on opportunity. Whether it is baking, sewing, knitting, babysitting...whatever the craft or talent. SHARE!! What a blessing you can be to others! And them in turn to you!

Signs of Spring?

Really, I didn't think crickets were alive this season. Today I was putting laundry from the washer to the dryer. I had just put a handful in the dryer and went back for more from the washer when I found a cricket on the washing machine. Was it in with the laundry? Did it get washed? Where did it come from? It looked "fresh" but didn't seem too alive. I quickly went to get a large wad of toilet paper. As I lowered it over the cricket, I thought I spotted the smallest hint of movement...but I can't be sure. It may have been my overactive imagination.

I am proud to say, I didn't scream or jump or dismiss my chore. I boldly (hehe) resolved the situation. But YUCK!!! It still makes me wriggle!

Telling Kevin...he even says, "Ick." But then he said, "Must have snuck in somehow." What?! Snuck in?? It's winter? Yes, there are puddles now in some places taking over the ice patches, but...Spring???

Soon and very soon...

We are going to see the babe. Hehehe...do you know the song that is from?

Kj said today, "A baby coming in Kj house." We weren't even talking about the baby. She was playing by herself with her blocks, building a tower or a bed for her animals or something and I just heard from across the room... So sweet. I think she gets it a little more every day.

Finally made some muffins today. I've had the muffin tins out on the counter and lined with paper cups for about 2 weeks now. Kj helped me stir the ingredients. She didn't want to give me the wood spoon to stir until I started saying, "Let mama know when it is her turn to stir." Almost the moment I said that she would hand over the spoon. I'd give it back after a few swipes around and then tell her the same thing. Worked quite well.

Still knitting. My mom bought me some pretty pink/purple/blue pastel varigated yarn and I made a infant hat for a friend's baby. And now since it matches the coat I found for Kj for next year, I decided to make her one. We'll see how much is left for another baby hat or something. A toddler hat definitely takes more time though! Doesn't seem like it would be that much bigger, but it has to be wider and much, much deeper. I've only got a couple inches done, instead of a whole cap. Whew. Maybe it will be done before the baby's grand entrance. Gives me a good excuse for a couch break though.

Oh, another thing. Kj has been asking to do dishes. "Dishes. Dishes?" Oh, ok. It's a good reminder. Then they aren't left for the evening either. I'm sure that makes Kevin glad. He always comments that we (meaning Kevin or I, not Kj and I) should have done them the night before. But really that makes our evening with Kj so short. Home at 5.30, eating at 6.00, then there's just 6.30/6.45-8 to play or do a family activity. Why waste it on dishes...so, Kj asks the next day and I give in. A good kind of motivation, I suppose.

I'm sure there's more tidbits, but I'll stop for now. Back to the hat.