Life, Living and Everything Else

Pictures from the Visit to New York

2008-09-03T00:07:00.006-04:00

Mr. Scarecrow :)

2008-11-24T15:03:00.002-05:00

http://www.coloring.com

The Nose Job

2008-11-23T23:35:00.002-05:00

The tots and I were rough housing - you know how it goes... throw, toss, crawl, giggle and tire yourselves out. Aidan came running at me full speed with his hand sticking out while I was talking with Natalie and he bopped me in the eye! I saw lights!! LIGHTS!!

So we relaxed for a while, and I became a human sliding board for a while.. Natalie takes things a little too far, and this was no different. She slammed into my face, slid down my head and jammed her knee into my nose... the lights were back! She actually stopped with her knee on my nose and when I told her to get up, she did that whole "kick up" thing - except.. um... "knee up" from my nose and put more pressure on.

It's swollen, my eyes are a little puffy, the spot between my eyes is swollen and my temples hurt...

oy.

She got me GOOD.

Cloth Napkins, Cloth Towels

2008-11-21T13:01:00.007-05:00

One of the bigger ways to save money/help the envioronment in the kitchen or at the dinner table is to use cloth napkins and towels instead of their paper counterparts. They do take up some room in the wash (or can be handwashed along with the dishes and hung up to dry), but it's still a better alternative than paper.

And I haven't ever used them. Nope! I don't know what it is about them either. We have 2 dish towels in the kitchen and yes, I use those from time to time to dry my hands off or to dry the dishes - but for regular spills and the like? Nope. Christopher doesn't use them either, in fact - he's currently using a cloth napkin as an impromptu mouse pad for his laptop!

We haven't got any cloth towels that I could use for spills in the kitchen, and while I do have a few cloth napkins we've just never used them (properly)!

My 'to change' for the month: Start making and implementing cloth towels/napkins (and we all know this means buying more fabric!)

Tonight, for dinner, while Christopher is at work - our messy faces will be formally introduced to the cloth napkins I've got stashed around here

(and I am sure they will have no idea what it is and will want NOTHING to do with that crazy object this insane woman has placed near them during their dinner)

Reading :)

2008-11-21T00:44:00.002-05:00

Tots and I have been making trips to the library! The other day, I took both with me and today, I took just Aidan while Natalie was off with Daddy getting his hair cut. For a few nights, I've been reading stories to Natalie (and Aidan if he wants to sit for it) and she is really enjoying it! Tonight, Christopher read to her for the first time since we've moved in here... and I must admit - I just absolutely love it.

I love hearing him read to her in a quiet voice in the other room, and we all know she is loving every moment of it! :)

Children's Book

2008-11-15T08:44:00.004-05:00

It's been brought to my attention that I am seriously lacking in posts! Okay, okay - I've been slacking... certainly can't claim being sick/hurt the culprit as I've been well enough to post. I've been lazy! (I know, shocking!)

I write a lot of stories for the tots, I make interactive powerpoint presentations for Natalie to click her way through on all sorts of different topics, I put together videos for them to watch/learn from...

I pulled up photoshop this morning and started on another book for my 'Following Charlie' series that's just for fun and giggles :) "Following Charlie and the messy crumb trail"

Maybe someday I'll get around to printing these out instead of having to plop them down into a powerpoint for Natalie and I to enjoy... someone did direct me towards Lulu.com after reading my books for easy self-publishing but I'm just not so sure about that...

Awake

2008-10-31T00:14:00.003-04:00

If Aidan is awake then I am awake.

Aidan is awake.

Therefore, I am awake.

It's 12:20 am right now and when I say Aidan is awake - I mean AWAKE. The little tugboat went to bed around 930. He woke up around 11 pm. He was up upset, not sure if it was a nightmare or if Natalie had woken him up while she was fighting me about going to bed but he was coughing as well. I gave him cough medicine, milk, talked with him for a bit and he laid back down with little fuss. Natalie fell asleep instantly. About 10 minutes later - upset again. I settle him down and just when I finally get comfy and asleep - he is awake, out of bed and trying to wake me up. I bring him out to the living room and we lay down together which usually helps calm him down a little bit. After he's all calm down, I tell him it's time for sleepy and put him up into bed - no argument from him. He lays down, cuddles up with his blanket and closes his eyes. I assume victory, lay down, fall asleep - and guess who is tapping my arm asking for me? You betcha, the little tugboat.

I ask if he is hungry and he says yes. I get up, make him up some food, sit with him at the table, and he eats nothing. Not the roll, the mandarin oranges, nothing! His favorites!

He ran off, grabbed Thomas trains and imagination and is now contently playing at the coffee table unaware of my scouring looks and dislike for his awakeness at this very juncture.

Playing around with Photoshop

2008-10-24T14:20:00.002-04:00

Came up with this... I think it looks pretty awesome

Sick - Hope I am the only one!

2008-10-24T13:24:00.003-04:00

Definitely sick.

I just feel really tired and disoriented - but not too crappy. My fever was 102.6 last night. It's down to 101.9 right now. I woke up around 2 am this morning in a pool sweat, took a shower at like 2:30 am and then went back to sleep with a new pillow!

Aidan went to bed at 8 pm last night, I went to bed around 9 or so, Daddy and Natalie went to bed around 9:30 I think. The kids let me sleep in! It's like they know I don't feel well. Natalie came in last night to give me a hug before she went off to bed too, it was really sweet.

They are visiting their mother this weekend, I can get a good amount of rest in during that time.

Wireless

2008-10-23T11:26:00.002-04:00

We've got it, and it feels SO good to have it again.

Christopher had his laptop out on the futon without a cord reaching across the floor (aka jumping rope).

I had my laptop set up on my sewing desk (with internet!)

Of course... I write about how we finally have wireless and to make this post, I am sitting on the desktop :) Hehehe

Water.

2008-10-22T13:30:00.002-04:00

Aidan is in screaming, fit-throwing tears over water.

In his sippy cup. :)

He keeps handing me his sippy cup telling me "all gooooone" and when I shake it and hand it back to him and say "drink the water" he throws himself upon the floor and declares war with the carpet.

Well, he will just have to get over it. I can't imagine how bad their teeth are from drinking all that damn juice/soda and never once drinking water combined with their lack of teeth-brushing.

I'm sick and tired of them not drinking water. So - I have filled every clean sippy cup with waterand stuck them in the fridge. They get water. And from now on - it's only water at the meals, they don't get anything else until the finish the water. Start of the next meal - they get water again.

This is a war he will not win!

Makin' Music - Homemade style!

2008-10-18T18:30:00.002-04:00

Enjoy the video!

Halloween Costumes and Natalie's new Princess fascination

2008-10-17T21:12:00.002-04:00

Finally nailed down that the kids will be with us for Halloween so we picked out/bought Halloween costumes for the kiddies. Natalie decided she wanted to be a pirate (and still wants to be one!) and we chose a cowboy outfit for Aidan.

I had always imagined sewing outfits for the kiddy costumes so I'm a little sad that we just went and bought them but I have to take in Natalie's costume. We went with a 4-6 for Natalie because Chris didn't want her walking around in a mini skirt but she's too thin for the 4-6 size, so I get to take it in! I'm going to try doing it in a way that she'll be able to use them as play clothes at a later time.

Aidan's chaps are wonderful, I'm going to 'hem' them a slight amount, they would be okay but the poor kid falls over his own feet without the help of chaps covering his shoes.

Halloween decorations

2008-10-17T18:03:00.002-04:00

Here are our wonderful 'junkolanterrs', as Natalie calls them, hanging out on the patio door :)

Natalie was inspired by a Caillou episode and wanted to make a scarecrow :)

These two faces are actually their smiley faces for taking pictures.... but I think they're rather scary!! :)

[Sketch, Cut, Hold In Place, Scrap and ReDo]

2008-10-14T01:19:00.003-04:00

Natalie has decided that the slippers Christopher got me last Christmas are the coolest things on the planet. She walks around wearing them most days and calls them 'Renee's Boots that are Comfy' -- Soooooo for Christmas (and maybe even her birthday if I can get them done quick enough!), I am making her a pair! From scratch. [Insert headache]

I've designed a pattern using my own very scientific method that I call S.C.H.I.P.S.A.R.D.

After about 5 tries, I think I reached a pattern that will stand the test of a soon-to-be 5 year old... or, at least keep her happy for the 10 minutes after she rips off the wrapping paper and puts them on.

Pictures will come tomorrow! I promise!

grapefruit

2008-10-09T19:15:00.001-04:00

grapefruit
Originally uploaded by foreveraining

It's sour, it's bitter, it's sweet, it's chock full of cheek squeezin' flavor!

This is my hunger-kicker. If I start getting cravings or I am still hungry after eating, I turn to my handy dandy tupperware of pre-cut grapefruit. Could you honestly think of a better way to kick cravings to the curb? I sure can't!

A favorite of Queen Elizabeth II and certainly a favorite of mine. This is definitely a must-have in my home.

Manipulation

2008-10-07T21:13:00.002-04:00

"Manipulate: To influence or manage shrewdly or deviously, to tamper with or falsify for personal gain"

And it is it the best weapon in our arsenal.

Parents, step-parents, grandparents, babysitters, day care people, whatever they are - anyone looking after kids uses this on a daily, if not hourly basis and it's just fact. It works. You don't even know you are doing it, but you are.

Car window button never existed - end of story.

Billy Blanks Tae Bo

2008-10-07T20:09:00.005-04:00

It's the most ridiculous thing to watch - ever and I swore I would NEVER do it. Never, never, never.

Well, you know what they say... Never say never?

Well, today - I did it.

It kept my heart rate up, I sweat enough to fill a bath rub and I looked like a ridiculous fool. I looked like a ridiculous fool in good company, the tots tried to work out with me. Natalie pooped out halfway through but became my own personal cheerleader ("keep going renee!! almost there!! you can do it!!! i can't do it, but you can do it! do it! punch! punch! punch!") and Aidan decided the workout would be better with some weight added onto my legs, so he latched on. Shortly after that, I was done.

And never will I make fun of the Billy Blanks Tae Bo people. Oh - who am I kidding? Those people look like idiots!!

So far so good!

2008-10-06T01:31:00.003-04:00

This is Natalie's third night wearing underwear to bed and no accidents yet!! :)

Natalie is still brushing her teeth every night and both of them are brushing their teeth in the morning. So good, so good! I have to figure out a time Aidan can brush his teeth at night, he gets a little wired after brushing so it's not good for just before bedtime.

The two of them are drinking more and more water, which is awesome. They like drinking out of my cool new water bottle Chris got me from W-Store and I'm glad! We're talking about picking up a couple more for the kiddies sometime in the future. How did I get them to start drinking water? I've totally been depriving them of apple juice even if they begged for it, I am so cruel. I feel so bad....

Okay, no. I feel fantastic about it! Water! In Natalie's sippy cup, there's water in it tonight!! And guess what? She drank from it. Insane awesomeness.

It's 1 am and I have an awesome update :-)

2008-10-04T00:52:00.005-04:00

Natalie and Aidan are asleep right now... and tonight the 2 coolest things happened.

Natalie is wearing underwear to bed. It's the slightly padded kind just in case, but it's underwear! We'll see how she does with it in the morning. I laid down some flannel backed vinyl under her sheets in case of an accident. For the last month, she only peed her pull up at night I think maybe once.

After her shower, she was very upset about the lack of pull up (she hates change) because she knows she usually wears pull ups to bed, not underwear. It was the routine we have done since she started wearing underwear. However, Daddy was brilliant and reasoned with her, she caved and we got her in underwear.

Craziness ensues for a while, 1 'pre-bedtime' movie later, kids are in bed without the TV on and falling asleep. I hear Natalie call me, asking to go to the bathroom before bedtime. I start thinking she's going to ask for a pull up and plan out what I'll say if she asks, but nope! She pulls up the underwear, washes her hands, brushes her teeth with tooth paste and goes to bed!

Okay. This morning - she brushed her teeth voluntarily. Tonight - she brushed her teeth voluntarily. Whaaaaa?! I am loving it.

Who is this big girl wearing all of Natalie's clothes?!

Netflix

2008-10-03T23:47:00.003-04:00

Instead of cable TV - we've got Netflix. We have the 2-at-a-time, unlimited online plan and it is fantastic. I've gotten to watch a few movies I've always wanted to see, found some new ones I would not have normally tried and of course, 'tested' some movies on the children who are certainly very picky what they watch.

I've made a list of everything I've watched off of Netflix over the last few months... and needless to say, I'm sort of in shock that I sat in front of a TV or computer this much watching movies. (This does not include shows/movies that the kids enjoy and I just happen to see from being in the same room)

Instant movies:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Matilda

Jeff Dunham: Spark of Insanity

The NeverEnding Story 2

Return to House on Haunted Hill

Beetlejuice

Space Jam

Men in Black

Jumanji

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

Singin' in the Rain

Outbreak

Falling down

The Sum of All Fears

Hearts in Atlantis

Jerry Maguire

The Contract

The Contractor

March of the Penguins

The Core

Ghostbusters

Coral Reef Adventure

2010: The Year We Make Contact

Alice

Hook

The Fifth Element

The Evil Dead

King of California

Meet Bill

Nature: Birds: Parrots: Look Who's Talking

Cashback

The Life of Birds: Episode 1

I'm Reed Fish

James and the Giant Peach

Ghost Rider

Meet the Robinsons

DVD movies:

The Bucket List

The Other Boleyn Girl

Monsters, Inc.

Charlie Wilson's War

The Prestige

The Da Vinci Code

Ice Age

P.S. I Love You

Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Incredibles

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kind

V for Vendetta

300

28 Days Later

Finding Neverland

28 Weeks Later

Bee Movie

No Reservations

Seven

We currently have The Golden Compass somewhere in this apartment that Aidan has lost and we will be receiving Over the Hedge shortly if it's not already in the mailbox already.

Insane. Absolutely insane.

But definitely getting our money's worth :)

Oh my goodness, I am SO bloated

2008-10-02T15:10:00.003-04:00

That's all.

Bedtime routine improving!

2008-09-30T23:45:00.003-04:00

Okay, the kids... they are totally catching on. We've got our bedtime routine down, and it's running like a well oiled machine.

Sometime between 8pm and 9pm, they get their baths. They are done with their baths and have a final meal/snack (if Natalie doesn't want it now, she gets it right before bedtime). They watch one movie or a small series DVD and play with toys quietly in the living room with the lights turned down. About 1/2 hour before the movie/series is over, they get their allergy medicine. I prepare Natalie's sippy cup with uber-watered down juice and Aidan's little milk bottle (slowly weaning him off! yay!). When the movie is done, Aidan goes up into his bed and gets his bottle with only the nightlight on, Natalie has the chance to sit down and eat a bedtime snack (usually a bowl of cheerios) and we get a little 'girl time' without Aidan around. As soon as she's done, she tells me it's time to go to bed. I get her all tucked in and remind her she can have a movie in the morning when she wakes up.

They fall asleep within minutes. Oh, it's so good to be able to sleep at night :) I've been pretty sick/nauseous lately, throwing up and all that loveliness so a good full night's sleep is wonderful.

The no-movie-at-night thing is relatively new. I tried it before but it didn't work too well, this time... it works perfectly. Natalie whimpered a little because she thought she was being punished but she understands now, it's for a better sleep!

Christopher gets home at 7:30 am or so... Natalie and I both woke up at 8:00 am. Natalie got to spend a little time with Daddy before he went to bed and laid down with him for a little bit before deciding she would prefer to watch Spongebob. I put on PBS, Aidan woke up (and peed on the potty!) and we all watched cartoons and played with the toys in the living room.

I can't tell you how much I LOVE Word World, by the way. Natalie used to ask for Backyardigans and Dora all of the time but slowly, it's been changing. She's been asking for Veggie Tales (thanks Dad!), Word World, Caillou, Cherub Wings and Hermie and Friends.

Canned Carrots and Ketchup

2008-09-30T21:54:00.002-04:00

Aidan had chicken nuggets and canned carrots for dinner tonight. One of his carrots was touching his ketchup, he picked it up and stuck it in his mouth.

He continued to then dip all of his carrots in the ketchup before eating them. Who knew such a combination would be so delicious? He was all done and asked for more. I heated up some carrots, added some ketchup, applied drink to sippy cup and he was a happy little man - eating his carrots and ketchup.

The Kiddy Aprons

2008-09-29T16:12:00.004-04:00

We made cupcakes today, and brownies! Yummmmyy :) They are currently cooling off and Natalie can't wait to frost them!

The aprons were a hit with them, neither one of the kids will let me take them off while they are playing and watching WordWorld. When Aidan tried his on for the first time, he twirled around in a circle, threw his arms out and said "taaa ddaaaa! aaall done!" and ran off :)

He's got a tugboat on his apron, natalie has a bird flying through clouds and she says she loves her little flowers all over!

Now, to work on mine... :)

Add: Since I let Natalie eat cupcakes, she is walking around say "I loooove you Renee. Renee, I loooove you. Renee, I looooove you! I looooove you, Renee!" Look at that! I don't have to buy her love, for sure. I just have to bake my way into it!