L in the Sink

I think I can count on my two hands the number of baths Laurie has had in her almost seven months of life. Maybe 8. Maybe 9? Kidding. Not really. I forget to bath this girl. In all honesty she never seems very dirty. Born in January, always swaddled and wearing footed pajamas, it just never seemed like the right time. Then spring came and I was out of the habit {because I never got in the habit}.Once I let it go more than a week. I probably shouldn't be sharing this with the public.

All this to say --- have no fears. Those days are gone. This gal is up to speed and bathing regularly. She even got a little pruny on this day.

Toy Rotation

The other day I came across this post about keeping little ones busy. I found it SO helpful. Toy rotation. What a grand concept! I've been diligently rotating all our toys for about a week now. When I notice that S.S. is losing interest in a particular toy I go ahead and put it on the top shelf of his closet. A few days later I bust it back out. It WORKS. Also, I've reintroduced things like painting and Legos that as little as one month ago he had zero interest in. But now, he loves them! Who knew?

What works to keep your little ones {happy} and busy? How do you avoid the temptation to plop them in front of a Lightning McQueen for 4 hours a day?

Me Working

This is an aspect of my life I don't share too much about on my blog --- my work life. Yeah, I work outside the home here and there. I'm a nurse approximately one weekend a month. My specialty is in the mother/baby department, passing out lots of pain meds and Sprite to sore ladies who have just given birth. It's fun.

me working

In the course of my career I have "delivered" one baby, encountered a patient who wore 7 bras all at the same time {so incredibly strange, I know}, and served Sprite to thousands upon thousands of women.  I had NO clue how much the general population LOVES Sprite until I became a nurse.

Anyhoo, a few things about this picture.
1. I took it on my break to send to Stephen Grande. He always sends me phone photos with captions of what the kids are doing at home. So I sent him this one of me. I crack myself up sometimes.
2. I am my father. Just 30 years younger and female.
3. The particular day I took this photo, I dropped my entire cup of to-go mug coffee on the floor as I was clocking in. I hadn't even taken a sip. The whole incident really hurt my feelings.

Major party foul.
More specifically, major work foul.

Merely a Tablespoon

....is all you need of dishwasher detergent. Maybe even less depending on your dishwasher. If you already knew this.....WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!

I've been filling up my little cup(s) to the brim on the interior dishwasher door for as long as I can remember. But recently I stumbled across a magazine article written by a dishwasher designer in which he stated that many dishwashers can produce clean dishes on as little as a teaspoon of detergent. After some experimenting, I've discovered that my dishwasher needs a good tablespoon to do its job.

But still, I feel like I won the lottory.
Life. is. good.

Growing Boy

what Stephen Small ate today:

a peanut butter sandwich
2 bananas
a small bowl of yogurt with blueberries
a "homemade" lunchable --- crackers with ham and cheese
2 chicken nuggets
a serving of butter beans
2 cups of whole milk

these pictures are blurry, but i love them

The kid is eating us out of house and home.

so handsome in a collared shirt

And he's growing like a weed!

Normal Days

I just Betty Browned my coffee and sat down while babies are napping in hopes to crank out a post.

We've had a lot of lazy normal summer days.
It has rained and rained and rained some more. 
Which is GOOD for my plants.

The Smalls has been playing inside so sweetly and contentedly. I love that.
And he's turning into a little communicator which I think is SO fun!

Dah-ee {Daddy} is by far his #1, all time favorite word. EVER.
And I'd go so far as to say that Dah-ee is his #1, all time favorite person.
I suppose that's healthy.

Dah-ee receiving his nightly greeting

I've been exercising a lot.
Baby weight get behind me. I'm not dieting because I am no good at diets. Like, the world's worst.
I'm just trying to exercise consistently.
It makes me feel good.
I sleep better.

I was recently inspired by THIS post. I love Meg from Whatever. 

We rearranged our whole house this past weekend. We moved our room to Laurie's room, Laurie's room to Stephen's room, and Stephen's room to our room.

Total fruit basket turnover. We love the results.
Maybe a post on that later.

The laundry continues to keep me on my toes. See, totally normal, hum drum life.

I like it. I'm grateful.

rice and noodle recipe - so good - I will share soon.

We've had coffee every morning.
Work everyday.
A few doctors appointments.
A minor illness.
Home improvements.
A broken bunny figurine.
No time to sew.
TV.
Some reading.
Occasional naps.
Dinner at home every night.

And that's what it's all about.

To Betty Brown, a Definition

To Betty Brown
 verb
1. the act of heating up one's coffee in the microwave.
"I'm going to Betty Brown my coffee."


To Betty Brown the heck out of this coffee
verb
1. the act of heating one's coffee. More specifically....it's 2PM, your morning coffee is unbearably stale....but you're going to heat it up anyways.
"I'm going to Betty Brown the heck out of this coffee."

My family has a friend named Betty Brown. She likes her coffee warm and she has no problem giving it a run around in the microwave. I think I've witness her heat the same cup 4 times. And that's how the expression was born.

Go Betty Brown your coffee!
Have a great weekend!!!

Books

I know experience is the best teacher.....but sometimes it helps to read a book.

These are my favorite books that have schooled me on such topics as marriage, personal finance, mothering, homemaking, care giving, child rearing, home managing, teaching, and organizing. Most importantly ----most of them are written in light of being a follower of Christ. I keep them on the shelf of my bedside table.Their impact has been life changing for me in one way or another. So much wisdom within these pages! Read them.

The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson

Real Love for Real Life by Andi Ashworth

The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin R Doland

The Nursing Mothers Companion by Kathleen Huggins

The Strong Willed Child by James Dobson

*Not Pictured The Total Money Makeover and Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey

Real Fun Times

What have you all been up to? In this heat?

Here's a peek of our life lately.

Fun times at a friend's 3rd birthday.
Stephen Small had the time of his LIFE!

****
As far as TV watching goes, we've been enjoying a little Flipper --- of all things I know! This is not my first choice, but the man of the house has declared this as our family show. It's a joke. And it's not a joke at the same time. We really watch it. And laugh at ourselves as we watch it. It is on Netflix instant, FYI.

We've been playing INSIDE more than I ever thought we could tolerate.

Stephen Small has been such a trooper. He's gotten so creative with his inside time.

Occasionally he sits still.

We've enjoyed some watercoloring.
*Neat fact...this was my grandfather's desk when he was a boy.

Also on the activity list is praise and worship. My child loves music. So much so that he was awarded his teacher's CD to take home from Bible school.... because he really thrived during music time.



So every afternoon we pop in the ol compact disc and jam to 'This Little Light of Mine'.

When we just can't stand the indoors any longer, we go outside and piddle in Capt' Steve's boat. Until the mosquitoes run us off.

Life is good.

Have and awesome Wednesday!

6 Months

Look who just celebrated her first half birthday!

You guessed it.

Laurie Betty

She is love and joy in a human baby form. Seriously, I am without words to describe the gift that she is to us. We thank God for her precious life, for health, and for her chubby cheeks! I squeeze them on a hourly basis.

Brother is slightly enamored with her as well.

They are on their way to being best buds.

Lots of hugs around these parts.

Wal-Martz

I don't know what it is that compels me to share with you every time I go to Wal-Martz. Maybe it's because I have a serious love-hate thing going on with Wal-Martz. It's sorta complex.

It also cracks me up that you can do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING there. It truly is a Wally World.

I think I'll have my vision checked. And an oil change. And a Subway sandwich. Oh, and I might as well pick up some press on nails and salt shakers while I'm here. And some turkey.


For real, you can do all that under one roof?!

I used to try to go to once a month to stock up on staples. But the frequency of the trips threatened my mental stability. So now I go probably 4 times a year. I said it before...it's a love-hate relationship.

This morning it was more on the love side. Like, I'm thrilled with my purchases.

Won't you celebrate with me?!

1- Rainbow sippy cups. These are all we use. LOVE these fancy colors.



2-A shiny new pitcher for our Gatorade. The old one is broke and the boys of the house drink LOTS of Gatorade.



3- To go mugs for Capt' Steve. On clearance, $4 a piece. Whoo-hoo!



4-Mrs. Meyer's cleaning products. This stuff smells divine, makes me want to clean my whole neighborhood.



5- Last, but not least --- baby food. I know that making your own baby food is all the rage. But you know what is even awesome-er?

.....just opening the lid on the jar {or plastic container}. Yeah, that rocks.

A little preservative never hurt anyone.

In true Wal-Martz fashion, there were 1,000 check-outs and only 2.5 people working them.
Got to love it.

A Real Nice Little 4th

We had a lovely holiday.
And I sincerely hope you did too.
For some reason I just can't seem to get here, on this blog.  But nevertheless, I am here! Bear with me as this is not my finest post.

****

I awoke on Independence Day morn with visions of blueberry muffins and freshly cut grass.

Recipe here by Meg from Whatever. I skipped the streusal topping but think the muffin part is fabulous. This will be my go-to blueberry muffin recipe forever and ever, amen. All the ingredients are kitchen staples, nothing weird like lemon zest. The whole family loved em.

I'm thankful for FREEEEEEDDDDOOOOOMMMM!!!!!!!
And for a mowed yard.
And for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness!

And I'm thankful for my sister's pool. Seriously, what would we have done on the 4th of July without it?! Our children's ages are slightly limiting to say the least. It was so perfect to have a small, chlorinated body of water to swim in.

Laurie Betty sported her bathing suit for the very first time.

She showed out with her heart tattoo {on her right arm}. Technically it is a strawberry hemangioma, an excellent conversation piece --- sorta like a birthmark, painless, and will likely go away sometime between ages 4-7. We have grown quite fond of it.

Sharp turn from hemangiomas to food.

I was born for hotdogs. This meal is so all-American. My sister and I have served this up for the past two holidays {Memorial Day and the Forth of July}. It is sort of an ideal situation, these hotdogs. Easy, cheap, good, little preparation. Sign me up.

Pair your dog with corn on the cob and you are good - to - go.

 picture source here

Also part of our holiday feast...Nell's Caviar.



And Joy's Chocolate Pie.

And watermelon, of course.

****
Silly Millie was there.

And Silly Stephen.

And Silly Laurie.

Oh y'all. I just don't have anymore blog energy in me today.
My laundry is calling me name. Sarah Barry, Sarah Barry, Sarah Barry. Fold me.
Hope to be back soon.