Ask Miss Mommy ...then pass it on

Happy New Year

2012-01-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

Sometimes don't you just feel like you need to take a deep breath and breathe in the wonder of the moment. My beautiful girls are growing so fast. I try to take a good look at their beautiful faces and see the joy, the wonder, the frustration... whatever the moment brings.

Photo by Katie Prentiss Photography

The sweetness that life brings children is such a gift. The wonder that they are filled with at the simplest things. It makes me happy to be alive and be with them. I want to soak in each feelings, sensation and glue onto my soul sometimes. I want to remember all those cute dimpled fingers and the warm, sweet smell of them.

Photo by Katie Prentiss Photography

I'm so thankful for them.

Elf of the Shelf

2011-12-19T14:06:00.000-08:00

Okay, let me just first say I love Christmas. I love all things associated with Christmas and (insert my opinion) I try my hardest to remind my children of the true meaning of Christmas. Happy Birthday Baby Jesus! It's not all about presents but more the sense of giving.

Anyway, I wanted to join all those people having a wonderful time with Elf on the Shelf.... I hate him. I just do. I'm sorry I tried to like him, I tried to get into it but I can't. Actually our elf is a "she" but it doesn't help.

First of all, you can't touch him!!! So here's a fun plushy toy that you can't touch because the magic will rub off! And THEN he watches you all day (CREEPY) and then goes to visit Santa at night.... hmm not buying it. I read the book once to my girls. Boo (now almost 5) looked at me and said "is that really true?". I asked her what she thought we quickly decided it was made up and I handed the girls the Elf. My husband and I made every attempt to move him around but we lost interest and the girls did too.

Poor "elf shelf" (yea that was our "clever" name) will be rehomed to a more enthusiastic family. Goodbye and good riddance.

Pong iPhone Leather Case

2011-12-12T21:08:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays, here's a fun yet practical gadget. The Pong iPhone case is perfect for children. It reduces exposure to cell phone radiation and adds protection for your phone. It is proven to reduce SAR up to 95% below FCC limits. SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate and measures the amount of radiation in units of watts per kilogram (W/kg) absorbed by a cell phone user's body including the head.

According to Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, children absorb twice as much radiation from cell phones as adults do and more than FCC guidelines permit. We try to limit time our children spend playing with our phones but it's nice to know if they are going use it they can do so safely. If you are considering giving your old phone to your children or letting them play with yours this is a great gift idea.

The Leather Touch is available in 3 beautiful colors: Black, Cranberry Red, and Cobalt Blue. The Soft Touch case is available is: black, pink, neon green, blue, white and red. We are trying out the Leather Cobalt Blue cover. It has a nice feel to it and went on very easily. We didn't end up using the screen protector - it was tricky to get on without tons of bubbles.

You can "like" Pong on Facebook for news of special promotions, new product introductions and more. Pong covers can be purchased at www.pongresearch.com and range from $49.99 to $59.99.

* I was given one leather case complimentary for the purpose of completing this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Papa Murphy's

2011-12-12T20:17:00.000-08:00

I don't know many children that aren't a fan of pizza. Mine sure are! So when Papa Murphy's Take 'N' Bake Pizza contacted me I was pretty excited. Much to our surprise and delight, when our media package arrived it contained more than pizza coupons. The girls loved the play pizza, complete with toppings and play pizza wheel. My husband and I loved the pizza cutter and pizza paddle and the coupons.

I was so impressed with the family focus of Papa Murphy's and the attention that they give their customers. It made us excited to try out their pizza. Honestly, we hadn't tried Papa Murphy's before and we would definitely try it again (in fact we have several times). My husband picked up the pizza which they assemble when you get there (or you can call ahead) and I preheated the oven (I definitely had the hard part). After a quick 10-15 minutes - voila pizza!!

We ordered this one around Halloween. As you can see they offered a cute Jack O' Lantern pizza which was tasty and fun. By the way, I have no idea why Boo has her bike helmet on in this picture but made me laugh.

* I received a gift certificate as well as the above stated items in return for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Hey wanna know what really stinks

2011-12-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

Cleaning up vomit....

Having an almost full day of wellness....

Then cleaning up vomit again....

Then waking up sick next to your equally sick husband....

Wanting to cry because you feel so miserable.....

Forgetting how many movies your children have watched because they now know how to load DVDs by themselves.....

Thank goodness for sun and fresh air yesterday. What a gift it was to lay in the grass and feel the warmth. Here's to a new day.

Opposite, not wrong

2011-12-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

I have found, as I'm sure many of you have, that some things just bug you as a parent. Here's top on my list: wrong feet. As children grow, they become more independent and want to do things themselves. Dressing is a big one. My girls love putting on their own shoes. Sometimes they are on the correct feet, sometimes they aren't. BUT they certainly aren't wrong.

Why would you tell a child, after they worked so hard to something, that's it's wrong? Sure the shoes might not feel that great (but they might actually feel fine) but wow! they did it independently and they are so proud. We usually say "your shoes are on the opposite feet, do you want to switch them?". Most times they don't so we leave them. There are plenty of teachers, friends and other parents that tell us about it though. So please do me a favor, if you see my children with shoes on opposite feet, zip it!

My baby

2011-11-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

Photo taken by Katie Prentiss Photograhpy

I'll just get right to it, this post is about nursing and not just nursing a baby, nursing a toddler. A three year old. I have written and deleted this post a million times in my head. But now it just feels like the time. Today marks one week since I have weaned Pumpkin.

Pumpkin turned three on October 19th and was still nursing. Not a lot but enough. It's not something I mention to many people. Let's face it in this society nursing a toddler isn't the norm. I would often hear "Can you imagine?" When other people would talk of nursing toddlers unknowing that I was one of that group as well. So yes I can imagine providing nourishment that cannot be duplicated in any other way, bonding with my child, filling a need that she has that she wasn't ready to give up. Yes I can imagine that.

While my family was very supportive, I would get comments that it helped that she looked young or a little tease of being called "La Leche". My husband would suggest that maybe the separation anxiety she experienced was because of the nursing. The truth is no one can understand the bond or relationship between a nursing child and mom unless they are in the relationship. I can't fully describe emotionally what it was like to wean Pumpkin. I can't describe the pain or the joy of knowing for the first time in almost 6 years I am no longer pregnant or nursing. "Some mothers say weaning is like a joyous, but tearful, "bon voyage" at the beginning of a new adventure. Weaning signals the end of the breastfeeding relationship, but also a step taken in trust that the mother-child relationship remains close and significant for both of you" (How Weaning Happens, pg. 5).

For us it was gradual, a dance between delaying nursing times to increased cuddle time. Pumpkin loves closeness which is probably why she continued to nurse into her three's. Even now she could spend an hour laying on my chest sucking her thumb and relaxing. What I found was that this habit was hard for me, it didn't allow me time to relax the way I needed - by myself. As a parent, we put our children first but there are times, I believe, that our needs need to be heard too. I found I was angry or resentful sometimes when it was time to nurse. I didn't want Pumpkin to sense that and I didn't want to feel that way. She stopped napping, I stopped nursing her at nap time. It was an easy transition for us both. At bedtime I would say prayers and count to 10 (counting was something I read about from another mom). Pumpkin responded - she would stop nursing and cuddle after 10.

One day I said "let's be done nursing now" and she agreed. That night she went to sleep easily after some cuddles. The following nights were not as easy. She cried and begged to nurse - one night she laid on my tummy sobbing. It was hard to know if I was doing the right thing. But I felt, at that time and I still do, that going back wouldn't be fair to her. Each night has gotten easier and after a week she only cries for a minute then quickly calms down. I find I'm more relaxed at bedtime and eager to cuddle with her. I also find that the emotional pain of not nursing anymore is more intense than I would have imagined. I still feel that it was time and I'm happy with how the weaning process happened. There will always be times where I will feel sad about it but I'm happy to know she is growing up. Plus it will make a great story to embarrass her in her teens.

New Look... part 5?

2011-10-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed a new look to my blog. If you subscribe and only see the articles take a quick peek - I think you will like it. Parts of blogging can be so overwhelming for me and a big one is keeping up a cute and current photo/ header. This new look eliminates that and is so organized - while it's not as "cute" - the neatness just called to me.

I have been so busy with life lately that blogging has taken a ... roof view (not even in the car). Boo is now in preschool four afternoons a week and Pumpkin two morning (and as I hinted at earlier it's not going well). I struggle each week to figure out how to fit in cleaning the house, laundry, eating healthy etc. etc.

I am still very much in love with being at home with my girls. It's a new experience each day - though I am finding that the call of work is getting louder. I do know I will go back to work someday but not full time. I'm also finding that as much as I love being at home sometimes I hate it. There are still those moments and I'm sure they will always exist where I can want to run screaming from my house. Good lord, how loud children are?! They always seem to get into fights when I'm either A) in the shower or B) just found a quiet moment to sit down. OH or C) the phone rings....

This is the phase of life right now:
having rest time but no one naps consistently,
having the girls clear their dishes after meals,
having them help put away laundry,
still dealing with tantrums and tears daily,
being so kind and thoughtful to each other,
lots of "I love you's".

It's a sweet time. At 3 years old and almost 5 years old life looks different but as Boo reminds me all need to work on yelling.

Sunbow and Kiss My Face Sunscreen

2011-10-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

I scream, you scream, we all scream for sunscreen? No? Okay well here in California we don't get a break from the sun and need for sunscreen. Not that I'm complaining but it does make you more aware of what you are putting on since you need it everyday.

I was excited to get a package of sunscreen to try out and here are my thoughts:

Kiss My Face - Sun Spray Oil SPF 30

Like the name indicates this is an oil. I like that it's easy to apply and smells nice but it is a bit oily for my taste.
Kiss My Face Oat Protein Complex SPF 18
I wasn't able to try this one out personally because 18 is too low of an SPF for my family. Here are the thoughts of a friend who tried it for me. " It definitely smelled all natural which was nice. It was a little hard to put on. It was almost like it dried too fast or something, so I felt like I had squeeze out more than I normally would to make sure that I was covered. What was good about this though is that i literally felt like I had put a clear sun shield on my body. I laid out for almost an hour in the full sun and didn't get burned at all, which was super nice. One thing that was a little odd was when I got in my pool, I looked down and it literally looked like a Kleenex had gone through the wash and was coming off my legs. So I think it's really good for laying out or just hanging out outdoors, but I don't think I'd recommend it for going in the water cause it puts a lot of little floating white things in the water and definitely didn't stay on" Thanks Hannah!!

Kiss My Face Clear Sport Spray SPF 50
I loved this spray. It's a nice high SPF, easy to spray on and not oily. It stayed on well in the pool and playing around the yard. I even used it on the girls and their skin didn't burn. Good UVA/UVB protection. It has aloe and cucumber which help soothe the skin. Probably one of my favorites.

Sunbow Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 ($9.99/ 8 oz)

We have this one in the Dora the Explorer formula which smells like bubble gum!! Major hit at our house! Honestly I was hesitant to use the scented lotions with our history of major skin reaction to sunscreens but none of these products were an issue. This one has all the good stuff that the Sunbow sunscreen does as well.

Sunbow Sunscreen SPF 30 ($12.99/ 5 oz)We actually have this in the “SpongeBob” yellow formula. There’s a light scent but it haven’t been a problem for my children’s sensitive skin. The girls loved seeing SpongeBob on it and told all their friends about it. This is water resistant and hypoallergenic. It also has all the good stuff like being Paba-free and broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

Kiss My Face Hot Spots SPF 30
My ultimate favorite sun block stick. It's designed for ears, brows, lips, nose and cheek protection. A nice stick made with beeswax, coconut oil and aloe. While I loved this stick I don't prefer it for my nose, cheeks or ears but I love it for my lips. The girls and I thought it felt too waxy for our faces but we all love it for our lips. I use it daily and so do the girls.

Simple + Smart Cleaning

2011-10-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

I have been on the hunt for environmentally safe cleaning products for a while. I knew there were many household products I could use safely for cleaning I just didn't know how to do it. What would the ratios be like? I suppose I could have spent some time looking it up and finding empty bottles to put the mixtures in but it just wasn't happening.

Simple + Smart Cleaning offers just that! Yes in theory you are paying for empty bottles and recipes but after all that time I spent not doing it on my own it has more than paid for itself. Plus the cleaning kit is only $20.00 and includes:

• 2 16-oz spray bottles for all-purpose cleaning

• 1 16-oz bottle with squirt top for floors, showers & tub

• 1 shaker for powder cleaner and scrubs

• recipe booklet containing a recipe for each bottle.

You will probably recognize many of the supplies pictured above. I only had to go out and buy tea tree oil and essential oils. I had all of the other ingredients already in my house. I found a eye dropper and funnel to be helpful as well for mixing the recipes.

Oh! and of course you need one or two cute helpers to shake up the ingredients. The scouring powder is my favorite. I love that is a so versatile and works well. The glass cleaner works but smells strongly of rubbing alcohol and will bleach out wood (which I unfortunately learned by experience) so be careful if you have wood trimmed mirrors .

*I received a complimentary cleaning kit for the purpose of completing this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Build a Sign

2011-10-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

Some of you might remember my review of Easy Canvas Prints - I had a lot of fun with their quality canvas prints and they asked me to do another review. This time it was from another part of the company, Build A Sign. At first I thought "why would I need a sign?". Some bloggers used signs for bedroom door plagues, which is a cute idea but not really my style. So I started thinking about how I could use this awesome opportunity for something useful.

And... down this cute little trike path at our preschool....

.... you will find this cute little sign. I was so excited how these wood street signs turned out. I was able to download the preschool logo and put it on the sign. The signs are made out of alumnium so will hold up to the weather well. They are double signed so if they get scratched I can flip it over but also the children can see the signs from both sides of the fence. They were easy to hang. My husband drilled from quick holes and I used zip ties to secure them to the fence.

I'm very happy with how they turned out and Discovery preschool was super excited to have them. Although most of the kids can't read the signs they know from the shape it's a street sign and they know from the logo that it's for their school. All signs can be customized at Build a Sign. Standard street signs can be purchased as well.

*Two street signs were complimentary for the purpose of completing this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Somebody is Three!

2011-10-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

To my baby, how fast you have grown. What a strong and smart girl you are - you are constantly challenging and delighting us. You were fast to come into this world and you are fast to make this world yours. You are sensitive and sweet.

Preschool has been a challenge for us. You want to be independent and watch your friends but you don't want to be without Mommy. I'm hoping we can figure this out because it's stressful and I'm exhausted. I have a feeling you will be my little helper for a long time.... one day I will probably look back and miss these moments where you only want Mommy and you want to be held. Happy Birthday big girl!!

What I've been up to...

2011-08-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Kissing hot foreheads, measuring medicine, holding limp, hot bodies, snuggling and watching endless movies.

Peeling children off me, trying to sleep, yelling and being told by my almost 3 year old to "calm down". Changing poopy undies because someone forgot they were potty trained after wearing a pull up for one day while they were sick.

Looking at poopy undies on the bathroom counter that need to be washed.....

EOS Everyday Hand Lotion

2011-07-27T15:34:00.001-07:00

You might remember my recent post on EOS Lip Balm, a cute little lip sphere, well today I'm back with a review of EOS Everyday Hand Lotion. I have been trying it out for a week or so now. It fits easily in my purse, car or any bag I happen to be using at the moment. The lotion is a nice small size but not so small that it gets lost immediately.

It is very soft and not at all sticky feeling. It is technically unscented but has a light scent to it that isn't noticeable after it dries. I really liked the shape of the lotion bottle and the flip top. It's also a touch tricky for little ones to open which was an added bonus at my house.

Here's some extra details:

97% natural formula
For all skin types
Paraben-free
Phthalate-free
Lanolin-free
Dye-free
Dermatologist tested
Hypoallergenic
1.5 fl.oz (44 ml)

Retails for $3.99 and comes in Refresh (cucumber scent) and Nourish (unscented). It can be purchased online or at most drugstores and Target.

*I received one 1.5 fl. oz Nourish (blue) lotion to complete this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Easy Canvas Prints

2011-07-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

If you know me well you know I love photography. While I struggle to create great pictures on my own I love framing and displaying the wonderful ones we do get. This photo was taken by the wonderful Katie Prentiss of my girls on the front porch of our old house. I love it for so many reasons: the colors, the memory, the adorableness of my girls....

When Easy Canvas Prints asked me to review their product. I was super excited because I especially love canvas prints. In addition to being great in your own home, they make wonderful gifts. I love that you don't have to deal with a frame and just enjoy the photo. This one is an 8 X 10 with a .75" wrap ( you can get 1.5" for a chunkier look for an additional cost). It's super easy to upload your photo, choose a wrap option (mirror image, image wrap or border color) and place your order.

I choose mirror image which basically mirrors the image around the photo. The image wrap continues the photograph around the sides and the border color is nice for those photos that wouldn't usually work on canvas by allowing just the photo on the front with a solid color on the sides.

The print can also be done in black and white or sepia for additional cost. It was fun and easy to crop my photo, choose the options I wanted and be done! The best part is that Easy Canvas Prints are very reasonable (the one pictured was $33.53 total). All prints are 25% off with free shipping right now. I'm ordering another today!!

*For the purpose of this review I received this canvas free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced by the product received.

EOS Lip Balm Smooth Spheres

2011-07-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

As summer rolls around I'm always looking for cute new things, fun things to try. I guess I feel that way with each season change! EOS (evolution of smooth) fits the bill for summer. These cute little spheres are filled with lovely mixes of summery flavors. I tried out the limited edition Passion Fruit (purple) and Strawberry Sorbet (pink). They come in fun round spheres, similar size to a lip balm pots.

I found the flavors to be pleasant, a bit waxy and soft. The EOS lip balm provided a nice soft sheen and nourishment for lips. It wasn't quite up to battling chapped lips but most balms aren't. The size is a bit big for discreet pocket transportation but they would slip into a purse or beach bag easily.

EOS lip balm smooth spheres are:

Gluten-free
Paraben-free
Petrolatum-free
Phthalate-free
AND Organic!

They retail for $5.99 for a two pack and $3.29 individually making these a sensible, fun summertime gift. And... they can be found at Target.com, Walmart and Walgreens.

*I received a two pack complimentary for the purpose of completing a review. All opinions expressed are my own and in no way influenced.

THAT BABY CD and DVD

2011-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: We have owned this set for three years now. Wow time flies! It is still one of my favorites and still watched and loved by both girls (now 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 years old). I love the songs and the sweet videos. I still get misty eyed seeing the babies and remembering rocking my own baby to the songs. It is a sweet DVD that never gets old and the CD is great for the car. We all sing along. I would highly recommend this to anyone. It would be a great gift or just something fun for your own family.

That Baby CD and DVD offers a fun alternative to the current children's music and videos on the market (please see my television posting for more information about television watching). The music is wonderful - I even listen to the CD when Boo isn't with me. I'll admit she doesn't dance to all the songs like she will with other children's CDs but it's a great compromise for the days when you can't listen to sing-songy version of Old McDonald.

My favorite song on the CD and DVD is "Garden Song (Inch by Inch)". Boo loves the garden scene on the DVD with the flowers dancing and singing. It is a simple song so it is easy to learn the words and Boo loves it sung before bedtime. Stephanie Schneiderman who sings this song on the CD and many others has a beautiful voice.

All the songs are wonderfully done and sound great. They are catchy songs - That Baby music is "kid-friendly acoustic cover versions of songs written by artists like Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Natalie Merchant, Joni Mitchell and more" (www.thatbabydvd.com). For a sneak peek at the DVD and a sampling of the CD check out their website.The CD retails for $14.95 and the DVD $24.95 or you can purchase them together for $34.90.

* I received this set free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own and no way influenced.

I write to you...

2011-05-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

I write to you as my youngest now 2 1/2 years old screams outside my door. Why? Because she won't nap. I tried to lay down with her. Fail. I tried meanly telling her to nap. Fail. I tried to put her back in her room repeatedly. Fail. I tried to put up a baby gate forcing her to stay in her room, which she promptly climbed over. So now I'm locked in my room having my rest time. Only. It's not very restful.

What Makes me a Mom

2011-05-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

The woman in my life, my girls, my mom and my grandma

Simply put my children made me a mom. With the joy and pain of their births I became a mother, a title that carries such weight it overwhelms me and excites me at the same time. I find myself constantly wondering what kind of mom I am - am I patience, kind, angry, short tempered? Yes to all of the above. But maybe that's not what defines me because I am more than a mom. I'm a wife, a daughter, a nurturer, a cleaner, a bottom wiper, a nose wiper, a laundry doer and put-awayer (if that's even a word) and more. Many of my "roles" are because I'm a mom but many aren't.

I need and crave time to myself away from these roles. I find it energizing to have a break from being a mom. Some days all I want out of a day is to not see my children. Sure that sounds bad but honestly that what I feel. I crave the feeling of not being touched, not having little hands hanging on to my leg or crying to be held. I crave silence. I think things like "next week when I get more sleep I'll be more patience", "when we move to a bigger house I'll be more organized and do more fun things with my girls". Reality is we do the best we can with what we have. If I'm tired my day will be complicated by that. If I can work on one day at a time to have good moments with my girls I think that's what's important.

Things like: finding time to sit down together at every meal and talking about our day or doing one fun messy activity that they love. When my Grandpa died my mom said at his funeral that he taught her you don't have to be a perfect parent to be loved. You don't have to do everything right to make a huge impact on theirs and to bring joy to their lives. We are all broken and with fault and that's what makes us special. So today on this day for mothers I will use that as my goal: to accept myself as not perfect. Isn't that the best gift? If I can accept myself that way then I can accept my husband, my children and my family unconditionally.

Humbled

2011-04-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

In the midst of all the moving drama I posted about early my Grandpa died. Maybe that's why I haven't posted in so long, not only have I been busy but I've been preoccupied.

A year ago my grandparents moved cross country to live with my parents. A transition that was stressful and difficult for all. My Grandpa went quickly from a confused state to aggressive to passive and distance. I have always prided myself in my ability to visit those in nursing homes, interact with our aging population but when it was my own Grandpa I couldn't do it. I went a full year without seeing him. He moved from my parents to a convalescence home. I still couldn't see him. My memories of this wonderful man were so full of joy. His beautiful singing voice, car trips listening to him from the backseat, spending summers at their house. When a stroke took his voice years ago I went with him to therapy, called him to encourage him to talk, and always tried to spend time sitting with him patiently talking. Life is humbling.

Alzheimer's is a horrible disease. A stroke stole his voice but Alzheimer's stole his spirit. He didn't know me. I couldn't bear to watch the disease progress. When I finally visited the shock of his existence left me gasping. I felt like I couldn't breathe the pain and tears were so strong. My Grandpa, the wonderful man with a booming laugh and fierce temper - lay there a bony shadow of his former self, shallowly breathing. You could see death lingering in the doorway. As I knelt at his bedside and told him all the things I wished I could have shared with him in conversation, it brought me peace. It also brought me great sadness. He died the next day. Death is humbling.

We celebrate his life by living ours with great joy because he brought us all such great joy. I miss him every day and I miss the fact that my children will never know him. The cycle of life is frustrating and amazing but right now, right now in this moment it's humbling.

Oh hello

2011-04-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

My poor little blog. I have never been absent for so long but yet been so unmotivated to return. Let me explain. It started as an innocent afternoon spend yet again trading off to go to open houses. What ended up happening I would never have imagined. We found a house, not just any house but the perfect house. It wasn't what I had dreamed of, it wasn't even really that pretty but when we walked in it felt like home. Turns out home is an original 1960's ranch. Who knew.

9 days later our house was on the market, we went to Disneyland to avoid the wild first week. 2 weeks later it sold, that day put in an offer on the new place and it was accepted. Roughly 7 weeks later we moved. As I write this I'm almost in tears remembering the stress and all the bumps along the way.

Leaving a house where my girls came home from the hospital, took their first steps, grew into little girls from babies, it was hard. But. It was good. I wanted to write a lovely post about how much I loved that house and how I felt but the words weren't there. A friend, who has photographed our family several times posted something on her blog and it's too perfect not to link to here.

From the blog of Katie Prentiss. Enjoy.

"What does "on location" photography mean?

Happy Holidays

2010-12-29T18:45:00.000-08:00

If I actually get around to it I might post an actual "Happy New Year" post. But don't hold your breath. I have been finding blogging so difficult lately. Not that I don't have bunches to say - I do but finding the time - no - energy to do it? .... completely different story.

I have been so preoccupied lately. To spare you massive details I'll just briefly say that for the last 5 months I have been dealing with persistent "feminine" issues due to an antibiotic I took. It's been frustrating, embarassing... itchy, irritating. I have been sad about it and frankly pissed off! I am all for medical intervention - I chose to have both of my girls in a hospital (with the assistance of a midwife) for that reason. I wanted little to no intervention but the comfort of help nearby if I needed it - I got my wish and delivered both of my girls med free and pretty much of my terms. I like knowing medical help is there but this whole antibiotic thing has me second guessing.

I'm kind of at the end of my rope but yet the "issues" still persist so I left with no option but to take something else. It's a circular, somewhat victimized train of thought. One that I need to snap out of and generally can do but those moments where I'm at my wit's end? They are hard. Hard and mixed with the daily stresses of managing a household, raising two girls, feeding them healthy food, remembering to feed myself and my husband, clean, work at preschool, drive to preschool, sleep.... and on.... and on....

Wow, that's a bummer of a post. Sorry about that. I seem to post more when things are looking down. Life has been full of wonderful things lately though. I am enjoying watching the girls and the stage they are in now, while full of fighting, is fun. More later, goodnight.

The post where I talk about vaginas

2010-12-06T20:51:00.000-08:00

We have a lot of vaginas at our house: three to be exact (four if you count the cat... we don't). I have always prided myself in being open about all things, especially vaginally related. I'll answer any question and I welcome questions from the girls. So when Boo asked how babies are born I was surprised at my hesitation. I wasn't sure how in depth to answer and how to start answering. She didn't ask the "where do babies come from question" I had been expecting. Although I'm sure it's coming. So I tried a generic birth canal answer. No go.

Me: Babies come out of the birth canal.
Her: Where is the birth canal?
Me: Where do you think it is?
Her: Where is it?
Me: In your vagina.
Her: So... I came out of your vagina?
Me: Hmm... yes.
Her: Did Pumpkin come out of your vagina too?
Me: Yes.
Her: How?
Me: (Dear God, kill me now). What do you mean?
Her: How do babies get out of the birth canal? Is it like a slide?
Me: Yea, let's call it that. A slide.
Her: No, it is a slide?
Me: No, not really.
Her: How do babies get out then?
Me: You push them out.
Her: Push? Like this? (She demonstrates a pushing sound).
Me: (Blushing) Yep. So what was your favorite part of today?
Her: I liked playing in the sand.

Conversation over. It was good practice. I need to start reading about what's age appropriate and how to best answer these questions. She keeps me on my toes.

Along the same note, awhile ago dealing with periods became tricky with two girls constantly in and out of the bathroom. I asked another friend how she handled it and she encouraged me to be open with my girls. This felt like the right thing to do so I stopped trying to hide things. I didn't broadcast it but I want my girls to feel comfortable with asking any kind of question. Boo was at first concerned but I explained very vaguely and she seemed satisfied. She has asked me again several times and expressed the desire to never have a period. To which I replied "so that's fine, you don't have to have one then" and then I giggled to myself.

Now both of the girls ask me constantly if I need a pad when I am peeing - even Pumpkin who is 2 years old! Boo asks "is it time for your periods?". I'm not sure why it's plural... but that's fine. I had caught her several times walking around with a pretend pad shoved between her legs.

Never a dull moment here.

Labels, labels, labels

2010-11-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

As my girls grow up and venture out into the world I am finding the intense need to label. I write their names in their backpacks, shoes, cups, whatever looks needy. But the markings grow worn so fast and name become smudged too easily. That's why I went looking for something better, something fun and bright.

Mabel's Labels and Oliver's Labels did not disappoint. I tried out both just to get two perspectives and see what was out there. First off, labels: not cheap. Second, there are labels for everything: pencils, cups, rulers, glue sticks, crayons, shoes, clothes.

Oliver's Labels sent me Original and Mini Labels, Shoe Labels and Stick-eez Clothing Labels.

The majority of the labels are dishwasher, microwave, fridge and outdoor safe. I really liked the Shoe Labels just because they worked so well. They have not lifted at all after two months of use, show little wear and the text is still very clear to read.

Labels range from $19.99 to $4.99. Oliver's Labels has a variety of patterns and colors to choose from, even for adults. They also offer food allergy labels, custom label options, bag tags and wristbands. Oliver's Labels also offers Found It ™ tracking which is basically an online lost and found system.

The Packages are by far the best option: a variety of labels in lesser quantities customized to different arenas (school, camp, home, etc.).

I also have the privilege of reviewing Mabel's Labels. I was sent the new Label Out Loud Sticky Labels™. They are so bright and fun! The labels are UV resistant, microwave, and dishwasher safe. These labels are so pretty to look at and come in a variety of fun designs. The Sticky Label offers a large, easy to read and brightly colorful label.

Mabel's Labels also come in pricing from $20. Their tags and labels seem to be larger quantities so again I would recommend the Combo Packs unless you need a large amount.

Mabel's Labels offers a wide selection of labels for clothing (shoes included), school and household supplies as well as stationary. Allergy alert labels and wristbands are available too.

This was a fun review to complete. Labels are like a gift that keeps on giving because you will always need them. As my girls grow I have the supplies I need to mark new shoes, coats and more as we attempt to not lose anything during our daily shuffle. Please excuse my hand in all these pictures. I choose to label my girls' full names and wanted to keep our last name confidential.

* I was sent labels free by Oliver's Labels and Mabel's Labels. I am also part of the Buzzmama program at Mabel's Labels.

Pumpkin is 2!

2010-11-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

First things first, my little Pumpkin turned two! I decided to go for a Halloween themed party since she loves Halloween and is too young to care. It was a blast. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed all sorts of messiness outside.

Painting pumpkin cut outs, playing with ghoulish colored playdoh (I made!) and decorating with Halloween stickers. The yard was covered in spider webs and mini spiders most fake and I made a "dirt" cake. The cake was a hit, covered in pureed oreos and lots of gummy bugs. It was super ugly though so no picture. My blog, my rules.

Coming up next, I have two reviews and then I hope to get back into some routine with blogging. ~~but don't hold your breathe~~