The Weekend

So this weekend I had grand plans of getting some of my sewing projects done.  With ideas of all the posts I would have lined up to show anyone out there who may look at this little blog of mine.  How much sewing did I get done? None.  Not one thing did I get done, instead I spent the weekend running errands, grocery shopping, and waiting around for other people to do the things they needed to get done, inbetween changing diapers, naps, and bottles. 

I have to get some done this week, no excuses!  There is a baby shower in Ohio on the 20th and I have to send my gifts.  What am I planning on making you ask, of course my go to gift cloth shoes, with a matching ruffle butt onesie (I think they are so adorable), binky clips, changing pad with matching wipes case, and a binky bag, and I am still debating on whether or not to make a diaper bag.  I guess that will depend on when I get the other items finished.  None of them will take very long if I could just kick my butt into gear and get them started. 

I did get a couple things done, not sewing of course but still its something.  I purchased supplies to start practicing my cake decorating skills, with the hopes that I will be a natural, haha.  Joann's has a coupon commotion week until the 12th so I bought what I needed and used coupons for everything.  I also went to Target and bought Bambi for Grant's Easter basket.  I had a $10 off coupon so I used that as my excuse for not being able to leave the store without it.

At least I can feel like the weekend wasn't a complete lack of accomplishment.  My hope is that I will have something great to post in the next couple of days.  We will see!

Potato Head

Have you seen this?

Are they not the cutest little toys ever.  Well I bought some felt the other day to make my own version.  Every time I see this picture I get the itch to dig it out and start creating my own potato.  I realize my son will not be able to play with it for over a year but I just can't help myself. 

So one more project added to my list.  Maybe I should finish a few of the ones I've already started haha.

I started cutting out the pieces yesterday and this is what I have so far.  None of it is sewed together yet or stuffed but hey it's a start. 

For some odd reason I can't seem to start and finish a project without stopping in the middle and starting on something else.  Oh well I will come back to the potato when I get the itch again.  Hopefully I'll get a little time to myself this weekend to finish a few projects.  Cross your fingers!

More PJ Pants

Grant is growing so fast these days, he is 4 months old and wearing 12 month clothing and even 18 month pajamas.  I know most babies aren't in the same size as their age but I've never known a 3 or 4 month old to wear 12 month.  Anyway I've been scouring the stores for clearence items because it seems like we go through them the fastest.  I have found a few sets for $3 a piece but I refuse to pay much more than that since I know he won't wear them more than a few weeks. 

I thought about the Christmas pj pants I made him a few months ago and thought I needed to make some more since I have a ton of flannel stashed in my closet.  I use this tutorial from Handmade Mommy.  This is one of my favorite tutorials and one of the quickest projects.  I have purchased multiple Simplicity patterns for pj pants and after using this tutorial they will remain unused.  Here is the finished project:

They seem huge to me but I know he will be in them before I know it.  I bought this fabric the day after Thanksgiving for a little over a $1 a yard, what a steel!  These took me about 10 minutes.  The more I make them the faster I get at it, and I am all about quick projects.  I have 2 other kinds of flannel ready to be cut into pants, and I'm so anxious to get them started. 

A Little Disturbing

My mom is a junior high teacher's assistant and works in the study hall room.  We were talking the other day and she told me the students are no longer required to memorize their times tables, most don't know how to tell time unless it's on a digital clock, and all students are allowed to have a calculator at all times so they don't know how to work out math problems on paper.

Does anyone else find this a little disturbing?  I asked why they weren't teaching these basic things anymore and she informed me they were teaching it but due to the state exams they need to pass, they were called proficiency tests in my day, they don't have time to spend teaching one topic if everyone doesn't pick it up immediately.  This is just sad to me.  I remember learning my times tables, and I don't think it should be necessary for a child to use a calculator to figure out that 3x4=12, and not everywhere you go will you find a digital clock.

 It concerns me that if teachers don't have time for kids to really learn these concepts, due to the focus that's put on state testing,  what else are they not having time for.  Is passing a state test so important that we should skip over these basic things, and will this not hinder them in the future.  When I took my State Boards for nursing I don't remember being able to use a calculator and there were many tests in college I was not allowed to use one either.  How are they going to be able to succeed in some areas later down the road if they don't know these things?

I have a great respect for teachers and I think most of them do a great job with all they are given now a days.  My uncle is a principal and was an amazing teacher for many years.  I don't think our educators are given enough credit for all they do and put up with, nor do they get paid what they are worth, and now they aren't even given enough time to teach kids how to tell time.  .

Another Mom Moment

There is something so satisfying the moment you feel like you "know" your baby.  When after months of sleepless nights, endless worrying, and countless moments of looking at your crying baby thinking to yourself "I have no clue what you need", you finally realize those moments are now fewer and farther between.  I feel like I have finally learned my son and we have finally settled into a routine of sorts.  I now know by they way he sucks his thumb and puts his hand on his face that he is tired.  I know his tired cry, from his irritated cry, from his hungry cry. 

My husband unfortunately doesn't get to spend as much time with him as I do so he hasn't learned the same routine.  He was off work yesterday and while I absolutely love having him around and I know Grant does too, it's sometimes makes me smile to watch him try to get him to sleep.  I've tried really hard to get Grant to put himself to sleep.  After 3 months and countless hours of rocking and bouncing him I finally realized it was time to let him learn a little self-soothing.  My husband doesn't like to listen to him cry, I don't either but because I'm home with him every day it doesn't phase me as much.  When he starts crying my husband undoubtedly will go into the room and start talking to him trying in some way to reason with him and if that doesn't work he will pick him up and start rocking or bouncing to get him to sleep.  Maybe it's a mom thing but knowing that he can put himself to sleep and knowing how hard I worked to get him to this point I will not get into the habit of picking him up every time he makes a peep. 

Maybe it's in my head but it seems that when I follow the routine of putting him in his bed, covering him up, turning on his mobile, kissing him goodnight, and leaving the room, he goes asleep alot easier than if my husband puts him to bed.  It's almost as if even at 4 months he knows I won't get him out of bed but with a few tears it might work on dad. 

I love these moments.  With all the joy I get daily from him it makes me want another little one, well almost. Haha.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

This post is a little belated but hey, better late than never.  Every year for Valentine's Day I make my husband chocolate covered strawberries.  The first year I made them I didn't have a clue and messed up most of my batch, so I thought I would post how I make them in case there is someone else who doesn't have a clue about dipping fruit in chocolate haha.

Supplies I used:

Strawberries-rinse and pat dried

Vanilla Almond Bark

Gulf Wax

foil

I shred some of the gulf wax  with a vegetable peeler before I get started so it's ready.  Break off a few squares of the almond bark and melt it in a small saucepan on low heat.  Once it's melted add the gulf wax, this will prevent the chocolate from getting clumpy and make it shiny once the strawberries are dipped and dried.  When the gulf wax is stirred in you're ready to start dipping the strawberries.  Place them on the foil to harden, and you're done!

Guilt Free Chocolate Ladies!

I've been at my mom's in Ohio for the last week and I have to say I miss them terribly, when I'm there I love watching the cooking channel and food network.  I get a little obsessed actually but anyway I started watching a show called Hungry Girl.  I had seen her cook books before but thought it would probably be filled with not so great tasting food and expensive ingredients.  Not the case in this recipe.  It takes all of 2 ingredients and is about 160 calories.  What are they you ask, Chocolate Brownie Muffins.
Here's the recipe for anyone who may want to give it a whirl.

Chocolate Brownie Muffins

Ingredients:
1  box store bought chocolate cake mix
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

now pour your cake mix in a bowl (do not add the eggs, oil or anything else just the dry mix), add the pumpkin, mix together thoroughly.  Scoop into muffin cups and bake at 350 for about 18 minutes and your done. 

Now when my mom and I saw this recipe we thought, eww pumpkin in a chocolate brownie, but you can't taste the pumpkin.  The pumpkin gives it moist texture and it still tastes all chocolatey and wonderful.

Eat Up!

The above picture is why I usually don't put pictures in my posts about recipes, doesn't look amazing but I swear it's good.