Two Cents' Worth - Potty Training

Potty Training....

sigh

I'm beginning to think that keeping children in diapers is WAY easier.

We spent the entire morning on the toilet (at least 10 separate occasions) trying to get Hailey to poop on the potty.  Nothing.... even though it is her 'usual' poop time.  I've got all the tempting treats and prizes and she wants to go.... but just doesn't know how.  She will pee anytime we put her on but still doesn't tell us when she has to go.  She probably just isn't ready yet.  I will likely wait till after Christmas to really focus on training her.

Until then I will enjoy not having my day revolve around bathroom visits every 20 min (that is even more frequent than pregnancy bathroom visits).

So today I am asking for your tips and advice about potty training.  How did you get your children to use the toilet?

Check out this blog for the MOST HILARIOUS cartoon depictions of motherhood!  The latest post was on potty training as well!

Organize It Mondays - Menu Plan Printable

Do you hate deciding each day what to cook for dinner, breakfast, lunch or snacks?  Last minute planning is THE WORST!

Solution = Meal Planning

It doesn't necessarily make cooking more enjoyable but it does take away most 'worry' about what you are going to make.

My friend Rhonda made this awesome printable to assist with all those meals you have to plan.  I have had this menu planner for a few years now and have found it SUPER useful.  I first used it for at least 6 mths straight but it has been sporadic since (though I wish I did use it every week).

The best thing is that once you have a week planned you can reuse it with minimal adjustments.  Don't forget to add on the back of each plan a grocery list for items needed to make those meals.  You can also change things up and have one day a week where you make a new recipe that you haven't tried before.

You can print a blank form, laminate and use a dry erase marker - or keep it in hard copy form and collect them in a binder for re-use later.

you can find the menu plan here on Rhonda's blog

The Girls at 6 Months

Our little Quinn is officially 6 months old now.

It has amazed me how different she is from Hailey. 
*Top picture is Quinn, bottom is Hailey at 6 mths

Quinn	Hailey
No teeth (but they are coming)	Had 2 bottom front teeth
Won’t eat solids	Ate solids well (rice cereal and fruits)
Doesn’t like bottles (won't touch formula)	Almost fully weaned (nurse 2 times a day)
Usually gets up only once	Woke up in the night often
Just started rolling (back to front)	Crawled (6.5 mths)
Does not hold items well	Drank from a sippy cup
Yells loudly	Said “mum”
	Signed “all done”
Is happy 80% of the time	Was happy 20% of the time
Intolerant to cows milk (Mommy on Goats milk)	Intolerant to cows milk (had soy formula)

I love my girls, I'm thankful for them, they are my life.

Two Cents' Worth

Favouritism

Did you pester your parents as a child about who was their favourite kid?  Did they always respond with "I love you all equally" (or as my Dad always said "You are my favourite fourth oldest daughter Jen")?

Well I figured it out.... it's all a LIE!!!!!  Every parent DOES have a favourite child (unless somehow they are all miraculously the same).  Now I'm not saying every parent doesn't LOVE each child equally.  Just that they have ones that push their buttons less often than the others.


Knowing about this secret comes with a catch.... You may have a favourite child but you can NEVER.... EVER admit it or speak about it as long as you live.

I'm not very good at keeping secrets!

Organize It Monday - Diaper Caddy

Diaper Caddy

Sometimes it can be a real pain to cart those dirty bums all the way (up or down) to the change table.  Do you have supplies on another floor of your house so you can change a diaper without traveling?  Are those supplies scattered throughout a room, over a shelf or on a table top?

My solution = the diaper caddy

I purchased a cloth (wire framed) basket to hold everything I would need to change either of my daughters diapers.  *side note - having 2 in diapers = a lot of changing each day*

In this diaper caddy I have 2 stacks of diapers (3's for my baby and 4's for my 2 yr old).  I used to just keep a couple stashed downstairs on our bookshelf but they ran out quickly and I always forgot to refil them.  There is a wipeable change pad with disinfecting wipes to clean it, diaper cream, powder and wipes as well as diaper sacks to hold the dirty remnants so I can toss it up the stairs by the garage to go to the trash.

Everything fits perfectly in this basket and the entire basket fits nicely on our bookshelf out of the way.  It has come in handy on numerous occasions and keeps everything together and organized.  I love it.

Create a caddy for your child and put it somewhere you frequently 'hang out' so you don't always have to return to the nursery for a diaper change.

*if you noticed, I used a sharpie to write a note on top of the clorox wipes to make sure they weren't accidentally used to wipe bums instead of the change pad.  I imagine alcohol wipes on your bum would likely hurt ;)

Two Cents' Worth

Dusty Laundry Machines

Are you among the remaining 'hold outs' that like to waste large amounts of water and electricity cleaning their laundry? (aka - a top load washer/dryer owner) 

 Well I am.... 

and I have noticed over my years of laundering that the machines can get pretty dusty on their exposed surfaces. *now this never occured to me before now - not sure why as it makes total sense AND you all probably do this already* but I figured out an easy way to keep the machines clean without making it an 'extra' chore on your to-do list.

I like to seperate all my towels/dish cloths/rags from our clothing.  I probably do one load of these a week (maybe 2).  Each time I wash them I start the washer to put the load in, turn it on warm water (cause who likes to touch freezing cold water) and grab a clean rag.  I use the running water in the washer and my rag to wipe down both machines before I put the load of laundry in.  You can also add the soap and rinse the rag in the soapy water to clean off the machines.

That's it (brilliant I know)

Use the filling washer as a tap to clean up the machines..... maybe I only have to do this because I have no sink in my laundry room (wow that would be AMAZING).

so there is your little tip on Wednesday,

take it for what it's worth

Day 12

a song played at our wedding

Paul Brandt - On the inside

Day 11

Recent picture of me

This photo was taken last month with my oldest daughter Hailey!  This picture is SO Hailey.  Anyone else have a little drama queen at their house?

Organize It Mondays - Drawers

Drawers

Do you have a drawer in your kitchen that collects papers and other miscellaneous items?  Typically near the phone?  Isn't it always in need of a little organization?

Does it look like this?

Usually this drawer contains recipts (many), recent birthday/celebration cards, confiscated toys, reward stickers/tatoos, frequently used office supplies (tape, scissors, sharpies, page markers), menu plans, health benefit reimbursement forms, small tools and I am sure more. *actually I am pretty impressed I got all of that in there*

Needless to say... it was a problem.  The drawer was no longer effective as it was overfull.  I couldn't find anything in it without other items falling all over the floor.

So I pulled everything out and sorted the items into piles.  I put away all the items that didn't belong in there, sorted through recipts (garbage and important ones to keep) and collected all of Haileys stickers, tatoos and trinkets and put them in a ziploc bag (used for potty training).  I also added in a small (childrens) shoe box to house future recipts, piled the papers together and collected the tools at the back.

For now this is a temporary fix as I am working on an organizer for our phone nook that will take some of these items.

I am happy to have it useful again and be able to find what I am looking for without having items spill out onto the floor.

I challenge you this week to find a drawer somewhere in your house that needs some organization help and clean it up.  It is a small task that will be easy to accomplish.  

Good luck.

Two Year Old Problem Fixed! (No, it's not Hailey)

Almost all of the problems that we have had with our home since we bought it have had to do with plumbing.  It stems from the fact that our house sat completely "dry" for more than ten months when the previous owner vacated to a new job out of town and the market was in free-fall.  He had a guaranteed sale price through his employer so we ended up actually buying a house from Husky Oil Ltd.  Sort of a strange one I know but even more interesting is when we first viewed the home all the toilets had antifreeze in them and all water was shut off.  When they turned the water back on there were a lot of minor sealant issues with taps and drains, etc.

Old nasty pipe that was painted to "hide" it from the blue wall

This problem we didn't notice right away but the pipe was cracked at the fitting right at the concrete floor in the basement.  I jury-rigged a temporary fix which finally failed a few weeks back and a proper repair was required as our hope this winter is for brand new carpet in the basement and we don't want that getting flooded out. I borrowed a Hilti (jackhammer) from work and made quick work of the concrete to expose the good pipe about a foot back from the fitting.

This is the nice hole I made

New 45's and cleanout

New pipe went in pretty smoothly, I've never done ABS pipe before but I did watch a lot of PVC go together when I used to install sprinkler systems. I figured it couldn't be all that much different and started piecing it together. The hardest part was actually making the cut on the old pipe in between the floor joist because the only saw that would fit in the tiny space was my keyhole drywall saw which was NOT the right tool for the job.

She's not a Laycock anymore but...

Once the pipe was back together and a batch of concrete was mixed up it was time to etch our initials in our first home.  It will soon be covered but we will know that it's there forever. And the unsightly pipe that remained outside of the finished drywall you ask.  Well, took care of that with a snappy little box made completely out of MDF trim pieces and small L brackets.  It's removable too so that if we ever have to get at the cleanout nothing will have to be demolished.

Trim and corners still to come after white paint on the walls

Now all the craft room needs is a fresh coat of paint, the carpet and some new storage and Jen will hopefully be enjoying a brand new room for all her sewing and stuff by January. Hope you like it honey!

Day 10

A photo of me from over 10 yrs ago

looking.....looking.....looking.... nadda.  The farthest back picture I have on my computer is from 2006, when Ian and I were engaged... oh wait.  I foud one... here it is

This is a family photo with my Mom's side of the family back around 1989 when I was 7 yrs old.  I  am the blonde in the SICK (good sick ;) red collared dress in front beside my cute little sister.

Day 9

A photo I have taken

Disclaimer:  I am NO photographer - this picture is blury but I love it because it captured such a special moment.

These are my two daughters (yes they are bald, but they are GIRLS, not boys ;)  This was within days of baby Q's birth and big sister H was so smitten with her little sister.  I have a video from this same moment and it is so cute what H says.

I love seeing them together.... especially seeing how much Q loves her big sister.  She watches her all day and laughs at everything she does.

Day 8

 A Thank You letter to someone who has changed my life

hmmmm.... I'm opting to skip this post.  I think those sort of things are more meaningful when they are private....

Until tomorrow :)

Day 7

5 Things I Couldn't Live Without

(things, not people)

1.  My bed... it is my favourite place to be and I don't get to be 'in it' often enough!

2.  My laptop... okay, I guess I could 'live' without it, but I do enjoy my time on it keeping in touch with friends, learning new skills and finding inspiration for my home and crafts.

3.  My home... I love planning what we are going to do to each room and space.  Especially  my dream craft room that is in the works.

4.  My sewing machine... I really enjoy using it, now that I have learned some basic sewing patterns.  I feel very proud to be able to say I made something myself.

5.  hmmmm.... this list is not so easy to make...

ahhhh.... a toilet! 

I don't DO outhouses.... seriously, I'd rather just go in the bush than use an outhouse.  I CAN'T live without a flushable toilet.

Two Cents' Worth

This will be another regular blog feature on Wednesdays (check out 'organize it' Mondays).

Two Cents' Worth

This will include tips and ideas or just something to make you think.  Topics may include house keeping, exercising, organizing, parenting, and more.  They will mostly be my opinion so take it for what it's worth :)

Alone Play Time

This one was a GREAT idea from my sister Stephanie. 

  Stephanie is just 15 mths older than me and my closest sibling (in more than just age).  She married her Swiss sweetheart just 8 mths before my wedding and had beautiful twin daughters just 3 mths after I had Hailey.  We talk frequently as we experience marriage and family together :)

If you have one child you will know how often they demand your attention.  Why is it that they always 'have' to play with Mommy?  Wouldn't it be great if they just played by themselves?!?  I was in the midst of this challenge when my smart sister suggested I give my daughter play time by herself.  I hadn't thought of this before (duh).

Have your child choose some toys they would like to play with and take them to their room.  Leave them inside with the toys and close the door (explain to them first that they will be having some play time by themselves and you will come get them when the time is up).  Leave them for 30 minutes, twice a day.  

They will learn to play by themselves and it will help them to have some relaxing quiet play (we all know how crazy they get jumping around on couches and large toys).  I am sure this was even more benificial for my sisters twins but it sure gave me a nice breather each day.  I was feeling so smoothered by my needy toddler.

Now I'm not going to say your child will love it, especially at first.  There will be crying and attempted escapes but stick with it.  Children need to experience play without some one else always being there 'showing' them 'how' to play. 

It makes a big difference in the amount of crying and tantrums I hear each day and also gives me time to spend alone with my baby.

I don't remember to do this everyday but I should because since I started Hailey's imagination has blossomed and she has become more calm...  Thank you Stephanie for the inspiration!

Try it with your kids, no matter what age (of course babies are too little for this, you have to feel comfortable leaving them on their own - and make sure their room is safe for them).  Everyone could use some quiet alone time!

Take it for what it's worth

Day 6

A moment you wish you could relive!

I would have to say my wedding day!

Ahhh, a day all about me... where I get to wear an amazing dress and marry my best friend :)  Yes I would do that over again, everyday!

It was a great day and went smoothly but there are a couple things I would have changed...

I would have stressed less... not that it was super stressful, I just would have ignored the small stuff and gone with the flow.  I also would have taken more time to soak it all in because it was over so fast.

I also would NOT have gone on birth control that made me put on a few pounds that almost made my wedding dress too tight. Yikes!

I love this man so much!  My favourite time together is when we are sitting on the couch cuddling and talking.  I could talk/listen to this man all day.  He makes me laugh and makes me crazy... it keeps me on my toes.  He is the BEST father.... to see him with his little girls makes my heart melt.

It has been a great 5 years :)

Day 5

Favourite pair of shoes

I have a love/hate relationship with shoes.  I would LOVE to own a pair that are so comfortable and stylish.... but I HATE to shop for shoes.  Is it just me or do you think shoe stores all have terrible customer service?

I went looking for dressy knee-high boots this past weekend while I was in Edmonton.... CRAZY!  The stores were packed with people, long lines, no where to even sit to try on shoes and no available employee's to assist.  I did find one pair of boots that I thought would be alright and sent an associate to find my size in the back.  She comes out maybe 5 whole minutes later and says 'there is nothing larger than a 7.5'.  Wow... I gave up then and there.

Another draw back I find to shoe shopping is that I can't wear heels!  I know, lame.  I never learned how to walk in them and now I feel sexy high heels will never be in my collection (you can't teach an old dog, new tricks). I know Ian would sure love to see me in a pair of bright, colourful stilettos.


Sooo, the majority of my time is spent in crocs, running shoes and flats.

These are my current favourite.... a cheapo pair of flats that I got from Walmart!

I need someone to take me under their wing and introduce me to the joyful world of shoes!  Maybe not till after the crazy Christmas crowds are done.

Organize It Mondays - Toy Storage

Welcome to ORGANIZE IT Mondays.

Each Monday I will post about an organization project I have completed in my own home.  I will post 'before' and 'after' photos with a little blurb about how I made that space more efficient and tidy for myself and my family.  It could be anything from a massive room makeover (that isn't going to happen often) or a simple drawer tidying solution.

Today's task was all about TOY STORAGE!

This is our living room upstairs!  Initially I had big plans that it would be an 'adult only' space with NO toys.  Didn't happen!  Children come with way too many 'extras' that take up valuable floor space.  ie: swing, exersaucer, bouncy chair, bumbo, kiddie chair, floor mat play center (Seriously? and that is just what we have upstairs).  Secondly I find myself on the main floor of my home 95% of the day, therefore I had to cave on the toys upstairs rule. 

For the last 2 years (since baby #1 was born) I have used these large bins to hold their toys (one is all of Q's baby toys and the other are H's toys).

These present 3 very large problems.

1. They are very ugly!  They may hold a lot of toys but they are always in full view.
2. They are so big that H literally falls head-over-heels trying to get toys out of the bottom.
3. Only the toys on top really get played with.  How is she supposed to find and pull out her Buzz Lightyear if it is packed under mounds of other toys?

Solution...

A new storage unit (thank you Ikea and your Expedit shelving)

It allowed me to sort bins (large toys, other toys, baby toys, stuffies, books) and get rid of everything else that didn't fit (aka pack away for rotation later on).  I likely will trade these toys with the ones downstairs as she doesn't get to play with those often.

I think it is very practical and looks slightly classier than the open tupperware bins.

An extra bonus is that this shelf can double as a bench!!!!  Wooo hooo!  I plan on making a cushion for it over the winter.

Do you have something staring at you everyday just begging to be organized?

Day 4

Favourite Quote

Hmmmm...

I'm not really a quote person.  I used to feel all inspired and motivated by powerful words.... not so much anymore.  Honestly, I have felt pretty emotion-less since having kids.  Must be the lack of sleep.

I do however have a few phrases that I often repeat to myself, in my head, throughout the day.

"Just do it" (thank you nike)
"Don't strangle your 2 year old" (thank you Hailey)
"Listen more, talk less" (needs to happen way more often)

and

"It could be worse" (for which I always try to be grateful that it isn't)

Day 3

Favourite Book

I love books, always have... but I haven't touched many since the girls were born.  My highlight year of reading had to be in grade 6... I think every book I read that year was my favourite... and still is.  There are too many to mention so I will tell you about one I am reading now (Awesome, I know - I'm actually reading a book now).

Totally Organized: Easy to use techniques for getting control of your time and your home

Bonnie McCullough

No joke....

This book is seriously AMAZING!

I love to organize things (drawers, shelves, closets, rooms).... but I am a terrible time manager.  I spend all day unfocused trying to do too many things at the same time and nothing actually gets completed.  This book just might change my life.  I am just about finished reading through it and will start again as soon as I am done.  The second time around I will actually implement the ideas Bonnie puts forward in order to make my life more efficient.  Yay for organization!

*I will never forget hearing my teacher, in grade 6, read aloud The Bridge To Terabithia.  I was totally captivated and bawled in front of my whole class at the sad part.*

30 Day Challenge - Day 2

Favourite Movie

Any Pride and Prejudice!  The BBC version is my favourite (can't beat Collin Firth) but have you ever seen the Bollywood version?!?!?  HILARIOUS!  Check it out if you haven't

Other fav's include The Island, Crazy Stupid Love, LOTR, What a Girl Wants and many other lame chick flicks!

30 Day Blogging Challenge - Day 1

I have fallen off the blog-wagon since little missy arrived.  Now that Q is 5 months old I feel like I have some time to breathe (and blog) again.  I'm starting off with a 30 day 'Get to Know Me' Challenge!  This will help me get back in the habit of blogging and give you a little glimpse into my life.

Day 1: A favorite song


Angles and Airwaves:  The Adventure

what a wierd video

This is my FAVOURITE pump me up song!  Any group that combines rock music with string instruments is brilliant in my books.  I have listened to this song so many times and I never get tired of it.  I love to listen to it cranked as I run on the treadmill (yes that needs to happen again sometime soon).

This mashup is a close second by Jon Schmidt:  Love Story Meets Viva La Vida

Love it and wish I could play it.... along with 'waterfall' also by Jon Schmidt