purging continues

It felt great to tackle the linen closet last week!

This morning, I dumped out DH's sock drawer and discarded about 1/2 of his socks! Then, I actually matched the remaining socks! (I stopped matching his socks years and years ago -- I wash them and put them in the drawer and he finds matches in the morning. I may actually go back to matching socks, though, as it IS much neater.)

Since I was on a roll, I decided to go through the boys' underwear and sock bins. Poor N had undies that were size 2T/3T and he wears a size 6 these days! I got rid of any that were too small, or if the elastic was stretched out. I matched up their socks and realized they desperately need socks. I don't know what they do with them, because I bought a dozen pair not too long ago!

Then, I went through their shirt bins. I filled an entire garbage bag with shirts that no longer fit or were just unnecessary (they really don't need to keep t-ball uniform shirts, old camp shirts, etc.) Finally, I went through their shorts and pants and discarded as needed.

Tomorrow is their laundry day, so I will go through their laundry this time and make sure all is in good shape and still fits. Usually, they are responsible for putting away their laundry by themselves.

I have a much better idea of what they have now, and what they'll need in the fall. They do need a few more pairs of shorts to get through the summer, but they have plenty of shirts.

Next is sorting out the clothes that L has outgrown and maybe I'll even tackle my dresser this week!

14 months

L turned 14 months yesterday. She has spent the last month learning to walk, and really caught on in the last week. She toddles around unsteadily, and reaches out for anyone's hand to help steady her walk. She is an excellent climber, however, and has no problem climbing up onto her brother's beds or the couch.

She is still an amazingly happy baby. She is friendly, and will flirt, smile and wave at just about anybody. She is always amazed at seeing another baby/toddler and gets very excited when we pass one in the library or elsewhere.

She has a healthy, hearty appetite and is adventurous enough to try most foods. She eats a solid 3 meals a day, plus snacks, and still nurses 3-4 times a day. She is definitely growing!

She clearly says "UP" and "HI!" Other words are obvious only to family. She can clearly sign "EAT", which is added to "FINISHED". She continues to nod and shake her head adamantly to express "YES" and "NO." She babbles quite a bit and carries on conversations with herself in the mirror regularly.

She likes to empty containers and fill them up again. She absolutely adores music! She will bop her head and dance to pretty much any music that is playing. She loves it when N sings to her and will often prompt him by saying "baa baa baa?" so he will sing "Baa Baa Black Sheep" to her.

She is funny and likes to be the center of attention. She will call loudly and wave her arms if she thinks nobody is paying attention to her. She likes to go places, but doesn't like getting into her carseat this month.

No new teeth again this month, but with 8 she has plenty. I'm expecting her to make some language leaps in the next few months now that she has started walking.

unexpected blessings

The angel to the left is at a Marian shrine near Milwaukee, WI. I took the picture on our last visit to Wisconsin. This shrine is just a small park in an urban setting, but it was a place of comfort to me during the years we lived close to it.

I miss having a place like that to pray in, as I've never really found anything like it here. That doesn't mean that I've stopped praying, or that my prayers aren't still answered.

Last week, I opened a piece of mail and literally burst into tears. Enclosed in a card with a beautiful image of Our Blessed Mother was a check that would meet the deductible payment that we didn't know where we'd find. It was a gift from a dear couple - completely unexpected and out of the blue. It was the answer to a prayer and will ease our family through a rough spot. I don't think I can clearly express what that meant to me & DH, but I hope they know how completely appreciative we are of their generous gift.

There are angels everywhere, and sometimes they bless us in the most unexpected and wonderful ways. Thank you, sweet benefactors! We are so grateful!!

Safety Summer Tips by MommyDocs

Have you visited Mommy Docs yet? It's a website run by 2 pediatrician moms in the Maryland area. They share health advice and information on their site, plus they do a regular podcast! I just learned about this site last week, but I've already subscribed to their podcasts.

They, along with MomCentral and Clorox, want to share a set of safety summer tips as the summer gets in full swing! I thought they were good reminders for all parents, especially the tips about sun protection (so important here in Arizona!)

• Have a Sun Protection Strategy: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sunscreen with a minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15. Look for products that provide "broad spectrum" coverage to protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Use this sunscreen routine with your child--daily application 30 minutes before going outside and reapplication every 2 hours (or sooner if swimming, toweling off, or sweating). Creating a routine will establish good habits for the future. In addition, don't forget a wide brim hat, sunglasses with 99-100% UVA/UVB protection, and sun protective clothing.
• Keep Pests off Your Little One: In the summer, many insects can bite or sting your child. For pesky mosquitoes and ticks, consider a DEET containing insect repellant. Apply sparingly to exposed skin (avoid backs of hands and around the eyes and mouth) and/or to clothing once a day. As the percentage of DEET goes up, the duration of action increases. To prevent unnecessary exposure, always use the lowest percentage that will last for the planned length of time spent outdoors. Never go above 30% or use on children under 2 months old.
  
• Keep the Pool Cool and Clean: Small yard pools provide a great way for kids to have fun and cool down when the temperature rises, but they can also harbor germs, such as bacteria. To keep the pool free from unwanted "swimmers," after each use disinfect it with bleach by cleaning with a solution of ¾ cup regular bleach to one gallon of water, then rinse well and dry thoroughly. Safety must: Always supervise children regardless of age when they are around any water; whether it's a bucket, a small backyard plastic pool, or the local community pool.
• High Heat Means Hydrate: Excessive heat exposure may cause your child to experience a heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. How to prevent this: take breaks in the shade, avoid playing outside during peak sun exposure hours, and drink, drink, drink! Make sure your child is taking in plenty of fluids before he become thirsty.
• Rid Rashes and Relieve Itchies: Running through the yard in bare feet, taking a nature walk on a trail, and picnicing in the park are some of the joys of warmer weather. But all of this outdoor activity can expose your child to a host of plants including those which cause poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. If an allergic reaction occurs, ask the pediatrician about an oral antihistamine and/or a topical skin care product such as a steroid cream or calamine. If the rash is extensive, looks infected, or is not getting better, call your doctor right away.

For more summer safety tips, or pediatric health information, visit MommyDocs! I hope everyone has a safe, fun summer!

linen closet

Hmmm, how many towels does YOUR family need?

I had the boys empty the linen closet onto the living room floor and I ruthlessly culled towels that were faded or frayed. I folded the remaining and replaced them in the linen closet and it looks very nice! I still think I have too many hand towels . . . and I probably have too many bath towels as well since I haven't done towel laundry this week.

I'm trying to decide how many towels a family of five needs. We do re-use towels when we've been out in the pool and after baths. I think I should have a few extra for people who visit and swim in our pool. I like to do towel laundry once a week.

I know we had too many towels, but I'm not sure how many is appropriate for our family. I keep hand towels, washcloths, bath towels, swim towels and the boys' sheets in our linen closet. We only have one linen closet, and it's pretty small. I'm thinking three bath towels per person, per week should be plenty. That's 15 bath towels! I kept 12 hand towels, but I'm thinking I only need four, maybe six.

There are 9 bath/swim towels in the linen closet right now, and once I do the towel laundry tomorrow I'll know how many we have. I may keep a few extra, but place them under the sink as extras for pool guests.

How many towels do YOU have? Do you know? Are they matched? We have a few matching sets, but there's no overall theme.

Review: Wii Fit

Yes, we caved to the hype. I decided that Wii Fit cost less than one month's family membership to the gym, so we should try it out. We have had it for a month now, and I have to tell you -- it is fun!

Everyone in the family plays it -- including my sister (who whoops my butt on everything except yoga) and my father (who liked it so much that my mom purchased a Wii and Wii Fit for him for Father's Day.)

It's fun, it's varied and the competition between us all is hilarious. The boys prefer the balance games because they are games. I like the aerobics and yoga portions because I am using it as an exercise tool. I think DH does the strength portion, but I have only done a few exercises in that portion (mainly because I'm a wimp!)

As you play more, additional games are unlocked. Boxing is fun, and can help release some aggression. I try to balance my activity between actual exercise and the fun games. The step program in the aerobic section cracks me up because it looks like you're doing a step routine on a stage in front of an audience!

I like how the balance board tracks your center. I lean to my right quite a bit due to an old ankle injury and I like seeing that I'm actually working towards maintaining a balance between left and right.

The gym is boring where the strength and yoga exercises are led by a trainer. I think they could have livened up the rooms and made it more visually appealing. The graphics in other sections are better, but nothing like a realistic PSP or XBox game.

The tracking portion isn't quite as handy as I thought it would be. When you weigh yourself, it tells you what your BMI is, and the boys are upset that I'm not "normal." Yea, me too boys! I really don't need to hear the chirpy voice tell me I'm obese every time I start up.

I also wish I could speed things along and not have to listen to the same thing or wait through the same graphics to get back to actual movement. It makes it impossible to flow through a yoga routine, for instance, because of the long pauses between each move. I wish I could choose 5 moves to go through and create my own routine. I wish this was possible in more places as well -- kinda like you can create a circuit in the Olympics game.

All that being said, I do think it was worth the $90 we spent on it, just for the fun of competition between us all.

saw our truck

DH & I were able to take a look at our truck yesterday at the collision shop. It was emptied of all the contents (well, except for a set of old jumper cables, LOL) and there was about $5,000 worth of damage done to it. Apparently, Dodge Rams are pretty easy to break into! The adjuster showed us the small dent by the door handle where they jimmy something there to pop the lock.

It could have been worse, and we're grateful that it can be repaired and that we have insurance. The boys are upset about the loss and are angry that someone would take our things that DH has worked so hard for. We're upset as well, but maybe we're just more resigned about the situation.

We rented a Toyota Prius and that's been a good experience! It's too small to become our family car, but it's been great for DH to drive for work until the truck is repaired. I was worried that it wouldn't drive well on the freeway, but it drives just fine! If we had the extra money, we'd consider getting one for his work vehicle. Gas mileage is about 45 mpg! The trunk is a good size and it's comfortable to ride in. They say it's a 5 passenger vehicle, but I can't imagine the kids would be very comfortable in the back seat - especially with L's car seat.

vocations

We have an order of Poor Clare nuns in the area who have a neat website and a blog to boot! They recently revised their site to include vocation stories, which I found very interesting.

Kelly? Is your oldest still sometimes thinking of a vocation as a nun? I thought of you/her when I was reading their recent blog entries.

July Projects

Oh, my! Someone doing a search linked to this post and I just re-read my to-do list of projects for last July. I am embarrassed to realize that I barely made a dent in that list during the last YEAR and I thought I'd get to all of them in the month of July! LOLOLOLOLOL

The boys' bedrooms, living room, kitchen and front door DID get painted. The hallway and 2nd bath have not been painted yet.

We still have the same area rug in the living room. It was steam cleaned, though.

The homeschooling cabinets are too high for me to use comfortably and they still haven't been moved since we haven't painted the hallway. The desk in the hallway was cleared off, but it's a pile of stuff again.

The kitchen cabinets still need to be de-cluttered. I did a couple cabinets and a couple drawers, but more can be done in there.

I haven't touched my CD project since I was pregnant.

TODAY I threw a bunch of towels into a box. More needs to be removed from the linen closet. For some reason I have enough towels for a football team. I'm going to pare it down so that we have 2 towels per person. Maybe 3. We really don't need more!

I do have plants in both planters by my front door. A rosemary bush, and an oregano plant that needs watering.

The children's books have multiplied and still aren't organized. UGH.

I haven't touched my home management binder since last summer. The recent theft has me regretting that, but hopefully I'll find the desire to work on that project again.

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but maybe it'll motivate me to get on the ball! There are more things that need to be added, like:

Cull clothes that no longer fit the boys or L and find NEW HOMES for them. I'm not saving any more children's clothes! I found 4 big bins of clothes the boys wore in their toddler years and about 6 pieces that will be appropriate for L to wear.

Clean out our office so it can become a bedroom for L. This is a huge project and I think I will just start filling garbage bags and hope I don't throw out anything of too much importance.

That's enough or I'll just depress myself!

yummy banana bread

This chocolate banana bread from Cooking Light is yummy!! I have made it many times, given it as gifts and everyone always enjoys it!

I don't have many leftover bananas these days because L loves to eat them, but I recently put a couple aside just so I could make a loaf!