Summer Schedule... a Work in Progress

So here's the first draft of our summer schedule.  Not a lot of bells and whistles, but I find the more simple things are, the most likely we are to use them.  I made it from a old cork board, frames from the Dollar Store left over from a Cub Scout project, and clip art I found in Word.  I definitely need to find thinner dry erase markers and it needs some sort of title... but it's a start! Our next step will be to add a list of summer rules, but the kiddos are going to help come up with those.

Six Month Photoshoot

It's about time I posted these.  After spending far too many hours on Pinterest looking for props and ideas for our 6 month photo shoot, I shared my findings with our photographer.  She did a fantastic job of working with us for more than two hours.  Connell was a trooper and the results are adorable!  These are just a few of my favorites.  Mudpies N Butterflies was truly great to work with.

Now I have to start looking for photos ideas for our 12 month shots!  

Rainy Days

David is out of town.  There's some kind of Ruby on Rails conference in Portland. (Ruby on Rails always makes me think of Dorothy chasing down a train... little red slippers click-click-clicking away on the tracks.)  Anyway, I always find myself feeling like my left arm is missing when he's out of town.  This is what I'm doing to survive day 1.  The baby is sound asleep in the car, the drive thru Starbucks chickies are starting to know me by name, the wifi reaches the driveway, and the rain is lulling me to sleep.

Friday seems really far away.

Smoothies and Frozen Fun!

At nearly 9 months old, Connell has decided he's going on the typical baby hunger strike.  Initially I was concerned, as I always am when my kids go through this phase.  However, with the lovely new baby food guidelines allowing yogurt, I decided to see if I could sneak something other than breast milk into my teething munchkin's diet.

Today's smoothie ingredients.  They vary all the time.

 I seldom, if ever, take the time to measure things while cooking for the family.  Why do anything differently when it comes to the baby, right?  So I can't offer you exact measurements.  But I can tell you it's wicked easy.  

Combine:

• Two big spoonfuls of whole milk yogurt (Stoneyfield Farms Organic Whole Milk)
• Half of a very ripe banana (the riper the better)
• Handful of frozen berries 
• Roughly a quarter cup of whole grain baby cereal (Earth's Best is my favorite)
• a half jar of something green (homemade works, too!)
• and enough white grape juice to make it smooth 

(Note:  Freeze the other half of the banana and jar o' green for future smoothies.  You can freeze the rest of the juice, but I don't usually bother with that.)

Toss it all in the Baby Bullet (purchased at a consignment shop for half the retail cost.  Woo!  A blender would work just as well.).  Whirl until it's smooth.  Watch for pesky frozen berries that refuse to cooperate.

Toss it in.

Blend until smooth.

Pour into two cups.

 This usually makes two smoothies and as long as they're kept in the fridge, they will last for two days without a problem.  My favorite smoothie cups are the Take and Toss Straw Cups by The First Years.  The straws are nice and wide, which accomodate the slightly thicker texture of a smoothie.

See?  Smiley babies LOVE smoothies!  

Now, I know not all babies willingly use a straw.  Connell is a little unusual in that regard.  So here's another way to get the goodness of a smoothie into your happy little hunger striker:

Munchkin makes great molds with rounded handles, perfect for little fingers.  I highly suggest offering this treat on a hot day and right before bath time.  They're great for teething, too.  We've had success with freezing left over smoothie and homemade applesauce.

Other smoothie options:  mango, peaches, spinach, green beans, peas, avocado, carrots, prunes, apples, sweet potatoes... well, you get the picture.  Anything goes!

Enjoy!

Sweet 16

On the eve of her 16th birthday, Jillian looked at a crying Connell and sighed.

"I don't know how you put up with this all day."

"What?"

"The crying and holding and whining."

I wasn't sure how to explain it to her.  Her life experience hasn't taught her the giving end of momma-love.  So I tried.

"You were like this.  And every second was worth it.  I mean, you're pretty amazing, right?"

"Eh."

"Oh shush.  You're amazing.  I think so.  Dad thinks so.  Your aunts thing so.  It's common knowledge.  So I manage the crying and whining and holding because I know the end result is worth every gray hair."

My Bookends playing dress up.

Email Organization

Day #7 requests I de-clutter my email.  Mastered this ages ago.  Because I rock.  And I'm married to a software developer.  And I've adopted some of his OCD tendencies.  Also my email is really lame these days... it's not like the Gymboree ads need a response or I have to reply to the mass email from Girl Scouts.  But anyway, things are filtered and logged and read and sorted and deleted and... yeah, you get the picture.

On a totally different note, I'm writing from the bookstore.  This is a rare and kind of fun thing.  No kids.  I escaped for a few hours without the lovely little nose miners.  However, I've noticed I can't turn my ears off.  I listen to EVERYTHING.  Right now I'm completely aware of the three conversations going on around me (darling teenage girl trying to prove that she would make a good Buddhist  a flamboyant chess game, and a debate over the merits of whipped cream on a latte.).  The music is playing.  And the woman in front of me is chewing gum.  Oh, and Mumfort and Sons was just playing, but now it's some disappointing pop nonsense.  I should bring headphones and block the world out...

Following Instructions Isn't My Strong Suit

minimalistparenting.com

On Day #6, I was challenged to de-clutter for 15 minutes and take before and after pictures.  Only, as usual, I didn't follow directions beyond "de-clutter" and "pictures".  I chose the room that was giving me the biggest heartache, dragged the fellas with me, and had at it. 

I give you - much to my embarrassment - the before pictures of my 9 year old's room.

Now, I realize it doesn't look terrible.  (Okay, it really does, but I'm talking myself out of deleting this entire post).  Graham was sent upstairs before I snapped these pictures to scoop up all of his dirty laundry and trash.  So these pictures actually look pretty mild compared to the reality that had been his room for several weeks.

So David, Graham, and I set to work.  David and I have very different approaches to chaos.  The first thing I did was gather up all the books I could find and start sorting and organizing the bookshelf.  I make quick decisions and toss anything damaged or useless (completely colored coloring books, for instance.)  I need to finish one thing at a time so I can look back and say, "Progress!  We're making progress!" when I feel frustrated by a project.  David, on the other had, examines each object on the floor, determines its potential usefulness, life expectancy, and coolness factor.  Then, after careful consideration, he moves things into piles.  I think we drive each other crazy.

In the end, though, the rooms looks like it should.  Now I just need to finally buckle down and buy the kid some curtains.  We refinished the room in July.  It's probably about time I do that, eh?

I probably missed the point of the "15 minute de-clutter" assignment, but I'll try that approach again another time.  Right now I'm going to revel in clean.  For a day or two, at least.