We Need Your Opinion

Have you ever woken up and thought, "My bedroom needs a new color paint?" So you go to Home Depot and you look at the paint swatches and try to decide what would be cool.

But then your two friends are there, and they spend a lot of time in your house and you want them to have input too. But nobody is "OMG!" excited about the same paint.

Welcome to our world. I (Liz) am tired of the blog's look. It needs a makeover (especially after this week's "code takes over the home page" fiasco which has caused the current template choice). So I started looking at templates and sent some to Robyn and Lisa. The ones Lisa loved, Robyn "meh"d and vice versa. You try getting three chicks to agree on one template!

So we're turning to you, our readers. The ones who, you know, look at the blog. Four options. Choose your fave and comment with "blue," "yellow," "pink," or "rainbow."

"Blue"

"Yellow"

"Pink"

"Rainbow"

What We Learned This Week - September 8th Edition

Another day another dollar...what did you learn this week?

Robyn: 

1. I've learned about a gadget update: I receive deals via email for local stuff. This week, I opened my inbox to find a car seat swivel tray on sale. Are you thinking car seat for a child? That's what I thought! So they can sit quietly in the backseat and eat their happy meal while mommy is driving with hands at 10 and 2, playing her favorite tunes! Hold up, that's not what's going down...EVER! (Just trying to be real here) Seriously, But NO! This is a seat swivel tray that attaches to the cup holders, that the driver can vegetate off of while commuting. To the purchasers of such ridiculousness: Eat up Fatties. Nobody will be surprised if you drive off a cliff while texting from your swivel tray, either! SMH.

2. I've learned how much busier life can get in the matter of a week. I got a call with a really good job offer starting in a few weeks (which puts 3 out of 4 kids in daycare, and time for running errands on the weekends, and finishing up my degree next year...) teenage turd has extra curricular stuff 3 nights a week, husband is finishing his masters degree (2 nights a week), and T-Ball starts in 3 weeks for kinder turd. I guess that leaves one thing for me to do...put on my cape and rock this! 

3. Last but not least, I've learned to take time for myself. Even if it's while the baby is napping during the week (that 'sleep when the baby does' advice is not for me!) 30-45 minutes of Insanity has given me a huge burst of energy throughout the day. Plus, i notice that the floor needs to be swept while doing pushups! Right after, I am like jello going up the stairs. But, it's motivation to not be a dent in the couch while lactic acid is building up in my muscles (that's where soreness comes from) I push through the workout and hmm...the house has been cleaner and laundry has been done since Tuesday! Imagine that! Plus, a mani-pedi Sat morning totally went down! Ahhh(sigh of relief), clean house and polished toes...this mama's in total bliss!!!

Lisa:

1. The girls were having a hard time with this move. They were very sad about the old house, so we got them to help with packing things into the truck, so they could get some sense of closure. They said their goodbyes to the house this morning and are asleep now in their new room in the new house. Feels good to know just how resilient they are. 

2. It's ok to take a break. Part of being pregnant is getting easily exhausted and for me a huge problem. I feel like I don't do enough, that I could be doing more to help out, and I find myself on the brink of exhaustion. With everything going on here, I realized that I was doing a lot and I should take it easier. I took some breaks but still a managed to help a bit. Now, if I could only find a long-lasting cure for cankles!! Yeah right. 

3. Neighbors are interesting people! Our old neighbors, which were awesome, could barely say bye to us today as we loaded our last boxes into the truck. We didn't realize how good we'd been as neighbors, until half our block came to wish us good luck. It was intense to say the least! At the new house, we met the new neighbors en masse and they were wonderful! They even brought us a treat as a welcome to the neighborhood. It felt nice but overwhelming to be welcomed that warmly. Always a good thing to learn that there are still really good people around. Now, if I could just figure out their quirks, we're in business.

Liz:
1) I've learned that I can sometimes be a hypocrite. My completed dissertation was due Friday (a schedule that I created myself at the start of this quarter). I got it submitted Friday at 4:22 p.m. I busted butt working on it all this week (even though I did work on it for about 30 minutes a day for the two weeks before that). A former student heard that I had submitted it just under the wire and said, "Huh Liz, you always tell us not to procrastinate but..." And she's right. For most things I'm not a procrastinator but for some reason I'm just tired of this dissertation. I'm ready to be DONE.

2) Sage (14 months) is droppin' the science on us - this kid is spitting out words left and right like it's no 'thang. This past week? Chicken, Mickey (Mouse), dog, ball, go (used contextually correctly), down...that's all I can think of for now. It's amazing how different two children from the same household can be. Silas said "ball" at 12 months and that was it for a while. Child #2 has the advantage of having three role models for language (and behavior) rather than just the 2 that Child #1 had.

3) After going back to work full time (after a summer of teaching just two online classes) I've realized I cannot keep up the pace I had during the summer. Laundry, dishes, cooking, diaper laundry (including wool washing and lanolinizing), grocery shopping, cleaning...after working 40+ hours (many from home at night) is not as simple as it was during the summer. I feel badly, but I'm considering finding someone to come clean the house once a week. Why do I feel bad? For some reason I feel as if I should be able to cut it myself (those damned "shoulds").

4) I need a motivator. Our race got cancelled (the race Robyn and I were supposed to run next Saturday). I'm bummed. Now we need to find another one to register for. I have to say this has slightly decreased my motivation to go running and work out in general. Bummer.

What about you, what have you learned this week?

If You Give A Mom A Saturday...

If you had the whole day with no children, how ever would you entertain yourself?!

Liz:

Sleep late. Even if I woke up early I'd still loll in bed for another 30 minutes checking email, then I'd get up and go to Starbucks for a White Mocha and some vanilla bean scones. Then I'd slowly make my way around Target and Lush and buy fun Mommy things. I'd browse a bookstore. I'd get some lunch at Jimmy John's (love their sandwiches) and call Robyn to see if she was home. If she was I'd go hang with them for a bit. If they weren't, I'd probably go to a movie (a new Vin Diesel movie would be good) and have dinner at Alamo Draft House. Then I'd go to bed early. I. Am. A. Rockstar.

Robyn: 

Wake up early in the late springtime. (No, I'm not crazy!) I'd be the first in line at Michael Kors to browse, try on and buy the perfect bag. Then, I'd peruse around with my new buy and a tall skinny caramel latte with an extra shot of espresso. (Hell yes to caffiene if not BF'ing) From there, I'd go home, change into a tank top, jeans, a bandana and boots. Only to climb on the back of Mike's Harley. Id slap on some sunscreen and strap my helmet down. We'd ride around all afternoon into the early evening, stopping for beers at random dive bars to quench our thirst. Meeting our friends along the way, and stopping at The Salt Lick in Driftwood for some rockin' BBQ would top of my perfect day!

Lisa: have some time for uninterrupted reading. I don't want to get up to fix anyone a sandwich, or cleanup the latest mess. I just want to lose myself in a good book and enjoy the day that way. That would be the most perfect Saturday!! Ever.


Your turn!! Tell the Mamas what your idea of an awesome Saturday sans kids would be. 

Night Time Cloth Diapering - What Works for Us

Most parents who cloth diaper eventually realize that cloth diapering (CDing) at night can be a challenge. After 3 years and two children, I (Liz) have found what works for us. But what works for one child may not work for another. Some kiddos are heavy wetters. Some kids change what works for them at different parts of their small lives. So what have worked for your littles?

Liz: Silas (age 3) was almost always a heavy wetter. For most of his diapering nights I used Sustainablebabyish (Sbish) organic bamboo fitteds (OBFs), a Gen-Y Classic cover (a PUL waterproof cover), and Sbish wool of some sort (shorties or covers mostly). If I didn't use the PUL layer then I would have to wash wet bedsheets every night but now that he's almost potty trainined, he can go without the PUL layer. For Sage (14m) I used the same combo until he finally slept through the night. I realized that the PUL layer was probably making him hot so he'd wake up, so I only use an OBF and lanolinized wool for Sage for nighttime.

Lisa: I had a challenge with overnight diapering because both girls were in cloth diapers at the same time. Eep! Pixy(then 2) and Banshee( then infant) had very different body types: one was skinny-Minnie and the other was built like a quarterback--even in infancy! I found the best thing for both was a Tiny Tush OS pocket diaper, stuffed with the Tiny Tush inserts and an additional Joeybunz hemp insert. It was bulletproof, as it kept Pixy's toddler pee from saturating her diaper, and it kept Banshee dry and comfortable through most of the night(or at least through that nighttime feeding). Nighttime diapering is probably the part that takes the most experimentation, since no child is the same. Even in the same family! 

Robyn- So far, we are only 2 months into CD'ing with baby #4. Thankfully, she is not an overflowing waterfall of a mess at night. The boys, on the other hand, would have to be pointed down (hey, that's important!) and changed every two hours. Their kidneys functioned at full capacity!!! For Reagan, we use a fitted cloth pocket diaper, with an insert. Then, we use an old school, white plastic cover to keep in the wetness. It holds up overnight, so we must be doing something right. Holla!

What has worked well for your CD'd little one? Share with us in the comments - give some new options to some mamas who may be tired of the wet sheets!

Thank you, Freecycle!

Everyone has their vice/addiction/ what have you. For most Mamas, its the lure of the Target bulls-eye, or fashion, or shoes...for me, lately, it has been Freecycle.

Freecycle is an online group, specific to the area in which you live in, where you reuse, recycle, and repair items that someone is giving away. Why buy new, right? There are no strings attached. All items posted on there by your neighbors are free, the only stipulation is that you show up to pick things up, as you promise. No-shows are in bad taste and believe me, you'd think that just the word FREE would get people over fast enough..but you still have some folks that forget. Sigh!

Lately, with this move, Freeccyle has been my very best friend. I look at things that I won't need in the new house and immediately hop on the computer to offer up the item in the hopes that someone wants it. I want to say that I'm on there every day posting things right and left. It feels good to purge the house and know that someone will use it. I mean, who WANTS to take a trip to the landfill and throw out everything? I know I don't have the time to do that, even if I wanted to right now.

I've scored some cool things from there too! I got a vintage school desk from a Freecycler, a step stool for the potty, a deck toy box, some patio furniture, a twin bedframe, and homeschool materials. It really is easy to do and living in a green community like mine, there is lots of action. So, if you're patient enough, and are willing to put a bit of elbow grease into an item you acquire, you can end up with an awesome score too.

Today, I've posted some kitchen goods, a dining room table and chairs, and some extra cleaning supplies. The dining room set is the only one left. Not bad, for a mornings work. Not bad at all.

Have you used Freecycle? What awesome thing did you score? If you haven't joined your local Freecycle group, here's a link, GO JOIN!: 
http://www.freecycle.org/

It's tough being a rock star!

My husband is a rock star. Seriously! He is music's Clark Kent or a robot (we will stick with the Superman thing, I think): he works a great job as a Navy Band musician during the day, but at night he is a freelance musician, mostly working for the awesome group The OJays. Tonight is no exception...he's already on the road into DC for an OJays gig.

It is a great gig for him! He gets to play great music with other musician friends, have a "break" from his crazy work routine, and get to do what he loves. Notice, that I didn't mention our little wolfpack on that sentence. I'm not going to lie, it is tough on me sometimes. Part of me wants to be sitting on the amps listening to the show, but the reality is that nighttime is my break from the day-to-day shuffle. I look forward to sitting on my rocking chair and devouring a novel, but it is difficult on nights that he is away on a gig. The girls know he is gone, get upset he won't put them to bed, and go through periods of wakefulness asking if he has come home yet. Sigh!

While I know that days like today are tough on me, they are doubly hard on him. He often feels like he is a stranger in our little group. He is up and out the door at the crack of dawn for the Navy, often being the first in the building, and is the last at leaving his job too. So, the sad reality is that we don't see him very much and when we do get a chance to see him....well, it feels like we're playing catch-up. It definitely puts us in a hard spot as parents, because it can get difficult to keep up with routines, and even harder to discipline. It is quite confusing for all of us. Add to his crazy schedule some nighttime gigs, and it is a whirlwind.

Good thing about this, is that for the most part we discipline the same way. Sometimes just a look is needed and that's enough to get the little monsters to behave. Where it gets crazy is that there might be things that the girls do that are allowed by me and not so much by him. Granted, there has not been that many incidents but as I write this, I remember the night where the girls asked for a quick five minutes playing with their dolls before bed. Granted, it was already a little past their bedtime, they had already bathed and dressed for bed, but they had been in the car a lot that day. I had been running errands and they were having a little bit of a hard time settling down...it made sense to let them okay for five minutes. Daddy did not agree and let them know so. Off to bed they went and it took them a whole two hours to settle down to sleep. I think the look I gave him said it all, but I didn't want to say anything out loud because I could tell he felt bad, especially after the zillionth time that the girls called me into their room to help them with blankets.

This is our norm. We try to get routines down and live around his schedule- he is on duty every day, rain or shine. It does get confusing but the thought of asking him to give up anything related to his music is something we would never do to him. It is his outlet, his gift, and he has to use it. We are so proud of him for all his accomplishments with his job, with his music, and all while providing the best life he can for all of us--he really is Superman. But, as everyone knows, even Superman has a bad day and as I see him get dressed for another gig, I feel bad for him. We've agreed though, that we are going to try our best to keep him more included in our daily successes and failures, so that he doesn't feel like he's a stranger in the house. It makes for lots of text messages, phone calls, and pictures during the day, but I'm sure he appreciates it. It makes for good stories! I mean, who doesn't want to call their Dad to tell them they grabbed a worm, or ate some delicious ice cream? We're making it work, day by day, for all of us. Just add love, laughter, and mayhem. Sounds good to me.

Have you ever been in this position? How did you include your partner in your day-to-day? 

What We Learned This Week (August 25th Edition)

Do these weeks fly by for anyone else? It seemed like it was just yesterday we were writing one of these things. So without further adieu, I give you...the Mamas.

What did you learn this week?

Lisa:

I was able to enjoy a little bit of down time from the move and went with the family to the Renaissance Faire. We had a blast! The Sailor and the girls got to ride on an elephant together, the girls got to hold a snake, we ate yummy food, and took a picture with King Henry and Queen Katherine. I got to see the Sailor smile a lot and that was worth all the money in the world! He has been having a tough time being busy and it was nice to see him let loose a bit.

I splurged a bit and bought Cubby a little gift for his arrival in December. This is HUGE because I am a wee bit superstitious, and I generally wait to see if everything is completely all right before I go nuts nesting. All is fine with the bloke, so I figured it was ok to get him a little something to match his old man once he comes out.

I learned that I still love back-to-school time. I got a rush out of walking into the school building and seeing all the classrooms ready for the children...until I remembered that this is the year that both girls will be out of the house for most of the day. Then, I got a little sad. Banshee will be attending a morning preschool and Pixy will be in Kindergarten. What will I do after I drop everyone off?! Aaaah! I quickly recovered as I will still have a new house to put together when the girls are in school, but it was just another new beginning to think about. Bittersweet those new beginnings, eh? ;)

Robyn: 

There IS hope for my teenager! He started showering (regularly, YAY!). For clarification, I mean normal showering. Like, stepping foot INTO the shower, soaping up the ENTIRE body, and thoroughly scrubbing his head. (Not just the hairs, you must wash the scalp, dude!) This used to be a daily struggle. His argument was 'you never told me that'. Gee, would you like me to be in the bathroom and SHOW you exactly how to bathe? Didn't think so. We dyed his hair (goth black was his choice) and now he's ready to start high school. I cannot confirm or deny anything about the basket of strategically placed condoms on his dresser with a candy bar with a note saying: "Be safe, or you will be kicked to the Milky Way" 

Tomorrow is the first day of school! (YESSSS!!!!) It's really bittersweet, because its not that I want the cute little turds to be out of the house. Okay, who am I kidding, that's half of it. But the other half of it is that I learned about myself. I realized how much I miss making them treats for when they get home from school. Seriously, what's better than coming home to the smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies on the first day of school? Uh, maybe seeing those suckers on a plate with some milk at your place at the table?  Best way to sit and do homework yo! 

Both Sean and Kasen are a little too young to completely comprehend the concept of breastfeeding. Wow, say that 3 times fast. Well, they don't know the schmatics. Like, that milk actually comes out of nipples to feed babies. They just know that their sister gets hungry. She cries. Mommy covers up with a blanket. About 10 min later, Reagan emerges again and TA-DA, now she's happy!  I'd hate to scar my kids for life, so I'm not gonna show them specifics with my own jugs. This week, Sean saw Reagan with just a diaper on. He lifted up his shirt, pointed to his nipples and said "Baby has mine right mom." Yes, Sean. Reagan has nipples just like you. "She want to eat like  mwah mwah," duck face in full force. "C'mahhhhhhhn. Lemme try. I can do it". Ah, crap! *Dont over-react (I told myself) he's just trying to help.* Nope son, Mommy's got this. "Why?" There's not enough money in the world for the life-long counseling you both would need. Love you buddy.

Liz:

This week has been what we call "Faculty Week." It's a week of meetings and short blocks of time (snicker) for faculty to prepare (prep) their classes that start next week. Monday was a 3 hour meeting, Tuesday 1 hour, Thursday 2 hour, and Friday 3.5 hour. I was trying to make sure I stayed on my running schedule as well (and pick up little boys by 4:30). So more than once I considered skipping meetings to prep classes. But I didn't and I'm glad I didn't. During Friday's meeting I was awarded an Excellence in Teaching award - imagine if I hadn't been there. I'm sure my office mate would have yelled from the back of the auditorium, "She's in the office prepping!" Note to self. No skippy meetings.

I re-learned I have massive respect for (good) daycare providers. These people amazingly patiently hang with our Littles for hours a day. I took the boys to the Children's Museum for 2 hours with 3 other adults and I am nap ready.

I wanted to take a minute to recognize our amazing readers, friends, and family members. We were nominated for a blogging award last weekend and started off in 49th place (out of like 52 blogs). We're now in 8th. You. Guys. Rock. Keep up the amazingness.

What did you learn about life, yourself, your family, or anything else for that matter this week? If it's funny we especially want to hear it. We like funny. Be sure to leave your story in the Comments at the end of this post.

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The Haunted Baby Monitor

It's the witching hour, 3am, and a male voice that wasn't my husband's woke me up. This had been going on for a while, and just when I was awake enough to investigate, the voice would fade away into nothing. Talk about living in your own personal horror movie.

It took me a while, but one night, I managed to stay up and wait for the voice. The clock struck 3:00am and bam!! Like magic, the voice came through the baby monitor. Did I panic? Nope. Mainly, because I could see the girls' room from my room and I knew no one was in there. I quieted my breathing and I solved the mystery. My baby monitor was picking up radio waves and the voice I was hearing was a DJ from Tennessee!!! Unbelievable, right? After the initial shock wore off, it was actually a lot of fun listening to the show as I drifted off to sleep.

Next night,as a storm raged outside, I heard something else coming over the baby monitor. It was a radio station from Cuba. That night was beyond wonderful. I listened to music that reminded me of being back home in Puerto Rico, and the soothing tones of people speaking Spanish from the Caribbean. It is completely different in its tones, rhythm, and meaning. I fell asleep listening to old school boleros and I had the sweetest dreams ever. This was awesome, I was hooked! I needed to wake up every night and listen to whatever was streaming through my monitor.

Since it was raining, I figured that the next night, I would pick up the Cuban station again. I was disappointed because I got a station from Kentucky. It was mostly a talk show, but I did listen for a bit. It quickly turned into a habit, this nightly surprise over the monitor. I really did look forward to waking up at 3am and listen to whatever was streaming live. It was fun!

Of course, every once in a while, I would cringe because I would read articles on how baby monitors would pick up random phone conversations, or in the case of the video monitors, someone else could peek in on your baby. If I was hearing radio stations over my monitor, were other people hearing things over theirs?

Truth is, I didn't worry about it too much. I talked to a friend of mine who likes to use old radios to listen to radio shows from all over the place. He said that at one time, he would drive to a special spot up on a hill just so he could catch a different station from his car. Talk about a fun night!!

Am I gonna go out and get a radio? Not yet. I think I will use my monitor as my tool for now. It has many uses: listening in on the girls to make sure they're ok is a huge one. Maybe eventually, I might turn this into a real hobby. For now, I will just wake up at 3am and listen in on whatever station my monitor happens to catch. I'm crossing my fingers that tonight is the night that I catch that one station that's strong enough to be "caught" by the monitor every night. I love listening to the radio...even if it is an unconventional one.

Do you have a nighttime routine or something that helps you sleep? What is it?

Things We Learned This Week (August 18th edition)

The Mamas are back with what they learned this week. In no particular order they are...

Robyn:

1. Sean made a new best friend with a frog he found. I know this because he asked if his friend could come inside. He proceeds to come in with his hands behind his back, head to the side, and til-toe'ing (I think to try and go unnoticed.. "Nice try mister. Where's your friend, Sean?" He opens his hands literally 2 inches from my eyes and yells "TA-DA!". Whoa kiddo! Now, we get to work on a personal bubble lesson :) He grabbed a bug jar, and headed out the back door. When he went to revisit him later that afternoon, he learned a lesson. Frogs that are left in a jar in Texas heat end up looking like tanned leather! Yes, my son fried his bestie. Instead of offerering to have frog legs for dinner, i offered my motherly version of a service. We had a burial with plastic shovels and a tree limb cross... RIP Froggie. BTW, Kasen is still upset and crying about their loss.

2. Halloween e-mails have been flooding my inbox this week. Not to mention any names...*Ahem* Spirit Halloween *Cough*... 3 emails a day is too much when were still trying to focus on back to school at the moment. Seriously, calm your pants down.

3. When your teen is in their room with the door closed: always, always, ALWAYS knock. Then, WAIT for a response before entering. Some things cannot be erased from a parents'mind.

4. Lastly, I started wearing pre-pregnancy shorts this week. Well, let me clarify. I wear them around the house ONLY. The muffin top is too big to go public, but I consider it motivation to eat the right stuff. It's easier to eat fat foods (woot woot for cheesecake!) in fat pants (Victoria Secret sweats, anyone?) than fat foods in skinny shorts (dont wanna bust those Jessica Simpson forever cuff shorts at the seams!) BUT, id rather be a skinny biotch than natty fatty, so here's to almond butter and celery sticks, folks!

It was a rough week, but nothing that a long run and a beer can't fix. Here's to this week!

Lisa:

1) Took a trip to my happy place, Amish Country in PA, and went completely unplugged. It was so refreshing. We all rebooted, ate delicious food, played with our friends, and had a blast.

2) The spawn are ready for school. They have all their supplies, their clothes and shoes....now, the incessant whining to get to school NOW has begun. Not sure whether to be happy or just shake my head at all of it.

3) Sailor has started to play with my baby bump every single time he enters the room I am in. He shakes the tummy and tries to get Cubby to move around, which always works. They're banding together already. Very, very dangerous!

4) Never assume that your littles don't eavesdrop on your conversations. They seriously know everything. I overheard the girls mentioning to the Sailor my plans for his birthday. They told him everything: dinner plans, presents, special day trip or something....ALL of it. Lesson: close the door or wait until they're napping. Meanwhile, I have to find a way to change all birthday plans, so the Sailor is surprised still. Sigh!

Liz:
1) The easiest way to get Silas to eat something is to threaten to eat it yourself.  Obviously this only works if I'll actually eat it.

2) If you don't want an infant to play with something, ignore their attempts to play with it otherwise they'll find the value you do in it and continue to go after it. My friend Michelle has an amazing tea set from her travels on a low shelf. Silas broke a cup 2 years ago. Sage is after the rest. Incessantly.

3) It's not really something I learned, more of something I remembered this week: I miss my friends in Victoria. Being here for a little bit makes me remember what it was like to have lots of people around to talk to and hang out with <3

4) Silas told me this morning, "I can't have a banana! I'll get big!" That's the goal right? So don't eat bananas, you'll get big. Then as Mike was walking in from just waking up Silas said, "Look! It has a 'dicker for me!" meaning the sticker on the bananas. Ummm, he started. "Sticker babe."

What did you learn this week? Anything fun? Share it with us! We love to learn new things too.

My wool dryer ball frustration

I think the scream I let out as I opened the dryer door probably frightened the neighbors. It happened again!!! My wool dryer balls unwound and practically disintegrated into my dryer. I usually have 6 in there, but now its down to a lonely 3...clearly not enough. Man! I really didn't want to send off for another bunch of them, as all the ones I've been getting have had some issue with them. If you had asked me this afternoon, I would have said 'forget this Eco-crunchiness, I'm gonna let the dryer take up its whole drying time!'. Silly of me, right?

Truth is, I was disappointed because I have really tried to remain Eco-friendly throughout the years. I have microfiber rags in the kitchen(I still use paper towels but a roll lasts me a while), cleaning products that are safe for the environment(i even use some old time fixes: basil leaves as ant repellent), we cloth diaper our children, use natural light during the day and rarely use the lights--you get the idea. So, having been told that wool dryer balls would lessen my drying time, therefore reducing the amount of energy I used, sounded really good. I jumped in and found that they really did help drying time, especially on thick diapers! It all went pretty well for about 3 years and then...the unraveling began, the loss of fragrance in the dryer ball...you name it! Everything was wrong. I hadn't changed my drying routine or my washing routine, so what was going on?

My frustration was quietly building up. Yes, I was frustrated at the dryer balls, but I was also frustrated that I was all worked up over wool dryer balls?! Who is this woman and what have you done with the real Lisa? Sheesh! I was watching my budget on household supplies vanish on dryer balls. They come in different colors, sizes, some are felted, some are just natural and wound. The options are endless and sometimes, overwhelming. No wonder there's all this frustration in the air.

I really didn't know what else to do but give up on this Eco-friendly adventure. Until...in a conversation with the other Mamas around the House, which I swear could have been written by Mel Brooks, I found out that I wasn't alone. The wool dryer balls were failing them too! Haha!! I really did feel relief at that, as silly as that sounds. It was a legitimate concern for other people as well. I wasn't hyper focusing on something small. Yay!

 So, how does a MATH(Mama Around The House) deal with such a huge problem? We buy a whole bunch of dryer balls  and test them out, then share the results. I hope that I find a solution to my dryer ball problem soon. I also hope that I haven't lost my edge. (Confession: I am listening to Type O Negative as I write this, just in case I've gone soft. Haha!) Has having children changed me so much that I worry over things like wool dryer balls? Probably, I guess I'm not sure. What I do know, is that I will be doing some product reviewing in my future, so I can find the right product for me. That must count for something!!

Have you tried to be Eco-friendly? What has worked for you? Has having children made you Eco-conscious? 

Things We Learned This Week (August 11, 2013 edition)

What have the mamas learned about life, parenting, and the mix this week? Read on. At the end feel free to add what you've learned by adding a comment - we'd love to hear from you!

Robyn:

1. Forceable love

My 14 year old son, Bailey, and 5 year old son, Kasen, have had some difficulty getting along lately. They bicker and complain constantly (ex."He hates me" "No I don't" "Yes you do" "No I don't" "You said you did" "No I didn't") I now know how my mother felt all those years that my brother and I did the same thing. It just makes me want to pull my hair out, and lock them in a closet with a juice box and some Cheetos until they work it out themselves! DING!!!  In my head, my creative parenting lightning bolt turns on. I'll make them work together. Instead of being a bully, I offered the choice of being grounded for electronics for a week (which is like death according to my teen) or to teach his brother some board games. They both didnt want to do it, cried like babies, and then an hour later, I hear laughter. Ahhh...Bliss! Then today, they even hugged each other!  Mom-1, kids-0

2. Put that thing away!

 I'm always looking at the newest things people come up with. Gadgets and gizmos of plenty...whozits and whatzits galore (can you name the Disney movie? Little Mermaid!) It never fails that every time I see a 'as seen on TV' item in the local grocery store, I think two things: 1. OMG I NEED THAT! 2. Does it really work? Reality sets in with thought #2, and then I turn and walk away. The latest seen gadget blew my mind. Have you heard of mouth guards? What about toe guards? What about CAMEL TOE GUARDS? That's right ladies. I've learned that there IS such a thing. You can get your very own Cuchini! Your 'V' cleavage is noticed, but you should buy bigger yoga pants or (seriously) hide that shit. Or maybe you like to advertise that moose knuckle. But please, I beg of you do everyone else a favor and buy a Cuchini!

3. What's really in BC?

Taking birth control in the pill form sucks. It's not the physically taking it part that's bothersome. It's the remembering to take it. Everyday. Around the same time. I can barely remember if I showered and brushed my teeth today! As I was taking my vitamins and BC in the dark kitchen the other night, I felt a pill slip and heard it hit the floor. Oh No! Instantly, I hit the ground like a soldier in the field. Trying to get eye level with the tile, my husband says, "What are you doing?" I frantically replied "I dropped my BC. I have to find it. We can't have another baby! I need it. Help me please! Gotta find it (as I'm bearcrawling through my kitchen)" To which he says "Huh. Maybe BC really does have crack in it."

Lisa:
1) Hard work really does pay off. I worked hard on a photobook for Banshee's first official year of school and it turned out really great. Better than I expected. Seriously loving on Shutterfly right now!

2)Sometimes taking a break just to play together is a blessing in disguise. We all decided to hang out in our bed and have a tickle fight. It was awesome and gave us the energy to continue packing all our things into boxes.

3) Taking 15 minutes to clean one spot in the house, really does help me out. I have been attempting this FlyLady program for years; it hasn't really worked. Mainly because I am tired. But, this 15 minute cleaning has really helped me out this time! Especially now that our house is constantly being visited by  inspectors in preparation for the move.

4) Take time to commune with nature. The girls and I like to take nature walks and bug safaris. It is during this time that we really listen to the sounds of nature and just learn to take a minute to breathe...until one of the wolves ends up jumping off the observation deck into the pond while chasing a goose. Sigh! :)

Liz:
1) My 1-year-old hates shoes. Like hates them. He won't walk with them on. He'll crawl instead and cry the whole time. Really kid? So I've started putting socks on his feet all the damn time so that he gets the idea. Sometime soon hopefully we'll graduate to shoes without drama.

2) I tell everyone else not to procrastinate but man, if procrastinating working on my dissertation was a job, I'd be on the cover of Forbes. Here's the sad part. Once I sit down and write, I'm great, I can do it for hours. It's the forcing myself to open the file folder full of interview transcripts that is daunting I guess. I'm forcing myself to do one per day (at least reading, coding, and writing about the data). I will be done. I will not be ABD.

3) Telling myself that I have to save money elsewhere because gas for the Pilot is literally 3x as expensive as the Prius is hard. I didn't do very well this week. Mike's laptop died so I bought him a tablet...and a keyboard...and one for myself (to work on the blog, ya?) and a keyboard for me, because that's fair...here's the funny part. That same day Mike came home and told me he'd gotten assigned two projects at work that required a database program or at least Excel but the computer he used at work only did ordering. "Aw what if I told you you could do them on Google Docs and save it to Google Drive and access it anywhere?" Well that would be great, he responded. "OK good, our tablets arrive Friday." Liz for the win!

What did you learn this week? We'd love to hear about it - add it in the Comments section!

Music Party (with Prizes)!

This evening (9 E/8 C) we’ll be playing a quick game where you could be entered to win one of two $10 iTunes gift cards. All you have to do is suggest songs for an exercise/running playlist on the thread on our Facebook page. Once we “close” the game at 10 p.m. Eastern, 9 p.m. Central, we’ll randomly choose two participants to win (using Random.org). By providing us with a song you are indicating that you would like to be entered into the drawing. Winners will be contacted and need to provide their email address for the gift card to be sent.

First, make sure that you like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mamaaroundthehouse

Then at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central, come hang out on the page. We’ll announce the start of the game and ask you to post at least one song (title and artist) for a running/exercise playlist. These songs will be published as a list on a future blog post as well (and we’ll probably use them as we train for our 5K in September).

Want extra entries? Tweet about the game (tagging @MamaArndThHouse) and provide the link to our blog post about the game. Tweets must be sent prior to 9:30 p.m. Eastern/8:30 p.m. Central to count.

A possible Tweet looks like this: 
 
Love #free #music? Come play tonight at 9E/8C! @MamaArndThHouse http://mamaaroundthehouse.blogspot.com/2013/08/music-party-with-prizes.html

My own game of 'dungeons'...

If you watch Adventure Time, or even just heard of it, you know that Finn likes to play a game/quest called "Dungeons" when he is bored. The game basically consists of finding a hidden dungeon and ultimately to solve the quest by finding the treasure at the end. Finn is usually successful at this game and can be quite OCD on the steps to solving his "dungeon" puzzle.

Why this random comparison? It is the one that best fits. For the last couple months I have been playing my own game of "dungeons" with regards to my 3 year old, Banshee. You see, Banshee began to show signs of autism when she reached her second birthday. She was very particular about the way she dressed, about closing doors, shutting the AC vents, what she ate, and the fact that she wanted to spin constantly. Because I had worked with children living with autism before, I knew the signs and knew that we needed to seek answers. Thus, "dungeons" began.

I would like to say that my quest was fruitful in the beginning, but that would be lying. It was anything but. The first developmental pediatrician kept referring to autism as the "a word", and while the doctor accepted that there were signs, her age was most likely the cause. I think the most frustrating part about all this was the fact that in that moment, sitting in the antiseptic doctor's office while looking at my child, I knew that I would have to play this part of dungeons alone. 

Enter my adventurous spirit and thirst for answers. I knew Banshee was a puzzle and we needed help to get the right tools to work with her--autism or not. Through my investigations, and with the help of some friends who were going through the exact situation, I learned that there was a program in Baltimore that provided early intervention to children who presented the symptoms of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I set the wheels in motion, and after some testing to qualify (it is a research program), Banshee was enrolled in the Kennedy Krieger Institute's Early Achievements Autism Speaks preschool class. The relief I felt that I was on the right track was huge and grew more when the interventionists said: "You have no idea how big this is. Just by starting the process, you've already helped her." SCORE! 

It seems, that I had found the right dungeon. Now, I needed to find the right key to open the treasure chest that is Banshee. She was a complete puzzle and didn't fit into the categories that the diagnostics called for in a child with autism, but there she was presenting lots of red flags. It was disheartening to say the least, we just want answers, and they weren't that forthcoming. The good thing is that I was surrounded by other parents that were in the same boat and by the professionals at Kennedy Krieger, who kept comforting me with this saying: " If you have met a child with autism, then you have met only ONE child with autism." I'll say! 

Another difficult concept that as parents to a child on the ASD spectrum we have to learn, is that once you have  someone that is diagnosed with autism, your whole family is now diagnosed with autism too. You must all learn new techniques of doing things, routines, new approaches to parenting that seem alien but are so helpful, you tend to go through a period of time when you beat yourself up. Why didn't I think of that? The answer to that, is just that you are too deep to think clearly and it takes a lot to get to the point of being able to admit that. It was great to be able to share all of these thoughts with people, who wouldn't judge you for it.  I can tell you that all of us have grown through this experience with Banshee and even though she was the one receiving therapy to give her the tools she needs to succeed, we were getting therapy too.  

My dungeons game came to a stand-still as Banshee, even after diagnostic testing and visits with the professionals at Kennedy Krieger, remains without a diagnosis. She is too  much of a puzzle even for them! There is no doubt she is on the ASD spectrum, no one is sure where she is. I want to say that if I had remained the same as the beginning of this experience, I would have remained disappointed at the lack of answers. The me now, remains frustrated, but am more open and invite this game of dungeons to continue. I mean, do you really have to find the treasure chest immediately to count as a quest? Or do you count the work you have to do in getting the clues, in order for the real quest to be won? I think dungeons is different for everybody. The good thing is that we don't have to feel alone or need to do it alone. Sometimes, the best way to beat a dungeon of our own making, is simply to let others in to help us through the quest.

What "dungeons" have you experienced in your life (as a parent or otherwise)? What keys did you find that worked to open the treasure chests?

Bloggers Chat about Breastfeeding for World Breastfeeding Week

Liz: August 1st through 7th is World Breastfeeding Week. If I remember correctly the whole month is National Breastfeeding Month. I wish we lived in a world where we didn't have to have weeks and months to remind us about our feeding options for children, but I think that's the goal - acceptance and support. After reading a post from the Huffington Post about bloggers suggesting we support all moms and their feeding choices, I knew that it would be interesting to dialogue with my fellow Mama(s) about their choices and how they made them feel.

How many children do you have and how old are they?
Liz: Two boys, Silas and Sage, 3 and 1.

Lisa: Two girls, Pixy and Banshee, 5 and 3. One boy, Cubby, in utero.

Robyn: 3 boys, Bailey, 14, Sean, 8 Kasen 5, and 1 girl, Reagan, 1 month

Did you breast feed, formula feed, supplement breast with formula...?
Liz: I formula fed with both of them. I initially tried breast feeding but wasn't able to do it.

Lisa: I breastfed both of the girls for 11 months and they weaned themselves. With Pixy, who was a tiny 5lb thing, I supplemented with formula to fatten her up.

Robyn: Breasfed all the way. Step-son Bailey was formula fed.

Why did you make the choices you made?
Liz: I had high risk pregnancies after having a stroke in 2008. I took medication that decreased blood clotting and apparently influenced milk production. After both boys were born I tried to feed them both for about 3 weeks. I put a lot more effort into it with Sage because I thought maybe I hadn't tried hard enough or long enough with Silas. But as soon as I stopped taking my anticoagulant medication my milk completely dried up both times. So sometimes it feels like formula was a choice and other times I think it was a choice made for me by my body.

Lisa: Honestly, we are a military family on a budget. I knew that formula was expensive and I figured I would give breastfeeding a try. It was difficult, because all the women close to me had formula fed and I didn't get the support I needed. This was something women with no other recourse did, not someone from this century. But, I stuck to my conviction to try and if it didn't work, there was always formula. I am all about rolling with the punches.

Robyn: It just seemed natural. Plus, breastfeeding burns calories!

How did you feel about your choices?
Liz: With Silas when I finally decided to only FF I felt guilty like I was doing my kid a disservice. Even though I knew I'd done everything I could. When I decided to FF only with Sage I felt less guilty because I'd been through it before and knew that feeling guilty was silly - it wasn't like I was not feeding my kid.

Lisa: I was at peace with all of my choices. My body said it was "all systems go" to breastfeed and I felt I did it well. Every once in a while, I do feel guilty that I didn't ask the girls to breastfeed longer, but honestly, if they were ready to stop at 11 months I wasn't about to force the issue. I think we have all turned out great.

Robyn: I felt great knowing that my body was put here for a purpose (not just for dudes to check out my rack).

What do you wish you could tell other moms who are facing the challenges related to choosing how to feed their child(ren)?
Liz: I teach child psychology classes and even though the books don't talk about this, I do. We talk about feeding options. I talk about BFing and the services available to help (lactation consultants at the hospital, BFing classes before baby's born, La Leche League mentors, etc.). I also remind students that sometimes, moms don't choose to FF and relay my experiences. I also talk about how sometimes Mom is sick and can't BF and these are all things we need to think about before we look askance at someone who's feeding their kid in public in a way that we didn't choose. I would love to tell Moms of the world to put all the Mommy War social comparisons aside and just support each other. You know how hard it is to mommy (and if you don't yet, you will). Why add that extra stress of being crappy to each other over feeding strategies? Feed your kid. Bam.

Lisa: Do what you think is best, regardless of what information is out there. When it comes to mommyhood, there is no right answer! All children are different, all Mamas are different! Why should we pressure each other to fit a certain mold? Some women will be able to breastfeed with no problem, others might require the help of formula. As mamas, we can never truly prepare for everything, but we can educate ourselves and support each other, to make the right choices for us. Mommyhood is not going to be stress-free, not by a long shot, just get it done and be happy.

Robyn: To grow into the idea of telling society to beat it! Sometimes it's not just the mom's decision, it's what works best for the family. Find the support you need (friends, family, other moms, groups, discussion forums) when you make the decision of breast or bottle. Once you have support, you'll feel more confident that you're doing the right thing.

How would you answer these questions? If you're a mom, what was your feeding experience like and how did people respond to it?

Things We Learned This Week (August 4th Edition)

Our first group post! We're excited!

So the prompt is, "What did you learn this week?"

Liz:
1)  I learned I hate car shopping. It makes me anxious. My husband somehow has a 0 credit score. How is this possible? We've bought two houses before. I don't get it. But we are now the proud er...not owners...drivers...payers...of a 2013 Honda Pilot. And it rocks my socks. And Silas decided this week that he likes it too (at first he wanted to "Take ih back and geh our car"). Driving an SUV is way different than driving the Prius. This will take some getting used to.

2)  Sage has slept through the night twice. I'm not sure what's going on. Before he was waking up and going right back to sleep if I changed his diaper. Now...he wakes up, mehs a few times, and puts himself back to sleep. I like it. Become the new norm please. Of course now I can't sleep though.

3)  Coordinating the blog with two lovely mamas is interesting to start off with. I'm a control freak and I'm handing over some to two friends...if anyone sees me freak out, understand why. Love my girls!

4)  Quitting smoking (in May) has made it so much easier to run. I ran for 10 minutes straight (2x in one session) twice this week. And I wasn't dying when I finished. Soaked in sweat, yes, but not cardio dying. Go me.

Lisa:
1) I learned that "see you laters" are just as hard as "goodbyes". Banshee has graduated from her preschool at Kennedy Krieger and during the party, after showing much improvement in behavior and social skills, she shut down on me. No talking, no smiling, just hiding behind me. It was sad. Banshee was not happy that she was done with school and even more unhappy that she wasn't going to see her teachers everyday, just for visits here and there. It was a very hard concept to prepare for and with all the change going on in our lives, I felt horrible that I couldn't shield her from something like this. We will keep muddling through together though. She is much better today!

2) Finding the time to continue jotting down "simple joys" in my Simple Joy journal. Let's face it, the day fills up like crazy for Mamas and the last thing you want to do is pick up a pencil to write down the most enjoyable moment of the day "What do you mean? NOW! When I am in bed!" But, taking the 5 minutes to really think about what made you smile and write down a couple of sentences, is fast becoming an enjoyable experience.

3)Breaking the news of our pregnancy and the sex of the baby. This floored some people, mainly because I am 5 months along and no one knew. We had to keep it secret for a bit, due to some early complications, but Mr.Cubby is determined to stay in there and meet everyone in December. I am panicking a little too...I have no boy gear. Sigh!

4) Being unplugged every once in a while, is not a bad thing. I found the time I had been messing around on Facebook, I used it for other tasks around the house. Mainly, helping to get things ready for our move and ::gasp:: read uninterrupted! Woohoo!

Robyn:
1) For all the BF moms, there has been some controversy over why babies get 'that drunk look' on their faces after BF'ing. You know, the glazed over and half open eyes while their body is as limp as a dishrag while trying to burp? Well, get this! It has been linked to the THC receptors in a baby's brain. (Seriously?!) That's right, breast milk will inadvertently get your baby high! I almost spit out my drink (and hopefully didn't cause you do to the same) while reading this BOGUS article. Hmmm..that must be why my other kiddos are so smart. Because I got them "high" for 10 months. Sheesh!

2) Having a postpartum (gyno) appointment is apparently not the time to multi-task. After being put in a room and being told "It will be a while, there are 3 more ahead of you", I cringed. Not only is this appointment not a favorite, but parking is charged by the half hour. So, I decided to do what any busy mommy would do with our precious time: Multi-task. While breastfeeding, I was on the phone with a cruise line (my kids Christmas present this year. I know, genius idea!). I hear a knock at the door, and in walks the doc. Pretty sure I had the deer in headlights look as my doc asks "So, YOU'RE not ready yet?" Clearly not, doc! Pants still on, drape sitting nicely folded in a square on the exam table, and a baby on the boobie. Here I was, trying to explain to two men (with completely different occupations) what was going on. Let me say that it felt very uncomfortable knowing one wanted to get in my pants, and one wanted to take my money. Good thing I know which one was which!

3) For those with teenagers: There is a new game called Oreo (as explained by my 14 year old). While sitting with a group of friends (guys and girls), one teenager will ask another one "out". Out meaning being to have the BF/GF title at school only. The purpose is to see who really likes who. Yep. That's it. Simple. Hey, no complaints from this parent! This is the only time I'm thankful for my children growing up to be technology geeks. At the age of 14, I was thinking about more than just "going out" with boys. Heck, my mind was in the gutter! I was thinking about doing ______ (Feel free to fill in the blank with comments).

What did you learn about yourself or others this week? We'd love to hear about it in the comments.

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Meet Lisa

As I've shared this week, the blog is expanding. We're adding Mamas and they're amazing ladies. Today I'll introduce you to Lisa in her own words.

Lisa and the wolf

Hey! I'm Lisa. I'm a mama to Pixy, Banshee, and incubator to Cubby, and pack leader to two naughty wolves. I'm an avid reader of books, lover of music, bird watching and nature, great singer....and a bit crazy. How crazy? I married a musician (he plays trumpet). We love life, food, and lots of noise. That's "normal" for us....if there is such a thing as normal...Ha!  

Please help me welcome this amazing mama to the Around the House crew. What questions do you have for her?

I'm So Excited!

Since I'm a parent of small children, I read that title in Mike Myers playing The Cat In The Hat's voice.

What am I excited for? Two things. The first one's awe-some! Starting today, I'm working with two of my best girls on the blog - it's no longer about one Mama around here. Enter Mama(s) Robyn and Lisa. Beginners, eyes on Robyn...oh sorry, I was channeling Jillian Michaels for a minute there. I can't wait for you to meet them. Tomorrow's and Saturday's posts will be devoted to introducing the Mama(s) to the Around the House community. I'm so excited!

Second, the Mama(s) are participating in a 30-day blogging challenge starting today. We will be rocking out the entire month of August.

So it's the start of a brand spankin' new month - what are you looking forward to in August?