Homemade Kids Table and Chairs

I am proud to say that the kids and I have really been able to cut back on TV. It amazes me how creative we can be without the television on and how much trouble the girls can get into when they are not actively entertained.

 The weather has been really nice here in west Texas so we decided to spend the afternoon in the backyard.

My husband has been chopping away at an old tree in our back yard and we had some stumps laying around. The girls and I decided to chip the bark off and make a set of table and chairs.

They came out great!! Now we have a cute little homemade table and chairs set for the kids that didn't cost us a penny.  My husband is going to give them a once over with the sander and a quick coat of varnish to keep them in good shape and keep the bugs out.

Homemade Gifts For Grandma

The girls and I have been very busy this week getting ready for Christmas. We are still trying to watch less TV and we have been working on some homemade Christmas gifts for grandma. Our projects this week included. Two Christmas lamps for grandma's nightstand and a coin jar to sit above her sink.

We cleaned up a few Spaghetti jars with dish soap and water. Sometimes they require a little goo gone but these actually cleaned up really nice.

 Now the fun part. These lamps will be for grandma to display during the holidays so we decoupaged them with pink and green tissue paper.

 

 While the girls were busy gluing I snuck outside and spray painted two small pickle jars. I also painted the jar lids for the lamps.

 I added a coat of Modge Podge to the jars when girls were done gluing on the tissue paper.



 

 

   I used a black permanent marker to write a special poem on the coin jar

 

 Here are the finished jars with the Christmas lights inside. The lids were still drying but you want to poke a whole big enough on the top to be able to fit the end of the Christmas lights.

Decorating Options:

1. Fill the jar with potpourri, poke holes in the lid and glue a doily on the top for decoration. The warmth of the Christmas lights will give off the aroma of the potpourri, without getting too hot and causing a fire hazard. 
2. Spray paint the jar with frosted painted, use stencils, lace or doilies to create delicate designs on the jar. 
3. Use different colored Christmas lights or battery operated candle sticks. 

Visit Homemade Gift Ideas For Mom for more Homemade Gift Ideas for Christmas 2012. 

What is the Price of Change

I decided to take this past weekend off from creating webpages on Squidoo.

 I am very pleased at my recent progress. I am now seeing steady sales and I’ve managed to get a few lenses in tier 2. 

I returned to find that Squidoo has a new layout and many of my lenses in shambles. The Soldier in me was saying “suck it up and drive on, adapt and overcome” but as a stay at home I wanted to put my head in my hands and cry. 

I wanted to cry for all of the hours I worked on lenses instead of playing with my children, for the household chores that were neglected and for the conversations I asked my husband to save for another time while I worked on building my profile. 

Many lensmasters are angry, stressed and tired from the change. Some are rejoicing and anticipate an increase in sales and traffic. Many lensmasters have stressed to keep things in perspective.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I sat and stared at the computer screen for what seemed like hours not knowing where to begin. I have invested too much time to simply throw in the towel.

Today is a new day. I will start from the top and work my way through each lens. I am still making sales! I will continue to make progress! I will continue to learn!  

The only thing that does not change is that change is inevitable and sometimes very hard to digest.

Replacing TV with Nipple Cream and Basket Baths

Several weeks ago our pediatrician recommended we watch less TV. My husband and I agree we have really gotten lenient with the girls schedule and my son watches way more TV than the girls did at his age. I stay home with the kids so I decided to cut back a little at a time. They were watching almost 4 hours of TV before nap time and the TV was on from the time they woke up from their naps until bed time. I know it really does sound like a lot.

So..... how are things going. I was really motivated the first day. We woke up got dressed ate breakfast, played games and made art projects. That took up most of the morning. The girls decided to entertain themselves while I was making lunch. They usually watch Sesame Street. Instead, they washed each others hair with a tube of lanolin cream!! and the baby figured out how to squeeze through the baby gate.

 I had to chase my son and put him back in the living room probably 50 times before I figured out a way to barricade the gate so he couldn't get out.

We watched a little TV after nap time than it was time for dinner. Did I risk another another debacle with nipple cream or  turn on the boob tube? I turned the TV off!

I kept poking my head out to see what the girls were up to. They weren't  fighting and that can be dangerous. They were pretending to give each other a bath in the wicker basket I keep in the den. Suddenly Sofia appeared with an ice cream bucket full of water. Where, How, I have no idea but apparently it was not the first bucket full of water.

She had managed to give Abby a bath in the den. I had to mop up water from the bathroom to the den, change their clothes, serve dinner and OH YES take care of the baby. Geez and I wonder why we started watching so much TV.

The Problem With Sterotypes

The problem with stereotypes is that they are always wrong. You can’t assume someone is a certain way because of the color of their skin or the clothes they wear.

 I am pretty sure I’m going to blow a gasket the next time a Walmart cashier assumes that I am on welfare or WIC. 

We braved Walmart yesterday with our three small children. The place was overcrowded with impatient people and frustrated employees. We grabbed a few items, my husband took the baby to the car and I stood in line with the girls. Our cashier was flustered and having some difficulties with the cash register. She scans the line and shouts back “I’m sorry my register won’t accept WIC or Welfare cards right now”. I look around; everyone seems to know she is talking to me. I’m not sure if is my brown skin, three small children or the fact that I was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that made her assume I was on government assistance. I resist the urge to chew her up and spit her out. I guarantee it would a conversation she would never forget but I’m in the holiday spirit. I look at her and smile “oh honey I’m not on welfare, nor have I ever been”. 

You can’t judge a person by looking at them. I don’t have a problem with welfare, some people really need it but I do have a problem with people judging me. You will never know that I have saved a few lives or that I was entrusted with the lives of Soldiers by looking at me. You will never know that I struggled to have my children, that I left a career to raise my babies.You will never know that I am one of the toughest, strongest, and most determined women you will ever meet.

I look at the women scanning my items. She has a tired face, and overworked hands. I want to make a snide remark about her being the one working at Walmart but I don’t know her story. I want to make assumptions about this women that I’m sure wouldn’t be right. Instead, I look her in the eyes and wish her a merry Christmas.