Tag Archives: Wishing

The Swing Set Project

9 Feb

As spring approaches, it’s time to start thinking about a swing set for the kids, using the money given to them by relatives over Christmas and such. After looking at Wal-Mart’s cheapest wooden swing set, it became apparent that these things are by no means cheap, nor small. Most have a swing arm that, in combination with a slide tower, would pretty much consume our entire back yard. So… being the designer I like to think I am, I came up with a design for a custom built swing set, using parts and pieces from a swing set found on craigslist for free. The family that gave us this one has no idea how richly they’ve blessed us because, though the slide and glider are faded, they’re in good condition and buying them new would be about $350. The swings and other pieces I’d hoped to salvage are in pretty bad shape, but those parts are relatively inexpensive to buy at Lowe’s… they could even be put on the kid’s birthday wish lists for that matter…. while I’m thinking of it, here are those items for anyone who cares, in the order of most wanted:

Swing-N-Slide Multi-Colored Tarp $22

Swing-N-Slide Extra Duty Swing $35

Swing-N-Slide Ex.Duty Swing Hangers $35

Swing-N-Slide Steering Wheel $15

Swing-N-Slide Safety Handles $10

(10-15) 50lb. Bags of Sakrete Play Sand $5ea

Trapeeze (replace baby swing in future) $35

Anyway, as I was saying… we got the slide and the glider and a truckload of mostly un-usable wood this weeked, and not it’s sitting in a big heap in our back yard. Jonah asks us multiple time a day “we can build swing set now?” Poor guy… unfortunately, this is definitely a task slated for spring break, which is still another 3-4 weeks away. I think I do have the design figured out for the most part though… check this out… Google Sketch Up is an awesome tool for drawing out things in 3D, so this was pretty simple for me to put together:

View from the kitchen window

View towards Penny's yard

View towards the house

View from Penny's yard

Learning New Things

27 Sep

Jonah’s vocabulary has just been exploding lately… phrases combined with subtle little sounds and gestures that just leave us in stitches… like frumpling up his eyebrows, smooching out his lips, shaking his head no and say “umm, I don’t really need to go night night right now” or the little lip smack and sigh followed by an exasperated little “you know that!” cause obviously… I should know these things. Everything is “I love” right now too. “I love our furniture”… “Oh I really love grapes.”  “I love my bed (talking about our bed)… it’s all comfurbal.”

That’s the other thing he’s been working on trying to figure out… what comfortable means. He had a flap book out that has touch and feel parts on it, like this padded angel. He was poking it and say “oh, it’s all comfurbal” So I try to tell him that comfortable is something that feels nice to sit or lay down on… so then he sits on the brick fireplace hearth “It’s all comfurbal?” hehe not so much kid, but you’ll get it eventually.

I have a video that I’ll have to load up from tonight too… his first attempts at trying to tell us about a song he sang in Sunday School today. Our church just did “Promotion Sunday” (where the kids all move up to the next level class) a month or two ago. He’s no longer in the “baby hall” where all they do is play for 2 hours. His new Sunday School class actually has tables and chairs, they do art projects, sing songs, learn Bible studies and all that. In fact, if I can remember to, I’ve been intending to scan his first Sunday School art projects and post them here. Ironically, they learned about the story of Jonah and the whale. hehe Anyway, he’s been telling us for weeks now about “sing songs, and guitars” after church… so that’s how we know they have a music time… but tonight he was going around smacking his fist on his hand saying “Stand on rock” and then with prompting we asked him what else he sang about and he said “Fall down” and he wiggled his way to a squat and popped back up. So my video clip is of him doing the 2 of those together plus doing random flips all over the place. He was WOUND UP tonight. He actually worked up a sweat before bed! haha

Carly’s learning new things too, she’s rolling all over the place, and sometimes it looks like she’s actually rolling with a purpose. We’re sitting up now from time to time… not right after eating or bad things will happen, and not when she’s tired cause she’ll stiffen her legs and fall over… but if she’s happy, and especially if she’s busy watching brother… she can sit up for as much as a minute at a time without support from me. She’s also started “talking” to Jonah. They both take turns shrieking as loud and as high pitched as they can, giggling in between. Worse than a couple of parakeets I tell ya! Oye! It’s cute though.

Hard to believe she’s already 5 months old! We started her on her first “baby food” last night… mashed up avocado and milk. With the price of pre-packaged baby foods these days, I’m thinking I’m going to try making the majority of her baby food meals myself. The avocado thing is what most moms, who make their own baby food, start with… that and mashed up bananas, because they both have a lot of good vitamins, healthy fat content for brain development and such. She seemed to like it last night, so tonight I gave her a little larger serving size (about 3 tsp + milk) and that seemed to be just about right. She was getting a little tired of it right near the end, but did end up eating it all. Now if I could just get her to take the dang bottle! She just chews it and plays with it… not really drinking anything. :-\ Oh well. I’m learning to cope with it. So I guess we’re ALL learning new things!

Good news also to share, Jason got a promotion this week! We’re on such an ancient cell phone plan (one they don’t even offer anymore cause it’s TX calling only, no mobile to mobile, no family talk, no free texts… nada) so we’re both excited about getting iphones in a month or two (after we save up for the phones themselves, the pay raise increase will pay the extra monthly service charges.) We don’t generally blow pay increases so “frivolously” but we have both been wanting to upgrade for a very long time, our phones are both having some battery life issues recently, and on so many occasions, we’ll be talking and Jason will ask me something and I say “I don’t know, let me get out my iphone so I can tell you” hehe. So this was actually a planned budget move… planned for whenever the next pay increase came. :) There’s also talk of a possible performance bonus coming that’ll get us the savings for the phone sooner… and maybe a decent Christmas tree since I “blew” all the money I made, painting Audrey’s kitchen, on Christmas gifts, a clearanced patio furniture set, and a portable outdoor fire pit, instead of buying myself the new tree I’ve wanted for 3-4 years now. We’ll see though. I’m just thankful that Jason’s finally getting some recognition for all the hard work he’s been putting in.

Oh no! Elmo, here we come!

18 Jun

As you all know, from a previous post on the subject, I have tried to keep cartoon character infatuation at bay, in order to keep the more expensive/lower quality “licensed character” items out of our house. Well, I’m here to admit that I’m bringing this soon-to-be Elmo infatuation on myself, and I’m even asking for your help to do it!

We’re about to start potty training soon, and as I started reading the library books I checked out on the matter… most techniques seem to encourage the use of a few teaching tools, to help make potty training into a big deal. They say to have a potty weekend where that’s the focus of everyone’s attention, all weekend long… kind of a “coming of age” thing for the trainee. They say to start off by helping your kid “teach” a doll how to potty, then let them read books and watch dvds about pottying. Then start hourly potty-sits and give rewards or stickers on a chart for good tries and even the smallest of sucesses. By the end of the weekend, the kid should pretty well have it down, and to celebrate that, some say you should have a potty party to invite a few friends and family over to congratulate them on their potty success.

So after reading all that, I’m starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I did sit down and start a shopping list of supplies that to get the ball rolling. A potty book, a dvd, a potty doll of some sort, and a progress chart w/ stickers. Once I started researching what was out there, I discovered a major money pitfall… most of the stuff is geared for either a boy or a girl. I have one of each, and I don’t want to have to buy this stuff twice, cause it’s expensive! So, I needed to find something gender neutral.

I first found a pretty cool potty monkey doll that came with a book for the kids and one for the adult. But being that I had already checked the adult book out from the library, I really wished it had come with a dvd instead. Then I found a a wide variety of potty bear items, but no cohesive set, which I feel would make it easier for Jonah to understand the relationship between what the character is doing in the book/dvd and what we’re trying to get the doll to do. Then I stumbled across Elmo. There is a complete line of Elmo potty training products out there, and since Jonah’s never really watched much Sesame Street, Elmo will be new to him.

I was going to put a big Amazon.com order together with everything we’ll need for potty weekend, but then I decided that I might have friends who might have some of the stuff on my shopping list that might be wanting to sell/get rid of it. So let me know if you have any of the following to offer up for borrowing/buying/giving away!

Potty Time Elmo Doll -OR-  A Plain 1-2′ Elmo Plush Doll that we can teach to sit on Jonah’s Potty Chair

Potty Time With Elmo Little Sound Book

Elmo’s Potty Time DVD

Potty Book Coloring & Activities With Elmo (Let me know if you know where I can find this new in stores anywhere… I imagine if you own it, it’s already been colored and the progress chart used up)

Anyone’s leftover Elmo Party Supplies to make a VERY small (like maybe just us if that all we can get) Potty Party with (preferably ones that don’t say happy birthday on them, like the Hooray for Elmo or Elmo Loves You supplies, but beggars can’t be choosers right? ;) hehe)

A Growing To Do List

4 Mar

With less than 2 months, now, before our little girl arrives, my brain has started churning over all the things that I have to, and would like to, get done before that time. My friend Sarahjenne made a similar list on her baby blog, so I guess I’m stealing the idea from her!

Need to Do Before She Comes:

  • Make arrangements for going to the hospital (with back up plans)
    • Write down Jonah’s schedule, routines, and weird habits
    • Write down Jonah’s usual snack/meal options & preferences
    • Write down Jonah’s most difficult to understand phrases
    • Get volunteers that can come watch or come get Jonah from the hospital, if I go into labor before the c-section date, until my parents can gather up their stuff and make the 2 hr drive here.
  • Get baby clothes and bedding ready
  • Get baby bottles ready
  • Pack for the hospital
    • Her bag. Since she’ll be rooming in with us most of the time at the hospital, and because I’ll be there for 3-4 days, I plan to take:
      • (3) newborn t-shirts
      • (3) 0-6 mo gowns
      • (3) burp cloths
      • (6) pairs of baby socks
      • Her cherry-print onesie for a twinkie photo op w/ Sarahjenne’s baby if they come to visit. ;)
      • Her homecoming dress, shoes, socks, hat & hair bow (I plan to clip the pink bow to her little white hat)
      • Baby Nail Clippers
      • Pacifier
      • Pink gingham print blanket & ladybug blanket for photos
      • Her Baby Book
      • Nursing Cover
      • Video Camera & Power Cable
    • My Medela pump bag just in case I need it at the hospital like I did last time.
    • Boppy Pillow
    • Shop for & purchase a big brother t-shirt and a few small surprises to have for Jonah at the hospital when he comes to visit.
    • Buy a picture frame from Ikea to take for visitors to sign like we did for Jonah’s arrival. (w/ tax return $)
    • My hospital bag.
      • Birth Plan
      • Insurance & ID
      • Cell Phone, chargers & Headphones
      • Laptop (load the announcement files on and include internet cable just in case!)
      • DSLR Camera & USB Cable
      • Hair Brush
      • Hair Bands & Clips
      • Deodorant
      • Toothbrush & Toothpaste
      • Chap Stick
      • Going Home Outfit
      • Slippers
      • 3 Pairs of Socks
      • 3 Pairs of Throw-Away Undies
      • 2-pc PJ set
      • Nursing Bra and/or Tank Top
      • Nursing Pads
      • Snacks
      • Hard Candy
      • Jonah’s 4 big brother surprise gifts
      • Gift bag and tissue to put his gifts in
    • Jason’s hospital bag… who knows what he plans to take.
  • Install the car seat
    • Buy another vehicle seat protector, like Jonah’s, to install under the baby’s car seat
    • Get the car seat’s instruction manual from the internet (bought on craigslist, so it didn’t come with one)
    • Install the baby’s car seat
    • Have the car seats checked for correct installation at our hospital for free
  • Pre-Register at Centennial Hospital
    • Fill out the forms
    • Drop them off at the hospital or mail them in
  • Buy a few last things for Jonah’s Easter Basket
  • Prepare for the Playgroup Easter Party at our House
  • Prepare for the Baby Announcements
    • Make a few templates
    • Load templates onto laptop
    • Order & address envelopes
    • Order pre-paid prints
    • Buy stamps

Would Like to Do Before She Comes:

  • Finalize Jonah’s Birthday Party Plans
    • Send out invitations/Call those who don’t check email!
    • Put together party favor bags
    • Order the party favors online
    • Buy the rest of the party supplies
    • Do a 2nd practice run of making the train cakes (first attempt failed miserably)
    • Get the rest of Jonah’s birthday gift(s) and wrap them
  • Finish the nursery
    • Get Jason to raise the mattress back up on the crib
    • Paint the picture frame mat and the lady bug in the middle
    • Hang the picture frame and 2 heart canvases up behind the chair.
    • Find a place to hang her 1st year calendar.
    • Buy the side table and unfinished crib-side mini dresser from Ikea (w/tax return $)
    • Get the mini dresser primed and painted white
    • Get the side table primed and painted white
    • Organize the dressers and the hutch
    • Buy and install a new ceiling fan/light fixture & dimmer switch
    • Hang the letters for her name
    • Find and buy a heavy ladybug garden ornament to use as a door stop when we have the windows open.
  • Finish the guest bathroom makeover
    • Install a hand held shower attachment in the guest bathroom
    • Hang up a new shower curtain
    • Replace the bare bulb light fixtures in the guest bathroom?
    • Install trim around the mirror?
  • Buy some Velcro and finish up the Boppy cover I made
  • Make a Taggie blanket or burp cloth to match the Boppy cover. (buy ribbon first)
  • Do some gardening
    • Plant something in the new back yard flower bed
    • Plant some tomatoes in the new back yard flower bed
    • Add in the 2nd back yard flower bed on the other side of Penny’s gate?
    • Till up the garden spot and plant some veggies?
    • Clean out the rest of our front  flower beds and plant something there
  • Make the train table operable and the area semi-presentable for Jonah’s birthday party
    • Buy & hook up a power supply & locomotive (w/ tax return $ maybe?)
    • Cut, Finish, & Attach the nice wood sides
    • Install the cork board or picture frame with sketches and diagrams of the finished plans above the table
    • Install the 2nd and maybe even 3rd level of plywood just for looks?
    • Install the light above the table
    • Install the shelves for the HO scale trains
    • Hang a couple of picture frames with the shelves
    • Swap the small black arm chair for the big red one in the office
  • Mothers Day/Birthday Presents
    • Mamaw’s Mother’s Day and Birthday Present
    • Nonna’s Mother’s Day and Birthday Present
    • MY Mother’s Day and Giving-Birth-Day Present (nudge nudge Jason!)

Need to Do at Some Point:

  • Get roof leak fixed (call insurance company during the next big rain)
  • Make her Christmas stocking
  • Buy & Install new blinds in our bedroom
  • Get window screens for the whole house
  • Have A/C serviced or replaced
  • Replace the ceiling fans in the playroom and master bedroom (at least)
  • Get chimney swept
  • Start working on her 1st year scrapbook (traditional style)
  • Do family scrapbooks for 2006, 2007 & 2008 (digital style)

That’s all I have the energy for right now. I need to be napping while the boy child is down, so I’m sure I’ll come back to these lists to add more later.

Nursery Project – Weekend 2

30 Jan

We didn’t actually finish painting the 2nd coat of pink until late last night cause we got side tracked with other stuff this weekend. There’s no mistaking it though, it’s definitely a pink room now! haha! The picture of the outlet is probably the most accurate representation of the wall color though. The flash photography on the others has made it look alot more HOT pink than it really is.

Jason replaced all of the painted over, almond colored, outlets with new white ones and we put new cover plates on all of them too… fancy childproof ones on all of the ones that won’t be behind furniture and regular ones on the others. A quick and simple fix that really does make a big difference. We’re kind of hoping we can finish all the painting and get the room put back together before our super bowl party on Sunday (so I can show it off) but we’ll see if that happens. We’re going to Tyler tonight and won’t be back until tomorrow night… and we haven’t even BOUGHT the second can/color of pink yet!

Room for Rent

13 Aug
My "Little" Brother

My Little Brother

   My younger brother (I can’t call him my little brother since he’s so much taller than me now) is starting back at UTD this coming semester and apparently the housing department has screwed him over. He was on a waiting list, but they didn’t bother to tell him until today that he was not going to get a room. School starts next week! Since we only live about 15 minutes from the school, he asked if he could stay here until he finds a person looking for a room mate to move in with. 

   I have known for a while that it might be a possibility, but just got word today that it’s official. He’ll be moving in sometime after we get back from our trip on Sunday night. I had to spend a couple of hours tonight clearing out the guest bedroom closet so he’d have a place to put his stuff. Not a huge deal though. I have several rubbermaid tubs in there with seasonal junk that I took out of the dresser for him, and then I took the clear plastic boxes off the shelving unit I had in the closet, stacked them in the corner of the closet, and then pulled the empty shelves out of the closet so there’d be room for hanging clothes and he’d have the shelves for other misc. stuff. Maybe a little overkill since he claims he’s going to move out asap… like less than a month. 
Our Newly Readied Guest Room

Our Newly Readied Guest Room

   Quite honestly though, I’d actually love for him to live here for the whole semester. He’s paying rent but getting free utilities (I figure we’d have them on with or without him here anyway) so the little financial boost there would help us out for sure. My mind is already playing out what I’d do with the extra $$$ because there are several things that we’ve wanted for quite a while, but they’re pricey and we just don’t have that much play money to save up for things like that. With one month rent, plus the bit I have in savings already, I could get the DSLR camera that I’ve wanted for so long. Another month would put a Dyson within our budget… and anything beyond that would be icing on the cake. I figure, we have 4 bedrooms, and we’re a family of 3 right now… so why not? He’ll get off cheaper than he would in an apartment in the long run, and it’d be helping us out financially in a really nice way. If only I could convince him that it’s not THAT weird to live with your sister and her family for a semester or two, and that a 15 minute drive to school is not THAT huge of a deal.

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