Today I'm Packing.

We're going camping! 

We're going to the foot of the Unitas and we're meeting up with my paternal grandparents, my dad & two of my still-at-home siblings, and two of my married sibs & their families (the ones that live in completely different states).

I'm super-dee-duper EXCITED! 

I didn't think that Hubster would be able to get the rest of the week off, but he is!!!!!!!!!! 

WHOOP!

So, here's my I'm-so-stinkin'-happy-I-could-squeal face.

I may not be able to post again until next week.  

But if I do get an opportunity to share another occurance this week, I will. 

I really hope, hope, hope that Ash and Britt cooperate.  Wish me luck.

Today I Changed Diapers.

I've changed several diapers everyday for 20 months now.  That's 603 days of diapering, if I'm doing my math right.  Whoa. 

Happy girl!

We recently figured out that Ash is allergic to chlorine and SAP in diapers.  Those jelly crystals in disposables are called Super Absorbent Polymer.  Or SAP.  They give her eczema.  When I started using the Tushies brand diapers (no chlorine or SAP), her itchy diaper rash cleared up.  My married sister has three babies and has been cloth diapering for a while.  She referred me to an inexpensive brand called Nubunz.  It's like Bum Genius.  I love it!  So easy!  Not like the cloth diapers I remember trying to maneuver when my 21 year old brother was a baby! 

Modeling the Nubunz diaper

Now we just have to figure out what foods are causing the major bum burnings.  I suspect soy and dairy products, but we haven't ruled out corn, berries, and couple other items.  I also found an awesome post at Homemakers Cottage blog on natural ways of treating eczema.  Go here if you are interested. 

Thanks for all the new followers!  The winner of the Sleep Lavender Chamomile Aromatherapy Body Wash is Joann who said, "I have RLS also, but for me its when Im traveling and i feel like an idiot shaking my leg around in the car!" 

Thank you to everyone who commented!  Loved reading all of them.

Today I'm Offering Sleep To Someone.

When I was pregnant with both of my babies I got the dread restless-leg syndrome.  I hate it.  If you've ever experienced RLS, you know how terrible it is.  If you haven't - well, pray you never do.  I figured out that it was worse when I was tired and not moving much.  In other words, when I went to bed.  So, I'd lay down to go to sleep and then get attacked by horrible, itchy (not a need-to-scratch itchy), restless legs that would NOT stop twitching.  Then it would get worse because I couldn't sleep.  **sigh**  I figured out that if I could fall asleep fast enough then I'd beat it.  Well, that's easier said than done.  Hubster isn't exactly a still or silent sleeper.  And he ALWAYS falls asleep before me.  So, I started drinking lavender-chamomile tea and guess what?  It worked!!!!  I'd drink it about 30 minutes before bedtime and usually I'd fall asleep pretty quickly.  A warm bath or shower helped too.  And speaking of sleep, baths, lavender, and chamomile......  I'm giving away just that!!!  Yay!  I love giveaways!  Not that I ever win anyway, but that's beside the point.  :) 

Ok.  So the pic isn't the greatest.  My camera reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally wanted to focus on that clover.  **shrug**  If you want a better view, it looks like this, only smaller.

There you have it. Your very own brand-new bottle of Sleep.  2 fl oz.  It's lavender chamomile body wash & foam bath.  Mmmmmm.  Wait, foam bath?  Is that the new name for bubble bath?  Hm.  I think bubbles are more exciting than foam.  But that's just me.   

Anyways, it's from Bath & Body Works.  **laugh**  I almost wrote Bed, Bath, & Beyond.  Am I the only one who gets those two mixed up?

You wanna know how to win?  Just leave a comment.  Oh, and follow me with Google Connect of course.  That's it!  Easy peasy. 

Oh, if you want an EXTRA entry (aka separate) you can include a link to one of my posts in one of your posts on your blog.  Gosh.  Did that make sense? 

I'll leave this open until Monday night.  Then I'll put every body's names in Britt's new sunhat and let Ash draw the winner out.  :) 

*GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Today I Played Ball.

Ash and I played "soccer" for a little bit and I was very impressed by her mad toddler kicking skills.  Please ignore the rice cake crumbs all over the floor. 

 

Today I Solved A Little Problem.

Before I get to the main point, a little history.  Ok, not so much history.  More like current events. 

So, when I'm pregnant I basically acquire Rapunzel strength hair.  I barely lose anything.

Until about 3 months after I have my baby. 

Then, it goes into hyper drive and makes up for the 9 months of accumulation.  It happened after the birth of Ash.  And it's been going on (again) for about a month.  I even got all my hair chopped off, thinking there would be less mess.  Got that wrong.

See this cute baby in the tub?  Love her.   Now look again.  See that water in the tub?  Well, that's what happens every time anyone takes a shower or runs the water.  Because of the afore mentioned shedding.  **sigh**

Now I could have gone out and bought some Drano, but I figured that I could save some bucks by trying some good old-fashioned housewife staples first.

FIRST THIS

THEN THIS.

It had to sit forever, but I love this stuff.  Who needs any other cleaner?  I use baking soda to brightened my kitchen sink and white vinegar is THE BEST for getting musty smells out of the laundry that is forgotten in the washing machine for too long. 

So there you have it.  Problem solved.  No more bathing my feet when all I want is a shower.  :)

Today I Began A Work Of Art.

I'm going to be turning this into something awesome! 

See, I'm taking part in an art swap.  It's something I've never done before but it sounds fun.  I'm to send my work of art to one person and then I can get up to 36 works of art back. 

It's like a grown-up version of chain letters.  Did any of you do one of those when you were a kid?  I did and it was fun, but I didn't get many letters back.  **shrug**  Oh well.  This sounds infinitely cooler. 

Wanna join?  Leave me a comment (with your e-mail) requesting details if you do.  Or e-mail me at spontaneousday at gmail dot com.  We'll play!  And I'll try to remember to take a pick of my finished project before I mail it.  ;)

Today I Did Housework.

Sorry.  Kind of a boring post.  But this is how I spent my time today.  We all gotta catch up at some point, right?  I did laundry, organized piles and listed a BUNCH of stuff on freecycle.  And it barely made a dent.  **sigh**  But, I do feel good for accomplishing something. :) 

Today I Went To Strawberry Festival.

Every year our town has a Strawberry Festival because there used to be a lot of strawberry fields/farms here.  At this point none of them are left (sad), it's an annual tradition now.  The main days are tomorrow and Sunday, but tonight the carnival was open for business so we took the girls and Ash's fave auntie (my sister Rachel). 

First, Ash and I went down the big slide.  Fun stuff. 

Here's a close-up. I'm the only one smiling but I know she really liked it because she wanted to go right back up and do it again when we got to the bottom.  Daddy took her down one more time right before we left.

Next up were the four wheelers.  She liked this but it was rather fast and some of the time she looked a little overwhelmed.  Hahaha!  Look at her face!  She's totally thinking, "Whoa, Nelly!"

Then the planes.  Ash loves airplanes and points them out EVERY time she sees one in the air.  Look at Rach trying to hide from the camera. Silly girl.  Ash liked this ride. 

Until it started.  It was too much for her.  Sorry babe.

Then Hubby and my sis went on the umbrellas.  I loved this one when I was a kid, but the last time I rode one, I got kinda sick.  So, I passed.  :)

So, the girls and I just chilled for a bit.  Like the stroller?  It's a boat and I adooooooore it!

Britt was exceedingly displeased about not being able to enjoy any rides.  Poor pretty.  Just a couple more years to go!

It was a fun evening and we've got a whole 'nother day of Festival ahead of us.  We'll probably go out for the kids parade, peruse the arts and crafts vendors, and get some yummy strawberry shortcake!  Can't wait!

Today I Made a Boring Dinner.

I made fried rice.  In the past I've used leftover meat to jazz it up and eggs and frozen veggies.  Lately I've been trying to prepare less meaty meals and eat more vegetarian.  So, I ended up with a really boring dish.  Fried rice with black beans, peas, garlic salt, and a dash of teriyaki sauce and soy sauce. 

In fact, it was such a dull meal I ended up going to the store to get the ingredients for a caprese salad after seeing a recipe for it over at The Stories of A to Z.  I ate a lot of it. 

Then I ate this. 

I know.  Bad Jamie!  **smacking my own hand**  BUT!  It's hard to feel full when your taste buds never got satisfied by something yummy. 

So, tell me, dearest readers, what should I do next time to make fried rice more fun????

Today (like most days) I Was Spit Up On By Britt.

I wear it like a badge at this point.  I mean, it's a losing battle for two reasons.  A) Britt barfs all the time!  B) I cannot ever remember to have a cloth handy nearby.  Today was really bad.  It just kept coming up and coming up and coming up and coming up and coming up and you get the picture.  :)  It was after each and every feeding.  **sigh**

(please excuse the mess in the background. that's the pile of items without a place.  yet.  this was taken 2 months ago.)

Today I ran some errands.  One of my stops included the mall to make some returns.  It was only going to be a quick run in and out.  So, I grabbed Britt (Ash was at my mother's), my purse and my returns.  That's it.  Big mistake.  Once I got into the store, Britt-Britt REALLY let me have it.  She dumped an enormous amount of her lunch on the floor in Old Navy.  And I didn't have a cloth (again).  It was borderline embarrassing.  Luckily a helpful worker (who wasn't even on the clock) gave me a huge wad of paper towels.  :) 

You'd think I'd learn.  She did the same thing all over the velvet couch at church about a month ago.  Gross. 

And yet, somehow, this child continues to gain weight.  Lots of weight.  Don't ask me how she does it.  :)

(she's got three rolls at the top of each thigh.  she's a chunker.  despite all that spit-up!  I'm impressed.  this was taken 3 weeks ago.)

Today I'm Feeling Like Time Flies.

I feel like most days are short anyways because by the time the girls are in bed and asleep it's pushing 9pm.  Then it's me time and hubby time and we don't usually go to bed until 11.  Okay, more like midnight!  And then I sleep until Ash wakes me up.  Which isn't until 9am.  That doesn't include the several times that Britt wakes me up so she can eat.  But those don't count because I'm not fully awake. 

So, yeah.  I wake up when Ash starts getting bored with playing in her bed (she is REALLY good about playing little games in her crib for a looooong time).  Today she didn't start yelling until 10:30!  Yuck.  What a waste of the morning.  Set my alarm clock, you say?  Well, I do and I did, but just like I'm really good at nursing babies in my sleep, I'm just as talented at turning off alarm clocks.  :)

That doesn't leave me with as much waking time as I'd like, but I make do.  And here we are.  Another day completely flown by.  Then I started looking at all the pics we have of Ash and I realize that she's really NOT baby-ish at all anymore.  But, I swear last time I looked she was!!!  Aaaaaaaaaa!  Somebody stop the clock!  Next thing I know Britt will be running around on two legs and throwing tantrums and putting on her own shoes.  Yikes! 

This is Ash now: 

A big 20 month old.  Sheesh.  (Her face is ghostly white because of sunscreen and her belly red from the scratchy sand)

This is Ash exactly one year ago.  8 months old.   What happened?!?!?

Such a stinkin' cute baby!!!! 

And this is Ash TWO years ago. 

Yeah. She's that bump called mah belly.  I was 5 months along.

Amazing.  Cool.  And sad.  I've got to do a better job of savoring each and every moment because each day is the only one of THAT DAY I get to experience.  Once it passes, it's over.  And man!  They pass fast!

Today I Made Cookies.

I grew up eating these cookies.  They're the ones my mom has been making forever.  I made them myself for the first time ever.  They are so yummy and they make for a tasty snack.  They're kinda like a soft, chewy, round granola bar.  I thought I'd share.  Make them.  Your spouse, kids, and mouth will thank you.  :)

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup honey
Raisins
2 cups peanut butter
1-2 teaspoons vanilla

4-5 cups oats

Put sugar and honey into a pot and mix.  Throw in however many raisins you want (I'll be using MORE next time) and bring to a boil.  Stir so it doesn't burn.  Let it boil for about 30 seconds. 

Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla.

Mix in the oats.  I will probably use less next time to get a softer cookie. 

Form into balls on waxed paper or parchment paper.

Eat!!

Today I Went To My Mom's.

I go to my Mom's house a lot.  We live, like, two minutes away!  We did this on purpose because I have three teen sisters and a mom who all love me, my husband, and our babies.  And we love them back, of course.  So, it's been VERY wonderful to be near them while being pregnant with Britt and since her birth.  Life would've been on the dire side of things if we lived somewhere else, I think. 

Anyways, I digress.  Oh, I should probably issue a warning at this point.  I'm going to share poop stories.  So, if you find such things crass and in poor taste, please forgive me and skip the rest of this post.  :) 

The girls and I went to my mom's and hung out for a few hours.  I let Ash run around sans clothing or diapers because it's good for her little bum area to breathe.  Plus the parents have hardwood floors.  I have renter's carpet.  Ash had been running around naked for about 45 minutes when what I'm about to relate took place.

I was in the living room chatting with Mom when Kate came in and said: "Molly was sweeping and just swept a strange, unidentified, brown object."  Then she grinned.

Rachel, who was putting a diaper on my oldest looked up.

Molly came in and said: "I thought it was a leaf.  But it's not." 

I said: "Rachel, does Ash have poop on her butt?"

Rach said:  "A little."

**laughter** 

Mystery solved. 

Speaking of poop.  I've had a lot of experience with little kids and their poo.  :)  The stuff really doesn't scare me and I'm not too squeamish about it at this point.  I mean, come on.  I'm the oldest of 18.  Out of my 17 siblings I've changed 6 of their diapers.  MANY diapers. 

My brother Daniel went through a lovely phase where he'd poop at nap time (in his room), take his diaper off, and paint the walls. 

Thoroughly.

I have no idea how many times I scrubbed poop off of Daniel's bedroom walls before Mom started duct taping around the tabs on his diaper so he couldn't get into the poo anymore.  

Both of my kids have pooped on me.  

Poop happens.  

And I think it's funny.

This is Ash (over a year ago) after her first blowout.  :)  First of MANY.

P.S.  I have so many siblings because my mom and dad have adopted 8 children in the past 6 years.  Yes, my parents are amazing.  :)

Today I Tracked A Lot Of Sand Into My House.

Photo by jeffwilcox

And so did Ash.  I grabbed one of my sisters and we went to the beach with the babies.  I took a bunch of pictures with my phone, but unfortunately I can't find the wire that connects my phone to the computer.  **bummed**  If I find it anytime soon I will be adding some pics to this post.  But, Flikr will have to help me out for now.  :)  Britt and I sat on a blanket and I soaked up some Vitamin D while Britt sat in the shade of her carseat.  My sister and Ash went wading.  We were there for almost TWO hours!!!  I have no idea where the time went.  But it was really nice and peaceful.  What do you do to relax and cool down during the summer heat?

UPDATE:  So, my hubby found the box my phone came in, but no wires.  Come to find out I have to e-mail the pictures to myself!  Durrrrrrrr.  So, here they are!  Couldn't get a close-up of Kate.  She would've put up a fight.  :)

Ash finding treasures in the sand.

Britt keeping cool in the shade.  The ONLY shade at the beach.

Britt Britt and I.

Kate and Ash making sand....piles.

If you look very closely you can see my sister and my daughter.  They are in there.  Promise.  Haha!

Happy Mama.  We're going to do this again.  Soon.

Today I Melted Crayons.

I got a huge bag of crayons through someone with my local freecycle.  And I had a lot of fun.  Tiger talked me into using the mini muffin tin.  I was thinking I'd rather use a regular size, but he insisted that the smaller size would be better for little hands.  I am very pleased with the results, so I'm glad I listened to him!  I got the idea from a blog called My Magic Mom.

I broke the crayons into thirds (kinda hurts after you've been snapping them into pieces for a while) and put them into the tin.  Then I put them into the oven heated to 270 degrees for 7 minutes.

So pretty!  I put them into the fridge to help them cool faster.

I just love the way the colors combined! 

Ash couldn't keep her little mitts off of them!

So, of course, I shared.  :)

I bagged up the rest to give as gifts with some of those cute, little Dover coloring books.  And this picture is not all of them.  I have a TON!!!  Should I do another giveaway with some?  ;)