Things to come

Kaine has been trying to eat me out of house and home today. Seriously! He will get down from his chair and not even 30 minutes (if I am lucky!) will go by until he is coming up to me and saying, "Eat! Eat! Eat!" Occasionally, he throws in a cup or pop (sucker) request. Even now, as I write this he has approached me wanting to eat! But, it is in the oven and he must wait, no matter how many fits he decides to throw from here until dinner. Oh, well....

The store has only gotten a few nods of approval. I am not sure people have even read the note I sent about input. Hopefully, I will hear something from someone soon. I did get some really good approval and input from Mrs. P. She raised three boys, so at least I got that! Who better to know than a woman with years (her boys are in high school, I used to babysit them) of experience?

I have been trying to figure out what to do and how to make it work. I know that once things come together it should go more smoothly. The beginning of everything is always the hardest, right? I am unbelievably in love with the fabric that I have though!

A Store of One's Own

SO.....the idea of creating a store for boys has popped into my head. The times are right for it. We have some money set aside and can be used for start-up. I have *some* talent and can at least fumble my way through until I get the hang of it. The information age is booming and there are places like Etsy to get the ball rolling without having to sell a kidney to rent a store front! So, I think I am going to jump in the deep end and see if I can swim. God willing, to use a phrase my Grandma says frequently, I will stay afloat and generate some income in a fun and creative way! Maybe this means that I will finally get the sewing room I always wanted and life can be one cluttered mess after another (Just kidding...I hope!).

I have been researching this idea. It seems there is a market for it. Of course, there are baby and toddler stores out there already but, none are just for boys! There are plenty for girls only or girls with a few cute trucks, trains and planes shirts thrown in for boys but, nothing exclusively made for boys! I have been cruising the net trying to find things that are especially boyish and hoping to stumble onto a site just for boys. When, suddenly the idea HIT ME! I literally felt like the this following phrase slapped me in the face : "Why not do it yourself?"  "Really", I thought, "could I make this happen?" Then, after talking to Matt about the ins-and-outs of getting started, ideas started flowing like water! I am hoping to get more in put and do more research, things are looking good, however!

I would say wish me luck. But luck has nothing to do with it. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity! (Sounds like I am really smart, eh? I got that off of a movie --- "Uptown Girls" with the late Brittney Murphy. I have always loved that quote!).

So, send me positive thoughts and ideas. May good things come to those who are willing to do the work and prepare for one's future!

PLANS: Bankable Bookcase { Land of Nod }

Do any of you remember a few post ago about the bookshelf, toy thing from Land of Nod. Well, I follow a blog called KraftyMum and she posted about another blog called Knock-off Wood. They have the plans to make this wonderful organizational tool. I feel like I have hit the serious jackpot of all jackpots in the blog community! I love crafty people, they sure know how to spread the word about wonderful things! Thanks KraftyMum and Knock-off Wood!!!

Here are the plans:

PLANS: Bankable Bookcase { Land of Nod }

The Plan

Cetlic Motherhood Knot

Okay, I just found out that two people that I know are pregnant. There are at least two that I know that have had babies in the last couple of months. I am longing to have another baby! That is God's honest truth! What is holding us back? Well, here are the reasons:

Kaine isn't old enough. We would like him to be at least 2 and a half to 3 before we give birth. We think that would make the transition for everybody MUCH easier.

I have to lose weight. This is the biggest thing that is keeping us from getting pregnant. I have to be able to carry this baby without the complications that run in my family and that I, regrettably, had last time. No 3 hour glucose screen for diabetes, no pre-eclampsia, no high blood pressure, no worry about having to have another C-Section. I REALLY do not want to go down that road again.

I have a true and strong desire to have this baby naturally. NO MEDS - NO C-SECTION! I want to be with a Midwife and not in a hospital bed hooked up to monitors and having to scream at them because being on my side feels like I am going to give birth through my spine! In order to acheive this goal all things have to be perfect from the start (trust me I know this is a delusion, but I have to at least feel comfortable with WHERE I am starting!).

The plan:

1500 calories a day (going good, may go down to 1300)
Exercise to build muscle, lose fat and regain flexibility. Definitely NOT one of my strong points. I loathe exercise, I hate being hot and I hate being sweaty! All of which are unavoidable if doing it correctly!

So, in closing, I wrote this to give me some motivation and send it out into the world of prayers and well-wisher that will no doubt help me on my journey. Look for a happy post hopefully to come within the year about achieving these goals and being happily pregnant! (Probably not until November of so!)

Kids Honey Wooden Storage Open Top Bookcase

Do you think my husband would make this for me? I would need two like in the first picture! I am def. NOT going to spend that kind of money on something that would be WAY WAY cheaper to make, when I have someone who is capable of making it for me! (A little flattery never hurt! ;) )

Christmas Gifts

Okay, I know that I have been telling you for a while now that I was going to post these. (Finally got done because I had a wonderful friend, Erin, who pointed me to Picasa!) I hope it was worth the wait! This is the Felt Playhouse! Desriptions from

Top Left across to Bottom Right: Wheel on a Table on the inside of Cave, Cave Entrance with Rocks, Triceratops eating grass on dirt under a Prehistoric Tree, Volcano spewing lava and Volcano Bombs, Fire - Every good cave man has one inside his cave!, Apple Tree with removable apples (big hit, btw!) and a Mommy and Baby Bronciosaurus and another view of the Triceratops!

This was suppose to go on a card table but we decided that Matt would make the frame and then the gift was from both of us. The only problem with this situation is that now, it is gigantic and unmovable. Which, in retrospect, was what sold me in the first place. Now we REALLY DO need a playroom! But it is fun and now we get to experience it everyday. Which is good considering all of the work that went into it.

 The following pictures are of Kaine on Christmas day. Opening presents, playing with the cars in his Stocking, my homemade Cinnamon rolls, Matt's Degree with an artists Gator and Stadium, more Kaine and Our Stockings and Presents! See the mountain of presents behind Kaine? Those were all from his Poppa and Nana that's Matt's Parents! We had so much fun.

Kaine the Great!

Is there any way to get a baby who doesn't want to eat to eat? He really just nibbles and then I have to put Ketchup on everything. This gets him to eat a few more bites but never all of it. It this normal at this stage? Maybe he is just beginning to slow down. That would actually be a great thing! I was afraid that if he kept eating the way he does that by the time he was a teenager we would have to buy a storage unit for food to put in the backyard! But seriously, he hasn't been eating but walking around the house saying "Eat! Eat! Eat!" Maybe it is just my cooking, LOL!

This is a picture from last Years Christmas! PJ buddies!

Here is some more updates on his development: Helps me clean the house. Yes he does! He loves to help me do laundry. I take things out of the washer and put them on the door to the dryer. Kaine comes and pushes them into the dryer exclaiming: "Push!" as he does it! It is super cute and helpful :). When it is time to put toys away I start to put them away and ask him to help and he likes to throw (Throw!) the toys into the right box. So Nice! He also likes to put the letters on and off the fridge while he sings his ABC's. Not in order, he really just likes the W, X, Y and Z part. He also says the L, M, N, O, P part but it comes out more like him rolling his tongue around in his mouth like, "La, La, La, La, Pa". It is awesome! He also likes to dance and sing around the house. He is also randomly found reading when it gets quiet in the house (like, oh it's quiet, I better go and see what is going on!). He also says: Up, Down, Out, Eat, No (of course!),  You too (as in Love you too! ~ absolutely my fave!), Elmos (not a typo), Tickle Toes, Bath Time, Gone Gone, Milk, Apples, Wa Wa (water) and most of the names of the family! He knows more than that but that is all of the new stuff!
Make sure you check out the new video on my facebook page. I couldn't figure out how to get it to transfer from there to here since Auntie Patty posted it. But I did get it to post to my page, so check it out!

Changes are coming.

 Image from here

 It is January! Is there anything more motivating? I mean, really, is there?

For some reason January tends to get me moving and thinking of ways to change my life. This year my New Years Resolution is NOT to make one! I have decided that doing so just sets me up for failure. Sad, I know. There are a lot of new things coming this year, however! BIG things are in the work. Want a hint:

1. I am going to lose weight (50+lbs)
2. I am going to get pregnant
3. Kaine will be turning 2
4. Kaine will be losing the binky (yea!)
5. Kaine will be learning to use the potty
6. Kaine will be learning letters
7. Kaine might be going to kindercare for 2 days a week

I must pause here and tell you that the *might* in that number seven is a big might! I have such an attachment to him that I am afraid to let him go! Do not get me wrong, I know he must grow up and leave, I just am not quite ready yet. I always thought it would happen when he was 3. I am afraid, however, that he won't be social when he becomes pre-school aged. Hence, the O2B Kids classes that we were attending. He loves to be around kids and learning is his number one activity! He is going to be an awesome school kid. I have no fear of that, just of letting him grow away from me. I am not psycho, I just have to prepare myself and that is what number seven is all about!

8. Home school training for the ready-ment of school
9. Exercise and nutrition for all
10. Puppy training
11. Learning to squat (yea, you ready that right!)
12. Reading more books with our new library cards!

That is mostly what I plan to do this year! Other things are going to be thrown in and things are going to get better and better. Things are going to be made: Diapers, new baby things, exercise clothes, learning to crochet and many, many more, as the mood strikes!

Kaine update:
Fully running and telling you so! Walking around the house all day today exclaiming: "Eat! Eat! Eat!" and nibbling on anything, plastic or real that he can fit into his toothy mouth, more no doubt on the way! Growing stronger, taller and smarter by the minute! See above for things to come!

OH, I got a camera for Christmas! I am planning on posting lots of good pics on the blog as soon as I can get it up and running. Keep checking in and I will promise to keep you informed. Leave comments of things that you would like me to blog about, if you would like more information!