Love and Logic and an Enchilada

For those of you not familiar with Love and Logic, it’s a somewhat popular parenting technique that has been around for years. Personally, I like the concept and use some of the techniques but I don’t think there is one single “technique” that can work for a family. Instead it’s usually a combination of best practices that you work into your family’s style.

Having said that, Love and Logic basically teaches parents to take care of their kids while taking care of themselves and teaching kids through the consequences of their actions. No helicopter parenting here. My husband and I witnessed some awesome Love and Logic parenting at a restaurant over the holiday whether the Dad involved realized that’s what it was called or not.

Recently, while home for Thanksgiving we stopped at a popular Mexican Restaurant in our hometown (Mi Casita’s YAY!!) to get our fix before heading back to Virginia.  It was a pretty scarce crowd but there was a family with three boys sitting near us.  They were pretty well behaved for three boys J

Put one of my kids in timeout and the
other sits with them for for moral support

As they were finishing up their meal the waiter came over and I heard the Dad say, “Yep, little Johnny has to wash dishes. He didn’t touch his food.” Without skipping a beat the waiter took the seven-year-old (my guess) by the hand and led him to the kitchen.  About a minute later a waitress comes out giggling and said the waiter was showing him how gross washing dishes can be.  A few minutes after that, the waiter brought the boy back and sat him down with his parents and they left.  The dad pretty much made the kid pay for his meal since he didn’t eat it and because a seven year old will not usually have cash, he paid by helping out.  No time outs, no yelling or badgering the kid to eat.

Keep this in mind, it was obvious they were regulars at the restaurant and knew the waiter.  For those that have taken a Love and Logic class this is the perfect example of one of his “plan ahead and call the neighbor so she doesn’t call social services” plans to help end one of your kid’s bad habits like refusing to eat what they’re given.

If you are curious about Love and Logic Parenting, click here.  Your local library probably has some of their books so don’t feel the need to buy anything.

It works well on spouses too!

Pinterest is my new love

A few weeks before Halloween a friend asked if I could make a Halloween costume she saw on the site.  So, I went on to look at the photo and ended up browsing the site and before I knew it, I was requesting a membership.  The rest is history!

If you aren’t familiar with Pinterest, it’s a great place to capture things you like instead of placing everything in your favorites. See an awesome picture on a blog? Instead of saving the entire blog in your favorites, “pin” the photo onto your virtual pin board under fashion. Find a great recipe? Pin it on your recipe board until your ready to make it. Plus, you get to see all the awesome stuff other people pin!

I try not to make it a complete waste of time.  I have made two Christmas wreaths and a personalized canvas for my daughter’s room from tutorials I found on there.  I have also tried several new hairstyles (including one with a sock, see the link below) and even made an AWESOME potato soup recipe someone pinned. I am not a crafty person AT ALL! So I am very proud of my creations, though they are a far cry from Martha Stewart.  The fact that I even tried them, should tell you how easy they are.

Here are a few examples of my Pinterest adventures and links to my favorites. Feel free to follow me. I’m under Sweet Baby Tutus (of course). It would also be pretty awesome if one of my tutus or two were pinned! I don’t like to self promote on those sites, it’s not good mojo.

Happy pinning!!

 

  

                              

                           



My version, waiting on the ribbon to hang.



Pinterest idea



 






                                           

What I made. This is so easy it's scary. I still have to make the bow,
but cute.

The tutorial from Pinterst

 

What I found on Pinterset. I made a green version
for my living room wall.





Happy Anniversary to Sweet Baby Tutus!!

This summer has been crazy and my blog was put on the back burner but I'm back and plan to stay that way.

Our family has experienced a lot since May. Preschool graduation, summer trips to Tampa, Boston and Myrtle Beach and the start of kindergarten for my son and daycare for my daughter.  A crazy emotional roller coaster is what we have been on for the past five months.

Sweet Baby Tutus is gearing up for the Halloween season.  The 22nd of September will mark the one year anniversary of the start of my business!  I'm offering a special discount for my Facebook fans so become a fan to get the discount code.

It's amazing that just one year ago I started selling on Etsy in hopes of making some extra money to get us through the Holidays.  Between my Etsy shop and other custom orders I've made almost 300 tutus and birthday outfits! Wow!

Thank you to all of my customers!

One of the things I've added to my shop for Halloween is a Mini Witch Hat. It's become pretty popular and I have limited quantities. If you want one, order now.

I also have some new designs this Halloween so check them out.

Tiny Black Tutu / Black Tutu with Mini Witch Hat

Tiny Orange Pumpkin Tutu with matching Flower Hair Clip



Halloween Cutie Tutu with Mini Witch Hat



Sweet Chick Tutu

B's 2nd Birthday and Mother's Day

Egg hunt

The last month has been a lot of fun at our house! We had baby girl's second birthday party at the end of April and a great Mother's Day weekend visiting our family and friends back home.

B had a Toy Story extravanganza for her second birthday party.  Her birthday also fell on Easter weekend so we had a few egg hunts thrown in there.  Mimi, Papa and my sister came up to spend the weekend with us.  Saturday morning was spend at our church egg hung followed by nap time and then a small birthday party with some little friends of B's and our Roanoke family.

The child is nuts about Toy Story so I order her this adorable shirt and matching hair bow from Etsy and I made a tutu to match for a few pics ;).  She sported a jean skirt instead of the tutu for the party.

Birthday fun

Fast forward to Mother's Day weekend we decided to make a quick whirlwind trip home.  Friday was spent visiting family and taking my mom out for Mother's Day dinner at our favorite place, 316 Oyster Bar.  Saturday we spent the morning at a fundraiser at our home church visiting with folks we hadn't seen in a long time.

That afternoon we attended a wedding reception for one of my good friends from college.  Unfortunatley, we didn't get to stay the whole time because we had to make the four trip back home that night so my hubby could be at church to preach Sunday morning.

 All it all it was a fast but great weekend!

My big 2 year old!

A little girl, a fall and a couple of staples

Last Wednesday night was an eventful night in our house. We go to church every Wednesday for dinner and bible study and get home close to bedtime.  So, last Wednesday I had to give baths to both kids while my hubby ran home from church grabbed a bag to begin a three hour drive to an out-of-town conference. Things were just a little hectic with baths and telling Daddy bye.

Waiting

My daughter got her bath first and as I was helping my son get his bath my daughter comes in, slips on some water on the floor and nails the trim around the floor with her head. OMG!! I just knew when I picked her up there would be lots of blood and a nasty cut. She cried while I checked but I didn't see anything. Whew! She stopped crying, I got my son out of the tub and sent him to put is PJ's on and took her to her room. I layed her on the changing table to put on her diaper and PJ bottoms, sat her up and there it was, BLOOD!

Now, for a little background. I do not do blood. I can handle little scrapes but that 's about it.  A few months ago I accidentally busted my lip playing with the hubs and kids and I almost passed out.

So, I'm home alone with what I now see is a small gash on her head and blood matted in her hair. Yikes! Now, I must do the brave thing and part the hair to see exactly how bad it is. Fortunately, my mommy adrenaline is going and I'm not swooning.  She isn't crying but she does not want me messing with her. All I can make out is where it is but I can't tell how deep.  Luckily, my husband had left about 10 minutes earlier so he wasn't too far away. I called him and he came home to help me judge the severity. 

The staples

On his way home he called a friend of ours to meet us there who is a trained EMT (I think) to help us out. My hubs get there first and we are standing in the kitchen so he could take a look. It's like my brain said, "He's here now so you can fall out." While I'm holding my daughter I turn green, feel faint, pass her off to my husband and go sit down.

Long story short since she seemed okay I send my husband on his way, I take her to the ER and our friend stays with my son and his wife meets me at the ER to help.  This entire time my daughter is just tired and could care less.  We get to the hospital and are waiting to go back and my daughter is playing and having a good time. Asking to go to the store for donuts and suckers.

We find out she needs two staples and, get this, the nurse tries to convince me to go ahead and do it instead of waiting the 40 minutes for the numbing cream to work.  "She'll cry either way." She was crazy! We waited for the cream to work and she didn't feel a thing and she didn't cry.  The only time she cried was when the nurse was cleaning it.

After the trip our friend bought her a bag of donuts for being so brave!

Today, we had the staples removed. Painless. So it's over. I survived. She survived and the first thing she did when we got home was climb on the dining room table. Geez!

Trying to get the job done

As you can probably tell from my lack of posting our life has been HECTIC since I started my job a few weeks ago and my blog has suffered.

How does if feel to be a part-time working mom and part-time SAHM? Awesome! I've really missed working so I feel like my brain is actually getting a workout now! My co-workers are great and the work I do keeps me busy. I work two days a week so I am able to be home with my kiddos too. I just can't procrastinate. The time management has taken some getting used to with my duties at work and at home but I'm getting there.

We also celebrated my son's 5th birthday! I can't believe my baby boy is 5! I'm starting to wig out over all the school stuff and other "I'm a child not a toddler/baby anymore" changes. He is starting to get the silly little boy attitude that others find annoying but since I'm his mom I think he is funny! We had a birthday week celebation instead of just one party. We had family come in the weekend before and after his actual birthday and of course we celebrated on the actual big day which fell on a weekday.  He had three cakes and lots of love from our firends and family!

My daughter has done a great job with her sitter since I started back to work. She loves staying at Weez's house (Louise) and playing with her dog Face (Faith). She starts yelling, "Weez and Face, Weez and Face!" when we pull into her neighborhood.  It makes things so much easier when your kids like their sitters/school and enjoy going instead of clinging to your legs as you try to get our of the door every morning.

Sweet Baby Tutus is still just as busy (part of the reason things are hectic). I've had a lot of custom orders recently and I hope to post some pics of them soon.

Winner

The winner of the hair accessories giveaway is...

SNOW!

Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who participated!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

ENTRIES ACCEPTED NOW THROUGH MARCH 4TH

Alright, it's time for another giveaway! This giveaway is for a very cute hairbow set from Sweet Baby Tutus.

The winner will receive one pink stretchy crochet headband with a matching pink flower clip and two boutique style hairbows in the color(s) of your choice. All hairbows are attached to a covered alligator clip. 

These are great for little girls of all ages! The flower is a 4" daisy and the boutique style bows are approximately 3".

 The winner can pick from pink, black, lavender, yellow and pink with chocolate polka dots.

HOW TO ENTER

Very simple! Leave a comment under this post. You may earn additional entries by becoming a Facebook Fan and a follower of this blog. For each entry leave an additional comment. Ex: "I became a FB fan too!" I will check to make sure the additional entries are valid. This gives you a total of three chances to win!! The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.

The last day for entries will be Friday, March 4th (midnite EST). The winner will be announced Monday March 7th using Random.org. The hairbows will be shipped via USPS within 5 business days of contacting the winner. If I have not heard from the winner within 48 hours of contacting them I will select another winner.

Feel free to tweet, post on FB or blog about this contest!

This Mommy Needs a Break!

I've reached that point.

Every mom has it. It's the day your husband walks in the door and you head out without much of an explanation, just "I need a break!" You drive around, head to a local retail store to walk around aimlessly, maybe a book store to grab a cup of coffee. Not really caring how your husband is doing without you, just that you don't have to deal with bath time, story time, pajama struggles and sibling fighting for that night.



This is my "I've had it!" face



I have started thinking of how long it's been since I've been away from my kids for longer than nap time. I think it was a few weeks ago for a church dinner. Then I started to think about the last time I went out alone. Running to the post office or market doesn't count. Just a mommy only shopping venture, Hmmmm, it's been months. Yes, months!



For some reason this weekend has been tough with the kids. Not listening, fighting, walking out in the middle of church to discipline my son who was talking loudly and not being a "good listener." Then laying down to catch a short nap only to have my son wake up from a very short nap and tap my every five minutes for something, even after I turned on his favorite movie and told him mommy needed a nap too. That didn't happen.

This week I go back to work. It will be for two days a week. I've been worried about how I will handle leaving my daughter who is with me ALL the time (my son attends preschool three days a week). I think this trying weekend has been God's way of preparing me and showing me this job will be a good change. Maybe I will get some of my sanity back.

Not everyone is made to be a SAHM. I've enjoyed the time home with my kids but have known it wasn't a permanent gig for me. I think becoming a part-time working mom will be good for me. Hopefully it will help me find patience again.

I Hate Shopping but... I LOVE Deals!

Okay, I don't actually hate shopping. I just hate it when I don't have the money to buy what I want. Since we're on a tight budget at the moment, I currently hate shopping.

However, I LOVE the end of season sales and today I found some awesome buys at GAP and Macy's.  I must first say that my hubby and I went shopping last weekend and got some pretty great deals too on clothes for my daughter and I found a cute dress.

I headed to the mall today because I received an email from GAP about an extra 40% off their sale items. I purchased $189.50 worth of clothing for $30.50!

Here is what I got:

Gray Cord jacket - originally 59.50 - sale 11.99

Vintage Flare jeans in dark wash - originally $69.50 - sale 12.59

black top with tie and keyhole opening in back - originally 29.50 - sale 2.98

gray tank with beads - originally 29.50 - sale 2.98

I was so excited about the jeans!  I am tall so finding jeans that actually fit is tough. GAP jeans have always fit me well but at $70.00 a pop they are not usually in this SAHM's budget.  Also, I do not buy clothes just because they are cheap! I tried them on, made sure they fit and flattered me. So what if a top is $2.00 and you never wear it! That's two bucks you wasted! The fit of the black shirt was so cute and looked great with the jeans! Yay!

Next I headed over to Macy's. This is where my husband and I found some great deals last weekend so I went to see what was left.  They had an extra 50% some of their sale racks.  This is what I purchased:

3 piece Clavin Klein outfit with vest, shirt and pants sz 2T - originally 66.00 - sale 7.48

two Quicksilver t-shirts - originally 16.00 each - sale 2.48 each

sweater vest - originally 17.99 - sale 2.48

cardigan - originally 19.99 - sale 2.48

All together I purchased around $135.00 worth of clothes at Macy's for 17.40!

All of the items from Macy's were for my son and daughter. I bought the next size up for my daughter so she could wear them next fall. I purchased the short sleeved shirts for my son for the spring and summer.

So, there you have it! A very successful day shopping for me :)

Change is Coming

Quality Time

The time has come. I must go back to work.

I'm happy. I'm sad. I'm nervous. I'm excited.

When my husband went back to grad school for ministry in 2005 we knew it meant having financial hardships for a few years and eventually moving away from our families. All I asked was that I could be a SAHM for a while when he was finally called to his own church. 

Well, we moved here in 2009 and I became a SAHM to my then three year old son and six-month-old daughter. I didn't think I could make it after the first month. I was ready to pull my hair out! But, we finally got into a routine and I loved it. I missed a lot of the adult things, like lunch hours and conversation. I also realized what a gift staying home was for me.

After having my son in 2006 I returned to work full-time after twelve weeks of maternity leave. It was hard leaving him but I had no choice. I had to work.  When our daughter was born in 2009 we had already moved once. I had a new job and could only stay out for eight weeks and then had to return to work. Again, I had to work.

Then my husband was called to VA. He kept his promise and I got to stay home. I realized what I missed while I worked when my son was little. I don't regret it but I am sad that someone else got to see everything I missed.  More than once I've sat back and wondered, 'How in the world did I get all this done when I worked?'  I've learned what an incredible person it takes to work and be a wife and mother and take care of a home while making sure your kid doesn't turn into a serial killer. What's more amazing are the millions of moms and dads who do it every day!

So, in a few weeks I will return to work, this time only part-time. A few days a week. It will help me ease back into the real world. For some reason I think leaving my kids this time will be even harder then when they were infants.  They have become my side kicks, my partners in crime.

I am excited about entering the adult world again! Having conversations that involve subjects other than Buzz Lightyear and trains is a huge plus! I think I'm really going to enjoy my job.

Most of me can't wait to get started. The part of my heart that is with my kids is dragging a little though.

Weekend Blog Hops

Visiting new blogs this weekend!

               

       

I'm in the Spotlight!

I'm the Spotlight blog for Traveling Thursdays!! Read below to participate and possibly be next week's spotlight!

 

Welcome to the Traveling Through Thursday Blog Hop 2/3/11 hosted by Living on Love and Cents, Mom On Dealz, Our Kids Mom , and Belly Charms (The Blog).

The Spotlight this week is Jamie from Makin' It Work. Here are a few things she wanted to share with us all. She is 5 on this week's linky. Be sure to stop by and tell her hello!

I started blogging about two years ago as a way to keep our family updated on our kids after we moved away. I started my second blog "Makin' It Work" about three months ago after I became a SAHM and started my own business.

When I'm not blogging I'm playing with my kids (they are 1 and 4) or making tutus for my shop on Etsy.com Sweet Baby Tutus. I also love to be outside when the weather cooperates and reading.

I love to blog! It's so much fun seeing the comments people leave and it's also very therapeutic. I have met some really great people and found really interesting stories.

Thanks so much for including me as a spotlight!

Would you like to be a spotlight? All you have to do is follow these steps. Also visit Sweet Baby Tutus/ Makin It Work on Twitter and Facebook.
1) Follow the first 4 pages in the linky. These are our hosts. Be sure to comment so that we can follow back!
2) Please only link up your the network we are visiting for the week!--GOOGLE
3) Spread the word about this hop with a post, grab the button, etc.!For more followers- Grab the linky code and post this on your blog for your followers!

Happy Traveling! Be SURE to leave a comment so that we can return the follow.

get the InLinkz code

My Favorite Things - Winter Survival

Okay, so I'm not Oprah and I can't give away my favorite things but I thought I would share what has helped me through the winter. Most of the items are free so enjoy!
* a short disclaimer - I was not asked to review these products and have not received anything in return.

InStyle Magazine has been my favorite for years! Due to SAHM budget cuts, I no longer have a subscription. I check out their website and treat myself to one every now and then! It has helped with the long trips traveling home for the holidays and snow days!




This is one of my newest favorite things! J's Everyday Fashion. This is a blog by J who loves fashion and gives great examples of outfits you can create on a realistic budget! I promise, REALISTIC! Love her style and I check out her FB page daily to see her latest fashion creation! I am finally down to my pre-baby weight,  after five years and two kids, so I need all the inspiration I can get!

 

As a SAHM this is my weekday go to outfit. Long sleeved tee and jeans. I throw on my jacket and I'm out the door headed to preschool and to run any errands I may have that day.

Word World is a PBS show that my kids LOVE. I love it too because my 21 month old daughter can identify all her letters (and has been since about 19 months) thanks to this show. They watch an episode everyday while I get dinner ready. I definitely recommend checking your local PBS station to see if it's on their schedule. We have 40 episodes DVR'd! My husband and I are amazed at how the animators figure out how to make everything out of letters that spell out what the object is.



I use Olay Daily Exfoliating Body Wash all the time. It's not really abrasive and a bottle lasts for a long time! I also love the way it smells!

The Mini Wallet Miracle

Okay, so some of you requested to see my mini wallet when it arrived so here it is...

So adorable and it has been awesome! I received it last Wednesday and have only taken my purse with me once (when I went by myself to the Dr.). Having my hands free and no purse falling off my shoulder while I'm carrying B has been great!

I'll give a shoutout to the Etsy shop where I purchased my wallet, Ms Nizbit. I have not been asked to review this product. I searched for and purchased this item. It's a great handmade piece and very inexpensive so why not share the love?! It was hard to choose a fabric because there were a lot of pretty ones but I chose the black figuring it wouldn't show dirt as easily. They are washable though.

I'd love to hear of products you found that made your life easier! No self promoting please.

Weekend Blog Hops!

Found a lot of great blogs through these hops last week! So, I'm participating again!

Easy Guac for Superbowl Sunday

So, we are not big football fans in our house but we do watch the Superbowl every year. My husband has requested, "a variety of dips and chicken wings" for our menu. 

I figured many of you will plan similar menus whether for just your family or for a Superbowl party so I thought I would share this super easy guacamole recipe. It is so easy it's embarrassing. I must say that I didn't eat guacamole before I tried this recipe. Now we eat it all the time and it's super good for your kids!

All you need is two avocados and one jar of Herdez salsa. Yep, that's it!

Scoop out the avocados, mash them up to your desired consistency and pour in the whole jar of salsa and stir to mix. Your done!

I've tried other salsas and they just don't taste as good but I suppose you could try others if they don't carry Herdez in your local market.

Remember to make this right before you plan to serve it because it will turn brown quickly.

I could live off of this stuff! I use the mild salsa so it's not too spicy for my kids (they are 4 and 1) and they gobble it up!

(mostly) WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

MOVIE NIGHT

TUTU GIVEAWAY WINNER

Thanks to everyone who participated!

If you didn't win, don't fret! Got to my shop, Sweet Baby Tutus, and enter the code SBTBLOG for a 10% discount on all items, including my birthday sets!! See, you can still have your favorite!

AND THE WINNER IS...

LISA D.

CONGRATULATIONS!

She will receive a Sweet Baby Tutus Pink & White Princess Tutu!

This giveaway was a great success and there will be more giveaways in the future. If you would like for me to host a giveaway for you, just send an email. Family friendly items only please.

My Purse Has Become A Casualty

For some reason over the last few months I have come to despise carrying a purse. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE bags! My collection has dwindled since I became a SAHM but I still love to look, dream and grab the occasional deal.

My daughter is 21 months I am making lots of trips to the Post Office, Wal-Mart, fabric stores and craft stores thanks to my Etsy shop. My very cute Jessica Simpson bag I bought at a steal after Christmas is more of a burden than a wonderful fashion statement. I can't tell you how many not so nice words have been uttered under my breath as I dig for my keys or lip balm in the black hole of my purse.

So, today I bit the bullet and ordered a very cute handmade mini wallet keychain from a fellow Etsy seller. Think back to your college years and the not - so - mini keychain wallet you carried your precious student ID in and you will get the picture.

Sadly, I can't wait for my purchase to arrive at my door and be freed of my purse for most of my daily errands. I will still use my purses. They make me very happy! But only when I know I'm not carrying a 21 month old on one arm and holding the hand of a very active four year old with the other.

Have you given up something that seemed so simple but made your life a lot easier after it was gone?

The Day I Have Dreaded

is here...

Tomorrow while my son is at his weekly speech therapy session I will register him for the 2010-2011 school year. He will enter Kindergarten.

Having fun!

All together now.... "Awwwwww!"



I have often thought of how hard his first day of kindergarten might be for me and registering him is the first big step heading in that direction. He has been in daycare/preschool since he was two but Kindergarten is "real school."

Best friends, bullies, homework, good teachers, bad teachers, teasing and fun. I believe it is the start of the really hard years in parenting. When the difficult times will come. When, as a parent, you would love to trip little Johnny as he walks down the hall for teasing your son but you know it just wouldn't be acceptable. I just have to hope we have taught h

It's stressful. It's exciting. It means my little man is growing up.  The oddest thing is remembering when I started Kindergarten and my mom walking me to class. Now, it's my turn.