Bootie Baby Blog

Bison hike and giant leaf pile

2011-11-04T17:18:00.000-04:00

We went to the Batelle Darby Creek MetroPark for a preschool program about autumn leaves. We did crayon rubbings, identified leaves and trees, talked about the leaves changing color, and then jumped into an enormous leaf pile.

"My favorite part of fall?"

"I'll show you"

"Jumping into huge piles of leaves!"

1, 2, 3, Go!!

Coming after mama to make sure I don't miss out on any leafy fun!

Hiking to the bison

We are lucky to have Batelle Darby Metro Park a few minutes from our house. We'll be even luckier when they complete their nature center planned for next year. It's going to be similar to the Audubon Center, in that it will be built sustainably with as little impact on the surrounding area as possible. I'm eagerly awaiting the programs that they'll be offering. In the meantime, we can visit the bison. It's a little bit more than a mile walk from the parking area/naturalists office.

Almost there...

There are 6 bison, but it's a huge area (I believe they said 23 acres), so they aren't always visible. The bison love the chilly weather we've been having, and are happily lounging around and laying on the ground. This makes them a bit difficult to see, but we were able to spot one fuzzy lump from the trail.

Can you spot it?

Though they were a bit tired after our hike, the glimpse of the bison, and anticipation of hot cocoa at home was enough to prompt an extra quick walk back to the car. Bye, bison!!

I'll race you back!!!

Slate Run Park Hayride Day

2011-11-02T16:36:00.000-04:00

Here comes the hayride!

The girl got a pumpkin

So did the boy, but it smacked him in the nose. OW!

Scaling Mt. Strawbale

Bootsy

The mister got into a perfect swinging rhythm

She's a bat!

She's a cat!

Leaf pile!

I wasn't leafy enough, they boy is going to fix that

Who knew, leaf angels exist too!

Reusable Review, insulated groceries!

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000-04:00

I've been using the Earth Tote insulated shopping bag for the past couple of months, and can definitely say that it's become my favorite insulated bag. I've tried quite a few, and while they worked the way they were supposed to, the Earth Tote is the first one to exceed my expectations.

The description for the Earth Tote states that it can keep food cold for up to 3 hours, and that is true. However, with the addition of a small ice pack, I've had food stay refrigerator cold for at least 5 hours. When I used a slightly larger ice pack, everything was still perfectly cold 9 hours later. I am quite impressed with the insulating ability of this bag, none of the others were able to maintain that level of insulation for anywhere close to that length of time.

*Stock photo from Reuseit.com

It can fit a bit more than an average paper grocery bag, especially since it zips shut so you don't have to worry about things falling out of the top. My favorite way to use this isn't as a grocery bag though. The main thing I've been doing with it is using it to pack snacks, drinks, and lunch to bring with us when we are going out for the day. The kids and I have food allergies, so it can be difficult to find food on the go, and we tend to bring everything with us. Our Earth Tote can fit 2 Laptop Lunch boxes, a ToGoWare 2-tier tiffin, 2 12oz Kleen Kanteens, a 27oz Kleen Kanteen, and a set of 3 reuseit snack bags, plus 2 small freezer bricks. I'll put everything but the snack bags into the tote, put a kitchen towel on top, then the snack bags go in. This keeps the cold in the lower portion of the bag, and the snacks in the snack bags don't get humidity from any condensation that might occur (so, our pretzels and veggie bootie don't get soggy and gross).
The only thing that I'd add to improve this bag more would be a long shoulder strap in addition to the short handles. Being able to have our food bag on my shoulder would free up a hand for parking lot hand holding. For now, one of the kids just holds a belt loop or my pocket instead, but it would be nice to have an extra hand available.

Disclosure: As a reuseit.com ambassador, I was given a free product from reuseit.com to test and review. I was not paid or given any other compensation. All opinions presented are my own and not influenced by reuseit.com or anyone else.
For my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Post Office tour

2011-10-20T10:35:00.000-04:00

We visited Skip at the main post office this week, and were able to tour the whole mail sorting area. It's huge! We weren't there early enough to see the carriers, but did get to see where they work, and the process of sorting the mail before it even gets to them.

Carrier sorting area

The place is pretty automated, and it was surprising how few people it takes to move a whole city's mail around. The carriers don't have to do too much sorting before they go out on their route, but this particular office does more than most because of the volume of mail that goes through.

These bins are for larger packages

Skip shows us how to scan mail

Click on through to see and read more...

The giant elevator. It can hold 12,000 lbs!!

We went upstairs on the huge freight elevator, and figured out that it could hold the weight of 3 cars, that's a lot of mail.

The FSS (Flat Sequencing System) machine

This machine is enormous! It handles 1,200,000 pieces of mail daily, with only a few people involved. There were 2 workers who made sure that the mail was moving properly and not in danger of jamming, and 2 people who were monitoring the system on computers.

One of only 2 people who run an entire FSS machine

This thing is huge!

These are the people who get the mail ready for the FSS machine

Flat mail that's ready for the FSS machine

Sorted mail

Hi, Mike! He's in charge of the front counter and internal mail

Post office boxes. We got to see them from both sides.

Mailing letters

Station 1 Tour

2011-10-19T20:16:00.000-04:00

The littles have been really interested in going to visit places that they haven't been before, and exploring things that they've read or seen on shows. Lately, they've asked to see a real firestation, so I called the local fire department and set up a tour to see Station 1. The firefighters were all very welcoming, and answered all of the questions that the kids had. We first went upstairs to see the dispatch area, the kitchen, and the tables where the firefighters eat. An interesting thing that we learned is that they all work shifts that are 24 hours on/48 hours off, which would mean that they are working either 48 or 72 hours a week. We also learned that the firefighters all eat their on-shift meals together. They each pay into the food fund at the beginning of the week, and take turns cooking for the whole crew.

Checking out the fire truck

Getting behind the wheel

Click on through to see and read more...

We then went downstairs to see the trucks. The kids were all very interested in getting into the engine and checking out the buttons, seats, and steering wheel. We were also able to check out the ladder truck and all of it's equipment, but didn't get to climb into it.

Ladder truck

What's that?

One of the most exciting parts of our visit is when the alarm went off and we were able to watch two firefighters slide down the pole, get into the engine, and zoom out of there with lights and sirens on!

Alarm is ringing!!

For the last part of our tour, we watched a firefighter get suited up in all of his gear. He showed us how he had to put everything on in a certain order to make sure that he was protected from burns. He also put on his oxygen tank so that we could hear what it sounds like when he breathes through the mask.

Getting geared up,

Almost dressed,

Ready to go!

We were all pretty impressed by our firehouse visit, and it also opened up a great opportunity to talk about fire safety with the kids. I'm thinking that we just might make this a yearly visit (and the boy thinks we should go twice a year!), although next year we'll have to go on a day other than Monday so that we can also visit the Central Ohio Fire Museum next door.

Harvest Jamboree at Smith Farm

2011-10-17T14:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, we went to the Harvest Jamboree at Smith Farms area of the Three Creeks MetroPark. Admission was free, and so were many (but not all) of the activities, parking was $5 per car. We were a bit disappointed, but overall had a good day with a lot of new experiences for the kids.
The disappointing part was that there was an enormous line for the hayride that the kids were so looking forward to. I feel like there must have been some poor planning for that aspect of the event, since the turnout was huge and there was just one tractor with a single trailer that could only hold about 20 people at a time. We got there within 15 minutes of the starting time, and the line was already long enough for about an hour to an hour and a half wait. That missed hayride caused some tears, but they'll get to go on one soon at another farm.
We've been wanting to find a place for the kids to try out a climbing wall, but haven't found anywhere yet that has harnesses small enough. Luckily, the Recreation and Parks Department had a tiny harness that fit, so the kids were able to try out the wall they had set up. They didn't get up too high, but did great for their first climb. Fun fact: the Rec & Parks Dept portable climbing wall has an auto belay system, and 32lbs isn't quite heavy enough to allow it to release. So, if they'd gotten much higher, someone would have had to have gone up after them.

Straw maze

After the hayride drama, we found the pumpkin corral. I'm glad we got there when we did, or the kids would have been in for disappointment #2. But, they got to choose a pumpkin from the few that were left, and then decorate it. The boy went for the roundest, smallest pumpkin he could find, and the girl found the largest she could. There was then a flurry of glue, paint pens, stickers, feathers, and pipe cleaners, and the pumpkin creations emerged.

Decorating his tiny pumpkin

Fancy pumpkin

There were also a few creatures there from the Columbus Zoo. We got to see frogs, toads, hissing cockroaches, and crayfish. Then a bit later, we were surprised to turn a corner and find a barn owl.

Barn owl

And then, a penguin. I'm not sure what makes a penguin relevant to a harvest festival in Ohio, but the kids thought she was cool.

Penguin

There were quite a few tables set up with autumn-related crafts for the kids, and they had lots of fun doing those for a while. It was very, very crowded though, and got overwhelming quickly. We decided at that point to call it done so that we could go get some lunch at...

The Loving Hut!!

Scott and I had been there once before, but this was the first time for the kids. Everything they serve is 100% vegan, and they have a generous selection of gluten free and raw items as well. It's so nice to be able to go out to eat and not have to worry that we won't be able to find something that won't make us sick.
The kids shared an incredible strawberry/cashew smoothie that I would love to reconstruct at home. I barely had time to taste it since they inhaled it so quickly. They and I also shared a raw salad with beets, sweet potato, apple, avocado, olives, and sprouts. It's called Love Letter From the Earth, and it was amazing! We then tried the raw french fries, which are avocado slices rolled in spices and nuts.
The Loving Hut is located in such an unlikely, ignored little strip of stores in Reynoldsburg. But, they prepare their food with such care and everything is always presented beautifully. We will definitely be back to try more of their menu.

Apples at Slate Run

2011-10-16T20:31:00.003-04:00

Today we went to Slate Run Living Historical Farm for the apple program. They had apple butter stirring and cider pressing, and we tasted about 10 different varieties of apples. After all the apple tasting, we headed over the bridge to visit the animals. We got to see a pile of piglets napping, some vocal turkeys, cows, horses, chickens, and geese. After a busy day at the farm, we went home to cook our squash and pickle some beets for dinner.
Whenever we go to Slate Run, I'm always impressed by the authenticity, and how much it feels like a step back into the 1880's. There are a few staff members working there, but the majority of the farm is maintained by volunteers. It's a working farm, and they keep it going all year.

Mild winter, wooly bear?

Pumping water to wash hands

Click on through to see and read more...

Tasting Apples, the Spitzenburg was our favorite, but we also liked the Winter Banana apple

Pressing apples

Ram

Ewe nose

Hungry cow

It licked me!!

Grinding corn

The boys push the girl

The girl's turn to push

Hens!

Roo, checking us out

The apple butter is finished cooking and now must cool

Finally got it!

The kids chose pie pumpkins, and the big'ins chose squash

Our baked squash supper looks like a bundt!

Next Saturday (Oct 22nd, 2-5pm) at Slate Run Park (right next to the farm), will be Fall Fest. There will be lots of activities for kids, plus music, snacks, farm animals, and a tram ride.

Old Time Harvest Days at Fryer Park

2011-10-15T23:52:00.000-04:00

This is a hugely picture heavy post, but this was a really fun day and you wouldn't want to miss anything, right? Fryer Park on Orders Rd is always a great place for an adventure. There is a super exciting playground, a large pond, and a small collection of historical buildings that have been relocated here. They have events a few times a year, but this is the first one that we've been able to attend. It was extremely well organized, had an amazing amount of activities set up, and was totally free! It was perfect for kids, and the littles were very interested in everything there was to see. I also saw younger kids who were able to do many of the activities with help from parents, and quite a few older kids/teens as well. The only thing that was missing this year was the wool carding and spinning demonstration, due to the volunteer being sick, but my kids get to see that at home :).

Stamping Leather

Knot tying

Pony!

Click on through to see and read more...

Caning a chair

Making rope

I made this!

Jump rope?

Marble run

Shelling corn

Grinding corn

Using a Buck Saw

Mama's new coaster :)

Sawing

Making a clothespin doll

Cutting silhouette shapes

Cutting carefully

Using a file to make a spinning toy

I actually didn't get pics of everything that we did that day. We also were able to walk through a log cabin that was set up as it would have been in the early 1900's, learned paper quilling, quilting, and paper star making, made a corn husk doll, and visited with a group of 4H-ers and their chickens and rabbits.
We had a great time, and this is definitely an event that we will attend in the future.

Sick, but making the best of it

2011-10-01T17:07:00.001-04:00

While it was never fun getting sick as a kid, I still remember how great it felt to be able to get into my parents bed and stay there all day, warm and cuddly, watching tv and eating toast. With two 4 year olds running in circles around me, it's usually not quite as relaxing now as it used to be. How sweet it is, that the mister stayed home yesterday, and I got to stay in bed. I've set up camp in the room that passes as our guest room, since it's the only room in our house with both a bed and a door. I've got a down comforter, a few books, and the laptop. Every once in a while, a little loud visitor comes up to see how I'm doing. It's like a little vacation, and I think I love it. Well, except for the searing pain in my throat, ringing in my ear, and the coughing that wakes me up every hour or so.
With this sudden free time, I've been clicking around on Pinterest, and found a few recipes that sounded like they'd go well with my current state. Thursday night, I made this carrot ginger soup. The only changes I made to the recipe was to add a couple of cloves of fresh garlic and a whole chopped pasilla pepper. I figured the spicyness would help blast some of the germs out of me, and the pasillas have a ton of vitamin C. It was quick to make, and was super tasty.

Source: joythebaker.com via karma on Pinterest

Then, last night, I needed something cold to help put out the fire in my throat. We'd baked a giant squash earlier in the week, so I thought I'd use it in place of the pumpkin in the pumpkin pie milkshakes.

Source: wearenotmartha.com via karma on Pinterest

I had to do some fiddling with the ingredients since we are dairy and gluten free, but it turned out pretty well. I used coconut milk and soy ice cream, and replaced the graham crackers with Envirokids animal cookies. I would have preferred to use the gluten-free craham cracker crumbs that I used to make the s'mores, but didn't have any. It tasted exactly like pumpkin pie, but colder and much more soothing.
An optional part of the pumpkin pie milkshake recipe is a caramel drizzle made by melting caramel candy. To keep ours dairy free, I called on another Pinterest recipe that I recently found.

Source: alwayswithbutter.blogspot.com via karma on Pinterest

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make this one dairy-free, but I did! In place of the heavy cream I used Mimicreme, and it worked perfectly! I also used raw sugar in place of refined sugar, and cut the whole recipe in half in case it turned out badly. It didn't turn out saucy, I think because I cooked it too long. Since the raw sugar is already darker in color, it was difficult to know when it was finished cooking. So, the finished result was definately not able to be drizzled, but was so unbelievably yummy crumbled up and sprinkled on top of our milkshakes. I guess I'll just have to try making this one again to see if I can get it to come out the way it's supposed to. Darn.

Not to put too fine a point on it

2011-09-27T20:29:00.002-04:00

Sharpening pencils and crayons!

The littles asked to do some writing practice, but the pencils they wanted to use were dull.

We got out the sharpener, and then all thoughts of writing were gone. They spent at least 45 minutes sharpening pencils, and then crayons. They'd take turns between the 2 sharpeners, and sometimes one would peel crayon wrappers off so that there was always a pile ready to go.

We can always write another day.

Old Time Harvest Day

2011-09-26T21:09:00.000-04:00

Old Time Harvest Day 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2
Old-Time Harvest Day in Grove City will give today’s generation a look into the past at historical Century Village, 4185 Orders Road. The City of Grove City and the Southwest Franklin County Historical Society collaborate annually to organize this fun, free and educational event for the community. Demonstrations such as leather tooling, soap making, blacksmithing, butter churning and two-man sawing will be presented throughout the day along with period-appropriate harp and dulcimer performances. Most activities are hands-on and appropriate for all ages. Children will also have the opportunity to make crafts and learn old fashion games. Concessions will be available. Century Village, located at Fryer Park, represents the initial stage of development for a typical central Ohio community in the 1850’s and features a one room school, outhouse, windmill, log cabin and barn.

Slightly underwhelming natural history exhibit, saved by the public library

2011-09-24T21:07:00.001-04:00

Stick Insect

We visited the World of Wonder exhibit at the Grove City Town Hall and Visitor Center, thinking it would be a good afternoon activity. However, even though the collection was pretty impressive, it is most certainly not for small children.

Green Nymph Stick Insect

The Visitor Center has a small collection of historical items from Grove City's past and are also currently exhibiting an aisle of display cases containing the Rodney Eaken Collection of crystals, insects, fossils, and shells. Our small group of 2 adults and 5 children walked into the Town Hall/Visitor center, and were greeted only by dozens of small signs warning us not to touch anything. We never did find anyone to answer any questions about the historical items or the natural history collection. The kids enjoyed looking at the insects and fossils, but I found myself having to constantly remind them not to touch, leaving us all feeling tense before we'd finished looking at everything. We'd been pretty excited to see the dinosaur egg fossil, but sadly ended up missing it.

Walking Leaf Insect

Ammonite Fossils

Trilobites

After a snack and a calm-down on a park bench outside the Visitor Center, we all decided it would be a good time to walk across the street to visit the library. We knew that there were a few more cases of shells over there, and the kids wanted to pick out some new bedtime books.

More enormous shells

I knew that the larger libraries in town had extensive collections of in-library materials for kids, and computers set up with learning games, but I didn't realize that our little local branch had those resources as well. The kids had some fun playing on the computers, but then found the LeapFrog readers and decided to park themselves at a table for a while with them. It was really cute watching them figure out the systems. They told me pretty emphatically that they want to go back to try the other books soon.

Having fun with soft toys and puppets at the library

All in all, it was a successful outing. We got to see some really interesting fossils and insects, and the kids are even more excited to be able to go to the Smithsonian Natural History museum someday. We also learned about a cool new feature of our local library, and got to visit with some of our favorite friends. Bonus: the kids stayed awake on the way home, and went to bed easier and earlier than normal. Yay!

And, the winner is...

2011-09-23T20:23:00.000-04:00

Candy!!!

It looks like the popular choice for the next Reusable Review is the Large Insulated Zippered Lunch Bag! They happen to be on sale right now for 50% off, so if you aren't feeling like waiting for the review, it's a great time to try one for yourself at only $9.95.
Congratulations, Candy! I'll be contacting you shortly (that's the only way I know how).

Why, yes, we did go back to the Audubon Park

2011-09-19T21:58:00.000-04:00

We happened to show up just as volunteers were bringing out nets and buckets for kids to search the wetlands for critters.

Perfect, since H had decided that morning that he was going to be a creature all day. We never did figure out what kind of creature, but it involved paws, and didn't speak, but was an excellent critter finder.

dragonfly larva

We didn't get to see any frogs or turtles this time, but saw tons of damselflies mating and laying eggs, and quite a few dragonfly larvae.

We learned that grasshoppers like indeterminate creatures!

and regular kid-like kids too :)

This guy spent much longer riding J's shoulder than I would have imagined,

and then decided to take the creature for a spin.

J even bonded with a small mouth bass. She's the one on the right.

I'm sure we'll be back again soon, there's a geocashe there that I will not let win.

Snack Bag Review and Giveaway!

2011-09-16T21:40:00.002-04:00

I haven't done a reusable review in a while, and decided that it was long overdue. There are so many great reusable products out there, but not always enough real-world opinions about them to help you choose the right ones for your family. I had the opportunity to try out a set of snack bags from reuseit.com on a recent trip to Firefly Play Cafe. The night before, I loaded them up with a variety of different snacks, but didn't go for anything goopy or wet this time. The large bag was filled with Tings, one smaller bag had raisins and dried apples, and the other small bag was filled with 4 clementines.

My thoughts? I love them!

They are made out of a double layer of heavyweight nylon fabric, without any BPA, lead, or phthalates. I've never been comfortable with laminated snack bags since I could never find a definitive answer about the safety of PUL when it's in contact with food. This seems to be a great compromise. It's still a man-made material, but I haven't seen anything yet that makes me overly wary of nylon, and since our lunch bags are already full of stainless steel and glass, it's nice to have a lighter option for snacks.

The bags were easy for the kids to open and close without spilling the contents, which has been a problem with some of our other containers. They were super easy to clean (turn them inside out and toss them into the washing machine!). I haven't tried it yet, but I'm wondering if they'd do ok in the dishwasher.

Our snacks also stayed nice and fresh. I specifically packed the Tings to see if they'd be stale the next day. The top of the bag folds down and is held in place when the velcro is fastened, which creates enough of a seal that the Tings were still crunchy and perfect when we opened them, and the dried apples didn't get tough. I probably wouldn't leave anything it there longer than overnight and expect it to stay fresh, but that's long enough for me to pack lunch and snacks for the next days adventures.

It was also nice that after our snacks were finished, the Snack and Sandwich bags pack down flat, making our bag much less bulky and cumbersome to carry at the end of the day.

Giveaway Time!!

Reuseit.com has offered to send one Bootie Baby Blog reader a Sandwich and Snack bag set of their very own, in the color they like best!

I'm not going to make you jump through a bunch of hoops to enter, but I am going to ask a favor. Please take a moment to subscribe to Bootie Baby Blog, then go visit Reuseit.com, browse through their house brand of reusable products, and leave a comment telling me which one you'd like to see reviewed next.

I'll choose a winner in one week, on September 23rd, using a random number generator.

Don't forget that I'll need a way to contact you if you're the winner :)

Exploring Gantz Park

2011-09-10T21:22:00.000-04:00

It was a perfect day for an adventure, so we headed out to Gantz to do some exploring. First thing out of the car, we searched for and found a letterbox. After adding our stamp and replacing it safely, we headed down the path toward the gardens. The kids said hi to the reading girl statue, visited with a cat that was lounging closeby, then ran off to walk the labyrinth.

Don't forget to stand in the center to hear the echos!

Callicarpa japonica

We found this shrub, which caught our attention with it's striking lustrous purple berry. It's not one we were familiar with, so we made sure to look for the sign. It's called Japanese Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica), and seems to be related to Verbena.

While we were there, a bride and bridesmaids arrived to take photos. The kids were quite curious about them.
After a walk around the park and some squirrel watching, we explored the creek a bit. There were quite a few fish, and H and I surprised a small water snake while walking across some partially submerged rocks.
To finish off our adventure, we hopped back into the car and drove a few miles away to find our first geocashe!

Rainy day at the Audubon Park

2011-09-07T19:21:00.000-04:00

We went back to the Audubon Park today, despite the dampness outside, and had a great time. The climb up the water tower was quite exciting, since we'd forgotten to do that last time. J&H were so thrilled to be able to see the whole park from up there.

Going up the watertower

Checking out the view

Looking up

We also had a rainy walk across the wetland area, where we got to see lots of ducks, frogs, water skimmers, and even got a glimpse of a quick little turtle that declined a photo.

Ducks!

Huge frog

Then we went back inside for a quick visit to the library, where we read a few books and did some birdwatching. The view from the library is amazing. You can see the whole wetland area from there.

View of the bird feeder from the library window

Trash butterfly

On September 10th, from 9am-12pm, the Scioto Audubon Center is having an Eco Back to School Event. There will be a children's clothing swap, raffles, games, and green products from local vendors. See the link above for more info and directions to the Center.

Finally, when we got home, we were greeted by a brown praying mantis hanging out on our front porch. I'm sure it will be having a filling meal this evening.

I totally look like this jump rope, don't I?

Need some sugar? -Or- GF/Vegan S'mores!!

2011-09-04T14:33:00.001-04:00

I needed some chocolate, and the kids hadn't done any cooking in a while, so I thought I'd come up with a fun new treat for them. I've been wanting to make s'mores with the kids, but I haven't been able to find a good vegan/gluten-free graham cracker. When I spotted a box of gluten-free graham cracker crumbs in the grocery store, I figured I'd give them a try.

The recipe is extremely simple, and tooth-numbingly sweet. If there's a next time, I'll tone down (or eliminate) the additional sugar in the crust.

First, I followed the directions on the box of Kinnikinnick Graham Style Crumbs for a cheesecake crust, adding 6 T of Earth Balance Margarine, and more sugar than necessary (I don't remember the exact amount).

Then, I pressed the crumbs into a lined springform pan and put it into the fridge while I prepared the chocolate. I poured about 3/4 cup of Enjoy Life Vegan Chocolate Chips into a Pyrex measuring cup with a tablespoon or so more Earth Balance and microwaved it in 20 second intervals until almost melted.

I poured the melted chocolate into the crust and spread it as evenly as possible, then put the whole thing back into the fridge for the chocolate to cool.

After it had cooled sufficiently, the kids helped pour about half a bag of Dandies Vegan Marshmallows on top and made sure they were arranged in a single layer.

We all watched excitedly to see what would happen to the marshmallows when they were put under the broiler. They only puffed slightly, but browned nicely. We took them out before they crystallized too much, to make sure that they didn't get too chewy or hard.

The crust was a bit too crumbly, but they were the best attempt at GF/vegan s'mores that I've tasted yet. The kids were happy to lick the crumbs from their plates, and then spent a lot of time with a rag and a spray bottle of vinegar, cleaning the table.

Worms, Sempervivum tectorum, and Baby whales

2011-08-31T00:55:00.001-04:00

Worm bin maintenance is fun for all. Especially the girl, she loves holding crawlies.
We have some really happy ones, with brand new digs to explore.

I believe this is a Sempervivum tectorum. I've had it for about 4 years, and it's just now starting to make babies. We'll be watching them to see how they grow. They are quite cute.

H&J are making sure their baby whales are happy. They've been tending them for a few days now. Today they needed to dump and refill the water, as there were some mosquito larvae in there. They have also discovered that black walnuts don't make good whales, since they sink to the bottom.

More garden

2011-08-30T23:46:00.000-04:00

I love our garden.

Get ready, lots of photos coming soon!

Up, up in the sky!

2011-08-28T22:09:00.000-04:00

The local hot air balloon festival was held this past weekend. It was a perfect welcome home after our beach vacation. The weather wasn't cooperating for balloon flights, but it was perfect weather for kites! The kids got to watch a really talented kite flyer, and were quite amused by his tricks. He was able to have the kite lift off the ground super fast, and then plummet down, stopping inches from the ground. He was also making it wave to them, and dance quite impressively. It was so fun watching them scream with laughter.

While it was disappointing that the balloons couldn't fly, we did get a dramatic and fiery light show that prompted loads of questions from the littles.

.

Post-Vacation Harvest

2011-08-28T21:41:00.003-04:00

Too shy for pictures;
1 1/2 dozen eggs
3 yellow summer squash
1 huge bag overflowing with basil

.

Splashing

2011-08-24T10:27:00.001-04:00

For the birds

2011-08-15T23:33:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday we explored the Scioto Audubon Center. It was spectacular! The main building has a library with an amazing view of the wetlands and comfy seating, a climbing/exploring area with great bird and wildlife costumes and puppets, a small gift shop, and a few different areas that are set up as hands-on learning stations. My favorite feature of the Center is the skylight that has an X-shaped bar built into it, casting a shadow onto the floor. There are then brass X's inlaid in the floor that correspond with the solstices and equinoxes. The kids spent a good bit of time searching for all the X's, and seeing how much the position of the sun changes throughout the year. We also had a great discussion about permeable and non-permeable surfaces, and how they effect groundwater. It was fun to then go outside and see the materials used in the parking area and walkways. You can really see conservation in action, since the Center was built using green and recycled construction materials.
We then went down to the play area, which includes a huge rock climbing wall, a large playground, and a large shaded picnic area. The kids were really curious about the climbing wall, but were a bit daunted by it. I was surprised that they weren't more interested in trying it out, since they are such monkeys at home, but they were under the impression that it was for adults and "kids that are almost adults". They had a blast in the playground though, and we'll definitely be back for more exploration (and hopefully more pictures).
For more info on the Scioto Audubon Center and some of their events and programs:
http://grange.audubon.org/
http://www.metroparks.net/parkssciotoaudubon.aspx

Boxketball!!

2011-08-09T17:23:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was full of activity, so today things were going to the opposite extreme. Everyone was starting to zone out and stare at screens. I suggested going outside to play, and the kids upped the ante. They wanted to play basketball, but we don't have a hoop. There is lots of cardboard though, so we decided to make our own. It's pretty tricked out, with a ball return, and jingle bells that ring whenever the box is hit or a basket is made. There is some pretty extensive tape and toilet paper roll action on the inside, but overall it's a success. I'm not sure it will last the rest of the week, but it's still going strong after an hour of heavy use, so it is well worth the cost of materials :D. They have come up with an interesting variation of basketball that involves jumping on the mini trampoline and throwing the ball from there. Bedtime should be fast and easy tonight.

Antheraea polyphemus

2011-08-05T22:40:00.000-04:00

We discovered this moth on our way in from the park today. It's really impressive, about 5 1/2 inches across. The girl wanted to pet it, but we decided that it would probably prefer to be left alone. I thought the daytime photo was washing out some of the details, so I just ran out and took the second pic. The Antheraea polyphemus doesn't eat after becoming a moth, and doesn't even have a mouth. Apparently she's going to be hanging out on our porch until a lucky male finds her there, then they'll mate.

The caterpillar is pretty cute, and reminds me of a certain Very Hungry one that's pretty popular around here.

Today's tiny harvest

2011-08-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Green beans, beats, a potato. It won't go far, but it will be tasty!
The potatoes don't seem to be doing very well. Probably due to the giant hornworms that tried to take them out. We'll have to try again next year with row covers.

I think we'll put in another round of beets in a few weeks for a second harvest before winter. There are still a bunch out there, and now that they have been thinned I hope they'll be doing some good growing.

H&J love to help harvest and clean our veggies. They do a really good job, too.

Oh, this old thing?

2011-07-31T21:39:00.000-04:00

The kids were excited to find a freshly shed snake skin on a bush yesterday. J wanted to hold it, and feel the texture, H was more interested in looking at it without touching. They were both very intrigued by the area where the eyes had been. The top of the jaw was a bit curled, but luckily it was fresh enough that we could uncurl it and see the whole head.

Writing

2011-07-26T09:00:00.012-04:00

Lots of writing practice happening around here. This is from last week. H's folder is blue, J's is red. The kids were asking for help writing, so we worked on some pre-writing shapes. After we did this together, they continued on their own for a while. It's interesting to see how differently their papers are organized. H's is very orderly and purposeful, while J's is more chaotic.

Surprise!

2011-07-25T14:05:00.001-04:00

J wanted to make sure that everyone who looked at her drawing knew that the egg was where Surprise came from. She asked me how to spell Surprise, and did a pretty good job writing it.

Reusable Review: AusPen Refillable Dry Erase Markers & Wipe Clean Woeksheet Covers

2010-11-01T15:24:00.000-04:00

This week, we tried out the AusPen Refillable Dry Erase Markers with a white board and Roylco Wipe Clean Worksheet Covers. I had been wanting to use dry erase markers with the kids for a while, but was uncomfortable with the smell and chemicals. When I first heard about the AusPen markers, I was thrilled to find out that not only are they refillable, but they are also Xylene free!
We loved the markers! They are bright and colorful, and draw a great, solid line which erases cleanly from both surfaces that we drew on. I think they are very comparable to the non-refillable dry erase markers in action, but without the soul-crushing agony of adding more waste to the landfill. I'm a sucker for a well designed container, so I adore the (recyclable) container that the markers and refill ink are packaged in. It's nice and slim, and fits into our school supply bin quite nicely. The only thing that I'm not feeling the love for, is the nibs (or lack of nibs, to be exact). Since I'm using these with preschoolers, I'm guessing the the kids will crush the life out of the nibs before the markers have lived a full life. They are reversible, so that will help, but I'd love to see AusPen offer replacement nibs so that we can continue to use these forever.

The kids are really getting interested in writing letters and have been asking for help making lists, so I got them a book with some pre-writing games and activities in it. I figured I'd either get a second copy if they both really like it, or just make copies on the scanner. Then I thought about it more, and just couldn't justify using all that paper and ink and then throwing it away. I thought about using chalkboards or whiteboard and drawing my own worksheets for them, but then stumbled across the Roylco Wipe Clean Worksheet Covers and decided to give them a try. They are perfect! We can use the same workbook over and over again, until the kids are done with it, and then give it to another family to use. We don't have to purchase multiple copies of the same book, and can reduce the amount of printouts from the computer. The covers cost $20 for a pack of 10, which seemed pricey at first, but I know they will more than pay for themselves quickly.

Just for Bootie Baby Blog readers, enter AUSPEN at check out for 10% off all of Auspen products at Reuseit.com from now until Nov 8!

Our Tuesday Lunch

2010-08-24T19:47:00.000-04:00

Sunbutter on gluten-free blueberry waffles and chia gel with maple syrup, coconut milk, lucuma powder, and frozen raspberries

The chia gel is in a mason jar with a Tattler BPA-free lid! I've been researching for a long while, looking for something to replace the BPA coated lids for our mason jars. My favorite option until recently was the Weck canning jars with glass lids. I never ended up ordering those though, they are pretty pricey, and I really didn't want to purchase jars when we already have so many. When I stumbled across the Tattler lids in the Lehman's catalog, I was thrilled. They are BPA-free, come in 2 sizes to fit both regular and wide mouth canning jars, and are reusable. The best part was that the mister was going to be driving within a few miles of Lehman's that very week, so we didn't have to pay shipping charges, or make a special trip. I haven't canned with them yet, but have used them for bulk storage, and making chia. They are just as easy to use for those purposes as the metal lids, without the extra bonus of leaching toxins into our food. Yay!
Another way that I've found to get BPA out of our home; We buy our sunbutter in a 5 lb bucket. It's less expensive since it's bulk, but it also has the benefit of a BPA-free container. We used to buy the smaller jars by the case, but didn't like that the lids had BPA. We fill a smaller sized container with sunbutter, so that it's easy to grab out of the fridge when needed, and leave the bucket tucked in the back of the fridge. It wouldn't work if you have a mini fridge, but for a bulk buying family, it's great.

Reusable Review, extra cute edition!!

2010-08-09T10:21:00.000-04:00

We've finally had to replace the reusable shopping bags that we've been using for many years with some shiny new ones from Reuseit.com. I chose the Baggu Reusable Shopping Bag set of 5, and the Blue Avocado Cruiser Kit. They've gone on a few grocery trips with us, and so far all thumbs are pointing up. The Baggu set folds down into a tiny stuff sack and the bags are extremely light weight (and durable). They are shaped like a traditional plastic grocery bag, only a lot bigger and in better colors. I never would have dreamed of fitting 7 boxes of cereal into such a light weight grocery bag, but these can handle that and more! I found them to be very comfortable to hold, the doubled handles don't cut into my hand at all. Since they are so light weight, they will air dry quickly after being washed.

I chose the Blue Avocado Cruiser Kit because I was looking for a PVC-free insulated bag to help get frozen items home without melting. The large patterned bag holds more than a paper grocery bag worth of groceries and seems very sturdy. We went shopping on a very humid and hot day, and even with a pit stop on the way home, none of the cold items in the (huge!) insulated bag were thawing and the interior of the bag was quite cold. This kit also comes with 2 large produce bags that are made out of an open mesh that is easy to see through. It's so great to be able to toss my Baggu bags into the Blue Avocado bag and have all my grocery reusables in one tote-bag sized bag that I can easily grab on my way out the door.

Reuseit.com has generously offered a coupon code to PirateBootieBlog readers! From now until Aug. 23rd, enter code bootiebaby10 at checkout for 10% off your order. Thanks, Reuseit!

Coming soon; Reusable Review, Lunch Edition!!

Sorry, Hun, I've got a new love. Um, I mean, Reusable Review Time!!!

2010-07-09T17:26:00.002-04:00

I think my husband may be just a bit jealous. I've been taking my new Reisenthel Kid's Market Basket everywhere I go, and talking about it a bit too much I think. I do think it's pretty perfect though, and has made loading the kids into the car so much easier. I just pre-load the market basket with our Kleen Kanteens full of water, a few random snacks, sunscreen, and a wetbag containing a few extra pair of tiny undies and shorts, and we're ready to head out the door at a moments notice. Even with all that stuff in there, there is still a little room to toss in a book or some crayons and stickers to entertain the kids at a slow point in our day. It's allowed me to eliminate that frantic run around the house collecting all the necessary bits and stuff, and I've actually been on time a few times this week! One feature of the basket that I think is great, but haven't needed to use yet, is the drawstring closure. I find it a bit easier to just leave the cover tucked inside so that I have easy access to the contents, but I think it would be really handy if I didn't want to advertise what I was hauling around, or if I had slightly overstuffed it and needed help holding everything in .

Another fun thing that I've been using this week is the Orka Silicone Lids. My home is almost completely disposable-free, and one of the things that I've missed having is plastic wrap. Not enough to buy it, but there was the occasional wistful sigh. I was pretty thrilled to find the Orka lids, and hopeful that they would be able to satisfy my need to avoid disposables as well as keep food fresh.
They are a little clunky since they have to be larger than the container that they are covering, and I found it occasionally challenging to fit them in the fridge (especially on CSA pickup day). They depend on suction to keep them on the container, and if bumped at the right angle, they can pop off. This could be a problem with soupy, drippy foods, but is fine for more solid items. I'm thinking that using them to transport wet foods could be a problem unless the container was very stable in the vehicle. The only other thing that I experienced that is obvious when you stop and think about it, but that didn't occur to me to stop and think about, is that the container can't be totally full. You need to allow space for the lid to be pushed down into the bowl to create the suction. This isn't a problem, but does bear mentioning. My opinion is that the benefits outweigh the negatives, and I really do think they the job they are made for. They hold their suction well, and I'm guessing that the silicone will last a really long time. The multi-function aspect is pretty cool too, since they can also me used as a trivet and potholder. The kids like suctioning them to the floor and then trying to pull them up with a pop, that's always a bonus.

Starting today (7/12/10), Bootie Baby Blog readers can save 10% off anything and everything at Resuablebags.com by entering bootiebaby at check out. The code is case-sensitive, can't be combined with any other coupons, and expires on 7/26.

Also, check out all the new arrivals at ReusableBags.com, there are some great new lunch items that would help make packing lunches fun and eco-friendly! Subscribe to the Reusablebags.com/Reusit.com mailing list (half way down the page on the left) or "Like" them on Facebook, and get special access to next week's "secret sale".

Product Safety for the People!!

2010-06-11T01:57:00.001-04:00

I've been asked so many times about plastic safety and household toxins, that I decided it was time to compile a list of the sites that I use to research these issues. I'm definitely no expert, but I do tend to err on the side of caution (especially where my kids are concerned) and like to have as much info as possible about the products that we use in our home.

US Consumer Product Safety Commission's database for recalls and product safety alerts
This is a searchable database, and you can also sign up for their RSS feeds. They have it set up so that you can get the feed for all recalls, or just the category(ies) that you are interested in.
This is a direct link to the CPSC infant/child product recalls.

HealthyStuff.org also has a searchable database of recalled items. The database is searchable by brand or type of item, and is particularly useful for looking up many items at once (after a birthday party, baby shower, etc.). Categories include: Toys, Children's Items, Pet Products, Cars, Apparel and Accessories.

Recalls.gov is yet another database. This one has a broader range of categories; Consumer Products, Motor Vehicles, Boats, Food, Medicine, Cosmetics, Environmental Products.You can sign up for email alerts, and report dangerous products.

Skin Deep Database. I use this one often. The Skin Deep Database is a guide to cosmetics and personal care products. The have thousands of entries which are rated by the safety of their ingredients. They recently put out a sunscreen guide that is fantastic. I've gotten into the habit of checking the database whenever we are thinking about trying a new product, and I feel like it's such a quick and easy way to help us eliminate as many toxins from our home as possible. The Skin Deep site is an offshoot of the Environmental Working Group webpage (another great informational site).

Another favorite of mine is ZRecommends. This blog is written by parents who are passionate about the safety of the products that they bring into their home (although it's turned into a lot more). They do green kid's product reviews, and write amazing product guides for almost every baby item out there. More recently they have started to research other household items as well.

The Soft Landing Blog was one of the first sites that I found when I started researching safer plastics and it is still one of the sites that I visit regularly. They also have some great product guides, and work hard to bring their readers the information that they need to make informed decisions. They also have an online retail shop where they only stock the safest kid's gear.

SafeMama is an all-purpose eco-kid (and mama) product safety site. With reviews, recall notices, and cheat-sheets, it's a great resource. Not just toys and diaper cream, they also highlight news issues of importance to families striving to make safer choices.

Here are a few of the retail sites that I trust to have high safety standards. I feel like they take the time to research the quality of the items they sell/make, as well as have great customer service.
The Soft Landing Thoroughly researched products,extremely high standards.
Earth Mama Angel Baby has wonderful skincare products for mamas, babies, and mamas-to-be
ReusableBags.com I've gotten many of my reusables here (disclaimer: I am a Reuseit.com ambassador, but this endorsement is my own, unsolicited opinion. I shopped there long before becoming an ambassador.)

And, just because I think it's important to know what you are eating,
FDA Food Safety Recalls RSS feed / FDA Food Safety Press Release database

Feel free to add your favorite sites in the comments!!

Bring it in!

2010-06-01T22:42:00.001-04:00

All the reusable bags you own don't mean a thing if they never make it into the store with you. I just received this static-cling window sticker from www.conservingnow.com. It's removable, double sided, and Free! I'm usually pretty good at remembering to bring my bags when I shop, but I'm hoping that seeing the sticker out of the corner of my eye when closing the car door will help with those times that I'm too busy or distracted to remember on my own. I chose the rectangular tree design, but they also have a round one with an image of the earth.

*Please excuse the terrible webcam pic of the sticker :)

Hot Coffee!!

2010-05-21T16:01:00.000-04:00

I posted a link on Facebook the other day to a post on a blog called Blissfully Domestic. The post was about the new insulated Kleen Kanteens, which I somehow hadn't known about before then. I love having a mug or cup of coffee with me in the car when I have to go somewhere on the early side of the morning, but haven't found the perfect solution. I had some pretty good travel mugs, but they never fit into my car's cup holder. I also have the Not A Paper Cup, which I love, but it's not quite large enough for morning coffee, and doesn't like to be overfilled or it drips into the cup holder. So I was thrilled to see that Kleen Kanteen is filling yet another hole in my obviously difficult life. I'll be ordering my 20oz insulated bottle from reusablebags.com this evening, and will report back with a review just as soon as it arrives.

Do you want one too? ReusableBags.com is offering a special free shipping coupon! The coupon code is NEWCUST25 will give you free shipping on orders of $25 or more. The code is for new customers only, cannot be combined with other coupons and doesn’t apply to volume or wholesale orders. Offer ends at midnight on 5/23.

The Colors Have Been Mixed!!!

2010-05-13T20:42:00.000-04:00

I'm finally over the whole dough-mixing thing. I set up a shower curtain drop cloth (IKEA has pvc-free PEVA liners for $2, and amazon has them for $9 if you don't have an IKEA) and gave the kids a rainbow of dough balls, some plastic sticker molds for stamping, and a mini rolling pin. After about an hour of stamping and snake-making, the mixing commenced. Each color of dough was pulled apart into teeny little chunks and then piled together into a large colorful ball. We'll be bringing out the dough a lot more often now :)

Ready,

Set,

Go!

Earth Day is coming, time to eradicate your yard of everything living!

2010-04-20T00:48:00.001-04:00

Warning: Sarcasm Alert!

I got a flyer in the mail the other day from Lowe's. "EARTH DAY SAVINGS AT LOWE'S" was proudly emblazoned across the top with a picture of an woman with immaculate garden gloves holding a plant.
It starts off pretty well on page 1 ("Make Every Day... EARTH DAY!"), with a coupon/ad for an "Eco" sprinkler and hose nozzle "designed to save water and money". Page 2 ("Innovative, Ergonomic, Earth Friendly"), has a Reel mower and a coupon for lawn and garden products. Still pretty good. Then it starts to go downhill ("Never Use a Broom Outside Again"), with a cordless sweeper that looks like a mini leaf blower and promises to clear your patio and sidewalk with "less effort than sweeping with a push broom". Next, there are 7 pages of various weed and insect killers ("Inspired By Nature, Enhanced By Science"), including Spectracide; "Kills the toughest weed types" "Specialty formulas designed to meet all of your lawn weed needs" "Won't harm lawns when used as directed". I had to laugh when I flipped to that one. At least they aren't trying to say that it's environmentally responsible. I do think it's an interesting choice for an Earth Day ad though, especially since the product website states the following instructions for disposal;
If partly filled: Call you local solid waste agency or 1-800-CLEANUP for disposal instructions. Never place unused product down any indoor or outdoor drain.
So spray it all over your lawn, but don't even think about pouring it into a drain. Having a green lawn counts as being "green", right?

To finish off Lowe's celebration of eco-living, they've so thoughtfully included an ad for "Freedom" Vinyl Fencing". How kind. After pouring poison on my lawn, killing all the bugs, scaring away the wildlife, and dumping chemical "food" on my plants, it makes perfect sense that I'd want to surround it all with lead, phthalates, and dioxins. Of course, without that fence, the kids might wander off and get into something dangerous.

Want to read more?
Grist loves Earth Day too
Reusable Bags Blog has been talking about cheap reusables and garbage giveaways
Treehugger's Best of Green 2010 awards
Watch The Story of Bottled Water

Fun with Recipe Modification

2010-04-19T21:08:00.001-04:00

I'm not a big recipe user, I usually prefer to fly without navigation in the kitchen. I do get Vegetarian Times though (free subscription, yay!) and the Cabbage Casserole with Leeks, Ricotta, and Pine Nuts recipe from the March 2010 issue (pg 73.) looked really appealing. It is already a gluten-free recipe as written, so all I had to do was mod for dairy. Easy enough.
To replace the ricotta, I pureed a bag of frozen organic peas, about 3/4 cup of organic raw cashews, and a bit of salt in the Vita-Mix until it was the approximate texture that I remembered ricotta to have. Since I added the cashews in there, I omitted the pinenuts from the original recipe. I also sprinkled about 1/3 cup of mozzarella style Daiya cheese on each layer between the leeks and the pea mixture. The peas and cashews were great texturally, and added great color to the finished casserole. They were a teeny bit sweet, which was a nice complement to the flavor of the cabbage, leeks and tomatoes. It held together very nicely, and with the wonderful colors it looked great sliced. I think this would be a recipe that would work well with non-veg friends and family, and it's both tasty and filling. Now I'm curious how it would freeze.
I couldn't find a link to the original recipe on the VT website, but I did find it on RecipeZaar.

No more bleach!!

2010-04-13T14:44:00.001-04:00

I just read an article on Science News Online (that I found because of an article on Grist.com) about a non toxic cleaning method for countertops that I found really interesting. I'm not a huge bleach user, but I will begrudgingly resort to it for really stubborn germies. I do, however, use vinegar and peroxide all the time for cleaning, just not together. I'm pretty impressed at the exponential disinfecting power acheived when using them at the same time. I will be retiring the bleach immediately, and making up a bottle each of vinegar and peroxide, and using them with the cloth wipes that I keep in an easy to reach place in the kitchen.

I've also been so into the cleaning recipes that can be found in Make Your Place (affordable, sustainable nesting skills). It's a really sweet little book, written in a very familiar and comfortable tone. I found it at my local library, but now that I've seen what a great resource it is, it's on my list. If you can't find it locally, it's available at amazon.com, where it can be found for just $7, about the same price of a container of Clorox wipes (that you will never need to use since now you know how to make better ones for less!).

I'm an Ambassador!

2010-04-12T17:54:00.000-04:00

I've been such a huge supporter of companies and organizations that are dedicated to providing safe products and information about reducing waste and toxins in our home. When I heard that one of my favorite sources of green gear, Reusablebags.com, was looking for people to join their ambassador program, I wrote them right away.

I'm proud to be teamed up with such a great company, and hope that as part of their program, I can help spread the word about reusables just a little bit further.

Mmmm, this is good! And Yummy! Can I have some more please?

2010-04-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

We've been incorporating more raw foods into our diet, and I've also been trying to change the cold cereal for breakfast every morning routine. So, when a friend talked about the Raw Chia Pudding that she's been making, I decided to make it for this morning's breakfast. I made the recipe exactly as written, except for adding a tiny bit more sweetener and about an inch long piece of an organic vanilla bean.
It is so good, and super quick to prepare. The kids were thrilled, they ate two bowls so quickly that I didn't have time to grab the camera to catch their huge smiles. Henry asked me to make it every day, so I'll be sure to have the camera at the ready next time.
If you've ever thought about trying a raw recipe, this would be an excellent one to start with! Chia has tons of antioxidants, amino acids, and EFA (especially omega-3). It also is full of fiber! I'm looking forward to trying some more new recipes soon!

Oh, the things I can do!

2010-04-01T00:28:00.000-04:00

Highlights of my past week's accomplishments;
Typed with both hands, ate with a fork, cut my own nails, cut the kids nails, folded laundry, used a key to open the front door, scratched an itch on my left shoulder, put Juni's hair in a ponytail. But, the one that I was most excited by is something that I haven't been able to do in quite a while...
I used chopsticks!!
With no numbness, pain, or weakness!
I still can't fully straighten my arm, and have a lot of strengthening to do, but it's amazing how much more I can do now. I started physical therapy this morning, and will be going twice a week for a while. Over a year of reduced function will take a while to rebuild, but I've seen so much progress in just the past week that I'm fairly certain that I'll be where I want to be before long.

healing

2010-03-19T20:57:00.000-04:00

had surgery on my elbow, too much typing hurts. i should be able to fully use my arm late next week and then i'll update the blog. i've got some new photos to share :)

Playing with letters and making "bird food"

2010-02-12T00:06:00.000-05:00

H&J are so into learning letters that I found some printables online for them to play with. Here they are using the pom pom alphabet cards, but instead of pom poms, they are using magnets that we made using wooden discs from Michael's, glued to heavy duty 1/2' magnets. I gave them each a stack of cards on a metal tray and a pile of magnets, and they had tons of fun building letters.

The kids have been loving watching the birds eating from the birdfeeders, and are surprising me with their bird identification skills! Last week we decided to make pinecone birdfeeders, hoping to entice even more birds to the yard. We changed the recipe a bit, adding peanut butter and millet and the birds seem to be enjoying it. The other day we saw a bird on the feeder that I didn't recognize, and I wondered aloud what kind it was. I was quite matter of fact-ly informed by Henry that it was a grackle. Google determined that it actually was! We will definitely be learning more about birds.

All children deserve a healthy world and a healthy life

2010-02-06T23:54:00.000-05:00

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

giveaway sharing

2010-01-30T22:37:00.000-05:00

Homeschooling mamas, Check out this sweet giveaway at Delightful Learning!
http://delightfullearning.com/2010/01/lacing-buttons-review-and-giveaway/comment-page-4/#comment-3229
I'm not sure how, but I've only recently learned about Learning Resources. They have some really cute things that would be fun to incorporate into our learning play.

Toddler art and OCD don't play well together -or- Oh No!! They are mixing the colors!!!

2010-01-20T11:26:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty good about letting the kids explore a new material on their on own terms, but I did bristle when the dough colors started mixing. I know it's my own hang up. They would happily smash all the colors together and make brown. I also know that I'll eventually get over it and give them more than two colors at a time and let them have at it. But, for the time being, they each choose a color and shred it to bits with the dough scissors, and then mash it back together and make ~~snakes~~ cadapidders. There was a lot of kneading and pinching and flattening too. This is only their 2nd time with play dough (I was nervous about the wheat, and the w/f dough that we tried to make was terrible) , and we'll have many more chances to experiment with it. I'm guessing that right now, it's more about playing with motor skills anyway. I'm wondering what other parents do with dough. What happens to the dough that is all mixed together? Do you just pick the dominant color and store it in that container? Do you have a separate container just for it? What's really interesting to me is that I have no problem with paint being mixed in the paint pots.

Ornaments and smiles

2009-12-30T23:39:00.006-05:00

Our mostly-handmade holidays were a success. The majority of the ornaments were made by me (with help from the kids, of course), our pj's were made by Marisa of Funky Giraffe (who also stocks with me at K&F Shops), and I made all the cloth gift bags. This was the first year that we have put up a tree, and it really makes the house look bright and festive.

A Long Year

2009-12-14T11:00:00.005-05:00

I can't believe it's been a whole year since I've last updated this blog. Now that Blogger has updated the way that photos can be loaded, I'm hoping that it's a little easier to integrate pics into posts. The old way was really frustrating and contributed a ton to my lack of posting.

As can be expected, the kids have changed a ton in this last year. They are really creative, and have such cute and funny ideas. We have started doing some homeschooling/unschooling, and lots of crafts. Lately, we are working on winter crafts and holiday decorating, and I hope to soon have a bunch of photos of all of our projects.

Buy Handmade

2008-12-15T00:19:00.008-05:00

It was a good day. I made some pants for the kids. Reversible flannel ones with penguins on one side and owls on the other. They are a big hit, and after every diaper change, the kids demand that they are put back on immediately. In fact, they must hold the pants during the diaper change, presumably so they don't get away. After finishing the pants, we all went to COSI and finally got a membership. I've been meaning to for a while, but our friends kept inviting us as guests so we didn't need to. We can have a guest on our membership too, so I'll be able to do the same for someone else now. At COSI, we went to the Sesame Street Presents: The Body exhibit and the kids had a blast running around pushing buttons and exploring. They particularly liked the little grocery store setup. I was pretty impressed with their food selections.

Almost everything that the kids are wearing is WAHM-made. Their new penguin pants are somewhat visable in the photos, then they have on long-sleeved onesies dyed by Janessa of Maple Leaf Designs who is a local dyer and good friend. On top of that they are wearing advocacy saying shirts made by SaySumthing. One of the shirts says Tree Hugger, and the other says Think Green. Both shirts were also dyed by Janessa. We are waiting for a couple more SaySumthing shirts to arrive in the next week or so and I'm excited to be able to have the kids wear them. They say Buy Handmade, and I think I'm going to try to make that our theme for the coming year, regardless of the proposed CPSIA regs.

Chocolate disappointment

2008-11-24T13:20:00.002-05:00

I just made myself a cup of hot chocolate (with a tiny bit of mint) to help get into a festive holiday mood. I have so much sewing left to do for the holiday sale, and need to build up momentum. Chocolate usually does the trick. Anyway, as I was mixing my organic free trade cocoa, cane sugar and unsweetened soy milk, I remembered the very first time that chocloate made me sad.

I was about 7 and needed some chocolate milk. I had made myself nestle Quick plenty of times, and loved the little sweet floaters of chocolate dust that would collect on the surface. Well, we were out of Quick, so I got the Hershey's powder out of the cabinet instead. (I'm sure that it's obvious where this is going). I did know that it wasn't presweetened, so I added some sugar and stired it up. There were more floaters than with the Quick, and I was thrilled. Until I tasted it. I felt so betrayed. I did everything I could think of to save it. I heated it, I stirred with a wisk, I may have even put it into a tupperware and shaken it. Nothing worked to make it drinkable.

Now I know how to make a proper cup of chocolate milk (or soy, or whatever). But, almost every time I do, I'm brought back to that sad day in the kitchen trying to wash the horrible bitterness of unsweetened cocoa out of my mouth. I wonder if this is one of those universal experiences that many children have, or if I was just a strange one.

Busy all the time, yet still a to-do list a mile and a half long?

2008-11-23T01:05:00.004-05:00

I haven't updated in over a month!! How did that happen?

I feel like I'm working all the time, and getting so little done. My days are all toddler, evenings are dinner, bath, and night-night. That just leaves the night for all things Bootie. And I try to fit some sleep in there too. I think that I was expecting to be able to get a little more done during the day as the kids get older. My expectations are changing constantly as reality trumps my guesses. But, when I stop to really think about it, I am helping two really amazing kids learn and grow, and I'm pretty sure that doesn't count as slacking.

I've been trying to work a bit each night on things for the upcoming (Dec. 6th) Holiday Craft Fair at Sprout Soup. I'm planning on having a nice selection of green/reusable holiday items and some cute gifty things in all price ranges. It's a little bit of a departure from my usual products, but I'm feeling the need to help reduce the amount of disposables in my community and offer a more sustainable alternative.

I've also been working on some really fun custom orders, for some of my favorite customers. Which I should get back to.

Blast Off!!

2008-10-17T10:26:00.004-04:00

Blast off at K&F today at noon!

Today's stocking theme is space and you'll find stars, planets, rockets and more. I've teamed up with Bonnie of Holden's Landing on a super cute rocket ship collab. Check it out!

Also, be sure not to miss the HC$ auction for a Huggable Planet at K&F's Showcase on Hyena Cart!

I've been tagged!

2008-09-27T22:29:00.007-04:00

It's been so long since my last post, but I've been super busy and have some really cute pictures to prove it. Those will have to wait for another post though, because I've Been Tagged!

Awww, my first tag! I was tagged by Bonnie with the 7 things meme...

The rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog.
2. Write 7 random things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.

4. Pass on the tag.

7Things:

1. I am mama to boy and girl twins who can say "elbow" and "bubble" and "water" and "Heidi".

2. I really don't like snakes, they freak me out a little bit.

3. Potatoes are my favorite food, I think they are perfect. I love them mashed, baked, boiled, fried, and just about any other way they can be prepared. Except for when they are in stew. I'm not a fan of stew.

4. My kids are 19 months old and I just purchased a real nursing bra two weeks ago. Strangely enough, I love it.

5. I'd love to have some chickens and goats some day. But not until the kids are old enough to help take care of them. The thought of changing diapers all day and then having to clean up sheep poo isn't my idea of a good time.

6. I get the most done between 9 and 11:30 pm. The kids are in bed, and I'm still awake enough to not sew through my finger.

7. There are lots of books and movies that I love, but I've never been able to pin down a favorite. Favorite color, I can do (even though it changes all the time. It's currently orange.) But there are no books that hold such a special place in my heart that none other can compare.

Now, Tag... You're it!

Ez at Emerald Isla Yarns, Jen at Dahara Dreaming, Linda at Little Flower Designs, Xan at Adventures of Davy, Abby at Sundays with Stretchy Pants, and Amy at How the Hell Did I Get Here? I know I'm supposed to have 7, but 6 was hard enough. I'll see if I can find a 7th tomorrow :)

Goodnight!

Yay for Flowergirls!

2008-08-21T21:24:00.006-04:00

The current custom order that I'm working on is another flowergirl dress, made with Amy Butler fabrics. It's got a super spinny skirt, matching bloomers, and loads of ruffles. I'm really excited to finish it and I'll definately post some pictures.
Tomorrow at K&F (at noon) is the 50's stocking. I made a set of mom & me aprons that look like they stepped out of the pages of Life. I love the cherry fabric, I've been letting it age in my stash waiting for the perfect time to use it. The mama apron converts from a full apron to a half apron and has a detachable towel to wipe your hands on. The little one is a circle skirt done in the same fabric. I figured that would be easier for a little one to put on, rather than having to worry about tying apron strings.

From Dusk till Dawn

2008-08-08T00:24:00.009-04:00

You can now find Pirate Bootie Baby at K&F Shops!
My first stocking with them is Friday 8/8/08 at 8pm, and then again at 8am on Saturday 8/9/08.
I'm so thrilled to be a member of K&F, and excited for all the themed stockings that we have planned for this year. Come check it out!

Stardust Play Skirt...

Starry Night Dress...

Butterfly Bloomeralls...

Potty time! and COOKIE!

2008-07-30T12:57:00.005-04:00

There has been no interest in the potty what so ever, until last night. Before the kids got their bath, the girl asked to have her diaper taken off so that she could sit on the potty. Up until now, neither kid wanted anything to do with it, and would hop right off if I sat them on it. So, she sat, and we talked about the bath and she looked at the little book that she found in the bedroom. Then after a little bit, she hopped off and pointed to the tub. I just figured that she was ready for her bath, and she was, but there was also pee in the potty! How exciting! She loved waving bye bye to the pee as we flushed it.
This has been a big week of firsts. Both babies are signing like crazy and signing things I had no idea they knew. We are also hearing a bunch of new words. They have been talking for a while, but it takes a trained ear to have any idea what they're talking about. And even then it's not always that coherant. Two nights ago I was working in the other room and the papa gave the kids each a cookie. I was snapped out of my train of thought by a little voice that very distinctly and loudly said "coo-kie". I walked into the living room to see the boy proudly holding up his cookie with a huge grin on his face. I then was treated to another round of "coo-KIE", and the corresponding sign.
Today's word of the day is "OK", but it sounds more like "aah-KAY!" I'll have to try to get it on video.

It's been so long!

2008-07-08T23:59:00.002-04:00

I didn't realize how long it had been since my last post. So much has been happening and I've been so busy that the days are ticking by so quickly.
Almost all of my sewing time recently has been spent working on a wonderful set of outfits for a summer wedding. I've been making two flowergirl dresses with matching bloomers, a pair of bloomeralls, three sun hats, and three bridesmaid sashes. All in cream silk with chocolate brown and gold/green accents. I think I may have sewn about a mile of silk into the three layered ruffles that edge the dresses and bloomers, but it was so worth it. They are beautiful and I'm really excited to see pictures of the whole wedding party.
I am also so excited to have been asked to join K&F Shops as a permanent member! K&F is on hiatus for the summer, but will be having a super re-opening stocking on 8/8/08 at 8pm.

Much better now

2008-05-29T13:03:00.002-04:00

I'm feeling so much more positive than I was the last time I posted. We're still stuck in the house with the latest round of sick, and everyone is getting a bit stir-crazy. But the kids seem to be on the mend and I'm starting to see the light. Or at least the tunnel. I'm making so many plans for next week that we'll probably only be home for dinner and bedtime. We'll be going to the park (and maybe trying a new one), the zoo, and a huge multi-family yard sale. Then there is a cloth-diaper sidewalk sale that I'd love to check out. Grandma is also coming for a visit on Sunday. I love having a full calender, it keeps the kids happy and I get some adult conversation.

Sick of Spring

2008-05-26T14:15:00.003-04:00

I've always been a very healthy person, rarely sick. Even if I did get sick, I'd get over it quickly and be on my way in no time. This spring is a totally different story. It seems like we're getting every little cold or stomach bug that comes around. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with lack of sleep and the inability of the weather to decide if it's summer or winter. Pollen is insanely high this year, too. I'm ready for the pestilent season to be over. Bring on summer! Of course, then it will be too hot and humid :)

Spring Cleaning!

2008-05-12T12:28:00.004-04:00

I've been clearing out the clothing that I have in stock at Pirate Bootie Baby to make room for the new summer things that I've been working on. All weekend and today I've been offering a special deal where Hyena Cart shoppers can use up to 50% HyenaCart dollars to purchase any in stock clothing item. Then, this evening from 7-7:30pm, as an extra special day after Mother's Day gift, shoppers can use up to 100% HC$!!

WAHM Spotlight- Tush Cloth Diapers

2008-05-04T23:07:00.012-04:00

I've been searching for a new nighttime cloth diaper for the twins (they keep growing!), and one of the ones that I keep coming back to look at is Tush's Nocturne. They are beautifully made, and I love the dyeing, but they are also a real workhorse diaper. They are one of those diapers that are talked about with high regard and recommendations, and are seriously stalked on HyenaCart both at Tush Cloth Diapers and Venus Vanguard. Robin also has a blog.
Hopefully she'll be stocking again soon!

Win an Ergo baby carrier!!

2008-04-30T19:51:00.003-04:00

Just click here to enter!! They even have organic ones, and if you win, you get your choice of carriers.

Whales in wool

2008-04-28T22:53:00.019-04:00

Here's a pic of the surprise custom that I talked about a few posts back. I love the way it turned out. It also doesn't hurt to have such a cutie wearing it.
I'm hoping to do more customs with wool appliqué. I love the way it looks, and it's a fun technique. It's almost like sketching with wool.
I also made a pair of shorts that match this underwool, as well as the other one with the sun appliqué. They have waves along the bottom hem, and a splashy pocket.

WAHM Spotlight -The Elemental Muse

2008-04-27T23:36:00.003-04:00

I have to say, Michelle is pretty incredible. She has at least 5 different WAHM-related sites, and they are all packed with helpful information for anyone who wants to get started on HyenaCart or start a small business. Hyena Cart info is a great starting place for those wanting to open up shop on Hyena Cart, or learn how to make their shop better with many tips and tricks. WAHspirations is so encouraging. It's a great place to read about other parents who work at home and packed with little bits of inspiration. At Elemental Muse, you will find a one-stop shop for all your website needs. She offers graphic design services, web hosting, domain registration, and more. The Muses Guide is where you will find her business guides and how-to packages. Finally, There's the Small Business Muse, a free email subscription which offers "weekly tips and ideas to help you effectively balance, manage, and market your small business."
This very busy mama is such a valuable resource to the WAHP community and she holds a very valued place in my bookmark file.

Looking for comfort?

2008-04-22T23:25:00.009-04:00

Recently I blogged about the Blog Party, and mentioned that one of the prizes that I was interested in was an underwear set from Karen Neuburger. I didn't win, but a few days later was contacted by Daisy, one of their PR reps who asked if I was interested in trying and reviewing the set. I was, so she sent a couple of sets out to me (I wasn't sure which size I would need). It's the KN Cool daywear cami and hipster panty. I gave one set to a friend, and have been wearing mine for the past two weeks (not in a row, that would be gross). The fabric is incredibly soft and light. The cami has enough stretch to it that it doesn't loose shape by the end of the day, but still is comfortable and non-restrictive. It's also stretchy enough to nurse in! It's a great underlayer since it wicks and helps regulate body temperature, I also love to wear it to sleep.
Daisy also sent me a few other things to try from their sportswear collection. I was surprised how much I like the embroidered cropped pants. Not my usual style, but the are super comfortable and easy to wear. They are great to wear when playing with the kids, but still look put together enough to run out to the library or the grocery. The only complaint that I had with these, is that the pockets seemed to be a bit bulky to me, but I'm not used to wearing non-woven pants so it may just be me. She also sent the matching 3/4 sleeve zip front jacket which I've only worn for a few minutes since it's been getting so warm here. The short time that I had it on was uneventful but cosy. It will see more use in the fall. Last to talk about are some super sweet and soft baby socks that Daisy sent for the twins. They are as soft as the softest thing you've ever touched, and maybe even a little softer. Like little kitten feet. They are perfect for bedtime, and the kids like to pet them. They are really into socks lately, so anything sock-related makes them happy. When they are happy, so am I.
Thanks, Daisy and Karen Neuburger!

From now until May 31st, take 15% off your total online purchase at www.karenneuburger.com using discount code MOM2008

Clothes for Cute Babies

2008-04-21T23:48:00.008-04:00

I've been enjoying spending some more time enjoying by family and the beautiful weather now that the Open Market is over. I'll be starting preparations earlier the next time I have a fair or show to do. It's not that I waited until the last minute, I just wanted to make sure that I had enough variety and selection that I could give everyone exactly what they wanted. I think I have a better idea now what types of things to bring with me and I think that will streamline the preparation process a bit.
I recently finished a couple of custom shorts for a friend's son. She told me yesterday that she's going to need a couple more pairs because every morning her son brings them to her to put on him. I love having tiny fans :). These are the shorts that I made for him...

I Dyed the wool to look like denim and Carhartt jeans. I love the color of the Carhartt ones, it's a really good match. Next I'm going to make him a forest green pair, I dyed the wool this evening.
I've also been working on another custom for a mama on HyenaCart. I made a set for her a few weeks ago which was my favorite until now. I can't show pictures yet, because she wants it to be a surprise, but I am so completely in love with this new one. The last custom that I made for her was also a surprise, but now that she has it, I can show it off. It was really fun to watch it evolve from sketch to finished piece. Wool sometimes has a mind of it's own and appliquéing with it is really fun. It's also great to have a customer just give me a few ideas/themes and free reign to run and play and create. I've had such a great time making things for this mama and I hope she'll let me work with her again.

Back to normal

2008-04-12T22:49:00.003-04:00

Open Market was a blast! I met many people who I've only know online, and had a great day talking about the clothing that I make and the other products that I had available. My best seller by far were the cloth pads. So many mamas commented to me that they had been thinking about making the switch from disposables to cloth, but didn't know where to get them. One of my customers hadn't even considered cloth pads before, but loved the idea and bought a couple to try. I'm always happy to help keep a little more paper out of the landfill.
This evening has been really relaxing and I'm so happy to have a break from the craziness of getting ready for market. The kids went to sleep easily and I got to spend some time just hanging out on the couch knitting. Tomorrow I'll start updating my website and start getting it ready to stock again. The next sunny day we get, I'll take photos of all the new things that I'm stocking for warmer weather and get those online too.

Excuses, excuses

2008-04-01T22:51:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to pop in and say that I'm sorry for the lack of posting and updates. I'm working like mad for the upcoming Open Market, and will resume my normal life after it's over. I'll have many photos to share and some exciting news.

A Baby for My Baby

2008-03-21T23:31:00.005-04:00

I've been wanting to make a doll for the girl for a while now. I've been sneaking a few stitches in here and there over the past few days so that she wouldn't see it until it was finished, and finally it's done! We gave it to her after dinner tonight and she got a huge grin on her face as she walked over to me and gave me and the doll an enormous hug. She sat on my lap and gave her doll so many kisses that the face was damp. :)
She carried it around a bit, but mostly wanted to sit on my lap and play with her (and kisses, lots of kisses). It took about an hour longer than usual to get her to sleep tonight because she kept stopping nursing to kiss the doll again. It was really cute. The doll even has a tiny diaper that the girl hasn't seen yet. The outfit is made of minkee so it's super soft, and the diaper is hemp fleece and flannel. I have a feeling that she'll be living with us for a really long time.

Win a BPA-free bottle set!

2008-03-11T21:06:00.002-04:00

Momsational is giving away 5 BPA-free baby bottle sampler sets and all you have to do to win is leave a comment on their website! I love that there are so many options popping up for BPA-free baby stuff and hope the trend continues as more parents and companies become aware of the safer plastics that are available.
Check out The Soft Landing for more info and to see more safe baby feeding gear.

Blog Party, anyone?

2008-03-09T14:57:00.009-04:00

Hi there fellow Blog Partiers!
I'm Karma, a Work-at-Home mama of 1 year old boy/girl twins. Whenever I'm not playing with babies or sleeping, I can usually be found at my sewing machine or on the couch knitting. I love making and designing kid's clothing, but even better is seeing my designs in action. I have a gallery of my work (including some action shots) over at my website, Pirate Bootie Baby.
The next 2 months is a really exciting time for me and Pirate Bootie. I'm doing a Pirate-themed guest stocking at Necessitae on March 15th (so excited!!). Then, in April, is the Columbus Attachment Parenting Village's Open Market, a cooperative event organized by local parents supporting and encouraging mama-owned/operated businesses. If you are anywhere within 100 miles of Columbus, Ohio, mark your calenders and come. It's going to be great!

There are great prizes to be had at the Ultimate Blog Party, and some new Blogs to be found.
I'll be poking around over the next couple of days, how about you?
My favorite prizes are;
137 — Go BPA Free Sippy Sampler Kit
Provided by: The Soft Landing

19 — Klean Kanteen Sippy Cup
Provided by: Non Toxic Tots

141 — I make milk. What’s your superpower? t-shirt
Provided by: Crunchy Domestic Goddess

Other Favorites are the $20 Lush GC from After a Cup of Coffee , or two,#114
A pink box of Legos from Lego, #103
A webcam from This Full House, #72
A sweet tutu from LiveLoveDance, #34
Underwear from Karen Neuburger, #109
GC to Uncommonly Cute, #28

There are tons of other really great prizes too, you can see them on the Prize Page.

Awww, baby!

2008-03-01T01:33:00.005-05:00

When we took the kids to MegaBabyStore to get their photos done, I showed the girl a little doll that was on a display near the photo studio. I was just hoping to engage her attention for a moment while her brother was having his jacket put on. She immediately took the doll from me and hugged it, then patted it's hair and said "awww, baby". The doll then got a kiss and another hug. By then the boy was jacketed, but I could tell that we wouldn't be leaving right away. The girl was now cheek to cheek with the doll, still cooing at it and saying "baby". We eventually convinced her to say bye-bye to the doll, and were able to leave. There were some sad noises, and a short round of tears, but it was over quickly and she was distracted by the cold wind outside.
Now I really know why so many kids have such a huge array of toys and stuffed animals. It was so hard for me to leave that doll behind when the girl clearly loved it so much. But, very soon she will have an even better doll to love and hug. A few months ago, I purchased the materials to make both kids their own dolls, intending to have them finished for their birthday. I ended up deciding to wait a bit longer, as they hadn't shown any interest in dolls or stuffed toys. Wouldn't you know that the day before their birthday is when the girl decides to discover dolls. Now I know what my next project will be.

happy birthday babies!

2008-02-26T22:49:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday Babies!!

Open Market!!

2008-02-20T12:52:00.004-05:00

Cleaning, birthday, parents

2008-02-15T15:05:00.003-05:00

I know I haven't been updating much. I've been so busy with the kid's birthday coming up, and molar teething insanity. The birthday itself isn't what's eating my time, it's the self-imposed cleaning goal with the deadline of the birthday party. Which is tomorrow!
We're having it early because my parents were able to come for an extra day this weekend due to the holiday. So far, the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom are clean. I still need to do the dining room and the kid's room. My sewing area is in the dining room, so I've left that for last. When my folks get here, I'll hand the kids over to them and then tackle the remaining areas. My sewing stuff will just be shifted to another area during the party and then brought back the next day. Then I won't have to worry about kids getting into things.

A hard week, but fun to come

2008-02-02T23:26:00.000-05:00

Again with the sickies. This winter has been harsh and the kids are getting over sniffles again. It seems like a lot of the families we know are getting over another round of yuck. Not sure what that's about. They are also still teething and wanting to nurse a lot. Made it really hard to work on customs. I finished 3 of them today though. I'll start the last one tomorrow, and then I'll start working on stuff for the Open Market. The Open Market is a WAHM business event that a friend of mine put together last year. It was so successful that it's going to be an annual thing. I wasn't able to participate last time, but I'm really excited to be a part of it this year. There are so many talented people who will be selling their wares there. There are a few others who are fiber-related, but there will also be handmade bodycare items, jewelry, paintings, wooden toys, baby carriers, and others that I'm not remembering. It was fun to see what my community had to offer last year, but I know that it will be even more fun to be on the other side of the table this year.
The countdown begins; 3 weeks until the twins are a year old!!

I want to be a winner!

2008-01-29T12:32:00.000-05:00

I found this contest to win a Bisphenol-a, Phthalate and PVC Free baby feeding set. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on their blog or blog about the contest yourself. The Soft Landing blog is a good one to have in your bookmarks anyway, it's full of great info about safe products. They also have a store where you can purchase all sorts of non-toxic baby feeding products.
Robeez are coming out with a new soft baby shoe with a sole for outdoor walking. It will be available on Feb. 4th. They are also having a contest and the grand prize is 6 pairs of Robeez Tredz!
5 Minutes for Mom is giving away a '65 Mustang petal car! The twin moms that write 5 Minutes for Mom also have an online store that sells pedal cars and retro collectibles, and you can see their whole inventory of pedal cars here!
Entering contests is a little bit housewife-y feeling, but it is really fun to win cute baby stuff.

WAHM Spotlight- The Felted Sheep

2008-01-23T22:04:00.000-05:00

Kelsey at The Felted Sheep does such amazing things with wool and dye. She dyes, spins, knits and felts all sorts of beautiful things that can be seen in her Etsy store and in her Hyena Cart.
She started out as an Architectural Drafter, but became a work at home mom in order to stay at home with her son. Her cute and durable bags are knitted and then felted and feature a snap-in lining. All that, and she lives in Alaska, too!
She also has a blog, also called The Felted Sheep.

One of Us, One of Us

2008-01-22T22:08:00.000-05:00

I finally joined one of the online twin parenting forums. I've been meaning to for a while, but between starting the business and breaking my ankle, the local mama's group was all I could handle. But, not that the babes are getting really mobile (and so am I), I think it will be nice to be able to have somewhere to turn for twin-specific advice and commiseration.
I prepared a bunch of wool to sew today. I'm hoping to get the custom orders finished by the weekend so that I can spend a little time working on 1st birthday things for the twins. I'd like to make them some special outfits, a set of playsilks, and a Waldorf doll for each of them. I have a month, so in theory it should be doable. I so rarely take time to sew for the family, that my own kids only have a single outfit each that I've made. I imagine that it won't be all that long until they won't want to wear mama-made clothes, so I should take advantage of their "willingness" now.

Oh, and there are only 10 more days to vote for Cafe and Play! Go vote, and give Central Ohio a super-cool, family-friendly, healthy and fun place to eat and play! Go team Aderouch!!
Click here to vote!

Valentine's Day treat

2008-01-18T17:01:00.000-05:00

I'm so in love (hee hee) with the Valentine Underwool that I just finished. I had a lot of fun making a themed Underwool and I think I'll try to keep it up for the other holidays. I'm usually not a fan of holiday themed clothing, but that will just be a personal challenge. I'm happy with the way this turned out. Cute, but not cutesy of cheesy. We'll see what the Hyenas think tonight at 8pm, when Pirate Bootie Baby restocks customs and adds a few new instock items.
This week has been really busy, but I'm finished the pile of customs that I've been working on. I'm going to be doing a childcare swap/ playgroup with a couple of local moms that I'm friends with. We'll pack up our kids and go to one of the houses and let the mom who's house it is get some work done while the rest of us watch the kids. I'll use the time to work on Pirate Bootie stuff, or catch up on some cleaning. It will be a great way for the kids to get out and play and for the moms to get some much-needed time.

Vote Cafe and Play!!

2008-01-15T10:52:00.000-05:00

Ready, Set, Vote! Intuit Calls on Public to Select Small Business Winner

Winner to Receive $50,000 Grand Prize to ‘Just Start’ New Business

My friends, Lissi and Noah, have entered Intuit's contest with an amazing idea. They want to start a business that literally caters to children and parents. It's a cafe style restaurant featuring healthy and delicious kid-friendly food, accompanied by a safe and fun play area. No longer will parents have to choose between health and fun when getting lunch out with the kids.

For more information, visit http://www.votecafeandplay.com/

Or, just go to this website and vote for aderouch
http://jumpup.intuit.com/start/?p=finalistVideos

You can vote once per day, until January 31st. You can even sign up to get a daily email reminder to vote on the Cafe and Play blog.

New teeth, walking, sleeping

2008-01-13T22:13:00.000-05:00

My baby girl seems to be working on her 1year molars. At 10 1/2 months! I shouldn't be surprised, the kids both got their first tooth at 4 months. It's making her a bit of a cranky pants, but only for little chunks of time. I'm glad to have found Hyland's Teething Tabs.
She's also taken some steps. It's cute, she'll take 2 or three robot steps and then collapse into my arms or squat down. She gets a big goofy grin and I know she's proud of herself. The boy hasn't taken steps yet, but he's having a blast getting there. He'll stand up, raise his arms up high, smile the biggest smile ever, and then belly-flop onto whoever is closest. It's accompanied by screams of laughter. He's having way too much fun to try walking yet.
We're attempting to get bedtime a bit more manageable with The No Cry Sleep Solution. It's worked so far to get the babies in bed earlier (8pm instead of anywhere from 10:30p,-2am), but we've still got a long way to go. I think that they are waking up a little bit less in the night than they had been, but the past two nights have been particularly brutal. I think the boy is having a growth spurt or something, because he wants to nurse all night long, almost every hour or hour and a half. Hopefully he calms down soon because it's a bit maddening.

WAHM Spotlight- The Enchanted Nursery

2008-01-13T20:14:00.000-05:00

Teri, the mom behind The Enchanted Nursery, has a great variety of items in her Hyena Cart and also Yinia and Necessitae. She makes organic playdough in a huge rainbow of colors that I'd love to someday get for the kids to squash around, after they get past the "everything is food" phase that they are currently in. She also has developed a really interesting night diaper called a Night Owl. It's a wool cover and super-absorbent diaper in one trim package. There are 8 total layers of wool in this amazing diaper. If that's not enough absorbency, there is also a snap-in bamboo and cotton soaker. I'd love to try this diaper on my heavy-wetting kidlets. At The Enchanted Nursery you can also find cloth baby wipes, patterns to make your own cloth pads, children's clothing and herbal tea blends. It's a crunchy mama's one-stop shop.
Teri also has a blog, Wearing the Crown.

WAHM Spotlight- The Cloth Canoe

2008-01-06T21:29:00.000-05:00

This Canadian mama makes the cutest fitted diapers! She uses all the hot printed fabrics, and also does great things with topstitching. I love this little organic bamboo velour side snapping fitted with little green bikes riding all around the edges. But, my favorite diaper has to be this one...How could I not be in love with it, I look at this fabric whenever I'm sewing or at the computer. I've been using this it to make bunches of herbal sachets for anti-moth wool storage and have a pile of it in front of me right now!
She also makes these adorable sets with a matching diaper, t-shirt, and wipes. She's got a great eye for color, and wonderful taste in fabric. You can see her gallery of past customs and purchase her products at The Cloth Canoe, and check out her Blog here.

Baby steps

2008-01-04T00:36:00.000-05:00

Baby girl took first steps yesterday! Two of them. She's so proud of herself and so are we.
I'm stocking Pirate Bootie Baby again tomorrow, at 8pm EST. I made an adorable pair of corduroy pants, an embellished short-sleeved Underwool, and some wool saver sachets. I'll also be opening up some more custom slots.
I just finished another custom for a friend who loved my skull-n-bones shirt and wanted a bodysuit version for her son.

WAHM Spotlight- Pumpkin Pie Baby

2007-12-31T11:49:00.000-05:00

Angela of Pumpkin Pie Baby makes beautiful crocheted wool longies and soakers for cloth diapered babes. She has been stocking at the Bed and Breakfast Congo , but will be re-stocking her own HyenaCart on January 1st and then continuing to stock on the first and third Tuesdays of every month. She's a licensed seller of the Peppermint Soaker and Morning Glory Longie from Ladybugz Farm. I love her cherries longie set, and it will be available tomorrow at 2pm!!

wooly bounty, maybe

2007-12-27T12:12:00.000-05:00

The fabric that I use the most is wool crepe. I've been looking for a source of crepe that is affordable and of good quality, and it seems as if there aren't many people carrying it consistently. I finally found some and have ordered quite a bit. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be as good as the last batch I got. I don't like having to order from different sources every time I need it, which is why I got so much this time. If it's everything I want it to be, I won't have to order again for a while.

Apple fairies!

2007-12-21T18:11:00.000-05:00

This is what came from my head and hands and some of the new fabric from last week. I'm in love!! I also want to make a pair of corduroy bloomers to match, the fabric is already cut and ready to sew. But, the kidlets are working on a couple of stuffy noses, so they are being a bit clingy.
Apparently my Underwool design is getting talked about at Diaperswappers and on the HyenaCart forums. I love that! I'm starting to take custom orders, and am having so much fun working with my customers to make the exact item that that are wanting.

Oh, and by the way...

I've been walking without any assistance for two days!!!
My doc gave me the all clear today, and all I have to do is build up more strength in my lower leg and I'm good to do anything. I'll probably have some residual pain for up to a year, but the break is almost completely knitted together. So, I won the race to walk, but the babies aren't that far behind.

New Fabric

2007-12-14T23:23:00.000-05:00

I got some adorable new fabric the other day, and I've already got plans for it. Some of it anyway. I've drafted the patterns, and it's currently in the washer doing it's pre-shrinking. I really hope to have lots of time this weekend to sew so that I can get some of these ideas out of my head and into reality.

Pirate Bootie Baby is stocking!

2007-12-11T20:52:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow at noon, Pirate Bootie Baby will be stocking Underwool and a super-sweet skull-n-bones t-shirt. I also have re-listed the grand opening Lottery. I had to void the first lottery because someone entered it using multiple email addresses, 5 of them!! Seems that she had been winning lots of lottos that way. I wanted my lotto to have a winner who played fair, so I re-listed it.
I also finished a new weighted Waldorf doll for a friend of mine. She sells baby carriers and uses the dolls to to show customers how the carrier will feel with a baby in it. Check out her store, Sprout Soup. Here's the doll...
I'm really happy with the way it came out. It weighs 11 pounds, but it feels heavier. It looks so cute when it's diapered and dressed.

Yuck!

2007-12-07T16:13:00.000-05:00

We've had the sickness from hell for the last week. Puking, poopy babies and sleepy, hungry mama. I've been so busy nursing and changing clothing, sheets and diapers that I haven't been sleeping or eating enough. The mister got it too, but so far I've managed to stay relatively healthy. I did feel absolutely horrible yesterday, but I'm guessing that it's more about lack of sleep than germies.

Walking!!

2007-11-29T09:10:00.000-05:00

I walked!
I've been walking with the franken-boot, but without crutches for a few days now. I also have a smaller nylon ankle brace that was supposed to be the next step, but whenever I had it on my ankle hurt. It dug into me and was quite uncomfortable. The physical therapist said that some people have a lot of trouble with that style of brace and find it easier to just go without it. So I did. I am able to take a couple of unassisted steps before it becomes painful, and have the go-ahead to drive. I can also finally carry the kids around, and I know that before long I'll be able to walk normally. It's so exciting to finally see the end of this whole fiasco.
My internet access is still patchy, we haven't yet figured out what's wrong. Hopefully this weekend we'll be able to troubleshoot. Then I'll be able to stay online long enough to restock my HyenaCart.
If you've tried to email through the "contact" link on my website, and I haven't responded, I am not ignoring you. There was a problem with the way the email was being routed to me. I think I've corrected it, but if for some reason you're having trouble getting a hold of me, feel free to just leave a comment here and I'll get back to you.

Internet Frustrations

2007-11-25T22:48:00.000-05:00

I've been having issues with my wireless connectivity for the last couple of days. Hopefully I've able to resolve it quickly, and inexpensively. It's so annoying to be replying to an email, hit send, and get an error message instead of the satisfaction of a sent message. Crossing fingers and toes for a speedy recovery.
Thanksgiving with the family was nice. Good food and a good visit. My brother hadn't seen the kids since they were pretty fresh, and my dad hasn't been here in a few months. They had so much fun seeing all the new tricks that they do. The babies had a great time too. Fun for all!

Sewing as physical therapy

2007-11-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

I sewed two things for the website today, It was nice to get a chunk of time to do what I wanted without a baby hanging off of me. My sweetie played with the kids and they were happy without me for two hours! I really needed the time to myself, and it was so nice to actually finish something. While sewing, I made sure to use my right foot to run the machine. Pressing the foot pedal is very similar to one of the exercises that I do in therapy, so I thought it might be a good way to work the muscles. In therapy the other day, I took a few steps without the boot. I was wearing a small nylon ankle support inside a tennis shoe. It was really strange to have both feet flat on the floor. I had to stop after just a few steps because it started to hurt, but it's nice to know that I'm making progress. Although I'm not sure that I'll make my goal of walking by Thanksgiving. I'll keep trying though.

I may just walk before the babies do

2007-11-12T22:53:00.000-05:00

I'm single-crutching! The physical therapist said to keep working on balance with one crutch and when I'm good at that I can try to walk without them, just with the boot. Then I can start wearing a smaller brace and real shoes. I think that I'll still have to do at least another month and a half of PT before I'm really walking normally again, but I'm getting there. My next doc appointment is in 6 weeks, so he thinks I'm healing fine on my own. He did say that I'll likely have some sensitivity for 6 months or so. The coolest thing? I took some crutch-less steps!!! It was fun, but I did hurt a bit afterward and needed to ice my ankle for a bit. But, it wasn't the ankle that hurt, it was the muscles that I haven't been using. I'm so excited to get back on my feet and to be able to carry the babies again, and clean the house, and drive. My goal is to walk without crutches by Thanksgiving.
I'm feeling winter starting to set in. My sewing has all been with wool and flannel, and I've been wanting to knit the kids sweaters and overalls and hats. I'm hoping to be able to use the woodstove this year, but we first need to come up with a good way to keep the kids safe around it. Learning to walk around a chunk of hot cast iron could be scary. I'm sure we'll figure it out though, and will be all snug and warm with cups of tea and the kids playing happily and safely nearby.

Grand Opening!!

2007-11-04T11:41:00.000-05:00

The much anticipated stocking of Pirate Bootie Baby has finally come! My ankle is still healing, but I can sew now. I'm really excited to finally be able to share my one-of-a-kind designs with you
To celebrate my grand opening, there are two lotteries running. One is for a great woolie one-piece that is amazing for layering under your other winter wool, and it's only $5! The other gives the winner free shipping on any item in my store! Hope you love Pirate Bootie Baby as much as I do!!

It's been a while...

2007-10-26T21:23:00.000-04:00

since my last post. It's been a busy week. There's been a tooth grown, some signs learned, knitting finished, and sickness gotten over. The girl now has 6 teeth. Three on top and three on bottom. But they are off center, the top three are the 2 middle teeth and one on the right, and the bottom ones are middles and left. It's cute. She also just started to do the sign for daddy. She also does the same sign when I ask her to say mama, so for the moment it may mean "parent". She just started doing it yesterday though, so I'll cut her some slack. The knitting that I finished (finally) is a pair of wool soaker pants that I started when I could still nurse and knit, before the kidlets got grabby. At least I planned ahead and made them really big. They fit now, but also have plenty of room to grow. And, this house now has no one sick living in it!
The weekend ahead is also jam-packed full of activity. We're planning on going to the zoo to watch the elephants jump over the fence, I mean, play with pumpkins. The animals are given pumpkins as a special halloween treat every year. I've never gone, but I've been wanting to. We also are picking up some baby gates, and I'm planning to finish some final touches on a few things for my website. I hope my to-do list is all crossed off by Sunday evening!!