Another Hobby?

I, once again, have found yet another hobby to take on! First it was cooking and canning, then knitting, now sewing!
Now, I am not in any way new to sewing. I took it up as a hobby in high school, making a few things here and there, mostly just for fun. However, I have never used a sewing machine! So, my wonderful, handsome, sweet husband got me a sewing machine for Christmas! It was one of the Black Friday cyber deals. We got it in last week, and I got it out of the box. I have to admit that it was intimidating. Thankfully, my mother in law was visiting this weekend and showed me how to wind the bobbin and thread the machine. It was very easy, once I got the hang of it.  My first project? 5 minutes after I learned how to use the machine.....Hemming the blackout drapes in the nursery. It was so easy and quick! My next project? Hemming those cute Gap trousers.....!

True Baby Designs Diaper

Remember the post I had about the adorable Etsy handmade diapers from True Baby designs? Well, I won one of them! I just got it in the mail yesterday, and I have to say I am even more impressed now that I see it in person! I received the argyle diaper-- it was so cute! These diapers are flannel pockets, one size, and I was anxious to see if it would indeed fit my 2 year old, who is small for her size. And, it did fit! It is a small diaper, and I could see it fitting a newborn, so it fits a wide range of ages. Unfortunately it won't fit for much longer, but hopefully she'll be out of diapers *soon.* 
This diaper is extremely soft, and in the pocket there is a handmade, I do believe, prefold. Very absorbent, I might add. I had a diaper pin laying around, luckily, since we use mostly aio's (all in ones) and I pinned it on her. It fit well, and it was, like I said, sooo soft!  Since this is a fitted, I would need a cover to make it waterproof, so luckily I had just finished my knitted wool soaker I made specifically for this diaper! The diaper was so cute I hated to cover it up!
Caylen had this diaper on for a couple hours at least, and when her Daddy took it off to put her in the tub, it had retained plenty of liquid, believe me! So not only is this diaper cute, soft, and fits well, it is also very absorbent!
To anyone who is thinking about trying cloth diapers, I highly recommend it. It is so easy, and it is also fun! I also recommend you visit True Baby Designs at Etsy and look around!

Fitted Cloth Diapers!

I am a follower of True femininity, as well as a fan of cloth diapers, so I wanted to let everyone see her supercute site! It is an Etsy shop that sells fitted flannel diapers, with pockets for easy drying! I suggest you check it out, they are really cute. Perhaps it might ignite an inspiration, as it did with me, or perhaps give you an idea for a baby gift for a friend! Cloth diapers couldn't be easier, more cost effective, or cuter than this!

New Deodorant!

So I finally ran out of my Tom's deodorant. Needless to say, especially since my Tom's had not been working so well lately... Anyhow, I followed my earlier posted recipe, using only cornstarch and no arrowroot powder (just to see the cheapest version) and I love it! I scented it for the holidays with peppermint oil and cloves. It is scented very lightly, but just enough to catch that whiff of perky peppermint! And, no whiff of BO, definite plus!
The only downside to it, compared to the commercial brand is that it must be dabbed on instead of rubbed on because it is of a softer consistency. However, I did take the recipe and place it in the mold of my old deo container, and I can roll it up and down for use! I really don't mind at all having to dab it on, especially if it works, so this is a definite keeper for me!
After 12+ hours of wearing this, I had not even a hint of sweat smell! My underarms felt dry and powdery, from the cornstarch and baking soda, and were soft, from the coconut oil. Both the baking soda and coconut oil will help keep bacteria at bay as well, so I am very pleased with the product!
One more thing to add is this: my Tom's deo smelled great and had all natural ingredients, but it did make my underarms peel for some reason. I am definitely hoping that this doesn't turn out the same way, but if it does, I will definitely put that out there! I just have sensitive skin so sometimes things react when they really 'shouldn't!'

My New Obsession....

Once upon a time, about 3 years ago, I wanted to learn how to knit. I bought some bamboo needles, a book, and some cotton yarn. After about 3 hours and one large knot, I broke my needles and shredded my book (this was obviously before I had children, seeing how my patience was rarely tested, but when it was, I got mad, or as I like to refer to it, frustrated). Anyway, looking back, I see that I did 3 things wrong:

1.) I tried to learn knitting from a book. Have you ever learned how to swim from reading a book? Or maybe how to ride a bike? Yeah, you would be frustrated too.
2.) I bought bamboo needles, and small ones at that. The yarn doesn't slide so well on them, so in my opinion, they are not the best for a beginner, as the metal ones are.
3.) I bought cotton yarn. Cotton doesn't give, it doesn't stretch. Wool is best to learn on, I have found-- it stretches, it is forgiving, and it doesn't separate like cotton does.

So, I swore off knitting. I thought it was the worst hobby anyone could have. It was a time consuming, arduous task that was clearly impossible to learn!

Then..... I got a lesson from a person.  Brandon has been encouraging me to pick it back up ever since, and so he set me up with a lady from church. She came over and taught me how to cast on, the knit stitch, and how to cast off.  I caught on pretty quick, if I may say so myself.... haha... I guess I already 'knew' the basics! I could sit there and tell you all about knitting, like reading it from a book, but I didn't know how to actually do it.

Now, I do. And, I love it! I have already made a washcloth, a diaper insert, I am working on a pot holder and I have knitted almost a whole skein of yarn's worth in the shape of um, well, I don't know. It was just 'practice.' I have since unraveled all that I could and have 'recycled' it.

This has come at a really great time-- our life is just not going the way we had planned it, not bad, just not what we were planning. So, this helps keep my mind off of how I wanted things to be.

Next stop, sewing and serging!

My Dream Came True (Well, One of Them)!

Yep, a dream of mine came true this past weekend. It may not seem like a big deal, but it has always been something I wanted to do. I had a yoga class at my house! Ok, so it may have just been 3 lovely ladies, mom, Laura, and myself, but it was a start!  Hopefully more and more ladies can start to come.
The class, like I said, was a lot of fun, but if I could have got the TV to work, it would have been better... It was definitely fun though! And, it gave me a reason to make the sunroom sparkle! We also found out that our fireplace/gas heater works great in there, and it gets nice and toasty in 5 minutes flat! Back to yoga. The class was on Saturday at 4, and we did a Rodney Yee video-- I know, real yoga classes have live instructors... I instruct my own yoga, but I am not ready to lead a class-- yet. The video was a simple, 30 minute video and everyone enjoyed it, and we will work up to some more difficult poses and series, then perhaps I can lead on my own. :)

Speaking of which, I really need to do yoga tonight..... This class was the last time I exercised...!

Apple Sauce, Apple Jelly!

So while I am waiting on my jars to finish processing, I figured I would write a little post on what I am making. I mean, I am always making something, but this time I have a little down time to write. So. I took the cores and peels of 15 apples, cut them up, simmered them, strained them, processed in a blender. Oh, Vitamix, how I covet thee.... Anyway, I boiled the applesauce, and now I am boiling the jars. Sterilizing them, of course. And, the lids. I have about 4 more minutes so I will try to make this short. Next of course I will fill said sanitized jars with applesauce then process in my pressure canner.

It's definitely not like me to waste, so what I did with the cores and peels is this: I will boil them down, then strain, add sugar and pectin, boil again, then put in jelly jars. So, my end products are some applesauce and apple jelly! If you read this, you might expect to get a jar or two, along with some other homemade goodies for Christmas--If you're lucky-- haha!

Gotta go get those jars!

A Productive Day!

I haven't written in a while, but I thought I would break the silence with a small post.

It's been a pretty perfect Saturday, if you ask me. I got up at about 7 with Caylen, fed her breakfast, made pancakes and tea, ate them with Brandon, we got showered and ready, then Caylen and I went to Walmart, with our freshly peeled apple in tow for her shopping snack. She was very well behaved and sweet on this trip, which is unusual. We leave there, go to Ken's Herbs, I get a few items, and she asks to go potty there, as she likes to check out the potty everywhere she goes. She was, I won't lie, quite trying at Ken's, but we found what we wanted and left.
We get home and eat lunch: leftover homemade vegetable noodle soup and crackers. Caylen eats great, for the second meal in a row, hey we're on a roll! I get to work soaking peas for split pea soup, make shampoo and toothpaste, yogurt, and some rye bread. I candy some apples. Then Caylen, after a little hesitation, goes down for a nap. And here we are.

Ahhhh! If only every Saturday could be this great!

Shampoo Free!

As you may have already guessed, I have officially gone shampoo free! This has been the most challenging of all my homemade overhauls, but I think I have found something that works. Pretty good, anyway. First, I tried Caylen's method of 1 tsp. baking soda in 1 cup water. I did this for a couple of days, found that my hair was not much different than not washing it, then proceeded to the baby powder trick. I have been living with this one for a few days now-- you know, the thing you do when your hair is a little stringy and you put baby powder in it to soak up the oil? yeah, I had to resort to that one quite a few times. Just once a day though did the trick.

Some of you may think this is gross, going shampoo free, but really, I am getting the dirt and most of the oil out of my hair, it is just that my scalp is still producing oil like it is being stripped daily. However, I wanted to find a more efficient, and easier way to get my hair clean. I tried the diluted baking soda, then I went to a baking soda paste, but both were just time consuming and hard to get good coverage since I have longer hair. So, I found a recipe for a foamy shampoo and tweaked it some and went with it. This is what I am currently using now:

• 1/2 cup grated homemade soap flakes
• 1 cup water boiled down for 30 minutes with your choice of herbs.

I used soap that I had from Thistle Ridge, a cold process lye soap, and it is scented like mint. I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and rosemary in my herb blend, and my shampoo result was a deep reddish brown-- very beautiful! It does, however, get on the shower walls and turn them reddish, but it wipes away. How does it clean? It does pretty well-- it suds up, and it cleans my hair well, and my hair has had lots of volume and body! I do have a conditioner with it as well, but honestly I can't use it without having to wash my hair after wards. It consists of olive oil, cider vinegar, and essential oils. It feels great, but it doesn't wash out so much. I am left with stringy hair after drying, and while it may be conditioned and healthy, it is not too appealing.

Overall, I am very pleased with the shampoo free routine, although I am not a fan of stringy hair or trying to adjust to below -par lathering. However, the condition of my hair has been much more satisfactory! I have more body and volume, which is hard for my superfine hair. I would recommend trying this for people who have problems with dryness, but if you have hair on the oily side like mine, you might be better off with store bought items, unless you are doing it to forgo chemicals like I am.

House For Sale or Rent?

So, as some of you may know, we have a house in Dahlonega, as well as in Blairsville. We rent out the house in Dahlonega, seeing as how we can't sell it. A few weeks ago, we found out our current renters were separating and moving out. The sad part, truthfully, is that a married couple with a 1 year old is separating. However, I don't see how we could really help them out there. They have some deep rooted issues....

Anyway, this means we are going to have to find a way to foot the mortgage, #2, bill by ourselves until we find a way to get rid of it-- either by selling or renting. We have had it up for rent for a couple weeks now, no bites, and we have had it on the market for a short time now, once again.  Truthfully, though, I don't know if I can stand to rent it out again! It has been such a headache and strain for us to be keeping tabs on our house, 35 miles away, with strangers in it.

Apparently, since our tenants have lived there-- coincidence or not I don't know-- there have been 2 break-ins, one in a house in our neighborhood, and one at the carburetor shop across the road. It feels pretty stinky to have your neighbors look at you as being the cause of bringing in such things. They have even had to start a neighborhood watch! Also, come to find out, the renters we had, well the wife, was also allowing her brother, sister, and her sister's boyfriend to stay in the house with them, and of course they were not on the lease, nor did they pay rent! My husband went to the house a few days ago, kicked them out, and got the last of the rent from the husband. We thought we were done, but we were not! We got a call from our next door neighbor there who said she was scared because this strange man appeared at the house and went in. To make a long story short, we called the cops and they found out it was the husband's dad, coming to help clean up the rest of the house. Which, of course, is fine. It just caused us such a headache and such turmoil to always be stressing about this house!  I am just so ready to get rid of it and move on! I don't mean to rant, but it has just been such a constant struggle, for years now, to be looking after this house, trying to rent/sell it, scrounging to make payments, etc.

I have been praying very fervently for God to bring us a solution to this issue, and nothing yet, but until then we will trudge along and be looking for the way He wants us to go.

Also, if you know anyone who wants a house in Dahlonega, let me know ;)

Making Kid's Toothpaste!

After all the 'homemade' ventures I have gone through, my husband has only called this one 'extreme.' Actually, I told him, it's really not. Toothpaste is one of the easier, simpler things to make. And, of course, making it avoids the use of chemicals and additives. This is mostly important for Caylen, given that she isn't 2 yet, and we are not a fan of the gel 'tooth and gum cleanser' that is marketed for her age. We have been buying Tom's of Maine Silly Strawberry, flouride free of course. She liked it alright, it was slightly sweet, but I had 2 issues. I liked the toothpaste itself, but it was 1) expensive, and 2) in a metal tube so it was impossible to get the last bit out. I understand the purpose of using metal instead of plastic, it was just inconvenient. I am totally one who squeezes the last teensy-weensy drop of toothpaste out of the tube, so I thought there had to be a more efficient way. And, there is! Here is my recipe:

• Equal parts of baking soda and coconut oil. Coconut oil is very good for lots of things, including oral health. 
• a few drops of peppermint oil, or spearmint, or lemon, or orange, or whatever you like.  The mixture of the coconut and peppermint flavors is quite satisfying though. 
• a dash of stevia. This makes it a little sweeter, without rotting the teeth of course. The baking soda is of course salty and bitter so this makes it a little tastier. Which is not so important for me or my husband as much as it is for a toddler. 
• I put the paste in a little jar that had previously held honey, and I just get a little out and on the brush.

How does Caylen like it? She likes it alright, I mean, it's toothpaste so she isn't wild about it or anything, but she seems to like it better than her old toothpaste. I say this because it is easier to brush her teeth with this toothpaste than it is her old kind. The only 'con' to this paste is that the baking soda and oil are very sticky, and when you brush her teeth with it, it is hard to rinse off the brush, and it takes a little work to get her mouth rinsed. I think this might be a good thing, though, since the coconut oil is supposed to be good for her mouth.

Soon, we, Brandon and I, will be out of toothpaste ourselves and I will be making our own. I will let you know how it goes!

Fuzzibunz!

My daughter, Caylen, is 22 months old. She has always been in disposables. Until now!

When I was pregnant with Caylen, I wanted so badly to do cloth diapers! I researched it to death, was given only negative opinions on the matter, and was intimidated by learning something so few people knew about, all the while having a newborn while my husband is deployed. So, to make a long story short, I gave it up and went to disposables. However, I have been growing so so so tired of buying diapers that I went to the cheapies. That's right, the cheapest ones I could find, hoping it would alleviate my distaste with buying so many all the time and spending so much money! So, I tried potty training, which she did great at, then daycare didn't go along with it, so that was scrapped. Then, I found out that these cheap diapers were giving Caylen the worst diaper rash so I just decided to go for it! I mean, we are planning on having another child, so they will be able to use them too, so we will definitely be getting our money's worth, and then some! So, I went on Amazon, my favorite place to shop because we have no place to shop here in the hills except for online and they have free shipping, and ordered a 12 pack. This 12 pack is enough to last me through Caylen's potty training, as well as my next child's birth through potty training. They are all in one diapers, called Fuzzibunz, a pocket diaper, and they are one size. This means they are adjustable from birth to potty training. And, the reviews I read backed that up as well. I got the gender neutral colors, and they are so pretty! I just love these diapers! I haven't been putting pants on Caylen, as long as we are at home, just because they are so cute! They also live up to their name, fuzzibunz, because the inside is fleece, and the inserts are microfiber. And, to top it off naysayers, they don't leak. Not once have they leaked, and they fit great! They are also easy to care for. Just take them off, take out the insert, I put them in my diaper pail I used for disposables along with the cloth wipe, and wash them every 2 days on the sanitary cycle.

Conclusion? These diapers are great, and my only regret is that I didn't do them sooner. They are so easy and they save money! And, they don't create more waste for the landfills. So what I have to say is, if you are interested in doing cloth diapers, do try them, especially this kind because they are so wonderful!

Flavored Homemade Yogurt!

Well, I did indeed try making homemade yogurt, flavored, and it turned out great!  What I did was this: I did everything the same, but at the end where I would normally just pour the milk into the jar, I added a tsp. and a half of Stevia, which was almost too much, and a tsp. of vanilla flavoring! It turned out very yummy and I was pleased. Caylen likes it too! I mean, she isn't one to shun any type of yogurt, but she does seem to like this kind better-- it's not as 'tart.'
Now, I just wish I could eat it! I have been going to see this alternative medicine doctor, and I don't mean medicine-doctor, and she has been doing acupuncture for my asthma, which has gotten to be really awful. I have been going a couple times a week, I got some blood work done, and we have,seemingly, exhausted all the possible causes of why it might be worse, but when I went yesterday, she suggested something else. She suggested, well she told me, to stop eating all dairy as it might be causing it, seeing that Caylen has a dairy sensitivity, she thought I might too and it might be making my asthma worse. Well, you know what that means! No yogurt :( As well as cheese, milk, etc. but the one thing I will miss the most is my yogurt! And, my breathing has been a lot better today! Which is great news, but I guess I will try to experiment with making almond milk yogurt for myself? Until then, I will continue to make it for Caylen, whole milk version, and I can attempt to interpret her opinions on how it tastes.... :(

Making Your Own... Yogurt!

I had heard of making your own yogurt, but I figured it was one of those lengthy, time-consuming, arduous tasks that only stay at home moms or Amish people took on. Well, I am neither, although I do respect both titles, very much so. Well, actually I am going to be a part-time stay at home mom now, since I am going to just be working 3 days a week now....
Anyway, back to the yogurt.
Yogurt is expensive. If you get the good kind. No, I am not talking about Yoplait, which is more like Jell-o than yogurt, since it has gelatin in it. It's just not right... I get the organic kind, I prefer Greek, but I like it either way. I get Caylen the organic whole milk yogurt, and boy it is expensive! I mean, it's not through the roof, but especially compared to what I can make it for, it is way too much!
So, I bet you are dying to know how I made it right?  Haha, just kidding, it's no secret!All you need, or what I used, is at least a quart of milk, 1/2 cup dry milk, a quart canning jar, a large saucepan, wooden spoon, yogurt starter, a heating pad and some kitchen towels and stock pot. Here goes:

I got my recipe from my handy dandy Tightwad Gazette. It recommends buying a container of store bought, active culture yogurt from the store. I used Dannon. This will be your starter yogurt, or starter culture. You will need the bacteria from this yogurt to get yours going. The tightwad gazette is always finding the most cost effective way of doing things, so it recommended taking the yogurt by 2 tablespoons each and freezing them in ice cube trays. So, you end up with about 16 2 tablespoon starters (?) I can't remember how many compartments there are in those ice cube trays. Anyway, in order to start the yogurt, you need to take one ice cube worth of starter, 2 tablespoons in other words, and let it melt. In the meantime, take your milk, whole milk, 2%, organic, whatever, and measure out a quart. The easiest way to do this is to pour it into a quart canning jar, which is what I used to store my yogurt in. Put the quart of milk in a large saucepan, and mix in the 1/2 cup of dry milk. Heat the quart of milk up to 180, I used my candy thermometer to track it, and then cool it down to 115. At this point, take a 1/2-1 cup of the warm milk, whisk it very vigorously into the starter. Then, take the starter/warm milk mixture and mix it into the large batch of warm milk. Whisk very vigorously. There has been no evidence that vigorous whisking can kill the cultures. However, it is pertinent to make sure the cultures are well distributed so all the milk will turn into yogurt instead of curdled milk. After it is well-whisked, pour it into your quart jar, fasten the lid, put it on a heating pad on low, wrap it in a kitchen towel, and put a stock pot over the jar so it is dark and warm. This is so the cultures will have opportunity to grow. Let it incubate for 8-12 hours. I did mine for 8, then put it in the fridge, but it just depends on how 'tart' you like your yogurt.
I call 'tart' 'sour.'
Anyway, after 8 hours it was firm and delicious! It lasts for about 5 days, give or take, mine lasted at least 6, but I am not sure how much longer after that it would last since we ate it all! I liked to serve it with a little raw honey-- soooo  good! Or, for Caylen, I mash up a little banana in it! Yummy!

My next yogurt venture? How to flavor it?! I'll let you know how it turns out!

New Way to Do... Well, Everything!

So my last post was about a new way to do my skincare. I know, it was like forever ago. Since then, I have found many other new ways to do many other new things! Like making your own dishwasher detergent. Or, washing your clothes.



Last night, I finished my 3rd load of laundry using soap nuts. I buy them from here. The results? They are great! No, the clothes don't smell, at all, but they are very clean, very soft, and may I mention, washed very cheaply....! Now that's my kind of 'detergent!' They are about half the price of Tide HE, and I can use about 5 nuts for about 5 fairly heavy loads! As a plus, there is no need for fabric softener! They are soft as can be, in fact softer than if I had used fabric softener, but without that chemical-y residue. Conclusion: I am extremely pleased and I can't wait to use my 10% off coupon I received with my order, on my next order!
Next: Dishwasher detergent. I found a way to make my own concoction of this as well, with an added bonus: a Jet Dry substitute! So I mixed a cup of washing soda (I found mine at Ace), a cup of Borax, and a half cup of salt and shook it together in a Mason jar. Ok, it was a Ball jar. Anyway, I made this Wednesday night, and I finally used it last night (Thursday). I was anxious to see how my dishes came out, since I had been buying the cheap, Eco-Friendly Palmolive for my dishwasher. It left white residue everywhere!!! So, I inspected my dishes after they ran a cycle, the Normal cycle as always with heated dry, and wow! They looked even better than when I used the good detergent! They were clean, no spots on the silverware, which is a common occurrence for us.... And, no water spots thanks to the 'rinse aid!' So I bet you are dying to know the secret rinse aid, huh? Well, just put plain, white distilled vinegar in the compartment you normally put the rinse aid. It lasts forever, so you rarely have to fill it back up, so of course you have really saved some $$! I of course never bother to buy jet dry, I don't care about some water spots, and that stuff is expensive for what it is, especially now that I know it can be cheaply replaced! My conclusion on the homemade dishwasher detergent: Excellent substitute! Only this: when I run out, I am going to try to simplify it by using Borax and baking soda and salt, to make it cheaper, and we'll see how it goes!!
To update on the last post, my facial cleansing routine is going great-- I will not go back to my old facewashes and lotions! They feel sticky, heavy, and thick to me now! I have had to use my old facewash once, and my lotion once as well, under dire circumstances, and I wasn't pleased at all. The only con is that it occasionally makes my bangs oily at the end of the day, or if I am not careful, they get oil on them before I even get dressed :( but I have been able to work around it, and hey, it is worth it to me if I can have clear skin! As for the homemade shampoo and conditioners, I have only used them on our guinea pig, Caylen, but they do great on her! I am just waiting to run out of our commercial ones first!
Oh, and one last thing. I am not sure if I mentioned this in the last post, but I have been using Virgin Coconut Oil as a body lotion for a few weeks now, and I LOVE  it! It is so rich and moisturizing, and Bath and Body Works ain't got nuthin' on that scent! AAAHHH! It smells so delicious and luscious! You have gotta try it!



One more thing, I promise, I am looking for a cheap, eco-alternative to my dish soap. I tried Dr. Bronners, but it is a little too watery and harsh for me. Smells good though (I got the Hemp Almond kind). So, if you have any suggestions, ppppplllllleeeeaaasssee let me know!!

New Way to do Skincare!

By the title of my post, you might think that I had an eventful trip to the cosmetic counter at the mall this weekend... Not so!! I actually just looked around at some 'natural living' blogs, looking for a superior, natural way to care for my skin, that would also eliminate the biweekly trips to the drugstore for new face wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, etc. Well, I did, and (shriek) it involves oil! I know, I practically shrieked at this at first glance too, but I was willing to try it out. So here goes, and just as a note, these are not my recipes, not that they are any secret, but I do not take credit for them. Here goes.

• For my face, I have began 'oil cleansing.' Sounds counter intuitive, right? That's what I thought, but I was willing to try. I blended half and half castor oil and grapeseed oil and I put a few drops of patchouli in as well. Cause I like the smell, and it's purifying, and gentle. Anyway, I take this oil, which I put into an old 'body splash' bottle and I squirt it out and then massage it into my face morning and night. I massage for about 2 minutes or so, then I wet a washcloth as hot as I can, put it on my face to steam my 'pores' then massage again. Then repeat hot washcloth, then wipe the oil off with a clean, hot washcloth. Make sure not to get it too hot-- you don't want to burn your face, it is just that my water heater is on low. If after I wipe off the oil my face still feels like it needs moisturizer, I use a pea sized amount of either coconut or grapeseed oil. Also, I want to add that I have problem skin, and for the 3rd full day of doing this, my face has never looked better! 
• Now, these are 2 I haven't tried yet because I have yet to run out of my current product. However, here are some more 'recipes' for shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant. Well, I haven't used them myself, but I did use them on Caylen, and the shampoo and conditioner worked great! I of course didn't try the deodorant. 
• For shampoo, mix a tablespoon of baking soda to 1 cup of water. For Caylen, I put hers into a squirt bottle-- she loved it! Massage into the scalp and let sit, then rinse. 
• For conditioner, mix 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to 1 cup water. I also put this into a squirt bottle. Massage, then rinse.  And yes, they really did work on Caylen's hair, which of course lacked so much oil, but did have food in it :) However, it is also supposed to get rid of excess oil, hair products, etc. Your hair will, supposedly, have a period of where it gets 'adjusted' but this should last no more than a couple of weeks. Your scalp just has to get used to no having to produce as much oil, since it is not continuously being stripped. 
• For deodorant, and not antiperspirant, mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch. Add coconut oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the mixture until it is well mixed (about 4-6 tablespoons). Then, if you like, you can add a few drops of essential oil. Although, it will already smell like fresh coconut :) Then, pack it into a used deodorant container and stick it in the fridge, if it is summertime. Use and enjoy! 

*I found these recipes on www.simplemom.net, but there are similar and other variations of these recipes all over the web. If you want to find them, you can usually just google and find them if these recipes don't suit you.

A new Burkhead Addition!

I guess this is a few days late, as we got him on Sunday, but we got a dog! Sorry I don't have pictures yet, but I will post some soon. :) He is a one year old Australian Shepherd, red and white with green eyes, and his name is Buddy. (<----- that was the shelter's name, not ours, but we figured he was too old to change his name). He is super sweet, he loves Caylen and she loves him! She was already calling him Buddy by the 2nd day! Pictures to come!

Back From Vacation!

Well actually we got back Tuesday. But, this is the first time I have had to write about our trip! We started out on Friday afternoon to Pigeon Forge, we got there and went to Dollywood Saturday and Brandon and I left Sunday to go to Highlands. This was our little anniversary trip. This was also my first trip without Caylen :( But, we had sooo much FUN!
We stayed at a place called Fire Mountain, in a treehouse, which was extremely private and had a most gorgeous view! Oh and if you go to the website, that picture of the 2 chairs is absolutely the way it is up there! We sat in those same 2 chairs and watched the sunset. It was awesome!Our room was small and simple, which was great for us-- no air conditioner, TV, radio, alarm, etc. We looved it! It was so incredibly quiet and peaceful. It was also about 10 degrees cooler up there, way up on a mountain, than it is in Blairsville. Every morning there was a homemade gourmet breakfast ready for us at 9:30. First morning was frittata with kale and heirloom cherry tomatoes, bacon, strawberry jam (best I ever had), fresh fruit, and biscuits. Second morning was buttermilk pancakes, homemade banana syrup, an egg in a cup (yeah, sorry can't remember the name, but it was gooood), fresh fruit and sausage. It was such a wonderful breakfast and halfway through the morning that we never had to eat lunch! That was also good because during lunchtime we were out on the trails :)
Before I get into my hiking section, I have to share something. We bought the most awesome shoes and we went hiking in them and let me tell you, I have never hiked like this before! I could feel the ground when I was walking, and when I was about to lose balance, these shoes made it so much easier to keep my balance. Without further ado, I introduce to you Vibram Five Fingers Shoes. They are great, and I have to give credit to Bryan Bates, the first person I saw wear them. I had heard about them, but they truly are great shoes. I don't know how far I would hike in them-- some of our 10 mile hikes might be too strenuous, but they are great! They look funny, but sometimes, well almost always for me, function is more important than form!
We hiked 3 waterfalls, did about 3 miles total one day, so light hiking-- easy going down, straight back up.  At one falls, Glen Falls, we did hike to the midpoint of the falls and there was a flat part of the waterfall, about 30x30 maybe? It was flat, anyway, and it was a large area. We went out there in the middle of it where there was a pool and sat in it for a while, it was COLD! and then we turned around and sunbathed-- wow the view was just wide open! That flat area was definitely the best vantage point for the view of the mountains!  Oh and I forgot my camera. Or, I thought I did, really it was at the bottom of the suitcase... We really could have taken some good pictures, but believe me they wouldn't have done any justice to what we saw. And, it kinda goes back to the John Mayer song about "didn't have a camera by my side this time.... hoping I would see the world through both my eyes..... " but yeah the pictures would have been great.
On Monday night we ate at this place, Cyprus, and it was great. It was international cuisine, and every night the chef spotlights a different country. They have a regular menu as well that has other international food on it too, and I got a dish off of it, while Brandon got the Pork Ragu off the 'special' menu. Both were very good, and it was really a cool place to eat at. Not too expensive either. I can't really enjoy my food too well if I am getting ripped off ya know? Kinda gives me indigestion.....
Anyway, we left on Tuesday morning and went by and saw some more falls and went a couple of places then headed to Bville, which is only 1.5 hours away. So, we definitely plan to go back just for a day and do some hikes with the babe. Also, we plan to go back there every year for our anniversary for a couple of days since we loved it so much!

Just a Routine Update

Well, maybe it's more than that. I just had a few things to touch on, and I needed a name to group them all together, so I called it that. Update 1: Potty Training. Currently at a stand still due to her 'not cooperating' at daycare. I figured it would be okay to wait for a bit. She's only 20 months, right? This brings me to update 2: actually, she is 21 months today, July 16th. Happy 3/4 birthday Caylen! Time is just flyyyying by! Update 3: We are in Pigeon Forge, yay! But not so yay, it is after midnight and I have yet to go to bed. Have I ever mentioned that I am a 10 o'clock-at-the-latest-bedtime kinda person?  I have been told I turn into the Hulk without sleep. Maybe that is why Caylen slept in the bed with me for 9 months? It did greatly improve my amount of sleep, I must say. That's just how I work! Anyway, I tend to ramble (note that all of this is in one paragraph...)when I am overly tired and get my second wind, which I am on currently. The deal is this: Caylen will not sleep on vacation. Never, ever, ever. We just got back from a trip to KY a couple of weeks ago, well not even, and on that said trip she slept nada. None. Zilch. She also, since being in daycare, is always sick on vacation. I am not lying. She is fine up until the first night of vacation and here comes this runny nose, cough, and drainage thing. Same thing every time. She will go to sleep okay, she is thankfully pretty good with transitions after all our moves and instability.... anyway she goes to sleep pretty fast, but then you hear her breathing, and you can tell she is congested, then she sucks some of that back and every few breaths she will have to cough, and this wakes her up. This means that she wakes up crying at least every 30 minutes. Great for the sleep cycle. Not only is the night so frustrating you want to go jump off the nearest cliff but you are too tired to look for it, but also the next day is complete agony. You, your spouse, your baby, are tired and grumpy and no one wants to deal with anything the next day and it takes all you can do to even get through it. So, tonight Brandon and I watched a movie after Caylen went 'to bed' and it wasn't over till 11. We turned the lights for about 2 minutes, then got up to tend to Caylen. I decided then, and I had been thinking of this earlier, that we would not go to bed at all. Unless, that is, she is asleep and no stirring for a good 30 minutes. This is about the best we can hope for. So far, nothing. I have come to a couple more conclusions, though. You all can take note of this and hopefully be able to hold me to my word. or, wordS.
1. We will not go on any overnight stays, with Caylen, anywhere other than our own home until Caylen is over 3 years of age. This means nowhere, folks. Brandon and I have talked alot about this lately and we are both on the same page here and we feel like we are shooting ourselves in the foot for even taking her anywhere overnight.
2. If I feel the urging of wanting another child before Caylen turns the said age of 3, I will attempt to take her somewhere overnight and remind myself of how impossible it would be to have anything more than just her.

Caylen does terribly, horribly bad on vacations. Not just at nighttime either! She screamed her way all through Walmart when we first got here-- I was thoroughly embarrassed at her behavior. We had to scarf our food down at Cracker Barrel whilst picking various objects off the floor that she would throw down while trying to keep her quiet enough as not to cause massive heartburn for anyone and everyone within a 10 mile radius. So, I have concluded that we have been terribly foolish even thinking of vacationing with her.

My parenting style, Attachment parenting, which I try to follow in the way I think is best for our family and for Caylen, talks about how each baby is different and how you can't treat any 2 babies the same. I am a big believer in this, and even though I know most people with a baby Caylen's age do travel, I know that we can't. It's not fair to her for us to put unrealistic expectations on her to act a certain way that she can't handle yet. I can't be too rigid with her, she is just a baby! So, I am just going to have to get realistic here and go with the flow.  Going with the flow is sometimes hard for me because I want things to be predictable and follow a routine, but really I am the one going against the routine and predictability. Experience has shown that 100% of the time Caylen will not sleep while we are on vacation, she will act out 300% more, and she will get sick. So why am I acting like the odds are in favor of her sleeping or otherwise? I tell you why: I like to think that every night she gets a new 'chance' if that makes sense. Tonight could be different and I want to go into it without feeling jaded. However, that really is just blindness! I am blinding myself to the fact that she never sleeps on vacations, so why would she sleep now?

Well, I guess I am done rambling. I just had to sort all this out I guess and restructure my thinking!

Potty Training Cont'd

Well I just had to update everyone on Caylen's potty training status. Yes, amazingly, she does have a status! Yesterday was her first full day of potty training, as I started, well she kinda did, Saturday at about 10 AM.

Yesterday we woke up at about 7, which Caylen has been doing lately and it is GREAT!, and Caylen had pee-peed in her diaper overnight. That's ok, no surprise. What the surprise is though, and pardon me for veering a little, is that when she was tee-tiny, like before 6 months, she never had a wet diaper all through the night! Odd... Kinda gives me a feeling that I might should have tried infant potty training.

Anyway, she woke up with a wet diaper, I sat her on the potty, she didn't go, then we went to eat breakfast. After breakfast, we went and got ready as usual. Brandon and I took turns putting her on the potty while we got ready until it was time for her bath. She then put on a pampers diaper and we headed off to church. When I took her to the nursery, she hadn't yet peed in the potty, but I told the ladies there that she was potty training and if they would put her on the potty. I brought diapers anyway but they were the cheap CVS Caillou ones. I picked her up from nursery, no one said if she had peed or not since they switch out the workers in between, and I checked her diaper. It was the same one that she had on before she went to church! We rushed home, got her on the potty, and she peed right away! This was the first time she had peed on the potty that I was sure of. We clapped and praised the heck out of her and put her back in a diaper which she kept clean until she went squatting off in a corner. I tell you, when that girl squats, it means TROUBLE! So we missed that one for the most part, and she had a few accidents later that day. We did make it to WalMart though and we bought her some training pants. She wet them 2 times last night :( but she wore them this morning and had no accident so far.

Speaking of this morning, Caylen got up, no pee in the potty, we went and ate breakfast, no accidents, then up to the potty again where she peed and did #2! She had no accidents this morning, and that was from the time she woke up, 6:30, to the time she got to daycare, 8:30, and she was wearing training pants the whole time! I brought some training pants and panties for them to use and told them she is using the potty! Hopefully, her day will go well and without many accidents!

Potty Training

Yep, I am starting to potty train Caylen. I have 'tested the waters' a time or two before, but it has been a while since I have tried it. Mostly because we have been sooo busy! My plan was to begin potty training when we got in our new house, but who knows when that will be so I have just been trying to go by her cues. Every morning after she takes a bath, she has 'naked time,' which she initiated. She loves to run around naked for the remaining time that I take to get ready.  I have been increasing the time she spends naked, and she has still yet to have an accident.
However, today after her bath she ran around for a particularly long time while I got ready and did this and that and I noticed her squatting in a corner. This is her way of usually going number 2. So, I took her to the potty, with no potty seat (and our froggy potty is in a box somewhere), and I sat her on the potty and told her to go potty, pee pee, or whatever else I could say to trigger her to perhaps remember what she needs to do here. So, she started then to saying "pee pee" and she acted like she was trying!
Well, I didn't have any success with that trip, but after her nap, and after I went to Wal-Mart to get her a seat, I sat her down on the potty.  She was saying pee pee and stuff, but when I went and got her The Little Red Hen, her favorite book, and she started to 'read' it, she went potty! Number 2, which is one of the most difficult to accomplish, in my experience. I have seen that many times kids are scared or uncomfortable to go #2 on the big potty. But, she wasn't!
So, I went and got her some big girl panties, and honestly I wasn't as careful and diligent about getting her on the potty regularly, but she ended up having 2 accidents. That was kinda disheartening, but I think if I just put those panties on underneath her diaper and take her to the potty very regularly, every 30 minutes, I think I may have some success and then hopefully I will be able to get her to hold it while wearing panties. One thing I do know is that I don't want to use pull-ups. I mean, why do it anyway! It is just a more convenient diaper-- the parent and the child both need motivation to be diligent about getting them on that potty before an accident happens! For the adult, the mess, and for the child, the uncomfortable-ness of having soaked underwear. I can see them out in public or things such as that, but as far as replacing the diaper with them, I think it just delays the whole process.  I plan on getting her some cloth training pants, which are like panties, but a little thicker so as to hold in messes a little better-- but still not like a diaper. I still can't decide which ones to get though! So, if anyone has had experience here, please point me in the right direction. Also, if you have any more pointers for me, let me know! I just can't wait to get rid of these diapers!!

We Closed!

Oh yeah, you read it right... We did close yesterday-- finally! After almost 3 weeks (21 days to be exact) of waiting after the original close date, we closed! So I call this 'phase 3' and it is complete. This is apparently a 4 phase process, and so that means we are almost done! Phase 1 was moving our furniture and getting our stuff out of the townhouse, phase 2 was the final, official part of moving out of the townhouse, phase 3 being closing of course, and phase 4 is moving into our house! Now all we need to do for phase 4 is wait for the occupants to close on their house, which will hopefully be within a week(?) and then we can move in! Then the neverending, perpetual phase of living there, fixing it up, doing improvements, etc will commence. That one is okay though because there are no time constraints. Also, today Brandon and I went and got our licenses redone, with our new address! Thankfully, you get 1 free address change on your license so we took advantage of that! However the main reason to get our licenses changed was that our temporary tag, the 2nd one, on the Jeep is expired and we need a tag! The tag office wouldn't give us one until we both had Union County addresses on our license, so Brandon wanted to wait until we had our new address so we wouldn't have to change them twice, if that makes sense. Anyway, we have been productive I guess you could say and hopefully we will be moving into our forever home soon!

Ode To Mommyhood

Wow... Here lately, there have been a LOT of babies being born. So, as a mom myself, I felt compelled to write a post about being a mommy.Here's to all you new mommies, not so new and old mommies, and mommies-to-be. 

Magical. That is the best word I can think of when I think of becoming, and being, a mommy. When you first find out you're pregnant, it just seems unreal. It did to me. Yes, they told me that the blood test showed positive.  Sometimes I caught myself thinking, "Nah, I can't be pregnant. I don't feel like it. How can I have a baby in there?"
Then, a few months go by and you start feeling movement. That 'magical' feeling comes back. Wow! It is amazing, isn't it?
Then, a few more months go by, and yes, you are definitely pregnant. You don't even have to look at yourself to know it-- the swelling, aching, and hugeness of it all doesn't let you forget. That magical feeling of kicks and stretching of skin, organs, and ribs is getting a little tiring. And, you can't wait to get your arms around that little bundle. This is a sweet time, though, remember. This is an exciting time that is hard for people like me with no patience to wait.
Then, the moment you have been waiting for. The moment you have looked to, off in the distance as if it were some unattainable goal, since you got those 2 lines. Well, I never got 2.  I had 6 negative HPT's...
Anyway.... you thought about this day, people asked you about this day, told you it would hurt (duh), and you have dreamed about this day. The day your child is born. A day that is unlike any other; they day your life is forever changed. The day you meet your child. The pain, oh the terrible pain that comes with it is absolutely no match for what you are about to witness-- the moment you actually get to see, with your eyes, the child that has been living inside you for all this time, that you feel like you already know, and have already seen with your heart. (Sorry about the cheesiness, it's just true). It was like time stopped, for me. It was an amazing day. I look back at that day and have to remind myself that I met Caylen on that day. I feel like she has been here all along, and that there was no 'first meeting.' I feel like I have known her my entire life. I can still look back, years ago, and think "was Caylen born yet?' Well, of course not, she is only 20 months old, but I feel like she has always been here! I feel like she was always a part of me.

Anyway, back to chronological order.... Fast forward a few months through the sleepless days and nights, trying to figure out how to be a mother, and then you are here. Where I am. Looking back, thinking, "Wasn't I just there? In that hospital bed with the IV and swaddled newborn?" It just goes that fast. The way I felt then, besides the lack of sleep, food, alone-time, was what I thought was the best feeling ever. Also, the worst. The fear of doing everything wrong, the fear of failing. I was afraid it was always going to be that way. Nervous, anxious, scared.  However, let me tell you, and many of you may be able to relate to me on this, it gets so much better. The crying, the anxiousness, nervousness, fear and anxiety all get better. For both of you. hehe Yep I was one who cried right along with my milk-sensitivity baby. Back to the subject though, it gets so much better-- even for those who think they have it great. All the love, joy, and pride you have in this baby only grows and you only become closer to this little one, and it only seems more impossible, as each day goes by, to live life without them.

Motherhood is such a wonderful experience, and I think it is fantastic to see all of these other women I know entering into such a wonderful time. After Caylen was born, the 'magical' term evolved into a whole new meaning. I watched as my 5 lb. 15 oz teeny tiny baby grew into a talking, walking, eating machine. And boy does it go fast! I am still amazed, daily, that she is such a big girl now, and the new things she does everyday just keep me in awe. So what I am meaning to say is, as far as the 'magical' part goes, as well as the love you feel in the beginning, it only grows!

"Pop In Law"

On Saturday, my father in law, or as he likes to refer to himself, "pop in law' came to visit. I initially was worried that we would be so entangled in moving and trying to close that we wouldn't be able to spend time with him, but luckily it wasn't the case. Unfortunately, however, Caylen was sick the entire time he was here. And, to add to her routine weekend sickness was an eye tooth popping through! Poor thing has it rough! Anyway, I haven't seen my father in law, nor has Caylen, since Christmas so it has been a while! Caylen finally got up the strength to play with him Sunday afternoon, as well as today, and she just loved it!  She learned a new word, 'poppie!' She would look at me and say, "Pappaw, Mammaw, Poppie" it was so sweet. Pappaw and Mammaw are my mom and dad, and she is now calling Gary "poppie!"  Gary went to church and Sunday school with us on Sunday and then came over to mom's house and ate with us. After that, we had planned to go to Helen, but Caylen was not feeling well so she and I stayed at home. Gary is leaving tomorrow, but it won't be long till we see him next, or Marcie, or Michael, Jo, or Cary because we will be up in Kentucky next weekend for a friend's wedding!

Blackballed!

I would like to take this opportunity to review a certain appraiser. He has done a terrible, incompetent job, and I want everyone to know not to use him. His business name is Bozeman's Appraisal Service out of Gainesville, Georgia. His name, Michael Bozeman. He completed the appraisal for our loan, twice, both times being unacceptable and worthless. He obviously doesn't know how to do his job. The VA gave him clear guidelines on how to amend his appraisal, and what did he do? He turned it back in, as it was before. Worthless. So, if anyone is looking to have their home appraised, know to look somewhere other than him.

Why am I giving him this negative review? Well I will tell you it certainly isn't unfounded. He, like I stated earlier, did an appraisal for the house we have been waiting to close on. The appraisal should not have been a problem, yet Michael Bozeman used his incompetent abilities to make it one. The problem with the appraisal was what they call the 'comps.' These are supposed to be 'comparable' houses in the area that have sold recently. What did he put? He put a one bedroom, 400 sq. ft house, and a 2 bedroom, 1100 sq. ft. house against our 2600 sq. ft, 2 acre, 3 bedroom, bonus room, 2 sunroom, with a pond house. Yet, he appraised the house at our buying price. I am sure this looks fishy to the VA, so they denied it and sent it back. Now, we are moving on to get an FHA loan. Thanks Michael Bozeman Appraisal Service!

Slowly, But Surely

Sooo, we were supposed to close on our new home this past Friday. Well, it didn't happen. The appraiser had to amend his paperwork for the comps in the area, and then send it back to the VA. They have sent the appraisal back in today, and I truly hope and pray that everything is right and we can close this week. It has been such a pain to close on this place, and I don't know if I just don't remember closing on the house in Dahlonega, but I don't remember it being this much of a headache. We need to close soon, too, because we have to be out of our house by Thursday! Luckily we have everything packed up except for our closet and the bathrooms. Boy, do we know how to pack up a house quick-- we just started on Saturday! We need to buy 7 more large boxes, but other than that, we have3 been able to use all the boxes we had left over from the move from Dahlonega. And, my wondermous husband has already taken all the items from the basement and garage! Isn't he wonderful!?  I think so.  I also think that Caylen thinks we are nomads, though.... She just rolls with the changes though! Gettin off subject a little, she has been the most delightful child here lately. Not that she is not usually a delight, but I am telling you, she makes every second spent with her a pure pleasure! I don't even want for her to go to bed at night anymore-- I just want to spend more time with her! But, believe me, she still makes it a priority for her bedtime to be before 8. :) Anyway, back to the moving talk, and it is hard for me to write all this through gritted teeth, but it has been a pain! Packing hasn't been bad, but I know after we pack we have to move it over there and then unpack it when we finally move... so on and so forth. I am not really dreading the unpacking so much, I just want to get in our house! The VA is apparently 'cracking down' on loans and they must have every 't' crossed and every 'i' dotted. For real! Anyway, I don't want to complain-- I just want to get this mess over with! I know that this is God's plan and He will work it out for us, and I just must remember to give it to Him and let him do His thing. Hard to do though! Hopefully by our next post we will be in our new house, getting settled in a place we will live forever!

Oh, and I have to say, my father in law is coming to visit this weekend *fingers crossed* so I am really excited to see him and for him to see how big his 'pea girl' has gotten!

Another Trip Planned!

So yesterday, or so, I blogged about how we are going on a trip to Highlands, NC in July. Well, Mom has been wanting all of us to go to Pigeon Forge sometime this summer. By all of us, I mean me and Brandon, mom and dad, Caylen, Ava, and Anna. Funny thing though, and this is going to be a lot of fun, we will be staying there 2 nights then heading over to Highlands! 2 vacations in one! We will also be going to Dollywood, and we are staying in the same hotel we stayed in when we went 2 years ago. Me pregnant, Brandon deployed.  So I will have 2 additional people with me this time, well Caylen was technically in my belly then but I'll count her anyway ;) I can't wait!

Oh yeah and by the way, exactly 20 months ago I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl! For all of those who just had babies, it seems like yesterday that I just had her!

Here's me on that trip in our hotel! It was really hot then, but it's amazing how hot you get when you're pregnant!

New Anniversary Trip

We had to cancel our Anniversary trip that would have taken place this Friday, but since we are closing on our house that day and perhaps moving then, we had to cancel. I didn't reschedule because I just didn't feel like it I guess, and that place gets packed so I didn't want to fool with it. I was so bummed that we had to cancel it too because we had been looking forward to going for months!

Well, I decided to book us another trip that would be during a time that would be seemingly free. On a Monday-Wednesday. What is freer than during the week, right? So, I booked it at a place in Highlands, NC called Fire Mountain! It looks really cool-- we will be staying in a tree house!  There are plenty of places to hike around there, waterfalls, a lake, and lots of farmers markets, and shops too. I have only been there once, and it was when I was pregnant with Caylen, and as many of you know, Brandon was deployed then so it was just me and the folks. We had a lot of fun though! Very pretty!  It is a month away from now, so hopefully we will be settled in our new home and can take some much needed time off with each other ;)

Oh, and I Forgot!

I almost totally forgot to blog about our anniversary-- it was yesterday! As of yesterday, we have been married 5 wonderful years <3

What did we do to celebrate? First we dropped Caylen off at mom and dad's and she spent the night! That was her first night away and boy, was it tough.  After we dropped her off, we went out to a sushi/hibachi grill place near here. It was really good, and I had been craving some sushi. We got sushi as an appetizer, then we ate the salad, soup, and hibachi grilled food. Man, we were STUFFED! After that we grabbed our fortune cookies and went back to the Bville. We went to the local movie rental place going out of business and looked to see if there was anything good. The prices were not that great! I guess they don't need to get rid of stuff too bad! I mean, they were marked down by a couple dollars from what you could get them normally. In my opinion, it wasn't worth it. So, went home, exchanged gifts (5 years traditional gift is wood), and watched Lie To Me on Hulu, and it was reaaalllly good too. We had some cake that Brandon had bought from a store here, like we always do, and it was reaaalllly good too. Then, we hung around on the internet and went to bed. Nothing too magical, but really we treat each other like it is our anniversary most every day, so that's what's important!

Anyway, getting back to exchanging gifts......  We went home and exchanged gifts, and I got Brandon some nice wooden spoons for the kitchen, since wood is the traditional gift for the 5th year. He got me the most wonderful present though, and card! It just made me melt.... The card was one of those long sappy ones and he had a very sweet message at the end. The gift was a wooden plaque with a flower carved into it, and hooks at the bottom for keys and such. So pretty, and so me! He did much better than I did at the gift, but it's okay because for our first anniversary I rocked the gift. The first anniversary's traditional gift is paper, so I gave him some pre-Castro Cuban cigars. Awfully hard to top that one!

I Apologize!

The other day I wrote a post, in venting fashion, about how apathetic I was. Really, I never meant to publish it, I just wanted to write. However, I did accidentally publish the thing. Oops! I have had my mother and mother in law ask me about it, and all I have to say is this: PMS, extended cold/headache, and stress. Brandon has been stressed too, and I give him credit for doing as well as he is! I don't handle stress all that well though, and PMS this time realllly got me. Bad! My head felt like it could explode at any minute, and my neck felt so sore I went to the doctor with my extended cold via daycare that I went to the doctor to make sure I didn't have meningitis! I don't, by the way, but I did get some antibiotics and boy do I feel much better!

As my mother in law reminded me, I am not the only mother who wants to stay at home with her kids. Of course, most moms would probably love to be able to stay at home! We are just at that in between stage of "can we or can't we" and the transition from one to the other has been hard. For all of us! But, I am just going to keep going, working, knowing that I am needed here-- I don't want to leave my family 'high and dry' for the sake of being a family woman, right? So, as for the future, we don't know but right now we will just keep truckin' along and see how it goes!

New House

Remember the house I talked about earlier? The one we are trying to close on, and the one we plan to rot in? Well, we are planning on closing next week, a week from today!  It just sounds way easier than it really is though.
Last time I talked about this house we were awaiting inspection and appraisal. The appraisal went through without a hitch, but the inspector was a real pain in the rear. He wanted all the gables of the house repainted, the deck and pond dock stained, the garage painted, and the roof to be inspected.

Well, the painting got off to a great start today! We picked out a beautiful color, Homestead Brown, and it looks so amazing on that house! It just makes it look brand new, and brings out a lot of the color in the brick.  The garage will also be painted the same color. It just looks awesome. And, Brandon is heading out to the house to stain the deck and dock a little later today. It will be a 'cedar' color. I don't know what that looks like exactly, it sounds pretty, that is just what he told me.

Also, the inspector estimated the square footage on the house and it came out to 2700 heated square feet, not including the deck and front patio and garage.  That is by far the biggest house we have ever lived in! He also made a 'note' about the roof looking dated, but we had a roof inspector come and he said it was fine. Boy, do those VA inspectors keep you on your toes! They just love to make things difficult!

Anyway, the inspector has to come again on Monday and make sure every little request of his was granted so the loan fairy can come visit us. ;) Hopefully we can get all that stuff done by then! Until then, I will be taping up boxes, since we saved them from last move, (a grand total of 3 months ago) and start packing stuff up!

Speaking of Babies.....

So to self-title-- speaking of Babies, I am such a baby gear, um, 'ho.' I love to look at what the 'new' thing is for babies, even though I don't really have a baby anymore. When I was pregnant, that is what I spent most of my time doing. Comparing this and that, review, prices, blah blah blah. I love it though. I think the thing that started me was when I was pregnant and scouting stuff out for CayCay, I found a swing. A certain 'cradle swing' on the internet for sale and I loved it. It was like $120 at a certain supercenter, but I went on Amazon and found it for $60! The same thing! New, of course. So of course I bought it, then the price went up a little. Best deal ever, in my opinion.

However, before I had Caylen, I didn't know what things were important and what wasn't. So, I got some things that I thought that the quality didn't matter as much-- 'they're all the same, right?' No, not right. So there are a few things that I got rid of and gave to someone else, knowing I wouldn't want to use it again. So, since 'we,'read 'I,' have been having baby on the brain, I have been scouting out the baby gear. It is worthwhile too, believe me, because most of the stuff that I scouted out for Caylen has exceeded our expectations. Britax, especially.

So, I was thinking of whether or not to even get an infant seat, since we have 2 convertibles that Caylen will grow out of, Britax of course, but I still think that infant seats are inportant. At least for the first six months. That's how long I left Caylen in hers before we went to convertibles. But I think I might get something on the upper end of Graco, or maybe something nicer. I was thinking the Britax Chaperone, but I think it is just too much for an infant seat. For a convertible seat that provides years of service, okay, but not for one year max. I mean, Britax is awesome, believe me if you have never tried it, it is worth the money. This is from a person without a lot of cash too.

Also, I want a bassinet for my next one. Not just a bassinet/changing table/playpen, I mean an actual bassinet. Why? Caylen hated her multi-tasking bassinet, and I don't blame her. It swayed and was kinda seemingly unstable. In fact, I don't find a playpen necessary at all. So, for those of you first time mommies or daddies scouting out baby gear, just know that many times those things don't get used. My cat used it,and that is about it.

Breastpump. Yep, I said 'breast.' That is because I plan to nurse my next one just as long, or longer than I did Caylen. One year in case you were wondering. But! This time, I will be working full time. Or I think that is the way it is looking. So that means I will need a good pump. I had a hard time pumping anything out when I had Caylen, but I had no reason to stick with it and try hard. The girl never even took a bottle. Ever! So I was thinking about the Medela Freestyle. You know, the one that is hands free, with an LED screen? So you can pump at night, of course, and see what you are doing. Expensive, yes, but if it is good enough to save you from having to buy formula, then that is like $25/week for a year and that adds up to...... $1325. So, it's worth it.  I think I want to use glass bottles too-- I just don't like plastic too much-- it's lost my trust since the whole BPA thing.

Strollers matter too, but I already bought a hybrid of a full size and umbrella.  It will fit a baby in it too. Of course I don't plan on using a stroller much though when they are little because that is what my sling is for. Yet another item I 'scouted' out and was thankful I did. I heard about the whole recall thing, but this one was not included, and I could see how it could happen if you didn't know how to position the baby correctly.


Drop side cribs. I have one. Do I plan on buying another one? No-- that is because mine wasn't recalled, Caylen has always been safe in it, it is well made, and I know it is put together well because I have done it so many times. Caylen didn't even sleep in it until she was 9 months though, and I don't know how it will go with the next one, but I don't feel that her crib is unsafe.

Well, after I have 'blogged' your ear off, I will just say in closing that my next pregnancy will be different too. Less ice cream, more exercise, and no pitocin at delivery!!

Baby Fever!

Is it just me or is everyone having a baby? I mean, EVERYONE! All this babymaking is making me want another one! After I had Caylen, I just knew I was going to wait at least a few years until our next one. Now, don't go thinking we are trying to conceive or anything right now, but we have been 'talking' about our next one. However, Mirena is making sure that it doesn't happen unless it is a well thought-out, conscious decision.

So, maybe in the next year or more? That seems soon to me, especially since Caylen is not out of diapers yet, nor can she take care of herself-- I mean, of course she can't! She's a baby-- I am just saying, I know how high strung babies can come, and I know if I have another "Caylen" I will be stressed to the max. I love her so much and she is worth every ounce of stress, but I just think it would be in everyone's best interest for us to lie low for a while until Caylen's temperament smooths out. And, it has been for the last 6 months or so, but she still has the Terrific Two's coming up. I hate the 'terrible' reference. I mean, if it were up to me, I might have referenced her first year as the Insane Infancy. It was just that wild. However, we can't change our children-- they come out the way that God made them, and I am seeing that Caylen is not only high-needs, but she is a sensitive, caring, and compassionate toddler. I don't regret her being 'challenging' but I know that it is just a part of what makes her who she is. Still, though, there is a part of me that says, "hey, why don't we try for another one? What are the chances that it is as non-compliant as Caylen was? I mean, it may give her someone to watch out after and take care of." After all, she does have a very strong mothering thing going on these days. She pushes Ava's baby in her stroller, carries around her babydoll, puts her baby 'down for a nap..' Ok maybe she was just trying to suffocate it with the blanket. I prefer to think she was nurturing it.

Anyway, I guess I am trying to say that we are getting the first hint of baby fever since we got it with Caylen. So, I am going to take this next year to prepare for another one, and if we decide to, great, but if we don't, it never hurts to be prepared.

Could This Be IT?

What a whirlwind our lives have been! Brandon and I have been married for almost 5 years now, and we have lived in 2 places in Dahlonega (one being our house we own there; we have lived there twice), Flowery Branch, Texas pre-deployment, him Iraq, me Georgia, then Texas again, then our house in Dahlonega for the 2nd time, then Blairsville.  We had planned to live here for a year, in this townhouse, but some things have been coming together for us.....

We have had our eye on a certain house ever since we moved back from Texas. It wasn't, however, supposed to go on the market until Spring of 2010, when the owner was planning to retire. It is a wonderful house-- 2500 sq. feet, right on the edge of town, 2 car garage, 2 acres, and a beautiful pond.  For a great price, since we know this person, obviously. Well, the person decided to put it up on the market the morning that we had our portable DVD player and most beloved Veggie Tales movie stolen. From our car. While parked right. in. front. of. our. house. (!!!!)

K, I see, not toooo big of a deal, right? However, what's next? Our house? Who knows. Anyhow, we took it as a sign to go ahead to and try for the house anyway. If it happens, it happens, if it's just not God's Will, it won't. Believe me, I don't want it to.  However, after much prayer, we applied for a loan, got it, and we are just awaiting inspection/appraisal. Believe me though, there will be no problem with the appraisal! Our closing date is June 18, the date we were supposed to take our anniversary trip, but we'll see if we can go earlier. If not, then we will reschedule.

As previously blogged about (I really want to put a link to a previous blog here, but I just don't feel like rummaging through the archives), we are going to live in our next house that we buy until we rot. That's right, the funeral director from Cochran Funeral Home is going to have to come in and physically remove my body in order to get me to my truly final resting place. This place will just be my final living place. Trust me. I never want to move ever again-- I want to settle somewhere I can nest in and make my own. And, I believe this is it!!

And We're Back...

We left for the beach on Thursday morning. It was the supposed 'most earned vacation yet' for us. We have been working really hard, between the Casket business, Caylen's period of transition, and the Funeral Home. We needed this vacation, and it finally came! Little did we know it would be the worst vacation to date.

There were 12 people that were going to stay in the beach house, which I figured would be hectic, but that was the least of it. Oh, 13 counting Aunt Flow. She likes to visit last minute, you know, ever since I got my Mirena....

We left Thursday morning, at about 9. Caylen did great on the trip! We played Veggie Tales all the way there, and she took one long nap.  After stopping for lunch at Cracker Barrel, we got to the beach house at about 5 o'clock.  We turned the key to the house, started putting stuff in there, and we discover, after all our stuff was in there, there were fleas in one of the bedrooms. Bad.  My guess is that due to this wet winter we have had, fleas have had quite the breeding ground, as evidenced by the amount that were on the beach.  They probably got tracked in via towel or other beach equipment, and given that one flea lays 1,000 eggs, they bred quite voraciously. So, we ended up with a completely infested bedroom, and the rest of the house was not really safe either. We gathered up our stuff ASAP and moved it onto the porch, mom and dad cussed out the property management, and they let us rent another unit, not half as nice, but clean, for a couple of nights. It was smaller, older, and not as updated, but like I said clean. It was pretty cool though because it was like a 70's house that had not been touched! It had 70's appliances, outdated but clean, shag-like carpet that looked barely used, wood paneling, and the best thing of all, a stereo, with tape player, in the wall that played throughout the house via speakers in the ceiling! We slept there, like I said, a couple of nights, and then moved back to the original house after 18 flea bombs, yes 18, were set off and the exterminator came. And of course after the house was aired out after those said bombs were set off.

That was the least of our worries. It was a pain to change houses and sleep in cramped quarters, but what got us was that Caylen was sick. again. She has been sick constantly since she has started daycare, but we thought that she was getting better. She didn't get as sick on this trip as she had been before-- she was still eating well and functioning normally, she was just realllly fussy.  The first night she fought and cried and screamed for what seemed like forever when it was bedtime, but finally went to sleep after I had a nervous breakdown, practically. She has just been crying a lot, ya know and she has been so clingy that she can't stand for me to be more than a foot away. Caylen didn't want to go anywhere and she didn't. want. to. sleep. In fact, much of this trip was really a blur due to lack of sleep. She was up all night, save a couple hours, for the 1st two nights. Luckily, the 3rd night she just fought sleep terribly hard, for an hour, but slept until the crack of dawn. 5 AM.What a restful night it was, too! I thought I had died and gone to heaven after I got to sleep for longer than 30 minutes at a time. Now, for the daytime. Caylen didn't want to get out. She didn't want to go to the beach. She didn't want to take a bath. She didn't want to go to the pool.

Sooo, we spent most of our time trying to go places and ending up having to turn around and go back. She actually did enjoy the beach for a while though, which was great, and she did great, I mean great!, at Broadway at the Beach, which is like a boardwalk with restaurants and shops. We ate at Margaritaville of course, which we always do, and got her a build a bear. That was the highlight of the trip and, really, it was a lot of fun. We just aren't going to have another child for a WHILE.  Not that we regret Caylen of course, she is a truly wonderful child believe me, but she is just the type of child that is quite demanding of all of our time for right now, and we don't see a light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon.

The drive back was long, we didn't leave till noon, but we stopped to eat at Cracker Barrel, at 1 PM, on Sunday so of course it was packed. It was really nice to get out of the car though, although Caylen pitched 2 tantrums while inside. I just rolled with it and she was ok. She was hungry, but there wasn't anything I could do for her-- we were waiting to be seated. And, I didn't want her to snack because she will keep snacking until she isn't hungry anymore, which means she wouldn't be getting any 'real' food. Anyway, the trip back wasn't bad, she did really well again with her videos, and we didn't get back until late, but Caylen went right to bed, slept all night :) and woke up at 6:30 :)). She was in a great mood and was very happy to go to school this morning, so I have to say, I am happy to be back! Whew!

Anniversary No. 5!

As some of you may know, mostly family, Brandon's and my 5th anniversary is coming up next month! Also, as some of you may know, mostly family as well, Brandon and I never really took a honeymoon. Between my school and his work, we just went to Pigeon Forge for a couple days as a getaway. In a crappy mid-renovation motel. So, we thought we would do something special for our 5th anniversary.

Actually, the original plan was that Brandon was going to get me a ring to go above my bridal set in commemoration.  However, as it turns out, I have developed an allergy, to well everything, after Caylen was born-- including my wedding bands. Yes, they are real white gold! I have read that in order to make white gold, nickel is mixed in,as a sort of alloy.  I have always been allergic to nickel, but the rings never bothered me a bit until after I had Cay-Cay.  I have to take the rings off at night and use my super thick and creamy Burt's Bee's Buttermilk lotion while they are off. It seemed to work for a while like a charm! However, if I forget to take them off, I get a terrible rash of hives where my rings have been; resulting in my inability to wear them for a few days, at least.  I mean, the rash is all bumpy, scaly, and incredibly itchy! I even did the 'kid' thing this morning and bit on my finger to dull the itch. I know, gross. Who knew that the person who could roll around in poison ivy/oak (without getting a rash) could get such a rash from a fine metal? Anyway, we are looking at getting a plain wedding band of maybe palladium or titanium, which are hard to find. I mean, I wear a 4.5 and it's not like I can find a ring in that size to begin with, but to find one in a special metal, well, it is durn near impossible. Unless you order it of course. Or, I am thinking about asking our local Diamond Center about our options. Maybe using the diamonds in a hypoallergenic metal ring? I really don't know, so I'll just have to look into it.

Anyways... Getting to what I was originally supposed to blog about-- we are planning a trip for our anniversary! It is not anything huge, just to Chattanooga, but we didn't want to go too far and leave our baby behind. :( So Chattanooga it is! Er, Lookout Mountain, rather. We originally wanted to stay at the Chattanooga Choo Choo in a Victorian Rail Car, but we wanted something more romantic. Secluded. Special. So, we booked a couple nights at the Chanticleer Inn! It is secluded up on Lookout Mtn., but yet not far from Chattanooga. It's apparently across the road from Rock City, which I haven't been to in forever.  Well, not only are we staying at the Inn, but we got the  Mountain Falls Package! Included is: 2 nights stay, with homemade breakfast each morning, champagne with cheese, fruit and crackers upon arrival, complimentary dinner at Canyon Grill Restaurant, and a King sized bedroom suite with steam shower and private patio. Where does the Mountain Falls come in?  Well, they pack you a lunch in your picnic backpack, yours to keep, and they give you a map and itinerary for hiking Lookout Mountain trails and waterfalls. Just up our alley! We are going June 18th, 8 days after our anniversary, but Brandon was on call the weekend of our anniversary. We are so excited and can't wait to go!

The Beach!

I haven't blogged in a while, well, there really isn't anything going on, but I figured I would update everyone on our happenings in the next week or so. Or more. So here goes some random tidbits....
We are love, love, loving our Jeep still-- I couldn't be any happier with it!
Caylen is finally acting like herself again, after recovering from the world's longest continuous cold, so we are so happy to be able to spend time with our happy baby again! And, she seems to be even happier now than she was before! Hmmm, maybe being so sick for so long gave her a new lease on life! She slept in till 7 this morning and if it wasn't for us having to rush to get ready, I would have totally basked in it, given that she has been waking up at 5, maybe 6 if we are lucky, for the past month. I still miss her so bad at work, but I know she just loves being around the other kids, being the social butterfly that she is.
We are going to the beach Thursday! I am so excited... We have been waiting to go on this trip forever, and it is finally here! And, my little brother and his wife are going to join us, as well as the wonderful Clemmons family! I love having so much family!!
I found a swimsuit at VS.com for a really good price, and it is super cute! I haven't bought a swimsuit in forever, like 5 years, so it was time. I mean, I like my tie-dye one, but it is time to move on up. So, I got the top and bottom for like $20! And, it is not too revealing. I didn't want to be 'that mom' who totes around her child in a skimpy, trashy swimsuit. And, I didn't want to be 'that mom' who wears a mumu to the beach either.  Anyway, it is really cute and I am trying to get everything together and perfect for Caylen's first beach trip! She has 2 swimsuits, some cute sundresses, and a new sunhat so she's good to go. Now, for Brandon some swim trunks.....

I Succumbed, but Consciously!

So.... My last post was about wanting a Jeep really bad. I get that bug sometimes and usually it goes away after I spend some time looking at them and drooling.  However, the bug wouldn't leave me alone this time! I just about went nuts thinking, constantly, about a Jeep.

So, being a person who takes things as 'signs,' I researched into actually getting one. That was a time consuming task though because there are all these things to think about. Like, do I want an old one, a new one, or just a newer one? Do I want a 2 door, a 4 door or do I want one that replaces the truck, or one to just toy around with as an extra vehicle?
Well, after much praying and soul and internet searching, we found one.  So we went and looked at it. It was beautiful! The same year as my Rubicon that I used to have, but a 4 door silver Sahara. Barely even used. It looks like brand new! The price was good too. So, we traded the truck in. We love that truck, but we thought that a Jeep would be a better vehicle for the family. And, it is soooo much fun! We just took it home for the first time on Thursday, but we have already had the top down twice! Caylen loves it too- she can't stop staring up at the sky, right above her head in the car! She gives me this look like, "wow, mom, there's no roof!" I just love seeing her in it, enjoying it, too.  Oh, and driving it is just like going back in time to when I had my Rubicon. Good times. The 6 speed is so smooth and easy, but adds that extra fun-ness to the drive.  The seats were the same as the ones in my Rubicon, y.e.s. essentials stain, water, odor proof. The only kind of cloth I like if you ask me. I hate having a car for a while and the cloth gets that funky odor of fast food and sweat. yuck. Anyway, these seats are pretty awesome-- they are grey with mesh in the middle and they are sharp! Oh, and the back seat is pretty roomy too, surprisingly.  It is as spacious as our Jetta. And, the trunk room in the back is very spacious as well. Having four doors on it is especially awesome too! I love being able to just open the door and put Caylen right in her seat, as opposed to a 2 door, having to practically hurl her into the back.

We are very pleased with our decision, and it was very well thought out. We got awesome financing through Bank of America, 3.5 to be exact, and we didn't increase our payments. Our insurance went down too! I am so glad that I thought it out and made a completely informed, conscious decision that I can feel good about when I am making those payments every month  (We kinda got hosed on our truck loan).  I am so happy with my Jeep-- it feels like I am complete now, once again! It just amazes me how God will bring things to you so you can have the 'desires of your heart.' We have been so blessed!