A Nurtured Life

Our Little Yellow House

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Summer 2012

This is our house last summer before we replaced the 30 year old siding. We bought the house in April 2009. Since then, we have slowly been remodeling the whole house.

Besides replacing the siding, we have also painted it a lighter and brighter yellow. We decided on "Lively Yellow" by Behr with pure white for the trim. Our front door is painted "Candy Violet" by Behr. I wanted something fun for the front door as we remodeled and the color actually matches the petals of the Dame's Rocket that grows in the front borders each spring. It looks a little more purple in the first picture than the picture below shows. It will stay this color until we replace the door.

We are now so close to being finished with the exterior of this house. We are crossing or fingers that the weather stays nice through this weekend so we can finish siding, caulk, and paint! It has been an interesting journey with lots of setbacks. We would most likely be done if it weren't for those pesky trees!

Late Summer 2012

I have decided I am not a fan of Silver Maple trees or Bradford Pears. They are fast growing trees and the wood is soft and weak. They constantly drop branches. During the time we were painting the front of the house we had a couple of tree limbs fall off the Silver Maple in the front yard.

There is less of a chance of this happening if the trees are properly pruned each year to help shape their fast growth. However, when we bought this house in 2009 we inherited older trees that were not pruned as they were growing and now limbs are dropping. This spring as we were finishing the back of the house my husband noticed the Bradford Pear had split clean down the middle of the trunk all the way to the ground. Splendid!

Early Spring 2013 bringing down the Bradford Pear

We were fortunate that none of the spring storm winds had brought the tree down but when the wind would blow you could see straight through the crack by almost an inch in places. It was only a matter of time before it would fall on someone. It had to come down right away.

My husband stopped working on the house to get rid of the tree. We are not entirely sure how old this tree was but we estimated 25+ years by the growth rings. We had expected this tree to fail because we had watched others in the neighborhood fail every spring. Bradford Pear trees have an awful reputation for weak wood so we watched for signs each year.

Bradford Pear Spring 2010 & Dargo our first Border Collie (RIP 1/11)

I was sad to bring down this tree because they are prettiest in the spring when they are flush with white blossoms. I won't miss the awful smell though! Their blossoms smell foul and every spring it smelled like a critter had died in the yard! Yup, they smell that bad.

There is good that came from removing the tree. We have been able to give away and keep quite a bit of kindling and firewood. We were able to make a grape arbor, a little fence line for our potager garden, and I should be able to use quite a few of the small branches that are remaining for trellising the vegetables next spring. Just this past week we had another limb and a branch drop from the maple so it may be cut down soon as well. We will have an arborist take a look at it to see what should be done.

Grape Arbor

Potager Fence

Now, I am optimistic I will be able to update this post with pictures of a fully painted house after this weekend!

Crossing fingers...

Craft/Office Closet Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 04:36:00 +0000

This is the walk-in hall closet on our second floor. It measures just around 5 feet wide and 6 feet deep. In the past we have used it for miscellaneous storage and pantry overflow. We have been slowly converting it into a craft room/office.

I really need a place I can work on projects without little hands being able to get into stuff.
This closet is the best place in the house to set up shop. Right now, the kids have the kitchen table for their projects, and when it is nice out, their work table in the garage. As the kids get older they need more project space that they can leave stuff set up for later and this space will fill that need as well.

The room was the cream color you see in the outer hall with white Rubbermaid wire shelving. We moved the shelving to the utility room and decided on built-in shelves. We bought poplar for the shelves and supports. As we had time, we cleaned up the walls, cut, installed and painted the shelving.

Now, we need to just get it finished. Currently, my husband is finishing the outside of the house. We are crossing our fingers we can get the siding and paint finished before it becomes too cold and wet to do so.

The wall color is "Halcyon Green" by Sherwin-Williams. We had extra from our bedroom remodel. It changes color from a blue to a blue-green depending on lighting. It is very pretty. I love it in the bedroom because we get lots of natural light.

I may change it to SW "Quietude" here because it is a shade lighter and there is no window in this room. I haven't decided just yet. The shelves are painted the same color as all of our trim, Vermont Cream by Behr. The walls and shelves need one more coat of paint.

We are still deciding on whether or not to add another row of shelving. I wanted to see how much I could fit on the existing shelves so I arranged some of my fabric and yarn stash on the middle shelf. I left the top shelf for seasonal supplies, seldom used items, and bulk supplies like batting and stuffing.

Drawing out ideas just for fun

I like the idea of adding another lower shelf for various office supplies and art notions. I may not have it wrap all the way around the room, but rather, have it wall to wall on brackets above the desk. It just depends on how much wall space is left over for an idea/inspiration pin/peg board.

This may go on a side wall so that tools can be placed in a more reachable area while I am working on projects. Sometimes it is best to work in a space before putting on all the finishing touches. If I can get a great work flow system in place using all three walls I will be happy.

I would also like to remove or cover the popcorn ceiling with beadboard and replace the existing chair with a more comfortable padded office chair. Actually, I would LOVE to put a decorative window right in the middle of where I have the inspiration board but I am not sure how that would look on the outside of the house. A girl can dream...

I am hoping to finish this project early winter 2013.

Zombie PUNCH!

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 22:39:00 +0000

aka Deadman's Hand Punch (serves 8 adults)

I had not intended to make this post but it is threatening rain and I had to make a back-up plan to trick-or-treating for the kids. When we have a Halloween party I make this punch.

This would also be great served at a Walking Dead party.

You will need:

1 Nitrile Glove rinsed several times

1 2 liter of lemon-lime soda

1 can of Lime-ade frozen concentrate

1 16 oz bag of frozen Raspberries

2 bags of Gummy Worms

1 pitcher or punch bowl

Take rinsed glove and add 2-3 tablespoons of frozen limeade.
Add lemon-lime soda until glove is 1/3 full.
Next, add the raspberries working them into the fingers. The more raspberries, the more gory it looks!
Add a couple of worms, more raspberries and limeade, until you only have half of the can left.
Add water until glove is 3/4 full.
Tie glove or wrap a rubber band around opening several times.
Set in bowl upright so fingers are bent.
Allow to freeze for at least 3-4 hours or overnight

Mix remaining limeade with lemon-lime pop.

Add some raspberries

Add some worms and mix

Chill until you are ready to add hand.

Remove hand from glove by carefully cutting it away and carefully add to punch.

Serve cold!

Your hand may or may not be intact. It doesn't really matter because ZOMBIES are rarely intact! If you want a more solid hand then add more berries. Feel free to add blackberries and blueberries to the mix.

Yummy!

If this is an adult party, feel free to add Tequila, Vodka, or Rum. YUM!

Have a Happy (fun and safe) Halloween!

Harvesting Lemongrass

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:15:00 +0000

I planted Lemongrass this spring. It turned into a garden monster. I'm not sure what I was thinking planting it where I did.

Notice how the Lemon Verbena has to lean so far out to get any sun? It still grew pretty well but it probably would have been less spindly had I planted the Lemongrass in a better spot.

The upside is I had a nice amount of Lemongrass to harvest! So harvest I did! We get pretty decent winters in this part of the country. Sometimes plants will overwinter well if you give them a good leaf mulch cover but I really needed to move this plant.

Lemongrass can be potted and kept inside but I don't have the space to overwinter a plant this size. I dug it out.

First, I cut off the tops and kept some leaves and stalks for later. I washed and bagged them, then stuck them in the freezer for tea. Once I dug the plant out roots and all, I began separating the roots, careful not to damage the bulbs.

You can save some bulbs for planting in the spring by placing them in a paper bag to overwinter in the shed, garage, or wherever you store your bulbs and seeds.

Part by sections...

Cut at roots

Carefully cut around individual bulbs

Soon you will have this!

Shake off excess dirt and wash well.

I rinsed and sorted them in the sink.

Then I picked bulbs 1/2 in. thick and larger.

I peeled them just like a green onion.

I peeled off the immediate outer layer, cut off the roots, then peeled again to remove any remaining damaged areas. I was careful to leave as many layers as possible intact to protect the delicate pulp that holds a lot of the flavor. Then I rinsed, patted them dry, and bagged them up for the freezer.

Rinsed and ready for the freezer!

My intention is to make some Thai dishes over the winter like this and perhaps some of these.

What are your favorite recipes for using Lemongrass?

Adorable Gingerbread Skeleton Cookies... Nailed it!

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 19:53:00 +0000

Goofy Gingerbread Skeletons

I am always looking for fun treats to make with the kids on holidays. We've all seen those cute gingerbread skeleton cookies on Epicurious, oh and here, and here, right? Well, we have been making them over the years. You can see my work above. I had fun and they taste good. That's really all that matters!

I like the recipe from Baking Bites. The dough rolls pretty well and it tastes really good. I use a recipe for the icing from All Recipes (love that site). Just keep the extract out or use clear vanilla extract to keep the icing white.

Whenever we make any kind of rolled cookie I always give each child their own ball of dough. I make a big enough batch that I have plenty of dough on reserve for what I need.
I tape down some wax paper for each one and then give them a little flour. They love using their little rollers and all the different cookie cutters.

It is amazing how quiet they get once they have their dough. I just make sure to have enough cookie cutters and mini rolling pins to go around. It's a messy good time with lots of laughing.

They are yummy with or without icing.

By the time we have moved a couple of batches through the oven some of the kids have moved on to other things and some stick around to decorate. Regardless of how they turn out we have a pretty good time. They taste even better when the designs are really goofy!

Sometimes we make a haunted gingerbread house too!

Our kids were pretty young that year so my husband and I had a great time making it. Did you notice Mr. Bill DID NOT heed our warnings about the haunted house?!

What are some of your favorite Halloween activities and treats?

The Last Flowering Flush of Autumn

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 01:50:00 +0000

Pink Dahlias

I am not ready for the flowers to be gone.

Autumn Fairy Pumpkin Cottage

Jack Frost has been visiting the gardens overnight and leaving his mark.

Rainbow garden border inspired by Lois Ehlert's wonderful book, "Planting a Rainbow"

But I still have plants to PLANT! I am not ready for it all to be done!

I am not usually this sentimental about my growing seasons. The only time I usually feel this way is when a baby is on the way and I am waiting. I never have my babies before their due dates and carry them well into 42 weeks. My gardens are a beautiful distraction.

Potager corner from a different view

But, here I am. There is no baby due. There is no need for floral distractions.

Yet, I disapprove of the cold coming to put my gardens to bed.

Potager at dusk

Pink Dahlia in Hobnail Milk Glass Vase

So, I bring some inside to make it last a little longer...

Purple Bell Pepper and Flower

...and harvest what remains.

Viridis October 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 06:06:00 +0000

Japanese Maple 'Viridis' Autumn 2013

Coping with the Post-Weaning Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:02:00 +0000

I experienced Post-Weaning Blues after weaning our toddler. You can read about it here.

Ways I coped with the Post-Weaning Blues:

I communicated with my husband about how I was feeling.

Me: I feel off. I don't feel right.

Husband: What do you mean? You feel sick?

Me: No, just like I am not myself. I feel angsty and restless. I feel like I can't do anything right. Everything feels hard...

Basically, I let him know how I was feeling day-to-day. I wanted him to be able to let me know if he noticed I was doing better or worse.

I used a calendar to keep a journal of the way I was feeling during my cycles.

I entered little short notes about how I felt on the days I felt especially "off" and by the second month I started seeing a pattern around certain times in my cycle.

I lowered my expectations of what I could get done each day.

I usually have a routine I go through each day. I started dropping things from my list of have-to's to maybe later. Instead of 2 loads of laundry I did 1, or I left it for my husband that day. The sink wasn't always empty but the kids were happy, fed and had clean clothes! Supportive husbands make all the difference.

I changed our daily schedule so that there was a longer quiet/reading time during the day for the kids so I could rest while my toddler napped.

Once 2:30-3pm rolled around I was exhausted. This coincided with my toddler's nap time so I made sure quiet time started promptly and I stretched it from 1 hour to an hour and a half.
Reading for the first 20-30 minutes and then the kiddos could play Minecraft for an hour or so. I heart Minecraft.

I took long walks to help my mood and to help me sleep better.

Sometimes I would take all the kids for a mid-day walk and other times it would be late evening with our Border Collie. The dog doesn't talk and sometimes mommy really needs silence and no multi-tasking activities.

I asked my husband for extra help with everyday tasks and caring for the kids.

Me: Are you coming home for lunch?

Husband: Why? Do you need me to?

Me: Yes. Bring food.

I was very specific about what I needed help with.

My husband and I share the evening responsibilities of kids and house. I don't do Honey-Do lists. Honestly, I probably should, but I don't. Instead, I would text my husband telling him I need help with _____ today/this weekend. Then when he got home from work or if it was on the weekend (and I saved most things for the weekend) I would ask again or remind him that I needed help with cleaning floors or the bathrooms.

I took more breaks by not worrying about getting it all done.

I finished weaning our youngest during high summer (mid-July). It was a fairly mild one so I was able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful days it offered. We have a pretty loose daily schedule we follow. I modified it depending on how I felt on any given day.

The kids and I normally go outside twice a day to play for an hour or two. During this time most days we averaged 3 and I would play in the garden while they played on the swingset or in the sprinkler.

We looked for pretty things and neat insects. It was a lovely distraction and helped recharge my batteries-still does! If it was an especially trying day I would send them upstairs or outside to play while I sat reading a book or an internet article.

I spent more time on anything I found recreational so I could "recharge" my batteries.

Sometimes, all you need is a distraction from how you are feeling. Other times you need to just be. I have many hobbies but I felt no motivation to engage in any of them. I needed something more passive.

One of the ways in which I really enjoy nurturing myself is by looking at pretty things. Yes, Pinterest is good for this but so is Google Images! I am very color-oriented so I looked at a lot of beautiful gardens and natural landscapes. NASA has some pretty spectacular images of our universe.

Another activity I enjoy (as mentioned above) is going through our little kitchen garden (potager) and smelling all the amazing herbs. I planted some Lemon Verbena and it really took off this year. It smells heavenly. They don't call it Aromatherapy for nothin'! I have all kinds of herbs growing but my favorites for scent are the Lemon Verbena, Rose Geranium, Lavender, German Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Greek Oregano, and all the mints.

Sometimes vegging in front of the tv is exactly what you need.

This is what worked for me.

These are all ways of coping that worked for me. Feel free to use what is relevant and toss the rest. I work at home and we homeschool year-round so that lends me more flexibility in some ways but less in others.

Some days it was enough that all the basics were taken care of: lunch would involve a smorgasbord of finger foods (meats, cheeses, veggies, fruit, crackers), some basic lessons they could work on independently, bare minimum cleaning, and nothing else would get done.

Dad took over any kind of evening shuttling, conflicts or household duties. On some evenings I would retire to our bedroom for a couple of hours so I could unwind over an episode (or two) of "Breaking Bad" alone. (That series is excellent, right?)

The kids were taken care of, clean, dressed, and fed with lots of hugs to connect. These days are perfect for dress-up, finger foods, and movies together. Don't be afraid to take a mental health day, evening or weekend. Mommies are people with needs too!

I am very fortunate in that my husband is supportive. It is very important to communicate your feelings and needs clearly. I don't know anyone that can read minds and my husband is talented but certainly not that talented. Getting support is a need not a want. You need this.
Frame it in those terms.

Again, my symptoms were mild. If you find you are not able to cope or your symptoms are not getting better with each cycle please visit your health practitioner for help. At the very least, let your family and close friends know how you are feeling.

The Post-Weaning Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:01:00 +0000

I recently weaned our toddler. When we completed weaning she was 2 years 6 months. You can see my post about it here. The first week after I had completed weaning my toddler I felt a little off-kilter and the next week I felt gloomy, tired and frustrated. It was the week of my period but this was different.

I think it is important to note that my menstrual cycle resumed 4 months after my last child was born. This is normal for me even though I breastfeed exclusively during the first 6-8 months. During this period of weaning I noticed that I was crankier and less patient a couple of days before my period would begin. I chalked it up to a change in hormones.

I was not sleeping well. I did not feel as emotionally resilient as I normally do. There was a general overarching feeling of restlessness. It was uncomfortable but I knew it was from weaning and figured the next cycle would be better. Nope. I did get somewhat of a two week break but then a day or two before ovulation my symptoms would build again.

The week leading up to my next period I felt even more funky. Even though I expected it I was surprised by how angsty I felt. I felt like a teenager again! I got discouraged about trivial things. I stopped being motivated about projects I had really felt passionate about. I was much more critical of myself.

Starting two days before my period I started to wake at 3:30 in the morning and stay wide awake and then be exhausted at mid-day. I took a benadryl before bed to keep from waking until the second day into my period and then it was no longer needed. I was off my game but not so much that I couldn't cope. I made sure to have quiet time for everyone right after lunch and I would lay down with my toddler as she napped.

I made sure to have a very deliberate conversation with my husband about exactly how I was feeling and what I was experiencing. I was concerned that 2 weeks of every month would be like this. I told him if this lasts more than another month I am going to our doctor. It was not as if he hadn't noticed what I was going through but I wanted to make sure that he knew I felt it was very different for me. It was out of the norm.

I had a general feeling of unease and restlessness. I had night sweats off and on over the 2-3 months after weaning. It would ramp up the week of my period and then by one day in I would feel like myself again.

By the next cycle my hormones had settled down and I felt more like myself. Thank Goodness! This experience was definitely much more intense than I had experienced before.

I never went through anything like this with my first three children. I had a little postpartum anxiety but no issues at all after weaning. They had all self-weaned. Does that make a difference in my case? I really don't know. I was so careful and we stretched it out so long that I am very hesitant to believe it has any bearing.

I went to all my usually internet stomping grounds for all things breastfeeding and weaning.

http://www.breastfeed.com/weaning-breastfeeding/stopping-breastfeeding-side-effects
This was a very general overview but did not mention insomnia, night sweats, or the way in which the fluctuating hormones can affect emotions.

http://www.breastfeed.com/weaning-breastfeeding/weaning-emotions
This article mentions rapid weaning as being the cause for depressive symptoms. However, we did not rapidly wean.

https://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvdec00jan01p112.html
I found nothing on post-weaning blues on this site. I found this pretty disappointing and a little disturbing.

http://kellymom.com/ages/weaning/wean-how/weaning_mom/
There is mention of sadness and depression while weaning and I thought this was much more helpful than having no mention of it at all. Again, it mentions rapid weaning as being a cause of the depressive side effects.

Since they didn't really give a general list of symptoms/side effects to expect I went in search of women who had similar experiences to mine. I searched using terms like, 'weaning and night sweats' and 'weaning and depressive symptoms'. I was glad to find several mothers who had posted on the topic. It was comforting to know what I was experiencing is pretty common. Some of the posts I found particularly helpful:

http://www.mamapedia.com/article/night-sweats-during-weaning-is-this-normal

http://jamesandjax.com/2012/06/18/the-weaning-blues/

http://www.urbanmamas.com/urbanmamas/2008/06/baby-weaning-bl.html

http://www.plum-baby.co.uk/2012/05/17/when-weaning-brings-on-the-blues/

There are many women out there with similar experiences. I was fortunate in that my experience was mild in comparison to some. The Post-weaning blues are very real and common.

I want to add my voice and share the side effects I had and ways I coped for the 2-3 months I had them. I also want to share what I learned after doing some informational searches on the internet because I didn't find them in any of my books or on any authoritative websites.

After searching I soon learned there is very little research on weaning and what is typical.
This is what I learned from other women just like me. This is not a comprehensive list because research needs to be done. This is yet another women's health issue that has not received adequate interest in research studies. I have my own theories why but I digress. That is a whole other post.

Some Common Symptoms of Post-Weaning Blues:

Insomnia
Night Sweats
Exhaustion
General feeling of unease or restlessness
Sadness in varying degrees from very mild to severe
Anxiety in varying degrees from very mild to severe
Loss of motivation and interest

You may have some or all of these and more. Please keep in mind, correlation does not equal causation. Yet, there are so many of us out there with these very symptoms closely following weaning.

Prolactin is a hormone involved in milk production. There are several hormones involved in breastfeeding. Prolactin alone has over 300 functions in the human body! Without specific research on the effects of weaning how can research-based medicine inform us on what to expect? This is why it is so important for women to share their experiences with one another.

It is very important that you communicate with your spouse/partner or close friends about how you are feeling. A support network is very important in that if you were to experience severe symptoms you would have help. This post and list is not to be taken as medical advice. If you are having severe symptoms please seek medical help.

I noticed that many women I read about experienced symptoms for 2-3 months after weaning. I had not considered seeking a prescription because any medicine for mood disorders takes at least 3 months to really have an affect and any warranted adjustments to dosage made. In essence, I would have prolonged my discomfort and done more harm to myself in taking drugs than any good.

It is important to reiterate my symptoms were mild. If they had lasted longer or gotten more severe I would have gone to my doctor for help. I had communicated with my husband that this was my plan and expectation. I urge anyone reading this to visit their doctor if symptoms feel out of your control or do not seem to be getting better.

If you find you are not coping it is very important to seek help. There is no shame in asking for help. It is especially important for spouses and friends to encourage loved ones to get help if they notice longer and more severe symptoms.

I was able to manage my symptoms by practicing self-care and modifying my daily schedule and personal expectations.

Next post:

Coping with the Post-Weaning Blues

Weaning a Toddler from Breastfeeding

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 21:49:00 +0000

I have a beautiful, whip smart, ebullient, and demanding toddler. Recently, I weaned her from breastfeeding. It does make me a little sad to be done, but it was time.

After 4 kids and over 8 years of nursing I really needed to be done. I started resenting the tug on my shirt and the request for boobie time. It seemed like she was so entrenched in nursing day and night that it would go on forever. I felt really tied down. I was so sleep deprived from the lingering night nursing I knew I needed to be proactive.

I had practiced child-led weaning with my first three kids. My first child stopped nursing at 3, my second barely squeaked into the second year, as did my third. For our fourth child I had hoped to make it to 2 years. When the 2 year mark had come and gone I was
d-o-n-e. This is where some moms will say, "How selfish! They don't stay little forever!"

To this I say: You are right! They don't stay little forever. However, when and how a woman weans is a personal decision that no one can make but the nursing mother. Whether you are weaning for health, work, or personal preference, no one gets to make that decision for you, but you.

I was bone tired of being exhausted. I am a better mommy when I am well rested. I enjoy my kids more when I have the energy to keep up with them and they enjoy me! We made it well past our goal and she was largely nursing for comfort. I feel zero guilt. Mamas need to be a little selfish.

Comfort nursing is important to support the emotional development of the young toddler. However, there comes a time when you can support emotional development by other means than nursing. I decided it was the right time when she became much more physically independent and verbal. She could tell me what was bothering her and she could adeptly do many things for herself because she needed and wanted to. Weaning a toddler can be very challenging. I found a helpful article on weaning a child over the age of 2 here.

From start to finish it took about 6 months to wean. I began weaning a month after she turned 2. I dropped the mid-morning session first. There were times it seemed she would not be dissuaded.

Toddler: Mommy, I want stawberry boobee!

Me: How about a story! Can you help me pick out a book?

Sometimes it would be met with a big Nooo! I remained consistent. Eventually, she learned that just because I was not allowing her to nurse it did not mean that we couldn't snuggle. I was still with her and caring for her.

I kept the morning, nap, bedtime, and "comfort" sessions during the day and overnight. I used a lot of distraction methods by offering a snuggle or playtime together in lieu of nursing. Again, I give lots of hugs throughout her day. Distraction does not mean no one-on one time it just means it is done in a different way using different activities to connect.

There were some set-backs whenever she got a virus because I did not feel comfortable denying her "boobie-time" when she was ill. I know nursing helped her immune system and I did not want to take that support away. I dropped a session a week and sometimes waited 2-4 weeks depending on how she was adjusting before dropping another session.

Finally, we were down to only one nursing session at naptime. I was able to offer snuggling and a book instead of nursing by distracting her when she would ask for it. I would have a stack of picture books near our usual resting places and I would pick a book and offer it opened to a page with an interesting scene. I was successful with this most of the time.

After a while she stopped asking every day but would ask now and again and I would offer a snuggle and a book or some other activity that included me. If I needed to get something done I had her next to me "helping" fold laundry or getting dinner ready.

It has now been 3 months since we weaned. She rarely asks for "stawberry boobie" at bed or naptime.(Sometime at the beginning of this year we had made a joke of one breast being strawberry and the other chocolate and the labels stuck.) Now, she just mentions that I have boobies now and again.

"Mommy have boobies, chocate and stawberry." Then she giggles.

I feel really good about where we are. She has the support and comfort she needs. I have the freedom to move about my day enjoying my growing family.

Things to Consider When Deciding to Wean Your Toddler:

Is your child verbal? Can he/she express themselves well enough to be understood?

This really makes a difference with the emotional challenges of weaning. It helps ease the transition if they can label their feelings (with your help) in even the most basic words. It is another way to connect.

Do they have the motor skills to get dressed on their own or play with more engaging toys and activities?

The practice of distraction comes into play here. Snuggling with a great picture book was key for us. Dress-up has also been a favorite pastime for my daughter. Playing with open-ended toys together, like wooden blocks or play dough, are favorites.

Being able to offer them a special toy or a more engaging activity is very helpful. You want the activity to challenge them without causing too much frustration. You can make up a special shoebox or bag of toys that only come out when they request nursing.

We played in our sensory/vegetable garden a lot. Unless it is raining or snowing we go out and play with flowers, leaves, and soil. We have child size garden tools as well. If you don't have access to a yard you can use planters on the patio or in front of a sunny window. Sensory tables and tubs are great for when you can not be outside and they help contain messes. I like to take a different approach to this practice.

Instead of tubs I use large mixing bowls. Tubs have never really contained the mess with our little ones. I use only what we normally have on hand for actual real-life activities. If I am baking/cooking they get their own bowl of flour etc. I use natural materials whenever possible and do my best to encourage activities "in-context". This is not to say we don't encourage imagination or the whimsical, it's just our kids have mostly wanted to do whatever we are doing.

For her second birthday my husband made a little wooden play kitchen. Before that, I had dedicated three drawers in the kitchen to assorted items she could play with and get out on her own. My kitchen space and storage is scarce but this small sacrifice is worth it!

Remember, it is the nurturing interaction with you that they crave. All of these are activities they want you to do with them. Going to the park as a distraction is not the same as you reading them a book as they sit on your lap or having them pour dry ingredients while you mix.

After a while, you will be able to get some work done as they play next to you. You can also include them in simple tasks around the house. They can help you load the dishwasher, dry the floors after you mop, fill a pet's water dish, and help pour ingredients when you cook. I know this makes dull tasks take longer but any way you can engage your toddler will help ease the transition from nursing.

Are they already in the middle of a big transitional or developmental phase?

Are you currently potty training or moving their sleep arrangement? For a toddler, these are all very big transitions. Also, if they are still healing from an illness or an injury you don't want to add to their challenges. Have you started them at a new care provider or recently changed their schedule?

If you are doing any of these concurrently this will make it much more challenging for everyone involved and it will be the hardest on your little person. You will create more problems than you are solving. For a toddler, it is most important to focus on one big change at a time.

Easing them into weaning is the best way to ensure a smoother transition from nursing. I am not saying there won't be any bumps in your journey but it will be less challenging.

Change each nursing session to a nurturing session and you will be well on your way!

Next post:

The Post-Weaning Blues

The Kitchen Beadboard

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 00:28:00 +0000

Our kitchen remodel started in the spring of 2009. There have been many projects up to this point. To start, I want to share the beadboard backsplash project.

I like mixing different decorating styles but I LOVE cottage style. There are so many variations on this theme yet they all include a heavy touch of warmth, comfort,and charm. I knew I wanted to imbue our kitchen space with all these good feelings. I also enjoy the vintage aesthetics of the cottage kitchen. What is more quintessentially "cottage" than painted beadboard?

Before settling on beadboard for our backsplash material I did extensive research. Would it hold up to the moisture and scrubbing? Should we install MDF, PVC, or wood? Finally, would I like looking at that much beadboard in my kitchen on a daily basis?

We have four growing children ages 9 to 2. We are a homeschooling family. Between cooking, mealtimes, science and art projects; our kitchen is the workhorse of the house. The backsplash and counters get wiped down more than once a day. I spend so much time in the kitchen that I really need it to be lovely, comfortable, but still very functional.

If you do a search on 'kitchen beadboard backsplash' you will come up with a slew of photos, blog posts and articles on using it for a backsplash. Do your research on the pros and cons and be realistic. Are you going to want to clean between the beads everyday? It is not difficult but you do need to make a point of wiping in some of the grooves. It adds an additional minute to the wipe down. White painted beadboard does not hide anything. Is this going to be too much maintenance for your household?

Ultimately, we decided on installing pine beadboard from Lowe's. You can find it here. Look at the product and consider if you will be happy with it once finished. Price was a big consideration in our decision. For about $75 in material (including waste) we were able to install 37 square feet of backsplash. Our total cost was under $150 for beadboard, paint, sandpaper, wood filler, and adhesive.

Be prepared, there will be waste because of the knotty nature of the pine. We cut around the knots and only used pieces that could be corrected with wood filler and sanding. I lightly sanded the boards using a finishing grit of 220, primed and then painted two coats. My husband cut and installed the pieces using Liquid Nails adhesive. Once installed I applied a third coat of paint.

It has been installed for about 5 months. Once the cabinet remodel is complete I will be applying 2-3 coats of a semi-gloss poly. I can happily report it has held up great to all the wipe-downs. The grooves have not presented a problem. It is actually easier to clean than tile. No grout! Using a quality paint makes all the difference.

I really enjoy the look of my kitchen. The backsplash painted a light cream really brightens the room year-round. I love the charm it adds to our house.

After we finish the cabinets we still have trim, corbels, and under cabinet lighting to install to complete the look. I would like to replace the decorative plate with an oval venetian mirror about the same size.

Right after we moved in April 2009

Autumn 2013

This is a complete husband and wife DIY remodel. We replaced everything but the stove, dishwasher, and cabinet boxes. Most of the remodeling has taken place this year. Our goal is to have the kitchen completed before spring of 2014.

I look forward to sharing more details about each project with you as I have time.

Stay tuned!

Stuffed Jack-o'-Lantern Peppers for Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Look at those faces! Don't they look happy and excited?

I want my kids to have these same happy faces when I serve Halloween dinner. I also want them to have a healthy and hearty dinner before they trapse around the neighborhood seeking sugary treats. These stuffed peppers are a really fun way of having both.

I made these guys last year and I will be making them again this year.
I used my favorite meatloaf recipe below but you can literally use any stuffing you desire. Just remember to adjust cooking times accordingly.

I found I had to adjust my mini-meatloaf cooking time from 30-40 minutes to 60-75 minutes so that the center cooked through. A digital cooking thermometer comes in really handy for this.

This year I will be stuffing the center of the meatloaf with a whole black or green olive covered in mozzarella cheese. You could also just use the olive all on its own. This way, when you cut the peppers in half you will have an eyeball in the center peering out at you!
I recommend giving this recipe and directions a once-over before getting started. The raw meatloaf mixture can be made a day ahead to cut down on dinner prep time.

Rosa's Stuffed Jack-o'-Lantern Peppers
with Mini Meat Loaves Recipe
(This recipe makes 6 adult servings)

Ingredients:

6 medium orange bell peppers (or color of choice)

1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground chicken (you can also just use chicken to lower saturated fat)
1 egg

1/2 cup of bread crumbs or crushed crackers

1/2 cup medium heat chunky salsa of choice, the chunkier the better!

1/4 cup of Ketchup (cuts heat from salsa without masking flavor)

1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

4 ounces cubed Mozzarella or 3-4 cheese sticks
12-24 whole green and black medium size pitted olives
Toothpicks (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut cheese into 1 inch cubes or quarter cheese sticks and set aside to warm at room temperate. This will allow the cheese to be pliable and formed around olives without crumbling.

2. Wash and cut the tops off your peppers with a paring knife, careful to cut around seeds to remove. Cut the hole large enough to place stuffing inside. Rinse out inside and remove all seeds.

Next, pick two sides on each pepper to cut faces. Be careful to carve faces directly opposite of one another. Include the kids and have fun with it! Use kid-safe pumpkin carving tools so the kiddos can carve the faces. At the very least, little ones can choose a face for you to carve on their pepper.

Allow for extra prep time when involving the kids. The younger the kids and closer the age spans, the more prep time you will need. Basically, start at least an hour earlier than your target time. Otherwise, you will have a very late dinner and cranky kids!!! Trust me, you don't want that. Moving along...

3. Mix salsa, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, minced garlic and bread crumbs together until well mixed, beat in egg and set aside. I like to use a large measuring cup for this job because it makes it easier to pour into the next bowl.

4. In a large bowl mix ground meat, Old Bay, onion powder, marjoram and thyme until seasonings are well distributed. Next, add your wet ingredients and mix well. The consistency should be that of a firm dough. It should hold form when you shape it with your spoon. If it is too wet just add more bread crumbs!

5. Take your cheese and place one cube in palm, mash with palms until flattened. Set aside and grab a second cube and do the same. A rolling pin may also be used with the cheese set between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap. You can get more done at one time this way. It is personal preference really and I like to keep it simple. I just use my hands! I can better gauge the thickness of the cheese.

Now, take an olive and blot off any juice with a paper towel. Set the olive long-ways onto one piece of cheese, place second piece on top and mold to olive careful to keep note of orientation of the long side of olive by placing a toothpick into the pitted hole of olive. Just remember to remove the toothpick before placing into meatloaf. Repeat until all of your olives are covered.

6. Fill each pepper with only half of the filling. Place cheese covered olives with long side down and pitted ends oriented to each pepper face. You can add as many "eyes" as you would like! Fill each pepper evenly with the remaining mixture.

7. Finally, spray or lightly coat a 13 x 9 inch bakeware with olive oil. Place peppers well-spaced into dish and onto the middle rack of oven. Bake for 50-75 minutes or until thermometer inserted in center of filling (careful to avoid the olive) registers 165 degrees F. Once finished, remove from oven and allow to stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

For presentation, place stuffed jack-o'-lantern on child's plate and remove tops. Use a steak knife to cut down the center of pepper to reveal the "eye"! Serve with a rice or pasta side for a hearty Halloween meal.

Take the top off...

Cut down center between faces

I SeE YOU!

These peppers are even better the next day. Serve half and save half for the littles the next day or for Dia de Los Muertos. That is, if you can keep them that long!

Do you have the perfect side dish to compliment this Halloween meal?
Please post it in the comments. Or, better yet, post it on your blog with a linkback to this recipe!

Bonding with Indigo...

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 00:27:00 +0000

For our Indigo, it is always time to play ball!

When Indigo goes outside in the morning he likes to make the rounds of all the flower beds, sniffing blooms and patches of grass. No doubt, he smells scents we can not and in such depth and breadth that we will never experience.

Ever since he was a little puppy he would follow the kids and I through our gardens.

If I, or the kids picked strawberries, he would pick strawberries too, eating the ripe ones but leaving the green. This year I grew a variety of Sungold cherry tomatoes. If my toddler and I went picking he would too, again, leaving the green in favor of the sweet, little, golden orbs.

However, he also likes to chew on every flower that he thinks I am most interested in, especially when I don't give him the attention he wants. He seems to know which flowers are my favorites by watching how much attention I give each one! These are flowers that get leaves nipped off, and at times, ripped out of the ground.

Recently, I found a dog training book entitled Control Unleashed
written by Leslie McDevitt. I am hoping to use what I learn to help redirect Indigo from gnawing on my favorite flowers when he is not getting the attention he wants. These books (there is a puppy version and adult version) are reputed to be really great for agility dogs. I am hoping Flyball is in our future but I really want to get the basics down pat and really have a solid bond with our dog before moving into agility.

If you have experience with McDevitt's books please feel free to comment!

Enchanted Tree Branch Art

noreply@blogger.com (Rosa) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 03:21:00 +0000

Wall art under direct lighting...

I finished baby Isabel's wall art this past spring. I may tweak it in the future with different flowers and some tiny fairy lights. I wanted to create wall art that incorporated her name and whimsical nature elements.

I did not want the name art to be dominant, but rather, I wanted it to be complimentary. The gold craft paint worked wonderfully for this. I am very happy with how it turned out. Depending on lighting and your orientation in the room, the foil effect of the paint catches your eye but it is not overpowering or garish.

Under natural lighting...

...with light on

Supplies I used:

A fallen tree branch I let cure for a while in the garage

Craft glue

Craft moss

Assorted flowers/butterflies/ladybugs

Hot Glue Gun or Poster Putty

Metallic craft paint in antique gold or whatever your preference

Stencil

2-3 quality craft paint brushes in various sizes

Contact paper & Exacto knife if stencil is a DIY

2-3 inch coarse sheetrock screw (1-2)

Drill

Find your branch and prune to fit your wall space. Make sure there are no hitchhiking critters left on your branch and it is clean and dry. Use all purpose glue like Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to secure your dried moss to the top surfaces of branch. You could also use fine glitter during this part of the project to further enhance your "enchanted" forest branch. Set aside to dry.

Next, secure branch to wall with a 2-3 inch sheetrock screw. My husband was extra cautious and whipped out the 'ol stud-finder and picked a point in the branch where it was thick enough it would not crack.

You will also want to drill a pilot hole with a smaller bit before securing to wall to safeguard against splitting the branch. Grab your decorations and start to place them either permanently with your glue gun or you can use poster putty to move them around.

Place stencil by securing to wall with painters tape. Ensure your placement is straight by eyeballing it, using a laser level, or a mini level. I found a lovely free font here.

I printed it on regular paper and set about cutting it out with my xacto knife. It was very tedious this way but I was working with what I had on hand. I am very happy with the end result but if I had to do it again I would use printable self-adhesive stencil film for the diy route.

A closer look at the font and gold foil effect.

To guard against bleed-out, use thin layers of paint starting in the center of the paintable space, working out towards stencil borders. It is better to paint a couple of coats than risk bleeding across the borders. Finally, remove the stencil once you have the coverage you desire.

Stand back and admire your work!