Enchanted Dandelions

Magic Orange Candle

2012-01-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Today's weather may have been very gloomy, but this little orange oil candle certainly has brightened my mood with its sunshiney glow! ^.^ These are very easy to make. Just cut an orange in half, and carefully cut/scoop the flesh, making sure to leave the pith (middle stem) intact. Fill with any kind of cooking oil (I used olive) to just below the top of the pith. Dip the pith under the oil to coat the tip, and then light. It took me 20-30 seconds to get the pith to light, so be patient. Depending on the size of the orange, they will remain lit for quite a while. I used tiny clementines, which burned for over 3 hours. If you wish, you can scoop out the other half and cut a hole in the top for a glowing orb effect. These would be a great to incorporate into a winter solstice celebration! Or imagine a whole bunch of them as a centerpiece for a special dinner. So simple, yet so cozy.

Squishy Pumpkins!

2011-10-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Oliver and I made squishy pumpkins this morning, and I just had to share since it's so easy and fun! (Please excuse his dirty face... I made a pumpkin spice latte this morning, and he convinced me to share.)

Using a permanent marker, draw a pumpkin on a plastic baggie (preferably a heavy-duty storage or freezer kind). Older kids can draw their own silly or scary faces. Squirt in some shaving cream, and add in a few drops of red and yellow food coloring. Try to get out as much air of the bag as possible, seal, and then as added precaution, use tape along the top.

And then.... SQUISH!!!!

And SQUISH some more!!!

Until the squishy pumpkin 'magically' turns orange! ^.^

Thank you Naturally Wise for sharing this fun idea on your FB page!

Lucky Pennies!

2011-07-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

Here are the lucky winners of our Penny Sale giveaway! I had oodles of fun, and truly enjoyed reading all the comments. Thank you so much for participating, as well as for supporting my little shop, and other WAHMs. <3

If you are a winner, please email me at EnchantedDandelions@gmail.com for furthur details. Also, please, please, PLEASE mention your name and which prize(s) you won in the subject line to make things a little less confusing/chaotic. Thanks, and congrats!

Organic Broccoli Toy - #12 Ebony Black
Paper Star Lantern - #4 Katie Anderson Zuko
Baby Sampler Set - #19 Rachel Dawson
Frog Headache Helper - #11 Lacey Pyle Mason
Custom Bow - #17 Monica Williams-Brown
Bar of Soap - #7 Miranda Steward Hunter
Baby Leg Warmers - #23 Louise Casey
Crochet Bird Rattle -#29 Lisa Rivenbark-Hodson
Beaded Stitch Markers - #22 Krystyl Olson
Wipe-N-Go Placemat - #6 Stacy Hahn Blake
Wool Dryer Balls - #35 Carla S DeMarco
Enchanted Dandelions Surprise Box - #26 Carla Corley

As a special thank you for all participants, use coupon code "LUCKYPENNY" to receive 10% off your next order from Enchanted Dandelions (valid until August 6th).

Also, Crunchy Family Rising is offering 25% off orders in her shop using coupon code DANDELION (valid until August 6th).

If you're not a fan already, please consider 'liking' Enchanted Dandelions on Facebook. It's the easiest way to keep up with the latest products, sales, giveaways and more. Tonight being an exception, I promise I don't post too much.. just a few times a week, so go ahead and click like! ^.^

Homemade chocolate syrup!

2011-07-24T11:15:00.000-07:00

I just made a big pot of chocolate syrup, and now the house smells *so* yummy!! ^.^

1 + 1/4 cup water
1 + 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the first three ingredients together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for 1 minute. (Note: pay attention to avoid a chocolately bubbly mess. Reduce heat and stir constantly to prevent boil-over.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

I let it cool, and then store in the fridge in a clean ketchup squeeze bottle. Great for making a quick glass of chocolate milk for the Sprouts, or a yummy coffee drink for me! This can also be drizzled over ice cream, brownies, fresh fruit, etc. Woot for ooey, gooey chocolatey goodness, and double woot for being HFCS-free, unlike bought chocolate syrup! ^.^

* use any brand of cocoa powder except Nestle's Tollhouse, please.

Hello again!

2011-05-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Soooo, I thought I would start blogging again! This past year has honestly been the hardest of my life. I made the decision to end my almost six year marriage for several different (yet all upsetting) reasons. It put me (and the Sprouts) in an less-than-ideal situation, but in the long run, it was for the best for all involved. I feel like I am a much better person... so much stronger than I ever thought I could ever be. I have been, and am continuing, to discovery myself- who I truly am, and it's been an amazing journey, even if it started under horrible circumstances.

We have been living with my mom since February of last year. While I'm eternally grateful for her opening her house to us, it's been rough. Definitely not enough room- the Sprouts and I all share a teeny bedroom and a single bed. My sewing and business stuff is crammed into every possible nook and cranny, making running my Etsy shop hard to do. HOWEVER, I just signed a lease on an amazing house with plenty of space, which we'll be moving into in 9 days (!!!).

My last post here on this blog was titled In a Fog. But lately, it's been a bit more sunny!

In a fog...

2010-03-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't posted in over a month. The Bad Situation I have vaguely referred to in previous posts have spiraled out of control. We're currently living at my mom's house, camping out in her living room. So much has gone on, and so much is still happening. I feel like we're stuck in a fog right now, because I can't see any way out. Everyone tells me it'll be okay, and I know it will, but just hard to focus on that promised better future, or anything else for that matter, right now. :-/

Inexpensive & Easy Thank You Notes

2010-02-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

I almost feel silly blogging about these little thank you notes since they so simple, but thought I would share what works for me and my Etsy shop.

First, start with 4x6 scrapbooking paper. (You can use larger sheets, but this size makes it so convenient since there is no measuring- just one fold, one cut and you're done.) I purchase my paper on Etsy as I love supporting other shops. You may want to pick a specific color/theme to match your shop's ambiance, or if you sell a wide range of products, get a variety to suit the individual customer and their order (e.g. I'll send a funky thank you note with funky Owie Bags, a pink & chic note with pink & chic wipes, etc.)

Next, fold each one in half, hot dog style (channeling my kindergarten art teacher here *grin*). Eyeball what would be the middle, and cut in half, like so:

These cards are just large enough so they don't get lost in the package, but small enough where you aren't wasting paper. I can either write a simple "Thank you! ~ April", or squeeze in a personalized note or memo if wanted/needed. Eventually, I would like to get a custom stamp so I can put my logo on the inside top. Another idea would be to get a "Thanks" stamp (which are widely available) to do on the outside, assuming you are using a lighter color paper.

I bought my last batch from BethMarie10, and the resulting thank you notes only cost 4.5 cents each. That's a small price to pay to be able to give my customers the warm & fuzzies about both my shop and buying handmade in general. <3

Wordless Wednesday - Yes, more snow pictures

2010-02-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry for 1) my blog being almost entirely "wordless" lately. Still so much going on that I can't really talk about here at the moment. And 2) all the snow pictures, but that seems to be the recurring theme around here these past few weeks. ^.^

Me and my Snow Turtle (no, that's not my tail *wink*)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - My Bucket Heads

2010-01-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - You know it's cold when...

2010-01-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

Crabtree Falls (tallest waterfall east of the Miss. River), which normally looks like this:

turns into an ice sculpture, frozen all the way down the mountain

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Saving the Earth, one cloth diaper at a time!

2010-01-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

Using disposable diapers has a horrendous impact on the environment, to the tune of creating an estimated metric ton of waste for each child by the time they are potty-trained. I've had 3 children in 3 years. I can not fathom looking out the window and having a THREE TON ~~pile~~ mountain of soiled diapers in our backyard. Especially one that would take approximately 500 years to decompose.

And let's not forget the resources it takes to create disposable diapers in the first place- manufacturers use over 1 million metric tons of wood pulp and 75,000 metric tons of plastic each year. And that's not including the chemicals used, such as sodium polyacralate, dioxin, and stearyl alcohol.

Using cloth diapers is much more environmentally-friendly, even after you take into account their manufacturing process and washing routines. There are many other benefits as well, such as being healthier for your baby, saving you [lots of] money, and being so gosh darn CUTE! (Future blog posts on all of those points coming soon.)

If you have any questions about using cloth diapers, feel free to ask, and I will try my best to help! ^.^

Pictured above is my 18mo Oliver, wearing an embellished fleece soaker I made. They are also available in my Etsy shop.

Wordless Wednesday - SnOMG 2009

2010-01-13T07:55:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, the east coast was hit with a massive snow storm. In less than 24 hours, we went from light flurries to a landscape of indistinguishable white lumps.
(picnic table)

(van)

We cut paths for the Sprouts to go out and explore. (Isaiah was apprehensive and stayed attached to my leg the whole time)

And the real aftermath of the snowstorm...

"Da... ah!"

2010-01-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

The other day, Isaiah came in here, handed me what he calls his magic fire truck shirt, and said "da...ah!" (that on).

January 9th, 2010, at age 3.5yo, Isaiah said his first unprompted 2-word sentence. ::happytears::

I haven't posted about his speech progress lately, because honestly there hasn't been a whole lot to report. Due to various reason, he's only had three 45m ST sessions in the past 2.5 months, so hopefully once we start having it regularly, that will help. At home, we've been doing lots of scripting (recently explained by Jen here: http://jenkrause.com/blog/2010/01/posting-an-old-post/ ). On his own, he just uses one word sentences. His vocabulary is increasing, but pronunciation is still poor for the most part- tends to use largely vowels and 1 syllable most of the time.

But I'm still SOOOO over the moon happy for "da... ah!". And while it might take a while to become regular, having said it once breaks that barrier and it'll be that much easier for future sentences to come through. I'm so proud of Isaiah. <3

The Box

2010-01-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

When I first proposed my Box idea to my husband, he didn't seem to understand why I wanted to make the Sprouts a plain wooden box. But here's my reasoning behind it... every time a sizable cardboard box comes though the house, the Sprouts have SO much fun with it. They crawl in and out, on and under, as it transforms into a house, a car, a boat, and a rocketship. However after a couple days, the box is no longer a box, but just flattened heap of cardboard.

Soooooo, my idea was to make a wooden cardboard box that could stand up to my three Sprouts. A quick sketch, a trip to the hardware store, and a few hours later... here's the finished product:

The Box measures 2 feet tall, 2 feet wide, and 4 feet long. We made sure to make it as sturdy as possible to withstand climbing. Only half the top is covered, so it doesn't feel too cramped and the Sprouts can get in/out easier (although a blanket can be draped over the second half if need be).

And of course, a window to peep out of...

These pictures were taken on Christmas morning, but The Box has since been sanded even more, making all edges rounded and smooth. We still need to put a clear coat of sealer on it, but with all the snow, we haven't had the chance. But that's it... any other details or features will left to the Sprouts' imaginations. ^.^

Wordless Wednesday - Just a few holiday photos

2009-12-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

And the winner is...

2009-12-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

Out of 99 comments on my General Mills Movie Cash giveaway, Random.org picked #13. That's my lucky number, and today it's Crystal R.'s lucky number as well! Congrats, enjoy your movie tickets, and eat some popcorn for me!

24-hour GIVEAWAY for 4 free movie tickets and cereal!

2009-12-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hi, April the Slacker Blogger here. I know this is my excuse every time I get behind in blogging, but I've been so crazy busy lately between my Etsy shop and the Sprouts. You know what I need? A night out, perhaps to catch a good movie. I'll have to buy some Lucky Charms first, and I don't mean just for the luck I'll need to actually get a break around here.

You see, you can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of General Mills’ Cereals! After purchasing two cereals, just visit General Mills Movie Cash to enter the code found inside each box of cereal and print your free movie certificate good for admission to any movie. This promotion started back in November, so I'm not sure how long specially marked boxes of cereal will be out on the shelves. The Movie Cash website says you can enter the codes through June of next year, so keep an eye out for those boxes!

But guess what... thanks to General Mills and MyBlogSpark, you can win a prize pack right here, right now, including FOUR Movie Cash certificates. Using them is easy-peasy. Each one can be redeemed for one admission ticket (up to $12) for any showing of any movie at participating theaters. (The list of theaters is insanely long, so chances are, there's one around you!). Not only that, but it also includes a voucher for any box of General Mills cereal- yummy!

How to enter: Simply comment on this blog post with your favorite kind of General Mills cereal that you either enjoy now or when you were growing up.(Click here to see a list, midway down the page) Be sure to leave an email address if one is not listed on your profile.

Optional extra entries: Be sure to leave a separate comment for each one!
* Tell me what movie you think you might want to see using these tickets (or who you plan on giving them to).
* Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.
* Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/magicdandelions
* Tweet the following "RT @MagicDandelions Win 4 free movie tickets and a box of cereal! 24-hour giveaway, so hurry! http://tinyurl.com/ycvd8wh" (please show link. can be tweeted once every 4 hours)
Giveaway ends Monday (12/14) at 5pm EST, and winner will be contacted shortly after. I need the winner's information before Wednesday, so please respond ASAP. Good luck!

Wordless Wednesday - First snow day!

2009-12-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

(Wish I had got more photos, but it was still coming down pretty hard and didn't want camera to get wet. Hopefully there will be many more snow days this winter!)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - Isaiah and his Bebe

2009-11-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

We bought Isaiah a Baby Bottom Doll ("Bebe" as he calls it) for his first birthday, and I'm SO glad we did.

July 2006.

October 2007

July 2008

November 2009

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Mmmm, pumpkin spice latte!

2009-11-18T09:08:00.000-08:00

I realize this is a bit late in the season, and folks have probably moved on to gingerbread and peppermint lattes by now. However, I still want to share since I love it SO much and can't get enough.

Pumpkin Spice Latte
* 2 cups milk
* 1 cup strong coffee
* 5 spoonfuls of pumpkin puree
* 6 tbs sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* dash of ginger
* dash of nutmeg (I didn't have any so did another dash of pumpkin pie spice)

Put all ingredients in the blender, and blend until smooth and frothy. Pour into a saucepan and heat until piping hot. Feel free to serve with whipped cream. :)

The recipe makes enough for 2 people... or for a second cup for yourself *grin*.

I also make a batch minus the coffee (replacing with more milk) for the Sprouts so we can all enjoy this yummy treat together. And hey, pumpkins are healthy so it's all good, right? ;)

Wordless Wednesday: A boy and his balloon...

2009-11-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite recent photos of Oliver

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Boo!

2009-11-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share a few pictures from our Halloween. I didn't get very many/good ones, because it was more than a little chaotic. (We spent that weekend at a friend's who has 5 kiddos of her own.)

Abbie the rainbow butterfly princess. I found that dress at Goodwill, added the ribbon trim and sewed little butterflies all over it. After debating whether to make or buy wings, I ended up buying those since they were so pretty (and cheap!).

Isaiah the yellow butterfly. Given his sensory issues, I wasn't sure what he would be willing to wear (he usually likes accessories, but other times, no way). So, I found an old hoodie, and sewed the wings (made from shiny material, thin batting and interfacing) on the back. That way, it wasn't any different than wearing a jacket. (I totally forgot to make him a treat bag, though.)

And, last but not least, Oliver the caterpillar. Just made him a fleece romper, since I wanted something warm and comfortable (as he was going to be in the MT).

Bonus picture of Ollie... this is how our night ended- extremely tired and whacked out on sugar.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween, and blessed Samhain!

Wordless Wednesday - New Breadmaker

2009-11-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

Well, new to me... it was handed-down by a dear friend. It's my very first one, and I'm already in love.

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Afternoon

2009-10-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wish us luck!

2009-10-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been forever since I last updated on Isaiah's ongoing issues. I thought I would give a quick little rundown before our appointment with a developmental specialist at UVA tomorrow afternoon.

Speech-wise, we are definitely making progress! Vocabulary is really growing. Still mostly one-word sentences, but two-word phrases are becoming more frequent (maybe 25% of the time). He is more vocal, in general, throughout the day. His words are still REALLY hard to understand, preferring single syllables and vowels over more complex sounds.

However, and I have been meaning to blog about this, we have a wonderful SLP who's been coming out to the house once a week since school started. Isaiah absolutely loves him, and I think he's fantastic. Mr D. knows how to coax sounds/words out of Isaiah, being firm enough to get the job done, but also being super-fun and following his lead.

On other issues (which I last listed here), it's about the same. The toothbrush example in that post? Still does it almost every single time he goes into the bathroom. :-/

I'm nervous/excited about tomorrow's appointment. I've been debating making it since he was around 18mo. And then when I made the decision last July, of course there was a waiting list. I'm so curious just to see what they say and their opinions. Wish us luck that it goes well!

Wordless Wednesday - Nighty Night!

2009-10-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

This is what I get to look forward to at the end of each day... and the best part is that I get to join them. Co-sleeping/family bed might not be for everybody, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. <3

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Winner of my random giveaway!

2009-10-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

So, I was bored this morning, and on a whim, decided to do a giveaway on Twitter. The 50th person to RT my tweet would win this pink Monkey-A-Round flaxseed hot/cold pack...

And the winner was..... @rose_w!! Congrats!

Thank you so much to all those who participated. If you had your heart set on winning this, be sure to check out my Etsy shop. Also, as a consolation prize- take 20% off all flaxseed hot/cold products! Just mention "TwitterOct" and wait for a revised invoice. Applies to both in-stock items as well as custom orders. Valid until October 23rd.

If you missed out on this, make sure you are following me on Twitter for more giveaways and special deals!

Wordless Wednesday - I swear, he's like a cat...

2009-10-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

Because you walk away for just a moment, and come back to him sitting right where you were working.

Then again, he also must be part monkey for climbing all the way up there. o.O

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Can you do me a favor?

2009-09-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Actually two favors.

The first one is an easy one. Just got to BabyMakinMachine's blog, and vote for Ollie in her Cutest Baby Contest. To vote, simply use the poll on the left sidebar (make sure it's the first one- the baby category) and click on #28.

Look at these puppy dog eyes... how can you not vote for him?!

And secondly, please consider donating to BabyMakinMachine's fundraiser for March of Dimes. Not only would you be helping a worthy cause, you'll also be given the chance to win some fabulous prizes! One of the many items up for grabs is my washcloth sushi roll.

For details on how to donate and the rules, click here. And here is the list of all the raffle prizes.

Thank you SO much!! :)

Pumpkin Butt

2009-09-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

I love wool covers, but just don't have the time to keep up with the handwashing and lanolizing. Fortunately, I've recently found the fleece love. All the softness and squishiness of wool, but they can be washed with the regular laundry! Awesome.

Here's a fleece cover I made Oliver this afternoon using Katrina's Soaker pattern. I often call him pumpkin butt due to his fluffy bum, so this seemed fitting especially with Halloween around the corner.

I made it using the Large pattern, but I'm almost thinking a Medium would fit better for day use. I'll have to give it a try later this weekend. Regardless, I think he still likes it..

(Yes, he IS walking. Mastered upright mobility just a few weeks ago. Crazy, uh?)

Wordless Wednesday - Mushroom Hunt

2009-09-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

My mom and Abbie, pausing during our hike to check out a mushroom.

More photos from this weekend's adventure to follow shortly. :)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Dinner at our house...

2009-09-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

(This was going to be a Wordless Wednesday post, since apparently that's all I'm capable of lately, but just can't sit quiet on this picture. So hold on to your seats, folks, you're getting a semi-real blog post!)

I snapped the above photo a couple nights ago, because it's such a good representation of our family. No fancy table, china plates, spotless kitchen or prim and proper children here. There was no posing or staging (or else I would have moved the precariously stacked pile of crap on the microwave). Certainly no photoshopping (or else I would have "cleaned" the macaroni off the floor). Just my three wonderful Sprouts...

First off, just in case you are wondering if I accidentally put cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon on her applesauce, Abbie's not in pain. She was actually singing. Very Loudly. But very passionately and from the heart. Her dinner attire include butterfly PJs and a princess crown.

Next, we have little Oliver, being a total ham. Poor bugger has been having such trouble with teething, but otherwise, he's an absolutely delight. His ear-to-ear grin just melts my heart, even when he's covered in cheese.

Isaiah looks so serious here, but he usually is during mealtimes. They remain our biggest challenge because there's just a lot of opportunity for things to go wrong according to him, but we are working it. Anyways, back to the photo, I love how his little feet are perched on the edge of the chair. Also, he calls that his tiger shirt, as indicated by lots of RAWRing.

Just a couple more notes... The Sprouts like smooshing all the chairs together. Doesn't matter what the proper seating arrangement is, all they know is that they enjoy one another's company. Also, the extra silverware on the table? Abbie put those there for mommy. She calls it "decorating the table" (as opposed to setting), which I think is just too cute.

Anyways, this photo might not seem of importance to anybody else, but it brings tears to my eyes looking at it. Not because the Sprouts have bent the blinds all to hell, but because I wouldn't trade this for any "magazine cover" dining room table in the world! <3

Wordless Wednesday - I suck...

2009-09-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

Once again, my poor blog has been neglected. I have SO many things I want to blog about, but just been feeling a bit overwhelmed at everything going on.

So, I suck. But, do you know what rocks? Ollie's mohawk.

(It does that completely on it's own. After he gets out of the tub, all I have to do is comb it straight back, and it goes POOF into a mohawk. It's like the cutest magic trick ever.)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - Serenity at Sunset

2009-08-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - A is for Abbie... and Aligator

2009-08-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

Flashback to April 2006 when Abbie was 13mo...

And they meet again five months later...

*wink*

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Playing Catch-up!

2009-08-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

Gah! I hate that my blog has been neglected lately- just so much going on! I have quite a few things I want to share with you, so look for a barrage of random posts over the next week or so. In the meantime, in case you are wondering what on earth has been keeping me busy, here are a few snapshots of our summer.

* Lots of playing outside...

* Canning tomatoes...

* Wishing on rainbows...

* Hanging out with my stepmom (who thought my mei tai was the coolest thing)...

* Doing some birdwatching (remind me to share my ever-growing lifer list)...

* Stomping in mud puddles...

* And backyard camping with friends...

Stay tuned for the rest of our recent adventures and calamities!

Wordless Wednesday - Our Special Bond

2009-08-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you've already seen this picture as I've been using it to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. Which has last week. Yes, I've been a sucky (no pun intended) blogger lately, I know. Just a lot going on. But please allow me to share it with you, regardless. I've been breastfeeding 3.5 years out of the last 4, with only a six month break between tandem nursing Abbie and Isaiah, and the birth of Oliver. So, yeah, it means a lot to me. <3

BTW, Ollie is now 13mo, and as you can see above, of course he's still breastfeeding.

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Wordless Wednesday - Fresh from the Garden

2009-08-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Isaiah's 3yo check-up

2009-08-02T10:44:00.000-07:00

Weight: 32 pounds (45%)
Height: 35 inches (7%)

Unfortunately, while Isaiah was in a very good mood, when it came time to weigh him, he freaked out. He refused to get on the scale, and crumpled on the floor crying. I had to weigh myself, then get on the scale holding him. The height is an estimate, because we had to take off his shoes which cued another meltdown. The crotchety ol' nurse asked "And how old is he?" during all this. You should have seen her face when I told her 3. Whatever.

Back in the exam room, he settled down and was mostly calm for the doctor. He still has his heart murmur, but Dr. said it still sounded fine and would leave getting an echo up to me (I declined, thinking if he thought it was necessary, he wouldn't leave it up to me, yk?)

Talked about his other issues a bit. He didn't have a lot to say, but did offer a referral for a one-time evaluation with a developmental specialist at UVA, just to get her opinion on Isaiah as a whole. He offered it last year, but I declined it as I felt it was jumping the gun a bit. However, I feel like it is the right decision now.

I called UVA, and his appointment is October 22nd. So, we'll see where the next part of our journey takes us!

Oliver's 12m check-up

2009-08-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Weight: 17# 3oz (<5%)
Height: 26 inches (<5%)

Little Dude graduated from using the baby scale to the big scale, which he happily and proudly stood up on. It was so cute, and got the "aww"s from a nearby couple. His petiteness kind of surprised me, though, since I thought he was bigger/taller. Some 12m clothes are on the small side, and most 18m clothes fit him just fine. Must be his fluffy cloth-diapered bum filling them out. :P

Dr. asked if we were still breastfeeding, and I said of course. He said good for you, and asked if he was getting any other food. Not in a "OMGz, but you ARE feeding him OTHER stuff right?!" way, but in a just curious way. No mention of feeding him more food to bulk his weight up, or him needing supplements, etc. I :heart: our ~~BF-friendly~~ BF-supportive pediatrician.

Then he asked what I would say to a flu shot in the fall. I told him I would say "no thank you". LOL (He's pro-vax, but after a few conversations when Abbie was little, he's respective of my choice now that he knows it's an informed one.)

And that's pretty much it. His 18m check-up falls in January, so unless needed, we'll be skipping it, as I'm not going to take him in during cold/flu season.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

2009-07-31T21:04:00.000-07:00

Look who's photo was featured in the local newspaper...

Yep, that's me on the left, with Ollie hanging out in the mei tai! And on the right is my gorgeous friend De and her wee one, Nyssa. Hopefully it will spur some baby-wearing curiosity and interest in the community.

Photo was taken by photographer Michael Reilly with the Daily News-Record. You can read the article about the airshow and see more of his photos here.

Wordless Wednesday - Zoom Zoom

2009-07-28T21:20:00.002-07:00

This past weekend, we visited a local rural airport, as they hosted the annual Shenandoah Valley Ultralight and Light Sport Flight Festival. It was so awesome being able to get so close to the planes, watching them take-off and land.

(This plane was actually taxiing down along the runaway, gearing up to take off again.)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

And the winner is...

2009-07-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

The winner of the Florastor Kids Probiotic gift pack is... #4 CricketChirp!

Thanks to everyone for entering. I wish I had enough probiotics to giveaway for all the little ones' tummies! :)

Florastor Giveaway!

2009-07-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks to MomSelect, I was able to review Florastor Kids probiotic.

Dr. James Sears, board-certified pediatrician, has recommended Florastor Kids to patients for years. You can read more about what he says about diarrhea in children on his website. And below are his answers to frequently asked questions about Florastor.

Q: What is Florastor Kids?
A: Florastor Kids is a natural probiotic that supports the presence of beneficial (“good”) microbiota in the intestines, which helps keep pathogenic (“bad” or “disease-causing”) microbiota (like bacteria and viruses) from attacking the gut. It can be given to babies and children as young as two months old.
Q: What is the active ingredient in Florastor Kids and how does it work?
A: The active ingredient in Florastor Kids is a freeze-dried form of yeast called Saccharomyces boulardii lyo. It helps promote the growth of good microbiota, while attracting and removing pathogens from the intestines.
Q: Have any clinical tests been done to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of Florastor Kids?
A: Yes. The active ingredient in Florastor Kids, Saccharomyces boulardii lyo, has been studied in more than 40 clinical trials. Studies have been published in top medical journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and Gastroenterology magazine.
Q: Which kids could benefit from Florastor Kids?
A: Florastor Kids has been proven effective in managing a wide variety of intestinal problems, but is often used to help with: * Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea (AAD) * Acute gastroenteritis (general, sudden onset diarrhea) * Traveler’s diarrhea * Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (C. diff) * Chronic inflammatory intestinal conditions, such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s
Q: How should Florastor Kids be taken?
A: Florastor Kids is a fruit-flavored powder that comes in packets. The powder can be mixed into water, milk, juice or soft foods (such as applesauce), and should be taken twice a day.

Unfortunately (haha, just kidding, fortunately!), none of the Sprouts have had any tummy bugs in the past couple months, so I can't give a review on its effectiveness. I am a big believer in probiotics, though, so I will always keep a box of Florstor on hand just in case, as I have no doubts that it would help.

We did mix up a packet this morning out of curiosity. The first thing I noticed was it's only a very small amount in each dose. This makes it easy to get a small baby or cranky child to take. However, I had no problem as all 3 Sprouts enjoyed the taste and sipped it without any fuss. Which brings me to another thing I noticed- the taste is not overly-sweet and is very mild. Even if I was feeling nauseated, I think I would be able to get this down.

And now for the GIVEAWAY! Winner will receive a box of 20 powder packets (retail price of $21.95) as well as a couple surprises for your child. To enter, just leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win).

For additional entries, you may do the following and leave a comment for each one completed:
* Become a follower of my blog (see sidebar)
* Write about this giveaway on your blog.
* Post a link to this giveaway on Facebook
* Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/MagicDandelions AND tweet this giveaway with a link (you may do this up to twice a day)

Giveaway closes on July 28th at 8pm EST. Winner will be drawn using a random number generator shortly after. Good luck!

Feedback wanted on new idea... plus name suggestions!

2009-07-25T08:03:00.001-07:00

It's often recommended to use a fleece stay-dry liner to protect the skin against wetness when using prefolds. Another bonus is that most poo just rolls right off of the fleece, making for easy clean-up.

So, I had the idea of sewing a microfleece liner TO the prefold. That way it's all together- no searching for a separate part that's usually on the bottom of the laundry basket, or fumbling with getting it into just the right place with a wiggly baby.

The liner is microfleece, which wicks moisture away from the skin, making baby feel dry longer, as well as reduces irritation. It is backed with flannel, adding a little fun to diaper changes, as well as a tad extra absorbency. The liner is a contour shape for minimum bulk, but still covers the majority of baby's diaper area. It's sewn to the prefold along the back edge only, creating a flap. This insures you can use any kind of fold, and still have full coverage.

Some possible options include:
* Instead of microfleece, OBV could be used for luxurious softness (and an alternative for those who avoid synthetic fabrics)
* A soaker can be sewn inside the liner for additional absorbency- such as a layer or two of hemp, sherpa or microfiber.
* Prefolds can be further customized by adding embellishment to the outside and/or dyeing them.

With these diapers, you have all the built-in convenience and comfort of a fitted, but with the simplicity and affordability of a prefold!

Feedback wanted!
* Do you think there is a market for something like this?
* How much more would you be willing to pay over just a plain prefold?
* I'm stumped on a name, so any ideas? (If I use yours, there may be something in it for you! ~grin~)
* Any other suggestions?

Wordless Wednesday - Natural Bridge

2009-07-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

We live only minutes from this gorgeous natural wonder. Unfortunately, the admission fee is crazy expensive, so we rarely visit, which is a shame since it really is breath-taking. We were able to go last weekend...

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Make your own recycled crayons!

2009-07-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to try making recycled crayons, but never knew just how easy and fun it was until I read Jen's recent blog post. And since we have tons of broken crayons on account of them not always being picked up promptly and Isaiah often pushing too hard, I decided to give it a shot.

1) Peel the wrappers off - Also known as "making the crayons nakie", according to Abbie. Some of them came off easily, but others were quite difficult for the kids, and even for myself. Next time, I might try soaking the stubborn ones in water a few minutes. But, it was a calming activity, and an exercise in perseverance and like Jen pointed out, fine motor skills.

2) Put the crayon bits in an paper-lined muffin tin - This is the fun part, deciding which colors to mix. Try solid colors, tone-on-tone, or a random rainbow mix. I filled the tins up to about halfway, but if I did it again, I would do it to 3/4 because they melt down quite a bit.

3) Place pan in a 300* oven until completely melted - This only took about 7 minutes for us, but may take a few minutes longer if the tins are fuller.

4) Remove and let cool - You'll want to remove them from the oven very carefully to preserve the color swirls. Let them cool for a few hours before attempting to remove from liners.

5) Clear a space on the refrigerator door - For all your child's new artwork, of course! Abbie was amazed she could draw in rainbow colors, and has declared these to be magic crayons. Isaiah loves his giant yellow and orange crayon, as those are his favorite colors.

We'll definitely be doing this activity again. I've already put a baggie in the activity closet with "broken crayons" written on it to save little bits and pieces until we have enough. Let me know if you give it a try!

Wordless Wednesday - Mail Order Baby

2009-07-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Happy Birthday, Isaiah!

2009-07-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

If you ask Isaiah how old he is, he'll hold up three fingers (and a thumb, but apparently that doesn't count) and yell "dee!". He's actually been doing that for a few weeks now, but today, he's right!

Happy birthday, Boo. You show me that love is unconditional, and even when there are no words between us, we will always have a special bond.

We are having a campfire picnic with family to celebrate tomorrow, so look for lots more photos of both birthday boys soon!

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

2009-07-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

As of 6:52am, Oliver has completed his first journey around the sun. He was born at home three days after his due date, and weighed in at 7 pounds, 5 ounces. I first announced his birth here, but never got around to sharing more photos of those first few hours/days.

Weebu still hanging out in utero on his due date:

Seconds after birth:

Getting covered in kisses by Abbie and Isaiah

Sporting his first diaper (Thirsties cover + prefold)

Getting weighed the next day:

Taking a nap in my arms (his kewpie curl has since been replaced with a mohawk of sorts XD)

Unofficial birth certificate

His Tree of Life print, with heart-shaped trunk

Something I've done with all the Sprouts is take their picture on the exact moment of their birth each year. Since Oliver was born pretty early, I was hoping to get a photo of him peacefully asleep. However, I think he knew today was a special day as he was already bright-eyed and bushy-tailed...

Happy Birthday, Weebu. I hope your second year on earth is twice as blessed as your first. I love you so much!

Snipperdoodles, stickernoodles, sneakyturtles...

2009-07-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

The number of ways a 4yo can mispronounce "snickerdoodle" is pretty darn hilarious. :D

Regardless of what they are called, they were so yummy. I've actually never heard of a snickerdoodle before talking with a few online friends. I finally decided to give them a try today, and so glad I did. I'm usually horrible at making cookies, but these came out delicious!!

One good thing about making stuff from scratch is that there is no crap like HFCS, artificial flavors/colors or preservatives. So, even little Ollie got to indulge.

Isaiah's word for cookie may be next to impossible to understand, but there's no mistaking what he's signing!!

Totally cursing dial-up* right now, because I got the cutest video of Abbie saying "snickerdoodle" then randomly bursting into song about sneaky turtles sneaking all the snickerdoodles. It was only 10 seconds long, but estimated time was an hour to upload. Got 85% done, then timed-out. *grr* So, you'll have to settle for just a sweet picture.

This is what we had for dessert since I was too lazy to make an All-American apple pie... baked apples with butter/sugar/cinnamon, snickerdoodles and ice cream.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth! I've been a little emotional due to what happen this time last year, but being able to spend the day with my Sprouts has made it an awesome day, regardless. Seeing them smile lights up my world brighter than any sparkler or firecracker. <3

Belated Solstice Pictures...

2009-07-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

Just a few of the Sprouts out enjoying the beautiful sunshine this past Solstice.

Abbie wanted to leave a little treat out for the fairies that night. We took little squares of bread ("cut the crust off mommy, in case they don't like it"), and put some honey on it. (I let the kids do this part, but told them not too much, because fairies don't like getting their wings sticky). Abbie had the idea of adding raspberries. All served it on a rock plate, and with a half-walnut of milk to wash it down. We put it on a patch of moss, so they'd have a soft place to sit while resting from the night's festivities and enjoying their snack.

Hopefully, though, the fairies have a sense of humor and don't mind sharing...

Other concerns...

2009-06-27T15:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, 3 blog posts in one day. I promise this will be the last one, and I'll stop being such a worrywort. I just wanted to write out "other" concerns I have re: Isaiah. Mostly doing so for my own record. That way, when mommy-brain strikes (which it will), I can look back here for reference. Of course, if anybody has any feedback, I'm all ears.

* Still frequent meltdowns (screaming/sobbing) over little things, not all of which we understand. I feel they are more than just typical toddler tantrums. He is either sobbing a broken-hearted cry. Or is in a sheer panicked frenzy. You can see the anxiety in his eyes.

* Hates getting dirty unexpectedly. Total meltdown.

* Hates changing clothes. It's a fight most mornings to get his night-time diaper off, even when he poops. (Thank goodness he's 100% day-trained!) If he spills juice on his shirt, he screams because it's dirty... but then screams when we try to take it off.

* When one of the above happens, it takes him a while to calm down, even after it's passed. He'll often shut down, getting very quiet, won't talk at all or answer you.

* Still very sensory-seeking, orally. Everything goes in mouth. Licks, tastes and smells anything and everything. Chews on shoes, licks inside of dishwasher, tries to taste icky kitchen sponges (now locked up).

* Proprioceptive problems(knowing where his body is in space). Constantly running into walls and doorways. If there is a single toy in the middle of the room, he'll trip over it repeatedly. Ollie gets bowled over at least once an hour. He's just now starting to get better on this, but still has a lot trouble getting in the position for me to put his diaper on.

* The above gets a lot worse when he's distracted. Doing an activity at the table, he's falling off his chair. He's like a rag doll when we go out somewhere. He trips over his own feet, hard to walk in a straight line, very floppy.

* Part of the routine thing, but repeats certain things over and over. When I get done vacuuming, he immediately stops what he's doing and races to unplug the vacuum. Every. Single. Time. for the past year or more. I've never encouraged this, he just does it. Same thing with when the microwave dings, he runs to open the door (doesn't seem interested with what's inside most of the time- he just wants to open it, then scampers back away)

* Lately, he's been doing similar with labeling things (which is good in a way, yay words!). For example, Every. Single. Time. that I go to the bathroom, he follows me, and will point out everybody's toothbrush. "dada" "mama" "aa-aa" "me". He's done this dozens of times in the past month. Another recent example: I have a shirt that has a little boy and girl on it. He'll point and say which one's him and which one's Abbie. All day long, every few minutes that he's around me, he gets really excited and points them out as if he's never seen the shirt before.

* Listening and following direction is still a big issue. If he's focused on something, he goes into "deaf mode" and it's like he literally doesn't even hear me. I can actually scream his name and he doesn't respond. I have to repeat myself constantly.

* Still utilizing techniques such as physically holding him in a "time-in", or physically removing him from a situation. Particularly in the kitchen, as he repeatedly reaches up for the hot pot, or a sharp knife.

I think that's about all the major things. We are continuing doing therapeutic brushing, as well as some OT-type activities around the house. For his birthday in a couple weeks, I'm making him a weighted blanket and lap pad. (The last one I made has disappeared, and besides- I don't think it was heavy enough). Since we don't qualify for school-provided OT, I'm going to call around and see about private therapy (although I have a feeling it's not going to be feasible, financially).

I hate feeling like I'm obsessively worrying about what's "wrong" with my Boo. And maybe I do worry too much. However, I also hate seeing my son so unhappy so much of the time. Having to comfort him through meltdown after meltdown. Watching him WANT to do things and TRY to do things, but can't. I just want to be able to make him happy, learn how to help him learn, give him the best possible chance, just like all my kids.

Isaiah's Speech Update + list of words

2009-06-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Here is where Isaiah's at right now (a couple weeks shy of age 3), speech-wise.

* At his last evaluation (at 30m), his receptive skills were at the 28m level, and expressive skills at 12-15m.

* When he first started EI at 17m, he was evaluated to have a receptive skills at the 15m level, and the expressive skills at the 6m level, so we've definitely made some progress!

* He currently has 50-60 word approximations, although he only uses a handful of them on a regular basis.

* About 15 of those words are actually animal sounds or sound effects. To this day, he has never said "cat" or "dog" or "car", but always uses the appropriate sound effect instead.

* The majority of his words are pretty vague. I would say strangers would understand him less than 25% of the time. He uses mostly vowel sounds, even though he can say a large variety of consonant sounds on their own. Also, some inconsistencies in how he pronounces them from one time to another. (See list below)

* No 2 word sentences or phrases.

* He can be very vocal, especially in high-energy situations (such as when him and Abbie are running in circles around the kitchen table, bathtime) lots of non-specific yelling/sounds. Not always, but usually.

* During lower-energy situations (mealtimes, car rides, playing with trains), he is on the quieter side, using one-word sentences to request something he needs/wants, or maybe point out something (like a cat walking by the window). Not a lot of extraneous babble or chatter.

* Every few days, he'll get in a "no talking at ALL" mood, which lasts a few minutes to a few hours, where he doesn't make any sounds, and won't even respond to me, just very withdrawn. (I hate these)

* He NEVER imitated on command ("This is a X, can you say X?") up until a couple months ago. Even now, he *rarely* does it, and when he does, it's a very, very vague attempt (again, mostly vowels).

* He does request, although due to his limited vocabulary (and my limited comprehension of what he's saying), we still have LOTS of frustration, LOTS of tears, LOTS of meltdowns because he's not able to fully communicate his wants and needs.

A few weeks ago, out of curiosity, I wrote down every single word that he said that whole day, including how he said it (and if he said it multiple ways). This is what I came up with:

mama : mama
juice : ee-uu
butterfly : aw-aw
two : toooo / ooh
bacon : eh / deh
yellow : eh-woh
meow (word for cat) : meow
pee-pee : tee-tee
teeth : eeee
bubble (word for soap) : bu-bu
cartoons : tooos
Oswald : aw-aw
splash (?) : ta--sch
booboo : boo-boo
more : ma
ham : hey
hat : hai
strong : aww
eww : eww
eat : ee-um
cereal : ah-aw
light : iii
bye : bye
dada : dada
fish : eee
baby : bebe / meme / dede
wet : eh
off : aww
cheese : dee / nee
turtle : toe
shirt : ee-ur
brush : da
blanket : nee
broken : bu-bu
straw : taw

(It looks like a long list, but when you keep in mind that other than a handful of them, most were only said once. Spread it over a whole day, and he's still very quiet the majority of the time.)

His speech therapist has recently mentioned apraxia, which looking at the symptoms, it does seem to be a possibility. Unfortunately, this past week was our last session, so we'll be ST-less until next fall. Which sucks, because I felt like we may have been on to something. If anyone has any experience with apraxia, does the ^^ seem to resonant with what you know? I'd love to chat with others who are dealing with apraxia, especially in younger children.

Farewell to EI!

2009-06-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was our last session with Early Intervention, as Isaiah turns 3 in a couple weeks. It doesn't seem that long ago, that Isaiah was just 17m, and we were just starting the program.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of questions left unanswered. Our coordinator agreed that there are definitely concerns, not just with his speech, and said he needs a good OT. Unfortunately, it's doubtful that he'll qualify for any through the school at this time because they usually don't deal with "just" sensory issues.

I asked if we went to a developmental specialist and got an official diagnosis of some sort, perhaps SPD, if she thought it would help, and she said no. Some school districts do tend to be more generous with services when there are "medical" diagnosis involved (as I've had several of my blog friends with SN kids tell me had been their experience), but she said in her experience, ours is definitely not one of them.

She did say seeing a developmental specialist might still be a good idea, even if it didn't help with school services, but just to get another opinion on him as a whole. I'll have to think on this.

Other than that, just a wait and see. Wait until he's a bit older and closer to school-age for them to realize that his issues will affect his ability to learn (in a "school" sense, not learning in general, because he's already one smart cookie!). See if the small gaps that he does have increase as time goes by.

She kept apologizing that she wasn't able to do more for Isaiah, and that there probably won't be anything at least for the next 6-12 months, other than speech. I guess it's mostly my fault, though, for not pushing for regular OT sessions while we in the EI program and had the chance. :( We met with the OT back in October, but I suppose I thought that those issues would be more short-term, when they've remained the same/gotten worse.

Anyhoo, I'm remaining positive that things will work out. We'll figure something out, one way or another.

In the meantime, we'll definitely miss Carol and Debby, though!! I wish I could have got a better picture, but Isaiah was in a semi-grumpy mood and didn't want to sit for an actual picture. I just snapped this as he was saying goodbye.

Wordless Wednesday - On the riverbank...

2009-06-23T22:26:00.000-07:00

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Rare photo!!

2009-06-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

As everybody knows, there is a little man who lives inside the refrigerator. Up until now, nobody has been able to get a good look at this oh-so-elusive creature. Well, folks, I've managed to capture him on camera as seen in this super rare photograph:

I've always imagined him to be a bit smaller, but definitely still a cutie, uh?

Fine Print: Please ignore the mess on the door. I was going to photoshop it out, but if I don't have time to actually wipe down the fridge from where one of the kids knocked over the BBQ sauce the other day, do you really think I have time to virtually do it? And yes, Isaiah is wearing his sister's pants. His favorite color is yellow, and those are close enough for him.

Finer Fine Print: That picture was actually taken last December. Hard to believe that Isaiah looks so much older now. And I wrote this post in January. You'll be happy to know the sticky dribbles were eventually cleaned... although many, many more have taken it's place.

Wordless Wednesday - Congrats Maggie!

2009-06-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say congratulations to my little sister!

Class of 2023

Maggie and Abbie already share a special bond, which makes me thankful as I couldn't think of a better role model for my daughter. <3

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

An update... and a thank you!

2009-06-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

The photos of my cloth diaper cakes have been removed from both Chic to Cheek Boutique's blog and Facebook.

I just wanted to say thank you to my blog readers, my Twitter pals, and especially to my MM and C2 friends. The support means so much to me. Like I posted on FB yesterday, I cried yesterday morning upon the discovery of the stolen photos, but wiped away tears of gratitude quite a few times throughout the day. You guys rock!!

Also, it might seem odd to some of you, but I also want to say thanks to Chic to Cheek Boutique. What she did was wrong, yes. It upset me very much, and I will be begin the process of watermarking my photos to prevent it from happening in the future. However, it seemed her apology was very sincere. Let's face it, she didn't have to contact me at all. She could have taken down the photos without saying a word, ignoring the severity and wrongness of the situation, in denial of the hurt feelings. But she didn't. She emailed/messaged me several times, as well as posted a public apology on Facebook.

Quoting one of the comments I read yesterday, stealing my images was pretty damn ballsy. And I agree. But it took some real ovaries to admit it was wrong and apologize publicly.

I have poured so much heart and soul into my little shop. I certainly don't want negative energy associated with one of my biggest passions. So, on that note, here's to the future of Enchanted Dandelions, and the success of WAHMs everywhere! <3

Stealing is wrong!

2009-06-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

This morning, I stumbled across Chic to Cheek Boutique's blog. Her latest post states how excited she is to announce that she'll be selling cloth diaper cakes in her shop. Fine and dandy, except she is using a photograph of one of MY diaper cakes!

http://babyfatfitness.ca/Blog/?p=164

And the original Polka Dot Princess cake... in MY shop... here:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19689671

Further investigation reveals that she has several of my diaper cake photos posted on her Facebook album.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Chic-to-Cheek/64403205521

Again, all the originals can be found in my shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5153692§ion_id=5770788

I am so upset right now. I have spent countless hours designing, making, photographing and promoting my handmade products. I do this to help provide for my three small children. Stealing products and ideas from my business is stealing from my babies. And this mama bear doesn't mess around with such dirty birdies.

I have contacted her (awaiting a response), as well as filed a Notice of Intellectual Property Infringement via Facebook. I will also be adding watermarks to all my photos. If anyone has any additional ideas, I would love to hear them. In the meantime, please spread the word about Chic to Cheek Boutique.

Her 'About Us' page on her blog states "I enjoy ... supporting other work-at-home-moms." Well, she's doing quite the opposite to this WAHM. >:(

Backyard Bears!

2009-06-10T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Thomas woke me up around 7am, yelling at me to come see a bear. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the window, she was gone. He said she was standing in the backyard, about 30 feet from the house. Our dog, Ayden, started barking, causing it raise up on its hind legs for a minute, before taking off. I was so bummed that I missed it. Even though our property is surrounded on 2 sides by National Forest, we have never seen a bear, or any signs of them.

Around 10, I was making breakfast and Ayden began barking again. We looked out the window and there was a large cub halfway up a tree just a few yards back into the woods. This time, we all were able to catch a glimpse of it before it scampered away.

Saturday morning, Thomas had to work, so it was just me and the kids at home. I was sitting at the computer and happened to glance out the window right beside me. This is what I saw...

WOWZERS! I called the kids over to the window, and we all watched in amazement as she walked around the backyard. She was absolutely gorgeous, and it was so awesome to be able to see such a big, beautiful animal up close.

Since it was day two of the bears hanging around, I called my mom's friend, who just so happens to be a wildlife biologist with the state. One of his regular job duties is to handle nuisance bears, so he was able to give me some great advice. The most important thing, besides the obvious no food/trash outside, was to condition the bear to be afraid of humans and our "territory" (yard). So, the rest of the weekend, every time Ayden started barking into the woods, I stood in the open door, and shook a coffee can of pennies while yelling as loud as I could. Quite often, I would immediately hear a crashing through the tress as the bear retreated.

On Sunday around noon, I realized that Ayden hadn't barked all morning. I really wanted to go out and pick the rest of the cherries that had ripened over the weekend. However, I was quite a bit nervous. I grabbed a pail and my penny can and cautiously stepped out on the front porch. I told myself that the bears are probably long gone by now. Besides, we had only seen them in the back yard not the front. What's one going to do, walk up the driveway? And then I notice this:

Lovely. I scared her away and went back inside for a while to re-gather my courage. I knew that the cherries needed to be picked, because they were probably the number one thing attracting the bears in the first place. So, I headed outside again, making as much noise as possible (neighbors, at this point, probably think I'm completely off my rocker). Cherry-picking went without incident. Didn't see nor hear any sign of them.

So, that was my weekend. Scaring away bears, picking cherries and making freezer jam. I definitely feel like a real mountain woman now. ^.^

For more information on living with black bears, check out this great article: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/bblivingwith.asp.

Where did the weekend go?

2009-06-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

I just noticed that it's after midnight. Wow, where on earth did the day go? W What did I do all weekend?? Let's see...
* Shoo'ed bear out of the backyard.
* Finished up a custom cloth diaper cake.
* Nursed a semi-sick baby seemingly every few minutes.
* Made multiple PB&J sandwiches for Abbie, who's obviously going through a growth spurt.
* Cleaned up a half gallon (!!) of apple juice that was spilled mostly on the carpet.
* Washed a load of towels, sopping wet with apple juice.
* Gave baby impromptu bath, as he was also sopping wet with apple juice and becoming increasingly sticky.
* Shoo'ed bear out of the front yard.
* Consoled a screaming/sobbing Isaiah for multiple reasons, the majority of which I have NO clue what they were.
* Remembered that I needed to wash diapers at the last moment, barely getting them in in time for them to be done before bedtime. (Can't have nakkid butts in the family bed!)
* Braved the bears and went out to pick remaining cherries on cherry trees.
* Made a small batch of cherry freezer jam.
* Cooked dinner, cleaned the kitchen, brushed teeth, read stories, etc. etc. etc.

And yet, it still feels like I accomplished very little today. *sigh*

Wordless Wednesday - Flashback Edition

2009-06-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

These were taken June 2006. Abbie was 14 months old, and I was 36 weeks pregnant with Isaiah. (We had recently visited a local VW Bus rally, hence the awesome tie-dye wear. *grin*)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Isaiah's transition meeting: the conclusion

2009-05-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

Remember me posting about his initial "transition from Early Intervention to school-provided services" meeting way back in February? Well, in April we met again to discuss a plan. (Yes, I know that was a month ago, I just kept forgetting to blog about it *blush*).

On his official speech/language evaluation (taken at 32 months), for receptive communication, Isaiah performed solidly to the 32 month level, and for expressive communication, he's at the 18 month level.

So, he does qualify for home-based speech therapy, currently set at once a week. It will probably start some time in September, which is kinda stinky. He turns 3 the first week of July, so that's a couple months without any ST.

If I get the chance, I'll post more details about his speech progress and where he's at right now. I feel like we're at a plateau, and it'll be interesting to see if perhaps you guys have any suggestions.

Can you spot the difference?

2009-05-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

Can you spot the difference between this photo...

and this one?

Isaiah could. Pretty cool, uh? I had placed that CD case up there after the kids went to bed the other night. The next morning, Isaiah walked into the living room, and instantly spotted it (from 2x as far away as I was when I took these photos). He had no reason to look up there in the first place- it's just the same junk that's always up there. It actually took me a minute to realize what he was pointing at since I had forgotten, and didn't see anything of significance at first.

He's always been very observant and perceptive. I remember a similar incident when he was no more than 18 months old. I had laid a small bottle of lotion on the super-cluttered dresser after he was asleep. The following morning, mere seconds after his little eyes opened, he was pointing and grunting at it.

He'll point out a tiny bug walking across the ceiling, cows seemingly miles away from the road as we speed past, a rogue balloon in the sky that I can barely make out.

Although, he doesn't always seem that observant. If there is a single toy in the middle of the room, he'll trip over it, multiple times. He constantly runs into the side of doorways, into walls- he might as well be running around the house with his eyes closed. He's very perceptive in the visual sense, but his proprioceptive sense (aka knowing where his body is in space, and in relation to his surroundings) seems to be lacking. I have several more examples, but baby is getting fussy... so I'll have to blog about them later.

Anyhoo, what I'm getting at, is the above issues aren't going away, and I'm starting to see them affecting his/our lives more and more. I'm not exactly sure what to do. We talked with an OT back in October, and have done some of the sensory diet ideas. Although, honestly, we've slacked off a whole lot for various reasons. Since this resurgence of issues, I've decided to start doing the therapeutic brushing and joint compressing religiously, as well as integrate some more high-input activities throughout the day (swinging on the swingset, pillow hugs, etc.) to see if it helps any.

He'll be receiving [home-based] speech therapy via the school starting in the fall (blogged about here). Should I push for occupational therapy as well, (even though Early Intervention didn't see the need for it, apparently)? Should we make an appointment with a developmental pediatrician and try to get an "official" diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder, and then pursue services?

I think being perceptive is an excellent trait, and it's one of the many qualities of Isaiah that proves that he's SO intelligent. I just need to figure out how to help him gain control over it, so he's only reaping the benefits, and not constantly stumbling over the drawbacks.

Wordless Wednesday - Oliver vs. Spaghetti

2009-05-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

Spaghetti won.

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2009-05-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest simple delights of summer is biting into a juicy, sweet strawberry. However, you can savor that moment all year round by making freezer jam. It's very easy to do, and so yummy- you'll never want to eat store-bought jam again!

Strawberry Freezer Jam
4 cups mashed strawberries
1.5 cups sugar (or Splenda if you chose)
1 packet of freezer jam pectin

* In a large bowl, mash strawberries until only small chunks remain. This will result in a lot of juice. I used a pastry cutter, followed by a potato masher. The kids seemed to enjoy helping out as well.

* In a small bowl, mix sugar and packet of pectin together. Dump this mixture into the strawberries and stir for 3 minutes.

* Ladle into clean jars (glass or plastic), leaving a 1/2" space at the top to allow for expansion during freezing. Screw on lids and let set for 30 minutes. After that, store in the freezer for up to a year, or keep it in the fridge where it will last for several weeks (more like hours in our house, though!).

What's your favorite way to eat jam? On homemade bread or biscuits? Perhaps on pancakes or waffles? Straight of the jar with a spoon? :)

300 sales!

2009-05-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Just reached 300 sales in my Etsy shop!!

Looking back at this post, I broke 200 back in December, so that's 100 sales in less than six months. Not too shabby!

Enchanted Dandelions recently celebrated another milestone (which I forgot to blog about)... its second birthday! Can't wait to see what future years bring. :)

Going Bearfoot...

2009-05-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Conversation with Abbie, as we were getting ready to go play outside:

Mommy: Get your shoes on, kids!
Abbie: I wanna wear my feet shoes
M: You mean go barefoot?
A: Yes, go out with my bare feet shoes!
M: No, it's just called barefoot, no shoes.
A: Oh okay.
M: Mommy likes going barefooted, too. We can go barefoot together!
A: [thinks a moment] No, you have bearfeet, I'll have deerfeet.

Wordless Wednesday - Genuine

2009-05-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

Latest favorite picture of Isaiah:

Earth Day Festival photos

2009-05-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Last month, I attended Rockbridge County's Earth Day Festival as a vendor. It was my first outdoor venue, and only my second venue ever (first being a small craft show a couple years ago). Overall, it went okay. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was picturing people selling more handmade items (jewelry, clothing, etc.), re-usable products, earth-friendly stuff. BUT, since they did say that people could sell second-hand items, most people were selling yard sale stuff, so it was more of a flea market atmosphere, instead of the earthy/natural one I was expecting.

Everyone seemed to love my stuff, though. *happy blush* TONS of looky-loos (not just glances, either, but the majority of people would slowly walk around my tables, looking at everything). Quite a few comments on my cloth diaper cake, I got chatted with a couple mamas who used/use cloth diapers. A bunch of people took business cards. And, I ended up selling a little over $60 worth of products. Not as much as my goal ($100), but still not bad, considering I made that goal with the expectation of more people + a different niche of folks.

Here are some pictures of my booth. This was towards the end of the day, so had sold a few things.

Front of the tent with a fabric banner I hand-painted for the other craft show (DIY tutorial here). I hope to make a bigger one for future shows.

Oopsie Daisies, Headache Helpers and Monkey-A-Rounds

Small Owie Bags, stack of cards with instructions + suggested uses, a bowl of flaxseed to show what's inside in case someone's not familiar with flaxseed.

Display cloth diaper cake. Photos of other diaper cakes I've made (it was windy, hence the magnets)

Side table... cloth wipes/washcloths (sold quite a few of these). The little sign in the back just explains that I do custom orders. And more business cards in a wooden bowl.

Basket of burp cloths, and baby/toddler bibs. I also have some hanging up across the back of the tent as seen in the first photo.

I really had a lot of fun, and I'm hoping to start doing a lot more craft shows and festivals in the future. If anyone has any tips in general, or tips on how to improve my current set-up, I'd love to hear them!

Wordless Wednesday - meow

2009-05-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Taken at the 2009 Roanoke Strawberry Festival.

No picture of Isaiah, as he was horrified at the idea of painting his face. (Which didn't surprise me. A couple days ago, I doodled a teeny smiley face on his hand with a marker, and he started screaming and sobbing until I washed it off.) Regardless, we all had a blast at the festival!

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Care for some sushi?

2009-05-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Deliciously disguised as an adorable sushi roll, this handmade cloth wipe looks yummy enough to eat! The terry cloth's texture gives an excellent appearance of rice, while felt scrap veggies and a fleece seaweed wrapper complete the look.

The cloth wipe sushi roll comes packaged in a small chinese take-out box, making it ideal for any gift-giving occasion, or even as party decoration and/or favors. Perfect for baby showers!

The cloth wipe is 100% cotton, topped with bright green flannel, and backed with looped terry cloth. It measures 5 x 8 inches, and fits in a standard wipe box. Plenty big enough for even the yuckiest of messes- while keeping your hands clean!

Using cloth wipes is both economical and eco-friendly. Reduce waste, and stop throwing away expensive disposable wipes and other paper products. From facial cloths to wiping baby's bum, from scrubbing in the bathtub to household cleaning, these washcloths are truly multi-purpose and can do it all!

You can find cloth wipe sushi rolls in my Etsy shop for just $4.25 each! While you're there, don't forget to check out my other cloth wipes and washcloths. Custom orders and wholesale inquiries are always welcomed.

Monday Mumbers

2009-05-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Created by Good Enough Mama.

7 The number of days my husband will be out of town (state!) this week.

.00001 The percent chance I'll still be sane when he returns home.

0 The number of teeth Ollie has, although who knows how many he's working on.

3/4 The amount of a bottle of Motrin we've been through in the past week (after trying all my usual natural/homeopathic remedies).

4 The number of hours I slept last night, despite Motrin, and definitely not consecutively, but more like in 30 minute intervals.

3 The number cups of coffee I've had so far this morning.

0 The amount of shame I feel as I shamelessly brag about Ollie crawling again. If you haven't already, go watch the videos. Isn't he a cutie?!

9283 The number of times I've cursed at our slow dial-up after being spoiled to my mom's high-speed.

11 The number of new cloth wipes / washcloths I listed yesterday.

5 The number of new Owie Bags I also listed.

14 The number of sales I need to reach 300. Hoping to make it by the end of the month.

23 47 52 76 The number of times I've been interrupted so far writing this post.

12 The number of typos and spelling errors FireFox has so lovingly found and underlined for me.

100 The percent of randomness this post contains. Sorry. I'll try to form some more coherent posts in the next few days.

And he's off!

2009-05-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

We're still at my mom's house (who is recovering awesomely!), so again, apologies for not blogging lately. I know I still have tons of promised posts and pictures, but just wanted to share this really quick (which will also help to better explain my absence):

And just for fun...

Here, There and Everywhere

2009-04-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

This past week has been crazy. First of all, thank you for the positive thoughts and prayers re: my mom. She's recovering just awesomely. Cancer may suck, but she kicks ass. :)

Since her surgery was out of state, she asked me and the kids to come down and stay with my 17yo sister to keep her company, which is where I still am. It's definitely been chaotic, but fun. Several rough patches, especially with Isaiah as he doesn't deal with disruption in routine very well, but I'm actually pleasantly surprised with how he's doing overall.

This past Saturday, I attended Rockbridge County's Earth Day festival. I'll post more about that later, complete with pictures (I forgot my USB cable at home).

Tomorrow is Isaiah's eligibility meeting for transferring services over from Early Intervention to the school system. Looking forward to seeing how that goes. Also, his ST mentioned almost in passing that he seems to have some symptoms of dyspraxia, but didn't say a whole lot more as it was time for her to go. Reading a lot about it, he does have a lot of the symptoms. But, again, I'll blog more about this later, as well as the results of the meeting tomorrow, as I'm utterly exhausted right now, mentally, physically and emotionally.

Thank you for being so patient through this spell of infrequent blogginess.

Wordless Wednesday - Just hanging out...

2009-04-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Oliver, hanging out on my back to prevent him from scooching into the pond when we went fishing a few weeks ago.

He looks so serious in this picture, but he was happy as a polliwog, watching the older Sprouts reeling in their fishies, and just enjoying the gorgeous weather.

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Monday Mumbers

2009-04-19T22:37:00.000-07:00

0 the number of times I’ve done Monday Mumbers before, so bear with me as I get the hang of it. I originally saw it on Pancakes Gone Awry and Three Channels , but seems they snagged it from Good Enough Mama (which is where I snagged that snazzy graphic!)

3 the number of blogs in the above sentence that you should go read.

26 the number of kbps my dial-up internet is connecting at, which is half the speed regular dial-up. Which is why I’m so far behind in reading/commenting on everyone else’s blogs.

38 the number of meltdowns Isaiah’s had over me changing him, whether it be a sopping wet shirt from a juice accident, or a nasty poopy diaper that’s already turning his bum bright red.

19 the number of times I’ve let Isaiah wear an absolutely filthy clothes to bed to avoid a fight.

912 the number of ooey gooey boogeys Oliver’s nose has produced.

50 the percentage of aforementioned ooey gooey boogeys that end up smeared on me.

3 the number of bowls of spaghetti my mom convinced an also-sick Abbie into eating, by telling her they were worms, and she must eat them all to be able to fly like a robin. (She also encouraged the kids to eat with their fingers- thanks mom!)

8938819383 the number of times I’m grateful for not only having such a wonderful mom, but that my children get to grow up with such a wonderful Abuela (as she likes to be called. She says she’s too young to be called “grandma”).

4 the number of days until my mom’s mastectomy.

928472474 the number of positive thoughts I’ve already sent her way, envisioning her to be cancer-free very soon

7384 the number of times I’ve thought to myself CANCER SUCKS, both on behalf of my mom and sweet Taylor.

27 the number of minutes I’ve spent staring at this screen, trying to come up with a way to end this post.

1 the number of times it took me almost falling of my chair as I’m nodding off to sleep before deciding to just say g’night!

Just testing out my new camera...

2009-04-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

Thomas gave me a new camera for my birthday last week. I took these in our backyard this afternoon to give it a whirl.

Make a wish...

First signs of life from our garden (soon-to-be corn)

Apple blossom

What a fun little guy.

Heeeeeeere Fishy, Fishy, Fishy!

2009-04-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we took the Sprouts to Montebello fish hatchery. There, they raise over 60,000 pounds of brook, rainbow and brown trout a year, which are released in Virginia state streams. The kids loved seeing all the fishies, and were even able to feed them, which caused quite a feeding frenzy with lots of splashing, much to the kids' delight!

Here's a couple shots of Isaiah (who is shirtless, due to a carsickness incident on the way there), checking out the raceways.

And last week, we let the kids try their hand at actually catching some fish. We went to Ashland Pond, which is a family-owned fee fishing pond. Abbie turned out to be quite the angler, as she was reeling them in left and right. Isaiah caught a couple as well with Daddy's help, although he seemed to enjoy playing with the worms more than fishing.

And just for fun, because the kids love it...

Wordless Wednesday - What good is a baby brother...

2009-04-07T21:33:00.000-07:00

if you can't play dress-up with him?!

(That's a too-big sweatshirt, a too-small hat, and a doll bib that Oliver is modeling, all courtesy of big sister, Abbie.)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts, or click here to visit the official WW site.

Please...

2009-04-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Please pray and/or send positive thoughts to Taylor. Taylor just turned 4 a few weeks ago, and is already fighting for her life. She was diagnosed with leukemia (AML) in October, and received a bone marrow transplant a few weeks ago. She's currently in remission, but unfortunately has developed a horrible infection. Taylor has been in excruciating pain for two weeks now. Even with a plethora of drugs being pumped into her tiny body, this pain has not subsided.

She woke up this morning with a fever over 104*. The doctors now say she has sepsis. Her blood pressure has been dipping, as well as her oxygen levels. They are contemplating a breathing tube.

Please send love, light and healing vibes to surround sweet Taylor and her family. The next 24 hours, as well as the next few days, are going to be so critical.

I met Gina (Taylor's mama) when I was pregnant with Abbie on a March 2005 parenting board. Even though we are hundreds of miles apart, we have shared pregnancy pains, birth stories, sleepless nights, breastfeeding issues, hearing "mama" for the first time, first birthdays, potty training woes, toddler troubles & triumphs and so much more all over the internet. She has "watched" Abbie grow up, as I have Taylor. And it's so, so hard to watch Taylor go through this. I can't even begin to imagine what Gina must be going through. I feel so helpless I sit by the computer, hoping for a positive update.

However, my friend Amy said this "None of us our powerless right now, we all have the most powerful thing of all, hope, love and prayer. So while we may feel like we are not doing anything, indeed we are doing the most important thing for them."

So, again, I ask, no BEG, you to please keep Taylor in your thoughts. She WILL beat this. She WILL fight this infection. Her little body WILL heal, and she WILL soon be as physically strong, vibrant and energetic as her spirit is.

Here is her CaringBridge journal, http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/taylorjones. Please check it out for updates, photos of Princess Taylor, and donation info. Don't forget to sign the guestbook!

Happy Birthday, Abbie!

2009-04-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday (the 26th) was Abbie's birthday. I can hardly believe my little peanut is now FOUR! We were originally planning on having a campfire picnic to celebrate her birthday, but it was postponed due to rain. Instead we had family over for spaghetti and strawberry shortcake (both Abbie's choice). Here are a few pictures:

Fabric bunting I made and painted. Abbie picked out the colors herself. I made another one, alternating the colors, minus her name. I hope to use these for many years to come (as an alternative to disposable paper streamers/banners).

Abbie with one of her favoritest people in the world- my younger sister, Maggie.

Anxiously awaiting presents (wearing the felt crown I made just for her special day)

While singing Happy Birthday...

Abbie made a wish right before she blew out the candles, and it was the most precious thing. I wish I had it on video. She very quietly and quickly went "Iwannabeaprincess *bloooooow*" all in one breath. We didn't tell her to make a wish, and she really was just talking to herself. But her voice, I could tell she meant that wish with all her heart. Gave me goosebumps. *wub*

Something I do every year... snap a picture on the exact minute of their birth. So here is Abbie at 9:26pm, playing with a balloon as we said our goodbyes to everyone.

Despite the rain, I think Abbie still had an absolutely wonderful day. She was grinning ear-to-ear the whole day, which made my heart even more overjoyed than it already was. There is a little poem that I stumbled across on Abbie's first birthday, and it's always stuck with me. It goes

Your birthday was the day we first were us, And so for me it is a day twice blessed. I celebrate my having you twice over: First, that you are you, then that you're mine

And I am truly blessed to have such a spirited daughter who makes me laugh on a daily, no, hourly basis. Who is so creative and already quite the little artist. Who tells me "Mommy, you my girl" several times throughout the day, usually when I need to hear it the most. I love you so much, Abbie. Thank you for choosing me to be your momma. It's been quite the journey so far, and I'm looking forward to many more adventures with you.

Better late than never, eh?

2009-03-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

My apologies for not posting this week, especially as I was supposed to announce the winners of the FiberOne Fitness Pack Giveaway. Abbie's birthday was on Thursday, so I got busy working on various projects related to that, as well as just enjoying spending time with my ever-growing Sprouts.

So, without further ado, the winners are:
#2 - MoonGoddess
#3 - Betsy
#7 - Heather

Thanks again to all those who participated, as well as to FiberOne and MyBlogSpark for sponsoring such a fun giveaway.

Unearthing Spring (and a bit of past summer)

2009-03-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Ostara/First Day of Spring, everyone!

Yesterday, as the kids were running around outside, I raked a bunch of leaves that had accumulated around the fence. It felt so good to be able to do some physical work out in the gorgeous weather (even if it was pretty cloudy). Amidst the wet, rotting leaves and mud, I discovered...

I don't remember what these flowers are called, or even what they look like, so we'll just have to wait patiently as they grow. But, it was such a welcomed sight, that Spring is indeed here.

I also found this buried...

Can you see it? That shoe went missing the begining of last summer. We searched all over the house and van to no avail. Who knew it was hidden out in the backyard? Fortunately, it was just a Croc, so after a quick rinse in the sink and it's good as new again. :)

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed first day of Spring, filled with lots of love, light, and a few hidden treasuries!

Win a Fiber One Gift Basket!

2009-03-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

Fiber One has put together a really neat game called the Fiber One Friend Face-Off. You can create your own character, face off against the computer, and learn about which foods contain the highest amounts of fiber. After you compete in the challenge, you can then print out great money-saving coupons.

In addition, Fiber One had joined forces with MyBlogSpark, bringing you this awesome giveaway. THREE lucky readers will a Fiber One Fiber Friend gift basket, including:

1. VIP coupon for a FREE 4-pack of Fiber One Yogurt
2. A nutritional journal to jot down daily goals and meals.
3. A really cool water bottle (BPA-free!)
4. A pedometer with calorie counter
5. A kitchen scale

To enter, head over to the Fiber One Friend Face-Off Game, then leave a comment here with which high-fiber food you like the best. Also, if you have a favorite Fiber One product, please share that as well. This step is required.

For bonus entries, do any of the following and then leave me a separate comment for each extra entry letting me know what you have done.
1. Follow me on Twitter and then Tweet about this giveaway.
2. Follow my blog (via the sidebar widget), or subscribe to my blog. (Already a subscriber/follower? Just tell me!)
3. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a link to your post.

Please make sure that you leave me a way to contact you. This giveaway is open from today, March 19th to Tuesday, March 24th at 8pm EST. Winners will be chosen using random.org, and contacted shortly afterward. If winners do not respond within 3 days, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!!

Wordless Wednesday - If Only...

2009-03-18T08:27:00.000-07:00

... kids were this easy to bathe!

(That's Isaiah's baby, a Baby Bottom Doll. I highly recommend these dolls, as they are 100% cloth, anatomically-correct, come in different skin tones, and, as you can see, machine washable!)

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts. Or to explore Wordless Wednesdays across the blogosphere, click here to visit the official WW site.

I'm a little behind...

2009-03-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

No, not that kind of behind! *grin*

Oliver's been teething hardcore these past few days, (although still no signs of toothies). Very little sleep at night, and very little sanity during the day. Pretty much constant nursing, rocking, rubbing, snuggling.

So, I'm a little behind in... well, everything. Sewing, housework, laundry, reading and commenting on blogs, did I mention sleep?

I have an amber teething necklace on the way from InspiredByFinn. In the meantime, this too shall pass. This too shall pass. This *yawn* too shall pass....

10 Things My Kids Will Never Hear Me Say

2009-03-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

~~Shamelessly stolen from~~ Inspired by Three Channels and Pancakes Gone Awry, here are 10 I'll never say to my children.

* Oh, you don’t like the dumplings in the chicken & dumplings I spent all evening making? That’s alright- just throw them across the kitchen, one-by-one. They do look like little balls, after all.

* I’m a little hard of hearing. Can you please repeat yourself over and over and over again? Even when I’m pouring a glass of milk RIGHT in front of you, you should go ahead and ask another half dozen times, just to make sure I heard you.

* Little more… little more… liiiittle more. There, that should do it! Thanks for helping pour the dish powder.

* I like it when you mindlessly dump all the toys out onto the floor, followed by all the coats, shoes, books and diapers. The floor looks so bare, otherwise. Plus, I’m a bit of a thrill-seeker, and find delight in nearly breaking my neck by skidding across the floor when I step on Thomas the Train.

* You bet my nipples are detachable. You just need to clamp down harder while nursing. Doesn’t hurt at all.

* You’re right. Oliver does look a little young for his age. I think drawing a mustache on him with fireplace soot is a great idea!! (I mean, it worked so well when you wanted a unibrow).

* Behind the couch is an excellent spot to relieve yourself. Nevermind the living room smelling like an outhouse- wee away, little man!

* Sure, go ahead and finish off the remainder of brownies. I mean, just because I made sure to use dairy-free butter so I could indulge, doesn’t mean I actually wanted some. And besides, 9pm is an excellent time to induce a sugar high!

* I’m sorry, I couldn’t understand what you were saying in your normal, sweet, little-girl voice. Next time, try whining more. More? Heck, I mean constantly! Whine, whine, whine. I love whining. The louder, the better. Bonus points for when we are in public.

* Remember last week when you snuck into my purse and dug through my wallet? Yeah, that was funny. Especially how you took out only my debit cards, making me become paranoid, thinking they were possibly stolen. I had a blast searching the whole house, and couldn’t stop laughing when I pulled them out of the hole in the subwoofer speaker, along with a day-old peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Hi-lar-i-ous!

What things would YOUR kids never hear you say?

Wordless Wednesday - Pretty in Mud

2009-03-10T21:03:00.000-07:00

This sums up Abbie perfectly. She may like dressing up in pink frills and lace, but she's still a nature-loving outdoorsy girl through and through!

Click here to read my previous Wordless Wednesday posts. Or to explore Wordless Wednesdays across the blogosphere, click here to visit the official WW site.

Drumroll, please....

2009-03-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

Congrats Care! We'll be in touch!

Except now I feel bad for everybody who didn't win, as I wish I had the time and means to make Owie Bags for everyone! I have an idea... if you entered the giveaway, you may take 20% off your next purchase of Owie Bags (including the Headache Helpers and Oopsie Daisies)!! Simply mention that you were a participant (and the username/email address you used to comment). This applies to both in-stock Owie Bags, as well as custom orders. (Although, if choosing the latter option, know that I have several orders in progress, so there will be a slight waiting period).

Thank you to everyone who entered. I saw quite a few new faces, so if you are new here, I hope you stick around as I would love to get to know you!

200th post + a giveaway!

2009-03-06T13:59:00.000-08:00

In celebration of my 200th post on this blog, I thought I would have a little giveaway!

First, though, let's take a little trip down memory lane. Here are a few of my favorite posts:
* My Magical Cup of Tea
* Mmmmm, Bunny Soup
* Beside the Seaside
* DIY Banner
* My house Smells Like... CHOCOLATE!
* Parmesan Zucchini Crisps
* Proof I'm NOT as Big as An Elephant!
* Life After 40 Weeks
* Balloons!
* Meet Weebu!
* Alternative to Plastic Storage Containers
* Uh-oh... Kids are a Little TOO Quiet
* Mermaids, Pirates, and Lobsters- OH MY!
* Baking with Toddlers
(My apologies if some of those earlier ones look wonky. When I switched format a while back, it messed up some of the posts, and I just never got around to going back and editing all of them.)

And now on to the giveaway- a Flaxseed Therapy Pack from my Etsy shop!

Winner will receive their choice of either a Headache Helper, an Oopsie Daisy, or a set of 2 small Owie Bags. You can even chose the print! Flaxseed therapy packs can be used either hot or cold, and come in handy for all your first-aid and comforting needs. (Read more about them here)

How to enter: Just leave a comment to this post, and let me know which type of therapy pack you would chose, and what you see yourself using it for. Be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you! Bonus entries for following me on Twitter, tweeting this giveaway, and for following this blog (widget found on sidebar). Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry (maximum of 4 entries total).

Winner will be chosen on Monday, March 9th at approximately 6pm EST, via drawing a number at random.org.

And lastly, ((HUGS)) and brightest blessings to all my readers. Thanks for letting me ramble in these last 200 posts. :)

Wordless Wednesday - Flashback to March 2007

2009-03-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

These pictures were taken two years ago...

One of my all-time favorite pictures of Abbie (a couple weeks shy of age 2):

Love this one of Isaiah, as he was in such a good mood that day. Wasn't too many of those back then, unfortunately. (age 8 months)

And a bonus shot... mmmm, dandelions.

To read previous Wordless Wednesday posts on this blog, click here. Or to explore Wordless Wednesdays across the blogosphere, click here to visit the official WW site.

There's a monkey in my diaper!

2009-03-03T08:07:00.000-08:00

When changing Oliver yesterday, I noticed something stuck to the inside of his diaper. A poo-covered monkey sticker, which apparently had traversed the course of Ollie's digestive tract. Poor monkey.

*sigh* I'm SO not ready for a semi-mobile, master-of-the-pincer-grasp, eat-everything-in-sight baby! I think I'm going to have to start vacuuming on an hourly basis. >.<

P.S. I think I need to get out of the house more. I'm blogging about what I found in my kid's diaper. Surely, this is a cry for adult interaction, no?

Saturday Night Special - 2/28/09

2009-02-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

Check out my shop for 15% off all in-stock Flaxseed Owie Bags, including Headache Helpers and Oopsie Daisies. Just mention "SNS" in Notes to Seller and wait for a revised invoice. Sale runs through tomorrow morning, 10am EST.

Isaiah's initial transition meeting...

2009-02-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, Isaiah receives speech therapy through our local Early Intervention program. It only goes to age 3, so we are starting the process of transferring over to the school system, as he turns three the first part of July.

On Wednesday, we met with our EI service coordinator, the preschool special education director, and one of the school's speech therapist. The preschool director explained the transition procedure, complete with a nifty flowchart. We then chatted about Isaiah's strengths and weaknesses while the preschool director took notes. They'll make the decision, and we'll meet again the first of May to see if he is eligible. Our speech therapist says he most likely will be, as he's still only talking in one-word sentences and it's still very hard to understand the few words he does use regularly.

And while I did express concern about some of his behavioral issues, it seems the eligibility will only be based on his speech/language delay. She did jotted them down, so at least it's "on record", I think. I explained how rigid he is in his routine, how things have to be in a certain order, as well as the frequent complete emotional meltdowns when things don't go as planned, which happens countless times a day. I also mentioned his constantly putting things into his mouth, licking, chewing on, and eating everything, plus his newest thing of sniffing everything.

I guess we'll just wait and see what happens.

What did Isaiah think of this meeting? Well, it was right during his naptime, and I guess he found it less-than-exciting...

Carnival Time!

2009-02-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

I entered my Honey-Baked Lentils recipe in CookingwithKimberly's Foodie Blog Carnival. It's my first blog carnival, so everybody should go check it out! I know I can't wait to try out some of the delicious recipes listed on there.

Wordless Wednesday - Thank goodness for Magic Erasers...

2009-02-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

...and child labor, or else the walls (and floor, and fridge, and dishwasher, and stove, and microwave) would still be purple!!

That's Abbie in the picture (complete with her crazy morning hair), although Isaiah was the one who went haywire with a purple crayon. Actually, it was the first time he's ever done that- Abbie is the usual culprit as my little artist. But they were both more than willing to help clean it up, so it's all good. It was actually quite fun scrubbing the kitchen down together! :)

To read previous Wordless Wednesday posts on this blog, click here. Or to explore Wordless Wednesdays across the blogosphere, click here to visit the official WW site.

Tutorial for Dyeing Prefolds!

2009-02-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

We use prefolds and covers almost exclusively on our little ones. For us, it's the easiest and most economical diapering choice. However, when I was building up our stash in preparation for Oliver's arrival, I found myself a little uninspired by the plain white prefolds. Why should fitteds and AIOs have all the fun? So, I set out and dyed a whole rainbow of colors!

I was a little apprehensive at first, as I imagined it would be super-complicated. But it really wasn't too bad! I used Dylon Cold Water Dye, purchased at Joanns. Each packet can dye 8oz of dry fabric, or about 3 infant/medium prefolds. You can do more but the colors will lighter and less vibrant. (Another fun option is to toss a couple white onesies or t-shirts in with diapers. They don't take a lot of dye, yet make a cute ensemble.)

To begin, you'll need to set aside an afternoon for this project, preferably when your little ones are taking a nap. If using new prefolds, be sure to wash them several times to prep them. In addition to the diapers and dye, you'll also need 4 tablespoons of table salt per dye packet. As far as where to dye them, I just used our kitchen sink. Even after multiple dyeing projects, I have yet to have any discoloration. (You'll note that I'm using a plastic dishpan, but that's only because I accidentally tossed away the sink stopper for that side and keep forgetting to get a new one).

Okay, so gather all your materials. I used a whisk and a pair of tongs to stir and handle the diapers. You'll also need a small bowl to mix the dye.

Pour the dye packet into a bowl of approximately 4 cups of hot water. Mix well to dissolve the dye completely.

Fill the sink (or bucket, or whatever you are using) with warm water, dissolving 4 tablespoons of salt into it.

Carefully pour the dye into the sink. Stir well.

Okay, now it's showtime! Slowly add the diapers, making sure they are freely floating around in the water (not folded or bunched up). Stir continously for the first 10 minutes.

After the first 10 minutes, occasionally give the diapers a swirl, pushing what's floating on top back under the water. The packet says to dye for a total of 1 hour, but there's not harm in letting them set longer for really vivid colors.

Drain the water, and rinse the diapers in cold water until the water runs clear.

Run the diapers through a hot wash cycle with usual detergent. I did this twice to ensure all the excess dye was removed. I haven't had any problems with the diapers bleeding, even when they are wet and tossed in the diaper pail with other diapers. However, be sure to take care the first couple times you wash them just in case.

And there you go!

I'm thinking about adding custom dyed and embellished prefolds in my Etsy shop, for those who don't want to fool with the above. But I definitely recommend you give it a try! Although, I must warn you... you might get addicted as I have! :)

If you've dyed diapers and blogged about it, please post a link in comments. I would love to see them!

Not to be all egocentric, but.. check this out!

2009-02-21T15:06:00.000-08:00

* My Flaxseed Owie Bags were featured on Inhabitot's Blog Picks of the Day. Inhabitots is an awesome blog, devoted to sustainable design for the next generation.

* My shop was also on Moms by Heart- a great blog with TONS of great money-saving ideas.

* My Flaxseed Headache Helper was in this beautiful Etsy Treasury, entitled The Sky is Crying, created by DesignsByWendyT.

Thank you so much to the above folks, as well as to all my customers. I'm having so much fun with Enchanted Dandelions, and I really appreciate your support!

Enchanted Dandelions

Magic Orange Candle

Squishy Pumpkins!

Lucky Pennies!

Homemade chocolate syrup!

Hello again!

In a fog...

Inexpensive & Easy Thank You Notes

Wordless Wednesday - Yes, more snow pictures

Wordless Wednesday - My Bucket Heads

Wordless Wednesday - You know it's cold when...

Saving the Earth, one cloth diaper at a time!

Wordless Wednesday - SnOMG 2009

"Da... ah!"

The Box

Wordless Wednesday - Just a few holiday photos

And the winner is...

24-hour GIVEAWAY for 4 free movie tickets and cereal!

Wordless Wednesday - First snow day!

Wordless Wednesday - Isaiah and his Bebe

Mmmm, pumpkin spice latte!

Wordless Wednesday: A boy and his balloon...

Boo!

Wordless Wednesday - New Breadmaker

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Afternoon

Wish us luck!

Wordless Wednesday - Nighty Night!

Winner of my random giveaway!

Wordless Wednesday - I swear, he's like a cat...

Can you do me a favor?

Pumpkin Butt

Wordless Wednesday - Mushroom Hunt

Dinner at our house...

Wordless Wednesday - I suck...

Wordless Wednesday - Serenity at Sunset

Wordless Wednesday - A is for Abbie... and Aligator

Playing Catch-up!

Wordless Wednesday - Our Special Bond

Wordless Wednesday - Fresh from the Garden

Isaiah's 3yo check-up

Oliver's 12m check-up

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Wordless Wednesday - Zoom Zoom

And the winner is...

Florastor Giveaway!

Feedback wanted on new idea... plus name suggestions!

Wordless Wednesday - Natural Bridge

Make your own recycled crayons!

Wordless Wednesday - Mail Order Baby

Happy Birthday, Isaiah!

Happy Birthday, Oliver!

Snipperdoodles, stickernoodles, sneakyturtles...

Belated Solstice Pictures...

Other concerns...

Isaiah's Speech Update + list of words

Farewell to EI!

Wordless Wednesday - On the riverbank...

Rare photo!!

Wordless Wednesday - Congrats Maggie!

An update... and a thank you!

Stealing is wrong!

Backyard Bears!

Where did the weekend go?

Wordless Wednesday - Flashback Edition

Isaiah's transition meeting: the conclusion

Can you spot the difference?

Wordless Wednesday - Oliver vs. Spaghetti

Strawberry Freezer Jam

300 sales!

Going Bearfoot...

Wordless Wednesday - Genuine

Earth Day Festival photos

Wordless Wednesday - *meow*

Care for some sushi?

Monday Mumbers

And he's off!

Here, There and Everywhere

Wordless Wednesday - Just hanging out...

Monday Mumbers

Just testing out my new camera...

Wordless Wednesday - meow