Look What Laura Made: A Quilt for Penelope

When my best friend told me she was expecting her second baby I immediately knew I wanted to make her a quilt and I knew just the fabric that I would be using for it.  A few years ago I found a set of these fabric samples and fell in love with them but had never come across a reason to use them... nothing felt right, nothing that is until now! The fabric has somewhat of a "hippy farm" feel (that's how I describe it anyway) and it was perfect for this baby.  As the due date got closer I began realize that I hadn't ever actually made a quilt before so I enlisted the help of my Grandmother, Pat and my friend, Vivid to help guide me on my quilting journey and since neither of them are local to me I probably bothered them too frequently with questions!  So this is my shout out to those two lovely ladies, thank you a thousand times over for being patient with me and my late night questions... and thanks to y'all I now have a new hobby!  So without further ado, here are some photos of the quilt progression... enjoy!

Here is the quilt laid out and ready to be sewn. 

The quilt top has been all sewn together and "quilted" to the inside layer and flannel backing.

Here is a look at the back of the quilt.  Since this was a smaller sized quilt I was able to do the quilting myself by "stitching in the ditch" with my sewing machine. 

Here is the completed quilt! Ready to be wrapped up around a sweet little baby! :)  I am so happy with how cute it turned out and that my first quilt didn't end up a total mess!

I was so excited to give this quilt to Tiphany at her baby shower and even more excited for the baby to have it once he or she made his/her appearance!

And here SHE is! Little Miss Penelope laying on her quilt!  

Chatting with Everett (2 years old)

Since kids really do say the cutest things I have been keeping a note on my phone all of the cute things Everett has been saying. Here's a list of the most memorable and things (that I remembered to write down at the time) he said when he was 2!  Hope you enjoy this little compilation as much as I do! 

Me: Everett, who is your best friend?
Everett: Ummmm Toke-Oh (Tyler's friend)

Me: What are you gonna do tomorrow?
Everett: Me play with my friends. Micah, Tee Tee, Pig Paw, Rae Rae, Colt.
Me: What are yall going to do?
Everett: We play trains.

Everett: Me go to PigPaw's house.
Tyler: How are you gonna get there?
Everett: Me ride my bike.
Tyler: Oh, well we are about to go there- you wanna hitch a ride?
Everett: Uhhhh ok.

Everett: PigPaw has a little lamb.

Everett: Daddy, we go in dere.
Tyler: Sorry buddy, we can't go in there.
Everett: Yes me do!

Everett: Me call mommy.
Me: What are you gonna call me?
Everett: Ummm Woah-wa (Laura)
Me: How about mommy?
Everett: No. Woah-wa

Rebecca: Will you be in Patty and I's wedding?
Everett: Ummm sure.
Rebecca: oh great! Will you wear a cute little tuxedo?
Everett: No CaCa, me a Viking. Me Hiccup. (From How to Train Your Dragon)

Everett: There a monster in the closet.
Me: Oh no! What are we gonna do?

Everett: I get my gun, it on the porch.
Me: Your gun?
Everett: Ya! It go "pow pow!"

Everett: (After over hearing Ty and I talking) Mommy what's the issue?
Me: What's the issue?
Everett: Ya, what the issue?
Me: Oh, well daddy I were saying we weren't going to order you your own meal because you won't eat it.
Everett: Oh, that be fine.

Everett: Where's Reo? (A car he named Reo)
Me: Your car? Why do you call him Reo?
Everett: Weeee ohhhhh weeee ohhhhh!

Everett: Guess what?!
Me: What buddy?
Everett: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! (It was not his birthday!)

Grandpa: How old are you?
Everett: I be 17, its not my birthday!

Everett: That man and me, he my best friend.
Me: Who is that man?
Everett: Jimbo! He my friend.

Everett: I love you and mommy and Nolan and you and mommy and Nolan. You my family.

Me: What do you want to name our new puppy?
Everett: Pink
Me: Pink?
Everett: Oh, I fuh-got. Jon.
Me: You want to name the puppy Jon?

Everett: YA!

Everett: I want to watch bwee-dos (videos) on your pweeder (computer).

While watching Spiderman Everett saw Martin Sheen and who plays Uncle Ben and repeatedly asked who it was. Tyler and I kept telling him it was POTUS or the President (because he also plays President Bartlet in the West Wing).  Then about ten minutes later Everett says "Oh! That West Wing guy!"

Fhing-en = Anything that he doesn't know the name of

Everett: That girl, she text me.
Me: A girl sent you a text?
Everett: Ya, she say "yaaaaa baby!"
Me: What?! Who is that girl?
Everett: Oh, it Lilly Bean.

Everett: That man, he told me the car go fast!

Me: Where are you driving to?
Everett: Oh, I here. I in Jean-na.
Me: What?
Everett: I live here. You know, Jean-na.
Me: Oh! Virginia!

Me: Hey Everett, wanna help me unload the dishwasher?
Everett: Um actually, no.

Everett: (While wearing sunglasses and walking outside at 8pm) It sure is dark out here.

Me: Do you want fries or rice?
Everett: BEANS! No beans!

Everett: Hey daddy
Tyler: Hey Everett
Everett: What?!

Midnight Thoughts

With all the tragedy, loss, violence, hatred, and tears that we experience here on earth we must have faith and cling to the knowledge that God is who he says he is, that Christ died and rose again to cover our sins, and that the Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf. There is hope through Christ, that our life here on earth will not even begin to compare to the glory that we will experience in heaven.  

Birthday Questions: Everett turns 3

1. What is your favorite color? 

- Blue no purple

2. What is your favorite toy? 

- All my cars

3. What is your favorite fruit?

-  Apple

4. What is your favorite tv show?

- Daniel Tigers Neighborhood

5. What is your favorite movie? 

- Monsters Inc, Cars/Nyween (Lightening McQueen), Frozen

6. What is your favorite thing to wear?

-  No pants 

7. What is your favorite animal?

- Lion, elephante (said in Spanish) 

8. What is your favorite song?

- Let It Go (Frozen)

9. What is your favorite book? 

- Pirates book

10. Who is your best friend? 

- Caca, PigPaw, RaeRae

11. What is your favorite snack? 

- Fruit snacks

12. What is your favorite drink?

- Soda (we don't really give him soda)

13. What is your favorite breakfast?

- Marshmallow cereal (just the marshmallows in Lucky Charms)

14. What is your favorite lunch? 

- Raviolis and noo-nooles (noodles) 

15. What is your favorite dinner? 

- ChickFilA, sausage, pasta, Wesmans (Wegmans)

16. What is your favorite game? 

- Monsters (the Monsters Inc game on his LeapPad)

17. What is your favorite thing to play outside?

- Jeep and tramperween (trampoline)

18. What is your favorite holiday?

- Horses... no Christmas, I like Santa 

19. Who do you sleep with at night? 

- Mom, daddy, Nolan, blankets

20. What do you want to be when you grow up?

- A monster

Letters to Nolan: 4/18/14

Dear Sweet Nolan,

You are just one month shy of being one year old! Spring has sprung and you are really loving spending time outdoors and since you have your daddy's skin tone you are rocking a great tan. One of your favorite pastimes these days is playing in the water table! You really enjoy splashing your hands in the water and getting yourself soaking wet and I'm sure once it gets warm enough you are going to really dig the sprinkler! Speaking of water, you love taking baths and have now graduated out of the laundry basket and now sit just fine with your brother in the tub!

This month you got your first hair cut- you were staring to have a little baby mullet so it was definitely time!  You also have four teeth now and your smile is so so cute! You still love to laugh and giggle, especially if your brother is around. Now that you're more mobile you are starting to play more with Everett and you love that!

You are still quite content to nurse just as frequently as you always have, which is fine with me. You are eating more from the table and prefer to feed yourself. Some of your favorite foods are... anything that we give you! So far you aren't very picky which is great!

I am so happy you're in our life little dude!

Here's what you've been up to: 

03/23/14: First haircut, started playing peekaboo 

03/25/14: You started to laugh when other people laugh 

03/28/14: You will dance when we ask you to!

04/04/14: Said "dog"

04/10/14: Fourth tooth broke through (top left)

04/14/14: Can climb in and out of the bathtub

04/15/14: Got your first freckle

Momma and daddy love you to the moon and all the way back! 

xoxoxox,

Momma

---------------------------------------

For more Letters to Nolan, click here! 

For Letters to Everett, click here!

Letters to Nolan: 3/18/14

Dear Nolan,

You are such a sweet boy! Your little personality is just blossoming and you are becoming a little boy (not  a baby anymore) right before our eyes.  You are very inquisitive and want to know what is going on in every room, want to check out everything, and you especially want to just dump all the toys out of the baskets! You really like to mess with Jedi, something that he does not like at all.

Crawling is still your main mode of transportation and boy are you fast! You can get from one side of the room to the other in no time.  You do like to pull up on any and everything and are getting more and more daring in your attempts to let go.  This month you started to push the walker around the house, although you have not quite got the steering thing down yet.

You and brother are still sleeping in our room at night and you usually "request" to nurse two to three times throughout the night.  Since it has been cold outside we have been spending the evenings inside (usually watching The West Wing) and our routine has been for you and I to cuddle up on the couch and you fall asleep while nursing. It is nice to have that time at the end of the busy day just to relax and be with our little family!

Last but certainly not least, your baby dedication was this past month!  This allowed daddy and I to think about the type of person that we hope you will grow up to be and how we can strive to be great parents. We invited family and friends to join us and it was a very special time to share with them.  We pray that you will find Jesus and will trust him to guide your life and we pray that we will be with you every step of the way! 

Here's what you've been up to this past month: 

02/18/15: Nine month well check- 21lbs 14oz (70th percentile), 28" long (60th percentile); Started waving 

02/20/14: First time you played at the play area in the mall 

02/26/14: Said momma 

02/28/14: First ice cream cone 

03/08/14: Stood by yourself for the first time 

03/09/14: Third tooth broke through ( top right) 

03/10/14: Started walking with the walker

Momma and daddy love you to the moon and all the way back! 

xoxoxox,

Momma

---------------------------------------

For more Letters to Nolan, click here! 

For Letters to Everett, click here!

Weekend Links: Frozen Fun

I have to admit, I really love Frozen! If you have not seen it yet, you should- even if you don't have kids!  All of the songs are so catchy and the movie plot is great. So with all of the Frozen mania going around I thought I would share a few videos for this edition of Weekend Links that I have come across and think are awesome!  Enjoy!
 





Some other videos of note:

• Love is an Open Door- Real Life Words with No Backing... 
• Parents really sing Love Is An Open Door from Disney's Frozen

An Update on E

A response to Your beloved needs you now... and THANK YOU & an Update. 

Today I took Everett back to the pediatric pulmonologist for a recheck on his progress.  I had both the boys dressed and in the car by 9am and it took us a little shy of 2 hours to get there, we got out and were in the doctor's office for about 45 minutes and then back in the car for the ride home. Although we logged a lot of miles today it was well worth it- we love our doctor and how much he really seems to care about Everett's well being. The doctor asked how Everett was feeling, if he'd had any issues in the past 3 weeks, had he been having trouble using his new inhaler, had there been any need for his rescue inhaler at all, etc. Even though we were there for a shorter period of time for this appointment he was still very thorough. The doctor was very glad to hear that Everett has been doing much better since he has been on the new treatment plan.  Everett has been back to his "old self" since his last cough subsided and the new inhaler has been added.  In the past he would have been sick by this time again so to have him not be sick was a great step in the right direction.  The doctor asked that we keep him on his daily inhaler for another few months (through the spring) and then we will reevaluate his dose.  I am so happy that we finally have a diagnosis and aren't floundering around anymore just treating the symptoms and in turn not actually providing him any long lasting relief.  Thank you again for all of your kind words, thoughts, and prayers.  We truly appreciate everyone of you. 

FBP: Cleaning Gone Green

Ever since Everett was born I have been rethinking a lot of the choices that we make around our house, specifically anything having to do with chemicals.  I do not like the idea that some of the products we use have harsh and harmful ingredients that would definitely cause panic if my children got a hold one of them. 

At first I wasn’t sure what to do; I did not want to buy the traditional household cleaners anymore and I also did not want to shell out the big bucks for the green cleaners that I saw on the shelves at the store either.  I was worried that I would spend a ton of money for products that I hadn’t heard of before and could potentially not work.  I did a little bit of research and found that making my own cleaners would not only be cheaper but safer and effective.  Score! 

You don’t have to be fancy when making your cleaners, in fact you can clean most areas around your home with a mixture of one-part vinegar and one-part water.  Vinegar can do some amazing things and the best part about it is that it is non-toxic and it also works as a disinfectant.  If you don’t like the smell of vinegar you can add citrus peels to the mixture, however once the vinegar dries the smell dissipates.  For more tips on cleaning with vinegar, check out this link! 

Another great item that you can use to clean with is baking soda.  You can mix baking soda and water until it becomes a paste and use it in the kitchen and bathrooms as a scrub to remove soap scum or buildup.  You can also add baking soda to your laundry to help remove stains and add brightness.  Baking soda can also be combined with vinegar (who didn’t love making volcanoes in science class in middle school?!) to create a paste that can be used in on tough stains around the house.   

The two items above (three if you count citrus fruit, four if you count water) you probably already have in your home already. How easyis this?! Grab a spray bottle from the cleaning section at your local superstore and you are in business.  Want to step it up a bit? While you’re in the cleaning aisle look for liquid castile soap- my personal favorite is Dr. Bronner’s Lavender.  This soap is amazing and can be used for so many different purposes!  I was going to type up my own list but I found this one on their website that covers more than I even realized: “You can use Dr. Bronner’s soaps for washing your face, body, hands and hair, for bathing, shaving, brushing your teeth, rinsing fruit, aromatherapy, washing dishes by hand, doing laundry, mopping floors, all-purpose cleaning, washing windows, scrubbing toilets, washing dogs, controlling dust mites, and killing ants and aphids.”  (Found here.)  We use the lavender scented soap as body wash and hand soap at home (check out this dilution chart for instructions) and it smells lovely!  This is a product that you will want to have on hand all the time because it is so versatile!    

Now that you’ve got your household cleaner made what about the floors?  You certainly can use some of the suggestions above however once a year it is important to have your carpets, rugs, tile, and upholstered furniture professionally cleaned.  Day after day at your home your dead skin cell particles shed from your body and embed into the soft surfaces like couches, carpets, and rugs.  If you have pets their hair (along with your own hair) is left in your carpets along with any spilled food or accidents that your children or animals might have had!  The daily traffic going in and out of your home can also bring in dirt and germs that can leave stains and be potentially harmful to the health and well-being of your family. Vacuuming will help to remove some of that buildup but it will definitely not remove all of it. 

Traditional carpet cleaning uses hot water mixed with soaps containing various chemical agents that leave your carpets heavily saturated with harsh residue.  I am excited to have found Zerorez of Greater Fredericksburg, a carpet cleaning company that is able to clean carpets, upholstery, and tiled surfaces better than traditional carpet cleaning companies but without the use of high-residue soaps, detergents, shampoos or chemicals. “Zerorez cleaning services are based on its unique Empowered Water technology. Empowered Water is enhanced water that is electrolyzed and oxidized to create a powerful cleaning solution without harmful toxins or chemicals.” (Found here.)

When Aaron, the technician, came to  my house he was very friendly and knowledgable.  He took the time to explain how the Zerorez system worked and answered my questions. While he was in my home he was careful to protect the walls and provided great customer service.  The areas of my home that he cleaned had such amazing results that I can’t keep from telling everyone about their services!  Zerorez of Greater Fredericksburg is extending an offer to all of my readers of 10% off any service and one free area!  Be sure to mention “Not So Average Momma” when booking your service!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Please do!

This post was sponsored by Zerorez of Greater Fredericksburg, all content and opinons are my own.

This post originally appeared on Not So Average Momma on Fredericksburg Parent.net! 

FBP: Post Round Up

I am so excited to be FredericksburgParent.net’s Blogger of the Month!  When I started this blogging journey a couple of years ago I did not expect for me to not only keep it up this long or to be blogging for one of Fredericksburg’s top online parent resources!  I am so happy to be on this “Not So Average Momma” journey and you better believe that I plan to keep on blogging about it!

I thought that I would kick this month’s posts off with a round-up of some of my favorite posts from my blog here as well as my personal blog, Not So Average Momma.   These are posts that I have written over the past two years that I thought you would either enjoy reading, learn from, or get to know more about my family and I.  

Thoughts: A collection of posts that are my honest thoughts about the some of the trials that I have had being a momma!

• Am I Really Ready?, Love is an Amazing Thing, and When it was just Everett and I...
• My honest to goodness thoughts on adding a second child to our family
• Mommy Thoughts (Part 1) and Mommy Thoughts (Part 2)
• Life with an ever growing toddler and an infant
• Growing Up in a World Full of Rachel’s
• A reconstruction of my view on life...
• Life as of now…
• The here and now of the Not So Average Momma
• Your beloved needs you now… and THANK YOU & an Update
• Some honest thoughts on my son’s health battles

Nap Time Craft Time/DIY Tutorials:  Check out these posts for some easy do-it-yourself projects, most of which can be done with items you already have in your house and can be completed during naptime!

• Painting Pots and No Carve Jack-O-Lanterns
• These are easy and cheap projects to get the kids involved in and make great gifts!
• Halloween Wreath
• This can be done with less than three items and makes a really cute decoration!
• Thrift Store Sea Shell Lamp
• This is one of my favorite DIY projects I have done and can easily be adapted to fit your home decor!
• DIY Unpaper Towels
• Save money and help out the environment by whipping up some reusable paper towels!
• Suds in the Bucket
• The laundry soap that I make for our cloth diapers!

Lifestyle Posts: These are links to various different things that might make me an “Not So Average Momma.”

• Keep ‘Em Close
• A guide to babywearing and various types of carriers for infants and toddlers!
• Sharing the Liquid Gold
• A post about the many benefits of milk sharing.
• 19 Months and 25 Days
• A reflection of my time spent breastfeeding Everett
• For the Love of Cloth Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
• Several posts detail the different types of cloth diapers, how to care for them, and why we use them!
• Tattoo Diaries
• A photo diary of my tattoos… this needs to be updated but most of them are there!
• Our Family Bedroom
• A peek into our family sleeping situation and co-sleeping/bed sharing safety

I hope that you will take the time to peruse the links and leave feedback on what you like, don’t like, agree with, disagree with, etc! I love hearing from y’all!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Please do!

This post originally appeared on Not So Average Momma on Fredericksburg Parent.net!