An Iowa Mom

Always A Price To Pay ...

A huge THANK YOU to Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer for giving my beaded socks an awesome review.  I was so happy that she liked them so much!  I have to admit, it made me feel pretty darn good!

Needless to say, there are a lot of people who value Shannon's opinion when it comes to products, so it was no surprise that the orders for my socks started coming in great volumes.  I worked on socks day and night for almost a week straight and my fingers had blisters, that eventually callused ... so now I'm really going strong in the sock making department.  It was either Shannon's product review or the fact that the socks are "on sale" for an Easter/Spring special ... AND I'm offering free priority shipping with the purchase of 6 pair or more. 

Well ... when there is good, there is bad.  Isn't that what they say?  (Who are THEY anyway?).  As I was finishing an order and packing these cute little things up, I left my sock making station unattended.  Emily was happily coloring with markers to keep her happy which she rarely does because she manages to leave a little mark of color every where imaginable.  This day was no exception, however, the markers didn't hold her interest as long as I had hoped.  The five minutes I took at the kitchen counter, taping up a box, was just long enough for her makeover.  Yeah ... she decided my sock making scissors would do just the trick!

Ahem!

So, yeah, great!  But, back to my socks ... I'm not at all selfish, am I?  If you haven't already, head on over and take advantage of my Easter/Spring special and get your princess a fun surprise.  Great for Easter dresses ... or Easter baskets.  The socks won't rot their teeth either!  Many people have ordered these as baby gifts too! 

My sale won't last, so get on over there!

You Are So Beautiful ...

The other day I had placed an order at Design Her Gals.  With every purchase made, one would receive a free email gal.  You could design and dress her any which way and the great people over at Design Her Gals would make her up and send her to you to place in your emails.  A cute little extra.

I asked Emily to help me make one that was supposed to look just like me.  We hunted for clothes, picked out jewelry and found the perfect hairstyle.  It was quite fun and the both of us really enjoyed it.

Once the finished product was displayed on the screen in front of us, Emily cried out, "She's beautiful!"

Please with the new portrayal of me, I admit, I beamed, "Yes, she is!"

Emily's bottom lip bumped out of her little face, an expression I've come to know as her I've been defeated look.  "But I thought she was supposed to look just like you!"

That's nice.  Brat!

WFMW: Creating A New Lunch Out Of Dinner ...

Okay ... this is really simple.  I am sure that many of you are doing this already ... and I just think I have a really cool tip that everyone read and will laugh at and think ... "Hello, where the heck have YOU been????"

Regardless ... I'll share with those of you who are just beginning to catch on to simple things. 

Picture this ...

Tonight you are making supper.  Let's say ... uuummmm ... spaghetti.  Your water is boiling, you're ready to add your noodles.  Instead of adding just what you need, put in a little extra.

After supper, place those extra noodles in a container and keep in fridge.  Tomorrow pull out that container and slather it with butter (or if you are better at what you feed your kids, just add a little butter).  Heat it up in ol' faithful (the microwave).  Add some Parmesan cheese and  waaaa laaaa ... you've got lunch! 

I usually heat up some frozen broccoli to serve with it too.

Doesn't get any easier than that!!!  Works for me ... hope it works for you too!

For more tips, most of which will be great (unlike this one) ... head on over to Rock In My Dryer!

It's A Great Day To Be Alive ...

  Drew went to a birthday party this past weekend and came home with a bundle of balloons.  He was VERY excited that the birthday boy decided to share this special bouquet after the party was over.

Why is it that a balloon can make a child so happy?  On the other hand, make children so incredibly crazy?  You know, the ones going bonkers because they don't have a balloon.  This would be the three kiddos living in my house that were balloonless.

Anyway, the morning after the party, Drew bounced into our bedroom ... the balloons trailing behind him.  He nestled in between hubby and me and stared up at the bright mylar helium filled treasures that bounced above him.

"It's a good thing I'm not dead!" Drew said matter of factly.  "If I was, we wouldn't even have these balloons!"

"Whew!" I pretend to be extremely relieved, "You're right!  Good thing you're alive!"

Another Last First ...

I know you are waiting to hear about our trip to the Wisconsin Dells, however, you'll have to wait a bit longer.  First things first.  Or Last First Things First ... it's another last first and my heart is breaking into a few more pieces. 

Yesterday was the day our crib ... the same crib that has been up and occupying one of our children for the last 9 years ... has come down.  It was a sad day for me and hubby, but one that had to take place.  It was indeed "time".

You would have never known we robbed her of the crib, the only bed she's ever known.  Molly was sooo excited.  It was the FIRST time she'd sleep in her "big girl" bed and it was quite a treat!!

"Bye Bye" she waves.  Basically telling me to get out of her room and let her go to sleep.  Enough pictures already.  Geez!

Emily, on the other hand, was not so convinced this was going to be a good idea.  Several times she asked if Molly would be getting into her "Groovy Girls" ... because, ya know, that would just be down right unacceptable.  I told Emily to be patient with her little sister ... and just keep an eye on her.  THAT ... she did!

 

We left them alone and had no idea what to expect.  We figured it wouldn't be easy and wouldn't go as smoothly as we'd like ... and it didn't.  Molly loved the freedom to get out of her bed, but didn't like the idea of a gate on her door ... containing her to a very kid proof room.  That's so fun!

Emily didn't like Molly out of her bed ... and called out to me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.MOLLY.GOT.UP!

After only 20 or so minutes, Molly settled into her bed with a book.  Emily fell fast asleep.  This morning we awoke to untouched Groovy Girls.  Emily beamed with pride that she thought her little sister did a "Super Dooper" job. I think these two sisters have advanced to the next stage in their relationship. 

Aaahhhh Sisterhood.  Something I will never know or understand ... but am having a blast experiencing through my sweet girls.

Aaaaahhhh....

We are all home.

We all had a great time.

We are all tired.

We are all going to bed.

at 8:30pm.

Does life get any better than this?

I don't think it does.

Ditch The Diet ...

Okay ... if you've been reading this blog then you know that I'm a little concerned with my few extra inches that have snuggled in right around my mid-section.  Well, you should also know that I LOVE Pepsi. 

In a nutshell ... I gave up Pepsi for Diet Pepsi in an effort to lose a couple pounds.  Well, let me tell ya, in my opinion, DIET anything sucks!  Don't like it.  Can't get used to it.  Don't want to drink it anymore.

Then, I was clued in on a new product made my Coke.  After contemplating the situation, I figured I'd rather give up PEPSI ... rather than drink DIET anything.  Got it?  See where I'm comin' from?

So ... Coke Zero.  A tiny blessing for those who are like me.  It's the taste of straight up coke (minus the MAJOR syrup part) ... but not DIET (with that nasty aftertaste) ... and it's ZERO calories. 

Ahhhh, I can sleep a little easier tonight ... any maybe, just maybe ... I may lose a few pounds in the process ...