ICY!

Here's something amusing. We had a huge snowstorm at the beginning of this week. Wind howling, snow falling, freezing temperatures. We actually got enough snow that Peanut was up to her knees in it and could barely walk which is why there are no pictures of her playing in it. I had to hold both hand the whole time we were out there otherwise she was down for the count. Well, we are scheduled to get new windows on the rest of our house, and are patiently awaiting that day. We almost didn't do the window in our downstairs bathroom, but at the last minute we decided to throw it in to the estimate. I'm glad we did, because when I went in there to take a shower on Tuesday, there were icicles coming INSIDE the window! I'm talking inside the shower! I have a distinct feeling that the temperature difference will be significant in that room with the new window. I hope you can see the pictures of our indoor weather!

Woman of the Cloth

OK, so I have used cloth diapers from almost day one (maybe day 14...) with Peanut and am planning to do so with this new little one. We started to go through baby clothes and things and get organized for his/her arrival, and I discovered that we needed to do a little work on our diaper stash. SO, I went to the place I learned so much from last time - diaperswappers.com and immediately got totally sucked in and addicted to all of the new and improved diapers, and the threads in other sections beside the for sale or trade. I remember being on this site a lot before and after Peanut was born, but I forgot the immense hold it can have on me. I did find a bunch of diapers there as well as on craigslist, and am now up to snuff on the newborn/small stash. That baby will be all set! I also looked at one-size and mediums for my Peanut since she IS such a Peanut and has been in her mediums for a year or more now. Of course I did end up buying some more for her, and what does she do? Gets totally into using the potty! I am floored, but I will take what I can get since I know chances are slim that she'll stick with it when the new baby comes.

The funny thing about potty learning or training, is that I find myself saying really funny things. Things I never really considered saying before. "You can poop in your diaper or in the potty - either is fine with me. Which one do you want? Potty or diaper?", "Once something is in the potty it stays in the potty", (she loves to try to get the paper back out - ostensibly to use again) "Only poop, pee, toilet paper and tushes go in the potty" (that's so I don't have to say "no hands in the potty" a catrillion times) , "You pooped on the potty like daddy does!" (I'm sure he loves that one!). I am also spending a really inordinate amount of time in there with her. We sit and she does her thing and then I think she is not sure when she is done, because she gets up and then says "more" and sits back down. Sometimes she is right - there is more. We got a second potty chair for downstairs after several days of climbing steps in a hurry to and anxious "wet, wet" or "poop, poop!". When Peanut saw it this morning, she promptly wanted to take it for a spin and I was again surprised to see her use it like a champ!

Thank goodness I only bought one-size diapers for Peanut. At least i know they will get plenty of use from number two even if she decides that potty is king. The rough part about this addiction to these diaper websites, is that suddenly, I feel that I must have these new things! Fancy eco fabrics, better absorbency, pretty embroidery...when really, I have a fully functional but maybe a little ratty useable diaper stash right now. Oh well. I've still spent way less money than if we used disposables so there.

I do have to admit, that it is really fun to open the mail and have new fluff in there to add to the drawer! OK, I think I really have a problem - is there a CD Anonymous?

More Views!

So we took the plunge and have ordered windows for the rest of our house. We realized based on how nice they looked as they were going in that we would need to do some more - the front windows at least. Over the first week we had them in though, we noticed that Peanut's room is now the same temperature as the rest of the house when we open her door to check on her before bed each night! What a concept! It used to be at least a few degrees colder in there until the air circulated once the door was opened. That was what sold us on all of them.

The measuring guy from Andersen came this morning at a little after 6am. I remember I used to start work that early - I did four days a week from 6-4:30 I think. It is hard to imagine now - I missed my workout and was barely showered by the time the guy got here. How is it possible that I could be clean, dressed and ready AND drive almost an hour and be there by 6???

So, now I am catching up on things since I am up and Peanut is not yet....oh wait - I think I hear a little voice upstairs! Ah, now I hear daddy getting her up and dressed.

I did our hospital registration this morning online - what did we do before everything was online? I just don't even remember it. I was lamenting my size to Honey the other day, and said - "I wasn't this big last time at 4-5 months was I?" and he patiently reminded me that at 24 weeks, I am actually 6 months pregnant. Hmmmmm. Made me feel better, but also made me realize how time is flying!

Oh the Girl Scouts got the best of us!

So we are really trying to take care of ourselves, eat well, and avoid chemicals and processed foods, especially after our forced processed food binge during the kitchen renovation. Honey and I have both been working hard at reading labels and being more cognizant of what we eat. We rid the cabinets of everything with high fructose corn syrup (or the same thing by any other name) a year or so ago at least, and have tried to attack other bad stuff along the way.

Well, after all our hard work, our babysitter brought over the several boxes of girl scout cookies we ordered (and promptly forgot about) several months ago. Every year, I just forget how addictive these things are! One serving becomes one sleeve of cookies in no time flat! And ingredients - who cares???!!!! Those thin mints could be buried so deep in the freezer that we would need an ice pick to get them out and I would drive to the hardware store to buy one for just that purpose.

Every year, I try to buy less of them, but I have a policy that if the Girl Scout herself can sell me on them then I will buy. I don't do the "mom brought the form to work" thing - on no. You, the scout, must tell me why I should buy them, where the money goes, and make recommendations about which are the cookies I should purchase. Isn't that the purpose? Developing responsibility, communication skills, understanding the interconnections between your actions and the end results???? The poor kids who come to my door. They have no idea what they are in for. I know I got this from my dad - he would put every salesman who cold called our house through the paces, even though he was not going to but what they were selling. Then he would critique their performance!

Well, once they are gone they are gone. Like Cadbury creme eggs - which come to think of it - those should be showing up pretty soon too....Oh I need a game plan to deal with those!

Surprise!

So I came home the other day and there was a guy working on the front of the house. I couldn't figure out what was going on - we had no scheduled work set up, so I was perplexed. Well, it turns out, that we had just set up roofing work and new shutters two days before, and our shutters were in stock, so they just installed them! I had a message on my machine when I went in, but what a nice surprise!

We had about 10 estimates for the roofing and shutters and initially had a hard time finding roofers who would give us an estimate for the repair vs. doing the whole roof. We also had a run of people who came over but never sent an estimate. In this economy I think that's a little stupid frankly. We finally decided upon a company to do both, and apparently we made a good choice - they are fast and efficient!

I just noticed today that our roofing materials are on top of our garage - i didn't notice them before so I am assuming they came today. The sunroom roof and the tie in to the main house will be re-roofed tomorrow, and our dining room ceiling will be leak free!

Meanwhile, i am thinking about the spring and have started planting seeds. The peppers are first to plant as they need a good 8-10 weeks of indoor time before we can move the transplants outside. I also planted stevia, which is a natural sweetener. This is a first for me so I am curious to see how it turns out. It is supposed to be warm this weekend, so I know i will be chomping at the bit too get the veggie and herb gardens planned out. It i s like a sickness - gardening brings such joy and work, and is so satisfying, but in the months where you feel like you can't do anything towards the garden, it is really hard to not get antsy!

I'd like to have some herbs and flowers in the front yard, and maybe a little culinary herb garden in the back by the deck. The main veggie garden will go on the side of the yard. I am concerned about the deer and other critters, but we will deal with that hurdle as it gets warm enough to dig to put in posts and fences.

Inside, we are still lacking a completed bathroom, so that is on my list of priorities. We've cut the countertop for the hall bath upstairs, but still need to cut the sink opening. I'm hoping to get that in this weekend, and then we can do the medicine cabinet and lights in there as well. A coat of paint and we will be close. At least it will look more complete!

On a completely different note, we have signed up for hypnobirthing classes which start in a few weeks. When Peanut was born, we did Bradley class and really learned a lot about childbirth and how things were supposed to go. Anyone in the know is aware of the 90 hour labor and two hours of pushing that had to occur before little Peanut decided to emerge. I'm thinking we need a new way with this one, and I had heard some good things about the relaxation and calm births with hypnobirthing.

This green path has taken me to so many places - it has changed the way we eat and build, garden and play. It only makes sense that it changes the way we have children and how we care for them and ourselves.

A Way Better View!

So we got a few new windows, and of course, we can feel the difference - our rooms are not drafty - but the best part is the change in the view.

Here is a picture of the kitchen before we worked any magic at all. The whole thing is scary, but focus on the windows for now please. Our kitchen window came down all the way to the countertop (so far that the old back splash actually was covering the bottom of the window!)and while it was a big window it was two double hung windows with mullions in them (those white grids is you are not sure). People would walk in and say "hey nice kitchen" and then a few minutes later as they peered through a tiny pane would comment on the yard. Well, all that has changed my friends!

I left right after the crew got here, and ran a few errands. By the time I got back, we had gaping holes in our house and it was cold! But I could already see what a great change it would be.

I left again (it was cold!) and when I arrived back, we had new windows in Peanut's room, our downstairs guest room and the kitchen. They looked beautiful from the outside and the inside!

The kitchen though is an absolute transformation. The first thing you see when you walk into the kitchen is the yard and the view of the golf course. It is so beautiful and really the reason we bought this house. Peanut and Honey went out to play in the yard with the crazy dog yesterday and I could see them clearly while I was in the kitchen getting our dinner started. It was really nice - a harbinger of things to come. I know that view will be where I watch our kids grow up.

A very snowy day

Finally we got some snow! If it is going to snow, I like it to be a good one. I grew up in New York, so we went to school in the snow - I remember building a little igloo to sit in while we waited for the bus. Arounbd here, if it threatens to be cold and rain, then all bets are off. A good snow is hard to find, but we did have enough snow today to go out and play! Peanut really had a good time and so did the dog!

So we spent most of the day hanging out - baked muffins and played with toys, read some books. It made me long for just being a mom and not having any other responsibilities. For the next few months, we are continuing to work on the house, I have three jobs in addition to being a mommy, and I am continuing to be co-leader of our local Holistic Moms Network. Sometimes I just want to hide, and today was the perfect excuse to do just that! It is wonderful that here in Virginia, it is perfectly acceptable to cancel all activities because of any amount of poor weather.

I know we need to get back to the work at hand - Thursday we get some new windows and we expect our shutters and roof repair to happen sometime next week. That will mean we get to eat in a lighted dining room for the first time since we have been here! I will also finish the glass shelves on the kitchen wall and we can officially call our kitchen "done".

I'd like to put the mirror up in the downstairs bath, and get the counter top done in the upstairs bath. Sadly, I had a nice relaxing bath tonight, that should have been stress free, however it put me at eye level with the horrible caulking and grout job in the bathroom and made me want to tear it out and start over. Honey says no. At least not right this minute. It is good to have a voice of reason.