June 2012 Update

Wow it has been waaaayyyyyy too long since we last posted. I'll find some pics and do an update now. Yes.

Joshua starting walking on his birthday, after months of teasing us. And he started to say a few words:
tside-outside
Go-obviously he loves to go outside
kwuurel-squirrel
doggy/oof oof
ka ka-bird
duck/kak kak
ca-car
toa-toast/bread
daddy
mama
As of this week he has an ADORABLE new sound. I'll try to get a video of it before it goes away. It kind of sounds like "tickle tickle" with a clicky 'g' sound for the 'k'.

Making a mother's day painting for grandmas

Our first back carry-we both love it

watching the kids outside on the playground

First deviled egg on Easter-YUM

Practice walking with Grandpa S

Trying in mama's sunhat

Grandpa Randy's b-day party

Goats down the street from E's parents

We went camping for Grandma O's b-day

Playing at the park down the street

Playing at our playground-lots of kids here

Playing at 1st b-day party with cousin McCaleb

He loves:
dogs & cats
strollers (for pushing around, not riding in)
books
toast
fish crackers
ducks
string cheese
daddy
peekaboo
sneezing
grandma & grandpa's house
babies smaller than himself (especially ones in carseats that he can rock and play peekaboo with)
music/noise and dancing
'playing' piano, real and on my phone
calling daddy at work
drinking water through a straw
Cheetos
sleeping
his bear blankie from Aunt Barbara (I bought a yard of matching minky fabric to make a few more so we'd never be without 'it'. One for the car, one for grandmas...)
pushing stuff around
closing things
pulling things out
his beanbags made by my friend Kristi
sharing his food with us
sno-cones

A friend and I started a "natural" mommy group with playgroups and mama classes each month and its been crazy successful. Glad there are other mamas out there looking for a group and we could get together to discuss natural parenting (babywearing, cloth diapers, breastfeeding, preventative health, natural birth, homeschool etc).  The craft group I started last year has been less-than-stellar, but it has allowed me to get a few more projects done than I would've otherwise (next month is I-Spy bags). I tried to start a 'dinner swap' group in my complex but nobody joined up :-( Anybody close that would like to join me in any of these adventures feel free! We (I) would love to have you!

Laboring @ Home

I had a friend recently ask me for tips on laboring at home. Here's the short list I came up with for her. Of course, many of these could be adapted to a birth-center or hospital setting.

• Keep a box of snacks/drinks nearby.
• Practice all the positions/comfort measures before hand. Make a list of them all and keep it close by to look at.
• Write down/record affirmations for yourself/coach to repeat while laboring.
• Try the shower/bathtub.
• Pick a point (or mental image) to focus on while breathing through waves.
• waterproof pad/shower curtain under (old) sheets on bed
• waterproof pads under soft towels anywhere you like to lay down.
• lots of pillows.
• Practice squatting-excellent pushing position. As far down as you can go-heels flat.
• Do 'tail wag' every morning and night, and whenever you thing about it (same for kegels). Tail wag is to get on all fours and tip your pelvis up and down-focus on arched back and flex back up like a cat back and forth up to 100x.
• I liked apple juice best. Prob watered down so not too sweet.
• Use a bendy straw to keep drinking to keep energy up.
• Go to sleep during labor whenever possible. And DON"T apologize for it.
• When not sleepy, stay active, up and own stairs, walk, sweep kitchen, etc.
• Keep a garbage can close for puking/pooping.
• Don't scrunch up your face/hands/shoulders/muscles during waves/pain/fear. Focus energy in letting the waves do their work.
• Breath in and out while counting 1-1, 1 2 -1 2, etc as far up as you can go. I got to ten and that made the waves shorter/bearable.
• I borrowed my chiropractor's maternity massage pillow so I could rest on my stomach occasionally.
• Cheap/DI towels
• blankets if you get cold.
• wet washcloths kept warm in a crockpot/rice cooker. Use for compress on perinium during pushing.
• I labored in a short, short-sleeve, zippered robe I found at the DI. could lift for checks and unzip to nurse. felt very covered and comfortable.
• PH paper to test amniotic fluid leaking
• Babysitter for other children.
• Park your car facing out, full of gas, and ready to go with carseat installed and hosp bag in the trunk.
• keep one bag box handy inside for things you use everyday/during labor that you would also like at the hosp. Coach's job to grab that on way out of door. Or can come back later for it.

As for as my mental things:

• Prepare mentally/physically for anything you can think of. ambulance/unwanted guests/recussitaion/hemorrhaging etc. that way you will not get scared or be disappointed if any of those things happen.
• I had heard of painless birth but didn't expect that. But doing the breathing/comfort measures/affirmations etc I can say that my labor wasn't painful. Just pressure and intensity. I do believe I was very blessed. There was a little pain in my back since baby was posterior when I got on a birth stool to push but went away when I got off.

For Daddy:

• practice comfort measures to see how mom likes them
• discuss/memorize affirmations
• encourage eating/drinking
• practice areas to massage for comfort

The waterproof pads are these: http://www.amazon.com/Disposable-Blue-Underpad-Chux-23x36/dp/B000FA05Y6 We found them in the pharmacy area at Walmart. You can use them for stuff after so just get a pack or two. Our midwife had us pour red-tinted water in it so we could see what a hemorrhage looked like.
Snacks-
I unfortunately was dumb (and in la-la-labor land) and didn't eat or drink anything. I just know that milk and bread (toast is ok) are not good because they can ball up in your tummy and thus are easy to throw up. Coconut water is supposed to be great for labor, as well as smoothies and I know you like those.

News of the Autum Flavor!

So here is a little hutch we picked up at an antique store in Spanish Fork last week. Soon it will be a lovely country blue stain. I think.

And these are the varieties of specimen that I have bottled so far this year Left to Right:Whole tomatoes, halved peaches, Roasted Tomato Soup, pickled chile peppers, tomato sauce with aromatics, pear puree, and roasted totato puree. (missing apple puree and apple slices)
Yum! And so grateful for my kinds neighbors/friends/and family for the Lord's bounty this year!

Top Nine

I had a friend ask me for my list of must-haves for baby so I thought I'd share it here.

1.  Place to sleep. We love our bassinet that we had in our room for the first month, then moved to the closet. If you're not nursing and getting up to make a bottle anyway, I would put the baby in her own room after the first week or so. J is just starting to get too big for his bassinet at 13 lbs./3mos. We'll get him into the crib next month.
  2.  Burp rags. A couple dozen, a stack for each room. (Ethan-It seems like we got a lot, but unless you pin them to yourself they often get left behind when you move and then you don't have one when you need it, unless you have a lot and spread them around)
  3. Wipes- We got some soft washcloths and use them with warm water (E-it's less abrasive/startling, especially at first when we'd use a cold wipe he could cry, but he was fine with a warm cloth). Also, their first few bowel movements are pretty sticky, so it's easier to clean up with the washcloth than wipes.
  4.  baby shampoo/soap. Johnson's foaming soap pump (or one from Bath & Body Works) uses like 1 T. of soap and the rest with water so it lasts forever and is gentler on baby's skin. I also use this with my washcloth wipes. The pump makes it very convenient.
  5.  waterproof pads-we do most of our changing/feeding on our bed so one around to put over the sheet and one permanently under
  6.  couple changes of sheets for baby's bed- same as above. can layer pad/sheet/pad/sheet for quick night changes if bed gets wet.
  7.  Boppy-even if you're bottle-feeding. i use mine with this<http://www.pillowspillows.com/images/bed%20rest.jpg> kind of pillow. It really helps my back from getting sore while feeding/rocking/holding baby. I also have one Boppy upstairs for my bed and one downstairs on the couch. That way I can feed easily wherever I am.
  8.  swaddling blankets
  9.  Baby carrier - Wraps are perfect for tiny babies because they're very protective/supportive and hold the baby close to your body (e.g. Moby or Sleepywrap. E- or Megan can make you one) E-now that he's a little bigger I prefer the Snugli because it's more open and easier to get on/off (and it was cheap). I like having the carriers because if I need to be doing stuff, I can, but still have him close and take care of him. E-I actually wore him to work in the Snugli for a couple hours when Meg had something and he slept the whole time, even though I was moving and talking to people.

I'm learning . . .

• to sleep on my back if I want a morning nap.

• to sleep when baby sleeps.

• to sit up straight when holding/cuddling/nursing/rocking/wearing babe so I don't get a sore back. 

• to enjoy afternoon/evening walks with E and baby.

• that being a momma brings up a whole slew of  issues that you thought were long since dead and grown out of.

• that the Little Man is in charge.

• that in order to produce nutrient-rich milk I need to eat and drink nourishing things.

• to check the diaper when he's fussy.

• that I. was. made. for. this. Bring it on.

• to respect and look forward to doctor visits (even the painful ones).

• how kind and willing to help people are during this time. 
• to plan something to do everyday. (Today it's to adapt a cookie-bar recipe to a drop-cookie recipe.)
• to let go of checking blogs, facebook, and email everyday.
• to hand baby/laundry/dinner over to E when I need a break.
• that while my labor was not perfect, it was beautiful, blessed, and an experience to build on. (interesting article on this subject here)
• how to tell my birth story without glazing over unpleasantness, freaking people out, nor bragging about doing most of my laboring at home without medication.
• the realities of cloth diapering and what really works for us.
• that  while I'm quite old to be a first time Mormon mommy, there are plenty of advantages in Joshua coming at this time for us.

What I'm still at odds with...

• Doing everything one-handed.
• Fixing myself lunch.
• Letting others hold baby.
• Getting a shower and myself ready daily.
• How to get cute pics worthy of his cuteness.
• Encouraging E to go to work rather than squander the whole day at home with us.

Any suggestions?

Video of Joshua May 10, 2011

Baby hiccups...

Baby

. . . and it shall remain "baby" until at very least I am holding him/her in my arms and we find out what his/her name will be.
It's been a while since I posted an update on my pregnancy. Well, this arrived today.

I really like it. It's big. Holds a newborn up to 100 lbs, so hopefully this will be the only seat we have to buy. Speaking of buying, I scored this baby for $100 off, making it essentially the same price as an infant-only seat from Walmart. And it is n-i-c-e. I wouldn't mind a washable cover with velvety black fabric and tons of positions through pillows and recline. Especially now as baby is waking me through the night to let me know that my body is no longer as comfortable as a La-Z-Boy...
We also have a (borrowed) bassinet set up in the baby room to move to our room when we bring baby home.

 

Also, my cousin gave us a beautiful crib to use as well, but we won't set that up until needed.

The plan now is to sew a few more things to get ready to little ELM's arrival and paint a wall in baby's room. But mostly continue to get mentally/physically/spiritually ready for labor. I'm so looking forward to it. My mind just meets up with a brick wall to imagine what actually comes after baby actually comes out.

1. Are we still excited? Yes! Like I said, from the reading and preparation I've done so far, I am dreaming of labor and how beautiful it's process will be.I'm excited to the experience to bring E and I closer, and to watch a miracle happen.
2. How do I feel? Still puking. But not as much anymore, since I learned to improve my diet in relation to what nutrients I need in what quantities, and also drinking LOTS of water. Well lots to me, and I haven't had any swelling/water retention at all! My stress level has definitely decreased since making the decision to switch care providers. Again, thanks to my sweet chiropractor to referring me to our current one.
   
3. When am I due? Like I said in the beginning, the doc kept changing her mind. From the first ultrasound (the most accurate) it'll be the first week of May. Please don't ask. I am not being induced unless I am VERY late. And I expect to go at least a week 'late' letting my body and baby get ready on their own.
   
4. What are my thoughts about delivery? Things have worked out themselves very well in this respect. We will be delivering with a midwife in a birthing center close to our home. It is such a calm, private place with a very competent midwife to assist us. That's the most  beautiful part, that this decision has been E and I's. We will be doing the laboring together.
   
5. Is it a Boy or Girl? Still a surprise! Only the ultrasound tech saw, and I doubt she remembers. Well, her and all of heaven. We've narrowed our name list down to about a dozen per gender. I expect we'll whittle it down by half still, then wait to meet the little one.
   
6. Total weight gain/loss? I'm officially back up to pre-pregnancy weight and still have several pounds to go over the next 2 months. E took this pic of my progression on the wii.

 

 After battling with my weight the last few years, it's quite surreal to be told to increase my caloric intake and gain 15 more pounds! It's been a gift of this pregnancy to finally see myself as beautiful. To not see food as an enemy, or as medication. But as something nourishing for babe, and for me, and that junk food is really trash, not what God gave us to maintain His creation.

That's it! 2 months and our lives change. It's like the death of the shuttle program, only opposite. The birth of something new and eternal.

Inside activities to do with Babies & Toddlers

I doubt very much that this blog will turn into a "mommy blog", but as fate would have it, we seem to be headed in that direction, despite any protest from me...

From American Baby magazine (I would link you to the original article, but it's not on the website, just the physical magazine)
When it's too cold to go out and play . . .
Top Chef
Strap baby into the high chair and narrate while you work around the kitchen and host a cooking show for them. Offer baby a few sniffs from the spice rack. Let her watch you peel and core an apple, then boil it down for a snack. If they're old enough, have them stir up some pancake batter. Children are much more likely to try food they've helped prepare.

Garage Band
Scatter around shakers, wooden spoons, pots & pans etc and make up your own tunes to rock out.

Book Club
Make sure the books are age-appropriate.  Under six months, baby'll just like being held and hearing your voice. 6-12 baby will like to grab and mouth books so make sure they're tough cardboard or fabric. Over 12 months baby will start to understand what you're saying help flip the pages.

High-Chair Art
Finger paint with edible paint, yogurt and pudding are good ideas. You may need to demonstrate first.

Splish Splash
Wash away that yogurt and pudding with some water play. Toss in a few few toys that need a scrub and you'll have one less thing to do later.

Mirror, Mirror
Carry baby from room to room to see themselves in different mirrors, pointing out their facial features and making faces at each other. During tummy time place an unbreakable toy mirror under baby to encourage her to push up and watch himself.

Mini Maid
When you're cleaning up, giving your walker a small broom, vacuum or spray bottle filled with water to help "clean up" alongside you.

Maze Craze
Set up a fort with pillows, blankets and a tent in your living room to let baby explore. When babe gets tired, you can cuddle up together under the blankets and watch a movie or just enjoy being together.

Fluff & Fold
Let your tot "help" you sort your whites and darks. Then "fold" clothes together, separating baby's from Mom & Dad's clothes.

Play Ball
One your baby can sit up, sit across from him and toss a ball between you. Add a few more as he starts to understand the exchange.

Power Outage Tips

I didn't know where else to share this. There are several good ideas that I'm going to use.

When Is the Power Coming Back On?
by Pamela Parks
Being prepared for a power outage
 
Ah, the beauty of winter! The snow gently falling, the crisp
chill in the air, the frequent power outages... We get a lot
out here. The worst was a windstorm that left our metro-region
looking like a war zone, with downed power lines and no power
for eight days. Ever since then, I've been prepared for the
next "Big One," although thankfully our power outages only
average four hours. But those four hours can be mighty
irritating, if I am just preparing dinner and the kids are
hungry. It gets worse once the kids get bored. You know what
it's like to be on a long car trip with the kids chanting,
"Are we there yet?" It's worse when they ask, "When will the
power come on?" Much worse.
 
The first thing to think about is food. I cook everything from
scratch, but that is hard to do when you have no power. So I
keep an "emergency box" in the pantry filled with all the
convenience junk foods I wouldn't normally buy like cereal,
toaster pastries, and crackers. A few things we can heat on
the woodstove, such as canned pasta, canned soup, instant
oatmeal, and ramen. The junk food is a treat to my kids, who
never get to eat it otherwise, so there is less complaining
about the power outage and more celebrating. The junk food is,
of course, only purchased on sale and never eaten unless the
power is out. "I'm too tired to cook" days don't count!
 
The worst thing you can do to your food is to open your
upright refrigerator. All the cold air spills out.
Fortunately, I have a chest-style deep freeze. I went through
my "Once-a-Month Cooking" cookbook
<http://www.stretcher.com/r/672.htm> and selected things that
would be easy to reheat on the outdoor barbecue grill. I have
those dishes in a wire pull-box in the freezer. I yank the
entire basket out and slam the door, hoping the least bit of
cold air leaks out. Then the basket gets transferred to a
camping cooler. If the power returns before I cook every
dinner, oh well, I cook them normally. Don't re-freeze
something that's started to thaw.
 
No matter how cold it is outside, never move your grill
indoors! The carbon monoxide build up is undetectable until it
reaches lethal levels.
 
For light, we have sconces at strategic spots around the
house. (We made them by sawing a shelf into 5" lengths, and
drilling a hole sized to hold a tea light glass.) IKEA sells
100 tea lights for about $4, which is a lot of light for very
little cash. If you don't want sconces, at least plan ahead
where to place your candles, so that you can light them
quickly.
 
After food and light, the next big challenge is keeping the
kids entertained.  I'm trying desperately to run a paperless
house (ha ha), and I made the mistake one time of having all
the interesting craft projects on the computer. That's not
much help during a power outage. Now I keep a three-ring
binder on the bookshelf. It has craft projects, sewing and
knitting patterns, a list of radio stations (because who can
remember all of them?), and ideas for games to play. The kids
love the drama games that I stole from British Television show
"Whose Line is it Anyway?" and the list of "200+ Ideas For
Summertime Fun"
<http://www.stretcher.com/stories/03/03jul21h.cfm> that I
copied off of The Dollar Stretcher site. Also good are those
classic car games such as I Spy and 20 Questions.
 
My binder also has a "menu" for meal ideas and recipes for
things that are easy to do on the grill, such as Powwow bread,
camp bread, quick fried taters, refried beans, etc.
 
In the pantry box, snuggled among the junk food, we keep other
items so that everything is together. We keep a few book
lights, the kind you clip to your book so that you can read in
the dark, a battery-powered radio, and a packet of glow sticks
I got on sale at the dollar store after the 4th of July. The
kids love putting them on and dancing around when it gets
dark. Most important of all is a cheap flashlight for each
child. That changes the darkness into an adventure.
 
One of the most important things I have in the folder is the
phone number for the power company. They have a saying, "We
don't know until you call." They take power outages very
seriously, and their emergency line tells me what number
person I am to report the outage, if they know what caused it,
and if they have an estimated time of repair. After the big
windstorm of several years ago, we could see how hard the
utility workers were doing their job. 

P.S. from Megan-always keep a pair of shoes and flashlight at your bed, because disasters are most likely to occur at night and you need those 2 things! 

Day 2 of Christmas

Last night went pretty well as a beginning. I forgot that it was Cub Ssout Pack Night at the church so unfortunately, we never got to our after-dinner discussion/study. However, strangely enough, E walked in and said, "do you know the history of Hannukah?" Um, yeah, why do you ask? He had just heard a snippit on NPR on his way home about it. None of which was the same as I posted last night. I asked him to add it to yesterday's post, but we had some computer issues before bed, so it'll be in today's post instead.

Here is the loaf that I made last night. It was probably 2x too much for 2 people, as a warning.

 The seeded (with dinner, very yummy)

And the glazed. (which we were not in the mood for, due to a new cookie recipe, I think)

Here is the recipe for the one I made last night. If you're looking for an equally good, but more authentic recipe, I have made this one before with great success.

Tonight we'll have latkes with/for dinner. I haven't figured out what to serve them with. Probably just a spinach salad. E LOVES potatoes so they should be a success. I have also made blitzes from the same website that have large amounts of potatoes in them as well. Some recipes call for some sweet potato (in this case yam) to be mixed in with the regular. I'll probably do that.

The non-food potion of today's message will came form last night's missed course of study.  The NPR report reminded us that the 8 days of Hanukkah, and the lighting of the menorah candles is in commemoration of the miracle of the Jews returning to the temple (circa 2nd century BC) by Judah Maccabees and his army*. The rededication included lighting the menorah with 1 day's worth of oil. The miracle was that it actually burned for 8, giving the people time to press, prepare, and consecrate more oil for the burning of the eternal flame. 

What has the Lord done for us? When have been times of rededication for me, personally, that the Lord, Himself, has facilitated? To say nothing of what the temple has meant to me and my family. What are some miracles that I've been given, but haven't yet thanked the Lord for? 

The first miracle that comes to mind is the one that's causing me pain and distress at the moment. How can I thank the Lord for making me fruitful, to enjoy the blessings of posterity? Should/can the weight of my thanksgiving to Him match the immensity of this blessing? Or would daily prayer and striving to have a better attitude suffice? There will be some soul-searching journal writing tonight.

The only obstacle for tonight is that there is a R.S. activity. It'll be a miracle if A)I go, B)I don't throw up while there.  

Happy Day 2 of Christmas 2010!

*Another inspiring story that I learned from Living Scriptures. You can watch a little of the story on their site, as well as download a HUGE PDF activity book for free.

Our 25 Days of Christmas

To help us focus on Christ, and generally enjoy this holiday season, I've decided to do something everyday to help us celebrate. I will/have draw from many different traditions to do this so don't be surprised if there is something new or something you don't quite get. I'll try to post everyday, as a surprise to Ethan.

December 1-also the 1st day of Hanukkah (you'll see many Jewish-themed things (food at least).
I am baking a Challah (plural-Challot-that makes me laugh) to have with dinner. We'll read from the scriptures and other sources about bread, leavening, and the like afterwards. Half the loaf will be savory to go with eggs and bacon, and the other half will be frosted for dessert.
If you don't know the history of Hanukkah, I highly recommended finding a legitimate source to study from. It is a beautiful tradition and has quite a few similarities to our Latter-Day doctrine of Temples and the Second Coming. May we pray for that day and be found faithful to rejoice in it!

As I understand it, the menorah is a symbol of covenants (upside-down rainbow). The lights are the Light of God, and the tree shape symbolizes Eve, the mother of life, or Mary, mother of Jesus (as taught in 1st Nephi). Jews place these formerly temple-only decor piece in their windows to show that the temple (lost ages ago, yet restored outside of their faith later) stilll lives on inside each believer and their home. And that they count down the days (by lighting 1 candle a day) when the Lord may again abide inside and invite them to the temple once more.

Christmas is Coming!!!

I'm currently pining for the snow of Cache Valley winter's past. 

I found this sweet Christmas song and wanted to share it.

 Its Christmas time and soon I know I’ll see
Presents underneath the Christmas tree
Mistletoe and stockings in their place
Extra cookie out for Santa in case
But tonight I’m setting up the manger underneath the tree
And counting all the pieces as a question comes to me

Was he a boy like me?
Did he bounce on daddy’s knee?
Did he play games to make his mother smile?
As I place the final piece inside the manger scene
I wonder if he was a boy like me

Throw tinsel on it and some candy canes 
Turn on the hi-fi Julie Andrew sings
Jingle bells I wish some snow would fall
Say our thanks wish merry Christmas to all
But as I stare out the window at the Christmas star tonight
There’s a question I must ask you and I hope that you don’t mind

I knocked the wise man over when I put the baby in
I set him up so he could see the child once again
I fixed the broken shepherd so he could stand up tall
Looking in his eyes I think I see just what he saw

He saw a boy like me
He bounced him on his knee
They played some games that made his mother smile
As you place the final piece inside your manger scene
They wondered at this boy 
They gazed upon this gift
In a boy like me

Lead Me

This is such a powerful song for husbands and wives. I love it...putting our strength in God to do what He's asked us to. Here is the artist and his wife talking about the history of this song. I think everyone should hear it. I especially love the prayer at the end-a model for open, honest prayer, pleading for help from our Father. It's #22 on our playlist if you want to listen along.

I look around and see my wonderful life
Almost perfect from the outside
In picture frames I see my beautiful wife
Always smiling
But on the inside, I can hear her saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

I see their faces, look in their innocent eyes
They're just children from the outside
I'm working hard, I tell myself they'll be fine
They're in independent
But on the inside, I can hear them saying...

“Lead me with strong hands
Stand up when I can't
Don't leave me hungry for love
Chasing dreams, but what about us?

Show me you're willing to fight
That I'm still the love of your life
I know we call this our home
But I still feel alone”

So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me?

To lead them with strong hands
To stand up when they can't
Don't want to leave them hungry for love,
Chasing things that I could give up

I'll show them I'm willing to fight
And give them the best of my life
So we can call this our home
Lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Father, lead me, 'cause I can't do this alone

Mounds of Deliciousness

I LOVE anything chocolate and cinnamon. 

Recipe here.

Dyeing your hair at home

Note: I just noticed that 1/2 of the "happy girl" post was missing! Just fixed. Enjoy.
I've done this for several years and have never had trouble with it, so I thought I'd share my process if anyone cares.

1. When purchasing, first look at what price range you're comfortable with. Remember, a cut and color at a salon can range from $40-100 (in CV) so you're getting a deal on whatever you can find at the grocery store. Obviously, the higher-priced brands have more natural tones in them, are (usually) kinder to your hair, and will last longer. But, not all brands carry all shades. That said, I buy what's on sale and I have a coupon for. 
2. You're going to buy 2 bottles: One to match your hair exactly (this will help the new color blend in naturally) and the target color. If you have VERY light blond hair go one shade closer to your own. If you follow my advice, don't even worry about the "color chart" on the side. This is what they do at the salon and don't tell you. Plus you'll have your 2nd application all ready! Check if it's permanent or wash out. Buy your preference.

• Nice'n Easy by Clairol is my current favorite. Moderate price range and great features.Clairol has several types out there and this is probably their least expensive. Nice'n Easy has "Color-blend technology" which could be a gimmick, but I think it gives my hair very subtle and very natural variation. It also includes a bottle of color sealer/conditioner-enough for the six weeks between colorings. I often buy it separately because I like the smell of it and feel of my hair. Also, Nice'n Easy is not smelly at all, and the least itchy of all I've tried. 

 3. I buy a drop cloth from the dollar store when I do this. Remember these beauties? Well, I will NOT allow them to be adulterated.

4. Read your directions completely first. Wear an old BUTTON-UP shirt, not a t-shirt you'll have to pull over your head. When you mix up your color with the activator, just mix 1/2 of your color, and 1/2 of the target color. Then put the 1/2 full bottles in the box for next time. Make sense? P.S. I have never done the allergy nor the hair sample test, and have never had a problem (but I do have a little problem with patience), but you may want to. Oh, and start with dry, brushable hair. For me, that's 2 days after straightening mine. Only 1 kind I've bought had me start with wet hair.

5. Make sure you have everything set up that you'll need. You can't leave for about 30 min, so have it on the counter next to you. Grab a few hair clips (the dye just washes off mine), a comb, a dark towel/wash cloth, some cheap shampoo. The towel and shampoo are for wiping up splatters and streaks on your skin. The sooner you do it, the easier it will come off. You can put Vaseline on your ears and around the hairline if you wish. Again, I'm not so patient.

6. Put the gloves on and go to town! Don't be afraid of glooping it on. I have moderately long hair and I struggle with using the whole bottle. But do. At a salon, they'll often comb the goop into your hair, but I haven't experienced anything so painful and thusly refuse to so that at home. Again, I think being not-so-thorough yields a more natural product. On your 2nd time, just be sure to get your roots covered.

7. After reaching the time in the instructions, get in the shower and wash it out. I do use a little mild shampoo to help the goop get all the way out. Rinse until the water runs clear. Then condition if it came with some, or use your own.

8. After showering, I give my hair a quick trim in the sink. I find that with the combination of hair products that I use, I can often for months in between colorings. 

Please let me know if you have any questions and good luck!!

My hubby rocks!

Look what E did for me!! We had to mess up the house a little to be able to do it, but E put up some shelves in the "pantry" under the stairs for me! I love you honey!

All things in moderation . . .

. . . like chocolate. So here's my frugal kitchen tip of the day:
When I open up a bag of chcolate chips for chocolate chips cookies and other such necessities, I always dump in half the bag, grab a bag clip and toss it back on the shelf, Why? Oh, why would a chocolate enthusiast only use half a bag? Well, I never miss them, and I let the mixer go an extra minute to break up the pieces so they're more spread through. That's it.
P.S. Hershey's Special Dark Chips are the preferred bag around here.

Quick! Notice the "Baked Oven Fries" in my shared items up there under the banner? I'm making those. Like yum. Edit: it's farther down the list now, you'll have to to click "View All" to see it.

P.S. 2-I'm loving the new Michael McLean song "Hope Hiding There", #18 on the playlist at the bottom.

Welcome to our blog!!

This is where we share our news, photos, blessings, and happenings with you, our friends and family!
Duh. Well, we've been without internet since May of '09. We're all settled now in our new house and just had internet installed on Jan29th by Digis.
Here's some highlights from our blogging recess:

• Sold our Honda and bought my Mom's Camry
• Moved into our new home
• Traveled to St. George to enjoy Christmas at E's parent's condo!
• Ethan was called to teach EQ and me to be an assistant den mother to 17 Wolves in the Cub scouts!
  
• E went back in for surgery to remove some pesky scar tissue that had developed and hampered healing.
• Several of our married ward friends came to see our new house and with me Happy B-Day
• Went to nephew Ashton's 3rd birthday party
• Dinner with my family for my B-day-Man am I ever spoiled! Photos of presents to follow soon.

Thanks for your patience and I hope to make reading our blog worthwhile again (or for the first time?)

It's almost finished!!

We went out to our townhome tonight for a final inspection and "homeowner orientation". It was about 6pm and therefore quite dark outside. But here are some pics to tease, and hopefully inspire you to come help us move in! Oh, and visit anytime!! That is a standing invite. Thanks to all who've helped make this happen!
These are the gorgeous black walnut cabinets and laminate floor of the kitchen. We LOVE it! The open door is the laundry room. The range is a glass top with 5 burners (2 are large & small) with a convection-option oven.

The sink is called "Silgranite" and the faucet is a pull out with a steady stream and a stronger rinse (think adjustable shower head), and on off button all on the wand.
The fridge will go in the other blank space. It's a side-by-side with water dispenser. Wow. We
are excited!!

The dining room and entryway half wall south of the kitchen.

Stairway to the 2nd floor and "office nook" with CAT-5.
Living room windows. The. view. is. fabulous.

The upstairs bathroom. The handsome, dark countertop was a serendipitous mistake. We're so pleased.
The (corner of the) master bedroom.
This is my bathtub. the night we sign, I'll be making very good friends with this room.

Indian Summer: not generally a CV phenomenom

We're back!!! Almost a month to the day of our last post . . . I'm babysitting for a friend from church and she has let me use her internet. What a blessing, since ours has been down for the last few months. Some summer highlights: (What? It's not summer anymore? We graduated, remember? It'll be summer for us 'til the snow flies)

• Ethan giving our friend's baby a blessing


• Camping at Payson Lakes with E's family


• Getting some new dresses for MRSDresses


• Working on (and almost finishing!) the new kitchen


• The balloon festival at Wolf Creek with my parents


• Putting an offer on these gorgeous townhomes


• Teaching R.S. 4th Sunday lessons again


• Nauvoo roadtrip!


• Friends having babies

Maybe I'll get around to making actual posts about them, but probably not. But we ARE back.

Have a good one!