Stay at home WHAT???

Who ever came up with the name Stay at home mom was obviously a man who didn't stay at home. I have been running and running and running lately. Here's the run down:
Since Tegan is behind on his immunizations (another post), he is catching up on them one shot at a time. Which means lots and lots of visits to the peds office in Athens. So last Wed. started the mad rush and he got one of his much needed shots.

Thursday Rylee had a follow-up appointment at the urologist to find out her recent test results. We got there at 3:30 keeping our fingers crossed that we would get lucky and get called back by our 4:00 appointment time. At 4:00 they put up a sign on the counter that said that her dr. was running ONE HOUR behind schedule. We sat in the waiting room for an hour and a half before being called back only to have the dr. not speak to me but into his fancy little tap recorder the whole time. It was very awkward and I didn't know if I should look at him or look away. Anyways, Rylee has double kidney reflux and gets to take some great meds for the next six months.

Saturday Rylee went to a birthday party in watkinsville which resulted in me having to get up early on my sleep in day!!!! The party started at 10:00 so we had to leave here by 9:00.

Monday poor Tegan got the raw end of the deal with Rylee having kidney reflux and had to undergo the same test she did. It was bad enough for her but the whole catheter thing just seems worse for a boy. But no worries b/c he was going to be sedated and never know. WRONG!!!! Oh they gave him the sedation medicine but the problem was it didn't affect him one bit and they weren't allowed to give him anymore. They assured me that he would probably knock out right after getting the test started so I agreed to move forward. WRONG AGAIN! He screamed and me and three other nurses had to hold him down while one nurse took pictures of his body and the other was pouring warm water all over my little man trying to get him to pee! This went on for 15 minutes until I finally told them they had to stop. My poor man! We don't know his results yet, if they were even able to tell but either way, he won't be doing that again.

Tuesday I had a test at Athens Tech very early in the morning. I passed!!!!

Wed. Tegan had another shot. almost there.

Tomorrow (which would be Thursday if you have lost track) Rylee will be having her two bottom front baby teeth pulled. Her two permanent teeth have already come in behind those and those are in the way so they will help her "wiggle" them out in the morning at 9:45 am in watkinsville.

So...do you still think that I am a stay at home mom or what?!?!?!

Kids Clothes=Cash

So a few weeks ago I realized that I had missed the local consignment sell that I have once before sold my kids old clothes in. I kept looking at these piles of clothes and thinking that the local thrift store would be my easiest option to get rid of them. Then I remembered I had an ebay account. I took the clothes and put all the same sizes in stacks together and listed them in "lots" of boys and girls clothes. It was tons easier than tagging, hanging and delivering them to the consignment plus I got to keep all the money!!!! I think I will do this every year instead of doing the consignment sales. EASY doesn't even explain it.


Rylee's clothes proved to be the golden ticket bringing in a easy $91.00 plus $20 to cover the shipping!


These are Teg's 18 month sizes which proved to bring a little more money. The bigger the kids sizes the more people will pay! This lot brought yet another easy $41 plus $18 for shipping.


These are Teg's 12 month clothes. The smaller the sizes the less you get but at least I got something and got rid of them all at the same time for $17.00 plus their shipping cost.

I also sold a few other little odds and ends around the house, didn't get a whole lot for them but something is better than nothing these days! So let's recap...I made $149.00 easy dollars and got the clutter out, do you have any better ideas?!?!?

Ready to work!

Orange you praying for Stellan

UPDATE: Me and Teg made it on MckMama's blog!!!! There is actually two pictures, one of me and him and one of just him!!!! Oh, Stellan is out of surgery but that is all we know right now.





O.k. cheesy title...if you don't get it, the word orange is in the place of aren't! Anyways I am wearing orange today in support of Stellan. I sent in my picture but I am sure they have been so overwhelmed with "orange" pictures that it may or may not make it on the blog. She is approaching 10 million hits for her blog soon and I am sure she will fly right past that with all us addicted people refreshing her blog for updates on the little man. I think the world feels like Stellan is theirs and at this point there is nothing to do but pray really hard and trust that he will be just perfect! The most recent update was that there is fluid in his lungs and tissue. Sweet boy needs our prayers at this point. And so does his dr.'s! I really do wonder if that dr. is nervous doing a surgery this risky on a small baby like him or is he at peace! I pray for MckMama herself to be at peace!!!
For Stellan updates head over HERE!

To make then list or list then make???

Lately one of my big sellers (and gifts from me) have been these great little baby sets I make. I make a small blankee....more like a security blanket but also perfect to cover them up with in an infant car seat, then a matching burp cloth and bib. People really love them. My question today is this, do a lot of you make an item and have pictures of it, then sell it and just relist or list the item without it being made and then say that there is a two week time period before item is shipped. I would much rather have my items already made b/c well, I'm just that anal that when someone buys something I think it should be in the mail that very same day. But it really isn't cost or time affective for me to have a whole bunch of stuff made that just sits there waiting to be sold. Some stuff may never sell and here I am stuck with it and have wasted my time making it. Any one do it this way....sale then make there item???

Just Because...

Oops! I did it again...

or he did. I am accepting my mother of the year award tomorrow and heres why I am the weekly recipient. Earlier in the week Tegan was jumping on the love seat right beside me when suddenly he shot half way across the room and landed straight up and down in the middle of the living room floor. The only problem with the straight up and down part is that it was his head that was down!!!! He cried immediately which my best friend assured was a good sign but it took him some time to be able to walk again...about 15 minutes but that is a long time when that poor actress that just died from falling on the bunny slopes is playing over and over again in your head!!!
Then today I was walking out to the mailbox. When I headed in that direction Tegan was right on my heels but at some point he made a U-turn and headed for the porch which was fine...the further away from the road the better. He got on his little ride on tonka truck and just drove it right off the four steps on our front porch. His forehead hit the third step, he then flipped over and his back hit the first and second steps. It was traumatic to watch so I can't imagine what it was like for him. Needless to say he looks like he got in a fight and lost!!! There are no pictures b/c I do not care to document my inabilities to parent a little boy at this time! Apparently I am better at Girls.

The brutally honest

So what was I saying, (part 2 to the visions of sugar plums post)Oh yes that's right, Oprah. Well on that same show of so funny moms talking about their horrible mothering mishaps and there hopes to be super mom there was also a segment about what was the one thing no one every told you about motherhood that you quickly learned. I laughed out loud when one mother's answer was that no one ever told her that she would hate her husband on a daily basis. Oh come on, don't act like you don't. I will be the first to admit that at least 3 or 4 times a week I call my husband a sperm donor....not to his face of course, only to my dearest friend...and maybe one or two of my sisters. Anyways, I don't actually always put it in those exact words but you get the point. I digress over and over again with this one. Anyways I was thinking about that whole question of what did no one tell you before motherhood? I got it!!!! I remember the day Rylee was born and they told me to keep up with what time I feed her and write it on that neat little dry erase board so I wouldn't forget. I also remember tearing up when the nurse tells me that I have to feed this creature every THREE HOURS! I was sure she screwed that one up and meant to say that I only need to feed her THREE times a day. EVERY THREE HOURS FROM THE START OF THE LAST FEED! Yes of course I heard the horror stories about how I better get my sleep before b/c I wouldn't afterward but I honestly never realized that I would actually have to get up and feed this tiny thing. I became obsessed with that demanding feeding schedule and felt like if I left my house it would be for no more than 2 hours at a time (yes I bottle fed...let's not get in to it) for the REST OF MY LIFE! I'm still not sure why a baby can't just eat three times a day and just eat more at those times but I did what the nurse said and somehow I survived (and so did she?) but I must admit that I love to love on and hold a little baby but I don't miss babyhood at all!!!! O.k. maybe a little but that's just b/c they are so cute but then you can take them home with you when I am done.

And visions of Sugar Plums danced in their heads...

So last week I watched this brutally honest Oprah show (you may have heard of her) that was the truth about motherhood. It definitely had me laughing b/c although sometimes it doesn't feel funny to me when I cut corners or fall apart, it is funny to hear other peoples stories and feel like I can relate.
For me the truth is pretty simple. I'm not sure I am so nice when I have been stuck at home all day with a screaming almost 20 month old and then go to sit in a long line of cars to pick up a sweet little girl whom when we get home will whine the word mama over and over and over again!!! Wow that was a mouthful.
I remember the whole time I was pregnant with Tegan just begging Paul to let me stay at home with him. I had this vision, you know the one, where we would sleep late (o.k. I do that) and I would be so well rested. I would have a perfect house and cook huge meals. Recently I read on another blog about coming out of the newborn fog, well I ask you this...when will I come out and did I mention my youngest is 19 months old????? I still fill like the fog has not lifted on most days. My house is a wreck, there's not much cooking, I would rather be beat than going to the grocery store or walmart with my little guy and some days I'm not sure if I brush my teeth and get dressed until 2:00 when it is time to go get Rylee! Don't get me wrong I love to be home with him but that is mostly b/c I just don't want to leave him with anyone else. Most of my issues have been the walls closing in on me and its not exactly how I imagined it and oh let's not forget that I never ever get off of work...ever! I have recently realized that I am not very organized and suck at time management which are two qualities one must have to stay at home and ever get anything accomplished!
So I am sorry to say that if have the dreams of staying at home with your little one, seek out the reality and don't have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head!!! You will be disappointed if you do!!!

Hump Day Feature....

So let's change it up a little this week (o.k. so every week) and do the feature on hump day! I promised this seller I would do her feature last week and somehow time just kept going by....I'm still not sure how that happens.

So here she is:

HazelnutDesigns's

I've loved making handmade things since I was teeny-tiny. I've been trying to indulge this passion more and more over the past 4 years and have picked up crochet, quilting, and sewing! When I'm not at work (medical insurance - yawn) I'm usually off to the local fabric & craft stores to oogle the newest and brightest goodies I see... then home to test my ideas.
I live with my non-crafty Electrical Engineer husband, Justin... and our little puppy dog, Hazel. (She's a poodle mix which means she doesn't shed!) While I'm upstairs sewing or crocheting, Justin is shooting things up in World of Warcraft or whatever it is he plays.

I have a brand new Janome sewing machine, which I LOVE LOVE LOVE and don't remember my life without it... ok, I do. I did a lot more crocheted items back then :) I put lots of love into each item I make, and hopefully it shines through. I call Etsy my "hobby" for now - but who knows?... could I actually MAKE money doing this some day? Time will tell.

What a great bio from this weeks feature! Now let's see some of her great items...

Tree Blanket - Robert Kaufman fabric - Green and Brown - Baby or Toddler size - Gender Neutral


Clutch Bag - Marimekko Poppy



Baby Blanket Toddler Blanket - Crocheted - Orange - Gender Neutral - OOAK

I think it is safe to say that my favorite is the Tree Blanket pictured first. I love it!!
Our feature this week just returned from a mission trip so let's give her some welcome home love and shop her etsy shop!!!

Two by two

I have noticed lately that I work in two's! I have two kids, I have two blogs, I have two etsy stores and I am taking two classes at a community college.Oh and I almost forgot, I have a husband who works two jobs which leaves me alone with these two children all week while trying to find time to update two blogs, keep up with two websites and take two college classes. The only thing I am missing is two husbands and I think that would throw me over the edge. Not that all these two's aren't already doing that! But I must admit that I have been neglecting my first love, sewing. There just aren't enough hours in the day to keep up. I have on the other hand been getting a pretty good response from my fabric, you know if you consider making enough money off of about 30 yards of fabric to be able to feel up your car with gas one time(only to drive to and from the post office shipping those items) a pretty good response. But hey, we are all looking for money in any corner we can find it in.
Let's see....were did my point go, Oh yes my point was that if you ever see that I go a week without updating just send a few good thoughts my way b/c obviously all these two have eaten me whole!!!!
Hope everyone had a great Easter now let's start getting those shops ready for Mother's day (I promise to add a few hand sewn things soon...maybe)! List your etsy shop, website or blog in my comments, you never know when someone will see it, follow the link and buy something!!!! Happy late Easter!

Sad attempt to make Easter Pictures

The Best picture of the day!


Tegan: I'm not doing this! Rylee: Just stand still and get it over with!


Tegan was in mid swing on his way to hit me, which then turned in to a spanking!




Open your eyes Rylee!


Look this way Tegan!





Finally one without the dang pink sweater!

Egg Hunt

This is the church Easter Egg hunt. I promise there were other kids there but somehow I managed to get pictures without any of them in the background. Sorry about the last five pictures...I forgot that my picture settings were changed and it just takes to long to download pictures to go back and fix it.

On the run!!!



Let me see what you got in your basket!

Dear Son,

I am the woman who on a daily basis feeds you, holds you down to give you a bath and practically sits on you to brush your teeth on a nightly basis. I wrestle you like a man wrestling a bear to get you in to your clothes every morning and pj's every night. I have allowed you to pee on me and spit up on me on a regular basis. I listen to your screams if I don't sit still in the middle of the living room floor like you would like ALL DAY LONG. I catch the flying groceries that you chunk from my cart all the way through the grocery store all while receiving awful stares from strangers who have obviously never had kids.
So I ask you this my sweet son, why this week while Rylee is on spring break, which means that me and Rylee get to sleep as late as we would like, do you choose to wake up at the crack of dawn!!! When Rylee has school and I have to get up, you like to sleep until 9:00 every morning but not this week. You then proceed to throw your pacifier out of your baby bed and stand there screaming BABABABABABABAB!!!! Which is what you call it, only it will not come to you like a dog so then you start to scream with a force that will drive any overtired mom out of bed for fear that you are hanging by your toes from the ceiling only to enter your room and see you standing there with not a tear in your eye and a huge smile on your face and wanting your pacifier which you threw out just to have an excuse to cry.
Dear son as I chase you through the house tonight after your bath while you are naked and attempting to mark your territory with a steady stream of urine please just wear yourself out enough to sleep a little later in the morning!!!!

So far so good

So far I have been doing pretty good with my fabric shop. I mean I'm not blowing the doors off with sales by any means yet but I do have a few sales in my shop which makes me very happy. Most of them have been special request for certain orders. I have almost sold enough to place another fabric order already and this time I plan to place an order for Amy Butler fabrics.
My problem is that I still don't really know how or where to advertise my fabric shop so I am looking for ideas! Maybe some blog features, I don't know if it helps to be on a street team, etc....???? Any Help?

Simple fabrics is the name, shopping is the game!

A whole new shop

So since I am addicted to fabric I have finally started buying more and adding more fabric sold by the yard on my website. Only it was starting to look a little cluttered and distorted (?) in there so I decided to separate it and have two shops. Here is my new fabric shop Simple Fabrics.

Thursday Feature

I always love finding features for the week but I just seem to look at them all to long and totally run out of time!

So here she is...(we need a guy one week)

Works of Art by Sara

Profile:
Hello, I'm an artist living in the beautiful state of California with the best boyfriend, one could ever have; and my lovely lazy cat.
Art has been my life long passion. I have been fascinated by color from the time I arranged my first 36 color set of markers according to hue. Memories of childhood walks in the park are filled with awe of the bold colors. I have my BA in Art and love all sorts of arts and crafts. I paint what I love, feel, or need in life and what I find intriguing. I love colors and try to play with them. My art is always in changing, growing and experimenting. Continually capturing new forms, styles, experiences in a variety of mediums. I have a passion for life and the works it inspires. I have both an emotional and spiritual connection with each piece I create.
To find out more about me, please visit

My website : www.worksofartbysara.com
My Blog: http://worksofartbysara.blogspot.com/

O.k., so I the blogger, have a huge attraction to her art work of this little girl! So that is what I am focusing on. You can't help but love these.


ToadStool Cutie


Honey... Bee


Garden Path


How can you not love this artwork!!!! It is so awesome. Stop by and visit her shop soon!