The BIG GIRL Bed!

Last night was babybee's first night, and there were no hiccups! Hmm, she sure is a good kid, which makes me falsely believe that all kids will be this way;) We were planning to have another, but since the company I have worked for for the past 12 years is shutting its doors on us I suppose another child is not the best idea. Though it ultimately depends on what I can find out there after November 11th (my last day of pay-though I have been asked to stay until August 31st so at least I will get a bit of time to figure things out without having to worry too much).

Hmmm, anyone else's kids obsessed with Thomas the Train? Babybee cannot get enough of late, and likes to call herself Thomas when playing pretend:)

the wonders never cease

So, babybee has entered a new phase: story telling:) She will grab any book, magazine, paper, or notepad and ramble for a good 15 minutes or more. She tells some pretty elaborate tales too. If you miss something and ask her to repeat, she will, and exactly as she originally told it! Not too bad for a kid who isn't quite26 months yet. James and Percy usually make it into any story, along with our cat Jones. Thomas pops up too:)

She has also found her word of the week: still. Everything is "I still want this", "I still want that", "Are we still going to see stuff (shopping)?" Her other favorite thing to say is "I don't mean" when I misunderstand her and repeat something wrong, or if she's teasing me by saying one thing and then changes her mind, lol.

coupon code for my etsy shop

So, for all you wonderful people who stop by, either for just a peek, or to return again and again, here's a coupon code for my etsy shop. It's good for 25% off :) YAY!

Coupon code is:
bloggerlove

Just go here , and voila! I will even accept the code on custom orders, but it's up to you to type it in at check-out. There's pretty well no limit to what I can make you from banners, cupcake toppers, novelty coasters, notecards, all occassions cards, ready for photos albums.... etc:)

I look forward to seeing you all there!

Wow, time flies

I haven't posted in a while and haven't had much time to feel guilty about it. Babybee has been sick with a crazy fever, is going through a terrible monster-type phase, is learning faster than I can sustain, and work has been pretty crazy. There's been little to no crafty time lately either, which makes me very edgy.... I need that time to unwind and create:( I'm waiting for my sister to have her 2nd baby, who is due on the 4th, but seems to like the view in her womb;) (all puns intended!) Crazy because her first daughter was born on the 5th, and will be turning 6. I still can't believe that one!! Well, off to clean and get babybee's things ready for another day at aunty's having fun:)

Croup, you evil bitch!

Thankfully it is all said and done, but wow, what a horrible thing for your child to go through! 3 ventilin treatments and a week at home:( She came down really hard, two hours and she was sicker than I have ever seen a child! Babybee was a trooper, and other than not eating or sleeping, she didn't put up too bad a fuss. The nurses in the ER were awesome, and even gave Babybee a teddybear:) Let's hope this never happens again (but I hear that probably won't be the case)

Oh how does one cope?

So, we need a new daycare, again! My sister has said that she will take babybee starting next Monday when she goes on mat leave:) My only concern is whether or not it'll be too much once the baby arrives early in March. Babybee is by no means a terrible child, but her insatiable appetite for learning and reading and playing may be a challenge:P The previous daycare (from which I kept her home today, after what Daddybee said about yesterday's drop off ~ babybee was asked if she wanted to play with the other kids and when she said "no" the daycare person threw her arms in the air, walked away, and said "fine, stand there and cry, I don't care") clearly has no interest in nuturing a child, understanding each one's needs and insecurities, or having a structured environment to let them learn and grow in. There's gotta be something wrong when your child begins hysterically crying when the look down the driveway of the daycare!

I knew it wasn't good

when babybee wasn't eating or sleeping right. Poor thing seems to have a flu. She got sick for the first time today, and has had foul breath since yesterday. Nothing like curdled milk out the nose to make a baby scared! She has been all snuggles and I don't mind that part one bit:), oh, except for the getting sick on me part, gross:( Today was all about crackers and rice cakes, yogurt, and bananas. Any other tummy remedies out there (that don't include added sugar)?

Today was an epic fail

and I have no one to blame but myself. I was going to make cards, because I have no birthday or baby cards in stock, and I copped out after only making 2!!! I am just so darn tired, and am having a lot of trouble focusing on any one task for more than an hour:( I never thought that being a full-time Mom and working full-time would be this hard. Maybe I just need one full nights sleep and one good day at work? Insomnia is back and the work load is insane this week.... almost too much for one person to do actually.

She knows WHAT?

So, babybee  apparently knows the entire alphabet! I'm not sure when that happened. DaddyBee bought her a leap frog pen and some books, so she has been quite occupied with those since Friday! I always sing it to her, and we play letter games with her books all of the time too.

I am however, very sick of the "rubber duck" song from sesame street!!!! I've had to hear it at least 2 dozen times this weekend:( I found myself humming it earlier, which is really NOT cool.

Yesterday's breakfast was french toast using multigrain bread, 4 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tbsp. sugar and 2/3 cup milk. Topped with homemade applesauce, canned a couple weeks ago, maple syrup, and sugar snow (powdered sugar).

Hmmmm, I think I have finally figured out how to post photos! Duh:P I have made some yummy stuff lately and have taken pictures.

Chocolate chip cookies which you can get the recipe for here and here's the photo:

New paper shipment:)

I am sooooo excited that my new paper has arrived!!!! I have two new craft projects for this weekend and I can't wait to start. Check things out by following my link:)

Hope to see you there, and we will always have give-a-ways and great deals!

This is the latest creation, and I am VERY pleased with the results!

Here's the whole banner!

Here's the close-ups!

You can see more of Crafty Sisters stuff here

The wee little monster:P

Well, the past five days have been, ummmm, well, TERRIBLE! Babybee is miserable. She's having temper-tantrums, throwing things at me, yelling at me and ignoring all of my requests to not do these things. I am fairly certain that those demon-spawned eye teeth are to blame, and I am also fairly certain that she is going through another growth spurt. I have NEVER seen eye teeth that long or sharp! They actually scare me a little bit! I hope it passes soon, and that she is not in too much pain.

Pear upside-down cake:P

So, I had a sweet tooth tonight and decided to use my very first jar of homemade pears. I canned them all in apple juice and they are yummy! Babybee agreed too, as she gobbled some up before bed:) Then I decided they needed cake.... most things are better with cake! Here's what I did!

Heat oven to 350*

Generously grease an 8 or 9 inch square, glass cake pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar. Line the pan with a single layer of canned (or fresh) pear slices. Prepare any white or yellow cake mix, but use pear or apple juice instead of water. I made a white cake from scratch, add added extra vanilla:) Pour the batter over the pears. Sprinkle the cake batter with 2 tbsp. sugar and a bit of cinnamon. Bake until cake is done (usually 35 minutes). Cool on a rack for about 1/2 hour and enjoy. I think it would be great with a bit of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

chocolate chip cookies

I've never been a fan of recipes, so I pretty much just wing it! I haven't made fresh cookies in a while so today was the day. It's raining and gloomy, so some fresh and gooey chocolate chip cookies were calling our names! Here's my "un"recipe.

3/4 cup melted butter/margarine
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (I use pure cane)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
4 tsp. vanilla (use the real stuff... PLEASE!)

Mix together until nice and fluffy.

2 1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (trust me, it's FANTASTIC)

Blend dry ingredients then add to wet. When almost completely mixed add 1 1/2 cups chips. Use what you like! My fave is 1/2 white and 1/2 dark, but today was all milk:) Drop by heaping tbsp. onto sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

ENJOY!