Happy Birthday Mom!!!!!

We love you!

Potty training has officially ended in my house.

I'm frustrated. I'm done.  I don't like feeling the way I do about this whole issue.   I don't care what anyone says or suggests anymore. Period.

I've been training her for me and everyone else rather than for her.   It is a battle for control that my daughter will win every time until she chooses to do so on her own, just like it was with my son.  I advocate choice so it should apply here as well, it's her body and she will decide when it is right.  Some days she feels like it and some days she doesn't.  She will eventually use the potty as all children do. I didn't meet any kids in high school in a diaper, did you?

I will not smack her butt. I will not yell at her.  I  will not make her clean up her own mess. I will not put her to bed with no dinner.   I will not tell her she's naughty and I will not make her sit in the mess and be uncomfortable.  I will not discuss it anymore, with her or anyone else. Period.

  What I am going to do is go on life as usual.  we will continue to buy princess pull ups.   We will read books about it and dance around like princesses in our princess outfits ( that I will promptly return to her closet). I will offer treats just because rather than using it as bribery.  I will continue to deal with poop and pee with a smile on  face even if I'm screaming  OH MY GOSH ENOUGH ALREADY! on the inside.  I love my girl and this is who she is right now.   If any one asks how she is doing my response will be " She's great". 

So rock on "Princess Kaiya Mae Poopypants". 

Rock on with your poopy self.

Love mama.

Will the toothfairy still come if you swallowed the tooth?

Yup, the longest "hangin' on by a thread" tooth finally came out last night sometime. We aren't sure if it is in the belly of the seven year old or if perhaps it is hiding out somewhere inside his bed quilts. We have had everyone under the sun offer to yank it out for him for the last three weeks. He thought about it long and hard and let a few people try. It just wasn't ready yet.

The toothfairy will be making her entrance tonight after the wee ones are asleep. Brian is praying for a big pay-off, however I told him of the toothfairy's price list.

1. $5.00 for the first tooth as those are super special and needed to grind down into a fine powder which is used like fairy dust, how else would she fly? He raised his eyebrows and I swear I was almost busted.

2. The second while still valuble at about $2.00, it just doesn't supply enough power needed to fly all over the world collecting lost teeth.

3. Finally the third and beyond teeth are only worth a buck. He wasn't impressed.



Thanks for reading. :0

The haul from the quilt show.

Kaiya and I had visited the local quilt shop the day  before heading to the quilt show.   Kaiya talked the ladies ears off before having a quilt rack  holding  10 bolts of fabric, fall on top of her pinning her legs.  She's fine and infact she's been bragging  up her bruise to everyone she sees.  Upon entering the quilt show I had  some ladies come up to me asking me how Kaiya was.  Apparently the "incident" was heard about by many. It traveled as fast as it would if you were playing the "telephone game"   I knew  she was a live wire that would make a name for herself.  :)

We  had a lazy day filled with  homemade cream of mushroom soup, pumpkin bread and then later we made Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  I had read about it during my morning reads and decided we had to try it.  I've never heard of them before and it really did peak my curiosity.  They turned out good, although the texture is a little more "muffin cakey " than "cookie crunchewy".  It took a few minutes to adjust.  The kids have determined that they love them but they can't be an " all the time cookie", because it just "too much all at once".  Seven year olds are very wise at times, and other time just wise asses.


While the kids, yes all three of them played games I  did clean up duty and worked further on the baby quilt.  It is working out nicely.  I have had a few bumps in the road, but not enough to deter me from finishing it.  I am very proud of it so far and will love it in it's new home.   I hope Jess likes it as I  have never met her and am unsure of her taste. It is very pretty and bright with cute little " baby like" design's on the retro 30's fabric.  It makes me smile to look at it, I hope it has the same affect on her.   I'll show finished pictures after it is received at the shower.  In the mean time I will leave you with the haul from the quilt show and our finished cookies.  I plan on using this to repair the family quilts and make a 30's style quilt from myself eventually.

Notice the red topped mushroom fabric! I finally have the match for my drunken gnome fabric.

South Jersey Quilt Show favorites.

So I was able to attend the South Jersey Quilt Show.  I was able to take a few photos , but honestly my eye was overtaken by the bright colors of the fabric at each of the stands that was screaming "BUY ME! YOU KNOW YOU WANT ME!"

Sunday family fishing.

Thanks for reading.

Sick kids.

Lil ' b woke up with a sore and scratchy throat.  I can't say that I'm surprised, as this is typical of him around this time of year.  Brody too is home sick and lil'miss just wants the extra attention so she is feigning ill as well. Right now all are  snuggled in their beds, reading books as I have banned the t.v. for a while .  I am going to take advantage of the quiet and try to finish up some more triangles for  another quilt, goof around on the internet.
Yesterday was an extremely hard day and my patience level maxed out by 11:00 in the morning.  We are in the trenches of potty training  again and I must admit that resistance is high.  I have been reduced to using  princess dress up clothes, skirts and dresses as bribery with miss to get her to use the potty as all other tried and true methods have failed.     She is a princess through and through so it was total devastation and hysterical tears  when I removed them all from her room in a trash bag.  She must use the potty to earn back an outfit complete with shoes and accessories.  So far so good.  In addition to this, she had 3 fashion emergencies  before we even made it out the door yesterday. We had taken a very nice walk on the beach looking at all of the  big fat jellies and many carcasses of horseshoe crabs of various sizes  that had washed up due to the rough surf.  It was nice.  We chit chatted about various things,  like she wants to be a mermaid and that I am her best "mudda" in her whole world. She also spoke of Grammy and Spike reminding me that we could drive there today and play with grammy's  magic wand and walk to the ponds with  "sssssss---PIKE" Oh if we could, that would be wonderful (love you guys)  It would have been nice to have them here strolling on the beach as well.   We walked home from the beach wandering the alleys and exploring the different gardens and flowerbeds that are starting to change due  and the new additions of mums and pumpkins.
Off to clean and sanitize the bathrooms and laundry. I hate it when the family is sick.

I love my early birthday Present

New quilt squares and twirly skirts.

 So I have been happily sewing and pinning and ironing fabric and new crisp quilt squares . Yes happily and ironing were both used in the same sentence.  :0   I finished up Brian's spiderweb quilt top and pieced back and have it pinned and waiting to be quilted.  I'm gonna let it sit  on the shelf ready to go while I  decide on a free motion pattern.  The more I keep thinking about it the more elaborate my designs get so I'm just going to go on to the next project.   I keep reminding myself to keep it simple silly.

My craft closet:


 I hit all the church rummage sales this weekend and have one more on Friday.  I have stocked up on all little girl t shirts, long and short sleeved, to attach to skirts bought and made.  Kaiya is still obsessed with dresses. They absolutely must twirl or they become unwearable heaps on the floor.   So I just decide to start sewing the shirts and skirts together to save money and time.  Most have turned out super cute and it has definitely cut down on the fashion crisises in my house.  Did I  tell you that Kaiya is only three and that most  fashion meltdowns happen before 8 am as we are walking half a block to the bus stop to drop off her older brother.  I need a crash course in Princess etiquette as well as her royal highness has let me know that my service is sub par.

I have been working on baby quilts and have almost one completed and another is in the planning phase as the sex of the little babe is still unknown and I'm not really excited about gender nuetral  quilts.   I am also dragging out the tote market Christmas crafts and going to start the craft a day calendar for the kids and myself  to start after this weekend. When it is organized and planned for we have a great time creating things at the table.   This years Christmas theme ( 2nd year running, thanks Ronna ) is "make it or bake it".  Brian is really excited as he learned embroidery this year after I read The Creative Family. He's gotten pretty good at it and it keeps his hands out of trouble!  Kaiya does it as well but I think she's happier stringing buttons and beads then making pictures with thread.  I must try and use up as much of my stash so that i can justify need to buy new and exciting fabric to start a new stash.  Brody doesn't get it or find it amusing but has admitted he likes to see me happily sewing and enjoying what I  sew or make while he can play video games during his much needed down time.  School and work are kicking his butt.

some kid love

So today I must finish piecing and basting the baby quilt, Potholders, switch Kaiya's closet from summer to winter clothing, finish picking out supplies for multiple twirly skirts for Kaiya and myself, hem 4 pairs of Brian's pants, make cream of broccoli soup, finish laundry , start craft a day calendar, KILL ALL THE FRUITFLIES, play go fish, read books dance around with a crazy 3 year old just like a crazy 3 year old, fill out insurance paperwork, pay some bills,  work on the website ... okay that's enough for now I better get busy!

Here's a sneak peak of my latest.

 
Thanks for reading.

Raiders first annual Alumni Parade.

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Last night's dinner was a success.

Pork loin, mashed potatoes and spinach sauteed with mushrooms & red onions .

Thanks for reading.