School

Andrew started Special Needs preschool at a public school a couple of weeks ago...and he LOVES it! A few people recommended that I get screened because of his speech delays and he was accepted. For children to be accepted in this particular program they have to have delays in two areas: for Andrew its speech and social skills...sharing, playing WITH not just next to another child, respecting the other students, etc.

The program is 5x a week and he gets to ride a bus to and from school. His favorite part I think. The class is small, only 6 students right now, but their capacity is 10. Three times a week a specialist works with the class, either as a group or in the case of the speech pathologist one-on-one.

I know he is not the typical special needs student and everybody keeps reassuring me that it's nothing I've done as a parent, but I am as happy as he is. I think boys, Andrew in particular, can use a little extra push when it comes to school. I think this extra year is going to benefit him now and in the long run. Another benefit is the time I get with Moo, Andrew had me all to himself for 18 months and I agree with those who say "if it wasn't for breastfeeding, my 2nd child would of never been held". Poor baby! Charlotte took the transistion harder than Andrew and me. Silly girl, she still sometimes cries when he gets on the bus. Today though, after he was gone she said "Let's go shopping!" LOL Loving the girl time we get now. And there are definitely no delays in her speech! She is totally a (shoe-loving!) girl.

Granny Stripe Baby Blanket

Super cute blanket, super easy pattern, yummy yarn! :)

The yarn I used is Bernat Softee Baby in Pink and Lemon. It probably took just about a half a skein of each color. The finished size is 26x26.

Here's the pattern from Attic24, I didn't do the last row of the edging, I love her's!:

And here is the super cute card I made to go with it:

I LOVE Walgreens!

After a disappointing shopping trip to Babies R Us yesterday, where they didn't let me use the "buy 2 packages of huggies (72 ct or larger) and save $10", I started scouring the web for diaper coupons, I was determined to get a good deal.

In one search, I found that in the weekly ad, Walgreens price for Pampers Swaddlers was 2/18.99 with a $3 RR. I thought it was pretty good, especially if you deduct my $5 rewards coupon. But I figured I could do better, and stack a manufacturer's coupon with it, searched all morning, couldn't find a thing...just before leaving, I checked my mailbox, what do you know? Pamper's coupons! YAY!

First transacation:

2- 40 ct. Pampers Swaddlers, size 1 (10.99 each, or 2/18.99)

a $2 manufacturer's coupon from the postcard in my mailbox

deduct $3.98 for buying 2

and deduct another $2/each! as an automatic manufacturer's coupon I didn't know about

tax was $1.48

and then minus my $5 WAG PROMO

I paid $8.48 and got: $5 off my next pampers purchase, $3 RR and 10 free pampers points to grow

2nd transaction:

1- 33 ct. Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive, size 1 (10.99)

deduct 1.99...must of given me the 2/18.99 price, without me buying 2 (awesome!)

(Hubby did this transaction and they told him he had to add something small to cover the difference...)

gum $3.79

2- candy bars $1.59

deduct $5 off from last transaction

deduct $3 RR from last transaction

deduct $3 manufacturer coupon (also from postcard)

and another $2 from that instant maunfacturer thing I mentioned above

tax was $0.74

He paid $2.12 and got $2 off next pamper's purchase and 10 more free pamper's points to grow

All in all: $10.60 for all this! If you deduct the gum and candy bars, I got 3 packages of diapers for $5.22 or less than $0.05 a diaper!!! So excited! And the diapers aren't even for my babies! LOL It's for a shower, so more exciting I think!

(If I'd done the 2nd transaction, I probably would of kept the $3 RR and not of gotten the candy. Then I would of done a 3rd transaction and used my remaining $1 off pamper's wipes coupon and gotten free wipes too! :) oh, well, he's learning. LOL)

St. Patty's Day

I had scheduled a playdate for St. Patrick's Day, but Charlotte got sick Wednesday evening, so we cancelled. :(

The craft:

The snack: The outfit:
The hair: :)

Corker Bows

I love these bows on my daughter and I've been paying $5/each for them. Well not anymore! :)

At Jo-Ann's today I got two 1/4" wooden dowels for $0.59 a piece and four rolls of ribbon totaling $2. I already had clothespins, so I was ready to craft!

Roll the dowels with ribbon, secure with clothespins. Toss them all in a pan, I lined it with parchment paper, but the instructions I found didn't mention any lining. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.

Let cool. (Took less than five minutes.)Unwind the ribbon and have a litte fun playing with the coils. :)Now this part is where I deviated from a lot of instructions I found: They say to wrap an elastic around the ribbons and hot glue down...well, my daughter showed me the errors of that method. I got her all ready to go somewhere, and in the car ride over she pulled out each individual ribbon from both pigtails. Hmph. Lil Stinker. So I took a needle and thread and went through all ribbons numerous times before hot gluing down.

(Excuse the model (me!), Miss Charlotte is with my sister for a few days, hence the time to craft!)

Crochet part 2

So one of my original pattern inspirations for learning to crochet was this little shamrock. I found it a couple of years ago (before Missy Moo came along).

Anyway, with St. Patty's day coming up, I thought it'd be perfect! I had to learn a new stitch, trc, but it was a cinch!

Here's my first attempt (on a can I covered with yarn):

Here's the 2nd, on a headband for Moo or Maddie, not sure yet:

Baby Gifts: part 1

My sister, Erin's, babyshower is tomorrow, the 27th. We'll be showering her with all things pink, ruffled and adorned with ribbon for the newest addition to the family (due 4/1), Maddieson.

I found some cute onesies on clearance, couldn't pass them up, so I threw them in with my handmade gifts.

Gift one (no picture) is a 8x8 scrapbook. I filled each of the 20 pages with pink, brown and green patterned paper. I also included coordinating embellishments.

Gift two is a hair "pretties" holder. I love it! (Mommy confession: my own daughter's pretties are in a wipe box! Have been since day one...26 months ago! LOL)

I better get on one for Missy Moo!

Linked this project up with:

Crochet

Hi my name is Chelsea and I'm a knitter. :) LOL I learned how to knit...almost 4 yrs ago and have made a dozen projects in that time. But from time to time I'd come across a crochet pattern that was just too cute! I really wished I knew how to crochet as well. So, while making an elefante for my penpal's new baby, I realized I needed to crochet those big ol' ears. Hopped on youtube and taught myself how to crochet! It is SOOOOO easy! It's so quick too! That was Tuesday night.

Last night I made this:

And tonight, a matching one for dolly:

Aren't they adorable together? :)

Valentine's Crafts

I finished a holiday craft BEFORE the holiday (and not the night before either. :)

I made this cute frame...(now to find a picture of my kidlets)

Supplies:

I forgot to take a picture before I started gluing...:)
Sorting the candies, and banishing the "reject" ones, lol. My helpers (they ate the "rejects"): At first, I was going to do one row of hearts...then I liked two rows... But I love the way 3 rows look:

This V-day picture was taken 2 yrs ago. :( My daughter was only 1 month old, Andrew was 2.25 yrs. :)

I got this idea from a Too Cute Tuesday post on Funky Polkadot Giraffe. When you click on the thumbnail it takes you to Simply Crafty. There's another version on a blog I already follow, Yesterday on Tuesday. Mine is a combo of the two.

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This is the base of my next Valentine's craft...but what to write on the side...my husband suggested Be Mine...I love it B. Mine :D.

NYE 2011

I went to a small gathering at Kayla's (my youngest sister) house last night. There were 7 adults and 4 kiddos (age 4 and under). Here are some pictures I snapped @ exactly midnight:

Kalvin (8 months)

Austin (21 months)

Charlotte (23 months)

Andrew (4 years)

I find it funny that the youngest is the most alert and happy (used to those late nights, I supppose) and it decreases as you go up in age. My sleepy lil boy crashed around...10:30 pm, I'd say. :) Charlotte crashed sometime after 1 am. I left at 2 am, and my sister was just then headed to bed with two still very awake boys. (Kalvin was dozing on and off all evening.)

My only resolution (which applies to MANY, MANY areas of my life) is to GET ORGANIZED. :)

Happy New Year 2011 everyone!