still enjoying summer time...

Just look at my silly little guy, straw hat in all. He wasn't helping me clean much, but I did get this goofy photo to use against him someday.


Here are the photos from the previous post that did not get uploaded...
Hunt's Birthday card to Emma and his hand prints.


Goodies daddy bought the babes at the Hunter's Extravaganza.

Emma's 2 re-purposed pillow case dresses mama made. The first photo is of a pocket I put on one to cover a stain.


The old antique baby doll that I just love, even though it seems at times a little creepy.

Here's the cradle I purchased from an antique store for the baby doll. It's a tad too little though, but still cute(and sturdy...a plus)And inside the cradle the baby rattles I made and embroidered. The middle bear is the one Hunt had to have.


We followed the sunshine outside a couple of days last week...

To do some workbook pages...


And try our blueberry granola we purchased at a health food store...


And to read some of Hunt's new Ranger Rick magazine. We learned about cougars...


2 weekends ago the three(errr 4) of us decided at the last minute to head out to the lake for a restful weekend. We hung out and relaxed. Kell and Ken couldn't make it, Ken's been really bad sick.
I found a good little consignment/junk store in town. It had some great prices and I'll be going back next trip to the lake. I bought Hunt a old-ish metal and plastic fire truck and Emma a little shirt and bird picture for her room. I paid $6.00 total.
Mama worked on some embroidery...

Hunt played with a "new-used" fire truck...

Hunt did some swimming...

This was mama's view that day...

Hunt practiced his floating...

We found a baby ladybug(that's Hunt's finger that it's on)...

More swimming...

And some rock collecting...

Chewed some grass...

More playing with rocks...

Dug in the dirt...





The previous Monday Hunt and I made some stops at a couple of health food stores. I wanted to pick up some calendula and check on a few other things. So we came home with the calendula, some blueberry granola mix(see photo of Hunt giving it a try above) and some organic lolli pops. I thought we did really good and behaved ourselves. I saw several things I wanted to get, but refrained. Hunt tried one of the lolli pops and it was surprisingly really good! There are 4 flavors in all, so we'll see how the others taste.

::GREEN MAMAM ::
So to update you on the wipes solution I made...
I've been using it on Hunt when I need to help him wipe his tush. And it's been working great! Like I stated before I think maybe half the recipe amount of oil would be good still, but even the full recipe amount isn't too oily and super.
And it's been about a week since I filled my container with the towels and poured in the solution and it still smells fresh. (The recipe did state that after a week or so it may start to smell musty and to discard and make a new batch) (or if you are using the spray affect or storing it in a bottle then putting on the towels as needed it should last longer)
The new experiment I'm currently trying is a laundry detergent. Made from 4 simple and fairly cheap things. I've used it on a couple of batches of laundry and it seems to be doing good. I have not however used it on whites yet, so to me that will be the test! Also, I'm still in limbo on trying the fabric softener idea I read about. I guess If I have a problem with static and softness, I'll give it whirl.

Another new thing we started in our home last week was chores with Hunt. He earned some allowance money for cleaning up his room, help setting the dinner table and helping with trash. We will be adding more, but this is a start to see how it will work out, or if we need to change something.

Also here are a few photos from a couple of weeks ago of Hunt doing some sewing outside. No we aren't crazy and just went outside to sew! He played with his trucks to!




He also got to try a new sweet treat...Lik M Aid! I wouldn't normally let him have candy(only every now and then, not often AT ALL), but this was given to him and he had been a very good little guy that day. He thought it was ok. He dipped it about 10 rounds and then poured the powder out on the ground(for the birds he said). I was a little sad because mama loves sour powder and I sure would have liked it ...oh well I didn't need it anyway right?!





::PREGNANCY NEWS::
Not an attractive photo, but here's mama at 31 weeks...

Growing bigger all the time...and not just the belly(ughhh)!
And now at 32 weeks...

At least I have more clothes on huh?...
My last OB visit was the 28th. No good sono pictures to share this round either.
Little Miss Emma is 4 pounds 15 oz. And believe me I can feel every bit of that extra weight while...bending over, doing laundry, many trips to the potty, sitting. Just about all the time. Sitting is difficult because she wants to lay so high, just under my boobs it seems.
She's growing nicely and my blood pressure and glucose has been pretty good to. The following visits they will be checking my cervix...oh joy!!!! Can't wait!!!

finding some time to update...

look...I managed to make it back to blogger...

Not totally up to date, but I needed to post this blog I've been working on since the 18th I think and now it's the 25th!

It's not that we've been doing nothing, oh no.... it's that mama has been very busy and tired! But what's new huh?

I'm trying some new things in an attempt to be a more "green mama".
I'll entitle this trial section of things..."Green Mama"
And from time to time I will post "green" things, or a better way of doing everyday things.
::GREEN MAMA:::
This time I made a batch of homemade cloth wipes and wipe liquid...also trying disposable wipes(aka thick paper towels) with my liquid. I went by a recipe I found, but I feel that the baby oil amount in the recipe is too much and seems a bit too oily. So, next time I'll day half of the required amount. And it smells really nice! Plus cost WAY less than buying wipes at the store. Not sure if I'll do it permanently, but I'm willing to give it a try.

Last Wednesday I took Hunt over to my cousins house to go swimming. He had a fun time with the kiddos and mama got a little break for a while. I stayed inside and chatted some with my cousin while they played in the water and HEAT!





Last Tuesday I registered Hunt for Pre-K/Pre-school classes. He'll be going 3 times a week for a few hours each day. As some of you know we do workbooks, Montessori type activities and reading phonics at home as well as other "school" related stuff at home, but I wanted him to try out a little more structured enviromet. And be around children his age a few times a week in a class room setting. We'll see how it goes. He will be in a class with 4 and 5 year olds. We meet the teacher Aug. 31st and he starts classes on Sept. 8th. I just hope he behaves himself!
I can't believe in a year he will be starting kindergarten...sniff, sniff! My baby is growing up so fast and getting so independent! Where has the time gone?

::PREGNANCY NEWS::
I'm at 32 weeks now. Little Emma is around 3 pounds 12 ounces. My last OB visit, last Friday went well. I only got one good sonogram pic this time and it's of Emma's little foot.
My tummy is growing bigger of course...along with other parts of my body. It will be worth it when I get to meet little Emma and welcome her to the world.


Hunt had his Siblings class at the hospital on the 15th. It was a cute class, but a little different than what I expected. The kids traced their hands to compare with the new babies hands. And also made them Birthday cards...too cute. On Hunt's card he drew a picture of Emma and wrote her name on it. He also added some stickers to it. I thought it was a cute idea! After their cards were made and hand prints drawn, the kids all sat down on a blanket on the floor and each got a baby doll. They learned how to put on a diaper, a tee shirt, a baby cap and wrap them up in a blanket. It was so cute to watch them, especially Hunt and the other two younger kids. I wish I had taken my camera! I could kick myself for not doing it! It was comical! All the children also learned about objects that were too small or ok to give to babies. Next we got to go to the labor and delivery floor and see where mommy will be having the new baby. The women's wing of our hospital is new, so it was REALLY nice! Then we went to where the rooms are and got to check out what they looked like...also very nice!

As soon as the class was over Hunt, daddy and myself headed to the Hunter's Extravaganza. As you may remember, hubs is into hunting. So this once a year event was a must. Of course Hunt enjoyed it too! He was acting a little rambunctious, what with all the neat stuff to look at and such...what did we expect! Hubs was a little upset with him, but I kind of understood why he was acting the way he was.
For dinner after the show we meet Steph at Los Vaqueros...ummmm, ummm good!

Last Sunday Steph and I made a trip to an antique mall and I picked up a few goodies...(photo coming soon)

A baby doll cradle, a rolling pen and some children's books. Hunt picked out a small truck.
Hubs went out to the hunter's show again...with a friend and without Hunt this time.
And look what he came home with...(photo coming soon)

How thoughtful of him to buy Hunt and little Emma some goodies!
Thanks daddy!
And of course I HAD to make Emma a bow out of the pink camo ribbon to match her onesie. i found this ribbon a Wal-mart.(photo coming soon)

Last Sunday, the 16th, we went to hub's parents to have dinner and celebrate his brother and our sister-in-law's birthdays. Hub's mom fixed brisket, sausage and chops. It was all really tasty! We got to see little cousins Mick and Rylie. Hunt and Mick had a fun time playing together.

Oh and I've been making Emma a few rattle type stuffed toys. I got the idea from a site called Wee Wonderfuls. On the site I found the pattern for the embroidered rabbit and bear rattle. So from there I made a snail and mushroom. Just some cute ideas I came up with. All are stuffed and have bells inside except the mushroom, it's got a rattle type thing inside. I do see now that I need to work on my embroidery...a lot! After I made the first two(bear and rabbit), Hunt wanted one. So I made him one to, a bear also. (photos coming soon)

Also a couple of weekends ago we had a lake house weekend with Kell, Ken, Steph, James and Nick. It was a super fun time hanging out with my two great friends and their families!!!
We rode the boat, made a trip to a few fruit stands and fixed a yummy steak dinner...Thanks Nick for bringing the steaks! Hunt loved having everyone there and just loves James! He got to stay up late one night and watch "The Iron Giant" with James. I think it's in his top 5 movies now!
Here are some photos of the weekend, mostly on the boat, swimming and tubing...

















Well I was having trouble uploading some photos, so some are missing out of this posting. Labled (photo coming soon). I'll post them next round. That is if I don't have problems again...ughhh!