Cloth Diapering

I love love love cloth diapering.  At first, all the choices were so overwhelming I wasn't sure it was something I wanted to pursue.  I finally commited and clicked the checkout button.  We've gotten most of our stuff from Kelly's Closet and Green Mountain Diapers.  Kelly's Closet always has promtions that give away free dipes with a purchase.  That's how I found one of my favorite brands.  We currently are using BumGenius, Fuzzibunz, and IttiBitti, but at first we used Thirsti covers with Green Mountain folds because she needed to be changed more frequently. 

So, I could list 100 reasons I love cloth, but I'll just stick to three.  One, they are the best accessory!  Now that it's summer, a comfy dress with a matching dipe never gets old.  Two, doing diaper laundry is actually not so bad.  It's actually my favorite type of laundry.  Sorting, stuffing, and folding is really theraputic...I even put Molly to work.  And three, I feel like I'm setting a good example.  I hope one day the girls will understand the importance of reusing when possible.

Fabric Circle Mobile

I thought this was the cutest mobile and would be perfect for Molly's room.  I got the idea from Sew She Sews's crib mobile tutorial.  This was one of the last things I finished for her room, so I had plenty of fabric scraps from the other projects.  I love how colorful and fun it turned out.  It did take awhile to make because of all the steps, but definitely worth it!

Pizza Pizza

Now that Rylee has dropped her nap completely, she requires a little extra entertainment to avoid getting grumpy.  So we cook and bake and bake some more.  Luckily, Molly will take a long nap once in awhile, so I get to spend some quality time with Rylee.  We decided pizza with sausage and mushroom sounded good for dinner. 

I used half of a box of hot roll mix and after kneading and waiting, Rylee said, "What's this for?"  It was the yeast package!  Thankfully, we had the other half so we kneaded again and waited again.

Then pricked with a fork.

Then topped with delicious toppings...

...and an entire package of cheese.

Two slices later, she announced, "This is delicious!"  It was no Bruno's, but definitely a success!



Nuts Over Chocolate

This recipe isn't for the squimish!  Let's be honest...it's fudge with a little brownie.  I also threw in some pecans that Mimi gave us over Christmas.  And yes...I used our china for a little tea party.

Brownies

1/2 c butter, softened
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c + 1 tbl cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 8 in square pan.  Mix butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Spread batter in pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

5 oz semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbl unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tbl hot water
1 stick butter
3-4 c powdered sugar
chopped pecans

Melt semi-sweet chocolate.  Create paste with cocoa powder and hot water.  Using a mixer, beat together melted chocolate, paste, and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar until it reaches the consistency you desire.  Fold in chopped pecans.

Molly's Month by Month: Four

You finally rolled to your back the day you turned four months.  We were at Johnny and Mimi's house for Christmas and you were playing on the floor and you just got tired and rolled.  You met your cousins and even held hands with Carleigh.  I weighed you since your 4 month checkup was so early and you weighed 17 lbs.  You have a pretty good schedule and even slept from 9pm to 4:30am last night.  You are starting to sit up for a few seconds without help.  Your favorite things are Mortimer the Moose, your wrist and foot bugs, putting your hands in my mouth, flipping boardbook pages, and playing with my hair.  You went on your first trip to Dallas and met some of my college friends and Jack.  Best of all, you decided to take a paci.  Now I can put you and your sister to sleep simultaneously.  No crying involved!

Molly's Month by Month: Three

A little late on this post...

You are changing so fast!  I never understood why my own mother wanted to give me a little pill, but I do now.  Aside from the short cat naps and several nightwakings, I can't complain.  Rylee and I take you everywhere now and you are so easy going and happy to do whatever we are doing.  You are somewhat developing a schedule, but I still feed you on demand.  We had your 4 month checkup two weeks early and you were 26 inches long, 14 lb 3 oz, and head 16.25 inches.  You can roll from your back to tummy then fuss and face plant when you are tired.  You love looking at yourself in the mirror and your ribs are sooo ticklish.  You usually save your biggest smiles for Daddy...dimples and all!

Mermaid Skirt Tutorial

Rylee wanted to be a mermaid for Halloween and wanted Molly to be one as well.  Here goes my first tutorial...next time I will take step by step pictures.  I'm learning...my second attempt will be better!

Materials: 

1 yrd of fabric

1/2" elastic

scissors

pins

thread

Step 1:  Make pattern - lay a pair of pj bottoms on top of fabric of your choice.  Fold the legs so they take the shape of a tail fin.  Leave enough room on the left to finish wrapping around waist plus a 1" allowance.

Step 2:  Cut pattern - cut around pj pants leaving 1 " seam allowance.  Free hand what you want the fin to look like.  Place pattern on another piece of your fabric face down.  Cut identical piece.  One piece will be face up and one will be face down.

Step 3:  Pin and sew - place fabric inside out (in my case glitter to glitter).  Pin and leave waist open.  Start at the side and sew along the edge.  Turn right side out.

Step 4:  Stuff - I stuffed the tail fin with batting so it kept it's shape.

Step 5:  Finish waist with elastic - using 1/2" elastic, fold waist of skirt over elastic, pin, and sew.

Step 6:  Close skirt - pin short sides of skirt together.  Sew along pin and flip your skirt over.  Viola!

I made a basic tulle skirt to go underneath and a matching starfish headband for Molly.