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Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

1. 365.320 (zomg alpaca kisses!), 2. Kiss my heart, 3. Eliana gets a kiss from Zelda, 4. Stealing a kiss in the winners’ circle, 5. Autumn Kisses, 6. blowing kisses…, 7. Fly kiss :*, 8. MARIAGE / WEDDING : The Kiss, 9. Kissing the frog to get the prince is a waste of a perfectly good frog~, 10. Lips for…..Kissing……[1000+ Views], 11. Kiss, 12. Kiss, 13. Friend kiss, 14. Kiss Kiss!! 小亲亲！！, 15. kissy kiss, 16. Kiss Me …

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

I know there are a few internet mommies out there that subscribe to the homeschooling regime. I am envious of them because, let me tell you, I need a break from the kidlet every once in a while and homeschooling sounds absolutely grueling.

Now, the reason I bring this up is not because I am enrolling Cary in some pre-pre-pre school programs, nor am I thinking of doing so. His momma is pretty smart, so I think I’ll be okay for a while. I’m just thinking about this because, well, here in Alberta, specifically the GCA (Greater Calgary Area) the kids get a LOT of days off. They are guaranteed one day off during each month for PD days. While they get this, they are also privy to whatever other days off they feel like. A holiday on a Tuesday means Monday and Tuesday are off school. In February, end of the month, they get an entire week off because of family day, and teacher’s convention. When it comes down to it, kids around here only go to school about two thirds of the time that the school year goes till.

Okay, now that I’ve said all that, I’ll get to the point (sheesh, Claud, hurry the heck up already!). What I’m wondering is if there’s such a thing as part time home schooling. I don’t want to force my son to the brink of insanity by “making” him go to school on his days off, but I really want to give him every opportunity that I can. I don’t want him sitting in the house playing Xbox or computer all the live long day when we could be doing something else like going to the library, and getting him to do (and I actually cringe at this thought) mini book reports for me. We could go on “field trips” to the zoo, or the Science Centre or to watch something other than a movie in a movie theatre. Take some different art lessons or something that are just for the day…you know?

Does this sound weird/crazy? Like I’d be overloading him with information? Would I need to “make” (and I use this term VERY loosely) him read books and report back to me on them?

It’s not that I’d make him do this every single time he’s off school. Christmas/Easter holidays are fine to have off, and I have zero qualms about it. Days off that fall on holidays are fair to have off, too. Mommy and Daddy would have the day off, why should he have to do school work? But I more mean all these extra days they have off. The PD days. The teachers convention. Every other “we haven’t had a day off on twelve days so let’s stick one in here and put it on a Thursday” day offs.

Please, PLEASE, tell me you think I’m crazy for even mentioning this if that’s what you truly feel. If you know if there’s part time schooling, do you participate in it? Is it a stupid idea? Is it considered pushing too much on him?

I’d also like to throw out there that if he’s REALLY into some sport, whether it be horse back riding (fingers crossed!) or hockey or something, I’d be MORE than happy to fill his days off with his sport activity. I just want to make sure that he’s reading, writing, learning. I love learning. I know that you cannot force people to like that stuff. I just…I dunno, I just guess that I want to make every opportunity I can, available to him, so if he is a kid that likes learning that we can do things to encourage that.

Crazy mom, exit stage left.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

this week at Girl Talk Thursday, we’re gettin’ on with what stuff we’re all afraid to do/try.

I touched very briefly on this a couple of days ago about the current thing I’m afraid to do. And that is, actually get my Etsy store launched.

When you visit Etsy, you’re bombarded with a veritable plethora of items, sellers and stories. It can seem a bit overwhelming at first – and you’re just a browser! Imagine what’s at your finger tips as an actual purchaser; the possibilities are nearly endless.

Throw into the mix a femme who would very much like to be a part of that ocean of hand-made products. It’s akin to being dropped out of a plane and into the ocean. Yeah, I just used a really lame LOST visual there, but I think you get the idea what I’m talking about.

I am partially terrified to open my store. I’m afraid of making the first sale. I know that the first one is going to feel fantastic, but there’s also so much fear that whomever purchased that first item is going to hate it. I’m clear in my policies; I don’t provide exchanges on any items. If you don’t like what you buy, you’ve kind of got to deal with it yourself. However, if the item in question falls apart within reasonable timelines (if you’ve had the thing for two years, I’m not going to refund your money) or it gets lost in the mail, then absolutely, I will refund your money.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle customers. I’m afraid of bad feed back. I’m afraid that I’m going to get yelled at.

All these feelings of when I was a cashier at WalMart keep cropping up. I got treated like garbage by a lot of customers because I was too stupid, or too uneducated to have a “real” job at the time (which was so not the reason, but breaking into the programming world was HELLISH when you have no experience, all right? And you’ve got to make ends meet…I’m getting way too off topic here) and I’m sort of afraid it’s going to happen again, except this time I’ve got the whole internet barrier to protect me.

I’m afraid to fail at this. I’m scared that it’s going to go down the crapper and I’m going to be left with all kinds of stuff I’ve made that I’ve now got to give away.

Part of me is disgusted with my wimpy attitude. Normally I am a can-do girl. I muster up everything I can and get the job done. With this…I just have a crippling shyness. And it’s not even so much that Etsy is a big place and I’ll get lost…it’s that I’ll get found.

Okay, so all of that and that I’m wondering how the whole taxes thing is going to work. I have a terrible history with taxes and self-employment, and there’s those feelings of resentment toward the good ol’ government for punishing me for being mildly successful in the past.

Quel dommage. I am going to get SOMETHING done if it kills me. Even if my teeth are chattering and I’m laying awake at night: it’s going to get done.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

As promised, ladies and germs I am giving away TWO sets of fabric baby shoes.

Visit the “official” giveaway blog (I’ll explain about the whole separate thing later…) at diaperbagprincess.tumblr.com.

Contest closes on February 19, 2010 at 12:00A MST.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

I haven’t written much of anything here for about a month. I mean, I’ve got all that good, fun stuff, but nothing about what’s been going on.

I’m sure you’re all rejoicing. I never have anything really good to talk about. My life is, sadly, pretty drama-free. Well, aside from the whole depression thing, but I can only talk so much about that before I get bored of myself…so I can only imagine what you must feel like.

Tonight I got on here and kind of wanted to bitch about my husband. Then I thought twice and figured if anyone should be bitching about anyone, it would be him of me. I’ve been kind of rotten to him for the past couple of days. Well, he hasn’t had work for the past week, and as much as I love him, sometimes I just want him to go away for a while. However, on the flip side, do you know how amazing it is to not have to worry for a second about what Cary’s doing? I love my baby, but I can fly through ten times the amount of work I could before hand with him rolling around, eating things and needing attention.

I’ve been working on a few shop things. I want to actually have some stuff to post up there…but I dunno. I’m kind of scared of the whole thing. i know it’s ridiculous, tons of people do the Etsy thing, but for some reason I keep stock piling things and just can’t seem to get myself to post them. I am really motivated to do it because I love it…but a part of me is afraid I’m going to suck at it, and that I’m not good at anything. I think it’s really more to do with self-esteem than failure.

At any rate, since I have been busy work-wise my intended open date has been pushed back yet again…but I’m going to do it. My goal for this year is to simply get my act together and even if I don’t make one sale this year, I am going to make and post five things in my etsy shop. I just need to, well, do it!

In other news, Richie broke my scroll saw. I have used it precisely once.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

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Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

This is so against my natural feelings because I’m French! French chicks don’t tell their beauty secrets…usually.

I have a veritable plethora of skin care items that I use regularly, and now, I will share with you what they are. I would also like to mention that I don’t have perfect skin, but it’s pretty good, so I think whatever I’m doing is working.

This is going to be THE longest post ever, so I’ll give you some anchor links in case you want to skip down.

Coles notes of Tips | Face | Hair & Body | Makeup

Coles notes of my Tips

• Do not wash your hair every day. To people who say “I have to wash my hair every day…” I promise if you go 10 days without washing it, then wash it only once a week after that, your trouble will cease. And no, your head does not stink, nor does it feel rotten and gross. It feels great once you’re into the system. Getting there, though, can be a bit of a trick.
• Get a manageable hair cut. I have a really “French” idea of haircuts. They should look nice but require minimal effort. Your hair is not the main focus; it’s your flawless, sweet face. But that’s just me.
• Do use deodorant every day, but don’t let your signature scent get over powered by the odour of your underarm stuff.
• Use clay masks to rid your skin of impurities. Then you seriously have an excuse to sit and do absolutely NOTHING for up to ten minutes.
• Eyeliner + Eyeshadow + Mascara = looks like you’re trying too hard and you look all make up-ey. NO NO NO! You pick EITHER eyeliner OR eye shadow – not both.

FACE

• Pampers Baby Wipes.
  They get off lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow, foundation, concealer…anything really. Unless you’ve painted your face with nail polish, baby wipes are the way to go. I like them because they’re designed for little dude’s sensitive patoots and I find this brand less scratchy than Huggies brand wipes. Maybe I was trying the wrong ones? I dunno. I just know I like regular old, boring, plain kind of wipes. Plus they smell nice, too.
• Daily Facial Moisturizer Spf 15 with Parsol® 1789
  I got hooked on this stuff when every lotion, creme and water would send my then-pregnant skin into a crazed frenzy. Everything burned, everything caused welts and I was covered in hives. I use this as my daytime moisturizer which I also apply to my NECK. So many forget about their necks and they end up looking like a porcelain doll face on a turkey neck. Anyway, I like it because it has no fragrance whatsoever (and once you look at this entire list you’re probably going to think that it’s kind of odd because I have tons of stuff on here that has LOTS of smell) and it’s nice and light weight. I enjoy the light weight because I tend to get a little on the oily side, but it doesn’t make my oily patches worse – it is sort of able to “ignore” the oily spots and concentrate on the dryer patches (like my cheeks! I always have dry cheeks and chin!!). I also like to apply this a few times a day. I wouldn’t say that I really NEED to do this, but it’s a habit I got into as a seventeen year old with blemish free skin, so I just have kept on doing it. I think adequate moisturizing is key: and it doesn’t seem to matter HOW much I drink. Does anyone find that their skin is better if they’ve super-saturated their bodies with good ol’ H₂O? I might be alone in this, but I honest-to-goodness have found that it makes ZERO difference to my skin if I’m slugging back enough water to drown a whale.
• Burts Bees Radiance Night Creme
  This stuff is thick, it smells like angels and it is non-irritating. If you have a honey allergy, though, this product should be AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. It’s a night creme and, holy moly, do you ever wake up with some amazingly soft skin in the morning. While this is a heavier creme, it doesn’t feel mask-like, which is the reason I continue to use this product.
• Clearasil StayClear® Vanishing Acne Treatment Cream
  When I do/did get pimples I would cover my entire face with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide creme from Clearasil. If you choose to use this method it is EXTREMELY important to also use a thick creme over this or you’re going to burn your face. I did that, way back in the day, and had scaly red patches because I thought I was “greasy” enough to not have to add creme. You are never too greasy, let me just inform you of that. I kind of wish I had taken pictures of my burnt face because that alone would teach you NOT to do that. Use a heavier moisturizer! I cannot stress this enough!
• Garnier Pure 3 in 1
  For some reason I don’t think Garnier makes this anymore, which makes me sad. Anyway, this stuff is great. I don’t use it every day because the grit in the scrub is rather coarse so if you have sensitive skin, I wouldn’t use this. My favourite feature of this product is that when you put it on a dry face it hardens into this perfect, crusty mask which feels nice and tingly. Caution, though, as I have irritated my face by using this too often. I do not recommend this for sensitive skin as the fragrance, make up and whatever other fun things they’ve added in here are simply too strong. However, non-sensitive and combination skin people will probably really like this product – as long as it’s still being manufactured.
• The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Foaming Cleanser
  Another product I fell in love with whilst pregnant. I have even used this on my scalp when I was experiencing bad dandruff and it got rid of it, which is nice. I don’t recommend this, though, as an anti-dandruff shampoo, as it’d cost you a fortune. Anyway, I liked that you needed minimal product, it didn’t burn, it’s pretty safe, it smells lovely and that it doesn’t leave your skin feeling like a dried up piece of leather. There is some debate on whether or not this is safe for pregnant women. I truly believe as long as you are not soaking in this all night every night, nor eating it, then you will be safe. I do believe it’s a safe alternative to regular cleansers for acne. However, that being said: you should ALWAYS talk to your doctor about trying new products before going ahead and using them. It’s better to be safe in a case like a bun in the oven.

HAIR & BODY

• Pantene Pro V for Colored Hair
  I know this stuff is, like, the ultimate sin for your hair but I got it super cheap (thanks save.ca!), and I don’t hate it. My hair type is weird…it’s like, fluffy-straight, and this is the only shampoo I’ve used that doesn’t bleed my dye-jobs out and it keeps my hair DOWN and FLAT and not weird and fluffy like every other shampoo/conditioner I’ve ever tried. Despite other things I have heard, my hair is not static-proned, nor is it coated in a weird, gross, layer of film. I moreso attribute this to the fact that I do not wash my hair every day. I wash it about twice a week and I don’t brush/comb it unless I’m blow drying my bangs into submission. you know, it’s not even required to wash your hair every day. That’s probably my biggest beauty tip.
• Clairol Natural Instincts Dye in Ebony Mocha
  This is my current color. Warm “black” that, once washed thrice, ended up a lush, rich bittersweet chocolate color. Recommended! I used to hate dying my hair because the fumes were ridiculous and stung my eyes like crazy. This stuff has virtually no odour and I find I can sit through the treatment; most other brands I’d be scratching my scalp like a maniac about half way through. This color DID turn out a little darker than I thought when it was first applied, but once everything was all said and done, it turned out wonderfully. It’s incredibly close to my own color so you don’t see the yucky grow-out lines.
• Softsoap Body Wash in Pomegranate Mango
  This stuff is not vegan friendly as it contains gelatin, but oh my gosh, the odour is to die for. Sweet, perfect, and it envelopes you in a lush lather. Mmm mmm mm. It’s got these little moisture beads inside the wash and they are very richly scented and full of some kind of moisturizing stuff. This stuff really makes it worth-while to have a bath or shower. I also like that it doesn’t leave me with a weird feeling film on my skin.
• The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter
  There are not enough words in the English language to describe my love and adoration of this product. After reading this, you all probably think I’m some dried up husk of a human being? Well, I do live in the driest climate in North America after all. When I was younger I didn’t really like body butters because they sort of just sat on my skin. Now, though, that I’m a dried up old husk, living up here in the Great White North, this particular brand and smell seems to just agree with me.
• Perfumes
  My perfumes and signature scents
  Lolita Lempicka for when I want to smell something different…which is not often but it’s a fun hardly-smelled fragrance.Victoria’s Secret (a la La Senza) Sexy Little Things, Noir (♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ !!!)</a> My current favourite. Just a scented body mist, but it smells…I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like what sexy lingerie would smell like, fresh from the laundry. Clean. Sweet. Alluring in a nice wa. J’adore by Dior My classy smell. This scent got a little ruined for me because I wore it to my cousins wedding. Now every time I smell it I think of their wedding. It’s not a BAD association by any means, but not really the one I’d want. I also used to wear that pink Baby Phat smell. I liked it. And then it went bad and it completely turned me off of that fragrance. Bleh.

Makeup

• Physicians Formula eyeshadow in Baked Sugar
  I have trouble with shadows creasing in my eye lids, so I tried something a little more upscale than my old fave – Rimmel London. I’m totally sold on this product. Greasy eyes unite! No more greasy, globby, line-caked eyes for us. Plus this trio of purply-hues looks nice on the brown eyed girls. Can be used wet or dry. I don’t even remember why I started using this brand, but I really am hooked on a lot of their items!
• Physician’s Formula bronzer Pearls in light and normal
  I use the light colored bronzer as regular face powder because I have this really strange yellowish complexion. I guess you’d say it’s technically “olive” but most powders and foundations look really fake on me; even those match-your-natural-tone ones look like I’m wearing a mask. The regular bronzer is lovely. Powdery and doesn’t look like you’re wearing bronzer.
• Covergirl Fantastic Lash in Blackest Black
  I can’t even begin to tell you how many mascaras I’ve tried in my life time. A lot of the time I will wear just mascara and a wee bit of liner (care of my darkest shade in my trio pallet from above and an angled brush), so I tend to go through it quite often. Anyway, through my years of “research”, I came to two conclusions: 1. the most expensive brands aren’t necessarily always the best (though you do tend to pay for quality…most of the time) and 2. Waterproof is the work of the devil! I never use waterproof mascara, regardless of my ability to break down sobbing at a moments notice. I like to use this shade, Blackest Black, because my eyelashes are black-black-black. I like this brand because it’s inexpensive and doesn’t make my eyes hurt when it’s coming off. If the tube is getting older then the formula tends to be a bit flaky, but I sort of use that as my guide of when I should toss it in the trash. Mascara is one of those things you shouldn’t try to make last. Hello tiny harbour for bacteria! Welcome to my mucous membranes!
• Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick
  I’m a new convert to lipstick. And I love Avon lipsticks. I got some on sale and I like the half-saturated color that they have. See, I don’t hate the color of my natural lips: in fact I quite like it. Just sometimes I’d like it to be a bit more…showy. I can accomplish this as the hues meld with my normal lip tone to create a new, showy lip color. I just like it…that’s all I can really say
• Covergirl TruBlends Concealer in 2 for winter, 3 for summer
  While my battle with foundation continues, I have found a concealer that actually matches, acceptably, my skin tone. It covers nicely, isn’t globby or cakey. Yes, I want to answer, yes I have tried the comparable TruBlends foundation and, for what ever reason, it STILL looks goofy on me. Anyway, I use a foundation brush to smooth this product in where I need it (under eye circles!) and it is able to cover and be invisible. Which I like. It also doesn’t compete with my face powder either, so it all kind of goes together in this happy little marriage of colors and products.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

11. I don’t actually like cats. They’re weird. They claw things. They poop in the house. They wash me all the time. In general I find cats extremely annoying and don’t like them. However, my cats I got extremely lucky with. Huggy is much more like a dog than a cat, so he doesn’t irritate me. Kendo is just a weird animal in general. He’s not dog like, nor is he cat like. He is his own little animal, called a Kendo.

12. Recently, I’ve started having this weird fear that Cary is going to grow up to be a serial killer because he’s mean to our animals. I know, I know he’s a baby and he doesn’t understand what he’s doing, but we’ve been trying SO hard to teach him how to pet the animals nicely and not scratch their eyes out when he’s playing with him. However, this seems to have gone unnoticed, as now pulling Huggy’s hair or licking Shylo’s eyeballs (oh my gosh, grossest thing ever and will totally tell you about it another day) has turned into a big game to him. And it’s been noted that serial killers often start out being cruel to animals…

13. I change themes on my blog so often because I can hardly stand to look at them after about 2 weeks. I tried doing the header changing thing, but that just didn’t satisfy me at all. This affliction comes from the same vein as feeling the need to pack up my little e-bags and trotting off down the road every so often. Maybe I am a designer at heart. No, I don’t think so

14. My personal style is absolutely atrocious. I don’t really like any of my clothes, save my dress up clothes, and I don’t have anywhere to wear them now, thus, a solid 80% of my wardrobe doesn’t get worn anymore.

15. I’d really love to have a motorcycle, but I’ve reached a point in my life where things scare me. I never used to be like this. I would do anything. Maybe my reasoning center in my brain has finally developed past that of an infant and I’m realizing consequences of my actions, but it makes me feel really old.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

Am I the only one who thinks “Vday” looks FAR too much like VD? I’ve thought that since I learned what VD was (getting off topic, but have you seen this poster about it? It makes me laugh hysterically every time I see it. Not that getting the VD is funny…just the wording on said poster).

Getting back on topic, here is your cure for VDay: the cutest, awesomest, craftiest crafts you could possibly think up! Got some tried, tested and true ones you always use or get your kids to participate in? Let’s hear them!

• Heart Shaped Pillow: These darling little pillows are an ideal project for those with little experience in sewing. No difficult patterns or instructions, just an easy and fulfilling craft to keep or give as a gift—perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother any heart-worthy occasion. Sure, they’re not really all that boyish, but throw some camo fabric in there and you’ll be set! Just leave out the lace
• Raggedy Heart Coasters: I liked this one because it gives you a good basis to try something for any holiday season. If you like the look of somewhat-old-timey things, these are a fun add in to your vintage tables.
• Love Kitty Cross Stitch/Crochet pattern: this could be either or, as the pattern is easily changeable for either crafting type.
• Valentine Scarf Pattern: these adorable joined hearts come together around your (or a friend’s) neck in a simple scarf. I think it looks cute I think I’m going to try this one…right after I get through the french knitted cherry blossom scarf I got started. So it may take me about a year I think I like this one because I like repetitive things I can join together. there’s something very satisfying about crocheting something like that.
• Crochet Headband: in Valentine’s day colors, adorn your head with one of these sweet headbands. You could even, if you’re feeling sporting, create this headband and join it up with the next one; instead of wearing your heart on your sleeve, you can wear it on your head.
• Valentine Heart Fridgie: Show your refrigerator some love. Crochet it some hearts! I actually really love kitschy things like this. They make my world go around. Plus they’re adorable and teeny, and in the spirit of year round, can really be crocheted in any color.
• Mon Petit Chou: Knit yourself some über adorable undies this year. Just make sure to use some nice, soft, breathable yarn! Don’t want to get all scratched up in your nether regions.
• Free printable Valentine Cards: These ones are retro-ish inspired. Which, hello, is the greatest thing ever in this technological age.
• Retro “Clipart” Images, Valentines: You can always give this stuff a whirl to make your own Valentine’s cards, too. Retro graphics can be saved, printed out and folded into holiday greetings. Spreading the love just got a lot easier (and cheaper).

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

1. A big SMILE & Happy Fathers Day to all our Flickr Friends!, 2. Big smile, 3. *SMILING PUG* – HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, FROM THE SWEETHEART MEL C AKA BUNNY *-*, 4. A Million Rupee Smile V 0.01, 5. What’s he smiling about?, 6. Dog Smile, The Complete Definition of Happiness, 7. Cheshire smile!, 8. When you smile…, 9. smile, 10. True Smile, 11. 93/CDSPY2 – {tears that smile in the end}, 12. SMiLE .. ابتــــسم, 13. god put a smile on your face, 14. When You’re Smiling!, 15. Smile, 16. Children Smiling in Namhsan, Myanmar, 17. Smile!, 18. bananas smile too, 19. I can smile in any languaje…., 20. Happy Smiling Bokeh, 21. Me!, 22. Can You Please Put Your Lipstick Away?, 23. smile, 24. i love his little laughs!, 25. Me!

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

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INSTALLATION

Unzip this file on your hard drive and upload to your site and placing the folder named stories-girls-tell in the wp-content/themes/ folder of your site.

ADDITIONAL PLUGINS REQUIRED FOR THIS THEME

* wp-sifr: To install, unzip file and upload contents of the wp-sifr folder into your plugins directory. In your dashboard, activate the plugin. Under Settings > WP sifr update the checkboxes for each of the three “dirtyheadline” instances you see. Below each, click “Settings” and enter the following codes to each:

REQ’D for sIFR TO WORK:

[dirtyheadline-h1]
h1.entry-title
.sIFR-root { font-size:60px; font-weight:normal; color:#15002a; text-align:right;}
a { text-decoration:none; color:#15002a; }
a:hover { color:#FE2B74; }

[dirtyheadline-h3]
#header ul li
.sIFR-root { font-size:15px; font-weight:normal; color:#15002a; }
a { text-decoration:none; color:#15002a; }
a:hover { color:#FE2B74; }

[dirtyheadline-h2]
h2.entry-title
.sIFR-root { font-size:21px; font-weight:normal; color:#15002a; }
a { text-decoration:none; color:#15002a; }
a:hover { color:#FE2B74; }

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

Pet peeves…well, I think I have a lot. A lot of things in life bother me. I actually think its a problem. anyway.

• Car things: people who don’t use turn signals, people who crowd two lanes of traffic, people in the left hand lane than insist on only going the speed limit, people who can’t see over the steering wheel, people who need glasses to drive but don’t, people who get road rage, people who cut me off, people who drive too fast when the weather is bad, how people drive in the rain, how people drive in the fog, how people drive when it’s snowing. So, in general, driving annoys the ever loving daylights out of me.
• When my husband messes up something I have JUST cleaned. Like the bed, laundry, living room. Or when he makes dinner, the pots and pans seemingly can’t even make their way to the sink. By the time I get to them, the food has been encrusted on and I’m forced to let the jaws of life, AKA Porsche, scrape every last morsel of whatever we ate off the bottom of the pans.
• 
  When the dog won’t stop marking its territory in the house.
• People who stop right in front of you when you’re walking behind them without warning.
• Aged mall crawlers. See above.
• People who give me the stink eye when my baby is making noise. It’s not my fault that you’re a crotchety, old barren couple!
• Religious people who try to convert everyone around them all the time. I’m glad you love Jesus and God and being a Christian. I think it’s awesome. I just don’t think it’s really fair that you go off on people who have chosen alternate faiths. They think their religion is pretty danged cool, too.
• Smart assed people that have to try to prove just how smart they are. If you have to do that, it just goes to show what a gigantic moron you are.
• When I have to explain jokes to people, thus, rendering them completely unfunny. You need a hornist’s (of the brass and F variety) sense of humor to understand me 99% of the time.
• Wearing wet clothes.
• When Cary refuses to sleep. We’ve gone two days with VERY limited sleep and only one nap a day. This mama is feeling rather exhausted.
• 
  When I’m sewing and all of a sudden tons of bobbin thread comes out and makes an ever loving mess out of whatever I’m working on and I have to spend 40 minutes with a seam ripper and 1h and 20minutes trying to figure out what the heck happened. It’s usually remedied, an hour and fifteen minutes later, by me unwinding the whole mass and re-fitting the machine.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

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Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

06. It is 100% true that I learned how to basic needle knit from YouTube. YouTube also taught me how to french knit. YouTube has not taught me anything else useful, save the fact that a good part of the population is…well…weird.

07. For my entire life, up until I was about eighteen, I never thought I’d get married because I never thought anyone would like me enough. It all stems from the whole being hated in elementary. I figured I’d be one of those fabulous women who had tons of money, a great apartment and cool cars. However, I ended up one of those fabulous women who has a ring on that finger, a baby, and my boobs do cool things now.

08. A habit I’m trying to break is taking a bath every day. I’m not really a big believer in washing like crazy, so I don’t know where this habit came from. Probably when I was in my apartment and I felt cold, there was nothing better to do than to bath. As a result, I often have some crazy scaly legs and spend a small fortune in moisturizers.

09. I am in absolute LOVE with teeny tiny things. Seriously. When I was in high school I used to keep these miniature brown paper bags that I got from the candy store (yes, I went and bought candy when I was seventeen because I WAS LAME) because they were SO ridiculously cute. Same goes for tiny boxes, little cups, small containers…even little rocks.

10. I’m an internet nomad because I tend to pigeon hole myself into situations. I can never come up with a good “broad” name, save Claudiaudia, thus I am always moving around. That and I like to test out free blogging services.

part one

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

How darling are these little monkey shoes?

Insanely, I know. I had downloaded this pattern eons ago, and, without printing the instructions, I felt absolutely terrified of sewing them. Would I know how? Was I too dumb to figure it out if the site went belly up?

Turns out there is absolutely nothing to fear when making baby cloth shoes. They are ridiculously easy, fun, and quick so I ended up making, well, erm, a whole slug of them.

These two pairs are some of my favourites. I’m giving them to a girl at church who has a little baby girl that would fit in these. I just don’t think Cary’d be too happy wearing shoes that are so girly.

Because I’m starting to dislike packing around a GIANT diaper bag when a single diaper and wipe case will do, I decided to make a fabric diaper case.

Naturally it matches the diaper bag and I couldn’t not use this adorable turtle fabric This, too, was really simple to put together. I had to improvise with the closure method, though, as I don’t have velcro here. Velcro in this house gets gummed up with cat and dog hair in about 6.4 seconds, so it’s not actually WORTH it to have any around – it’s always a mess!

I didn’t follow the instructions, other than the cut-out pattern either. I’m so bad for that. I always figure that if I can’t figure it out, it’s not worth making/setting it up. Luckily, being that it was a nice simple pattern, not following the instructions wasn’t the end of the world and it pretty much ended up exactly the same as the pictures in the example.

The only durr-brain moment I had was that I ended up cutting out TWO of the whole diaper clutch, so I have two sitting by my sewing machine.

Because both of these patterns are copyright, I can’t sell the overages that I have. However, in the NEAR future (I promise to keep you posted), I will be holding two more giveaways: one for each of these items. Honestly, what am I going to do with six pairs of cloth shoes? Cary’s already got a bunch and he can only wear one pair at a time!

So anyway, that’s what I’ve been up to since yesterday.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

We have a winner! Danielle, please email me (claudia.poirier@gmail.com) to claim your prize!

Thank you very much to everyone who entered. I’ll be hosting another giveaway shortly, so keep your ears to the ground!

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

A life list is also known as a “bucket list” (see: movie). What is a bucket list? Well, think of all the ostentatious goals you have ever had in your life. Maybe it’s to be an astronaut. Maybe you really just want to sell all your worldly possessions and live in an airstream and travel across the continent. Maybe you just want to rekindle your former relationship with your old best friend.

It can be anything you want: there are no limits and nothing is too ridiculous.

The most important part of the whole thing, though, is to WRITE your list down. It doesn’t have to be a blog, though it should be somewhere that you easily have access to. Many people choose to use whiteboards mounted in their (home) offices. It could be a piece of paper on a cork board. You could keep it in a spreadsheet on your hard drive. In this day in age, with smart phones and enough apps for them under the sun to infiltrate any self-respecting brain, you can keep a list handy on your Blackberry or iPhone. The possibilities are endless.

It’s important that the way you manage your list, and your ability to refer to your list don’t impede and aren’t difficult: the object for you is to make it easy to look at it.

What’s so important about writing it down and keeping it? It’s been proven, countless times, that the simple act of writing down goals, regardless of how big-fat-and-audacious they are, tends to produce results; you’re never “allowed” to forget about them. And by keeping the list, you are able to update it. Did you see someone base jumping on TV and think it looks great? Add it to your list! Did you finally get married after years of thinking you weren’t going to? Cross it off your list.

They sound kind of cheesy, and I guess that they are. I personally like to have one because if I’m feeling bored or have some spare time (which is few and far between these days!), I can review my list and see if there are a few little things I can knick off. For example, an easy one for me to cross off, is #33: Drink Oolong tea. It doesn’t take a lot of time and it’s something that can quickly be accomplished. Also, it’s something I’ve never done before

Tips for creating your very own life list

• Don’t put an age limit on yourself, it doesn’t matter if you’re seventeen or 70 – there’s still time!
• If you feel like you’ve written “enough”, keep writing: the biggest, best ideas come from the places deep inside your imagination and heart.
• If it works for you, break your goals into terms e.g. 1-Year goals, 5-Year Goals. If you’re the kind of person who likes deadlines, then this is probably a better option for you.
• Don’t limit your goals. Want to learn languages AND drop a penny from the Seattle Space Needle? Put them both down. They don’t have to be categorized
• Think like a kid.

You’ve seen, or can see, my life list. I’m always adding to it What are some of your big goals? What’s the most outrageous goal you’ve ever had that you can remember, even from child hood?

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

Today at bible study we somehow got onto the topic of being a mother and what it’s like. How it’s different from what you expected. Things like that.

I talked about how I was the king of the palace BC (before Cary), what I said went, and I felt like I was putting in a good portion to our family. And now…now I’m not so sure. In my heart, I know that being a stay at home mom is the equivalent of having two full time jobs. I know, in my heart, that raising a well balanced, calm, happy child is extremely taxing, requires dedication and is very rewarding (I mean, hello, how amazing does it feel when a complete stranger smiles at your baby and says what a good kid they are?).

My head, on the other hand, has a harder time believing this. My head tells me that I’m not allowed to spend any money because I’m bringing in a fraction of what I used to. It tells me that it’s okay to leave my son alone to entertain himself for hours (though, the nicer part of my head – probably the bottom half – breaks when my brain takes over). I do feel guilty when I look at the clock and he’s been playing blocks by himself for an hour and a half. It’s not fair to him and I feel terrible. When I’m programming, though, I just get into this zone and it’s very hard to break my concentration.

It’s amazing how guilty I can make myself feel over things. Like I don’t deserve to do anything I want to do. Like I’m not contributing to life.

In general, it feels like I’m just never doing enough. I always feel like I’m being lazy, or that I could do something more productive with my time. Or that I should be making more money, but then I’d have to make big sacrifices with time with my son. I just feel like I should be doing more, but there’s no where to actually get any more time from.

I’m sure this sounds really random and vague, and I guess it kind of is. There’s not a whole big point to any of this. I’m just talking.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

Making your own Febreze type of fabric refresher is pretty simple. You will need the following items:

1. 2 Tbsp. favourite liquid fabric softener
2. 1 Tbsp. Plain white vinegar (not pickling vinegar)
3. Clean spray bottle
4. 1½ cups Water
5. Measuring cup and spoon

Alternately, you can exchange the 1 Tbsp. of Vinegar for 1 Tbsp. of Baking Soda. I prefer the vinegar because I don’t have to be concerned that it hasn’t dissolved in the bottle. You use these ingredients because vinegar’s a natural disinfectant, and baking soda helps with odour elimination.

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. Measure out your water in a measuring cup. I prefer to use the clear Pyrex kind for mixing because, well, it’s easier for me. However, if you want to mix it in a bowl and use a funnel, that is your prerogative

2. Measure 1 Tbsp of white vinegar and add it to the measure of water.

3. Add 1-2 Tbsp of liquid fabric softener to the mixture. At this point you can stir it a bit, but you don’t have to.

4. Pour contents into the clean spray bottle (this is why I like a container that has a small spout, easy to add to the bottle!). Close lid on and shake vigorously to mix.

Note: doubling this mixture will fit exactly into one old Febreze bottle.

Originally published at diaper bag princess. Please leave any comments there.

• Febreze flameless Luminary: Okay, I admit these are kind of cheesy, but if you want ambiance without worrying about spilling wax or children’s fingers, then this is probably something you’d like. I like it because it’s pretty.
• Playtex Drop Ins: after searching for, like, eight months for a nipple my baby would like I finally decided to give this a try: I’d received one free in the mail before he was born but left it stashed in his closet because I didn’t think he’d like it. If only I had listened to myself….
• Mr Clean Magic Eraser: These are probably hella horrible for the environment, but with a baby, two dogs, two cats, horses and a husband that works in the construction field, I really don’t have time to sit anywhere and scrub the daylights out of stuff. Plus it gets my stainless steel kitchen sink ooh-la-la sparkly.
• Rimmel Play Fast quick dry nail polish in “Cat Fight”: This is a purple hued pewter color, and it’s chock full of tiny glitter. I’m really over the whole black/dark purple/dark colored nail polish for 2010 and I’ve found that this color is fun, pretty, and if it gets chipped it’s no where near as noticeable as dark colors.
• Mei Tai baby carrier: Every time I use my carrier I love it more. It’s great because it can be used for a variety of ages of babies, plus it’s soft and if it gets dirty it makes a very simple trip through the washing machine. I wish more people would ditch their strollers in favour of these things!
• Gimp: I have been using the Gimp at home for about a year now and I love it. At work I had access to Photoshop and the whole creative suite, but with a tight budget and the capability to open up PSD files, the Gimp quickly became my FREE love of the year. It works well, it’s easy to use (provided you have some computer knowledge), and it is cute