Citrus Cleaner

Ummm.. I might have found the best thing ever! I can't wait to try some of these ideas!

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2013/06/10-homemade-cleaners-made-from-citrus.html

My Mini

I was taking some quick photos for a post on certain make up products I love, when I found this picture that makes me smile more than the make up. I love that Annabelle is my little shadow. She loves playing with all my make up and brushes and curling irons and anything she gets her tiny, precious hands on. She pulls everything out of my drawers and hands them to me or hides them. I find brushes under the bed, mascara in shoes, and sometimes things are lost forever. 

So, I do like this eyeshadow. But more importantly, I love that my mini loves to help me get ready every morning.

My Little Artist

I found this easy recipe for homemade finger paint (http://invitationtothebutterflyball.blogspot.com/2010/05/home-made-finger-paint-with-recipe.html?m=1) and couldn't wait to try it with miss Belle this weekend. We packed up and went to the store to get all the ingredients and then came home so I could make it while she rolled around on the floor, wrestling with David (her truly favorite past time). 

It was really easy. The full directions are on the blog I sited above. But basically, you just boil the corn starch and water and then add it to the  gelatin. 

I wasn't sure what "mostly clear" meant but I must have been close enough because it all worked out.

The boiled corn starch and water

The soaked gelatin

Then comes the food coloring.

I only had two empty mason jars but wanted the third color so I used one of my white (now probably green tinted forever) salsa bowls.

Annabelle had a great time!! And you know I plan on framing these masterpieces.

(She definitely tried to eat some)

Jonathan Tropper Books

I just finished a book called The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper. I really enjoyed it. This guy leaves his little town and writes a “fiction” book about his high school experience, thinking he will never return to his little town. Lo and behold, because of a family emergency, he has to. It was a great book, and one I highly recommend. I enjoyed the way it was written. I felt connected to the main character. And it’s the first book in a long time that made me laugh out loud and cry. It’s a good one.

 

I found somewhere that it is supposed to be a movie, but the last thing I could find was from 2010 that said Brad and Jen’s company was looking to pick it up (yes, I still refer to them as Brad and Jen and love them!). Is there a movie called Bush Falls? That’s an alternative title to this book.

 

I started looking up other books by this author and was thrilled to find one that is supposed to be a movie by this Fall! “This is Where I Leave You” is on its way to my house. I will let ya know!

 

 

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Book_of_Joe.html?id=wSFNmQEACAAJ

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452296366

Bag Lady

One of my best friends made Annabelle the cutest diaper bag when I was pregnant with her. I absolutely love it! It's bright pink with a purple liner. I will take a picture tonight and add it. I have loved carrying it. The only issue is that I love having everything with me at all times, in one convenient spot, and this bag just isn't big enough. Honestly, I don't need all the things that I carry for Annabelle, and she definitely doesn't need them. It's just one of my weird things. I am big on comfort items, even though I have a baby who couldn't care less about them. I'm a pusher.

I do feel like she has so much stuff right now. I end up taking multiple bags with us everywhere. I've been on the hunt for a diaper bag that will hold her lunchbox, sippy, and snacks, favorite blanket (okay, my favorite blanket that I'm pushing on her to be her favorite too), her favorite stuffed animal duck (please see previous parenthetical note), her noise machine (that she doesn't care about but I find comforting to have with us just in case), and of course her normal diaper bag essentials...sanitizing wipes, diapers, creams, wipes, and on and on.

I have always loved Kipling. I think their stuff is adorable. I am looking at these two items right now and trying to decide if they might be big enough to only have to carry the one bag with us everywhere, but not huge pieces of luggage. And maybe she will like them a little later in life for her first sleepovers? That is, if I ever let her go anywhere overnight...

http://m.kipling-usa.com/categories/luggage-duffels/products

http://m.kipling-usa.com/products/SL4765~387

Hands Free

I keep coming across some posts that I love, and it took me a while to realize they were from the same blog. Have you been reading the Hands Free Mama posts? I love it. She summarizes here, some of the things I've been thinking over the past few months: http://www.handsfreemama.com/about-hands-free/.

I really am enjoying catching up on her posts that I hadn't read yet. I especially love one titled Six Words You Should Say Today (http://www.handsfreemama.com/2012/04/16/six-words-you-should-say-today/).  

One thing I've been trying to do lately is to take more pictures with my camera, and less with my phone. I don't know why I feel the need to use my iPhone to capture and share pictures and videos of Annabelle. I haven't done the best job with this goal, because, let's face it, my daughter is the cutest and smartest and prettiest and sweetest baby girl in the world, and I need to share that with Instagram.

However, even though I try to download all of these videos and pictures to an account and save them on a flash drive, I forget most of the time. I feel like if I would instead capture these moments with my camera, I would do a better job of saving these where they should be saved and scrapbooking these to share with her. 

I also know that if I would stop using my phone for my camera, I would be less tempted to post and check Instagram while Annabelle was around. I have done a much better job lately, but I still have far to go. Come on, it only takes a second and I definitely need to know what my friend had for lunch right at that moment (please note the sarcasm).

So in an effort to be a little more "hands free" you might notice a slight decrease in Bo and Belle pictures for a while. I seem to stick with the goals that I proclaim on this blog. So here it goes. I will not use my phone when I'm with Annabelle - no checking Instagram, texting, or taking her picture with it - and I will use my camera to capture our moments together. Wish me luck!

Pinterest Heart Cake

I tried a Pinterest recipe today that I pinned months ago. (http://projectnursery.com/2014/02/easy-heart-shaped-cake/) I have to admit, the cake didn't come out as beautiful as I thought it would. My two hurdles were getting the cakes out of the pans and having them be two different heights. The circle cake plopped right out, but the square cake came out in pieces that I had to try to reassemble. I used icing and put it in the refrigerator a little bit. Then it turned out okay to ice the rest. However, the circle pieces were taller than the square for some reason. 

So it might not be too pretty, but it's Funfetti and vanilla icing with sprinkles - my handsome Valentine's favorite cake!

Good Article

I dislike the mommy wars, so I love finding good articles like this one. http://carolynee.net/a-letter-from-a-working-mother-to-a-stay-at-home-mother-and-vice-versa/

I Love Love

I love to celebrate holidays for a week or more before the actual date. I feel like they fly by too fast and want to make the most of them. I love using holiday specific dishes and sippies for Belle, making heart shaped pancakes in the morning, dressing Belle in pink, and giving little gifts all week. Luckily, my cute husband let's me do these things and even joins in on the fun. Happy Valentine's Day Eve Eve friends!

Sick of the Cold

This has been such a cold, snowy winter. I usually love all seasons, but I’m pretty ready for this season to be over and move on to Spring. I was thinking this over the weekend when David announced that it was supposed to snow again. I could have cried. David found my reaction pretty funny…”almost cried” is a bit of an understatement. I felt like crawling back in bed. It snowed Sunday and we might have more today. In order to boycott, I have pulled out my Spring clothes and am set on wearing these bright colors every day. I also sent out a “Save the Date” to my family for our Memorial Day Pool Party. Seriously. I did. I was leaving an early meeting at the hospital today, bundling on my twelve layers, and glaring at my stupid heavy coat and snow boots when I looked up to see a man in a wheelchair with one leg passing me. He smiled at me and said hello. I asked how he was doing and he replied with “it’s a beautiful day!” If he can find the beauty in the snow and cold, surely I can too. I will wear my winter, comfy sweaters for a few more weeks and smile about my boots, that come the end of September, I will be dying to wear again. Lesson learned.

Attraversiamo...again

It’s been over three months since I’ve last posted, which in blog terms, I’m sure, is an eternity. I don’t really know how to start back up. I don’t have a grand entrance or any great insight from my break, I just know that I’m ready to start blogging again. Well, actually, I’ve been blogging and not sharing posts with anyone, just emailing them to myself. I have a stack full of posts in my Inbox that I may or may not share here. But anyway, for now, I’m back! Instead of catching up on what has been going on, I’m ready to start fresh. And just like 3 ½ years ago, I’m ready to move forward. If you are still reading this blog, attraversiamo. (http://pingandpal.blogspot.com/2010/09/attraversiamo-lets-cross-over.html )