Chili's Rocks My Palette....

Yummo chips and Salsa and some delish new burgers. Over on my review blog I finally change up my boring same-ole Chili's menu order and try something new. And you know what? It isn't half bad...

And The Bald Guy Is My New BFF...

For More Things I Love Thursday, click on over to TheDiaperDiaries.

I didn't manage to get around to writing a post Tuesday night because I was busy scrubbing.

Usually, I am easily able to throw off housework in exchange for some good ole bloggy time, but this was a defining moment.

Folks, meet my new cleaning BFF:



And I know Jill has sung the praises of this baldy before, but really?!? I had no clue.

I opened the box, wet the boring looking sponge and started scrubbing.

I didn't stop scrubbing for TWO HOURS.

Remember the post when Bubbalu scrawled black ink all over my wood windowsill?

Those loop-de-loops are GONE.

COMPLETELY.

However, the deep etched in marks are still there. The Magic Eraser definitely lightened them though. Any pen marks that weren't etched in are gone. Buh bye!

We purchased our new construction home last year. As in 2008. There were miscellaneous construction related scuffs, stains and drips scattered throughout the house:

A dark brown splotch on the laundry room floor. A black scratch dead center on the upstairs bathroom linoleum. An 8 inch red scrawl on the tile back splash. A mysterious black scuff on the base of the glass slider door that screamed, "Hi! I'm Mr. Black Scuff Mark...My owner can't figure out how to get rid of me, so I'm here to welcome you being that I'm the very first thing you see when walking into the family room!".

And Tuesday night? I silenced Mr. Black Scuff Mark FOREVER...and I made him take his friends with him!

A

This has NOT been a paid endorsement.

Backpacking It...

In the interest of yesterday's post displaying all of my baby carriers, I figured I must also include Lance's favorite carrier of all, the Piggyback child carrier.

Surprise surprise, it comes from his other home, REI. Or, in our case, a kind neighbor who just wanted it out of her closet and willing to part with it for penny change.



It has lovely hip and back support, and is fully adjustable for height of the carrier, and the age of the child.

Awww, look at those chubby arms!!!



It also has a zip-off day pack that I usually use on our longer hikes. You can see it lying on the ground in this pic:



See? Happy baby!



We love this carrier and highly recommend it if you are a hiker with a little one running around. It has allowed us to continue hiking while Bubbalu enjoys the ride.

Here's the most recent pic of us hiking Little Mount Si :



Any of you hikers?

A

Slinging it...

There is a baby carrying carnival over at Adventures In Babywearing, and to join in the fun, here is my favorite pic of Bubbalu slinging it with Mama:



I whipped that sling together in about 30 minutes. With a colicky crying baby, a sling seemed the best thing to calm him down. I'd put him in there and start doing the dishes, and soon enough he'd be in snoozeland. I wouldn't really consider myself an attatchment parent, but I sure needed to carry Bubbalu around during those difficult first 4 months.

What? You don't believe me? This is what I did for 4 months:

Well, either that or this:

Either way, I was carrying/holding him all day. It was the only way to stop the incessant crying, so that is what I did.

I also have a picture of Bubbalu in the Bjorn, which was actually used mostly by Papa...



And I'm sad to say I don't have a picture of Bubbalu in my favorite carrier of all time, the Moby wrap. It was the most comfortable carrier for me. I never had sore back or shoulders. And, the added bonus of cuddling with my non-cuddler baby.

If you used one, what was your favorite baby carrier?

A

Letter to Sarah Jessica Parker...

Dear Sarah Jessica Parker :

I have enjoyed perusing your new stylish clothing line on the website, Bitten, and have been very impressed with the style and affordability of the clothing shown. I have even gone so far as to visit the nearest Steve & Barry’s, the store that exclusively sells your clothing line, in order to try on and purchase many pieces of your line.

I am writing to inform you that I was unable to find any of the previously mentioned cute articles of clothing (that I had dibs on) I wanted to purchase (HOUNDS TOOTH COAT!). My lovely sister could not even find the cute white coat.

We DID, however, find some cute black dresses to try on. And just so you know, REAL women have curves.

I really want to like your clothing line and be a repeat customer. Is there any way you could ship the Hounds tooth coat and brown tee directly to my house? And maybe the white coat to my sister, because I like her and all.

Thank you for your timely consideration in this matter,

A

I Wonder as I Wander

Jude is in bed sleeping right now. Ok, not really sleeping, he is actually talking to himself and playing with his ocean wonders crib toy.

That toy is amazing. It soothes with lights, bubbles, swimming fish and lullabies for him to put on and fall back asleep to. It buys me time from 6:45 to 7:30 in the morning to snooze. More sleep? Oh yes, more sleep. What's not to like?

I was given it as a gift from a fellow Mama friend when Jude was a newborn and didn't see the brilliance of it until the last six months or so.

See? Smiley happy baby. Well, that's not MY baby, but still, he's happy right? That picture shows the one we have, but I know the current model has upgrades and such. A hand probably reaches out and soothes the child back to sleep or something useful like that.

Jude uses it as a soother in the middle of the night. Every once in a while I will hear the music start at 1 AM. I've peeked at him, and he lays right under it and watches it and falls back asleep.

I was thrifting with my Mom and managed to find the exact model for just $3.00. We took it home, Cloroxed the snot out of it and popped in new batteries. Oh yes, sleep at Grandma's house with comfort and familiarity!

Sleeping baby = sleeping Mama , nuf said.

A
p.s. ( now he's asleep )