Hot Tub Chaos....

Swimming lessons are done for the day and teacher says Bubbalu can go in the hot tub. A post-lesson treat for all the kiddos. They love it! Especially in our not-always-sunny Pacific NW summers.

Mommy walks over when she decides it’s time to go and tells Bubbalu, “Ok, it’s time to go, get out and get your flip flops on”. Six pairs of 4 yr old eyes look at me.

“NO! Teacher said I could stay in here!". Five pairs of 4 yr old raised eyebrows, one pair of Mommy raised eyebrows.

“Bubbalu, GET. OUT. NOW.” (No, not yelling….the scary quiet voice paired with the look that every Mom has which primary purpose is to scare your kids witless. I'll not tell you what my MIL calls this voice and look...Something along the lines of the big scary guy who rules the underworld of fire and brimstone. Yeah.)

“NO!”. Five 4 yr old children thinking, “hey, if HE gets to run the show, maybe I should try to!?”

At this point I’m trying to maintain my dignity (and balance) while chasing a 4 yr old around a small in ground hot tub while 5 other children look on with awe at Bubbalu’s response and fear at the Momma with THE FACE. Awesome.

Course, the pool deck was jam packed with parents and grandparents watching their precious young’uns learn the art of staying alive in the water. And now watching me run around the hot tub deck trying to grab my defiant son.

Yep, I eventually won. AND I did not fall in. Score +2 for me.

Bubbalu’s consequence of his (very public) defiance? No post-swimming lesson hot tub time the next day….which was the last day of swimming lessons. Painful.

Fast forward to three hours pre-swimming lesson the next day. I’m feeling super sad about Bubbalu not getting to sit in the hot tub with his swimming buddies. He LOVES people. He LOVES making new friends. He will be very sad not going in.

I hemmed and hawed, trying to come up with alternate ideas for a consequence for him instead of banning him from the hot tub on his last day of swimming lessons. I admit I almost changed my mind.

I’m glad I didn’t. What would that be telling him? Disobey and be defiant, especially in public…Mom will be angry and punish me….then I’ll get out of it the next day. Um…NO.

That last day in the pool he was telling anyone with a pair of ears that, “My Mommy said I can’t go in the hot tub today!”

Awesome. Make me look like a mean Mommy.

Then his teacher says to him, “Hmmm, sounds like you might have gotten in trouble.” THANK YOU. YES.

Bubbalu, “Yeah, I didn’t listen. I wouldn’t get out when Mommy told me to yesterday so I don’t getta go in the hot tub today. I'm gonna listen better next time”.

Almost fist pumped the air and cheered. What I said MUST have sunk in. (Pun completely intended)

Here’s to following through!

I am by no means trying to brag about how wonderful my children are, how compliant they are with respect to discipline or even my own response. Sometimes you just gotta finally say, 'Phew, that was good". Especially when so much feels like it's going wrong. Which I have much more to share later....and it involves paint. Yup.

Amanda

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Lace-Trimmed T-Shirt Tutorial!

The most popular post to date is this lace-trimmed tshirt tutorial, originally Posted Jan 24, 2010. I've have many new followers since then, so thought I'd reshare! Enjoy:

Step 1: Buy an inexpensive, boring plain v-neck from, well, ANYWHERE. Me? I chose an Old Navy dark gray tee:



See? It's boring. It needs some help.

Step 2: Dig through huge bag of vintage lace and notions lovingly thrifted and given to you by your Grandma K and pick out some sassy, funky or complimentary ribbon or lace. ( Hee hee hee, I'm imagining my ribbon saying, "My my Amanda, you are looking mighty FINE today!" Get it? Complimentary ribbon? OK, It's just me then.)

Step 3: (If needed) Serge or zig-zag stitch raw edge of lace or ribbon. (Yep, I'm slowly getting over my serger fear! However, it must still be having an effect on me because I completely forgot to take a photo.)

Step 4: Pin lace around neckline of t-shirt. Remember to not pin the back of the shirt while pinning. I pinned both the inside and outside edges of the lace all the way around the neckline:



I didn't have enough lace, but would have liked to go all the way around to the back of the neckband. Instead I serged the ends and pinned them down at the shoulder seam:



Step 4.2: Carefully miter (translation: fold it until it looks right) and pin lace or ribbon in place at the bottom of the "V" if you chose a v-neck style t-shirt. Of course, with a scoop neck or regular t-shirt this may not be needed...OR, you may need to every so often add a tiny fold to allow the lace to curve around the neckline correctly. Once again, just fold and pin until it looks right.



Step 5: Stitch the lace to the shirt along the inside/unfinished/serged edge first:



Step 6: Stitch the outside edge of the lace to the shirt, following the decorative pattern. I followed the curves as much as possible so it wouldn't flip up after washing:



Step 7: I stitched the folds down at the bottom of the "V" so it would lay flat. My stitch lines are marked in red:



Step 8: Admire your handiwork then jump giddily around your sewing room because you created something cute, individual, inexpensive AND sassy in a short amount of time:



Step 9: Try sassy new shirt on and attempt to take a self portrait without showing the camera or your face or earrings. Whoops, guess I didn't do Step 9 very well:

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Step 10: Wear it everywhere. It's a washable t-shirt so who cares if your 3 year old smudges it with jelly coated fingers? Just make sure that 3 year old isn't wielding a sharpie. I mean, I'm pretty good at getting stains out but that's pushing it.

This Lace Trimmed T-shirt can dress up jeans, dress down a suit jacket but can also be worn under a simple zip up hoodie paired with faded black yoga pants while feeding the kiddos lunch and doing laundry. Oh wait? Is that just me?

Enjoy your sassy Lace Trimmed T-shirts!

A


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Fabric Makes My Heart Go Pitter-Patter....

Opening a box of ordered fabric always makes my heart go pitter patter!

Today I opened a delivered box and found these:



{smile}

On the left is a snuggly flannel print, on the right is a lighterweight knit stripe with some shimmer in the gray area - it's beautiful!

Can't wait to run these up to the bonus room and get sewing...

Amanda

No Fear? No Problem...

Yesterday we started up one last round of daily swim lessons before preschool starts up again.

It helps Bubbalu learn how to swim (duh) and helps keep his huge bucket-sized need of social interaction and physical activity partially filled. MUCH more full than can be accomplished sitting at home with a boring Mama and a sister to torment.

This kid has no fear. As I've said before, I've always wanted his swimming instructors to scare him a bit, to help him develop a healthy sense of fear for water.

NEVER works.

Hence the need for LOTS of swim lessons so we know he will be safer when he is around water.

This lack of fear was proved again at our local fair where he rode as many rides as his height would allow, the faster and scarier the better. Oy.

This is our first lessons at this local pool for Bubbalu. It's actually where I learned how to swim. Great memories! After a swim lesson is done, all students get a chance to go down the really tall (for a 4 yr old) slide or jump off the diving board.

Of course there was no hesitation from our thrill-seeker.

Grabbed my phone JUST in time to snap this pic of Bubbalu shooting off the end of the slide with a look of absolute glee on his face:

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Makes me laugh EVERY. SINGLE. TIME I look at it :)

Off to rinse out his swim stuff...

Amanda

VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :)

Stain and Germ Smackdown...

I cannot believe how excited I was yesterday for the FedEx truck to arrive.

I was actually giddy.

As a stay at home Mama with two very messy (and one pottytraining) younguns, I'd say these are pretty giddy-worthy:



On your left is the Eureka Enviro Steamer Hard Surface Steam Mop, 303A. I purchased mine here.

On the right is the Bissell Little Green Portable Deep Cleaner. I purchased mine here.

SO, STINKIN excited! My beautiful wood floors take a daily beating. As in milk drips from leaky sippy cups, being peed on (sad but true), trudged on with muddy shoes, sneezed on, sat on by toddlers with leaky diarrhea diapers, food squashed onto (and dried!) and other random disgusting grossness.

I hate to mop. As in hands n knees with a bucket of soapy water and a rag mop. Up till now I haven't really found any other cleaning device that is as effective as the old fashioned way. But THIS steam mop!? Cue the hallelujah chorus. Drips, smudges, etc just melted away effortlessly!

Here is a before/after shot of my kitchen floor:

Yes, they really ARE gleaming!

The ultimate test, the corner where Lil Chicks' high chair lives:


Smooth as buttah! And all it took was WATER....and killed tons of nasty bugs, because that steam? 220 degrees. Twice as much as the Shark one.

Before deciding which steam mop to get I read reviews like a crazy lady, and especially the seven steam mop comparison review on Amazon.com. I was most concerned about reviewers saying it leaked all over the floor the first time using it. Not at all! Smiled like a techy dweeb the entire time I used my new fave cleaner.

Hey now, don't forget about my cutie lil green machine! I've taken it out of the box and kissed it, but haven't used it yet. I have a list of about 10 pillows, pieces of furniture, places in my car and carpet spots that I'll be using this baby on. Can't wait for the stain smackdown to begin!

Ah yes, I must truly be a Mama to be THIS excited about cleaning appliances....

Amanda

***Oh yes, I should probably say that I've received NO compensation, was provided NO tester products or given anything except for a smile ole fat smile for this post...it was all me baby.***

VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :)

Hot Fudge and My Knight in Shining Dental Loupes...

Yep, it's been quiet around this ole blog. Our annual fair is going on this week which makes the entire town go nutso for the entire seven days.

OK, not the entire town. But really, it's noticable. Especially in a town where rush hour is three cars lined up at a red light.

I'm also fighting a bad cold. No, absolutely NO nose sniffling! An immediate red flag goes up and a flashing neon sign spelling WARNING! WARNING! in bright red letters appears in my brain due to the dangerous and rapid increase in intracranial pressure.

My Knight in shining dental Loupes came home from work and whisked the children off to have dinner out and leave me to rest and relax in peace. Glorious. Wonderfully healing, I tell ya.

I miss craftin... and sewing.... and doing crazy projects that makes a huge mess but ends in something beautiful.

I blame pinterest.

Or rather, I blame my obsession with pinterest. It's too fun!

So, yes, I miss craftin. So I just hauled out all my girly bow n ribbon thingymajigs to make a requested hair clippy for a dear friends' daughter. She's a cutie patootie. My friend Trisha AND her cutie patootie daughter.

Hubby just brought me home a steak salad and lots of extra uneaten kid meal items from the restaurant (Nuthouse for you locals).

Not sure what I'm more excited about, the steak salad or the kiddie food :) Can anyone relate?



I've got a movie started on my laptop, ('New in Town'), good food, fun crafties, a hubby giving me free time and two jars of Smuckers special recipe hot fudge in the fridge (microwave, spoon, mouth. In that order).

Life is good. I'll kick this cold in NO time living like this!

Amanda

p.s. Tomorrow I'll show you what the FedEx truck brought to my door today. I'm oohing and aahing in between my hacking and coughing...

I'm Raising a Human Being...

Seriously, thank you thank you all for your kind words of support and kindness regarding my 'Parenting a Spark Plug' post from Monday.

It's been a bit smoother around here. Usually when Bubbalu is having a rough go of it I need to drop everything and spend some serious quality one on one time with him. Unfortunately, that is when I least want to spend time with him.

But it's not about my wants and my needs and my preferences.

I'm a Mama.

After all:

"Remember you are not managing an inconvenience, you are raising a human being" … Kittie Frantz

I made up some free printables, I figure I need to read this quote as much as possible. Take and enjoy!

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Amanda

Follow VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :) Cause sometimes I post on there...If I feel like it...If I'm bored...because I'm out of queso or chips.

Parenting a Spark Plug...

Some days I fail as a parent.

As least I feel like I've failed.

Yes, the kiddos may have been fed, clothed and kept out of general danger, but their other needs may have been left by the wayside.

You know, teaching them the fruits of the spirit like PEACE. PATIENCE. KINDNESS. SELF CONTROL. GENTLENESS. Patience. Patience. Patience. Pat - ok you get the idea.

I've had MANY of those days lately. Survival days. Struggling to provide those basic needs of a human, but ignoring many of those other, ya know, things. Let's just say our strong-willed child is once again trying valiantly to become ruler of the family.

God made him this way. God blessed him an unusually firm character, a drive and determination and spirit of fortitude that will one day become the very thing that helps see him through anything he sets his mind to accomplish.

He is a firework. A spark plug, if you will. Small package, lively zippy personality, huge potential.

Today I'm praying for patience, guidance and for a spirit of gratitude for the gift this wondrous child has been to us. For what character development parenting him has produced in ME.

Cause sometimes He needs to tear me down with whatever means necessary to wake me up again.

God knows what HE is doing. Imagine that.

Amanda

New Infinity Scarf Patterns...

Ready to start your Christmas shopping?! What? Don't you want to be reminded that it's only FOUR months away? Shop early and stop stressing.

Didja know? I am able to ship orders directly to a gift recipient with a small note included. Handy, right? Eliminates the middle man...that'd be YOU.

Brand new fabrics available in the shop right NOW:Pin It
Nautical Navy Narrow Striped Infinity Scarf

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Classic Black and White Cheetah Flannel


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Purple and Pink Lightweight Madras Plaid

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Silky Zebra Print

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Autumn Flora Print Narrow Infinity Scarf

Amanda

Follow VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :) Cause sometimes I post on there. If I feel like it. If I'm bored...because I'm out of queso or chips.

Real Simple New Uses for Old Things...Vintage Dutch Girl Style

Old Thing: Skooshy, much loved pink dolly.
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New Use: Toddler neck support travel pillow system.
Directions: Fold in half, shove between toddler's head and side of carseat. Perfecto!

Old Thing: Iphone/Ipod Charger

New Use: Mommy refocusing (via distraction elimination) tool.
Directions: Leave scissors and charger in a room with a 4 yr old.

Old Thing: Chip Clip

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New Use: Burrito Stabilization aid.
Directions: Open clip, attach to end of leaky burrito.

Old Thing: Thick Parmesan Cheese Ceasar salad garnish.

New Use: Dinner Entertainment....FREE!
Directions: Open mouth, insert cheese. Laugh.

Old Thing: Feminine Hygienic Liner.
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New Use: 4 yr old foot bandaids!
Directions: Leave 4 yr old unattended in bathroom. That's all it takes.

Amanda

Follow VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :) Cause sometimes I post on there. If I feel like it. If I'm bored...because UGH, Pinterest's servers are down again.

Aqua Raspberry Containers...

My hubby bought a flat of local raspberries a week ago. They were SUPER delicious...of course! I live in a county that provides MORE THAN 65% of Raspberries in the United States. They know what they're doing here.

Anywho, the delicious deep red berries came in these cutie aqua containers...and due to my fondness of all things aqua and my inner Dutch, I can't bring myself to toss em:
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There MUST be a way to reuse these decorationally! Or, organizationally! (yeah, those are words).

Two found a home in my baking utensil drawer holding all those broken but needed measuring spoons. It's nice not to have them rioting in there every time I open or close the drawer.

I'm trying to dream up other ways to use em, maybe as clutter holders in my junk drawers. Or jewelry holders in my bathroom.


They make me smile. Go buy some raspberries. They are in season NOW :)

Amanda

Follow VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :) Cause sometimes I post on there. If I feel like it. If I'm bored...because UGH, Pinterest's servers are down again.

Framed Pink Lemonade Sunshinyness...

I'll frame just about anything.

I want it to be cute, seasonally appropriate and low cost...or even better, FREE. Cause I like free.

I pick up picture frames (glass and mat or no) at our local thrift shop a few times a month. So, that means I usually have a large stash of frames just waiting for their turn with the spray paint. Unlike the rest of the nation, it's been super rainy here this "summer" so I've not had many chances to be outside spray painting things. So sad.

However, I did manage to get one frame spray painted a nice sunny yellow. Insert a 4X6 Costco print of this summerific Pink Lemonade Recipe free printable (from Funkytime). Staple a length of knotted fabric to the back as a hanger and hang it up.Pin It

Well hello bit o summer, nice to meet you! Yes, you ARE making it seem more sunshiney in my house. And making me thirsty. For purty pink lemonade in a glass with a sugar coated rim.

Nope, it wasn't free, but does under $1.00 count as cheap n thrifty? Yup, think so.

I just love the Insta-summer-art.

OK, not instant. It took me a good month to finish this project. Because I can be extremely forgetful about a project until my hubby gives me an "um, hello, what is this yellow frame doing just sitting on a pile of books in the garage?" look. Then my memory miraculously returns.

Happy Summer y'all..

Amanda

Follow VintageDutchGirl on FACEBOOK :) Cause sometimes I post on there. If I feel like it. If I'm bored...because no one is playing their words on Words With Friends.

Vintage Xbox for Four (and a HALF) year olds...

Being that is was another cold Washington Summer Weather 2011 day, the kiddos were getting bored being stuck inside the house. Again. (and I may have been going slightly bonkers).

Having been introduced to the wonderful world that is video gaming by my boy cousins at a recent family dinner, I hauled out our old school Xbox to show Bubbalu how it's done.

A. When I say old school, I mean it. The date promter started at '01. Which made me giggle. Just think, only 9 more years and it's eligible to be sold as Vintage on etsy!

B. Bubbalu is a better Rallysport driver than I am. Embarassing. Being showed up by a 4 (and a HALF! he always insists) year old. Huh, all those days growing up playing Wolfenstein on our PC didn't teach me anything!?

C. Should I teach him DanceDance Revolution? That'd be some serious hilarity. And an effective energy burner....hmmm. (...Runs off to find DDR dance mat....).

D. I need to unearth some older Xbox kids games. Anyone willing to donate some old castoff games to the "Amanda needs to clean her house and keep her sanity" fund?

Happy gaming!

Amanda

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Sixteen Hour Ice Cream Headache...

It's amazing how much a simple familiar smell or taste can immediately take me back to my childhood.

Yesterday we finally had some summer. According to the University of Washington, we have had a TOTAL of 78 minutes of weather above 80* this "summer".

Nice to know my whining was legit.

But hey, say it was pushing top 90's here we'd all be complaining it was TOO hot. Yup, no air conditioning (generally) in Washington! We'd be fanning our faces and worrying about the status of our tomato plants (mine is doing EXCELLENT this year -woot!).

I am fully aware the rest of the nation is suffering from a huge heat blast. Feel free to crash Seattle for awhile, I'm certain it will be refreshingly cool. If you do, hit up University Village, grab a mocha from Starbucks and enjoy the shopping.

Yesterday felt GREAT. It hit a whopping 71 and the entire west coast of Washington dropped their normal days plans and ran outside for some Vitamin D rejuvenation.

I was out and about running errands and hit up Dairy Queen for some ice cream cones for the kiddos. Of course, if Bubbalu or Lil Chick saw any drips starting from their melting ice cream they freaked out yelling, "Mama! Quick! Fix my ice cream before it falls!".

Mama HAD to step in and "fix" the problems :)



It surprised me when I had my first taste of that plain vanilla ice cream.

I said out loud, "Well, that's the taste of my childhood summers". My kiddos looked at me strangely, but hey, they do that everyday.



The kiddos loved their ice cream (of course) and so did Mama :)

I am currently sitting on the couch debating with Bubbalu about the length of time one can truly complain about an ice cream headache in order to qualify for a sick day.

Oy...

Amanda

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The Poo Whisperer...

My Hubby called me a poo whisperer this morning.

Before I'd even finished my 4 cup pot of coffee.

I can't wait to add it to my resume. If I ever do go back to being employed outside our messy home I wonder if under special talents and skills POO WHISPERER will net me a job.

Granted, I'm an RN, so poo DOES come with the job. Especially in Labor and Delivery.

...From the BABIES! Sheesh, where did your mind go?

(Let's just close that side subject, shall we?)

We are freshly back from a family camping trip and my hair still smells like a campfire, despite three shampoo scrubdowns.

On this camping trip my Lil Chick was amazingly, well, productive in the poo department. My Hubby marveled at how quickly I could tell she needed a diaper change.

As in immediately. Or two seconds after if I was lagging a bit.

What can I say? I've got some serious poo detecting skilz.

We are taking a breather on the potty training for a while....mostly because while she can stay dry all stinkin day long, the poo is the problem.

And in my book if it's the poo that's the problem, we are gonna TAKE. A. BREAK.

Cause this Mama is sick n tired of scrubbing poo out of princess underwear. The potty I can deal with, it's no biggie. After all, it IS sterile, right? The poo? Disgustingness.

Also, we are going on another extended camping trip soon and Potty Training + Camping = Stressed out Mama.

I've done potty training while camping before. It didn't end well. We earned the #1 Trashiest Campsite award.

This camping trip is supposed to be fun and relaxing, full of laying in the sunshine, swimming (floating really) in the lake and consuming massive amounts of chocolate.

So while I AM the Poo Whisperer, we are taking an extended potty training break...

Amanda

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