Things I LOVE!!!

Here are some things I am LOVING!!!

Apple Dumpling Recipe via here

Pumpkin Apple Butter Whipped Soap via here

(I NEED THIS!!!!) 

Custom Name Banner Necklace via here

Craft Room in a Closet via here

Cake Embroidery via here

Pottery Barn Inspired Luminaries via here

A Girly Halloween Tutu Wreath!

Didn't it turn out cute?! 

All it took was an 18inch straw wreath, some cute ribbon, and lots of tulle... easy peasy!

There are some variations out there where the tutu goes all the way around,

but I wanted it to be more "ballet-like". 

(You need 3 yards of tulle in each color for the amount that you see on my wreath!)

Walking Tacos! YUM!

Ok, so maybe I am the last person on the face of the Earth to hear about this genius idea.... but OMG are Walking Tacos AWESOME! And if you haven't heard about a Walking Taco then today is your lucky day!

So what is a Walking Taco? Basically it is a taco salad in a Doritos or Fritos Bag, allowing you to walk around with your meal without fear of mess! Perfect for picnics, parties, and potlucks of any kind, these meals are simple and pretty mess free.

Here is how we made ours:
Grab your favorite Taco ingredients (minus the taco shells and tortillas) such as diced tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and of course meat. Take a snack size bag of Doritos or Fritos chips, cut it along the side of the bag, smash the chips a little to make them easier to eat, and then add your toppings! Sooooo easy and the kids love them!
This is definitely a repeat recipe for us.... yummo!

Happy Birthday My Diva!

Today my youngest (although soon to be middle girl) turns 3. Wow..... that boggles my mind! This little girl is getting so big so quick and is such a complex little person already. She has my temperament (goodness help her future husband!) and love of dance, combined with these dimples that make you forget that two seconds ago you wanted to wring her little diva neck.

Oh yeah, she is a true diva... she picks out her own clothes, refuses to wear jeans- she told me to "throw them all out, me no like them!", and just discovered the word NEVER!
(As in, "AJ it is time to get dressed." NEVER!!!" accompanied by a giggle and dash to another room!)

But as outrageous as she can be, there is such a sweetness about her. She loves her dolls with everything she has, is super polite, and is so excited to be a big sister that everyday she puts her hands on my belly and asks me if the baby is kicking. I know that she will be a big helper when Miss M arrives, which is a relief.

Part of me wishes that she didn't grow up so fast, but she is so interesting to me that I can overlook the getting bigger part. I can't wait to see what another year brings my little Diva!

Happy 3rd Birthday Miss Amelia!

Product Review: Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop

If you are a regular reader of this blog you know I usually don't do product reviews.... but once in awhile I come across something that I feel like if I don't share it would be a shame. So here is one of those products- the new Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop!

So why do I LOVE this Spray Mop??

1. No more batteries to buy

2. No more toxic chemical cleaners to buy

3. No more disposable pads that don't really clean that well and are pretty pricey

4. My floors are a LOT cleaner when I use this compared to my old Swiffer Wet Jet

Basically, this is an eco-friendly, way more effective spray mop that has impressed me from Day 1. I like being able to make my own floor cleaner (A squirt of Seventh Generation Liquid Dishwasher Soap and warm water!) and the floors are never sticky after use. I have found that I don't have to work as hard to get the crud off and I like not being dependent on batteries for the squirt to work. And when the pad looks like it needs to be cleaned I just toss it in the washer and dryer.... although I went about a week of cleaning the floors everyday before it needed to be washed! 

So if you want a spray mop that is really cheap, good for the environment, and actually works... this is THE one for you! Cheers!

Grab Your Tissues.... True Love Is Out There!

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

The List 9.23.10

Hooray! I am 30 weeks pregnant today which means I am in the 31st week!!! Holy Moly!! I can't believe how fast time is flying yet at the same time it seems like I have been and am going to be pregnant forever. I am so full of baby that I can't see my feet unless I bend way over and at night my stomach becomes my own Discovery Show special. =) Anyhow, here are lots of cool things that I am finding on the web... enjoy!

With fall right around the corner (today it was about 80 degrees) soon enough the long sleeve shirts will be coming out. This 90 Minute Shirt Tutorial from MADE is perfect for cooler temps!

Speaking of MADE, here is a cute and pretty easy pants tutorial to go with that adorable shirt you made above!

Sometimes I think that in the old days things were much easier and teaching kids basic skills like drinking from an open cup wasn't a challenge because there were no Sippy cups. Here is a great post on a Montessori water station for drinking!

I am fascinated with this beautiful Butterfly Paper Mobile.... the tutorial makes it look so easy too!

One of my strategies for having a successful VBAC is reading positive and inspiring birth stories that are the total opposite to what the media and common society would like you to believe- that you CAN have an all natural birth that is not going to traumatize you for life. This photo slide show of an all natural, hospital, VBAC is something that I watch every day and remember that my body is so much stronger than even I know!

We love cupcakes in this house! Frosting, cake, sprinkles.... yummo! These yummy sounding Pink Lemonade Cupcakes sound absolutely dreamy to this preggo. =)

Gabby and AJ love coloring and most of the time they just free-color. I do like this Color Your Own Renoir Painting though.... so pretty!

One thing that I am passionate about is breastfeeding, especially for first time moms who are not even willing to give it a try because of the stereotypes/restrictions that society has put before breasts and breastfeeding. Crunchy Domestic Goddess has a great article about the "Booby Traps that Set Up Breastfeeding Moms for Failure". This is a great read, especially for us breastfeeding advocates!

Looking for some fall or apple themed crafts to do with the kids? Crafty Crow has a great collection of awesome and easy apple crafts here!

How is that for a roundup?! Lol, there is so much going on in the web that I am constantly finding inspiration and tutorials to share. I hope that you found something here you like and if there are things you have seen that you think I would like- please share! Ciao friends!

Once Again Karma Steps In

So yesterday I was really stressing out about Gabby and this whole school thing. My brain was going through all of my options and couldn't begin to sort through the muddle. I took a break and went through my blogroll to see what interesting things were on the web, something to inspire and clear my head, when I saw it... the article which answered all those questions that I have about Gabby's situation. "Let Your Child's Schooling Release Her Education"

The basic jist of this beautifully written article is that there is a clear difference between schooling and education, something that I knew but at the same time had forgotten in the whirl of the start of this school year.
The question that the author poses is: "What are your goals for your child this year? Is it to do well at school? Or is it to get an education?" 

WOW! That question cleared up so much for me right from the start. So I thought about what I wanted Gabby to accomplish this "school year".

♥ To view the learning process as something to be not to be dreaded but rather an adventure. 
♥ To continue to love books and to develop the skills to read without assistance by the end of the year.
♥ To be curious about things that she doesn't know about and to learn about the resources available to learn more.
♥ To continue to respect authority but to question things that do not make sense to her.
♥ To tell time on an analog clock and to know the values of coin money.
♥ Understand addition, subtraction, and broad percentages (whole, half, quarter)
♥ To play a sport and continue to have a great team spirit. (We never missed a t-ball game because according to Gabby "My teams NEEDS me!")
♥ To learn the basics of sewing (she has shown a great interest in this lately)
♥ Begin to learn the basic vocabulary of another language of her choice

I am sure that there are other minor things, but these are the major points that I would like for her to get to. The question now is whether the current situation meets these goals and doesn't undo what I am trying to accomplish. That I am not so sure of right now.

At least I have a starting point on where to go from here and some great resources on how to accomplish what I want for Gabby's education. Now to see how the schooling fits in!

And I Was Doing So Well...

So yeah, I suck at posting regularly again. This whole 3rd trimester exhaustion is killing me and by the end of the day I have zero energy to post anything that anyone will find interesting. Combine the tiredness with yo-yo hormones (Klint and I were going to have some "adult" time and I burst into tears for no reason... 'nuff said) and the fact that I am still teaching dance and caring for lots of children... well you get the picture.

On a good note, we had the girls joint birthday party last Saturday and while it wasn't the beautifully decorated and assembled party that I had envisioned it was still a lot of fun and made me so thankful to have such wonderful friends. =) I would love to be able to share some awesome photos with you all.... but I was having so much fun mingling that I really didn't take that many. (p.s.- kids LOVE bobbing for apples!)

On a frustrated note, we are having a bit of issues with Gabby and school. I am still mulling things over in my head because it isn't as cut and dry as before when I was thinking about homeschooling. Now I have a baby on the way, a home daycare, etc.... But I do know that things can't continue how they are, which is Gabby getting in trouble for basically being a fidgety kid who get little outlet for said energy.

Ugh! So there ya have it. I am sure that I will be back to my cherry, crafty, fun self soon enough. But darn it, it is hard to be cheerful when a baby is trying to tunnel her way out through your belly button! =)

Oh well, here is a pic of AJ cuteness to make you forget that I have been whining for the last 15 minutes!

Fruitful Meditation

Apparently it is pretty Zen to play with your food!

Of course, I don't know if it is good karma to eat a pear that looks like Buddha, but it is definitely cool to see!

The Buddha pears were invented by a Chinese farmer, Gao Xianzhang, who has already grown 10,000 of these spiritual fruits which he plans on selling in Europe and the UK.

Gao spent six years perfecting the intricate baby-shaped pears, carefully crafting each one which grows inside an individual mould. Despite their hefty cost of £5 each, locals in his home village of Hexia, in Hebia, northern China, have reportedly been snapping them up. ‘People seem to think they are cute or lucky and will buy them as soon as they’re off the tree,’ Gao explained.

Craftiness is Everywhere!

I am feeling so huge and clumsy today.... All I really want to do is sit on my tush and relax. But alas, that is not in the cards. So here I am surfing and becoming more inspired with every second.... so much I want to do! There is so much in fact that I am just going to post the pics and the link, no explanation needed. I definitely love being a crafty mama, that is for sure!

via here

via here

via here

via here

via here

via here

via here

via here

via here

So what are you going to make today? =)

Cleaning With Kids

I think one of the biggest challenges that stay at home moms face is the thought that since we are home and "not working" our houses should look immaculate all the time. For me this is nonsense and in no way possible. Plain and simple. But, while I don't mind a smudge here and there and will admit that there are rooms (like my dining/craft room) that fall to the wayside, it does bother me that my house doesn't look like a page out of a magazine. Isn't that nuts? I mean, I know in my head that a) I am very pregnant and don't have the stamina to clean 24/7, b) I have a home daycare AND lots of pets, and c) we live here!

Mrs. Meyers said that you need to find a balance between perfection and lived in and I am finding myself chanting those words as I go throughout the day. Those magazine photos definitely don't look homey and lived in for the most part. And while they are pretty, you know the kids weren't allowed to jump on the beds or eat PB & J on the couch, and forget about having animals!

I just read this poem today and am going to print it out and put it on the fridge since that is where I stress about the condition of my house the most. Definitely a good reminder about what is more important at the end of the day!

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth, 

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth, 

Hang out the washing and butter the bread, Sew on a button and make up a bed. 

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking? 

She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue 

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo). 

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due 

(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo). 

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew 

And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo 

But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo. 

Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue? 

(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo). 

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, 

For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. 

So quiet down, cobwebs. 

Dust go to sleep. 

I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
                            by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Princess For a Day

With AJ's birthday right around the corner we decided that we would spread out her gifts so that she wasn't overwhelmed or unappreciative. Her first present was "given" to her today and boy was it a good one!

My little girl is OBSESSED with princesses, especially the Disney Princesses. She knows all of their names, has a book collection about them that she hoards, and has many costumes. So today Klint took her to a Princess Ball hosted by a local Rec Center. This ball is a HUGE occasion and usually tickets sell out in mere hours. The royal court (Miss Middleburg Heights, etc) plays the princesses and all the little girls dress up, get to have their photos taken, and dance around like mad while eating pizza, cookies, and pop! Perfect!

Miss AJ decided to go as Jasmine, her current favorite, and here are some photos from the evening:

Doesn't is look like fun?! 

All AJ kept talking about was how much she loves Belle and danced with Ariel...

I am so glad she liked her first present!

The List 9.12.10

Hello friends!
 Is everyone as glad as I am that the heat finally broke and there are signs of fall everywhere? This is going to be a busy week for us here at Casa de Krebs, we have the girls birthday party this Saturday, I have dance classes to teach, and so much more. Here are some fun links to get your week started on the right foot:

Packing Gabby's lunch everyday and making it fun enough to get her to eat everything is quite the challenge. I love putting her stuff in fun boxes like this one so nothing mixes up and stays neat!

There are some days though that she would like to buy, but my biggest worry is that she will lose her lunch money and be hungry all day. I am definitely going to make her one of these nifty money cuffs to keep her money close!

Even though Poptarts aren't exactly the healthiest snack, I still love them. I might like them even better when they are homemade and on a stick. You can snag the recipe here and boy, does it look easy!

I love decorating my front door with wreaths and such for the different seasons. Here are some fun ones I have spotted lately:
Halloween Ribbon Wreath
Book Page Fall Wreath
Halloween Head Wreath
Corn Husk Wreath
Trick or Treat Wreath

Even though this tutorial is for a super cute dry erase board, it is the candy corn bunting that has caught my eye... you can expect a tutorial for that coming up in the next week!!! (I am a sucker for bunting, you all know that!)

Speaking of candy corn, how about some candy corn soap from this Etsy seller? Yummo!

Soon enough the school parties will be starting and of course Gabby will take in something cute for her friends... how about some fun candy apple cupcakes and homemade Playdough?

There is so much I want to accomplish, big and small. How to keep track of all those aspirations and make it look pretty too is the question. These graceful butterflies that have my goals on them are just the think for my craft/dining room!

Finally, yes I know it is early, but I am already thinking ahead to Christmas since my usual shopping schedule will be interrupted this year by an early Christmas present! I love shopping on Etsy for stocking stuffers and such for the girls.... I think this year they will find a little mouse in their stocking from this store!

Well, there ya go! Have a great rest of the weekend and a pleasant Monday!!