114th Fashionable Fridays - Toddler Hair Do

Here's a fun do I did on my daughter. Amazing she let me do it because lately it's liking pulling teeth if I touch her hair!

Hopefully she won't be so sensitive so I can try more creative styles as her hair grows. Maybe I'll have to just bribe her with chocolate and ice cream. =)

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY TO MY PRETTY GIRL!

Wellness Wednesday #18 - Laundry Stain Remover

Laundry Stain Remover (like Oxy Clean) 
• 2 parts hydrogen peroxide
• 1 part OnGuard Foaming Hand Wash (sold here)

Mix together in a glass spray bottle. Shakes to mix. Works wonders on laundry stains, rusty water and mildew stains in tubs, showers, bathroom sinks, counter tops and faucets.

This has done awesome even on some old stains. Works well with whites and colors though not on red/pinks the one time I tried it. I dump a tablespoon or two in my washing machine or spray on clothes with stains.

Also does great on carpet stains. If it's a big stain I dump a little of the jar. Smaller stains, I use the spray bottle. Haven't tried it on all sorts of stains like grape juice or blood, but I think it would do great, but may have to sit on the stain longer.

84th Mommy Mondays - Potty Training with the 3 Day Method

 My daughter is potty trained - what another stress reliever! She'll be 2 on Friday!

 
The gist of it is having them know when they need to go to the bathroom. Instead of asking them do they need to go, you say "Tell me when you need to go potty." There will be accidents with this method because you wait until they start to pee and you run them to the bathroom while saying that phrase, but by the third day they know when they have to go because they have associated going in the toilet so they tell you when they have to go and then no more accidents. You're not wasting time taking them every 30 minutes or sitting them forever hoping they'll go.
There's a lot more to it then that so if you follow the program to a T, it works amazingly!

Here are the notes I took. Started at 1:30pm Saturday, April 6th so 3 days is Tuesday, April 9th at 1:30pm

Day 1 - 7 accidents

Day 2 – 7 accidents, 3 successes – one was poop!

Day 3 – 1 accident, 7 successes

No poop accidents

She asks to go potty and goes! Sometimes she asks, but doesn’t go which I take that she has to poop, but can’t yet. That one is tricky sometimes to know at least it was for James too.

so I’d say she’s successfully trained!

Day 4 - 0 accidents, 5 successes

has been dry for 2 nights at night and during her naps

Day 5 - 0 accidents, 5 successes- another poop one

Overall, this actually ended up being easier than when I trained my son probably because my daughter was closer to the recommended age of 22 months. By the 2nd day, I didn’t have to watch her as closely because she knew to tell me. With my son, he rebelled (probably because he was more set in his ways, being older when trained at 33 months) so I had to watch him closely every day. It clicked for him on the 3rd day, but had trouble with the night time training. I seriously was going crazy training him so I was nervous about training my daughter. You really have to clear out 3 days where you won’t be bothered for this to be successful. It probably easier knowing what to expect, what signs to look for that she needed to go since I had done this already. The first day is still the hardest. Then the next hardest part is when you know they have to go, but are holding it so that’s when you are saying every minute, “Tell Mommy when you need to go pee pee in the toilet.” It was nice that my son helped me say this too, but sometimes it was harder staying positive about the situation with my son being around to fight with her.

Differences with her, she tried to hold it a lot, maybe because she had those muscles developed already - boys apparently develop it a little later. She really thrived in having special character underwear – having Dora and one of my son's old Diego underwear. She liked treats though you’re not supposed to say they’re getting treats for going potty – you can just give them a treat. You don’t want them to associate treats with going potty.

I had tried to train her 6 mos. ago because she kept asking to sit on the potty. She even peed in the potty several times and pooped in it twice, but because of teaching preschool, church callings, doing my scrappy gifts stuff, stress of her teeth, I wasn’t able to stick to watching her closely to make it work. I knew Conference Weekend (LDS leaders speak at 5 different sessions) would be best since I didn’t have to worry about going to church. I’m not doing preschool anymore. I didn’t have any major scrapbooking stuff and my dōTERRA events/classes were later in the month. Potty training her was actually easier than weaning her from nursing which has been almost 4 weeks since she has nursed, but she still asks for milk every other day now, but is easily contented now to have cow’s milk.

Here’s the link to the site for the 3 Day Potty Training Method. Really follow it to a T and it will work =) If you purchase the copy, you can also get direct help from the owner; she’ll answer your questions that might not be addressed in the book.

114th Fashionable Fridays - brown

It was a pretty cold day when I wore this back in January. Brown just feels warmed to me.

Cream Top - Down East
Brown Sweater - Clothing Swap
Brown Striped Skirt - Clothing Swap
Cream Crochet Necklace -trade with The Steady Hand
Wedges - Groopdealz
Large Flower Clip - Paparazzi Accessories

What you think of the monochromatic look?

Wellness Wednesday #17 - Spring Cleaning - Dishwasher Detergent

Dishwasher Detergent/Scouring Powder: found this on here. Check out the link for more and info and the cost savings! It's definitely made a difference on saving money in our home!

* 1 cup Washing soda or Baking soda (I’ve seen many recipes that use both so use whatever you have on hand) - I used WASHING 
* 1 cup Borax (Borax and baking soda/wash are both natural disinfectants and mild abrasives.)
* 1/4 cup Kosher salt (reduces the effects of hard water)
* 1/4 cup citric acid (available at Amazon.com. Or two packets of Lemonade-Flavored Kool-Aid, ONLY lemon & ONLY unsweetened!) - I used the Lemonade Kool-Aid.
*several drops of your favorite essential oil–lemon, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, whatever strikes your fancy. - I used about 20 drops of lemon 

Combine and store in airtight container. I just poured everything directly into the container I was going to use and gave it a good shake!

******Add 1-2 tablespoons per load along with a splash of white vinegar as a rinse agent to prevent spots. Without a good amount of vinegar, you'll get spots.
I actually use closer to a 1/4 C. I fill my dispensers 1/4 to 1/2 of the way with the powder then fill the rest with vinegar so I get more of a liquid then a paste so it doesn't stick to just one area.

To clean your dishwasher, check out this link. Haven't tried it yet.

113th Fashionable Fridays - $2 top

Here's a top I got at Down East  back in January for only $2, technically my MIL bought it for me =)

I paired it with some colored skinny jeans from The Jean Girl and another top that was swapped.

83rd Mommy Mondays

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter Weekend. Remember Christ is Risen - what joy the gospel brings =) To learn more about what I believe, see here: https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/he-is-risen?lang=eng
"The promise of Eternal life we have from the very lips of the Savior." ----- John 11:25 "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."


Here are some Easter Photos with my family.

We did Backpacks for the kids instead of baskets since my son desperately needed one for preschool to hold his papers in.

Some favorite photos of my family

My 4 year old son took this picture - love it!

What a great weekend to remember my Savior's life and resurrection. To know he suffered for my trials, sins, troubles. I need to turn to Him more especially as a mother to these two crazy, but oh so wonderful kids. I haven't been blogging much because I've just been struggling with life, not feeling like I'm adequate enough and not having much support around me. I truly was a blessed weekend with support from my best friend one night and my husband on another. I sure do love my family.

What struggles have you been having as a mom lately?
I've been so tired of the kids' whining/fighting/wanting - not having an outlet, family support, or getting time to spend with my husband.