Lately

I've tried a new facial cleansing routine - the oil cleansing method.  I like it.

The weather has been much cooler.  If this were Spring - as my mom pointed out - everybody would be in their shorts and t-shirts.  But because everybody is ready for cooler, hot tea and blanket weather, we are donning sweatshirts and jeans. 

And boots.

I went to a sidewalk sale at a local grocery store.  They do it every other Saturday in their parking lot.  Tons of food and household products are set out in banana boxes.  Grab what you want, put back what you don't - repack your box and pay $8 a box. 

This was my loot from last Saturday - everything I got came out to 25 cents a piece.  It was my first time so I learned a few lessons I'll try next time but overall, I think I did pretty good.  :)

Oh, and this is my new favorite pictures of my Kay.  It's very her - sucking those fingers and clutching her beloved lovie.  

I'm so thankful my girls have cousins who live in town.  I love seeing them enjoy each other and become good buddies.  I thought it was funny I captured a picture of the two younger sucking their fingers and the two older ones sucking their thumbs.  :)

Ri, to my surprise and delight, ran the bases correctly and pretended to hit a ball.  I've heard there's a three year old t-ball program in town.  I think I may look into it.  

We have been spending A LOT more time outside - especially going on walks - and we may or may not break out in a sprint every now and then.

It just wouldn't be right to not cuddle in fuzzy, footie pjs now would it?  

Sisters.  I love that they will have each other growing up.  

Ri is THREE!

I know I'm a bit late posting but last week was busy.  Ri's birthday was September 25th (last Tuesday) and Septtro's was September 28th (last Friday).    

I think this might have been the first birthday that I wasn't sad...sad that time was going too fast.  Instead of dwelling on how quickly she's growing up, I actually enjoyed what a fun, little girl she's becoming.

We went to the park and played with her cousins per her request.

snack time at the park - only time they were still

 On her actual birthday, we let her choose what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Which included: monkey bread, McDonalds, and Chick fil a.  I got her a cupcake and she blew out her candles after eating dinner.

birthday breakfast, lunch, dinner

Of course, she had to have a Buzz-themed cake.

just look at how big she is!

my birthday girl

We had a party for her this past Saturday.  She got a lot of Toy Story themed toys and a big girl bike!  Now we just have to get her a helmet....and maybe a mouth guard so we don't lose any more teeth! :)

Curly or Straight?

Ri has always had curly hair (well, after she went bald and it grew back in as a baby).  And everyone always says how pretty it is.  I do love it.  I just don't care for how much time it takes for me to take care of it.  :)  But I'll only be doing it for her for a few more years anyway right?  

  

So the other day I decided to try to straighten it with my flat iron.  And she looked like a completely different child!

I think she's beautiful either way, though.  :)

My Little Tooth Fairy

Monday afternoon, I noticed a bump on Ri's gum above her front tooth.  I only noticed it when she smiled.  I didn't think much of it but called the dentist and made an appointment for the next morning.  But by the next morning, it was gone.  I almost canceled but they said to come in anyway.

Left - Monday afternoon: Right - Tuesday morning

Ri is our clumsy child.  She falls often and doesn't have very good balance (now I'm going to look into getting her involved in something that will help her because she's developed a habit of falling the wrong way).  Somehow, she always smacks her face.  She's had multiple instances of trauma where her teeth were bleeding. **I can remember when she was a year old and her and her cousin (who is about 4 months younger than her) were toddling out to the back screened porch and Brynn kinda rolled out but Ri sorta fell out - probably onto her face.  This was my first realization her balance and such wasn't all that great**

So when we got to the dentist, I showed them the picture I took the day before.  Then they wanted to do x-rays.  The dentist came back shortly after and said the tooth would need to come out.

Say what??!  This was a complete shock to me!  I had even made plans with a friend after the appointment.  I thought everything was fine now.

Apparently, the "bump" on her gum was an abscess.  It did go away but they said it'd eventually come back and that it meant there was an infection.  And infections are dangerous (which I did know).  I guess this isn't all that uncommon either and it was, indeed, due to her falling and hurting her teeth so much.  Her right cheek was also a bit swollen already.

I snapped this before she went back - her last picture with both front teeth! 

Once I got over the shock that she would have to lose her tooth, I asked how they'd do it.  They said they would wrap her in a blanket and she would be awake.  I could feel tears welling up.  I was so scared for my little girl.  I didn't want her to be afraid and confused about what they were going to do to her.

They did give us the option of coming back the next morning and they would give her a drug that would basically give her amnesia but she'd still technically be awake.  Thankfully, Septtro was able to leave work and meet me there.  He made the decision to go ahead and do it then (besides waiting would have been more worrisome for me and it was more dangerous to wait since it was infected).

We were told we could both go back with her. They'd give her laughing gas to help calm her down and then a numbing gel and then the shot of numbing medicine - and she'd be watching tv.  The girl doing it said they may not have to restrain her if she laid there for her.

Both Septtro and I went back with her but as soon as I laid her down and saw the "restraining blanket" and board they had, I could feel myself starting to get upset.  I knew if I got upset in front of her that it'd make it worse so I told her I was going to go check on Kaylee and that Daddy would stay with her.

When I left the room, I told another dental hygienist I wanted to go somewhere where I couldn't hear her cry if she cried or screamed.  I ended up staying out there with them.  It was distracting, which was good, and they were SO nice - coming up to me and hugging me and encouraging  me.  I did feel like such a weenie.  But most of them were moms and I think they understood how much moms don't want their children to feel scared or pain.

It only took about 20 minutes and they were done.  They said she did great!  Hallelujah! They didn't have to restrain her.  Praise Jesus!  Although Septtro did say she got upset when the dental assistant blocked her view of the tv and of Daddy when she was putting the medicine in her gum and she had a hard time calming down after that. But, no restraining!!

she did great keeping her "band aid" on

 Of course, we got ice cream afterwards.  There was very minimal bleeding, which was great.

 She went back to playing almost as soon as we got home.  I actually had to slow her down a bit.  She never once acted like she was in pain, although I did keep Tylenol in her for the rest of the day, just in case.

I'm still getting used to her new smile and I still get sad when I think about what happened - especially because it was such a shock.  I have nightmares about losing my teeth so it's gonna take some getting used to.

I know it's just cosmetic.  But it still makes me sad she had to have it removed prematurely.  She could get a fake one but she couldn't eat with it in...and I think it'd be more for me than her.  Honestly, I don't think she has the slightest clue that her missing a tooth is a big deal; much less how serious the situation could have been if we didn't get rid of the infected tooth.

She earned those stickers!

I'm so thankful to the Lord that she's ok - that we caught it when we did and that she didn't appear to be in any pain at all...before or after.   

poor tooth - in a coffin

They said the other tooth could become infected in the future because usually when kids fall, they hit more than just one tooth so we'll have to keep an eye on that one.  

Maybe we should get her a helmet....or a mouth guard.  :)

Right Now

My right foot is asleep.  I have only one hand free to type.

I had several things on my to-do list for this afternoon.

But then a young girl - who, just yesterday wasn't it? - was learning to crawl, form words, and wave goodbye had a major breakdown over being asked to clean up some dried beans she'd asked to play with.  

After helping her calm down and work through her emotions, she picked up the beans and then grabbed her blanket, and snuck up onto my lap.  

I could feel her head bob a bit.  She kept saying she wasn't tired.  I told her "it's ok, just rest".

Then, very quickly, I felt her body melt into mine; arms and legs twitching as she fell deeper and deeper into sleep. 

So, change of plans; I'll sit here and hold her as long as she'll let me (or as long as her sister naps - whichever comes first).  

Ok I Confess...

We skipped church today.  This was a little hard for me.  We didn't go a couple weeks ago because I fell back asleep after feeding Kaylee and my sweet hubs let me sleep in.  Growing up, the only reason you skipped church was because you were out of town (sometimes not even then) or were running a fever or otherwise horribly sick.  So, it's sorta weird not going to church on Sunday.  So I feel like I have to confess...

We did it.  We skipped.

And it was fabulous!

We headed to Caesar's Head State Park.  On the way, we stopped at Bald Rock - Septtro and I hadn't been there since we were dating so that was quite neat to take our girls.

Bald Rock

There was plenty of exploring, rock throwing, and lizard chasing involved.

goin down to "Devil's Kitchen" at Caesar's Head

believe it or not this is the best picture we could get at this point

At lunch, we stopped at a small, non-chain restaurant (cause those are the best kind, right??) that served sandwiches, fudge, and ice cream.  We were pretty hungry by this time so food was, well, inhaled.

loved how cute the restaurant was!

Ri wanted to play in some water so we stopped off Highway 11 at a roadside waterfall.  There was a nice wading area at the bottom where the girls could splash.  The water was freezing but they didn't seem to care.

Kay fell asleep on our way and was cuddly for a short while.  A very short while - until she saw the water.  

 We really did have a great time.  But I promise, I'll be back at church next week!!  

My Day Today

I introduced Ri to The Sound of Music today.  We'd watched a few clips on YouTube and she seemed very intrigued.  We only got through about 45 minutes due to time constraints but she sat through the entire thing - talking and singing parts.  And, she decided a pink leotard and white dress up heels were appropriate for the occasion.  That's my girl!  

How is Ri turning into such a big girl?  How does she know how to count and sort and say words I never knew she understood??!

We were invited to our friend's house (aka small farm) :) to make homemade hand soap and homemade laundry detergent this afternoon.  It turned out great and I'm so excited to have a cheaper alternative AND know exactly what's in my products!

hand soap - has to sit a while to gel

laundry detergent

The Kaisers have a lot of animals...and one day - hopefully soon - hope to run their own farm.  I can't wait to buy fresh farm food and support local farmers!!  

Ri and her friend Graycie!

Contrary to what some may believe about me, I'm really not a huge fan of getting dirty.  My friend Chris is such a good encouragement to me to live simply and not sweat the small stuff.  Plus, she loves to save in as many ways as possible - right up my ally!!

We had a fun and busy day making memories!!

Ri loved the bunny!!  Mommy loves it too and that it sleeps at someone else's house.

Fire Station Visit

I've been wanting to take Ri to a local fire station for a while now.  I finally called to see when we could come by and they said to come any time.  So we went the next day, which happened to be September 11th.  So the night before, we made them some cookies to say "thanks for serving"!  :)

I decorated these - the American flag was the only creative one that turned out fairly cute.  I'm no artist

 The guy who showed us around was really nice.  He let the girls do and see pretty much anything they wanted. 

Our friends came - Kenli and Lily!

Look how HUGE those tires are!

The helmet was almost as big as her!  And it probably weighed just as much or more!

I think the favorite was the water hose.  We also got on top of the ladder truck, saw the lights (skipped the siren for fear of crying), and asked LOTS of questions.  It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience!  I hope to find other places in our community that we can visit soon!!

If you have served, are serving, or have a family member serving in our military, thank you!  I wish I could send you all cookies!!!  

Life Without Facebook

Tomorrow will be two months since I've deleted my Facebook account.  Several people have asked me in person how "I'm doing" without Facebook - almost as if I'd suffered a horrible loss.  That makes me laugh a bit - inside, of course.  I was obviously very consumed by it and I think most people assumed I'd go through a horrible withdrawal (did you know this word was spelled with an extra "a" at the end??? Not until just now did I know.  Thanks spell check!).

But it's actually been quite the opposite.  I haven't missed it once.

And I have been able to focus on this sweet face more

And this one

And I've realized how my girls are becoming two very different people.  And how it's possible to still love them both with the very same love.

Now when I'm outside with my girls, I'm not constantly on my phone.  I'm more engaged with their play.  I'm physically AND emotionally there with them.

I'm learning my Ri has quite the imagination.  And my Cakester is very determined.

So I guess it's clear by now.  I believe I made the right decision.  I haven't regretted it, not one time.

Although, in the age of technology in which we live, I feel there will always be something pulling me away from what I should be focused on.  Anything on my phone could become just like Facebook - Instagram, texting, Craigslist, email, etc.  What I really have to keep in check is my attitude.  When I lose my joy - the joy in the little areas of motherhood like cleaning crumbs off the high chair or helping Ri go to the potty for the sixth time in one day - that's when I can find myself "running away" to my phone to escape; even if just for five minutes.

I wanna be joyful in even the mundane.  I want my kids to know that they're not just loved, but cherished.  So I hope and pray that God will renew this joy in my heart each and every day.

Ways to Save Money

Just the other day, I was trying to figure out other ways our family could save money.  I've been tracking our spending using an app the past two months (AceBudget2) and it's been very intersting where our money is actually going. 

So I wanted to write out a list of the things we do to save money:

1.  Use cloth diapers

• I know what you're thinking.  Probably something along the lines of "eww", "gross", "I don't wanna 'deal' with poop", etc.  Do you know anyone who cloth diapers?  Because before I started, I knew several - and not one person didn't like doing it. Plus, honestly, poop doesn't scare me.  But if it's scary to you, there are liners and sprayers to help you out with that.
• It really does save money - here's a breakdown (even if your child is out of diapers before estimated, the cost is a big difference!).  Plus, when subsequent children use the same diapers, savings increases!  AND, you can resell them when you're finished.  Cloth diapers hold their value pretty well if you take care of them!

2.  Use cloth wipes for diaper changes (baby wash cloths work great)

• I use these for my babies when they're exclusively breastfed for every diaper change and then once solids are started, I use them only for wet diapers

3.  Use cloth wipes for toilet paper - WAIT let me explain!

• We only use them for, well, #1.  I'm not that dedicated, I suppose.  But this cuts down on A LOT of toilet paper since there are TWO, soon to be THREE, girls using the potty. Plus, it's only a few drops anyway.

4.  Use prefold diapers (or more commonly referred to as a burp cloth by Gerber) for tissues

• If you wash and dry your "burp cloths", they come out so fluffy and soft.  It feels great on your nose and there's no chance of it tearing and you getting snot all over your hand.

5.  Use wash cloths for paper towels

• As much as I have to wipe hands and mouths and tables after eating with my girls, this saves tons!

6.  Hang clothes to dry in the sun (as much as the weather will allow and my schedule)

• Did you know that the dryer is typically the second biggest energy consumer in a household (second to your refrigerator)? 

7.  Buy clearance meat

• I'm sure you've noticed grocery prices have sort of increased.  I usually go to two different stores to browse marked-down meat that has a sell by date of a day or so.  If I won't use it right away, it goes into our chest freezer

8.  Use baking soda and vinegar to clean

• It's pretty effective. And very cheap.  Oh yeah, and a lot safer than chemicals ;)  I dare you to try.

9.  Went down to basic TV package

• We got rid of our satellite service (but replaced the cost of that with Internet - although we're now paying about $15 less a month for both Internet and basic cable than we were for a bunch of satellite channels and no Internet). 
• We'd been without Internet at our house for almost 7 years until this past year.  Turns out, basic cable and Internet combined was the same price as just the Internet.  So we basically only get local channels.  But we also have a Roku player.  There's also PlayOn.  And there's plenty online to watch. 

10.  Eating at home

• I've recently joined an online meal planning website and it's really helped me with my stress level, not wasting food, as well as not going out to eat last minute because nothing is planned for dinner.

So there ya have it.  There's probably a few I'm forgetting.  What are some of your money-saving ways???

All-Time Favorite AFV Video

I used to watch America's Funniest Home Videos a lot.  This one is one I've always remembered - cracks me up every time!!!  

Hope it made you smile!!!  :) :) :)

Today...

This is how my day started:

And ended with an evening outside and hearing a fun story told by my very dramatic almost-three-year-old.  

Little Susan

Meet little Susan Steenback - who would later become Susan Sene.  She is in first (maybe second) grade. 

She loves to teach her dolls and animals.  And, apparently, one decided to skip class this particular day.

I'm pretty sure she's teaching from the most important book you can teach from, the Bible. 

Susan has a very bad memory and doesn't remember much of these young years.  She's living in Hendersonville, NC at this point.  But that bathing suit on the floor?  Oh, she remembers that very well.  It was her favorite....Rainbow Brite

There's a silver Snoopy bank on the dresser beside the lamp.  Maybe you can't see it.  But grown up Susan has that same bank, still, on her dresser.

Susan's dressers and most flat surfaces are, to this day, a struggle to keep decluttered.  Yet, now - and even then - things are rarely lost or misplaced.  Organized chaos?

And yes, that's a Cabbage Patch doll on the dresser.  Maybe that's hard to see too.  She went everywhere with little Susan.

There's a lot ahead of Susan at this point in her life.  But right now, things are pretty simple.  So carry on, little Susan, carry on.

Lovie

We got a lovie for KayK while at the beach when I was 8 months pregnant. After she was born, we put it in her bed every night and now she LOVES it.

She loves it so much, we bought a back-up. We had a hard time taking it away long enough to wash.

I didn't realize HOW dirty it was until the new one arrived.

This is after the wash - original one still on the left but lookin MUCH better!  :)

Fun for Free

We wanted to take the girls out this morning.  Septtro has started football but hasn't started school yet so sometimes he's still at home for a while.

Frankies Fun Park is where we ended up.  And because both girls are still so young, we didn't have to spend a dime.  And they had a BLAST!  

Septtro found a basketball game that was abandoned so he finished that up.  He's so nice! Ri went from game to game with a huge smile on her face and KayK tried to keep up with her sister, pointing at every stuffed animal she could.

We found 4 tickets someone forgot at a game and Ri cashed them in for 2 smiley face erasers.

And we hit the jackpot on two candy bars for a "claw" type game that gave you two tries.  Except, once again, people apparently don't know how to read and didn't realize you got TWO tries!  We were happy to help out.

I'm sure we'll return soon.  Maybe this time we'll actually pay for a game or two.  :)