I usually try to nap when my kids nap but for some reason today I just couldn’t relax enough to fall asleep.  They usually nap for only 2 hrs and I try to get some things done around the house and then rest for 45 min before they wake up.  Today, however, they both wanted to sleep for 4 hours.  What the heck!

So now when I have been trying to fall asleep for 4 hours, browsing online on and off, cleaned up around the house…..I feel wiped and what do I hear?  Bubby, he is now awake.  I wish I would have gotten a nap in, my head hurts and I just feel tired. 

Off to get the boy out of his room before he starts screaming.  LOL, right now I can just hear him in his room babbling to himself (unfortunately he doesn’t talk yet). 

Maybe once Bel is up too I can go and upload my Christmas pictures so I can post them.

Head over to Dore’s Diaries and get in on her Giveaway.  She is giving away a HushABye Baby Coverlet.

“Both super soft Cozy Coverlets are made with the ultimate coziness in mind – offering babies supreme comfort, while giving you the peace of mind to shop and dine in confidence, as it protects your precious tot from germs and harmful bacteria. These extra thick, ultra luxurious coverlets are made of plush 100% cotton chenille with co-ordinating printed 80% polyester 20% acrylic minky fabric, and are doubly lined with 87.5% cotton 12.5% polypropylene for added thickness.

While the Changing Coverlet fits any public changing station, our Highchair Coverlet is designed to fit most restaurant highchairs. They are both practical and convenient and can accommodate any safety belt.

Roll it, tie it, take it with you!” 

 They are super cute and convenient.  So check out HushABye Baby and see all their great products and then head over to Dore’s Diaries to get in on her Giveaway! 

Don’ delay, head over today.  This Giveaway ends December 31, 2008 at 11:59pm CST.

Go visit the the SITS for their latest Giveaway.  If you love coffee as much as I do you will want to get in on this one. 

“The Platinum offers the full spectrum of features including Auto On/Off, Digital Clock, Adjustable Temperature Control and the “Set Your Favorite Cup Size” option. The largest available 60 oz. removable water reservoir holds up to ten cups before refilling and the removable drip tray allows for easy cleaning and the use of travel mugs. The sleek, award-winning design is a unique footprint among Keurig’s line of home brewing systems and includes both a blue lit water reservoir and blue lit LCD display.”

Check out the Keurig website to get more info on the great product. 

Head over right away and get in on this Giveaway!

Robyn over at robynsonlineworld.blogspot.com is having a Zenses Nintendo DS Giveaway.  The Zenses Ocean and Zenses Rainforest are the first in a series of games offering a brand new and total fresh gaming experience for the modern woman. 

Check out The American Game Factory and get more info about the games and then head over to Robyn’s Online World and get in on the Giveaway.

This Giveaway ends January 2, 2009 at 11:59pm CST. 

My baby girl is finally sleeping through the night.  It feels so great.  Now if I could just get myself to sleep before 2am it would actually feel like a full night sleep.  I would love to get 8+ hours of sleep. 

I am just so happy she is sleeping all night.   I want to be able to let her sleep in the room with her brother, I am just not sure how that will work.  She usually goes to bed at 8:30pm and Lil Tony may or may not go to sleep at that time too.  Depending on his mood he may scream when we put him to bed.  If he does and Bel is sleeping already I don’t want him to wake her.  I am happy they will share a room except for moments like that.  Not quite sure how it will work out. 

Maybe Bel will just have to sleep in my room until she gets just a little older and Bubby consistantly goes to bed with out a struggle.  Last night he didn’t go to bed until 11pm and he went right to sleep.  Nights that we workout he has to go to bed earlier. 

Yeah for me though that Bel is sleeping all night. 

Not sure if any of you have seen the Duggars on TLC but I watched an episode a couple weeks ago about how they save money.  For those who haven’t seen the show, they are a family of 19….wait 20 (they had a new baby last week – 18 kids). 

Well one of the ways they save is they make their own laundry detergent. 

Now I would like to say I am very particular about my detergent.  I like it to smell really good, that is the main thing. 

The Duggars make their own detergent for about $2 and for a family that size they say it lasts them a couple months. 

I decided one day a couple weeks ago that I would try making it.  I went to the store and bought all the ingredients except the essence oil for the scent.  The one thing I did wrong though is I bought, what I believe to be is the wrong kind of bar soap.  It was smaller and a softer soap so I am not sure it is working the same as the soap they recommended.  (I couldn’t find the one they use, the first day I looked)

So I made the soap about 3 weeks ago and I have only used about half.  I think it works great and I think it will be even more wonderful once I get the essence oil to make it smell good. 

Here is the ingredients:

4  Cups hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1  Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Tony works in a restaurant and his clothes always smell like food.  With regular detergent they always still smell like food even after I wash them.  With the homemade stuff it takes out the smell.  The Borax and Washing Suds help remove bad smells.  Most of my clothes, like the kids that don’t have much use, usually come out smelling like nothing and then the dryer sheet gives it a good smell. 

I am all for saving money, and with a family of 5 that I hope will only be growing,  I need to save wherever I can. 

Thanks Duggar family!

Is it a herd of elephants running on my ceiling? 

Nope it’s my neighbors upstairs.  We live on the first floor in an apartment and for some reason my neighbors are running laps in their apartment.  LOL! 

No really, all hours of the day it just sounds like someone is running from one end to the other end.  Sometimes it sounds like someone is tap dancing. 

When you live in an apartment you have to have some courtesy.  That was one reason I didn’t want a second floor apartment.  With 3 kids I didn’t want to have to worry all the time that we were being loud for the people downstairs. 

Right after we moved in, 4 months ago, it was my neighbors birthday.  She decided to have a Birthday Bash!  Now she was kind enough to let us know, weeks ahead of time and she did ask our judgement on whether the music was too loud….so we did allow it to be loud because she was having a party and she did give notice.  However, it was REALLY LOUD, and her party didn’t end until 4 wait maybe 5am.  She did bring us cake the next day so I felt bad being upset. 

Someday soon we will own a home of our very own.  Then the only noise I will hear is that of my own children tap dancing!  LOL!