Mommiedaze

Three’s Company, Four’s A Crowd?

So the new baby is on the way, and all I keep thinking is that it won’t be just the three of us anymore.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m excited about welcoming this new little one next spring.

But at the same time I feel nostalgic over the change this will bring to our family.

It won’t just be our little family of three anymore. We’re so small and cozy right now. This is the way it’s always been for the last four years. All our time, all our attention is focused completely on David. And it’s been such a sweet time watching him grow and learn. Getting to know him.

Now everything will be different.

I know we can manage two kids, and I know our family has plenty of love to share with one more. But it seems like a certain amount of intimacy will be lost when there’s four instead of three.

Last week was had several unusually warm November days, and I made sure David and I were outside taking advantage of it. My mind kept looking ahead to next year when it would be warm again. And I thought to myself, “This is one of the last times it will be just you and I playing together on a warm day.”

Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the hormones, the morning sickness and the fatigue that’s making me so sentimental.

Maybe it’s because I’m an only child, and I don’t have any personal point of reference for this.

So am I crazy or did any of you feel this way when child number two was on the way?

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Girls Just Wanna Win Swag: Tees For Change

The winner of last week’s Boojiboo giveaway is Kristy.

I’d like to introduce you to Andreea and her company Tees for Change this week.

Tees for Change offers eco-friendly t-shirts for the whole family adorned with positive messages such as CHOOSE HAPPINESS, TODAY MATTERS, LAUGH OFTEN and PRACTICE KINDNESS.

Andreea’s idea for Tees For Change was sparked when she was expecting. “I started Tees For Change when I was pregnant with my son, and decided to have a home birth with a midwife. I received a lot of negative comments and responses full of fear, so I decided to make a shirt for myself that said Be Courageous. This is how Tees For Change was born.”

“I knew that I had a great idea, and I had a lot of experience in marketing and eco-friendly products. I was also really interested in making my business as “green” as possible, so all the materials used in the t-shirts are eco-friendly and sustainable. I wanted to make a difference with my business, so we’ve partnered with Trees For The Future to plant a tree for every shirt we sell.”

That eco-friendly philosophy and their high quality tees are what make Tees For Change so unique. “Our tees are made from organic cotton or bamboo and they have a great fit! They are super soft and comfortable. They not only help you look good, but they make you feel good, through the positive messages on each shirt, and do good, by planting a tree for every shirt purchased,” says Andreea.

Win It

Tees for Change is generously offering one of you the chance to win any one short sleeve bamboo T-shirt in your choice of color and size. To enter, visit Tees for Change, then come back here and leave a comment ON THIS POST with your favorite item from the store. Comments not following the rules will be disqualified.

Earn an extra entry by posting about this contest on your blog, and linking to this post and to Tees for Change. If you do the extra credit, let me know by leaving a separate comment with the link to your post.

Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. The contest is open to residents of the US and Canada.

The contest will run until 11:59 p.m. EST Oct. 15th.

I’ll randomly draw a winner, and announce it on the next edition of Girls Just Wanna Win Swag.

The winner will also be contacted by email, and will have three days to reply. If the winner does not reply in three days, another will be chosen. You may also check Prizey Fetch to see if you’ve won.

Keep up with the weekly Swag giveaways. Subscribe to my RSS feed in a reader or by email. Click here.

Have a women-owned business you’d like featured in a Swag giveaway? Send me an email (see the side bar) and let me know.

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Make your own Play Dough

What do you do when it suddenly turns cold, you’re looking for indoor activities to do with the kiddos and your discover that the Play Dough dried up over the summer?

You make your own!

If you bake fairly regularly you probably have everything you need on hand.

Supplies:

Flour

Salt

Vegetable Oil

Cream of Tarter

Food Coloring

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Heavy Pot

Rubber Spatula

Directions:

In the pot off the heat add 1 Cup of Flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons cream of tartar.

Mix then add 1 of cup water.

Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. You can also stir in the food coloring at this point.

Cook over medium heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff.

Turn out onto wax paper and let cool.

After it cools knead the Play Dough a few times with your hands to help make it more elastic. Then play!

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How Does He Come Up with this Stuff?

David’s been up to some interesting stuff lately.

He rigged up this pulley system on his bed with some rope and a laundry basket.

I found him trying to do it with sewing thread first. Of course that just kept breaking. So I gave him some rope. But I didn’t help him. He figured out how to do it all on his own. Where he got the idea in the first place, I don’t know.

Don’t worry. We took the rope away when he went to bed.

Is it normal for a three-year-old to have these kind of engineering skills?

Then we got a magazine in the mail with a cover that fascinated David. He liked it so much he tore the cover off and hung it on the fridge. I went to get some milk and found this:

We had a long conversation about that cover the night before he gave it place of honor on the fridge. David immediately recognized both of them.

“Is that Barack Obama?”

“Yes.”

“Is that John McCain?”

“Yes.”

“Why do they look mad?”

“They’re not really mad. It’s just a joke. It’s supposed to be funny.”

“Why’s it funny?”

“Because they’re competing against each other to be president. But the picture is making it look like they’re going to box each other. What makes it funny is that would never really happen.”

“Oh.”

Then David just sat and studied the picture for a long time.

I was surprised he recognized the caricatures.

Maybe we watch too much cable news.

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Girls Just Wanna Win Swag: Boojiboo

Carolsue is the winner of last week’s giveaway from Cake and a Prayer.

Boojiboo is this week’s featured Swag company. They specialize in vintage inspired aprons for children and adults. They also have totes, market bags and reversible bibs for the littlest ones.

Boojiboo is a family business, “Every member is involved in some part of the process!”

“Boojiboo actually started out as a Raggedy Anne doll company created by my mother, when the children decided it was finally time to appeal to a different demographic. Always having a love for vintage and retro fashion, the children suggested vintage inspired aprons, and then bags!”

Inspiration for Boojiboo’s products comes from, “Anything vintage and cute!”

“We really enjoy bringing happiness to our customers. It always puts a smile on our faces when we hear our apron made them love cooking again, or when one of our bags is the perfect size for whatever it is they use it for.”

Win It!

Boojiboo is offering one lucky reader the choice of any one item in their store as long as it is in stock at the time the giveaway ends. To enter, visit Boojiboo, then come back here and leave a comment ON THIS POST with your favorite item. Comments not following the rules will be disqualified.

Earn an extra entry by posting about this contest on your blog, and linking to this post and to Boojiboo. If you do the extra credit, let me know by leaving a separate comment with the link to your post.

Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. The contest is open internationally.

The contest will run until 11:59 p.m. EST Oct. 8th.

I’ll randomly draw a winner, and announce it on the next edition of Girls Just Wanna Win Swag.

The winner will also be contacted by email, and will have three days to reply. If the winner does not reply in three days, another will be chosen. You may also check Prizey Fetch to see if you’ve won.

Keep up with the weekly Swag giveaways. Subscribe to my RSS feed in a reader or by email. Click here.

Have a women-owned business you’d like featured in a Swag giveaway? Send me an email (see the side bar) and let me know.

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Cookie of the Week: Molasses Ginger Cookies

Oh, these are yummy, and they make your house smell so good! These Molasses Ginger cookies are great for fall with their sweet, spicy flavor. They go really well with apple cider. Ooh, warm cider would be even better. So cozy.

Molasses Ginger Cookie Recipe

8 tbs. butter

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup white sugar

Cream together butter, 1 cup of sugar, egg and molasses. Add all other ingredients except 1/2 cup sugar and mix well. Chill in refrigerator. Form into walnut-sized balls and roll in sugar. Arrange on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

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Girls Just Wanna Win Swag: Comfy Creations Keyboard Wrist Rest Set

New Here? Subscribe in a reader to keep up with weekly Swag giveaways.

Angela is the winner of last week’s Dorothy Lime Apron and Glove Set from Carolyn’s Kitchen.

Chances are if you’re reading this you spend at least some time at the computer everyday. That can lead to any number of aches and pains, including sore wrists, necks and backs. Well, this week’s featured company, Comfy Creations, has some wonderful items designed to bring you relief at the keyboard and elsewhere.

Mid-size Back Relief Set

Comfy Creations owner Kathleen Lee has developed several products that use therapeutic moist heat to help relieve chronic pain due to arthritis, fibromyalgia, tension headaches and neck and shoulder pain. “I am a licensed massage therapist, and I actually started making the therapy packs for my clients to help with chronic pain between their sessions. I first began applying the heat packs during the sessions, and my clients inquired about purchasing, and that is how it all began,” says Lee.

Comfy Creations is also a way for Lee to branch out, and use her business skills in a different way. “Having my own massage therapy practice for nearly ten years, I find myself as an honest, hard working, creative business woman. With this knowledge of many years of being self-employed I looked to extend my profession in a new field, and that is how I came about to open my shop on Etsy.”

Lee continues, “As a therapist it is very important to me to bring a way of healing to as many people as possible. This desire to reach as many people to help with their therapeutic needs is what truly inspires me to create my therapy products.”

Kathleen sent me a Keyboard Wrist Rest Set to test out. There is a long rest to use in front of your keyboard, and a smaller rest to support the wrist you use your mouse with. “They are designed to help relieve the effects of carpal tunnel from long periods of time at the computer. They are filled with flaxseed, rice, lavender and buckwheat that conforms to the wrists relieving pressure and allowing comfort,” says Kathleen.

I noticed two things right away about the rests when I opened the package. The rests are lavender scented and smell great. The fabric they’re made from is also beautiful. They made me want to sit down, and start typing. And what a difference they made! The rests are so much more comfortable than the edge of the desk. If I spend a lot of time at the computer, my wrists usually start to feel fatigued, but not after using the rests.

I asked Kathleen what sets her products apart from similar ones, “It has been said by my customers that they find me to be a conscientious crafter. I believe it is my attention to detail and my extensive research in the designer fabrics I choose, along with the interior design experience I have in coordinating the fabrics. I find it so much fun to look for fabric and mix and match. It has also been said that I have an “eye” for coordinating fabric from my vendors!”

Win It!

Kathleen is offering a Keyboard Wrist Rest Set to one lucky reader. The winner may choose any keyboard wrist support that is currently listed in her shop.

To enter visit Comfy Creations then come back here and comment ON THIS POST with the name of one other favorite item from the store. Comments not following the rules will be disqualified. Earn an extra entry by posting about this contest on your blog, and linking to this post and to Comfy Creations. If you do the extra credit, let me know by leaving a separate comment with the link to your post.

Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. The contest is open to readers in the U.S. and Canada only.

The contest is open until 11:59 p.m. EST Sept. 17th. I’ll randomly draw a winner, and announce it on the next edition of Girls Just Wanna Win Swag. The winner will also be contacted by email, and will have three days to reply. If the winner does not reply in three days, another will be chosen. You may also check Prizey Fetch to see if you’ve won.

Have a women-owned business you’d like featured in a Swag giveaway? Send me an email (see the side bar) and let me know.

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