Happy (almost) Halloween!

Happy Halloween! Well, tomorrow that is! I am so excited to be taking Destin trick or treating this year, and then next year we will be able to take both girls :)

Today I took some cute pics of the girls in their Halloween outfits & just thought I would share a couple...

Tomorrow we our planning to visit Boo at the Zoo with Gma Melanie & Uncle Joe, then that evening go trick or treating with daddy around our neighborhood. Destin is going to be Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street & Arwen is going to wear her Halloween one-piece outfit :)

Our Christmas Cards

If you know me fairly well, you would know that I love taking pictures of my family...and there is really only one site that I trust in making my photo gifts. I am absolutely in love with the photography site, Shutterfly. Over the past two years, I have had the pleasure of creating a photo share site: http://destinpaisleyroach.shutterfly.com/, more than a dozen photo books, photo mugs, calendars, prints & cards. They make beautiful gifts to share, and treasures to hold on to for years to come.

Here is my most recent creation - a Thanksgiving card (it was actually supposed to be an invitation, but our plans our still up in the air of what we are doing, so I made these instead). If you click on the pic, it will take you to Shutterfly's site in order to create your own Thanksgiving cards.

I don't want to call them holiday, or winter...but rather I will call them our Christmas cards that I am making from Shutterfly. Last year I had so much fun making cards from Destin's photo shoot that I took with her in a Santa hat. Here are some examples from last year that I made (click on the pic to get a closer look):

This is a 5x7 flat stationary card & can be found at:
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/flat-stationery-cards


I called this "Giggle all the way" and shows the front, inside top/bottom.


This is the Holiday Script card - it was limited to only two pics.


This card was the Love, Hope, Joy card.These three cards listed above can be found at: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/folded-greeting-cards

This year I got 12 free cards through a different promo code and made some cards with some of my favorite pics of Destin & Arwen that I took recently.


This is a 5x7 flat stationary card & can be found at:
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/flat-stationery-cards

And now with this blog post I hope to get 50 more free cards to share with my family & friends this holiday season. There are so many to choose from, whether you include your family letter, or if you have a pic for each month of the year. My favorite would have to be the holiday story cards, which are supposed to tell the story of your year (the following cards are just examples from the Shutterfly site, and not pics of my family).

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-story-cards

So if you are looking for the perfect Thanksgiving/Christmas/Holiday card, please take the time to check out Shutterfly and the hundreds of styles that they offer.

The Pros & Cons of Breast Feeding

As a breastfeeding mom, I thought I would share pros/cons & some other fun facts and sites about breastfeeding in general. I love breastfeeding - its one of the most greatest gifts I could give to my girls!

No, this is not me! I just liked the pic...

Pros of Breastfeeding:
•Eat more and lose weight faster: A breastfeeding mother needs 500 extra calories a day because the body burns that amount while breastfeeding. She'll be back in her pre-pregnancy shape quickly. (This has happened with both of my girls!)
•There's a very special bond between Mother and Baby and it's the natural way to feed
•There's less spitting up, no stains and the poop doesn't smell! (The poop does smell - the experts are crazy!)
•Protects against some breast and ovarian cancers: While breastfeeding, estrogen levels are very low. Research has shown that the longer you breastfeed, the risks for these cancers goes down.
•MAY delay menstrual period: Again, estrogen levels are low and many women think they're well protected from conceiving, but ovulation may still occur. (I didn't have my period for almost 9 mos with Destin - yay! Then when I finally got my period, we were pregnant the following month!)
•It's an amazing confidence booster: Mothers are really able to use their natural ability
•Believe it or not, there is very little embarrassment: It's easy to nurse discreetly and modestly (I agree on this to a point - it was a little embarrassing at the Dodge dealership surrounded by men).
•It's easy and convenient: There's nothing to buy or prepare so it gives the mother much more freedom. Breasts are always there and the milk is always warm and ready.

There are also health benefits for baby & its FREE (I don't pump or use bottles).

Cons of Breastfeeding:
•Nursing is definitely time-consuming: Newborn babies typically feed every 2 to 3 hours during the day and may awaken frequently at night.
•If someone else wants to feed the baby with a bottle of breast milk the mother still has to pump.
•Breastfeeding takes a lot of energy for your body to make milk, so the mother can often feel quite fatigued.

When Destin got her teeth, that was not fun - it was one of the reasons why I weaned her earlier than I wanted. She was biting & it did not feel good! Another reason is that I was pregnant & my breasts were extra tender!

Famous Celebrities who breastfeed:
I thought this was really interesting who all breastfed their babies...including Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Carly Simon, Demi Moore, Goldie Hawn, Jodie Foster, Madonna, Queen Elizabeth & more!
http://www.breastfeeding.com/celebrities/celeb_famous_mothers.html

La Leche League
http://www.llli.org/

Kelly Mom
http://www.kellymom.com/

Disney World

About a month ago, Pat and I were watching a commercial for Disney World...and I said I would love to take the girls there someday, but he said that we probably never would be able to since its cost so much money...so I thought I would do some digging and discover how much it would cost to go there. There are lots of sites that provide coupons and discounts, and if you go certain times of the year I know it is cheaper too.

On the site http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ you can get a free vacation planning DVD, & can create a customized map of the resort. In my life, I have been there a total of three times. The first time when I was baby with my mom & dad (which I don't remember). I dont' know what they were thinking to bring me there at that age! The second, was when I was eight or nine, with my dad & his girlfriend at the time :P Then, the third time I went when I was a junior in highschool with my Aunt Tracie and her family.

If I remember correctly, there are several parks that you can go to including: Epcot Center, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Animal Kingdom, MGM Studios, & some water parks too. My favorite was the Hollywood studios! I love seeing the films being made - when we went in 2001 I got to see the making of "Lilo & Stitch". And there was an Indiana Jones show, Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area (everything was huge & it felt like you were in the movie), Aerosmith rollercoaster (I love Aerosmith!), The Twilight Zone Hollywood Tower Hotel (very scary!) and more!

When is the right time to take your kids? When they are old enough to ride everything or just ride the small stuff for them at Disneyland? Where do you stay? There are hundreds of hotels, resorts, meal plans & more! Also, which one do you go to? Disney is everywhere - they have cruises, resorts, water parks, amusement parks, world travel groups, & more! They have places in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, Hawaii (opens in the Fall 2011), California, Florida, & more!

After a short search, I found that it would cost roughly over $2000 for the four us to go (seven days, six nights, airfare, hotel, etc.)....so maybe Patrick is right. Destin & Arwen will have to wait until I get a great paying job or until we win the lottery :)

Happy Birthday!

October is a busy month around our house as far as birthdays go... Abby (our niece), Jeff (my stepfather), Melanie (my mom), Joseph (my little brother - he turned 11 today!) & Gma Smith. And I am sure there are more! This got me thinking about all the freebies you can get for your birthday around the area (not all of the links are provided due to time):

Toys R Us:
When you sign for Geoffrey’s Birthday Club, your child will get a call on his or her special day from Geoffrey, a birthday card with a special gift inside (until age 10), a special crown, balloon and store announcement when you stop in on your child’s day. Even Mom and Dad get something – a planner with savings inside to help make your child’s birthday even more special. You can sign up in the store or head to http://www.trubdayclub.com/ to sign up.

Baskin Robbins:
Who doesn’t want ice cream on their birthday? Sign up for the Baskin Robbins Birthday club to get a free 2.5 oz. scoop of ice cream on your birthday. The best part about this one is that there is no age limit. That means Mom and Dad can get free ice cream too! You can sign up for this one at http://www.baskinrobbins.com/ . Just click the Birthday Club tab at the top of the page.

Denny’s:
When you sign up your child for the Denny’s Kids’ Birthday Club, your child will get a coupon for a free entrée and sundae on her special day. Stop by http://www.dennyskidsandparents.com/ and click on the birthday image to get the necessary forms.

McDonald’s:
Your child can get a free Happy Meal during the month of his birthday. Just send an email to JoinCBMm@earthlink.net and indicate you are NEW Member. Be sure to include your child’s name, mailing address and birthday. This offer is open to children who are 11 or younger.

Children’s Place:
When you sign up for this club, both you and your child will get a coupon for special birthday savings. Maybe now you can do a birthday shopping spree without breaking the bank! Head on over to http://www.childrensplace.com/ and scroll down to the image of the cake to sign up.

Red Robin:
If you have an older child, this might be the place to go. When you sign up for the Red Robin e-club, you will get a free burger on your birthday. Plus, you’ll get something free just for signing up. You will want to visit www.RedRobin.com/eclub/ to get in on this great offer.

Burger King:
Join the BK Kids’ Club and your child will get a free hamburger meal on his or her special day! Just go to http://www.clubbk.com/ to get signed up.

Price Chopper:
When you belong to the Price Chopper Kids’ Club, you not only get free products all year long, your child can get something special on his or her birthday too! Visit http://www.mypricechopper.com/ and then find the Kids’ Club image and register each of your children. (Good through age 12)

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus:
This is one for parents whose children fall in the ages of newborn to 12 months old. When you sign them up for Baby’s First Circus, you will get a coupon to a show – that never expires! Visit http://www.ringling.com/ and click on Special Offers

Applebees: Free dessert. They also have a newsletter, but no word if it sends out a birthday coupon or not http://www.applebees.com/emailsignup.aspx

Atlanta Bread Company – They have a VIP eClub that you can sign up for, gaining you a free cookie on your birthday.

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels – They’ll send you monthly coupons all year long if you sign up for their newsletter, so it’s pretty safe to guess you’ll get a birthday treat.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Become a Chunk Spelunker and you can get some free ice cream!

BD’s Mongolian’s B.B.Q. – Signup for their Club Mongo and you’ll get a coupon for a free birthday meal.

Bob Evans – Free kids meal for anybody under the age of 12.

Boston Market – Free kids B-Day meal coupon for kids under 12 and coupons online for their various entrees.

Buffalo Wild Wings – You either get a Free dessert with a $5 purchase.

California Pizza Kitchen – Free kids meal during the month of their birthday if you register first.

Captain D’s – Join their D’s Club and get a coupon for $3 off any meal, among other freebies.

Chick-fil-A – No idea what the freebie is, but they ask for your birthday.

Coldstone Creamery – Join now and get a free creation on your birthday.

Country Kitchen – As long as you have valid ID, you get a free dinner entree up to $8 in value.

Culvers – Free sundae as well as a few printable coupons when you first sign up.

Dairy Queen – Free ice cream coupon via e-mail for kids 16 and under. They also have a Blizzard Club for adults with the same offer.

Famous Dave’s Barbeque – Free meal with advance signup.

Fazoli’s – Join their eFamily and get a coupon for a free dessert.

Hooters – Free song & T-shirt

Houlihan’s – Free coupon for an entree during your next visit up to a week after b-day

IHOP – You’ll get a free meal when you sign up and on your birthday.

Joe’s Crab Shack – Free cake if you join their club.

Krispy Kreme – Free half dozen glazed donuts and a coffee mug with either coffee or soda in it! You might want to sign up ahead of time.

Logan’s Roadhouse – Join their Nut Club and get a coupon for a free slice of cheesecake. Sometimes they’ll sing for you as well.

Macaroni Grill – Free dessert plus an OPERA-style “Happy Birthday” song, which is always…fun?

Noodles & Company – Signup for their newsletter and they’ll send ya a coupon for a free meal right around our birthday!

Olive Garden – Free dessert if you sign up

On The Border – Free appetizer if you sign up.

P.F. Chang’s – Free cake or cheesecake via their e-mail list.

Papa Murphy’s – Sign up for their e-club and get a coupon for a free cookie dough on your birthday.

Perkin’s – Free bakery goodie on birthdays for kids under 12.

Red Lobster – Their Overboard Club will send you a coupon for $5 off two adult entrees.

Red Robin – Free Gourmet Burger if you sign up for Eclub. You have to bring in the e-mail coupon they send you.

Ruby Tuesday – Free handcrafted burger of your choice.

Ryan’s – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!

Wendy’s – Free kids meal for the little ones and a free frosty for us adults

I am sure there are more...this is all I could find right now! Also, here is a Kids Eat Free Guide http://kcparent.com/More/Guides/KidsEatFree.aspx

Do you "CD"?

For a few months now, we have been debating about "CD"ing - using cloth diapers.

There was a store in Lee's Summit called Happy Bottomus, which sold all sorts of brands, types, sizes, colors of cloth diapers - it was amazing! I never knew there was so much to choose from! Sadly (for me) they moved to Overland Park, KS and are hopefully thriving there :) http://www.happybottomus.com/

Why choose cloth diapers? There are so many reasons. Cloth diapers are soft against your baby’s skin. Cloth diapers are also free of the many chemicals contained in disposable diapers. Our common sense tells us that cloth diapers are the ultimate in recycling because they are used again and again, not entering a landfill until they are nothing but rags. In the last year or so, I have tried to become a more eco friendly mama - recycling, starting a compost in our backyard, not using as much electricity/water, etc. What better way to help save the environment than to use cloth diapers?

Here are some scary facts that I found:
Over 92% of all single-use diapers end up in a landfill.

In 1988, nearly $300 million dollars were spent annually just to discard disposable diapers, whereas cotton diapers are reused 50 to 200 times before being turned into rags.

No one knows how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but it is estimated to be about 250-500 years, long after your children, grandchildren and great, great, great grandchildren will be gone.

Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.
http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php

Who knew there was so much to know about cloth diapering? This site gives a dictionary of words commonly used with CDing. http://www.diaperpin.com/dictionary.asp

Here is the price info I could find...its amazing how much we spend in disposable diapers: http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/cost_of_cloth_diapers.php

I would really like to experiment with cloth diapers - see if I like them, or if they are really worth the money to buy them...but I don't want to spend a lot of money (especially since we don't have any to spend!). I heard about a diaper swap - if I have the time/money we might check it out in January.

I wonder if there is anyone out there I know that uses cloth diapers - do you use the traditional cloths & pins, or the more fancy snaps? Which ones should I use? And since I have two children in diapers, which is the better deal? Where do I buy them? There are so many different kinds: One Size, All in one, All in two, Pocket diapers, Wool, Covers, Fitted, Prefold, Flats, Snaps, etc.

Sleeping/Sickness update - week 3

Good news - we are not sick anymore! YAY! Our colds only lasted about a week, and now we are all doing much better :)

Bad news - Destin is a night owl and wants to stay up until after 11 almost every night! AHH! I am still in the works of reading the no-cry method for sleeping...its very hard to find time to read around our house!

Week 2: What's for dinner?

I thought I would post our weekly menu this week...I always serve at least 1 fruit & 1 veggie at each meal (in case they are not listed). So here is this week's menu:

S: Joseph's Birthday - Tacos & Enchiladas
S: Trunk or Treat - Hotdogs & chips
M: Meatloaf, cheesy peas & mashed potatoes with gravy
T: Chicken enchiladas, tamales, rice, chips & salsa
W: Homemade pizza with salad
T: BLTs with mac n cheese & fries
F: Chicken grillers, twice baked potato & salad
S: Gma Smith's Birthday

I am always on the lookout for something new...so, whats for dinner at your house?

Destin's costume

I thought I would share Destin's costume from Trunk or Treat last night...I have more pics, but I will post those on our Shutterfly site :) I made her hair out of yarn (pom-poms), did her makeup like Abby's (pink nose, purple freckles, blue eye shadow) and then of course fairy wings & a tutu. What do you think?

Abby from Sesame Street

Thanksgiving cards

Gobble Gobble Fall Invitation

Unique party invitations and greeting cards by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Whats for dinner?

In order to save time and money, I always make a weekly dinner menu/grocery list. I always serve at least 1 fruit & 1 veggie at each meal (in case they are not listed). So here is this week's menu:

S: Pizza Hut - Yum!
S: Olive Gardens - Yummy!
M: Chicken Parmesian, fettucine, and bread
T: Fried Chicken breasts, mashed potatoes & gravy, stuffing & corn
W: Chili/chili dogs, with frito chips & cheese
T: Chicken fajitas, with spanish rice, beans, chips & salsa
F: Bowtie pasta & Tortellini, garlic brea & salad
S: BLTs with mac n cheese & fries

Whats for dinner at your house?

Free Stuff/Samples

Not sure how I came across this, but just in the last week I have decided to sign up for free samples and free stuff from various "clubs" on Facebook. They include:
Freebies for Mom, Free Stuff Finder, Freebie Spot, Just Free Stuff, Freeflys & Frugal Fabulous Finds, and The Freebie Blogger.

In total, just this week I have signed up for over thirty different offers - from free laundry detergent, toothpaste, a tshirt, oragami paper, baseball cards, pasta, perfume, face wash, gum, fruit bites, a Sleep number pillow, books, dog food/treats, medicine and more!

Let me know if you want to hear about some of these offers, and I can start posting them on my blog :)

Being pregnant

In every parents/baby magazine that I get there is always an article especially written for the future mommy-to-be...and although I am not currently expecting, I always read the article. Maybe its because there is something always new going on in the pregnancy world, or maybe its because I miss being pregnant.

I loved being pregnant with Destin & Arwen. I was very lucky to not have any of the horrible symptoms - no major mood swings (you would have to ask Pat), although I did cry more often, no morning sickness or sickness in general, no cravings, no large feet, & no major weight gain (I actually lost weight with Destin)...

Pics of me when I was pregnant (Destin is on the left & Arwen is on the right)

Some things that did happen...my gums would bleed every time I brushed my teeth, I had to pee all the time (usually at night), I had gestational diabetes (with Destin only) which limited what I could eat - which ended up causing me to lose weight & eat healthier (so I guess that is a plus). I couldn't take medicine for when I was sick that would work well - no decongestant (the same goes for when you are nursing, which I am).

Things I missed while I was pregnant:

1. Going to Worlds of Fun (we get free tickets every year, and I was unable to go)

2. Eating goat cheese & caesar salads (two of my favorite foods to eat)

3. Not being able to travel a whole lot

Things I loved while I was pregnant:

1. The glow you get & the round belly

2. My nails & hair would grow fast, long & pretty

3. Feeling kicks, hiccups & rolling around of the baby inside of you

4. Hearing the baby's heartbeat

What do you miss about being pregnant? What did you love? What did you hate? I know someday when we decide to have another baby, I will love being pregnant again. I know that there are moms out there who have had horrible experiences - and I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

Getting sick...blah!

I hate getting sick...but what is worse than being sick?? When both of your babies are sick! Destin got a cold after our recent visit to the park, then her cousins were starting to feel sick too & we have been spending more time with them the last couple weeks...so obviously she got a cold & now Arwen does too :( Mine is just a mix of allergies and our crazy Missouri weather...blah!

Destin & her cousins at Deanna Rose over the weekend :)

In an article in Parents November magazine, "Secrets of Kids Who Never Get Sick", it states the following:

• They keep their hands clean (for the most part we clean before & after every meal/playtime)


• They're active every day (All day everyday!)


• They get plenty of zzz's (Um, no...)


• They really try to avoid touching their face (yes)


• They have a healthy diet (yes, lots of fruits & veggies at our house!)


• They get the flu vaccine (not yet, but we are getting them soon)

How many of you can say you follow the list above? Last year with the big scare of H1N1, we were washing hands like crazy and avoiding too many crowded places...with Destin in tow, and me being pregnant with Arwen, during the holidays it was not very much fun!

I know our sickness will pass with time, but what else can we do to prevent it? I am so scared for those parents that have children who are unable to be vaccinated, or who get sick all the time. I couldn't imagine!

Sleeping update - Week 2

I have decided that my children do not like to sleep. For the most part, Arwen sleeps fairly well. She would sleep all day on most days if I would let her. Almost every trip/outing/visit, she sleeps! But there are times when she will stay up all night if we let her - she talks, coos, laughs and will cry if she is hungry enough. She is such a sweet girl :)

Destin does not like to sleep. She hates naptime/bedtime - she tells me 'No mommy!' every time. If we sit in there with her, it leads to her talking/playing...if we don't sit with her, it leads to the same thing, and you have to add that she won't stay in her bed/room longer than a couple minutes. It is still taking over an hour, to sometimes up to two hours for her to fall asleep. I am so tired of her not wanting to sleep. You would think she would have no energy, and would fall asleep after not having enough rest - but, no...she is full of energy, hyper at times and would rather dance/sing/jump/run/talk/give kisses/hugs/pretend/etc...all day/night! I can only keep thinking happy thoughts, that this too shall pass with time & until then wish us luck & sleepy naps/nights for the future.

So my new method of letting her fall asleep on her own is a FAIL! I am hoping to find something new in the next week or so...I am reading the no cry method right now, still trying to find some answer.

Saving money

There are all kinds of ways to save money...

1. Kids Eat Free nights - at certain restaurants in the area:
http://kcparent.com/More/Guides/KidsEatFree.aspx

2. Clipping coupons

3. Go to free stuff...festivals, stores, events are going on all the time & most are free!

4. Recycle clothes for more than one season - just wear layers!

Photography

As many of you know I love taking pictures. Before the girls, I took pictures of Patrick and I.

This was when we first started dating in 2003, taken at my cousin's wedding at Powell Gardens.

Our trip to Mexico in 2003

One of our trips to FL (in 2006 in I think)


Daisy & Duke (2007)
Then we got our first "babies", Daisy & Duke - and I took tons of pictures of the two of them. Then with the girls, I must take hundreds of new photos each week. My Dad & Stepmom were so generous when they gave me a Nikon D3000 camera for my birthday in July (right after Arwen was born). Thank you! Thank you for this amazing gift!

Since then, I have been taking pictures every other day. Sometimes I take pics of Destin playing, or of Arwen smiling. Sometimes I stage photoshoots outside or more recently in our bedroom. Sometimes the lighting is perfect, and sometimes its not. Sometimes I use the flash, indoor flash or no flash at all. I am no expert at all when it comes to photography - but I do like to try new things, and test out all of my options when it comes to getting the perfect picture.

Arwen with/without flash

Since starting my Facebook page a couple of years ago, I have found that many people have started their own photography studio. I wonder if that is something I could do in the future someday? I love photography, and playing with photos. The next step would be to get photoshop, and a backup file for all of the pics I would take. Of course, I was talking about starting my own bakery business too - and maybe even making stuff like hair clips, and tshirts as some family members & FB friends do. I'm not sure what will happen in the next year or so, but I hope to make some money somehow..and maybe photography could be it!

TV time vs. timeout

My goal for the past two weeks was to put TV in a timeout...simply because Destin & I would watch TV all the time if we could. The first went really well - we would watch Dora & then Sesame Street, and then I would turn off the tele for the rest of the day (from 10 AM) until after Destin's nap (around 3:30 PM). We did this almost everyday for about a week...but then I just started to forget, got lazy and left it on most of the day.

One of Destin's fav shows is Dora :)

I know that having the TV on all the time is not good for us, and we need to do other things - which we do. But it makes me wonder about all the research that says children should not watch tv under the age of 2.

Here is an article I found from AAP:
http://www.aap.org/sections/media/toddlerstv.htm

There is also another article that lists what children are not doing, which I don't fully agree on. Destin runs, jumps, dances, sings, asks questions, interacts and talks to me & the characters on her shows (Sesame Street & Dora). This article is very interesting to me...
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/work-play/Media/pages/What-Children-are-NOT-Doing-When-Watching-TV.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token

Whether or not, parents let thier children watch tv is up to them...and more than likely most parents will let their baby or babies watch tv before they turn 2 years old. I read, play games, pretend, sing, listen to music, color, do crafts & more with Destin everyday. A little tv can't hurt, right?

Going Places

Living close to Kansas City definitely has its perks - there is always something to do! There are museums, parks, play places, nature centers, shopping centers and more!

I am not sure how often I will get out to travel with being a mom of two under two, but I thought I would share some things I have found that are either free or pretty cheap for young and some older children. Some of these places we have been to, and others we have not.

Indoors:

Paradise Park (Lee's Summit) - Every Monday Mom's get in for free! Destin loves this place!
http://www.paradise-park.com/

Gymboree (Lee's Summit & other locations) - They offer a free class to new members
http://www.gymboree.com.hk/

Xtreme Gymnatics (or any gymnastics place in the area) - Most of them provide a free trial class just to see if your little one is interested. All you have to do is call and try it out!

Wonderscope (Shawnee, KS): I came here a few years ago with my mom & little brother (before Destin). Here are the prices: Ages 3-63 - $7; Ages 64 and up - $6; 1 and 2 year olds - $4 ; Infants under 1 year/members are FREE
http://www.wonderscope.org/

Tunnel Voyage (Lee's Summit) - This place closed 9/30/10...we only got to go one time :(

Johnson County Museum - This place is FREE. We have never been here but would love to check it out!
http://www.jocomuseum.org/EXH/kidscape.shtml

Jumping Jax (Overland Park, KS) - I would like to check this place out...Prices: Under 2 is $4.00; Age 2 and up is $8.00 for your first child,$5.00 each additional child. Parents are always FREE
http://www.jumpingjaxparties.com/

Monkey Bizness (Shawnee Mission and Olathe, KS) - We have never been here but the prices aren't too bad, $7.50 for children over 1; $5.00 for crawlers; parents/infants are free.
http://www.monkeybizness.com/index.html

Chuck E. Cheese (Independence)
http://www.chuckecheese.com/

Midcontinent Public Library
http://www.mymcpl.org/

Paul Messner Puppet Shows
http://www.paulmesnerpuppets.org/company.html

Build A Bear Workshop (at the Indep Center)

Dave & Busters (at the Legends shopping center in KS) - This place is FREE, but of course you have to pay money to play the games and/or eat there!

T Rex Cafe (at the Legends as well) - Fun place eat, and lots to look at!

Matt Ross Community Center Indoor Playground (Overland Park, KS) - This place is FREE

Zonkers (at the Great Mall & Oak Park Mall) - some type of playplace with video games...we have never been before.
http://www.zonkers.com/DNN/default.aspx

Outdoors:

Deanna Rose Farmstead (see previous post on blog)

The Kansas City Zoo - We love it there! We have a family pass & go all the time!

Nature Centers (Burr Oak Woods, Lakeside Nature Center, ...)

Local Parks in your area

Pumpkin Patches/Farms - there are too many to list!

Festivals in the Fall/Spring/Summer - we usually go to all of the ones in Lee's Summit

Most of these places I found just by driving by, or I found them at http://www.kcparent.com/. This website (which is also a magazine) provides hundreds, if not thousands of places to go, events, contests and more for the local KC parent.

Short changing

This past week I took the girls to Paradise Park in Lee's Summit (www.paradise-park.com ) courtesy of Lee's Summit's Parents as Teachers. It was free day to play basically. Well, while I was there I ran into a mom of two little girls who was pregnant the same time I was with Arwen. Our daughters played together at the Dr's office during our prenatal visits :)

As Destin and her older daughter were making thier healthy snack of apples and marshmallows - the mom told me that sometimes she felt like she was "short changing" her daughter and her son. And without really thinking about it, I agreed that I felt that way too. Sometimes I feel guilty because I am spending so much time with Destin, instead of Arwen; or with Arwen instead of Destin. I have to split my time to play, laugh, feed, read and snuggle with both of my girls. While I was pregnant with Arwen, I cried so many times when Destin would smile, play, snuggle & fall asleep thinking...this will be her last time that she has without a sibling...when she once was an only child and didn't have to share her time with someone else. Now she is a big sister, but she still gets plenty of snuggles, play time and love from both me & Patrick.

As a mommy of two under two, I know that there are days that will be harder than others...and I knew that it would be this way from the get go. I love being a mom to both of my girls...and I know that they will someday both be thankful for having a sibling. I always wanted to have a sibling close in age (my half brother is 15 years younger than me) & I know that someday they will be bestfriends, playmates & sisters for life :)

In the future, when we decide to have more children - I don't want to think of myself as "short changing" my babies, but sharing my love with all of them. Sharing my time, my heart, my everything with each and every one of them...after all, that is what a parent must do. So, now that I think about it I don't think I am short changing my daughters, I am simply sharing myself with both of them.

Sleeping update

I lost track of the days/nights of Destin's sleep schedule...but I can say they are not getting any better. It is still taking over an hour. She still won't stay in her bed or her room....I am still waiting for things to click! We got messed up on Saturday, because she didn't take a nap until almost 3 PM...then Sunday, we went to birthday party which was at night from 7 - 9 PM.

You would think that if we let her stay up later she would fall asleep faster, but it doesn't make a difference. The earlier we have her go to bed, the longer it takes for her to fall asleep :( The later we have her go to bed, it takes just as long usually. I am hoping that the books I get from the library this week will give me some new light on the subject of how to teach your children to fall asleep on their own.

Arwen has no problem falling asleep and staying asleep. She would sleep all day if I would let her! My children are opposite right now :P, but just wait...give it time & I am sure they will both not sleep! Ahh!

Deanna Rose

If you are looking for a fun, outdoors, animal loving, farm style place... take your children to Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park, KS. With almost 200 animals, this place will light up your child's eyes, as they are able to pet/feed almost every animal there. It has beautiful gardens, playgrounds and plenty of walking space. You can fish there, feed baby goats, milk a cow, ride on a pony, go on a hayride and more!

The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 1 to Oct. 31. During the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), the Farmstead is open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.

Prices: Monday thru Thursday it is FREE, and Friday/Sat/Sun it is $2/person and 1 & under is free.

I have had the pleasure of going to Deanna Rose twice this summer, and a couple of times last year. I hope to go see thier pumpkin patch too :)

There are only two events left for the month of October including:

Pumpkin Hollow ~ September 24th thru October 28th

Come and get lost in our patch of pre-picked pumpkins. From big and small to round and tall, you'll find a pumpkin you like and so much more at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead's annual Pumpkin Hollow.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends.

At Pumpkin Hollow, a horse-drawn wagon ride will take you to and from the patch where each person gets to take home a pumpkin of his or her choice. At the patch, you can:

•Get lost in a hay maze;
•Fish for pumpkins;
•Climb a hay pyramid;
•Play in a "corn" box;
•Shoot pumpkin hoops; and
•Participate in the creepy, crawly snake jump.

Night of the Living Farm ~ Two Weekends Only!

Old-fashioned lanterns and carved pumpkins will lead costumed trick-or-treaters through pathways of graves and ghouls at Night of the Living Farm at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, 138th and Switzer on:

Oct. 22-23 and Oct. 29-30

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $7 at the Farmstead or online. Tickets at the gate are $8. All tickets are non-refundable and good for any night. There is no rain date.

Activities

From 6 to 9 p.m., families with children of all ages can participate in a:

•Haunted barn;
•Flashlight scavenger hunt;
•Haunted horse-drawn hayride;
•Tractor pulled wagon ride (for little trick-or-treaters);
•Marshmallow roast and campfire; and
•Halloween dancing stage.

In addition to regular concessions, the Farmstead will have grilled bratwursts, cider, caramel apples and glow-in-the-dark necklaces for sale.

To see more info about Deanna Rose, check out their website: http://www.opkansas.org/things-to-see-and-do/deanna-rose-childrens-farmstead

I love Halloween!

There are so many events in the month of October, especially when it comes to celebrating Halloween. I have always loved Halloween...if I had the money, I would have a Halloween party, dress up & have tons of candy to pass out - maybe someday!


I am hoping that we can go to Boo at the Zoo & possibly Lee's Summit's parade this year. We decided that Destin is going to be Abby (see below) from Sesame Street :)





Check out this article from KC Parent which lists out almost every event in the area for families:
http://kcparent.com/KCParent/10-10-01/Halloween_in_Kansas_City_2010.aspx

For the adults out there wanting to celebrate (not me!) here are some links for you:
http://kansascity.about.com/od/nightlife/p/HalloweenKC.htm

Haunted Houses:
We all know about The Beast, The Edge of Hell, World's of Fun & here are some more:
http://kansascity.about.com/od/entertainmentattractions/p/HauntedHouses.htm

Sleeping Schedule - Day 4/5, Night 3/4

A couple of days ago I posted how we are trying to put Destin on a good sleep schedule...it was working rather well - but now, I am not so sure. On Friday (Day 4) she got out of her bed at least twenty times...and after about an hour (she was yawning at 1) she fell asleep about 2:00 and woke up at 3:30. That night (Night 3), we put her to bed at 8:30 and she got up more than fifty times at least, and we kept putting her back each time...she didn't fall asleep until almost two hours later at 10:20ish. Pat and I finally went to bed before she did!

Today, Saturday (Day 5) was horrible! Since Destin woke up at 700ish AM I decided to put her down about 12:30ish…she got up probably fifty plus times again (just like last night) and did not go to sleep until 2:45ish. So almost 2 ½ hours long it took her to fall asleep. I know she is testing me and I just want to give in and tell her she doesn’t have to take a nap – but I know she won’t learn anything. I know that her tears and mine are happening for a reason – so she learns to fall asleep on her own. I have always said she is the energizer bunny in disguise..and this day does prove it beyond any belief.

On a day like this it makes me question if I am a good parent, what am I doing wrong, what am I doing right? I know I am, but I still have to wonder. Is she too hot? Is she too cold? The weather here is crazy – one day last week it was so cold there was frost on our roof and we were wearing jackets and bundling the kids up; then a couple days later it feels like it summer again and I had open up all the windows & turn the attic fan on. It is as if summer does not want to go away and wants to fight fall for some more “air time”!

Did she watch too much TV? I have been limiting how much TV Destin watches, a couple hours in the morning, and then I turn it off. I have been limiting how much I watch too; just so that I can get more stuff done around the house and take some time enjoy life. Did she not get enough exercise/book time/mommy & me time? The list goes on and on…

I will stick with this routine…but because of the time it took her to fall asleep for her nap, I will have to alter her time that she goes to bed (Night 4) as well. Then we have a birthday party Sunday night to attend which will change things as well…stay tuned!

Making money from home

I have been a stay at home mom for almost 2 years now...before then I was a teacher. I substitute taught grades K thru 6 in Blue Springs & Lee's Summit. I graduated from UCM in 2006 with my BS in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, but was never able to find a job with it. So I subbed...the money was decent, the timing was great, and I could work as much or as little as I wanted. I did this upon graduating all the way up until Destin was born in Feb 2009. I also taught for a short while in Belton - this is something I don't like to discuss; so I did manage to find a job, but not a great one. I also want to note that I have applied to work at all the local school districts as a teacher, and in the past four years I have had maybe four interviews. Pretty sad. I decided to go into education because I thought the need for teachers was very high. But now, due to the economy/government/education system, there are more teachers laid off than being hired.

Since staying at home, I have always been on the look out for working from home, or making money from home. There are lots of things out there - selling products like Makeup, tupperware, children's books, health products, etc. Doing parties - Pampered Chef, pleasure parties (for adults). Being a telemarketer from home. Delivering papers. And all sorts of other misc. things on monster, craigslist and career builder.

My dream is to find a job working from home teaching online. I have my Bachelors and Masters in Education - I could teach anything from early childhood, elementary, technology, math (my fav subject) or I could even tutor. I have looked just about everywhere I can think of to find a job online - colleges, the job sites, tutoring sites and believe me, I have applied for several jobs.

I love being a stay at home mom. I have never missed anything - I have seen Destin acheive every milestone (rolling over, sitting up, crawling, walking, running, talking and more!). And now I will get to see Arwen meet all those milestones as well. Being a mom is the best thing I have ever done and I don't want to miss anything. I love my daughters more than anything and I would do absolutely anything for them. Its crazy to think that I am a mommy of two under two!

I just hope that someday in the near future, I can find something to help support our family. I know that I provide support by taking care of our house - cooking, cleaning, paying the bills, running errands, and most importantly taking care of our children. But I would like to help Patrick, financially as well. I feel so guilty sometimes because he knows we depend on him for everything. If he did not work we would have nothing. I am so thankful for him and what he does for us each and everyday.

Sleeping schedule

As a stay at home mom for almost two years you would think I would be the queen of routine, but I have come to realize that I am still learning...Routine is something that must be done every day/night without really needing to stress out about it. Stress is something that I have always have plenty of...so I am hoping that by setting a routine I will allow myself to be a little bit less stressed out and little more at ease when it comes to being a mommy of two little girls.

Just as every child must learn to talk, eat, crawl, and walk - children must also learn how to sleep. Destin has never been that great of a sleeper...at 6 weeks old she slept through the night until about 5 months old old! I never knew how much I truly missed those restful nights until she turned 5 months old...I'm not really sure what happened - if she realized she could stay up or wake up whenever she wanted to, but she did it all the time every night. Patrick and I eventually gave in to her wanting to sleep with us, rather than having her sleep in her own crib/bed. Boy, was that a mistake! Destin slept in our bed pretty much all night every night - that is even how we got her to go to sleep...not rocking, no bedtime story, and most importantly no routine!

When Destin was 9 months old, we found out we were expecting baby number two...and I was so worried to have Destin go to sleep on her own, getting her on a schedule/routine, etc. So I tried it at naptime, and it worked for a little while...but then she started to cry. Nothing is worse than hearing your own child cry, and Pat and I eventually gave up. Giving up was not very smart! From then on, we had her sleep with us...and then after she fell asleep she would go into her own crib/bed. Then she started to wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes two or three times a night - so we started to keep her in bed with us all night long. This was not very good either..by the time she fell asleep, Pat and I were already asleep! She would talk, play, kick, do flips - you can imagine!

Then we bought her a toddler bed, and thought she would love it! She did love it, but not enough to stay in there all night. Well...9 months later Arwen was born :) And I finally decided I no longer wanted Destin in bed with us, so we started to sit with Destin while she laid in her bed. She would talk, play, jump up and down, ask for a drink, etc...this is the way it has been for the last two months for naptime & bedtime until about three days ago. We would have to sit with her for up to an hour each day and night so that she would go to sleep.

Three days ago, we had a visit from our Parents as Teachers (PAT) lady and she gave me some advice on how to get Destin to go to sleep. She said to put up a babygate in her door. I tried it out for two days at nap time. The first day was horrible - she cried for over an hour, but eventually did fall alseep. She tore up her room, took off her diaper/clothes, and cried all the while...Here is a copy of the email I sent to my PAT lady:

“So...I officially am trying out your advice on sleeping... I have some questions for you:
- How long is too long to let her "cry it out"? She has been crying for over an hour and still not asleep.
- What do I do if she takes off all of her clothes/diaper? She has done three times..I have gone in, put them back on and she takes them off as soon I leave again.
- What if she is physically hurting herself with the door or gate? What do I do then? She was banging her feet/head against them both.
I just don't know what to do....”

With no response, I decided that night we did our usual routine of sitting with her. Then on the second day, I put the gate up again in her doorway, and she cried again, stripped off her clothes, but was asleep within thirty minutes..I thought maybe it could be working and it would take time (just as the PAT lady said), so…that night we tried putting the gate up in her room, and she figured out how to climb over the gate. You know how people give you advice, and sometimes you take and sometimes you leave it…I really wish I would have left it in the first place. Pat and I both hate hearing Destin cry. I felt as if I was punishing her for not wanting to sleep, and to make it worse I was “locking” her in her room with no way out – wouldn’t you cry too? Pat wanted to give up, but I told him we had to take the gate down and see if she would stay in her bed...

So to my surprise she did! Granted she did get out of bed about five times, but she stayed in there without either one of us in there with her and after about an hour she fell asleep on her own! I couldn't believe it! For naptime the next day, I tried this leaving her alone in her room with the door open. She got up twice, but after the second time stayed in her room and after about thirty minutes, she fell asleep on her own. Then last night (we did it again, minus the horrifying gate), I read her a story twice, gave her a kiss, told her good night, turned off the light and left the room with the door open. A half hour passed and she stayed in her bed the whole time, but then she got up. We put her back. She got up again. I put her back. And she stayed there – she sang, talked, played with her puppy, but after another twenty minutes passed she finally fell asleep on her own (again!).

I have to say that I am very proud of myself as a parent, and I am proud of my daughter. She is doing very well for having a major change in her day/night…she is learning how to go to sleep on her own. Yes, it will take time. Yes, “it will get worse, before it gets better”. I have read numerous articles, books and online resources on how a good bedtime routine must be in place, as well as how children wake up on their own in the middle of the night several times, and how children need to have 12 hours or more of sleep each night at her age. Research has shown all of these things…which leads to why we had to this. Having Destin learn this new concept is not only good for her, but also good for us as her parents. We like to have some alone time and it is hard to when she takes up over an hour, sometimes two when she needs to go to sleep. Now, she will have a schedule to follow, which will lead to us being able to put Arwen on a good schedule.

Something else I forgot to add, is that I have also limited her watching tv, started a quiet time twice a day (before nap & before bedtime) and have started a schedule/routine that I will try to stick by no matter what. We will do bath at 7:30, read books, puzzles and do quiet activities until bedtime at 8:30. Eventually I would like to move it up…since right now she is still falling asleep around 9:30ish.

I have asked for advice on this subject from several sources – friends, family, PAT, online message boards, Facebook…and all have left me with this result: As a parent, you have to do what is right for you and your children. Every child is different, which means they must have different routines, schedules, naptimes, bedtimes and ways of falling asleep. Every child learns differently - as a teacher, I know this first hand. I know that not every child will learn their math the same way, just as my children will not learn how to fall asleep like everyone else. I do blame myself for not doing this earlier; for not trying something new to see if it would work…but I won’t dwell on that. I will look forward and hope that this struggle we have been having is and will get better over time. We just have to stick to it!

In case you were wondering, her PAT lady did email me and she even called me after a couple days. She said that she just never saw my email. But I was happy to report to her that letting Destin "cry it out" was something I did not like and we were starting our own method. My PAT lady gave me lots of praise and support and said that she will always be there for me no matter what :) I am just glad that I am trying out new things as a parent - don't be afraid to try new things!

Wish us luck - hopefully this will work and hopefully she won't leave her bed when she should be sleeping. I just have to stay positive and hope that it will get better.

I'm back!

I am back! I originally started this blog for my Masters internship through UCM last summer (a little over a year ago). Since then, I received my Masters in Educational Technology in July 2009. Destin has grown so much...she is now 19 months old and we have added a new member to our family...Arwen Kinsley ~ she was born July 29th, 2010 :) Hence, the new name of my blog "twice is nice".

I hope to use this blog to talk about my thoughts, dreams, and everyday happenings with my friends & family. Enjoy!