I did it!

Well, I decided yesterday afternoon that it was the day to do a braid/bead hairdo for the little one yesterday. She picked out butterfly beads. She was a trooper during the whole process.

She actually fell asleep while I braided the back part. We had to take a break and then she sat on daddy's lap so I could braid the ponytails in the front. I got them all done except 1...she had enough at that point, so I had to finish when she fell asleep at night.

I have to find the right product to help smooth her hair out-it is quite frizzy this morning even after using a sleep cap. After doing her hair and using the beads, I have decided that we are probably going to place another order on braids and fun stuff...so many possibilities :)

A whole new experience

So, it is no secret that my husband and I adopted 3 children of a different race than us. Many of days around the kitchen table there have been debates on what shade of brown we are. The discussion usually ends with the fact that we are all different shades and are special just the way we are.

Not only is shades of skin in our home a very normal conversation...hair is another topic. I have done the best I could with my little ones hair, however, I recently had a "duh moment" and started looking for blogs on taking care of African American hair. My son's hair is not difficult-take him to the barber and have them trim and shape him up as they see fit. The brush it out everyday.

My dear T-her hair is more like ours, however, she does need lots of conditioning. I think I have hers pretty much figured out. There are days when it looks like a rats nest and I have to throw my hands up in the hair in frustration.

My poor little one has had me stumped for, well, really since we got her. When we got her at 5 days old, her hair was so soft and oh so curly...I had wished it would stay that way forever. It didn't. She has some major 4c hair(didn't know what that meant until I got help from blog land)...I have been doing it all wrong. I knew the basics...don't over wash, use wide tooth comb, condition, moisturize, etc. After finding a couple of very helpful blogs with mom's in the same situation as me, I have gained so many helpful tips already. Some of things they tell you to do, I think to myself...what a dummy I am. Basics like just putting conditioner & water in a spray bottle together to use as a detangler...it works AMAZING. WAY better than the stuff you buy in the store. The other tip I learned...again, seriously made me feel dumb-was instead of using a brush/comb for detangling-use my hands...um...seriously?!?! I have 2 of them...they are free...and get this...IT WORKS! Go figure! So just using those 2 tips have already made hair care for the little one's so much better. She used to run away screaming when I got the basket of hair stuff down to start on her hair. Not now. I still have a loooong way to go. Apparently I need a routine. Apparently I need basic products instead of the craziness I have been buying. Apparently there are lots of fun accessories you can buy...placed an order yesterday and can't WAIT for them to come in the mail. Beads galore and little clippies...oh my!

I would love to learn how to cornrow-not sure that will be happening anytime soon-but I can do a basic braid and saw some cute styles that use those and beads-so I am excited to get started. The parting aspect of it has me overwhelmed...but I'm sure we'll figure something out.

I don't know if anyone out there that follows my blog has a use for these...but here are some blogs/webpages that have been VERY helpful!

http://www.curlyiscuter.com/index.html
http://www.chocolatehairvanillacare.com/
http://beadsbraidsbeyond.blogspot.com/

Once a Tiger-Now a Wolf

My son had his Crossover ceremony a couple of weeks ago for Cub Scouts. He moved up from a Tiger Cub to a Wolf Cub. I am so proud of him for achieving the goals that were set for him in order to move up. Memorization and things are not the easiest for him, and although he did get very frustrated, he did it!

Crossing over the bridge the Boy Scouts made for them.

After he was given his new neckerchief.

The girls needed it to be known that they were there too!

Organizing

I started organizing my fabric scraps by color...anything that is a fat quarter or 1/4 of a yard or less gets thrown in a container. The trouble is, I only got 4 containers when I was at the store, so my orange, blue, green, and reds are organized...I will slowly have to seperate out the rest as I get more.

Finish

This quilt has been finished for awhile now...just now getting to put it up...don't you just love my "helper?" Precious, isn't she?! This quilt is almost king size, I believe. I don't love it...it is one that my aunt's and cousin's all made 1 year over Memorial Day weekend many years ago. I am just excited to have it off the UFO pile!

Neck Update

I meant to attach this to one of the other post I did since yesterday, but forgot.

3 weeks ago, I had to have my dad drive me to the ER for my pain. I sat in church and was in horrific pain...which was causing me to get a migraine. I came home and called my dad to drive me there (so my husband could stay home with the kids). Well, 7 hours later, they told me that it was just a pulled muscle. They gave me some pretty good drugs there, and was pretty loopy when I got out to the waiting room to my dad. He sent me home with a prescription for a muscle relaxer. Anyway...that was then...today I have officially been pain free in my neck for a week now...so exciting. That was the worst pain I had felt in awhile. It is nice to not have to wake up and quickly get my meds in me to be able to even function. So today, I am thankful for pain-free days!

Picnic Quilt

I finally started working on the picnic quilt I had blogged about back in November. I love the way it is going so far...I have 4 rows sewn together, another one ready to add, and then 19 more rows to put together...still quite a ways, but it is a really easy quilt to piece. The most time consuming part is figuring out where to place each fruit or veggie :) It is lots fun...especially when my little one wants to get her helping hands in there too!

Valentine's Day Skirts

I hadn't posted them-but I made the girls each a skirt for Valentine's Day...

My little model-isn't she precious? I love that she is so willing to strike a pose when I have her put on something I made for her...makes it all worth it :) T was so excited to be able to wear hers to school. I ran out of time before we ran to the bus to get her picture!

My little Tiger Club

This is my little guy dressed up for Boy Scout Sunday a couple of weeks ago. It was the first time he was in his uniform-he was looking so cute!

Neck

So...my neck hasn't gotten any better. I had stopped taking the advil as it was really not doing anything. No point in taking meds for something that doesn't help. Last night I just could not get in a position where it didn't hurt. Finally I just decided I need to try to get to sleep through the pain. This morning I wasn't making out very well, so I decided to try advil one more time. It's helping for now, so I guess we'll continue. Surely this has to go away soon-this is nuts!

In other news, we are having a total wind storm out there right now. I have been laying on the couch on my back, looking out the window at everything blowing around. The trees sure are going crazy!

Pain in the neck...

...literally!!

Ugghh-I don't know what happened to me. 2 days ago, I laid down with our little one for a nap and somehow I got a crink in my neck. That'll teach me, I guess. Anyway...the pain is getting worse, heat and advil seem to be the only cure at the moment...but it only lessens the pain. I also have a cough that I can't shake either. Oh the joys of being coughed & sneezed on by little ones!

Its been a couple of days since I've projected. I was on a roll there for awhile. I made Valentine's Day skirts for the girls-T was so excited to wear hers to school. I made a cute little flowered skirt from 2 fat quarters and added a strip of ribbon to the bottom-so cute and springy! Can't wait for her to wear it! I almost finished a quilt I started awhile back...my first applique project. I have to take some pictures of it, just haven't had a chance since my neck issue. I just have to get the borders on it and then I can get it quilted!

My son started Cub Scouts this month. He seems to be loving it, which is good for him. He needs places that he can work on his socialization skills and controlling himself in different settings. He has a lot to memorize to get some of the badges, which is not his area of strength, but we'll get there. My husband has taken on a Den Leader roll, why? I don't know, but I think it is prob good for him too! He never got to do things like this when he was growing up with a foster family and living on a farm didn't allow for such things.

The weather has been beautiful here the last couple of days, but I have not been able to be out enjoying it. Hopefully tomorrow I can make it out for a walk with the little one and the dog...they both need to be out too!

That's it for now-typing is aggravating my neck, so I better go relax a little!

Sick...bleh!

The sick bug has come to our house over the weekend.

T started it out with a high fever. It was the silliest thing...our pastor called to let us know since he wasn't at church the week before that we would be starting a new series in Sunday school the next morning. At the end of our conversation he asked if everyone was healthy. I said yep, so it shouldn't be a problem for us to be there. Not even an hour or so later, T climbs up on the couch and is out for the count with a fever of 103.4. I made sure to give her meds every 4 hours and with it, it did help bring it down, but she complained of a headache. I called the dr. the next day and they wanted her to come in to rule out Strep. Good news was she didn't have strep, just the start to a virus.

Then, because we are sharing family, I guess, the little one and I sounded as though we were coming down with something the next morning. We had more nose and coughing struggles.

T's fever finally broke and is back to her normal attitude-y dramatic self. Now my son on the other hand, woke up this morning and came into our bed...then I was about to get up and looked back and he was sleeping again. This is not like him-he usually hits the floor running. I took his temp and it was high-so no school for him today.

I just can't shake the cough-of course how could I with my dear little one coughing in my face, etc. I guess it's just that time of the year!

Accident

So yesterday I was in a car accident. I am fine-the kids are fine...I am just very shaken up. I was actually taking T to the doctor for an immunization that the school insists she needs, but the doctors office keeps telling me that she can wait until her next well appointment. Oh the joys of being a mommy :)

My car made it out alive-just some scrapes and scratches...nothing major compared to what the other car looked like. Thankfully there was a witness that stopped and waited until the police came to tell him what she saw. I am very appreciative of the fact that she confirmed that I was not at fault. So now we wait for the guy from the insurance company to come out and look at my car and to see if the other driver is going to admit they were at fault. I am really hoping they are honest about it-it would make life a whole lot easier.

What a frustrating afternoon it was yesterday.