Picture this, Keyzia attempting to leap onto the footstool...  Keyzia missing the footstool and falling dramatically on the floor.  Terrible horrible crying ensues...

Me:  Well, Keyz, why would you try and jump on the footstool??

Keyz (amongst wild sobbing): I didn't!

Me:  Yes you did, I saw you!

Keyz (more wild sobbing):  Well, I didn't see myself do it!

So, I guess doing silly nutty things is fine.  As long as you don't see yourself do it.

Yup.  You heard me.  Thirteen days until Christmas.  It's not looking good, people.  I have about six projects on the go, and six more planned, and only thirteen days to do them all in.  sigh.

It's not looking good, people.  I mean, it's not like I can just sit around and knit or crochet all day.  I have little people to look after...  a house to clean (ha!), projects to make for myself...  whoops.  Only kidding on that!

I don't know who says that Christmas is a holiday.  We try to keep it simple, and yet the running around, the making things, the setting up the tree, etc, etc, etc.  Relaxing my butt.  We've actually secretly considered just plain cancelling Christmas this year.  We also just found out that we don't get to stay home this year.  Once again we're running off in an attempt to keep everyone happy.

So, if there isn't a lot of posting going on around here in the next thirteen days, it's because I will be creating. 

bah.

My toddler diaper stash looks something like this...
Isn't it pretty??  There are probably three missing...  either in the laundry, or the one the boy is wearing right now.  There's a certain sense of satisfaction for me to see them all clean and stacked on the shelf like that.



So, a few things I've learned about cloth diapers and the making of such in list form...  Cuz lists are just so handy!

1.  diapers made without an internal soaker pad dry WAY faster than ones with an internal soaker pad.

2.  While velcro is daddy friendly, it is not really laundry friendly.  I'm constantly ripping the darned diapers apart when I take them out of the dryer.  The solution?  snaps.  I'm loving the snaps.

3.  Heating vents dry diapers quicker than my antiquated old dryer does.

4.  When you have almost two dozen diapers, you only have to do a load of laundry every three or four days... and you will still have some on reserve!

5.  The number of external soaker pads should be about double the number of diapers...  and it sure is handy if you can serge them.  Also, making the soaker pads, if you cut the fleece a bit bigger than the soaky uppy part (I used flannelette pieces left over from the diapers) then the edges zig zag a bit nicer...  fleece doesn't fray, so it doesn't need to be zig zagged.  And?  Poop rolls right off of fleece.


6.  Using the heavy duty cycle for a load of diapers and a double rinse makes them happy and fresh.  Now, if you had a newer machine than we do, it probably wouldn't matter...  but with the oldie that we have, it does help.  I also use a bit of extra detergent in there.

7.  Tea tree oil is awesome in the diaper container to keep the stinky down.

8.  Wool soakers rock.  I have NEVER had a leak with a wool soaker!  And hanging them to dry makes them good as new within a couple of hours.  I haven't had to wash one yet.


9.  I can NOT even believe how much money this has saved us!

10.  Cloth diapers rock the world.

So, Very Mom, queen of the cloth diapering world was right.  For only slightly more effort, we've saved a bunch of money.  I will admit, the money was the major factor in this...  the fact that we're helping the environment and that Eph hasn't had a diaper rash since we switched are just happy by-products...  I would have liked to make some all in ones with the waterproof outer, but couldn't find the material anywhere.  If we ever are nuts enough to have another kid, and if I ever get over the trauma of yesterday, then I may have to order some of the stuff.  For now, the four wool soakers I have, and the one Kushies Cover will do.  Another Kushies Cover will be handy, they fit nicer under pants, but maybe Santa will be kind enough to bring one! 

And now, now it is time to put the sewing machine away for a little while...  Because you know what?  I really don't like sewing very much!

Oooeee.  I've got this twitch over my right eye today.  And occasionally?  I have this involuntary shudder thing going on.  A bit of a shake to my left hand too.  It's really not good. 

Today, for several hours, too many hours in fact, I was the only adult in charge of six children.  Four of those children were aged four and under.  Two of those children were the dreaded teenagers.  I'm whispering that 'cuz if they hear me, they might come back.  (((shudder)))

I'm currently head of that horrid Susko boy.  Man, he is terrible.  I mean just look at him.  Don't let that cuteness fool you, he's a terror!  ((kidding!!)) 

I also had two of the three Goodson kids.  Hunter who is four, and Tori who is 14 and homeschooling.

Then add my two to the mix.

Then add a passing by teen who spent the afternoon here.

twitch twitch

Anyways, I had forgotten how much teens can talk!  And boy, can they talk.  And boy can a one year old, a two year old, a three year old, and a four year old fight!  I was tempted to just let them brawl in the middle of the room for a little while...  but then I figured that their respective parents may not like that too much.  We'll see how next week goes...

You know, I am suddenly understanding why my mother-in-law is just a little bit batty.  And, I'm sort of wondering why she isn't a little bit battier....

But, I survived, without alcohol.  Amazing, I know.  I don't even have any little happy pink pills to take.  And I made it.  I will admit I was pretty glad for them all to go home...  and I just sat and listened to how quiet only two kids can be... 

You know, babysitting is really the best form of birth control there could possibly be.  Even though the money sucks, I suppose we'll be saving in the long run!  ;)

Why won't the pictures just work???

Blogware is yoinking my chain today.  And yes, yes I did say yoinking, and yes yoinking is a word, so leave me alone!

I uploaded some pics to share with you all, and Blogware is pms'ing and will not let me post them.  Bah.  So, you will have to wait.  And I will have to wait.

There's not much worse than when you have an article planned out in your head and you get foiled by the computer.

sigh.

Keyzia:  My legs are tired.

Hunter:  That means you have to go to the bathroom.

Keyzia:  Oh, I DO have to go to the bathroom!

Hunter:  See?