Germs, Germs and More Germs

I don't know what is going on this Winter. Is it the fact that Brady is in Kindergarten and bringing home germs? Is it that Dad and Mom work in a hospital? Or is it that Papa is constantly in and out of Doctor's offices? Or is the mere the fact that we are now considered a large family by American Standards?  Or could it have something to so with the sub zero temperatures?  I don't now but we have been hit hard by sickness and it's only January! 

Colds and 24 hour stomach bugs have been running like wildfire.  As soon as someone gets over it, someone else has it.  I have called in sick twice because of it and I only get 5 call-ins a year so let's hope things turn around and quick!  I literally cleaned all day yesterday.  I cleaned every door knob, remote control, and surface in the entire downstairs and washed everything I could think of.  After all the Lysol wipes and bleach I went through I am hoping it is gone.  We can't exactly get fresh air in here when the wind chill is -20.   

Even little Reid has not been immune from this crap!  He has been blowing adorable snot bubbles for days.  I like to give him a good nose clean out before feedings and bed.  And boy has this little booger sucker been a lifesaver! 
 

Some of the booger suckers have filters that need to be replaced.  I can't be bothered with that.  This one uses a tissue and who doesn't have that in the house when everyone is sick?  I love it!  It can also be placed in the dishwasher for sanitizing.  It is available at Toys 'r' us online and is worth every penny of the $12.99 it costs.  Now please germs go away!!

Brady Stole my Heart

My oldest, sweet Brady has been getting into a bit of trouble lately.  He got a note sent home from school about talking and interrupting too much.  He then lied to his papa about having show-n-tell and took his new wrestling necklace to school and it was stolen.  We have been learning some tough lessons around here lately.  And he was grounded for the first time ever.  We took away his ipad and wrestlers.  But last night we were laying in bed talking and he reminded me of his big huge heart and just how innocent he really is.

We were talking about life and he told he was going to have 7 kids, 5 boys and 2 girls.  Wow!  I thought wouldn't 7 grandkids be awesome.  I told him he better have a good job then!  Brady then told me he was going to live with me forever.  I explained to him that there would come a time when he wouldn't want to live with his parents anymore.  And you know that sadness that comes over your children? Where the corners of their mouth turn down completely on their own? And their eyes water?  Well that happened.  He could not wrap his head around ever wanting to live apart from us.  He asked me "Why would I not live with you and dad?"  OMG my heart swelled with love for this sweet innocent first born of mine.  I realized there was no use trying to explain the reasons why he would someday want to move out.  I simply said you can live with us forever!  

I may have to remind him of this conversation when he is 17! 

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I said I wasn't going to do it

Get all obnoxious that is and then I changed my mind.  As most of you know I cloth diaper.  There are many different reasons why people choose cloth.  For my family, is was to save money and the earth.  I have joined a lot of different pro-cloth websites on the internet.  And for the most part they are great.  And now I speak cloth diaper fluently aka AIO, fluff, BG, stash.  A Stash is what these people call their collection of diapers.  These pro cloth loving people can help you troubleshoot your laundry issues to keep your diapers in top shape AND be there when you want to sell a few when you are done.  However, then there are those (who I swear) just choose cloth because they are cute and accumulate a ton of diapers in every print and color for their one child and then brag about it on the internet.  It tends to get obnoxious.  People buying diapers that are limited time only and then selling them for more money.  Yuck - and trust me it gets ugly.  Lots of people post cute pictures of their kids wearing cloth which I love!  And then there are the "stash" pics.  The stash pics get annoying fast.  BUT I love the rainbow pictures.  Now at first I thought I couldn't do a rainbow because I have all boys and no pink diapers to speak of.  But then I remembered our red diapers and our newest black diaper and then the gray diapers that turned out to be lavender.  Shhhhh don't tell hubs he thinks they are gray. So here she is:

 

Mostly BumGenius, some Bottom Bumpers and a few grovia.  32 in all for both boys in diapers and we wash every other day. 

 

Now that is a slightly obnoxious but cute Rainbow of Cloth!

It's $1 people!!

I dislike my naked eyelids.  The skin is very thin and I don't like to see any discoloration.  So I like to put something on them even if I don't put eyeshadow on.  I have tried many different things.  Here are a few:

Clinique Touch Base for Eyes - Would dry out before product was gone

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Benefit Stay Don't Stray - OK but pricey.  And the pump gives you too much so you waste a lot.

Stila Prime Pot - too dry, didn't spread nicely

I also tried Urban Decay (allergic) and Lancôme (too dry). 

But the winner is Elf Eye Primer from Target and it costs a whole dollar!!  It goes on nice and smooth and is practically weightless on your lids. 

And if you are like me you are at Target at least twice a week!  Yay pretty eyelids :)

When the shampoo won't suds

Let me start off by saying I am behind.  The toilets are dirty, we are down to the last towels, I have been talking about changing my son's sheets for over a week, we have been using disposables instead of cloth, and just today I took my first shower since Monday (it's Friday).  And while in the shower I realized the clarisonic needed to be charged (thanks husband) and my shampoo wouldn't suds.  Cue the panic at the disco because I worry about my shampoo not being effective after all this time.  Let me explain:  I have been using the same shampoo since 1997.  I know I should have probably switched it up about10 years ago but if it ain't broke don't fix it!  So this girl would know when there isn't the proper amount of suds. 

It comes with a pump people!  I love a good pump - it saves time.
It was then I realized that my shampoo wouldn't suds because my hair was SO dirty.  Phew! that I don't need to change shampoos BUT I clearly need to get my act together!  I picked up 2 extra shifts at work and it has put me very behind in my home life.  Hats off to the people who work full-time and have clean toilets.  You people are rock stars and should be recognized with awards.  I am going to continue digging myself out of the hole I am in.   

Christmas and a kidney infection

It's actually January 1st and I am just getting around to blogging.  Things have been a little crazy around here to say the least but we had a great Christmas.  Three crazy boys made it a lot of fun.  Brady had been asking a lot of questions this year regarding santa: how is he going to come into our house if we don't have a chimney, is the santa at the mall the real one, etc.  I love having kids that believe and worry about the older kids on the bus ruining it.  And this Christmas was our baby's first which made it memorable too.  Hubs and I were up till midnight getting things ready.  I know Brady peaked somewhere between then and 5:55am when he woke us up.  But how sweet is it when he walked in and said "Mom, santa came!" 

   Before the craziness!  Brady is very much into wrestling so some of his faves were The Shield, the WWE entrance and tickets to see wrestling at the arena in January.  Pierce got a new puzzle to help him learn his colors, a mickey mouse clubhouse and a Caillou doll.  Reid got his name in a puzzle, an ornament and a Sophie the giraffe to chew on.  Dad got a new West Coast Chopper leather jacket, a back scratcher and clothes.  I got a mommy necklace with the boys names on it, Lands End slippers and some Tory sandals. 

Does anyone else feel a little relieved when Christmas is over?  I know I do.  It feels good to not be so busy trying to get everything done in time.  I experimented with a new recipe off Pinterest for Christmas morning brunch and thank goodness it was a success!  I went to the ER Monday night after work because I had horrible flank pain.  Turns out I have a post Christmas raging kidney infection.  So macrobid, Tylenol and a heating pad and literally gallons of water later I am starting to feel better.  Breastfeeding is kicking my butt this time.  Reid has pretty bad reflux so he nurses all the time.  It feels better to nurse but then after he eats he is miserable.  He goes through at least 5 outfits a day because he is always spitting up.  I drink fluids all day in an effort to keep up and still only urinate twice a day so I didn't notice any of the early symptoms until it was too late.  Now that he is almost 4 months old we will be starting cereal so hopefully this will help me and his reflux.  Fingers crossed!