5 Tips for Shopping on a Budget- with a toddler.

We have a spending limit of $350 to spend on food for 2 adults and a toddler each month. The first time trying to keep this budget was a huge fail. We ended up over budget 15 days into the month. However, now I feel I have finally perfected the grocery shopping skill AND budget. 

Taking Terrance to the grocery store with Autumn & I is exactly like taking TWO toddlers grocery shopping. They fight, they chase each other, they sneak candy from the bulk section, and they eat & drink before we pay. The only thing more embarrassing then the pile of empty juice bottles and chip bags is having to stop them from throwing things at each other. So I have concluded, I will get up early on the first Saturday of the month, and sneak out by myself. If Autumn wakes up, I will get her ready and sneak out with her. Just so long as her dad doesn't come as well.

He's really a keeper.

Anyhow, this is my list of things that help me get through shopping with a toddler & while staying on budget.

1. Make a shopping list. This may sound like a "duh" but there is a certain TYPE of list that I have found that is most efficient. Most of us know the basic layout of our favorite grocery stores, right? Mine is Winco, and it goes impulse (which they misleadingly call the wall of deals...), produce, bulk, deli, dairy, frozen, shelved goods, bakery, and then chips/crackers. So what I have found works the best is to make my list in the order that the store is laid out. My biggest pet peeve was getting half way through dairy only to realize I forgot spinach and had to back track to produce before I forgot again. This has made is so much easier. Here is an example:

My chicken scribble writing, as my mother describes it.

2. Keep the kid involved. This does take a little extra time and patience, but if I keep her involved in everything I am doing as I shop, she's totally cool with the whole trip. I refuse to let her out of the shopping cart because I will NOT chase her around, so I always pull her up close to the shelves and tell her how many we need. For example, I'll grab the produce bag and have her grab "4" avocados or "3" green bell peppers and "3" red bell peppers. It's a learning experience for her and even though it'd be easier for me to grab and go, I would end up fighting with a bored child trying to flee me. 

3. Compare prices & cut coupons. Be frugal. Don't be afraid to look cheap. In California they don't allow double coupons so I can't quite be the extreme couponer I'd love to be. Also, don't buy something just because it's on sale or because you have a coupon. At first it took me some time to compare but now I generally know which brands are good even though they are the cheapest option. Believe me; I've had my share of bad trips. I've saved myself 7 cents on mayo before and realized that it made everything I used it with taste like rotten shit. Not just normal shit, but rotten. So I've made my list to include brands to NOT ever try again. 

4. Buy bulk. I usually buy as much bulk as possible. This includes veggies. I don't have a Costco or Sam's Club Membership because I really don't buy that much bulk, since it's just the three of us. However, I buy a ton of family packs of meat and large amounts of veggies because I freeze them. I buy bulk in water, bread, and other boxed goods.

5. Freezer bags! The reason I like to shop early in the morning is that I come home and I do two things: 1. Snack on the fresh fruit and veggies I just bought and 2. Cut all the veggies up and section off meat to freeze for the month. My Grandma Mercedes taught me this when I first moved out of my parents’ house and it's always been a success. We get all the meat and all the veggies along with olive oil, seasonings, and white/red wines and package the right meats, with the right wines, and the right veggies. We give them a good "rubbing" as Grandma describes, and then we throw them in the freezer. I usually partition two to three pieces of meat depending on which kind of meat it is and if Autumn likes it. Before I go to bed at night I decide what meat needs to be pulled out and I set it in a container inside of the fridge to defrost. If you decide to do this, remember to leave some of the meat plain or very light seasoned for those occasions that you want to follow a recipe that doesn't call for your concoction of seasons and oils. 

 Click Here to Get a Coupon for Hefty Freezer Bags.

Bonus Tip!: Use reuseable shopping bags. For many reasons. It's better for the environment, Winco gives you 5 cents for every bag you bring, plastic bags are banned in most California cities, they fit more, and they are less likely to break on the trip into the house. Check these adorable shopping totes out.

5 Tips for Introducing a Kitten to a Toddler.

Just a few days ago we adopted a kitten from a neighbor. On the way home from choosing said kitten, we found an abandoned kitten in a bush. Autumn *had* to rescue it. She said "My baby is hungry and wants me to hold it." So sure enough, we took them both inside. I thought cats were easy. They used a litter box, they were pretty self-sufficient, and they liked to sleep a lot. Right? 

Oh God was I wrong. 
I feel like I have a newborn. Or two.

5 Tips for re-homing kittens:

1.Kitten proof the place. Hide away cords, wires, and small children's toys that may be accidentally eaten by the cat. When we let them loose the first thing they ran to was the wires to our stereo system. We have now safely secured them in boxes. 

2.Have everything set and in place. Have the kitten's items in the place that they will stay prior to having kitty come home. I.E. The bed, the food/water area, the litter box. Take them on a tour, and then let them get comfortable in the home. They hid for a while, and it was definately difficult teaching Autumn to leave them be, but they finally felt safe enough to hop on the couch and watch TV with us yesterday evening. 

3.Find a vet and schedule an appointment for vaccines and a check up. This should be done within a week of them coming home with you. Wether you got them in a shelter that would be full of germs, or from a family, or from the alley- get them checked out and up to date. Also, this gives you a chance to become familiar with a vet so that you can have them as a provider in case the cats ever need care. Discuss with them the plan for spay/neuter and also check their policies to see if they accept payments in cases of emergencies, or if you qualify for any type of pet insurance. Also, after discussing rates you should begin to save money for possible health expenses. 

4.Keep your young one interactive with the kitten. Teach them how to behave around them, especially since they will be super excited upon their arrival. Explain to them that the kitten is in a new place and may be scared. Man handling, squeezing, and yelling will frighten them more. Whereas if they are gentle and speak softly the kitten will grow less weary of the child. Explain to them that kittens have sharp claws that only come out when they are frightened or threatened. Keep the child aware of the routine of the kitten. This means explaining that the litter box is for POOP and PEE and should not be played with, rather, it should be scooped out. Also, have them aware that the food/water area is not to be touched or tampered. It is only for food & water. 

5.Ensure the safety of your cat. Do this by having them wear a break away collar with a name tag & phone number. A collar with a bell is suggested so that they can't be too sneaky. Also, microchips are a great way to ensure your cats return if they were to sneak away. You can include this discussion in tip #3 and ask your vet prices for the microchipping. Click here for an example of the type of collar.

5 Tips for Choosing Daycare; Momma to Momma

Choosing daycare for your toddler is hard! Especially if you’re like me, and waited until they’re almost 3 to introduce the idea of being separated from mom & dad for a period of time. I had some feedback and did some research and gathered the top five pieces of advice and tips for choosing the right daycare!

1. "Make a list what you want in a daycare and then prioritize that list.” The examples I got were as follows:

• Location- do you want them near your place of work or home?
• Price- Is there a price range that you need to stay under?
• Hours- Do you work hours other than normal business hours?
• Curriculum/Beliefs- Are there certain things you would prefer your child to learn while at daycare? Or not learn? Do you have beliefs that you would like to have promoted to your child? 

2. "Spend time with the staff and let your child play with them while you watch from either behind a window or from afar. Does the staff seem to understand your child’s babble? Do they seem frustrated?”

 I know that my child is frustrating at times. She is very high strung. My concern is that she will push staff’s buttons and test every nerve.

3. Look into policies. Read all the fine print. Specifically the following:

• Discipline- Do they believe in the same discipline as you do? Are time outs something that is acceptable for you?
• Meals and Snacks- Is the food appropriate for your child? Do you agree with goldfish instead of fresh fruit, or vice versa? Are you going to have to bring your own food?
• Sick policy- What constitutes a sick child? What symptoms are standard for either sending a child home or refusing stay for the day?
• Nap time- Is nap time going to throw your child out of whack? Is their nap schedule too early or too late? 

4. "Check to see if the director and lead teacher are educated and licensed. Not just licensed for the daycare, but check to see if they have a degree in teaching or child development.”

I know Autumn isn’t quite old enough to be in preschool but I would really prefer her to be taught some fundamentals rather than watch videos and play tag all day. Also, those who have invested their time and money into receiving an education in child development seem to have more concern and care for the growth of a child than an individual who merely wanted to have their own business in this field. 

5."State government is attempting to pass legislation that disallows parents to use personal beliefs as a waiver for immunizations. It isn’t law yet, but many daycares are already jumping on board and turning away kids that don’t follow the regular schedule.”

This is something that concerns me, because I have been vaccinating Autumn on an alternative vaccination schedule. This has been closely monitored and tailored by her pediatrician who fully supports this decision due to family history of reactions to vaccines as well as Autumn’s own health issues that we are still trying to diagnose. So this is scary to me. We really need daycare for Autumn so that both of us can work, but is it really worth putting her health at risk by updating all vaccines at once?

Any other words of advice that you guys would share?
~Brittany

Momma to Momma Advice: Picking Daycare

Since Terrance has been job hunting, he's received offers for employment during the day when I am at work. Our initial hopes were that he could find an employer that he could work evenings and weekends. We haven't been so lucky. So now, we are looking into daycare so that next time he is offered a position with overlapping hours as mine, we are ready to enroll Autumn.

I have a lot of fears in doing this. I am hoping that it's only a few hours that overlap, maybe a few days a week. I think it would be good for her since she is such a little social flower and loves to play. However, there are so many things that could happen to your child when they are not under parental watch.

Despite our fears, we are looking. So I reached out to my readers, friends, and family members to gather advice for choosing a daycare. Please comment, tweet, e-mail, facebook message, or text me your advice! I'm going to be compiling all that advice here to share with other mommas!

Hopefully this will help me feel a little less scared shitless. Haha!
~Brittany

Impromptu photo shoot.

We had a great weekend, and Autumn wanted to put on a princess dress and take pictures. 

Here are just a few:

Book Review: Love The One You're With by Emily Griffin

One of my favorite parts of going to a thrift store is buying books. I love books but don't always have the dough to purchase them brand new. I never know what I'll find or what the books are about, I just pick them up and hoard them until I need a new book.

I recently finished reading Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin- otherwise known as GAME OF THRONES!!! 

So before I continued on in my quest of hefty, dark, serious, mysterious books, I chose one that looked a little more light-hearted. Monday I started reading Love The One You're With by Emily Griffin and just finished a few moments ago.

 To buy the book, click here.

The story is set in New York, mostly, and there are some important parts that are set in Georgia as well. The story unravels one woman's idea of love, lust, fate, and "true love." It's sweet, simple, and at times redundant. I did actually enjoy the read, but I couldn't help but feel like it was slightly adolescent for a topic so rooted in adult feelings. The woman, by the name of Ellen, is married to a wealthy lawyer from Atlanta, Georgia. His family is the proper southern "how do you do" type of folk with a totally intact family. She is a Photographer from Pittsburgh who lost her mother in her young teen years. She met said husband after a brutal break up with a New York journalist. Her husband is actually the brother to her best friend Margot who is also a swanky southern belle with all the perfect trimmings of a young lady. Despite her vanity and controlling attitude, Margot is actually a great friend and humble woman. 

After years of relationship with Andy, whom is her golf playing, rich, lawyer husband, she runs into Leo on the streets of New York. Since her relationship never got closure and he had been her first love, she becomes obsessed with him and begins to feel like he was "the one" and that she settled with Andy. This becomes apparent as the story unfolds. She did settle with Andy because not a single thing is wrong with him. He's rich but humble, he's handsome but not vain, he's perfect but not arrogant. He dotes on Ellen, he's wiling to provide her with anything she wants or desires. However, she feels a lack of tension between them, and she feels something so much more electric with Leo.

As time goes by the story takes us to Atlanta, where she becomes the stay at home wife in a large and costly home. Andy joins the family practice and plays golf with "the guys." She's left to entertain guest and sit alone while her best friend is pregnant in the same town, but somehow such a distance away. Motherhood being the center of Margo's world, and Andy back in his home territory leaves Ellen feeling suffocated and alone. So she begins to use Leo as the escape route, always wondering "What if? "

I won't let you know what happens in the end, but it's a pretty quick read. I only read when I'm at work, since it is my safe haven for books. Reading with a two-and-a-half year old is not possible. I read in between projects at work, and on breaks. 

Social Media

I'm building up my readers by amping up the social media for this blog!

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or IG

Twitter: @andiquoteblog
Facebook: facebook.com/andiquoteblog
IG: @andiquoteblog

Will be creating a pinterest for all of you pinners!

Future plans & goals.

I am good at my job. I actually am really good at what I do. It's a comfy desk job with great benefits, fair pay, and a set Mon-Fri 9-5 schedule. However, I am lacking something. I don't like what I do at my job, I'm merely good at it. I don't want to spend my whole day in the office, but it is fairly convenient. I can't help but think of what I'm missing in life by living in this corporate hamster wheel. So as I was driving to work yesterday morning I decided I can't do this forever.

This job has mean potential to be a comfortable career, and I am already being given opportunities to show management that I have what it takes. I know that I could get stuck here very easily, which is why I need to verbalize and organize my future before I let this job snowball into a career. Would I be comfortable? Probably. Would I be happy? Probably not.

So starting today, I am going to let my inner entrepreneur begin to plant her seeds. My goal is to own a coffee/tea and book shop in Tower District. I want a toddler area so that couples can enjoy a cup of coffee and a book while letting the toddlers play in an area that is safe and distracting for the kids. I want to participate in Art Hop for the kids, so that they have an area to display their art as well! There will be sandwiches made to order for those who'd like to grab a quick bite to eat, and muffins for breakfast. I'd want to have new/used/and local books for sell, and maybe even a free "take one, leave one" book area for those who can't afford a book but can exchange one they already have for one they haven't read. We can play local music of all genres, and keep things as local as possible.

I am going to be raising my credit score while at this job so that I can qualify for a business loan. In the meantime, I am also going to begin making healing pillows, with custom scents and stones to promote healing and light. The money made will go towards the savings I need for the shop.

I am currently designing the pillows and doing some creative thinking for the names of both the pillows I am going to be selling, as well as the shop I will be opening.

I have to be able to make a living doing something I love to do. I have to be able to be in control of my life so that I can incorporate my child as much as possible. Every morning I leave her I want to break down, and I have to do something to make this work.

I will keep y'all updated. Remember to check out my other blogs, leave me comments/advice, and answer the poll question to let me know what you'd like to read!


Have a good day!

image from: http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Choose-Healing-Stones-/10000000178630445/g.html

Concerned Parent.

Yesterday evening when I was parking I saw that Terrance was outside with Autumn and the neighbor kids whom are brother and sister. They are 4 years old and 6 years old, and always playing out side on their own. As I was walking up I asked Autumn if she wanted to go inside and make a cake. The 6 year old girl exclaimed "I want to help, too!" and so did her little brother. I told them they could help so long as they asked their momma.

They ran inside, their mother had said yes and I verified this by making sure she saw them come in and by waving at her from the back door. We made the cake (well, I did, they were distracted by Autumn's mountains of toys) and while we waited for it to bake we did some crafts. I took some construction paper to make "books" and had the kids decorate their own books with markers, ribbon, other paper, crayons, and lots of tape. When the cake was done and cooled, I frosted it and cut them each a slice.

After we cut the cake and ate, I told the kids we had to leave to run an errand so I packaged up some cake in a throw away plastic container and sent them through the back door and watched them walk onto their steps. That's when the 4 year old stuck his head back outside and said "My mom and dad are not here."

I was baffled. The parents had left their two young children at my house without telling me? Why would they do that? I've only lived by them for two months, and rarely have spoken to the parents besides a quick "Hello" in passing. I almost didn't believe the 4 year old so I walked up to their door and yelled a little "yoo-hoo" to see if anyone was inside. Then, as I'm starting to tell the kids to head back to my place while we wait for their parents they pull up behind me and park.

They were in my house for at least an hour and a half. They are 4 and 6. They do not know me well. They never told me they were leaving. I don't care how long they were gone for, it's rude to leave your kids at some one's house and not tell them you're leaving. Especially at 8pm at night when it's usually time to get things ready for bed. However, them being rude is not my concern. They literally left two young children at a strangers house for an extended period of time and LEFT their house in their CAR. WHAT?!

Even if they "trusted" me, as a stranger, what if I had let them run home without checking and something happened to them there?

She's 6. and He's 4. We don't live in a really great neighborhood. We live close to downtown, which is both beautiful and scary. It's historical yet warn, and it's definitely got a very wide range of individuals who live in the area. It's scary, I would never want to leave my children alone. Especially because of the parking situation, it's easy to tell when your car is missing.

Now I'm concerned about letting them come inside to play with Autumn again. How would I even confront them on this matter? I did state to her "Oh wow, I didn't even know you left, I was too worried to leave them here alone so I was going to bring them back to my house until you got back." to which she replied "Oh they would've been fine. She knows how to lock the door."

Any advice?

Trying to find the silver lining...

I was a good, obedient child. I didn't curse at my parents or tell them no. Actually, I don't recall ever being disciplined, because it wasn't necessary. My parents weren't strict, but I just followed the rules that were given to me. I enjoyed receiving instructions, and it made me feel content knowing that I successfully completed the tasks at hand. I always did well in school because of this. I actually was excited to receive to-do list, as I still am today. I liked to organize my toys into the correct areas of my room, I loved organizing book shelves in alphabetical order, I cleaned my room before I left so that I could return to a clean room, and I was absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to help grandparents with spring cleaning!

SO how the hell did I end up with Terrance? When I was 16, I was invited to his house to meet his mom. He wanted to show me his "music studio" in his room. When he opened that door, I should have ran. I should have ran back to my Honda Accord and sped home. I remember him having to push the door pretty hard to open it all the way. There were laundry baskets, shoes, books, Cd's, empty Arizona Iced Tea cans, and who knows what else. I honestly didn't know where his bed was. Come to find out, it was a daybed, which had collapsed (no doubt under the weight of trash) and was safely located under his entire wardrobe despite the 5 foot tall wooden dresser that was also in the room.

I remember one night, a few years into our relationship, I was keeping his mom company since he was working overnight. She had mentioned how she was, rightfully so, disgusted by his room. She was concerned about her parenting telling me she "didn't raise him like that." I think she was irritated by her messy son and also a little embarrassed. That night, I drank a rock star and stayed up til 5 am cleaning his room. I thought this would delightfully surprise him and make his mother happy as well. Well, I was wrong.

He tried to hide his upset, but I could see right through it. I asked him why it made him upset that I cleaned his room. I had figured he was just so busy with school and work (and of course being a boy since school and work never deterred me from keeping my apartment clean.) He said it was his mess. It was his organized chaos. He said he now knew where nothing was! I was in disbelief! I showed him where everything was, and that it was organized and would always be in the right spot, so long as he put it back. This meant nothing to him. He thanked me for trying, but it was an empty appreciation, and it was disheartening. I left it at that, and I never tried to clean his room again- until I moved in with him a year later.

I was helping him pack and when I opened his closet, it was filled with trash and underneath that trash was a laundry basket. I had never smelled anything that bad. As I was digging through it I found a broken bong that had leaked bong water onto this pile of clothes. If you have never smelled bong water, let alone, moldy bong water clothes, you've never smelled anything this bad. I was disgusted. I probably should have backed out then. But I held my nose closed and tried not to puke while I shoved it all in a trash bag and demanded that he take it to the trash, stat.

Almost ten years later, we have a two year old, who is EXACTLY like him. When it's shower/bath time, I follow them through the house and pick up two pairs of pants, two pairs of underwear, two pairs of shoes, two pairs of socks, and two shirts. Every night. Oh, and just shoot me if they decided to get creative. There is paper, paint, glitter, pieces of paper, crayons, markers, etc. on the table, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in the living room, and under the blanket in the bed. It drives me batty. Terrance is the kind of person that will go left if you tell them to go right, because they think you're keeping them from some magical adventure by having them go right. He thinks that rules of the road are merely suggestions. He believes in aliens and becoming enlightened and that desk jobs are for corporate slaves. Autumn feels that she is the queen of the world and that when she wants something done a certain way, it must be done this way. She does not waste her day doing peasant things like picking up the three totes full of toys that she has dumped out. Her royal highness is much too busy to worry about the paint that has found it's way into her hair, or the pieces of jello that have managed to get stuck in her underwear. She actually tells me "No mom, I'm too busy." I don't tell my daughter that I'm "too busy" to do something, because she will MAKE me stop what I am doing to pay attention to her if I don't immediately stop. I don't know where she learned it, but she did.

I have two children to care for now, and both of them are driving me absolutely insane. They're alive and they are well, even after all the stress they've put me through. They are careless and they are destructive, and they are messy, but they are alive. That's all that matters, right? Because sometimes when they've finally managed to wear each other out and are cuddled on the couch I watch them sleep and thing that I could never live my life without them. Yet, sometimes when they're pushing every button and getting on every one of my nerves, I just want a fairy god mother who would turn them into mice, or something small I could keep contained in a cage. I'm just trying to find the silver linings so that I can keep that image in my head when I'm about to implode.

I tell myself, be thankful he's alive, because he has acute kidney failure and was hit by a car last year. He managed to make it out with just a broken leg and a bruised rib. Then the other part of me says he's an idiot for jay walking. Autumn broke her leg around the same time, by jumping off of the same couch I yelled at her not to for months. Part of me is so happy it was just a broken leg, and not a fractured skull. The other part wants to strangle her for being such a defiant dare devil. How does one keep the positive in the forefront of their mind without pulling all the negative feelings that come with a situation? Help! I'm living in chaos and the longer I'm around it, the more I realize there is nothing that can be done. This is who they are. They lack inhibition, they lack fear, they lack organization, where I lack creativity and spontaneity.

I wish I could be that cool breeze of a person who just rolls with the punches and happily cleans up after their artistic family while cherishing the moment that they're able to experience. I wish I could say "Oh yes Autumn, that painting on the wall of a power ranger helmet is beautiful, I think I'll let it stay there until you fall asleep." Alas, I cannot. My blood pressure rises and I get irritated and she sees it. She asks me "What's wrong mama? I'm sorry I make a mess." She doesn't even know she's making the mess, she thinks she's drawing a masterpiece, and then feels bad when I start to lose my shit. I hate surprises, I hate when things don't go according to plan, and I hate messes more than anything. I can't sit and watch a TV show if the living room is a mess. I have to clean it before I sit down. Even if I'm exhausted. I just have to rearrange the pillows on the couch so it looks like it's supposed to. I have to move the cable box so that it's centered on top of the TV stand, or it bothers me. I have to put all the correct toys in the correct bins or they stare at me while I'm staring at the TV, and it makes me cringe.

I think it's time I seek therapy. It's either I get it under control or I get rid of the two people I love the most. Could Terrance be more supportive? Absolutely. But I think the way I see him as insane for appreciating the chaos that his messes are is as insane he sees me for flipping out every time something is moved from it's designated area. So, I'll work on the only thing I have control over- myself, and see how that goes first.

Interactive Blogging!

Sorry for all the posting spam, I'm just trying to get the blog up and running with content that is interesting and fun.

I've decided that I really would like this blog to be interactive, and to grow into a type of community.

A little bit more about me: I am a feminist. I am opinionated, but I also do not bash on the opinions of anyone else. I live and let live. There are a million blogs and websites on how to be a good mom and I see the comments where women are insulting the things other moms do, but that is not how it will be here. I believe we all are trying our best and doing what we believe is right for our children- out of love- and nothing else.

Share your stories with me! Answer the poll on the right hand side of the page to let me know what you want to read! When we really get in the groove of things I can start doing online events to reach out to my readers!


Have a great evening y'all!
I'm making broccoli or pepper beef tonight, I haven't quite decided but I will let you know how it all works out!
-Brittany

Busy Bee and Party Animal!

I am very into adventure and keeping busy.

Of course there are days when Autumn, her dad, and I all sit in PJS and watch movies and eat junk food all day- but those days are rare, because we are always getting into something.

I have a memory board in my dining room/kitchen and every time we go on an adventure I print pictures and hang them up on the board along with ticket stubs, brochures, and other paper memorabilia from the adventure. Autumn calls them "parties." Every time we go to an event, it's a party. Every Monday we make Monday Cakes.

Life is short, and life get's busy- I like to make it so that every moment is exciting. This is very easy to do since my awesome kid is so easyily excited! Here are some pictures I'd like to share of our recent adventures:

Visiting friant dam and lake. Definately in a drought.

Winning her first cake in a cake walk at Sacred Heart fundraiser.

At Casa de Fruta, on the way to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Autumn and her Aunt Savannah getting ready to head home from Fremont, Ca.

Autumn and her sugar induced crazy eye smile, and our Monday Cake.

Autumn steering the pirate ship at Renaissance Faire at Fresno City College.

I can't remember which "party" we were going to on this day, but Autumn was prepared with her pink ranger and polly pocket car in her purse. 

At Santa Cruz Beach on Valentine's Day.

Autumn's attire for St.Patty's.

Autumn getting face paint by a fairie at Wiccafest.

Homemade Playdough

Autumn and I made playdough about a month ago, and she's still sooooo proud of it. I have this photo of her on the memory cork board in the kitchen and everytime she see's it she says: "Remember when I was little and made playdough?" Apparently, a month ago she was "little."

I actually just had to throw it out because since they sat for a few weeks the liquid started to seperate from it and looked really gross.

However, after three failed attempts this is the recipe/and how-to that I used, mixing the instructions from a couple of different pinterest sources.

This is the recipe that I used:

For each color I used this amount:
2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Food coloring

*Oh and glitter. We definately mixed in glitter to make them "sparkerlee."

1. I started by having Autumn pour the warm water and vergetable oil together in an already warmed up pot. Warm pot, NOT hot. I also like to add the food coloring drops in now, because it mixes easier.
2. Then start to slowly mix the salt and flower in. Also- add glitter if you want.
3. Keep stirring until it begins to feel like playdough.
4. Roll into a ball and let cool. It will be hot at first, so be careful with the little hands.

We made all sorts of colors and Autumn played for hours. When we were done we put it in reuseable plastic containers, the type that you use for leftover food.

She loved it and played with it everyday until she decided the carpet needed "clothes" and she rubbed blue playdough into the carpet. Then it went in the closet and stayed there while it seperated.

So... two weeks of playing with it and it still was staying together well. Shelf life? Not so long.

Hope you have fun!
-Brittany

Hello there, stranger!

Hello there!

I'm back to blogging again, after a year long hiatus. 

I was going through some life changes, and now that I have become more stable (financially, mentally, and physically) I have returned to the wonderful world of blogspot! I've missed sharing the stories of my growing toddler, and I've very much missed the conversations I had with other mommas. Autumn is two and a half now, and very much so going on twenty one years old. I would have never imagined her being this goofy nor this mature. She suprises most people when they meet her because she acts so mature. Autumn is determined to be the leader of every situation- including our living situation. 

Sometimes I get so exhausted because she just DOES NOT hear me. Well... she hears me... she just pretends not to. I won't lie, I have thrown my hands up and cried face down on the couch while she sat in time out. However, I have to remember how I have chosen to raise her. I have chosen to raise her to have nothing but confidence in what she wants and who she is. So when you meet Autumn, just know that you are meeting 100% Grade A Autumn, because she chooses what she wants to do, what she wants to say, and how she wants to go about her day. She is fearless. She has no fear of anything- except fish tanks (which I'll have to discuss another time.) I admire her fearlessness but it's getting to the point where I look at her and think "Hmm... maybe just a little bit of fear may be good for her." 

Autumn will face many challenges in her life. Her mixture of ethnicity paired with the fact that she is female will present hurdles, wether she notices or not. I want her to be confident in everything that she does and everything that she is. She loves her big curly hair, and that makes me smile. She thinks she's "the most beautiful girl in the world" because her daddy says so. She thinks she's the oldest and wisest kid on the play ground, when actually she's the youngest and most petite. I am very proud of this. I am happy that she is so independent and proud of who she is, and I just hope this continues. And I hope that I have the energy to deal with it.

At the end of the day, my kid is amazing. Everyone feels that way about their child, don't they? I feel like everyone should hear about the things Autumn says or does, because it's hillarious. So I've decided to share my life with you all as readers, and I hope you enjoy reading!


Have a great day y'all!
-Brittany