Oh, the guilt.

So I can't take it anymore. The SMELL that emanates from the Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers we have been using for about 9 months now. I have tried *everything* -- and it will be fixed for awhile, but then it comes back. It's because we have an HE washer, I think. There just isn't enough water there to get them clean.

So we have switched back to disposables. I will be contributing to the landfills now. The only consolation is that I got these online, and they are biodegradable. So at least I am still being green, right?

I just so loved using cloth diapers. Boo.

A few odds & ends

Last week, we got our Advent wreath made:


And made some construction paper ornaments to hang on the tree:


Natalie is doing a great job of participating in crafts. I'm so excited!! She really focuses and gets involved and way excited about everything. I think we'll try finger paints again this week, to make some crafts for people for Christmas.

This weekend, we put carpet tiles in the nursery at church. It's really coming together! I'm so excited about that. This weekend, I may put some paint on the walls. I'm going to look for some wall stencils, maybe with a Bible verse about children. I think that would be really neat.

Here is Natalie helping with the tiles:




I'm also working on Natalie's stocking. DH and I have stockings that my mom made -- my mom made them for the whole family, as each of us was born. I'm recreating that, and it's coming out really well! I'll post a picture when I'm done w/ it.

Today I am mailing Christmas gifts out, and hopefully straightening up this place a bit. It's getting a bit cluttered!!

Oh, and I'm hosting Christmas this year!!! I'm very excited about that. I love organizing and planning stuff, so I'm thrilled. I wanted Natalie to be able to just hang out here on Christmas, and have people come to her. And I also wanted to cook dinner. :)

My girls are coming back!! Hurrah!!

18 Months!?!?!

OK what happened here? My daughter is a year and a half today!!!! That can't be right!! :) She just came home from the hospital!!
















And here she is last week -- looking a little rundown from her UTI, poor thing. But we got to go outside and have a little fun playing in the backyard.



















I have been thinking all year that once my little Bug turned 18 months, I wanted to start some sort of loose curriculum with her -- for a routine to the day, and also to have different arts/crafts to entertain her. So I ordered this the other day -- Little Acorn Learning -- it's nature-based, and seems really neat. I'm going to try it this month and see how we like it. There are a couple crafts for each week - and this week, they are based on the start of Advent this past Sunday and St. Nicholas day tomorrow - and I'm not sure if N would enjoy them or if they are too old for her. We are going to make an Advent wreath today. Also, the curriculum recommends that I get up before everyone else for some quiet time. What a novel idea! :) So this morning I am up. While N sleeps. I haven't done this in ages!! I'm enjoying a cup of coffee, the laundry has been started, and the house is quiet. Ahhh...

We tried finger painting yesterday - we made our own from flour, water, and food coloring, and she wanted nothing to do w/ it. I even tried to encourage the mess-making -- sticking her hand and feet in it, to make hand and footprints... and no. She started wailing. Okay then! :)

It's been awhile since I posted, so brief update:

• N and I will be out east for awhile at the end of December/beginning of January.
  
• B still has his job, and is still working from home. We are doing pretty well with that, I must say.
  
• I have been a Christmas cookie baking fiend lately! I have lemon bars, toffee bars, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, oatmeal/pb/choc chip cookies (holy yum!), and peanut butter cookies in the freezer, ready to be given out to friends and Santa. :)

I love this time of year!! :) Ah, she awakes... forgive any typos, I don't have time to proof this!