Potty Training ideas

Well, I haven't talked about it here, but for those that know me, We had a really, really hard time potty training Serena, my youngest. I was spoiled, Evie potty trained herself before she turned 2, she hated the feel of a wet diaper, and when she realized that could be avoided by peeing in the potty, she chose to go on the potty. Rena was three and a half before we could even get her to sit on the potty. She actually liked the feel of a wet diaper, which made things difficult. When we tried to just put undies on her, she would just go, because she didn't mind the wet panties either, or the wet carpet, floor, couch, etc.

The *one* thing that got her to sit on the potty was the Potty Fairy. See, one day she recieved a special delivery from the Potty Fairy, that looked like this

It's a little plastic tub that fit on the back of the toilet, The box itself comes in many colors, it is made by Sterlite and is available at Target and Walmart. I like this style box because the sides lock. There were stickers to decorate the box, so she would feel it was "hers".

Inside the box were prizes! lots of little things, like lollipops, bonbelle makeup, and anything that was under $1 and would fit.

Of course, the box came with a letter from the Potty Fairy, that said...

 

Dear Serena:

This is your official invitation to become a POTTY PRINCESS! I hope you will join us! To be a POTTY PRINCESS, all you need to do is practice sitting on the Potty!

To Welcome you to our special group of POTTY PRINCESSES, I have sent you a special POTTY PRINCESS PACK to get you started.

First, decorate your box with the stickers enclosed, or if you have stickers you like at home, feel free to use them.

After the box is decorated, place it on top of your potty, or somewhere in your bathroom that is easy to find!

Each time you sit on the Potty, you can hold one of the items in the box!
If you pee or poop in the Potty, you get to open it and keep it! How exciting!

When you are all finished becoming a POTTY PRINCESS and are wearing big girl pants during the day, the box is yours to keep in your room! You will be an official POTTY PRINCESS!!!

I hope you will join us!

Hugs and Kisses,
The Potty Fairy

 
 
 
She was so fascinated with getting to go through the box, she actually started to sit on the potty, just to pick and hold something from the box. As time went on, she took delight in getting to keep the item she chose, so after a few weeks she got the hang of it. I wish I would have tried this method earlier!
 
A few tips if you try this : wrap the treasure box up and have it " delivered" (Kevin pretended to find our special delievery outside when he got home from work). let them open it and read the letter together. Let them decorate the treasure box, spend time with it and let their curiosity grow! Then reread the rules with them, and ask them if they want to try it then. Be in the bathroom with them, so they don't get frustrated and open the item! It is really hard at first to make them put the items back when they don't go, but it will pay off very soon.
 
Happy Parenting!

Keep your eyes open....

I am a fabric addict. There, I admit it. I look for viable fabric everywhere, anything pretty and vibrant that I might be able to use. That is why, at least once a week, I hit a few local Goodwills and other thrift stores. I hit the home section first. I look through sheets and curtains, table clothes and bedspeads. Then I hit mens ties. Sometimes I can use them for purse straps. or open them up for the fabric. Then I hit ladies scarves. Last week, I found 2 great pieces in ladies scarves.

Not many people even bother with the scarves in a thrift store. Not many people wear scarves anymore, and most of what is there are thin shiny polyester numbers with big florals, or holiday prints. Once I found a handwoven long scarf, that was made of beautiful hand dyed wool. It was purples blues and greens. But last week, I hit the motherload.

Françoise Heron Timbalier in blue

Laurence Bourthoumieux Tropiques

These are the two scarves I found, but on different days. The first one I found was the Timbalier.  I was sorting through the scarves and saw the bright blue border. Then I touched it, a thick silk twill. I rubbed it between my fingers to test, and it was real silk. So I bought it. At home I noticed the Hermes symbol on the scarf, but didn't think it was real because the design name wasn't on the scarf, but all the other telltall signs of a real Hermes was there, the hem, delicately rolled to the front, handstitched in perfect matching color. the car label, the color saturation. By the end of the night with help and a lot of research, I had the scarf authenticated. Two days later, I went back to the same Goodwill and took another look at the scarves, and there was my second Hermes in a week, the Tropiques. This one isn't as desired as the Timbalier, but it is really pretty.

Being thrifty always pays off! Keep your eyes peeled, you never know what you will find at your local thrift store!

Thank Goodness for SCHOOL!

Now that school has started back up for fall, I actually have time to sew! Last week I tried out Penny Sturges' Bow Tucks Tote Pattern. I used the new Amy Butler Fabrics my husband bought for me when he was traveling. He made a special stop at Green Velvet in Granville, Ohio (where we used to live) for it! I like it as a bag, it's nice and roomy, and I always carry a lot of things. Next time I make it I might make the front pocket smaller though, or make it two compartments. It's a little floppy for my taste, I am afraid my cell or keys will fall out!

I also did this quick little applique this week for Evie to wear tomorrow, it's her principal's 40th Birthday and they asked the kids to wear something black.

I feel so much more "together" as a person when I get to spend time in my sewing room. It also feels good to start working on baby projects, since we are expecting our 3rd in January. I have been piecing quilt tops, which I hope to post in a few days! I found Mr. Men and Little Miss fabric at Joanns and of course had to make baby quilts!

Rena apprently also loves fabric. So much she decided to use all of my  pins to reupholster my sewing room chair...

*sigh* it only took 45 minutes for me to unpin the fabric from the seat, find my pincushions, organize my pins again and take a magnet to the floor for strays....

Happy Sewing!

Oxford, MS

Our friends came down for a visit a bit ago, so we took a day trip to Oxford, MS. She went to Ole Miss, and since it is only about 45 minutes from here, we all went. Oxford is a beautiful town. Since we got there at lunch, we had to try Abners, their favorite Chicken place.

The girls at Abners parking lot.

Then we spent some time downtown, getting ice cream at a little sweet shop and  checking out Corner Books.

The town is a square around the court house, with lots of great shops and restaurants. There is a children's corner books, which has a play area for the kids.

this suit just says "southern gentleman"

Of course, after exploring downtown, we had to visit Rowan Oak, William Faulkner's home.

The grounds were absolutely wonderful, cool and shady. The girls ran around outside for a bit, and let the moms explore then inside of the house.

It was a nice day.Oxford is a really cool town, we hope to go back soon to explore more!

Wall Hanging

Sew... my friend Gina made this wonderful batik and gave it to me! I had no idea what to do with it at first, but found this nice green leaf batik for a border, and decided to make a wall hanging.

I only quilted around the tree to make it pop.

Then I added a few beads to the moon because who can resist adding beads for sparkle?

I am happy with how it turned out, Gina's batik was so beautiful I was almost afraid to touch it!

autism awareness table cover

A few weeks ago there was an "accident" and our table was ripped. This is just a little play table, so I wasn't too concerned, but I had just gotten it and wanted to at least keep it nice for a while. My girls had a friend over, and the friend got mad at something and just took it out on our table!

yeah, pretty bad. I was mighty mad. I do some reupholstery, and knew this would be pretty  basic. Since the set is colorful, I decided to use what I had left of my autism awarness fabric to cover the table and chair she ripped (yeah, she went after a chair too).

I *love* the way the table came out. It looks 100 times better than before. I also used a medium gage plastic over the fabric so I can just wipe it down when dirty.

Here is the chair. I aslo did another chair. There are 4 chairs in the set, so eventually I will have them all covered, but for now I just did the damaged ones!

Vacation Bible School Southern Style!

If there is one thing I have found about Southern Ladies, it is that suble is not in their vocabulary. From putting a face on to go to the store or even pool, to taking charge of events, low key is not an option. That is one thing that differs from being a northern mom.

Here is an example. When I lived in Ohio, the standard uniform for the middle class stay at home mom was yoga pants, a tee shirt, and a ponytail. We had kids, we were tired, who cares what we look like? Here in the south, you put your face on before you leave, even if you were just running to Walmart. Ladies also dress. At least jeans and a nice top, with a little color. At first I thought this was wierd, why bother? Then I realized it is taking a measure of pride in yourself and appearance.

In Ohio if there was to be a bake sale for let us say the school, you would have a few volunteers and a few people who would bake. We would drop off our goods on time, and stand around in our yoga pants and organic nonfat chai lattes complaining about how hard it was to fit it into our schedule. We would have been happy to make $75 for the cause.

Here in the south, Southern Ladies take charge. If there was a bake sale for the school, everyone would volunteer and there would have to be a committee of 2 or 3 Ladies to be in charge. There would be a theme. I kid you not, a theme. Along with the bake sale, they would get donations from local businesses and have raffles for baskets. They would dress in costume for the theme, and the whole gym would be filled with tables full of baked goods.

These Ladies take pride and care in everything they do. If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.

And that brings us to VBS, which is this week. I was floored when I walked into VBS, I was floored. I was used to VBS being in the sunday school buildings, and run like a class. Not here, oh no. Everyone was in costume to go with the theme.

They transformed the gym into an egyptian market, with stations for the kids to do a variety of activities from brick making, to jewelry making to weaving, and so on. There were a ton of teen volunteers helping,

 The chapel was decked out like a temple.

The walkway was the river nile.

When I say all out, it was all out. The kids are having a blast, because there is so much for them to do and relate to.

I think a lot of it is being that best at what you are doing now. So much of my converastions before coming down here were about going back to work, because staying at home raising kids was not what modern feminist do for an extended amount of time. Here, the conversations are about what we are doing, with the kids, hobby wise, volunteer wise, faithwise. Being a mom and staying at home is a blessing, not a curse.