"new mom" things i choose not to live without

i am sure you all already have this figured out, but i learned a few tricks after the fact...

i'll start here:

i have a million blankets, and keep collecting more as gifts, but i rarely swaddle my kid up in anything but this swaddleme. especially now that he is turning into Houdini baby. i used 3 when he was new new, and now just one. {now that he doesn't wet the bet twice a night...} i have the bigger size too, but we are starting to wean him off of swaddling. he love it lots and now starts to fall asleep once he's wrapped.


and this:

at about 5 or 6 weeks, we had a snot factory on our hands. B was not happy and we weren't much help. the little snot sucker they give you at the hospital only took us so far. the nose frieda may look gross, but it's genius. and no, you are not sucking snot into your mouth. not even close. but i am sure it is something your husband will cringe at. mine sure does. wuss. i use a little saline first sometimes and it goes a long way...


and these for breastfeeding moms:

happened upon washable breast pads one day when we were out shopping and i felt so muggy and gross.  i am all for breastfeeding and i deal with what comes with it, but smelling like a milk factory is where i draw the line. not fun.

we were at my favorite little baby store in san luis obispo and i figured they would have disposables. alas, they had these, and i love them. they hide better, stay dryer, and hey - a money saver. i'm in! {pictured the phillips aveda brand. not the first kind i purchased, but i like them.}

and this for techno moms:

baby timer app.

i have literally tracked every feeding. i can't stop. its just good to know what side i'm on and how long he eats... cause new moms are getting a brain back. and its slow... and it really helps with the schedule. if it has been about an hour-ish since he ate, and he fusses, i know he's getting tired. when its been 2.5-3ish hours and he's waking up, i know he isn't just waking up to wake up. makes my life really easy.

they say that babies go through growth spurts every 3 weeks or so, and now that the app has graphs, i can actually see when they are!  cool.

and last but not least:

OOPS!

from stuphfromsteph.

i love these and have one in my hand pretty much all day long. they are high quality, and uber cute. make great shower/baby gifts too- so go order some. i hope she gets so many orders she has to expand and make a bagillion more... tell her i sent you too.

amazon mom vs couponing

i know i usually post lots about tv and good movies and all that,

but it might be time for a serious change-up.

regardless,

this is a must-do.

my cousin taught me of this amazon mom gig a while ago, and it just might be my new favorite thing.

you sign up for amazon mom {no cost} and you can order "subscribe & save" items that they deliver right to your door. free shipping, and at a pretty good discount.

• and just for being a member you get 3 months of amazon prime {free shipping on lots of other mom stuff.}

• and, every time you order up to $25 dollars of mom stuff {or not mom stuff i guess} you add a month to that prime subscription.

• this means you can order anything that you would normally go pick up on a monthlyish basis {usually in a large costco trip that ends up $200 more than you wanted to spend}: all your diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, detergents...etc. anything you buy regularly, you can get for like 30% less! yes please!

• and you can change those subcriptions anytime or stop them. {i.e. every 2 months...etc.} that way you actually know how often you use them too!

i priced out paper towels to find out which was the best deal, and they had an 18ct double roll pack for $14.02 - that's $.78 per roll!  no need for 18 coupons there and cheaper than the costco brand!

 {sadly, i think these deals change all the time. so i should have purchased that deal a few weeks ago when i was thinking about it, cause now its gone. but i'm on the hunt. i think once you get on one though, you are locked at the price.}

my cheap name-brand box of wipes came to my door a while ago and i was stoked. usually i have to go pick up my packages at the office {apt living rocks.} but they literally left it at my door!

go, do it.
and live happy.

you're welcome.

baked beans for a crowd.... or 2

my assignment:

baked beans for about 150 people....

i called the booth [my mom]

knowing she would have the recipe for a crowd.

she did.

[sorry mom, i changed it just a bit...]

baked beans for 25
[kicked in the pants]

1 #10 can of pork and beans

1 lb of bacon (yes, a pound)

1 large yellow onion

1 large green bell pepper

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

enough tapatio (or hot sauce of your choice)

to make you shimmy...

[i just added the heat and lessoned the sugar and grease, for my taste]

the bacon gets cut in 1 in strips and crisped up.

i drained most of the fat, 

but kept just a little to saute both the finely chopped onion and pepper...

it goes in a slow cooker or roaster oven with all the rest o the goods 

for about 3 hours on lowish.

big hit, mom.

lucky we had a little leftover to eat again today!!

crafty craft service mom and her big break

today is my mother's birthday!
she's like 40 something (cough...)

and this is what she looked like yesterday on her big break:

peg is in san jorge to help with a film my brother is doing.
and by help, i mean she is the craft service queen.

for those of you luck enough to have done that job-
you know it.
it's tough.

she is there all of august,
slaving away to make/purchase food products for important people
(one is "**pam" from "the office." apparently, they are good friends now...)
and today she is planning herself a little party (as she should be).

thanks for everything mom.
hope you get to take five today and chillax with your boyfriend.
sure glad he upped and surprised you.

happy day to you.


**afterthought correction:
apparently it is jan that peg is hobnobbin with - not pam.
oh oh well...

"Step it up" conference/my mother-in-law is awesome dot com

perhaps you remember last year,
as i was getting to know my future mom-in-law...

she put on this mini-conference.

we giggled and talked about possible decor
because we weren't yet engaged, but getting there.

this year,
she outdid herself.

the decor was essentially my wedding
(plus the "foot fotos)

the program and classes and food were great too...

this food right here,
may or may not have been the demise of my diet endeavors last week...

good news: men will help with anything when food is involved...

kelly's classroom.
she taught about motivating children to learn.
that is a creative passionate teacher.

darlene + posse

what a day.
i felt inspired.

we could also talk about how that day jayme's car was broken into
and bombed/torched,
or how aunt linda got a lung (after waiting 2 years)...

the Big Guy who is ever watching,
yet again,
reminds me I am so blessed.

biggest loser finale recap!

you know i am far too into this show...

if you missed it, watch this-
it pretty much covers all of the best highlights.

danny was my favorite by the end.
the non-game player, good guy that cries when things matter.
and they always matter.
glad he did it. fair. square.

loved that tracey didn't win anything, but lets face it,
aside from her slight loss of hair,
she looked pretty dang good.
and i almost can't hate her anymore,
cause she doesn't even resemble the person we hated...

becca-- kind of p-sycho, but looked amazing.
not sure aboutgoing blonde for you though sweets.
and apparently she's into dan for a few minutes...
we will see if that lasts.

and rudy.
he looked amazing and so did amanda and so did abby!
and come on, we all called that antoine and alexandria would get engaged...

this video is missing the fact that shay gets until the next finale of 2010 to lose all she can...
she will earn a $1000 for every extra pound she loses!!

i love this show.


and the update on our own at-home winner:

close to 20 lbs for peg,
and about 10 for me.

she's going to be smokin.
watch for the second foto shoot when we hit 50!

secret's out

sorry, this isn't what you thought, but it's equally as good:

we have our own biggest loser!

inspired by this:

and this, and this...
and this...

we decided to go for it.

peg
my mom is my best friend (second only to cc), she's beautiful,
and she deserves this more than anyone i know.
i'm not even biased.

in less than a year, we will bury the half of my mom that we lost.
you might be invited.

here is the initial foto shoot:

[with one of the most impossible subjects yet]

...so i had to include even the poor lighting ones....

"peg, stop talking."

"ok, can i be done yet?"

"what if i do like they do for your school pictures?"

i will be posting updates and the "BL leader board" as we go...

for a total weight loss of:
(start date 11.17.2009)

peg: 15 lbs
meg: 7 lbs


brought to you by medifast.
if you go, tell them we sent you.

blogger confession:

i have not been the best blogger lately,
and I realize this.

the combination of having $#@! loads of homework to do daily,
a husband to feed,
and a mom to babysit,

...i have stuff.

this week i hope you are all mia as well.

goin goin back back to cali cali
for a reunion of the moffat clan.

first time as a married woman.

we have a few secrets to share...
i will share them soon, but not yet.

all i will say is:
life changing,
and awesome.

i'll keep you posted as we go...

only a few days in...

but i couldn't be happier for her.

maybe BL inspired us
and we want to win the holiday smack down battle...

happy day for moms getting older!

happy birthday mom!!

you rock dot com.

as we speak,

she is sitting in a comfy chair waiting to see fantasmic.
hate vibes comin your way...

[not really]

love your face!
i wont even tell anyone how old you are....

but this was last year.... so.....

not worthy

on thursday i woke up at 5 am after a random dream, and i just stared at the ceiling and smiled/sort of giggled thinking about my shower...

i was unfocused all day long due to looking/sharing engagement pictures and thinking about shower...

this though, was breathtaking.  

this was the gift of the night. they loved it.

my freakin cute mother-in-law to be.

how many showers have i gone to without ever thinking that one day i would get one.  silly that its a big deal to me.  but it is.  i loved every minute of catching up with friends and all the cute green and black. 

long story short: my mother has the most amazing friends. 

which means that i get to reap the benefits.  

again, i'm not worthy.

the kitchen aid though.  i cried.

thanks all, it was a perfect evening.