Halloween

Tie Dye How To

I'm sure there are many ways to do this...here is the way that I know and what I do.
Oh, and be smarter than me and WEAR GLOVES. That soda ash can burn like an SOB.


My layout for fun.

I mix up my dye. I like to use a procion dye that doesn't require heat and actually reacts with the fabric. Walmart (yes, yes, I know) sells a reasonable kit with nice dyes. That's actually what made these shirts.


But I use Dharma for the most part. Moving along...
First you soak what you are dying in a solution of washing soda (soda ash) and water. I go about 10 minutes.


Then I take a fork to the center of where you want the swirl and twirl it like the biggest piece of spaghetti ever.


If you are doing a rainbow with 6 colors, then section it like this.


Dye 3 sections yellow


Overlap one section on the yellow with the blue


And the same with the red


Until you get this big messy mess and then flip and repeat.


Wrap it up in plastic wrap or a Ziploc

Let sit overnight (or at least 8 hours) in a cool, dark place. Rinse until water comes clean. Wash ALONE or with other dyed items and look awesome.


PS, you aren't high. I was using pics from two different things: a sheet and a shirt. Some pics just illustrated my point better. :)

Leave me alone

I just stumbled upon a blog of a woman that I kind of used to know. I saw her comment on a different blog and I got to wondering what she was up to. I was poking around and saw we had totally different political views. *shrug* Totally different religious views. *shrug* I went to a section entitled "Rantings of a Bad Mom." It was a tongue in cheek tribute to, uh, well....herself.

She openly mocked mothers that read parenting books, followed OB and pediatrician advice, ate carefully, gave up caffeine, whose kids had a bedtime, had medical interventions during labor, joined a playgroup, bought a Baby Einstein video, didn't co-sleep, choose not to give their kids sugar, pureed their baby's food, etc, etc. She pretty much held in contempt any woman who made a decision that she hadn't made with her kids. These mothers were called "uneducated bandwagon mentality people on internet message boards." She's charming, no?

Normally I could brush all this off, but it really got me tonight. How dare she? How dare she judge women that attempt to do their best? Women that pour over books (like me) to look for answers, theories and thoughts *gasp* outside of ourselves? This learning is somehow ridiculous. Women that turn to other mothers for support in the form of a playgroup are weak? Women that choose to eat healthy while pregnant are foolish? I'm just amazed.

There are many ways that you can discuss your beliefs and passions without ridiculing millions of hard working mothers. She somehow missed each and everyone of them. As did her brown-nosing minions in her comment section.

Maybe this bothered me so much because I have felt this harsh, undeserved judgment. I felt it when I chose to give my tiny son avocado at 4.5 months in a desperate attempt to get him to gain weight. I felt this judgment when I chose to leave my son just as perfect as he was born and not circumcise him. I feel this judgment now when my very exuberant and energy-packed almost two-year-old can't quite make it through dinner at a restaurant.

Alfie Kohn mentioned in Unconditional Parenting (awesome book for any of you idiots looking to better yourself or expand your thinking) that our society isn't friendly to kids, the whole "kids should be seen and not heard" mentality is really pervasive in our culture. I totally agree, but I think our culture is even harsher on moms.

Little dude is a vegetarian and I have been told that I am depriving him. (This is particularly confusing for people that first comment on how healthy/vigorous/or tall he is before finding out. Then they have no where to find fault because he's obviously thriving). I chose to not use bottles and sippies with BPA and I was told that I was being overprotective. I buy organic when I can and I am told that I am wasting my money. Starting at about 6 months people were asking when I was going to wean, you should have seen the looks I got when I said, "when we are done." We skipped the rice cereal and were told that we were doing things wrong. Oh, and the pacifier. Don't get me started on that pacifier. He is not 40, people. He is ONE.

Most of the time I feel like I walk around with a massive target on me that reads: "Hey, ask me about my parenting."

But I swear, I checked and there isn't one. I asked Trey too, and he can't see one either.

I just wish we had a culture where mothers and children were lifted up instead of being torn down continually (I feel like this as an educator too, but that's quite another story). Where I could look to my fellow mother and feel support and kinship and maybe even love. Love for this shared journey we are on and empathy for the difficult task we have all chosen to undertake.

I'm trying! I swear.

Been in a non-writing mood. Not too terribly much to talk about. Work.Home.Repeat.

I think Twitter might be sucking the life writing out of me.

I updated my graphics for the bazillionth time. Something is missing here though. I'll figure it out.

I've started about 5-6 blogs that I saved or scrapped due to the fact that I was either just bitching or it would make no sense to anyone but me. :) Such is my head.

Trying to get back in the groove soon. Hope it's quite soon. I miss writing.

A new recipe, but not the food kind

I ran out of Simple Green. It was a sad day in The Little Blue House. I got creative and came up with a new all purpose, disinfecting cleaner. I tested it on my toilet and it was a total win!

24 ounces water
1T castille soap (we use Dr. Bronner's)
10 drops lavendar essential oil (could also use tea tree or lemon, both have disinfecting properties)

Put it in a bottle, shake it up, clean.

Back to school with this and that

It's time to go back to work. I am totally depressed. Not only to I have to leave my kiddo, I lose any sort of free time (naps!) that I luxuriated in during the summer. *sigh* I'll get out of my funk soon and learn to enjoy working again, but this is a crappy time for me every year. Oh, and my 28th birthday is startlingly close. Extra awesome. 28 sounds grown up. Real grown up. Even with a mortgage, a job, bills and a nearly 2-year-old (gasp!), I don't feel grown up.

Ok, pity party over

Time for Daniel stories!

We were looking for his pacifier this morning (*hackles up* back away sanctimommies, he's not even two) and we couldn't find one any where. I asked him where his paci was and he shrugs. Then he starts calling, "Paci, paci, paci," while looking around. I decided to join in the fun and call for his paci too while searching. "Paaaaaci, where are you?" So D mimicks me, "Paci, whe awee ou?" as he peeks under the couch.

I could squish the kid, seriously.

We didn't find the paci (ya know, cause we only own like 30) and I contemplated running to Target to get some more. Then I remember that we keep a spare in daddy's Ergo. I found not one, but two! Miracle! He giggled as I gave it to him. Ah, sweet paci. Breaking their bond is going to be a bitch.
*************************************

We were getting ready to go to Sarah's (his super, amazing, fabulous, worth-twice-her-weight-in-gold sitter) house and I plopped him in the back seat. We always do this. I put him on the seat and he climbs into his car seat aka The Special Danny Seat. Well, he decided he was ready to ride like a big boy. You know a REAL big boy. He plopped himself down behind the passenger seat and reaches for the shoulder belt. Er, not quite yet, son. Maybe when you hit 65lbs or so we'll talk.
************************************

Ridiculously delicious oatmeal cookies

I originally took this recipe from All Recipes. It's an awesome free site that you should all run out and join. It's cool, I'll wait.

.....


This recipe sounded good, but I have been dying to use some organic vanilla agave that I picked up at the farmer's market. It also had a ton of sugar in it. I like to eat what I make, not take a bite, get crazy and pass out.

Here's the original recipe with my changes noted. I also added chocolate chips because, well, they were just sitting there:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened (I used Earth Balance)
  
• 1 cup white sugar 2/3 cup agave
  
• 1 cup 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  
• 2 eggs (or egg replacer)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I skipped this simply because I had vanilla agave)
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup unbleached flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups quick cooking oats

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar agave and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour as long as you can stand it.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Feed to hungry kid
5. Watch cookies closely