It's Just That Simple

I have been reviewing products over at Simple for a few months now. It's been enjoyable and very satisfying to have an opportunity to showcase products I love. Our goal is to review products honestly for other women and mothers, sharing new (and sometimes old) fun and useful products with them. We feature reviews, coupon codes, and giveaways...products for you to win!

Simple has recently remodeled. Not only the look of our blog, but we have also added four new mothers. With the addition to the team we will be able to post regularly, that means beginning next week you can find something new at Simple daily.

Mary Scot

Little Christmas kitty has been named, for a good month now. Flosha (long O). It's about time I thought, and have become quite accustomed to having a name to call her. Much to my horror this morning Providence started calling her Mary Scot. Mary Scot came from reading a picture book about Queen Elizabeth and how some people felt her cousin Mary the Queen of Scots was the rightful heir to the throne and so tried to kill Queen Elizabeth. It's not that I have anything against Mary Scot, I actually like the name immensely, I find it most charming. A month is just too long to try and change a name, besides Flosha seems to fit her well.

We were outdoors most of our gorgeous yesterday. Aaron brought over one of their goats to eat my weeds, though the poor dear hasn't done much. We also did some work outside gathering yard waste for the burn pile. We had a fire going and a yard beginning to dry up and so needed a hose to keep the heat down and fire from spreading. The hose + the hottest day of the year so far + children = playing in mud. Aaron made it even easier by digging out a little pit for the girls to play in. We've come a long way from the days of getting in trouble for digging a mud wrestling pit. Which we (me and my siblings) did make long ago, a huge one. It took us all morning to get the sticks and rocks out. It was alot of fun till my dad came home from work and we suddenly remembered that we were not allowed to play with water. We had conveniently forgotten in our high of the possibility of being covered in cool mud in the heat of the summer. Looking back we have a little more understanding with the bigger picture. There was a drought going on and houses would get dinged (or extravagantly charged, I just said dinged for my sister Osanna who loves to say, and hear, and probably read "dinged") for over water usage. We were soundly reminded to not forget again. True story. I was reminded of it when I saw my mud covered daughter.

When we went grocery shopping this morning Providence wore her little stuffed puppy Vinegar and I got to wear Joy, sorry no pictures of me, just know it was back carry of absolute cuteness, and I am so grateful for a sister-in-law that lets me baby fix with her kids. I can't wait for her number three...

Oh and we decided that Mary Scot would be Flosha's nick name, if Mary the Queen of Scots had any savage in her it may be an even better name fit.

Along Came a Spider

While having morning cuddles Providence and I were talking about boys and girls. Who is a boy and who is a girl. She decided that the biggest difference between the two was "Girls are scared of spiders, but boys take care of them." This is certainly true in her case, for though she has contemplated having a spider as a pet (while none are in sight, mind you) she will shriek if she sees anything remotely resembling a spider.

Acceptable (or not) Behavior

My sweet little princess daughter likes to pick her nose among some of her other un-princess like behavior, even better, she likes to pick her nose and bring me the boogies. As a mother I have often mindlessly taken them and disposed of them properly myself. One day recently she brought me a "really big boogie" and I had enough sense to tell her to take care of it herself, my mind must of shut down soon after because it was startled to wakefulness again after it processed that strange rubbing-on-carpet sound. My wrath must have been very noticeable indeed as I whipped around asking if the burger was just wiped on the carpet. The guilty culprit quaking, assured me that it was "still there", shoving a very empty finger in my face. Now she faced charges of lying and when accused of this new crime burst into tears sobbing, but in all seriousness asked "But why do we have carpet then?" I'll tell you miss it's most definitely NOT to wipe buggies on.

Mango Seeds

I have been trying to make a weekly schedule for ourselves, while still being flexible. AND trying to spend less money since it has been extremely tight lately. So no more out to eat, no more new clothes just because. Not that I buy myself new clothes often, it's Providence really that I have to watch out for. She's always trying to swindle all kinds of cute dresses and new swimsuits and adorable toys she can't live without from me.

So how is it working so far? Well the schedule still seems to be more flexible then set, and I am still choking on all kinds of monthly bills, albeit they do seem to be going down. It's just so fun to buy things that you know beyond knowing, will look good on the person you are buying it for...like kids, they don't need dressing rooms. And well, let's face it I just love buying my daughter things. Sometimes I wonder if I want to give her things money can buy because I can't give her things money can't buy, like her father back.

Weirdly I actually think it's good for kids to lack in the material things, not as in they don't have enough to eat or wear, but that they don't get everything they want...and a whole lot they didn't even know they wanted. In fact I can't really remember the last thing Providence asked for, I always get things before she can truly want it, much less work for it. I was quite proud of myself the other day when at the end of shopping I put back two unnecessary things, one was a bathing suit for Providence, who does have one; that does indeed fit her. And the second a life vest, that Providence, in fact, does need. To go on Uncle Aaron's boat; but I figured we could get one alot cheaper at a second hand store. Providence was sad to put back the things I had put in the cart and encouraged her to be excited about, but she didn't pitch a fit and she seems to still love me just as much. So here's to hoping next time I don't even put them in the cart.

Chickens are like Apples

And this apple has lasted a through two generations. Though it might have skipped one, notice there's no picture of me being all chicken whisperer.

I guess apples don't fall too far from their trees.

Papa ~ Providence

The More We Get Together

Aaron and Kelsey had an appointment this morning and I watched their girls. Providence and Hope have been playing together more and with playing comes disagreements. For the most part I like them to try to resolve differences on their own, but today with a bruising bite and a break-the-skin scratch they needed some intervention. Providence insisted that she was pretending to be an "evil cat" so she was doing evil things, not sure what Hopes excuse was...Joy happily hung out in a back wrap for most of the two hours.