ERGO LOVE!!!!

I've always loved babywearing, and was a big baby sling advocate! I even modeled for Slinglings back in the day to get free slings! lol..yeah I'm not a professional model by any means but for free stuff? Heck yeah!

 

So as much as I loved using slings from newborn through toddlerhood, this third time around, I invested in an ERGO (60% off on Zulily!) and I haven't looked back!  I mean, it is SOOOOO comfortable, I never have to readjust, I can easily put my string bean of a 4 year old in there if he is tired while I push the baby in the stroller and best of all....My hubby can wear the baby now!  The slings are fitted to your size...I never thought to order a bigger sling for my hubby, but with the ERGO it is so simple to switch over.  The ERGOs are just so well made, so comfortable and just awesome PERIOD!!!!  I have tried one carrier my sister let me borrow once that was even better but it was a custom made carrier that was over $200 so I had to quickly erase that experience from my memory!  lol!  Anyways, I absolutely adore and recommend ERGO all the way....I still used my old slings when baby #3 was a newborn but once he was big enough for the ERGO I really haven't looked back!  I like having BOTH arms free.  With the sling, both hands are free....sort of.  One shoulder is trapped down and it still gets tricky to do certain things.  And as a homeschooling mom, I can't tell you how wonderful it is to just put the little one in the ERGO front or back and be hands free to help the older kiddos!  

One of my favorite things however is seeing my husband wear the baby!  He'll wear the baby while making dinner, he'll wear the baby while playing with the older kids out in the yard, He wears the baby on all our nature adventures/hikes and anytime I just need a break from being attached!  It's hot...other single guys who aren't yet dads may not get it...but they would be wise to follow this example some day for it's great for dad and baby bonding and it helps your wife out while making her even more attracted to you!  

And we both enjoy the ERGO Performance Carrier with the  "breathable Black mesh lining, keeping babies and parents cooler and more comfortable, with a cooling panel for extra wicking."  The Performance is great for our hotter southern climate and active lifestyle.  I LOVE the hood that ERGOs have to cover up baby that can easily be stuffed into it's pocket and stored away, I love the zippered pouch for parent's personal items...we put our keys and camera there when we go hiking! I put my ID and plane tickets there when travelling so I can easily get around the airport wearing baby and have my important documents right on me, easily accessible.  Because of my ERGO, it is totally DO-ABLE for me to travel with 3 young kids cross country by myself without having my arms full and being a total mess.  I wish I would have invested in an ERGO with the first baby, but I guess the 3rd times the charm as the saying goes!  They are pricey new if you can afford it or get it on a gift registry but definitely check out zulily sales and I've also seen them priced down in the $60 range at TJMAXX before...It may not be your favorite choice of color..but if means the difference of having one vs not having one...just get over the color thing and get it!  $60 is the same range as Bjorn but ERGO is oh so much better! :)

Honestly, people buy so much baby stuff they don't really need...save your money on all the crap and just get yourself a good carrier!  You will thank yourself!  I mean, did I mention I even put my 4 year old in it from time to time?  And it DOESN'T hurt my back or shoulders!

If you want to show some DADDY BABY WEARING LOVE share your pic on the facebook page here!

Chasing Chickens and Beginning Gardening

Chasing Chickens

So the other day a storm was coming in and the chickens were out free ranging so we wanted to get them all back in the coop before we got dumped on.  So far it's been relatively easy to get the chickens back in the coop when we are ready to do so, half the time they are already waiting inside when we go down there and then just shut the door otherwise it's been pretty easy to just pick them all up and put them in.  Well, this time the big ones were already ready to go in, I think they sensed the weather was changing and getting more skiddish.  We got all of the in fairly easily except for Buffy, she was an elusive pain in the leg! Seriously, look what happened to my leg during one of my attempts to catch her....I didn't see a small tree stump and smashed my leg on it.  

(ok it's not that bad but my skin is so light and scars easily and it's hot here and now I have this ugly thing to show off!)

Oh and yes, our grass in the back yard is actually a mix of grasses and weeds and clovers...but right after we (as in he) mows the lawn, it looks like it might be grass if you don't get too close! lol

She kept hiding under the coop, then running all over the place, darting between trees...I was impressed really, I heard Buff Orpingtons were the most docile and likely to get eaten by an animal or picked on by the other chickens but she's insanely quick and elusive, I think she'll be OK.  I finally had enough of us running after her like idiots...I'm sure we made a hilarious sight, but after bashing my leg I realized "This is stupid!  The chicken is too scared to stay out here by itself, the other chickens aren't trying to come out...I'm done!  I bet if we leave and come back in 2 minutes she'll go in by herself"...and that's what happened.  

Yesterday we had them out again , when Tyler asked me if I would go start rounding them up and getting them in the coop.  I went and checked on them...they weren't done foraging.  It was getting closer to dusk and I was just like, "nope, I'm not doing THAT again...They'll probably go in in the next 20 minutes. I'm not dodging through trees trying to catch them."  And they did.  So....lesson learned...don't kill yourself trying to catch a chicken to put it in the coop.....now I'll probably have a scar on my leg. They will go in on their own if we just be patient.  And if you MUST get them put away for some reason and they aren't ready to go back in, go for the easy ones first and once they are in, if you leave the more elusive ones alone, the will go hop in by themselves to be with the others.  Don't break a leg over it!

Here is the recent progress on the coop....Tyler's working on the run out the back...he got the frame up and a trench dug out, now he just needs to get the wire in place and make a door...I helped a little ;) But really, he's the main man on the job!  GO BABE!

 We are excited to see we have lots of blueberries coming in!  We had one pretty unfruitful blueberry plant that produced 3 berries last year, but I guess blueberries do better if you have at least 3 plants for cross pollination.  A couple weeks back we stopped at some small nursery on the side of the road on our way back from a hike.  We picked up a couple more blueberry plants and some tomato plants.  It was WAY cheaper than getting them at a place like Home Depot, these plants were already a good size and only a couple dollars each!

 Here's hubby checking out the little tomato on one of the plants.  We alternated blueberry plants and tomato plants...We aren't that experienced in gardening, so there was not any reason for this...just did it that way.  My mom is a gardening superwoman and my mother in law is also a big gardener so hopefully we can follow in their footsteps. :)  We want to get more tomato plants, we want tons of tomatos, plenty to eat fresh but also we want to roast and can a WHOLE bunch for making homemade pasta sauce.  So, our beginning garden consists of blueberries and tomatoes so far...But I hope to add more over time and make a real vegetable and herb garden and I also REALLY want to plant lots of hydrangeas, peonies and lavender!  I even got curious today about having a bee colony on the property, I looked it up and 1 beehive can produce 50 pounds of honey a year!  WOW!  BUT for now I'm good with 6 chickens and a beta fish!

Looking at these little blueberries is getting me thinking about making my 

gluten free blueberry lemon muffins with coconut streusel!

What's the Most Sacrilegious Thing Your Hubby has Done?

So this is a super random post, but I just finished making a batch of my famous Granola Bars (adjusted to be Gluten free, using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats and Puffed Brown Rice Cereal) and as I was cleaning out my KitchenAid mixing bowl, I couldn't help but cringe at the memory of when my husband desecrated it...I don't know if I'll ever get over it....One time, when the toilet was overflowing, he took the bowl from my KitchenAid mixer and used it to scoop out yucky toilet water.  I think I had to stop myself from crying and he did not understand what the big deal was...he said it was the perfect size bowl for the job and we could wash it...um...is that not the saddest story ever? I don't know how much bleach I used and how many times I repeated the process before I could force myself to use it again and not buy a new one... Actually come to think of it, he also wronged me and my kitchenAid in the moving process 2 years ago, he put something heavy and metal on top of it in the moving box without any paper or towels in between and there is a big chip of paint off the top.  Those 2 things might be the worst things he's done in our marriage. (I gotta admit he's a good one despite these 2 travesties) I love my KitchenAid Mixer!

So, my question to you is, what is the most sacrilegious thing your hubby has done with your treasured possessions?

Dinner - Spaghetti Carbonara

Tired of boring spaghetti for dinner? If you are like us, we eat a LOT of pasta...it's fast, easy, cheap, convienient and we always have plenty in the pantry. However, my hubby was getting tired of the same old same old so he (my sexy chef) went over to Video Jug, a website he uses often for inspiration when cooking. He found this great How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara video with the recipe and instructions. It's still a rather quick meal, but is something a little extra rich and special than your ordinary pasta diner!

ENJOY!

Spaghetti Carbonara
by Videojug

Step 1 :You will need…
7 oz dried spaghetti 2 tbsp olive oil 6 bacon slices, chopped 2 egg yolks 1 ¼ oz parmesan cheese 4 tbsp cream salt and pepper 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 2 saucepans 1 wooden spoon 1 colander 1 bowl 1 spoon Step 2: Cook the pasta Prepare a pan of boiling water and season with salt. Place the pasta into the pan and push it down with your wooden spoon, so that all the spaghetti is submerged under the water. Add half of the oil and cook for roughly 7-10 minutes. Step 3: Render the bacon Meanwhile, into a warmed second pan add the olive oil, then the chopped bacon. Stir and let it render, stirring for a few minutes. To render simply means to melt the fat. Then turn the heat off. Step 4: Combine the egg yolks, parmesan and cream Place the egg yolks into a bowl, then the cream and the parmesan cheese. Combine it all together. Step 5: Drain the pasta When the pasta is cooked, transfer it into a colander, then place the colander back on top of the saucepan to drain the excess liquid. Step 6: Cook the egg mixture Once the pasta is thoroughly drained, quickly place it back into the pan of bacon fat and stir well to coat the pasta. Then pour in the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. VIDEOJUG TIP It is very important to use the warmth of the pasta to cook the egg yolks. But do not overheat as you'll end up with scrambled egg

Step 7: Serve

After mixing thoroughly, season with salt and pepper and add the chopped parsley. Use the tongs to place a generous helping onto each plate.