Button frame mirror

The other day I was finally able to put up Skylar's button frame mirror.  I made it for her room back when I was still living with her dad and then it went into a box for about 6 months.  It was just waiting to become part of her totally awesome bedroom decor.  I think I nabbed a pinterest tutorial for this one but I can share how I actually created it for anyone who might like to try it.

Materials:
12"x12" tile mirror (I got mine at Ace in college...I bet you could still get them there)
duct tape
buttons (mine came from work: the $1 bins at Michaels)
ribbon (again with the $1 bin)
tacky glue

Instructions:
Line the edge of the mirror tile with duct tape, 1/2" or less showing on front.  This will keep the raw edges of the mirror from slicing you or anything else.  Glue the buttons in irregular fashion around the edge of the mirror, taking care to cover the duct tape.  Continue adding buttons until the desired width of "frame" is achieved.  I used Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue, though it didn't appear to shorten the dry time of regular tacky glue.  Once all the glue is completely dry, determine which side is the top and how you'd like to hang it.  I chose to attach a ribbon for the hanger with tacky glue and then reenforced it with duct tape.  That's pretty much all, but I had to go one step further...

My hanger needed some embellishment so I concocted this crazy idea that I could make a massive bow with a collage button center out of 3 narrow ribbons.  I tried every tutorial I could find on making bows but couldn't find one that would look like I wanted it to.  So I tried layering multiple partial "hair" bows of various sizes, sewed them together and topped them with my glued collage button center.  It looks pretty much exactly how I wanted it to look but the construction was so confusing and catastrophic that I must share some progress photos for you to grasp its complexity.

And the totally finished product now hangs between Sky's closet and bedroom doors:

Ginger Teriyaki Pork Chops with green beans and brown rice

Tonight's dinner was ridiculously easy, cooked entirely in my rice cooker!

My loose recipe:

ginger teriyaki sauce (marinade)

2 butterfly pork chops

about a cup of brown rice

half a bag of frozen green beans

water

salt

extra virgin olive oil

Marinade the chops in the sauce.  Warm the oil in the rice cooker for 5 minutes.   Cook the chops in the cooker about 5 minutes on each side.  Then add the remaining ingredients including the marinade and cook until it switches to "keep warm".  (My brown rice it took about 35 minutes or so; white or jasmine probably would take only 25 minutes.)

It was pretty delicious and the leftovers will make a tasty dinner tomorrow night when I'm at work.

As an aside, any recipe that I post is likely some sort of variation or combination of a recipe I've read or tasted.  I'll probably post links to ones I find online.  The origin of this one in particular is from my rice cooker recipe book; at least that's where I got the cooking method.  The rest I pretty much made up...and that is how I cook.  I learned from my mama and she learned from her mama.  I hope Sky picks up a thing or two, even if she decides she hates cooking...ya never know, she may come to find she eventually likes it after all.  It's actually a lot easier that I ever imagined it would be in my younger years, when I surrounded myself with folks who could cook partially so that I would never have to.

New apartment woes.

I discovered that the dino-dryers don't actually get clothes dry... My first load ended up going through the dry cycle twice.  Because I didn't bring enough quarters down to dry 2 loads, my second load went out on the deck.  The third load, into a different dryer which still didn't get them dry so it and the fourth load ended up on the deck.  So now, I've decided that hanging my clothes out on the deck is a perfectly respectable way to dry them until it gets to0 cold to.  So my next task is making clotheslines that can take up the entire deck (since I do 3-4 loads at a time, every time), but can be taken down easily.  I think I will do a little surfing on Pinterest for some ideas.  But I'm sure that I will come up with something crafty and clever.  Cuz hey, I'm crafty and clever, and I've been especially such lately.  Just wait until I post some pics of the curtains and valance I've made for Skylar's room over the weekend.

yet another mundane facebook update?

So I just found myself wanting to post a pondering moment on Facebook but decided against it because I don't want to be that person that posts every little part of their daily lives.  So I thought I'd ponder via blog for a moment. :)

I'm doing laundry in my new place (yes, we're mostly settled in) for the first time.  I'm wondering how long it will take for my clothes to dry in the dinosaurs they're keeping in the laundry room.  The machines are seriously old.  The laundry room is one of the only major downfalls of this new apartment.  I can live with it but it is pretty disappointing to know that all of our stuff has to be cleaned in machines that everyone else uses chemical-filled detergents and fabric softeners to clean their clothes.  I wish I didn't have to share machines... or, even better, get everyone else to use Norwex!  I don't know how I could ever make that happen but it would be pretty sweet.  I can't imagine it takes more than 45 minutes to dry.  I'm going to check now...

Mundane?  I think not, I just had a genius idea.  Suck it, nay-sayers!

Change's gonna come...

Amidst all the stress of this crazy time, I feel the need to update...

I found a place for Sky and me to live.  As it turns out all the hard work I've been putting towards bettering my credit has paid off.  I qualified for a 1 bed/1 bath+ a den (ie Sky bedroom!) without any help.  This is a huge step for me and we move next Wednesday.  I can hardly wait till we're settled in and starting our lives there.  I've been struggling with an insurance snafu through work which has effectively resulted in a pay cut for the next year based on a ridiculous technicality.  I've been wrestling with the idea of leaving the comfortable and familiar job I've been at for over 3 1/2 years now for a cushy desk job with better benefits.  This wouldn't be for quite some time and I, of course, still have my Norwex business blossoming as extra income.  As much as I hate the idea of leaving a job I actually like for one I most likely won't, I have to do what is best for my babe.  She deserves to have the best that I can possibly give her even if that means I don't like my job for awhile.  I love my Norwex business and would love to do just that for income but it's extremely variable right now and I need stability to give her what she needs.  My head has been swimming for weeks now, especially this last week, and I'm just hoping for an ounce of clarity, sometime...

I just realized now, as I'm folding laundry (that I washed 4 days ago) and listening to music, that I need to get back into my old tunes.  I thought I had exhausted my library of music after listening to the same songs over and over for ages.  Since my iPod adapter went out in my car (a LONG time ago), I've been stuck listening to the only 2 stations that come in clearly in my antenna-less car: the classic rock station and the "lite" station.  Neither are bad at all, but I miss the songs that made my heart feel real feelings.  I guess I've been subconsciously feeling it for awhile that I just really miss how music makes me feel when I hear the right song at just the right moment.  One of my favorite tv shows (my guilty pleasure), One Tree Hill, has a fantastic soundtrack through the entire 9 seasons.  I got my old roomie Elizabeth hooked on the show before she left and have been watching it nearly exclusively since then.  Last night an episode came on with a song that made my heart leap (again, cuz, let's face it, it did the last times I saw it).  The lyrics say: It feels bad now, but it's gonna get better someday.  As heavy as my heart feels about potential (and actual) changes that will happen in my life, things will get better!  I just need to believe the words.  When I get scared, when I panic, I just need to believe that things sometimes need to get worse before they get better...

Case in point:  This adventure of living in this horrible, rotten apartment has all been leading to me finally finding a place where I can assert my independence; where I can grow into a person, the mom that I truly aspire to be.  Maybe then, I will find someone to share my life with who can appreciate who I am and not try to change me.  It's been a crazy ride, but I'm ready to get off and steady myself awhile.

I've got the Midco man coming the day I move so that I won't be without internet once I settle into my new place.  I think I'll make it a goal of more regular updates because even if no one else reads them, it's cathartic for me.  I need something to ground my mind, to keep from flailing around in an ocean of impossible thoughts.  Expelling them, even in blog form, is an outlet I desperately need.  I don't feel like I can just dump my problems on someone.  Besides, everyone has their own issues and they don't need or want my drama piled on top of their own.  I sure miss having my best friend around...but even she doesn't deserve to hear everything I feel the need to say sometimes.  So, cyber world, you will be my sounding board, my therapist, my punching bag, my go-to guru when I just need to say something to someone and have no one else to say it to...


Almost Everything by Wakey!Wakey!

Long Time, No Blog?

Yes, It's true.  I'm a terrible blogger.  I can't seem to bring myself back to the habit again.  Maybe it's because I'm caught up on other habits right now as I have been in the past.  But mostly I feel like I've been in limbo for, well, like forever.  I'm currently on a hunt for a single bedroom apartment for me and Sky.  She lives with me half-time per mine and DJ's custody agreement.  Though if you ask me on some days it feels like I have her all the time, and on others I miss her so much I can barely believe it's half the time.  I love her so much my heart fills up with happiness every time I think of her.  At 15 months, she's EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE...ALL THE TIME!!!  It's unbelievable how much she learns every day and how much she shows how much she knows all the time.  She's so smart!  I want her to have every opportunity to learn so I've amassed a library for her.  I keep joking that it took more than 15 years to create my library of fact and fiction, but it's taken a mere 15 months to collect at least as many (if not more) books for my Sky to read.  We read every single night that she's with me (along with tubby and naked snacks ;)).  It was really awesome to have my sexually-ambiguous roommate Elizabeth to share some fun milestones with, however, she's moved on to greener pastures...After the wicked ice storm back in April, we were struck with nasty May showers.  Over Memorial Day weekend, our building was struck by lightning and later flooded like whoa.  It was a nasty mess that we're still dealing with fall out from.  Anywho, she was offered a job at another Michaels store, a lateral move to a store in Iowa.  And as of the end of June, she's gone.  We're still living in her apartment til the end of July but soon we'll be gone too.  I want something more permanent.  Something stable and steady.  I don't make much money but with my Norwex business, I'm planning to change that.  I know that a one-bedroom apartment isn't much for a single mom.  However, I love maintaining my own household and even if I don't have bedroom of my own, I know that I can provide the home Sky deserves even on my modest income.  I just don't want to move again!  It's nice being alone in the apartment, though I miss Elizabeth terribly, but I feel like it's a stupid waiting game.  I just know I can't afford this place alone.  Despite it being a fantastic location and a wonderful size, the management is TERRIBLE (we had NO assistance in the cleanup from the flood, NONE).  It's just not worth the headache and the stress and the potential illness (mold, rash, whatnot).  So we're out.  Now it's just a matter of finding a place within budget that will accept me even with my shitty credit...

I know I need to post more, if not for whatever followers I may have, but for myself.  This is a good reminder of what I want, what I need, and what could be for the future.  Whatever it holds, I hope it's amazing, though I'm sure, with a sweet amazing intelligent baby sidekick, I can tackle whatever that life throws at me without effort.  She is my heart and the air I breathe.  Everything is ok with Sky.

We are now entering the Twilight Zone

The last 2-3 days' weather has seriously got me wondering if we've left the real world and entered the twilight zone.  Tuesday morning's rain turned into the most ridiculous freak ice storm I've ever witnessed.  So many trees have been lost to the madness.  Everyone is in disbelief, I mean, after all it is the second week of April...So Sky and Elizabeth and I are having a snow day!  It's supposed to snow 6-10 inches on top of all the ice so we're not going anywhere today.  Here's hoping we don't lose our power again.  It was out for the bulk of the day yesterday and it keeps flickering here and there this morning.  I've only just started my massive pile of laundry so it better stay on!

Timmy Cake

I've been super lame about posting again but this one is guaranteed to be a good one...

My sweet baby Sky turns 1 tomorrow so we're having a combination birthday party with her cousins Ella and Zidane (3rd birthdays tomorrow and next Saturday respectively).  It's this afternoon.  I decided I wanted Sky to have an awesome Timmy Time cake since that's her favorite show and he's her favorite character.  I had planned on having my friend Sara make the cake for us, but she's got relatives in town this weekend so she backed out on us a few days ago.  So I planned out the cake myself and JUST finished it a few minutes ago.  Sky is napping, but once she gets up, we'll load everything up and head to my folks' place for the party.  I think she's gonna love the cake and have a super awesome time.

So I wanted to share my Timmy cake along with a shot from the planning stage and one from the building stage:

Recap

Ok, things got crazy there for a little bit.
A recap of things since St. Paddy's Day:

Last Monday morning I got up and took Sky to daycare, only the daycare was inexplicably closed.  I was unable to get ahold of my provider for the entire day.  I ended up taking her to my aunt Jen's and was late for work.  I got a call from my daycare gal's husband Monday night trying to explain what had happened (some drunken family altercation) though we had already decided that we weren't going to keep taking Sky to their daycare.  Jen had offered her services as our part-time provider just the week before and so things fell into place perfectly with her taking over right away.  It was still an abrupt and unannounced change, kind of a rough week.  Friday, after leaving the old daycare (from picking up Sky's belongings) my car broke down.  I was on my way to work, so I was late for work again.  It ended up being a quick and easy fix though more money than I wanted to spend on my car.

On a better note, I had my first solo Norwex party last Saturday.  I spent the bulk of last week finishing up my folders and presentation.  It was a small turnout but definitely successful.  I hope I can get a few bookings coming up here after Easter.  I really think I'm going to enjoy being a consultant.

So now, I've got a bazillion things to do all the time and I realize I probably won't be blogging as frequently as I'd like.  After all, I did start this post last night and am just now (during Sky's nap) getting around to finishing up.  We've got errands to run this afternoon so I'm off to tcob.

Takin Care of Business...

Wow, It's been one hell of a week.  I had my Norwex Launch party yesterday morning and most of the week was spent in preparation.  Though now, with the rest of my weekend off, I'm gathering materials and putting together better folders for my hostesses and guests.  I feel like I was kind of under-prepared for the party and I won't make that mistake again.  Stephanie definitely helped guide me through the party and I got several sales.  I left the party without a booking but my awesome aunt Jen and her friend Kara would like to host a party together.  I'm so excited to feel like I'm moving forward.  I really hope that I can book 1 to 2 parties at Terri's party next weekend.  It's nice that the products totally sell themselves AND the hostess incentive program is awesome.  I was actually surprised that no one at Jessica's party booked, but there were only 4 people there who hadn't already had a party or weren't having a future party.  I've got to work on my hostess coaching for sure.  I know I'm on track to be a bit of a slow starter in terms of sales in the company but I'm not going to let that bring me down.  After all, I work a full-time exhausting retail job and am a single mom; I'm not superman.

Just now, I'm waiting for my Skybug to wake up so we can run a couple errands.  We get to hang out the rest of the day and I'm loving it.  I'd like to sit around and keep blogging, but I've still got a lot of work to do

Back Online...

Finally!!  We just got internet installed at my new place.  I've been moved in since the 1st.  I got online a few times at Taco Johns to get my Norwex stuff set up (my launch party is Saturday!!!) but I have mostly gone without internet for about a week and a half now.  No facebook or pinterest or blogger.  No netflix either.  Well no more.  Unfortunately my babers is sick again, this time with something like croup.  I'm tired of her getting sick at daycare.  It's getting kinda old.  She's snoozing on the couch right now but I've gotta feed her lunch and get her over there in about a half hour.  Speaking of Sky...she just woke up.  I'll be back later of course...

And I'm back

I guess I didn't really need to finish my workday today (can you smell the sarcasm?).  I got a call 2 hours into my shift that I needed to pick up Skylar asap cuz she'd had two bad diapers this morning at daycare after one I changed this morning.  My daycare gal thinks it could be rotavirus so I dropped everything and ran over to get her.  It took forever to get thru to the doctor's office and they can't squeeze us in until after lunch.  So we'll be heading there in about an hour to find out what's going on with my babers.  I feel like I've been spouting her symptoms for a week and this is the first someone's brought up the possibility that it's not just a lingering flu bug.  She was vomiting last week followed by bouts of diarrhea off and on through the weekend.  She's lost her appetite, refuses foods she usually likes.  She's been very obstinate and moody as well.  The timing couldn't be worse what with my moving tomorrow.  My daycare gal suggested keeping her home tomorrow too, so her dad might just have to take a vacation day.  Boooo....

I'm gonna go surf pinterest until I have to wake her to go to the doc...

Busy Week!

Just popping in for a sec to say tomorrow's the big day!  Things are looking up already...I got a little bit more stuff moved last night and hung out with my new roommate for a little while getting some things cleaned and settled.  I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow.  I'm not sure if I will have internet for a bit as well since she hasn't had it all this time at the apartment.  I keep telling myself to make an appointment with the cable folks.  Just been soooo busy!!! And with that, I'm off to work...

Carseat Kiddo

Another "story" I created on photobucket documenting the lifespan of her infant seat.  We switched her into a convertible carseat around the holidays when she was really outgrowing this one.  This was actually my nephew Zidane's carseat when he was a baby, and providing they get pregnant soon (before the carseat's expiration date), Aaron and Terri will likely use it again for their next baby.

I could never resist snapping a pic of my sweet Sky in her little seat before we'd take off on an outing.  As she got older and bigger, and the garments of the season got more awkward and cumbersome, Skylar got really feisty about getting in and out of the infant seat.  She would nearly always cry for me but be fine once we got in the car.  I don't miss the seat at all since it was a pain to lug around.  I actually opted to start leaving it in the car when we were out and about for things when she was pretty young (like still bobble-heading).  I just miss how small she was in it and how cute she looked all ready to go!

Moving Day 1

Just a quick update:
I got about half of my stuff moved today with my dad's help.  I'll do the rest Thursday which is my last official day in the apartment with DJ.  He didn't help at all.  Big surprise.  His dad came for a quick visit the other morning when he was sick with the flu.  He ended up telling his dad then that I'm moving out.  After that I got a really nice message from his mom via facebook and I think all will be well.  I was really not wanting to be the one to break the news to his family so I'm glad it didn't come down to a facebook message to his mom on moving day.

We've got Chloe's birthday party in an hour and I just got Skylar to nap finally...she took a short noontime nap earlier at my folks house while dad and I were moving stuff.  I doubt even when I wake her up to go to the party that she'll be in any better of a mood.  She's been a real grumpy pants today and will hardly eat anything.  That's pretty out of character so I'm hoping she'll cheer up soon.

Banana Bread

Just pulled some banana bread out of the oven.  It's amazing smell is torturing me.  I made it for our weekly coffee gathering at my brother's tomorrow morning.  The recipe I used is here:
Banana Bread
I won't know for sure that it's as delicious as it smells until tomorrow at breakfast.  I should mention that I also added chocolate chips and peanut butter chips (about 1/3 cup each).  It's gonna be great and I'm sure I'll finally be able to get Skylar to eat it.  Ever since she had the flu last week, it's like her appetite disappeared completely.  I'm hoping a tasty dose of banana bread will perk her back up.

Skylar's First Year

This is a link to a "Story" I've created on Photobucket using the photos I posted last night as well as a few in-betweeners.

Baby's First Year: Month to Month Photos

I haven't decided yet how I'd like to execute this project that's been stewing around in my brain for awhile.  I see these ideas floating around on Pinterest about ways to portray and display one's baby photos of the first year.  Well, as I said, I don't really know how I'd like to display my photos of Skylar but I've been fairly diligent about taking pictures of her (how could I not? so cute!).  I just went through my photos and cropped down one newborn pic and then one for each month up until 10 months.  It's so fun to see the progression and growth.  I will update again when I figure out how I either want to scrap these or frame them for the wall.  At any rate, I wanna share my love:

Newborn Skylar

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

I may end up finding other in between photos to fill in.  It really is remarkable how quickly she's changing all the time.  It's an exciting adventure... I enjoy the keepsakes and cherish the memories.

Miss Popular

It never ceases to amaze me how many people stop me with Skylar when we're out and about running errands.  This morning our trip to the grocery store was no different.  She wasn't feeling a hundred percent after her little flu stint yesterday so she didn't really react much to all the attention.  Nearly every employee that we passed stopped to talk to her or to me about her.  It must have been a delivery day because there were "helpful smiles" 2 and 3 to each aisle.  Even the deli man behind the counter we don't even go up to ever said hello to my beautiful girl.  And amidst all the attention Skylar didn't smile even once and several times people thought she was a boy!  It still baffles me how people can still be mistaking that.

Anyways, I'm also trying to wrap my head around the idea of Skylar not being with me every single night and morning.  As it is, one week from today will be my last morning with her sleeping in the next room and her dad sleeping next to me.  It makes me tired just thinking about it and I'm pretty sure I'll just wing it when the time comes.  So instead of thinking about that, I'm going to find something else productive to do!

Dish Cloth

Another great kitchen product from Norwex is the Dish Cloth.  It actually doesn't really even look like a cloth at all.  It's more like a mesh net.  The website describes it as such:

This loosely-woven, netted Dish Cloth can be used anywhere scrubbing action is needed. Great for removing flour dough and other sticky substances from countertops after baking. 100% nylon. May scratch acrylic or delicate surfaces.

The thing I hate about dish cloths in my apartment is how soggy and stinky they get when they slip into the sink and stay there.  The Norwex Dish Cloth doesn't actually absorb water and because of the loose weave, there's nowhere for bacteria to grow.  Plus, you can wash it in the dishwasher.  Stinky, soggy dish rag problem solved!

Favorite TV Shows : Updated

America's Next Top Model 
American Dad
Arrested Development
BBC: Blue Planet
BBC: Horizon
BBC: Nova 
Big Bang TheoryBiggest Loser 
Bob's Burgers
Breaking BadCarnivale
Cougartown 
CSI
CSI: Miami
CSI: New York
Curb your Enthusiasm
Damages
Dead Like Me
Dexter
Family Guy
Glee 
Hell's Kitchen
Heroes
Hoarders 
House
How I Met Your MotherIntervention 
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
King of the Hill
Law and Order
Law and Order: Criminal Intent
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Lie to Me
Lost
Merlin 
Metalocalypse 
Modern Marvels
NCIS
One Tree Hill 
Penn and Teller: Bullshit
Planet Earth 
Portlandia
Raising Hope 
Saturday Night LiveSeinfeld
Shark Tank 
Sons of Anarchy
SupernaturalThat 70's Show
The Cleveland ShowThe Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret 
The Office
The Simpsons
The Walking DeadTop Chef
Vanished 
Weeds
Workaholics

Microfiber Kitchen Cloth

I've been cleaning and packing today like a madwoman and what should I happen upon in the pantry closet but a brand new Norwex Kitchen Cloth!  How did I not know I had it!?!  I got so excited I did a whole lot more cleaning in the kitchen than I'd originally planned.

The Kitchen Cloth:
Made of Norwex's outstanding microfiber, the Kitchen Towel is extra absorbent and perfect for a variety of kitchen jobs.

I've been using mine all the time on Skylar's high chair as well as to clean her up after her meals.  I'm totally stoked that now I have a tan one and a green one to start off my collection.

Happy Birthday Chloe!

My oldest niece Chloe Ashlynn turned 6 years old today.  She is a sweet 'n' sassy little girl that I love to pieces.  She's a great big sister to my little brother's other 2 girls Sammie and Nicki and her other sister Everly.  I can't believe it's already been 6 years since I heard the news I was going to be and auntie for the first time.  Chloe has always had a very special place in my heart and always will.  I look forward to her birthday gathering on Sunday.

I was still living in Chicago when Chloe was born (2007).  I didn't get to meet her until she was about 6 weeks old.  These are two of our first pictures together:

We did have a recurring theme of napping together every time that I went home for a visit or when she'd visit in Chi:

Since I've come back home, I've become an auntie again to 3 more little girls and a little boy AND I've become a mom.  Chloe has gotten so smart and so big.  A really great little girl.  Here's to another year!

Brief Check in

Another day off finally, and I've got all sorts of plans without ever leaving the apartment.  It's way too nasty cold to go out anyways, especially with Skylar.  I just laid her down for a little morning rest since she was getting a little ornery.

I'm packing like crazy today.  I'll probably doing some moving on Sunday but most of the move happens a week from Thursday.  As predicted DJ failed to tell his parents about my departure and his mother read something on my facebook.  Lame ass privacy settings.  I totally saw this coming though and he will be letting them in on the truth of the situation tonight.  I should not have to be responsible for telling his family that we're separating.  Period.

Anyways, I don't want to let him soil my day of productivity at home with my babers.  I'm off to foam wrap and pack my frames!

Microfiber Window Cloth

Another great product that Norwex has to offer is the Microfiber Window Cloth.
The website's description is pretty inclusive:

The Window Cloth allows you to clean windows, mirrors, jewelry, and shiny surfaces with only water. First, clean the dirty surface with a moist Enviro Cloth and polish with the Window Cloth for a streak-free shine. For lighter cleaning needs, simply spray water on the surface then polish with a dry Window Cloth.

So the window cloth used in conjunction with a damp enviro cloth is a formidable cleaning duo.  I was told that with caution, you can even use them on electronics screens (unplug first to avoid any static electricity issues).  I like the idea of eliminating the need for window and mirror cleaner all together.  

The real test to show the window cloth really works is the butter test.  The other night at the Norwex party, Stephanie smeared a stick of butter on the host's glass door.  She wiped it down first with a damp enviro cloth and followed with a dry window cloth.  The butter was completely gone, no greasy traces at all, with NO CLEANER!

Microfiber Enviro Cloth

One of the most basic products that Norwex offers is the Microfiber Enviro cloth.  The website's description of the product is as follows:

This multipurpose microfiber Enviro Cloth cleans washable surfaces. Use it dry for dusting, damp for cleaning walls, tiles, bathtubs, counters, metal surfaces, car interiors, etc. Between laundering simply rinse, wring out and hang to dry. Available in four colors allowing you to color-code for different purposes or rooms.

This doesn't seem particularly exciting so I'll just throw out some things I learned about these handy little cloths tonight:

In order to be classified as a microfiber a fiber has to be 1/6 the width of a hair.  The microfiber used in Norwex cloths is guaranteed to be 1/100 the width of a hair.  So the fibers are microscopic and incredibly strong.  Woven in with the microfiber to create the cloths is silver.  Silver acts as a natural anti-microbial within the towel to keep germs, bacteria and other gross contaminants from contaminating anything else the cloth touches.

To use the enviro cloth damp, you simple get it wet and wring it out completely then clean, wipe, dust as usual.  It's a great dry dust cloth as well since the microfiber and silver trap dust particles within the cloth instead of kicking it up like other dusters.

If you don't use Norwex laundry detergent (yet), instead of laundering the cloths in detergents with fillers that can gunk up the towel you simply boil the cloth for about 10 minutes.  My mom gave me one of her enviro cloths last week after the meeting and I've been absolutely loving how it works but it was starting to smell a little funky, like a regular old dish towel.  When I got home tonight I boiled it and it's back to working wonders and the smell is totally gone!

The enviro cloth is available in 4 different colors to you can color code the rooms in your home if desired.  But it's not actually necessary!  You could clean your kitchen AND bathroom with the same towel and not have to worry about cross contamination!  It's hard to believe but the "raw chicken demo" could make anyone a believer.  You can completely clean a surface contaminated with raw chicken with just a damp enviro cloth- no soaps, chemicals or cleansers at all!  True story.

So, the description is alright, but it doesn't really get down to the nitty gritty facts about the amazing little tool that is the Enviro Cloth.

Getting Started

So, I just got home a little bit ago from my first Norwex party.  For those unfamiliar, Norwex is a brand of household cleaning supplies sold in homes at parties and also at trade shows.  My mom hosted a party that I was unable to go to (because of work) a few weeks ago and really thought I'd be interested, not just in the products but in the mission of the company.  Her consultant, Stephanie, told her about a meeting (come to find these only happen twice a year here) for team leaders, consultants and invited guests to learn more about the company and the opportunities for growth.  I ended up at this meeting with my mom, who is not just a new avid supporter of the products but is also interested the opportunity for supplemental income and potential career growth (for me).  I was pretty convinced that the incentive to join this company is there.  I just needed to see the products in action.

Tonight.
So I kinda felt like a creep peeping in on this "couples" party that Stephanie was hosting this evening, but I really needed to see the products in action before deciding to sell them.  They are amazing.  Seriously.  Stephanie says (and so did the speaker at the meeting) that people do decide to become consultants without ever having been to a party.  So I'm not a total nut job for wanting to jump right in right?

I don't think so.  And here's why:
The Norwex mission is to improve quality of life by radically reducing the use of chemicals in personal care and cleaning.

This mission statement really states what I want to see in my life going forward for myself and my child.  I'm pretty obsessive compulsive about cleanliness so I simply cannot ignore an opportunity to equip my home with the proper tools to clean it while still keeping it safe from germs, bacteria, dust, etc.  And it's all eco-friendly!!!!!  I have been wanting so badly to incorporate more "green" practices into my every day life.  This is a perfect way AND I can make money on the side.  I do like my full-time job as a framer, but I don't see it supporting me the way I need it to in the long-term so I need to be thinking ahead.  The thought of stepping away from a full-time job with benefits to work for a company I know very little about is flabbergasting at the moment.  But it's not completely out of the question.  For example, Stephanie is a stay at home mom (of 5!).  She averages 2-3 parties per week and makes about $20,000 per year from Norwex.  Plus she gets tons of incentive gifts and products.  If I were to achieve a level of success that I could potentially be a stay at home mom that does parties on nights and weekends, I would definitely utilize the home time artistically.  I do still want my artistic practice to be a  primary aspect in my life.

I feel like I've sort of had to talk myself into this in a way.  There's always going to be a portion of myself with doubts.  I think my doubts in this situation are sort of silly and the fact is they're not.  It's normal to doubt the unknown.  I hate the saying "if it seems to good to be true, then it probably is" because it can be shockingly true.  However, I think that my decision to join the Norwex family can't be a reflection of that statement.  Some good things are truly good.  And nothing good comes without at least a little hard work.  I'm pretty sure that if I can get hit the ground running, I can really make something amazing happen for my life.



Whew...
I just read back over that...It may not sound like I'm convinced.  But I am.  I spoke with Stephanie this evening as the party was wrapping and March 5th is going to be my official signup day.  I do have to do $2000 in sales in the first 3 months otherwise I will have to pay for my start-up kit.  So, I'm going to do a little homework for myself.  I'm going to make a little post about each product so I can start familiarizing myself with them all the items Norwex has to offer.  That way I can start to put feelers out to my network of folks to get some parties booked ASAP.  I think, no, I will make this happen for myself.  It's not a question of if, it's a matter of when.

My Funny Valentine

I try not to get down around Valentine's Day anymore since I've spent so many alone.  And since DJ and I are not going to work out, I would not consider him to be my valentine (though last year he did get me a fabulous prenatal massage).  But my sweet baby Skylar is now and forever will be my funny valentine.

This morning before breakfast I snapped this picture of her blowing raspberries:

My funny valentine
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you're my favourite work of art

Is your figure less than greek
Is your mouth a little weak
When you open it to speak
Are you smart? 

But don't change a hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay
Each day is valentines day

My Funny Valentine by Frank Sinatra

The Story of Us

So, I ended up sleeping for about 11 hours last night but I've finally shaken the nausea from yesterday morning (that lingered ALL DAY).  Good deal.  Though I had planned on blogging a bit last night, I went to bed shortly after Sky...   I have yet to hear her this morning so in honor of the holiday I've decided to share a little about what happened with "Mr. Nice" as I referred to him in pre-baby posts, or DJ as I'll be referring to him going forward:

Well, going back a little before I stopped blogging, I met DJ through some mutual friends the day before my niece Sammie's birthday, June 12, 2011.  We quite obviously got pretty hot and heavy quickly considering I found out I was pregnant around August 6th.  If you recall, when DJ and I first started dating, he was living an hour away in his home town.  He worked as a welder for a large truck manufacturing company.  Once we found out I was expecting, he planned on staying put until about a month before I was due and then moving here and finding a place with me.  Unfortunately, he got himself fired from that position abruptly around early September.  While he could have found a temporary job there, he decided to move here right away instead of waiting.

===>Sky's awake now so the posting will be much slower now, but I'll finish the story eventually<===

So, without discussing it with me (or Justin for that matter), DJ started moving his stuff in with me into my small rented room in Justin's basement.  I was kind of irritated at the time, but I let it slide since we were planning on living together eventually anyways.  Historically speaking in terms of boyfriends, I have lived with several but only in 4-6 week stints.  So after about that much time in close proximity with DJ combined with my fluctuating pregnancy emotions, I started to think we were making a mistake.  But I just thought it was because we were living in such small quarters and sharing the rest of the house with 2 other people; I thought we just needed to get out into a place of our own.  In order to do that, we needed money.  I was hardly making any at my 2 part-time jobs.  DJ bounced through 4 jobs in his field before he finally found something he was willing to settle into.  That didn't happen until after New Years 2012.  Then we started looking for our own apartment.  We looked at a bunch of places that weren't happening, others we got turned away from because of poor credit and his history.  We finally found this great place that was (relatively) affordable that his dad co-signed for us to get into.  It really is a nice place, and I'll miss it after I move out.

Easter 2012

At any rate, we signed a 1 year lease on March 1st.  I was due March 30th, so we were closing in on our big arrival.  Our relationship at that time was rocky at best and I don't know why we thought that the baby would make things different for the better.  After Skylar was born April 7th, I immediately saw a loving father in DJ.  He genuinely loves her to pieces.  For the most part he does what is best for her in terms of health and care.  As far as our relationship goes, we lost all intimacy after the baby was born.  Partially because I had to heal from the trauma of childbirth of course.  But even after that, it was pretty clear to me we were growing apart romantically.
Around the end of last summer, I caught DJ up in a conversation about our future.  I told him I didn't see one if things didn't change.  I was fed up with being expected to all the housework while he feigned being too tired from work or the baby.  We worked the same number of hours, did the same amount of parenting and up until shortly after Christmas, I was still nursing...so with his logic, why shouldn't I be "too tired" to keep the house livable and clean too?  I was also disappointed in the loss of intimacy.  What kind of relationship was that for either of us?  Where's the draw?  Well he got emotional and told me he didn't want me to leave so we both decided to make more of an effort to make it work.

Thanksgiving 2012

I guess neither one of us was all that invested in making it work considering it never got better; it just slowly got worse and worse.  My grievances with him usually tend to be housekeeping related.  He is messy and careless which can be dangerous with an infant.  Apparently, he was never taught how to clean up after himself.  LAME.  I'll admit, I can be an OCD bitch about keeping things the way I think that they should be but some things are just common sense (ie not leaving garbage and choking hazards on the floor or anywhere within the baby's reach).
It's pretty clear to me that we've stayed together thus far purely for the baby.  If she weren't in the picture we'd have long since ended the relationship.  We've gotten to the point where I sit and 'uh-huh' through his boring stories about the same topic and he either interrupts me or gets up and leaves when I talk about something he's not interested in.  We had a massive fight right after Christmas which resulted in my resound decision to move out.  We are OBVIOUSLY not right for each other.  It just sucks that we're stuck living together until our lease is up at the end of February.  I've maintained for quite some time now that he's a great father but a crappy boyfriend.  So, we're planning on sharing custody.  This is fine with me as long as he can keep the apartment in a safe state of cleanliness for our little girl.

So there's the brief story of us.  And it only took 3 hours to finish!

Mardi Gras my foot!

I suggested we order a pizza last night for Fat Tuesday and of course DJ had to choose the worst toppings for us.  Before I could pull Sky out of her crib this morning, I had a pregnancy flashback when I gagged on my toothbrush and proceeded to ralph up last night's gross dinner.  I don't think I'll be ordering Pizza Hut again for A LONG TIME!

I'm just getting ready for the last day in my 6 day stretch...I've got the next 2 days off to hang with my baby love so 5:30 can't come quickly enough!

Blue Sky's smiling at me!

I just finished some template changes here on ma blog...thanks blogger for making it easier than I remember to make it work!  I was realizing the other night as I read back over past posts how difficult it  was to read my blog with my drawing in the background.  I was not willing to lose it as my blog wallpaper but now it should be much easier on the eyes.

Anywhooo, I suppose I should get back to the updating since I've been off the blogger grid for so long...k, so I hate to say I'm one of those moms, but I'm definitely one of those moms who just can't stop talking about her kid.  She's the best, for serious...but before talking about how awesome she is, I'll give y'all a recap of her life in utero...

First Pic Inside

My pregnancy with her was probably the kind of pregnancy that every mom dreams of:  The most morning sickness I ever had was just a little nausea; although I had a tendency to gag on my toothbrush and dry-heave a bit first thing in the morn.  I only gained about 28 lbs total and lost it post-delivery within 4 weeks.  Every prenatal checkup measured normal and healthy for her and for me.
I didn't really have much for maternity clothing since I pretty much just gained baby weight; I wore a lot of long tops with leggings, and jeans 3 sizes bigger than my usual size for work at JJs (even did delivery driving up till about 7 1/2 months!).  If I'd had a full-time job at the time, I would have worked full-time all the way through.  However, I did work my 2 part-timers up until the day I went into labor...and she was born 8 days late!  I only encountered swollen feet once or twice after some pretty long work days.  My biggest complaint from my whole pregnancy was the nightly heartburn...I propped my pillows waaaay up, had a body pillow behind me and a throw pillow between my knees every single night at yet still most nights I had to take more Tums when I'd get up to pee.
My favorite part of my pregnancy was feeling her move.  The first time was pretty magical...it felt like popcorn popping in my belly when I leaned forward one night at around 18 weeks.  From then on she was almost constantly on the move.  So much so that when I started showing more, people could see her movements even through my shirt from across the room.
Her official due date was March 30, 2012 but I like to say she decided to get a little payback for Grandma Nancy for the hell I put her through.  I was nearly 18 days late, so it's only natural that she should be late too, right?  I didn't have even one contraction (not even braxton hicks!) through my entire pregnancy.  I started having labor contractions at work at 41 weeks; she finally decided to make her debut (on her own!).  My whole labor and delivery story is better suited for another post, another night, so I'll just leave it at, I did it au naturale (with minimal iv pain meds).  After nearly 19 hours of labor, Skylar Helen was born at 5:23 on Saturday morning April 7th, the day before Easter.  I was told amid all the pushing that she was a red-head...sure enough I've got the most beautiful little ginger girl ever.  She tipped the scales at 9 lbs 2 oz, and measured 20 inches long.  She wasn't as big as either myself or her dad (who was there with me the whole time; not super helpful in terms of pain management though definitely a necessary support at the time).

First Pic Outside

We picked Skylar for her first name after realizing the only names that we liked and could agree on were Skylar and Devon.  DJ decided last minute at the hospital that he didn't like Devon anymore so our alternate became Fiona but when we met her we knew she was Skylar.  I decided a long time ago that my first daughter's middle name would be Helen after my dad's mother Helen Louise.  I found out at my baby shower actually that DJ's maternal grandmother was also named Helen.  So it fits perfectly.
We took her home to our new apartment the following Monday; we had moved March 1st (that's right folks, I was 8 months prego) from Justin's house, where I'd been living when I was last posting.  I had already decided to breast feed her, which was incredibly difficult at first.  Despite all our issues, I loved our special nursing bond and I wish we could have shared it longer.  I'm sure I'll end up posting all about our nursing woes at some point.
Skylar has been the sweetest, most amazing baby; I couldn't have dreamed of having a better child.  I took her in for her 10 month checkup last week.  The doctor asked me how she sleeps at night; when I told her 'all through the night, every night since she was 6 weeks old' she told me not to tell other moms that!  I just laughed...she's just that awesome.  Currently she's tipping those scales again at a crazy 24 lbs 5 oz...98th percentile.  She's also in the 95th percentile for height at just under 30 inches.  Her daily accomplishments never cease to amaze me and I still can't believe how adorable she is.  I'll get more into her development in later posts since I'm losing steam and it's nearly bedtime for me.  So for now I'll leave you with this, my newest favorite pic of my "lil punkinhead" taken last week...