We have a New Arrival...

and I am SO in LOVE ♥♥♥
(yes, I did intentionally title it that way to see if it might make somebody think that the baby had come...did I getcha?!)

This baby joined our family a couple of weeks ago, and I have never used such a nice vacuum in my life!

Those of you who have been reading here a while may remember that last spring I posed a question about vacuums--what you've loved, what you've hated, what you desperately want to have for your very own...
As I read through all your comments to me, it became clear that no two people liked the same vacuum. (Geeze, that's not much help for me, you guys need to get together and vote or something before you all comment, ok?!) So I did what I probably should have done in the first place--I went to consumer reports. They listed this vacuum (The Eureka Boss Smart-Vac) as the "best buy," with the claim that it "outperformed $700 vacuums but only cost $170." With the thought that I have three (soon-to-be-four) boys in this house, plus a long-haired super-shedder dog, plus we live in Alaska where there's always mud and dirt to track in...I had concluded that I was willing to shell out a lot of money if that's what it took to get a really good vacuum. $170 is really not that much money, and I was intrigued.
So I did what any modern housewife would do--I went to amazon and checked out the reviews there. Guess what? Almost everybody who left reviews on amazon loves it too. In fact, the only complaints I saw were that it is heavy (it does have a massive engine, and weighs 26lbs), and some people said it was loud. Of course other people said it was not loud, so I guess it's all relative.
Oh, and the amazon price was only $144, and it came with free shipping--even to Alaska.

So I bought the thing.

And here is my review of the Eureka 4870MZ Boss Smart-Vac:

PROS

• Hepa filter
• Bags (I may have to buy refills, but they are so much less messy than my bagless dustbuster...and amazon has the bags so I just ordered a package with the vacuum.)
• 12 amp engine ☺
  
• It SUCKS like no vacuum I have ever used--not my mom's, not my mother-in-law's, not my father-in-law's shop vac, not the industrial one we use when cleaning the church... I was using the hose to clean up my sewing area the other day and it picked up thread jumbles and fair-sized fabric scraps without hesitation. I have warned the boys that if they don't pick up their legos or marbles they will undoubtedly be eaten by the vacuum...if the intake were large enough, I think it might suck up whole articles of clothing or possibly small children.
• It works beautifully on our tall carpet, short carpet, and bare floor. I don't see any dog hair left behind, and especially the first time I used it I could hear the dirt wooshing up the tube. It's quite satisfying actually. Our (far-from-new rental-apartment) carpet looks plusher and feels softer than it did when we moved in. I wouldn't hesitate to believe that this vacuum can extend the life of our carpeting.
  
• The "power paw" (a hose attachment with a rolling brush like the main vacuum) took all the hair off my dog's bed. I have vacuumed over that bed so many times, run the cover through the washing machine, and even just taken the whole thing out and beaten it...I'm fairly certain it has not been this clean since the day we brought it home. I think the paw is meant to be used on couches and upholstery, but our dog stays off the furniture so I haven't tested that application yet.
• This may seem silly, but I really like that the handle is a loop rather than a stick...it makes it easy to pull around (since I don't want to lift it) and it's easier to hold for the back and forth motion of vacuuming...I have had a vacuum fly right out of my hands on the forward motion before (please tell me I'm not the only one who's done that!) but that can't happen with the loop handle.
  

CONS

• Yep, it's heavy. I wouldn't want to haul it up and down stairs on a regular basis. SO, if I ever have a house with stairs, I will probably just buy a second SmartBoss for the other floor.
  
• Bear is scared of it, and so is the dog...on the other hand, the dog is scared of all vacuums, and Bear is mostly playing...he only runs and hides on the days that he's not begging to help do the vacuuming.
• The location of the power switch is a bit inconvenient for regular vacuuming. (It's down on the top part of the body, rather than up on the handle.) It means I can't switch it on with the same hand I'm 'driving' with... it's not an issue when using the hose, but it is sortof a hassle. This is the one thing that actually does bug me about this machine.
  
• As for the noise question? Well, I've definitely heard louder...but the very first time I used it I was excitedly vacuuming away in the bedrooms and when I came out I found that Bear had fallen asleep on the couch...so it must not be that loud!!
  

Little Things

I am only one, but still I am one;
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
~~Edward Everett Hale
(commonly mis-attributed to Helen Keller)

This week I wiped up a spill on the kitchen floor with a cloth which I then tossed into a hamper rather than with a paper towel which would go into the trash.
I bought local tomatoes and lettuce (grown in-state) rather than ones shipped from 3000 miles away.
I made spaghetti with basil plucked from plants growing on my kitchen windowsill.
I combined my errands into one trip on one day rather than going out multiple times on different days.
I wiped my toddler's runny nose with cloth tissues (he calls them 'nuggert wipers') that I make by cutting up old t-shirts, and tossed them into the wash.
I used cloth wipes for myself (I know not everybody is up for that but wow I can't stand how scratchy toilet paper is anymore!), and of course I washed those too.
I paid my bills online instead of using paper checks and envelopes.
I bought my toddler boots at a second-hand store.
I cooked most of our meals from scratch. I made breakfast for my school-goers every morning.
I turned off lights and kept our heater on a lowish setting.
I sewed a couple of cloth diapers.
I washed our clothing in an energy-efficient washing machine.
I took my kids to the library and we all got books to read.
I read to my kids every day.
I cuddled with my kids almost every night (sometimes daddy does the cuddles ♥).
I am only one, but I AM one.
I cannot do everything, but I CAN do SOMEthing.
And if I am too lazy or selfish to do the things that I can do, well, shame on me. And if I take some small pride in doing the small things I can do, well, I think that's probably healthy.

Facebook Friday

shall we make this a multi-week roundup? ☺

Sunday Sep 6
Jenni is glad that Bear was happy in both hours of nursery today, and that I was able to actually go to my classes instead of sitting with him. [After a slow start, he's been liking nursery all month. A few times he's asked me when we get to go to nursery, and during the one meeting before it (when he gets to sit with me) he has started saying "I'm done here, let's go to nursery now."]

Monday Sep 7
...has a whole bunch of etsy orders to fill this week. Yay for income!

Wednesday Sep 9
...admits to having started to unpack the baby stuff. Heeheehee!

Thursday Sep 10
...dated a half dozen things with 9/11 instead of 9/10 today...is it because it's a familiar date or because I'm trying to speed up time till baby comes? Hmm, maybe it's just because I have no idea what day it is (as usual).

Friday Sep 11
... is getting a new vacuum. WOOT WOOT!!!

Saturday Sep 12
...needs to find somewhere to get a good family photo this Christmas...now that I'm unpacking things I haven't seen in years I've discovered that our last family photo was over *coughfivecough* years ago!!!

Monday Sep 14
...had a productive day....but is really wishing she had a chiropractor appointment instead of a dentist appointment this afternoon.

...also wants chocolate pie. Anybody want to make me one?!

Tuesday Sep 15
...is so inspired: my friend just gave birth to twins, naturally, at home, they were both breech, they were full term, and they were not tiny babies either (both close to 7 lbs--she's a little lady). God made our bodies to do such amazing things!

Friday Sep 18
...spent a while at the chiropractor yesterday...whew, I feel like a new woman!

Sunday Sep 20
...thinks that more people should do more of their shopping on etsy. I'm just sayin!!!

Monday Sep 21
...JUST GOT HER VACUUM!! (thank you UPS man!!) and it is AWESOME!!!

Tuesday Sep 22
...wonders why school pictures are so expensive. They're usually not even that good. [Wolf's order form came home that day *sigh*]

Monday Sep 28
...is glad that we finally get PFDs this year...and has already figured out productive ways to spend all of ours...twice over...

The midwife felt my belly and said I'm "all baby"...does that mean that I have no extra fat (good), or that the kiddo is 15lbs?! (not so good!)
[yes, I've gained 15lbs as of my last appointment...oh, and the photo is from last week at 33wks]

Wednesday Sep 30
...is glad for some free moose meat, a sleeping toddler, and a little time to get some sewing done (without said toddler trying to climb in my lap!)

Thursday Oct 1
...got the paycheck today and PFDs are due in one week...joy, now we can pay all the bills!

Friday Oct 2
...realized that I'm 34wks pregnant now, but rather than a month and a half till baby, it's likely to only be a month (based on the timing last time). Ohmygosh I suddenly feel like time is very very short...gotta nest, gotta nest! [thankfully the only things I really have left are assembling the cosleeper aka crib, washing some clothing, and collecting the stuff I'll need for labor/birth...the blankets and diapers are already washed and in the drawers. ☺]

... is blaring Indigo Girls and making homemade pizza dough for dinner.

Close to Home

Now that I've showed off my residence, I thought I'd show off some of the scenery from the neighborhood... I think I mentioned before that the fireweed were in full bloom as we drove into town that first day, and while they have since wilted in the frost (it is practically winter now) they remain in my mind as part of my first sight of this area.



Yes, the hills really were covered with pink like this the whole way in. ☺

And, of course, my new banner...the view on the way into town (in the early morning light):

Consistent vs Reliable

Ahh consistency, the mark of a great parent, right? They are never pushovers, they do not give in to whining or wheedling. They set their rules and they stand by them. Once a consequence has been put in place, it will be enforced without exception. After all, children need consistency, they depend on it. They will push at the boundaries and if you, as the parent, give even a little then they will push harder and harder and get out of control.
We've all read this before, I'm sure.
All the parenting experts say it, and if the experts agree, then we should agree too, shouldn't we?

Well, I have realized that I disagree. (Yep, there's me, questioning the status quo again!)

I don't want to be a perfectly consistent parent. I want to be a reliable parent.

What is the difference? Well, a consistent parent is rigid, and unchanging. Once a rule is set then it is there and ne'er shall it budge. If we have a rule that you must eat your veggies before having any dessert then thus shall it be forever more! (so let it be written, so let it be done!!) Well, yes, good foods before treats is a general policy in our house...but every once in a great while isn't it fun to break that sort of rule? One night we took an idea from the disney channel and decided to have a "totally chocolate dinner." You should have seen the look on Wolf's eyes when we told him. It was a day that he reminded us of for months.

As a reliable parent my kids learn that it is ok to request making changes--this summer Wolf questioned his bedtime asked if we could move it a little later. We discussed that we had established it because he was in school and had to get up early, but concluded that since it was now summer we were willing to try out a later bedtime and see how it went. (Incidentally, we had tried that later bedtime a couple of times before, and it had not worked out, but just because something didn't work before doesn't mean it's not worth trying again.)

With a reliable parent my kids know that it's ok to ask questions about the status quo (hey, does that sound familiar?!) They know that I can be relied upon to make sure that there are always boundaries, but that sometimes the details are subject to change, and that is good. After all, each person is different, each age is different, and one of the most consistent things about parenting is change!

A general rule for living and working with children

"If I had to make a general rule for living and working with children, it might be this: be wary of saying or doing anything to a child that you would not do to another adult, whose good opinion and affection you valued."

--John Holt

Babywearing in a pinch

Since it's International Babywearing Week, I figured it was a good time to post this. ☺


Ingredients:
1 kiddo who is big enough to sit up but not quite big enough (or awake enough) to walk the distance
1 big towel
1 mama who is 20 weeks pregnant (pregnancy is optional)

Directions:
Put kiddo on your back piggy-back style. (If he's used to being worn he will hang on like a monkey, facilitating the subsequent steps!)
Take one long edge of the towel and center it on the kiddo's upper back--either under or over his shoulders, as desired. Tie the upper corners snugly over mama's bust. If possible, have a helper snug them up with an overhand knot(you won't need a double knot, but especially if the towel is at all damp you will need that helper!)
Take the lower edge of the towel and snug it up under the kiddo's bootie, and tie it around mama's waist (above the belly if she's got another little kiddo in there!) Again, have a helper help you get it snug in front.
Hike securely in peace and comfort, enjoy kiddo falling asleep rather than whining, have fun!
Bear is around 30 lbs, and with my growing belly (the extra weight plus, you know, the bulge) I haven't really been wearing him since last winter.
However, there was one day this summer when we were camping that we decided to go to a little swimming hole. We were told it was "right next to the parking lot" but when we got there we discovered that it was actually about 1/2mile walk in to the falls and pool. That's not that far, but it is a pretty good distance for a 2 year old. So I grabbed a nice big towel and improvised. (The photo is on the way back out, he was on the verge of sleep, thus the groggy expression...)

Incidentally, since Bear has always been worn, he just curls his body right onto mine and hangs on like a little monkey. He's much easier to carry--even in a makeshift form--than a child who is not used to being carried. ☺

Happy Birthday

September 22 is Bilbo and Frodo Baggins' birthday (yes, they share a birthday--Frodo turned 33 and entered adulthood on the same day that Bilbo turned 111 and had his massive birthday bash, as found in the first chapter of "The Fellowship of the Ring." Everybody knows that, right?)
Anyway, Hubby put the birthday on our calendar several weeks ago, but since he is heading out of town tonight we celebrated last night with a hobbity dinner of vegetables and mushrooms and (of course) two kinds of birthday pie. ☺ (yes, I'm still trying out all your pie recipes...we've got a couple to go still so it'll be another week or two before I'm ready to announce a contest winner.)
In any case, I didn't have anything particular to say today, except Happy Birthday to the Hobbits, and yeah, I'm a little bit of a geek. ☺

Pictures of the New Place

Alrighty, I know I keep promising I'll get these posted...I had a few from our landlords that showed the empty apartment, but I was waiting until we had some furniture and had unpacked a little better so that I could show what it actually looks like with us in it (also it's so hard to get a sense of scale if you see a picture of an empty room...it's a lot easier to tell how roomy this place is when you can see things in the space!)

Without further ado...

From the front door you can see straight down the hall Turning around...
The kitchen is remarkably tall--I haven't had to utilize a step stool as part of my regular cooking regimen in a looong time. ☺ But since what you see here is all the cupboard space there is, I try to use it all, including on top of the shelves.And our table/chairs (one is often at the desk during the days) and my sweet little makeshift shelving.

The living room (yes, they did make good on the couch issue...good thing!)
Yes, that is a van seat in our living room...we don't have a garage to put it in, and it's been functioning as extra seating as well. The one downside of this apartment is that there's not a lot of storage... There's a big box behind the van chair there that is holding some of our bulkier camping stuff that I haven't found a home for yet... (as well as three boxes that I still need to unpack).
See how I took another box and made it into a little shelf for all our DVDs? ☺ And the TV is sitting on another little box...it would be nice to get a better stand/shelf to put the TV on and that we could store our movies in, but for the moment this is functional.
Also we have a great view, which this picture doesn't show terribly well...

Here you go, this is a better look at the view out our living room window.

Are you jealous of my Home yet?!

(Those mountains are a National Park, and the larger snow field on the right there is a glacier. We can't see the bay because of the trees, but there is bright blue water between us and those mountains...)


Alrighty then, on down the hall...

Here is the playroom, because every kid should have a place where he can let it all hang out a bit (and doesn't have to keep it clean every day...the intent is that toys stay in here and it's allowed to be messy except once a week for me to vacuum...other rooms are relatively toy-free and thus stay pretty clean)
Another of those 'make it do' solutions is that the kids' toys are sorted into boxes rather than having some kind of chest or bin system...the OCD organizer in me wants matching labeled bins, but the kids don't seem to care much (and aren't fond of putting things IN the containers no matter what they are anyway) so hey, boxes work for now.
The playroom closet currently houses all my sewing stuff...

Right now when I want to sew I have to haul the machine and whatever else I need out to the desk and work there (the kitchen table wiggles too much from the power of the machine so I can't use it). I'd like to get set up with a proper sewing desk etc (although I'd love to have it still in the closet where I can shut the door in front of it) but for now it's stacked in boxes...yes *sigh* that is pretty much all fabric/yarn/notions. Well, no, one of the boxes has my serger, one is scrapbook stuff, and one is full of items I've already made that are "in stock" in my etsy shops.

OK then, moving on...

The boys bedroom
Cute matching beds with drawers underneath...so long as they keep the comforters on the beds I've given up asking them to make their beds (they both thrash around in their sleep so much that nothing can stay tucked in anyhow).
They need a bookshelf too...right now all the kids' books are either on their headboards or in that box between the beds there.
Of course I made use of the closet for storage too. They have short clothes, so I figured it was ok to put some things along the floor... The stand-alone dresser is for the baby...1 drawer for those cute cloth diapers, 1 drawer for all the slings/wraps/pouches, 1 drawer for blankets...so it's a good thing his clothes are small cuz there's only one drawer left for them!

And the master bedroom
Yes, those are boxes functioning as a nightstand. They work pretty well. On the other side are the crib parts--I'll be putting up the crib with one side off as a sidecar/co-sleeper bed there before the baby arrives.


Whew, there you have it. I think I got everything.
OK, so I didn't show you the bathrooms...we have two full bathrooms. They look like normal bathrooms. They are neither cute nor gross...thus my not bothering to post pictures of them. Now are you satisfied?!

Make It Do...

Use it Up
Wear it Out
Make it Do
or
Do Without

It's a good mantra, particularly for a family who has made a conscious decision to live modestly and frugally and put every cent we can toward getting out of debt. When we moved to Alaska we got rid of all our furniture because it costs so much to move it...in Pelican our apartment was furnished so we didn't have to worry about not owning much, but since moving into our new (not furnished) apartment we've had to buy a few things. Some things were needs and could not wait (beds and a kitchen table) and since time was of the essence some of it had to go on the credit card. We chose modest models of all of the above and went ahead and got them. There are other things however that fell into the category of 'want' (even if it was 'really really want') and so we have chosen to forgo them for the time being in the interest of avoiding debt and waiting until we have cash...and thus it is that I show off my new kitchen shelving:
A classic example of "make it do"
Take a bunch of same-sized moving boxes, cut off one long flap and one short flap and then fold the other flaps into the adjoining boxes as you stack them...Voila, additional kitchen storage for free.

I did use some plywood and packing honeycomb cardboard to build a little bookshelf, and it is not holding up nearly as well...

(aren't you proud of us for our book minimalism?
We got rid of at least 3/4 of our books when we moved...support your local library!)

...yeah, it sags a bit...so a proper wooden bookshelf is about the top of my 'wants' list (right there with a bedroom dresser...yes, aside from a few items on hangers, I am literally living out of a suitcase...). Hopefully we'll be able to find one on craigslist or freecycle soon. ☺



And yes, I have taken photos of the rest of the house. The virtual tour will be posted on Monday. ☺