7 months!

And here we are a month later--so sorry for that little break. We have been in Cali for part of the time, so look for lots of fun trip pictures in the near future.

For now, let's talk about Easton at 7 months.

He loves, loves, loves sweet potatoes. Seriously.


We are working on sitting up--and other than when he gets so excited that he flips over backward, he does really well.


He went swimming for the first time. Wasn't sure about it at first and then ending up loving it--his favorite part was putting his own face in the water. {look for a post dedicated solely to this activity soon}


He is babbling all of the time and says dada, but not in reference to Ronnie. He just learned how to shake his head back and forth (think--like saying "no") and due to this new skill, I have MANY collisions with his head. No crawling yet, but he scoots on his back all over the place and between that and rolling can get anywhere he wants to go. He is putting himself to sleep (I love that part, except when we are traveling and he isn't in his own bed). No teeth yet, in fact I think it will be weird when he finally does get some--I'm so used to his gummy smile!

We were able to visit his Great-Grandma and Grandpa E in Cali. Easton is rocking the chest hair (sans hair) look.
He wasn't too sure about Grandpa at first, but seemed to warm up a bit when he could see Daddy again.
And once he got a hold of Grandma Francis' blanket--he was a happy camper!
I'll be back soon with LOTS more! Promise.

no really, I promise.

On a lighter note...

Scene: My mom, my younger sister {who shall be known as Sassy on the blog} and I went out to dinner while the boys were all at Scout Camp. Okay, so Easton was with us, but he loves chilling with the girls. We had finished dinner and were trying to decide on a dessert to share. We asked the server for her recommendation and were told that the white chocolate sauce on white chocolate cake, with white chocolate sprinkles was delicious.

Me: Well, that sounds good. Do you guys like white chocolate? I think we will need to like it to like this dessert.

Mom: Yep, I like it.

Sassy: I ate white chocolate chips off of the FLOOR last night.

Needless to say we ordered it-we wouldn't want Sassy to have to resort to eating off of the floor for the second day in a row.




Clarification: the night before my mom was baking with white chocolate chips. They spilled and Sassy ate them within the 10 second rule. {she wanted me to make sure that was said}

Hints Part 2

Disclaimer: I received a finance degree from a reputable university. I did not get straight A’s and do not consider myself a finance expert in any way. If my advice doesn’t work for you—that is fine, just don’t blame me.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get on to the business. {another quick warning that this is long}

Accounts Spreadsheet
When you are single—life (financially speaking) seems fairly easy. You have a bank account, a credit card or two (which you of COURSE pay off at the end of every month) and a few internet passwords to remember. Then you get married (dun, dun, DUN). All of the sudden you have your accounts, his accounts, your credit cards, his credit cards, your internet passwords, his internet passwords, not to mention that you are trying to find what will work for you as a couple. For Ronnie and I that means one joint bank account, but everyone is different—so do what works for you.

I have found that keeping track of that information was a bit daunting. Everything was in a different place and not necessarily accessible. So, I created a spreadsheet (I LOVE spreadsheets). I’ve even made it accessible to you (a blank one that is—I love you, but not enough to give you my personal information). Click Here. You will need to have a Google account to edit it, but I have left it open to everyone to edit and once you are in the edit screen you can export it (under ‘file’) to your computer so you can do with it as you will. I will warn you that I am not a computer guru. I have a printed copy of the file that I keep in my [soon to be] fire proof box and I also keep an electronic copy that is password protected. (While this will deter some from getting to the document on your computer, a true hacker may be able to access it—you can decide what you want to do).

You’ll notice that mine probably has a few categories that will not pertain to you (I’m pretty sure not everyone needs to know their Hunter’s Safety number), while your finished document will have areas that I don’t have—make it fit your needs. I cannot tell you the number of times I access this document! It would come in handy if one of our wallets was ever stolen (knock on wood) in that I have the phone numbers and account numbers of all of our credit card providers, etc. When Ronnie needed his FAFSA pin (after 3 years of not using it)—there it was. You’ll thank yourself later, I promise.

Checking your Credit
I know you hear a lot about “free credit reports” on television—but what they don’t tell you is that you have to enroll in a monthly-fee program to get that free report. Luckily, the government has mandated that we can get one free credit report from each of the three reporting companies each year. I HIGHLY recommend doing this. If you have never checked your credit before you will want to get reports from all three companies the first time (and then set a date in your calendar to remember to do it again in a year). The reason you want reports from all three is that you will be very surprised about the differences between them. This way you can cancel inactive accounts, clear up any other mistakes and start fresh—so to speak. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to get started.

After I initially checked all of the reports, I now check our credit every four months—but only from one reporting company. That way I have a more frequent check, but it is still free (get it?). One note: Keep your oldest credit card! Even if you never use it anymore (since usually the credit amount is very low and it doesn’t have rewards). A LOT of your credit is based on this amount of time you have been tracked. Once you close an account, it will still be on your report, but doesn’t help with your credit at all. Also—the free service offered just includes the credit report itself and does not include your credit score. You can purchase that at the time that you request your report (for usually around $7 per company). I only pay for our scores once a year—to save some dough.

Budgeting
I probably don’t need to tell you that programs like Quicken are awesome. I also probably don’t need to tell you that these programs cost money. I took a Personal Finance class my senior year of college that CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER. And yes, that really does need to be in all caps. It was a 4000 level course however, and a few of the concepts we covered require a bit of a finance background. But do not despair. The marvelous teacher has launched a FREE website that is essentially an exact copy of the class (minus a few of the advanced concepts I mentioned). I have been using the budgeting spreadsheet he provides since I graduated—and love it. REALLY love it. The entire website—which I strongly, STRONGLY encourage you to check out is at http://personalfinance.byu.edu/ and the budget sheet is located here {it is TT04 in the document list}.

I don’t know if you can tell by now, but I feel strongly about being in control of your personal finances. In fact, I learned so much from the Personal Finance class I mentioned (including VITAL information for buying a home, a car, etc) that I wrote a letter to the president of my university letting him know how it had changed my life and that I believed that a simplified version should be added to the general requirements to graduate from college. I like to think that that letter is the reason that the new, free website exists. [I can dream—right?]

So there you have it—the secret to my success (if you consider living in an apartment and going to graduate school a success). My little family is getting there—one baby step at a time. Feel free to comment with questions, or let me know about things that have worked for you—I’m always looking for a better way to do things!

Hints

I asked you recently for things that I should blog about, and a few different people asked for organization tips. I’ve shared my genius filing system (which unfortunately, I did not invent) as well as the calendar that keeps me sane at my computer, in the past. If you haven’t implemented those in your life yet, go do it—seriously!

Other than that, I only have a few things that I do that have a name. Things in my kitchen are organized, but I think that is a very personal preference, so I’ll let you have your kitchen the way you want it. I’ll ask you to stay with me—as this post is solely my opinions and these things may work for you, a variation may work, or you may say “man, KaLee doesn’t know ANYTHING” and just keep on doing what you are doing.

Labeling: Ahhh, labeling. How I love you! I took a few pictures of my stamping stuff and linen closet {click on the pictures to make them bigger} so that you can see my labeling in action. This is the first house that this labeling has been typed; I normally handwrite on the labels (which is equally as effective, but doesn’t make my heart go pitter-patter in quite the same way).

Here we see a few examples of my stamping labels. I have found that a general category that is very easily read works best and when applicable I list individual items so that I don’t have to dig through the drawer/box.

And here we see the linen closet. While in my ideal world I would have gorgeous, stylish containers that match and make the closet “shine” my budget just won’t let that happen and truth be told, these boxes work exactly the same. Again, you will see my use of large general labels with specific items listed underneath. I’ve found that this system also helps when you get those questions from your husband that go something like, “Honey? Have you seen my C-3400 gun remover bullet shaper thingy?” I can then say. “That will be in the “Hunting” box.” This takes a bit of time, I won't lie--but the joy that will swell in your breast every time you open your closet will be well worth it, trust me.

Color Coding: I don’t know that this counts as organization, but it makes me happy—so we’ll roll with it. All of my shirts are color coded. I have black on one end and white on the other, but you could do ROY G. BIV if you so desired. I used to keep my shirts in categories: long sleeved, short sleeved, button-up, etc. My roommate Carissa introduced me to this form of organization and I’ve never been able to go back. I find that I know exactly what shirts I own and can tell by glancing at the empty hangers which shirts are in the wash. Shirts that normally would be forgotten get worn more often. This will only take you about 5 minutes--one of the easiest fixes you will ever find. {the part of this system that your husband may not enjoy is that you can see exactly which colors your wardrobe is lacking and you will go on crazy hunts to find and purchase tops in those colors--ask me how I know}
We’re taking this in baby steps—so tomorrow I’ll be back to share a few gems that were gathered while obtaining my finance degree. Things to help you feel in control of your accounts/bills and budget. Anticipate that.

The place where we dwell

Here it is--the long awaited apartment tour. I'll put the captions *above* the picture that I am describing. I don't really know what is standard in that regard.

A view of the living room.
And this is the view into the kitchen/dining area. I love the open floor plan, but could use a bigger kitchen for sure.
And here is a view from the couch. The door on the left is the front door and the door on the right is Easton's room. That ugly grill is our air intake for the heating and A/C (yes, we do have A/C-hallelujah!) so we can't cover it up.
A view of the kitchen. We are going to be putting up a shelf next to the cabinet that in set into the wall for the microwave to live on. That way I can have a *tiny* bit more counter space.
And here is the dining room. That bin is awaiting all of the clothes that Easton has outgrown so it can go to long-term storage.
Now we will move into Easton's room. Here is the view straight ahead from the doorway. You can see the door to the walk-in closet (BOTH bedrooms have one) and the built in bookshelves.
A view of the office/stamping space part of the room.

And a view of where Easton's area starts.

Here is the crib. Easton has almost made the adjustment to a new home. He is still waking up twice a night (instead of the once he was doing previously), but I think he feels like this is home now.
This is the view of the built in shelves I just mentioned. They are great for game and kid book storage.
You know that I really love you since I am showing you the inside of this closet. The closet in Easton's room houses all of my craft/stamping stuff as well as our short term storage (or things we get into more than once a year).
Another shot of the closet. In order to redeem my organization status, I'll have you notice that every drawer is labeled. Does that count for something?
As we exit out of Easton's room and turn left, this is the view. The bi-fold doors on the right are the laundry closet and the other door on the right is the linen closet. The open door on the left (of which you can only see hinges) is the bathroom.

And here is the bathroom. Nothing too exciting, we put up the over-the-toilet cabinet to try and combat the lack of storage in this room.
And here is my laundry closet. I love my new washer and dryer. Why is the blue protective plastic still on, you ask? I am my mother's daughter. Taking it off means that they are no longer "new." My previous washer and dryer (which we sold before moving to Laramie) still had the plastic on after a year and a half. My grandparents (who purchased them for their cabin) were THRILLED.
And now we walk into the master bedroom. I really need something above the bed--but have no idea what. Suggestions? The major problem is that the height of the headboard means that normal artwork doesn't look quite right.
A slight turn to the right from the doorway.
And now I am standing by the headboard. The door to the outside leads to the patio area (which can also be accessed through the kitchen) and the closed door is the one that goes to the hall.

The closed door on the left is the one that goes to the hall and the other closed door is to our walk-in closet. (yes, that is a moose antler on top of the armoire)
A view into our closet. I just have one thing to say about this. It is HUGE!
And these are the shelves that are on one entire side of the closet. I am in love with them.
Finally, this is our patio area. The open door goes into the kitchen and the door straight ahead is the one I discussed in our bedroom. You can also see our storage closet.
Do you feel at home? I'm starting to. No pictures of the outside since this is a fairly recognizable complex in Laramie and while I like to believe there are no crazies out there, the truth is--they exist.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that our patio opens right up to the playground and sandbox for the complex, which I am sure Easton will LOVE in the future.

Feet

We discussed my feet quite a bit (I’m sure more times than you cared to know about) when I was pregnant. But really. Those elephant feet were dying to be documented.

Summer is now upon us and I have again realized….

My feet are SENSITIVE.

I mean really, really sensitive.

Walking outside barefoot? Out of the question. (Unless I have just swept the sidewalk myself)

As a kid, I always looked at the kids who ran through the neighborhood without shoes on in awe. My own sister was one of them—and I hated that. She would run out the door without a care in the world as I stopped, located my jelly shoes, put them on and THEN went out to join in the fun. There was a time when I thought that I could train my feet to change. If I spent enough time barefoot (all the while moaning in pain) surely, I could get “tougher.”

It never worked. So here I am, with my shoes on.

Do you have tough feet? Were you born with them—or was it something you were able to obtain over time? I'd love to know the secret--if there is one.

One less worry

The universe has seen fit to bless me with one less worry.

My office? It has a number pad lock.

My apartment? Only has a deadbolt lock.

I can never lock myself out again.

[except the dang car, that option is still out there…]

A Talent

Some people have amazing voices.

Some can write profound words.

Some can create works of art.

Me? I can tell you which way is north.

Remember that the next time you want to go hiking.

KaLee's Baby Must-Haves (plus other things I couldn't weed out)

{I apologize in advance for the length of this post}


So, I’ve been a mom for six whole months. Which pretty much makes me an expert. (yeah. right.) I remember well the job of preparing for that joyous little bundle. The lists I made. The online shopping I did. The reviews I read. So, to make things a bit easier for those of you out there who trust my opinion above all others (which is all of you, right?...RIGHT?) I put together a list of baby things that I LOVE, and then some that I like and a few things I didn't ever really use. Obviously, I am having a hard time narrowing it down.

Items I can NOT live without
1. The SwaddleMe Blanket by Kiddopotamus. Granted—not every baby will want to be swaddled. Most newborns want it for a while and Easton wanted to be swaddled for 5 months. These blankets made the process painless. I also believe that Easton slept for WAY longer due to the fact that his flailing arms didn’t wake him up. They are now my baby shower gift. Source: My Wal-mart doesn’t carry them, but you can order site-to-store online and save on shipping.
2. Pacifier (binky in our house) by MAM. Again, not every baby will want one, but Easton had a very strong sucking need and would have TOTALLY been a thumb sucker if I would have let him. I opted for something that I can take away when he is older (this is where I would say that “the weaning” will happen around his 1.5 to 2 year mark, but if motherhood has taught me anything—it has taught me to never have an opinion before the event takes place). Source: Any major retailer. I will warn that the classic ones (pictured) are getting harder and harder to find.
3. A Nursing Cover. I purchased one from milkchic, but now that I have it in hand—they would be incredibly easy to make. I love the stiff portion at the top that allows me to see Easton and the strap around my neck that prevents him from pulling it down. Every time I use one in my church Mother’s Lounge, I get compliments from other moms. Source: milkchic.com or your own sewing machine.[note: there are TONS of online sources for these—just choose your favorite]
4. Triple Paste. Unfortunately, Easton has sensitive skin. A trait he gets from both his mom and his dad, so he was doomed from the start. There are a lot of great diaper rash creams out there—but this one was recommended by our doctor for heat rash and all of Easton’s dry skin problems and it has cured things that nothing else can. Source: I got mine at Wal-mart (you may have to ask for it at the pharmacy, but you won’t need a prescription).
5. Clip and Go Mobile by Tiny Love. I love, love, love this mobile. It has made car rides possible and has entertained Easton for more hours that I should probably admit. The best part is its portability. You can Velcro it on the car seat, then attach it to the Pack n’ Play when you visit friend’s houses. It has black, red and white sides for when your little one is tiny and then turns over with soft bugs for older babies. Source: Again, I got this at Wal-mart (can you tell that it is the only store in my town?). And again, I would order site to store and save money if I were you. [note: the only con is that it doesn’t really work on a crib. See “Items I really like” for my recommended crib mobile]
6. Suede Mini Diaper Bag by Carter. I cannot count the number of times that I have gotten a compliment on this bag. It’s little. It’s cute. I didn’t register for it originally, but instead the larger version, but then my genius aunt saw this and decided that it was the size she was always looking for and could never find when her kids were younger—so she bought it. I love the size. Large enough to hold all of the essentials—plus some, yet small enough that it is not a pain to carry around. This bag has been everywhere! Source: My aunt got it from Babies R Us and it is the only place I could find it online as well.
7. Bumbo. This is a great little chair. It allowed Easton to sit up at a young age and be a part of family meals and game time. We are currently using it to feed Easton while we research and purchase a high chair. Make sure to follow the safety instructions to ensure your child’s safety. Source: Any major retailer.
8. Papasan Cradle Swing by Fisher-Price. This was a fantastic asset to our household. Easton loved the side-to-side swinging and was mesmerized by the mobile and music. He sent hours in it as a newborn and it was great to have my hands free for a few minutes. There are just a few cons: It takes up a fair amount of floor space and runs on batteries only although our D batteries were only changed once (after 4 months). As Easton got more mobile, he became uninterested (around 5 months) but every baby is different. Source: I recommend searching around for the best deal. Currently on Amazon.com it is cheaper than I paid for it and as long as you don’t need it RIGHT away you can get free shipping.
9. Bundleme by JJ Cole. For a winter baby, this was KEY! I loved that I didn’t have to mess with coats, etc, but instead could stick on a hat, zip up the Bundleme and hit the road. The BEST part was that it never blew off in the wind and was impossible to drop in the store, parking lot, etc. If it worked for me in frigid Wyoming—it will definitely work for you! Source: Any major retailer (I’m pretty sure I got mine off Amazon.com).

Items I have really liked
1. Bounce Bounce Baby Activity Zone by Bright Starts. Let’s face it, the reason I originally bought this one over any of the others was that it was half the price. Since then I have grown to love it. Easton is entertained by bouncing and playing and I am guaranteed that he is right where I put him. Source: I got mine at Wal-mart, but I am sure they are available a few different places.
2. Baby Carrier Original by BabyBjorn. I’ll admit that I don’t use this all of the time, but every time I have used it, I have loved it—and so has Easton. There have also been countless times when I have wished that I had brought it along. Source: Any major retailer (mine was ordered from Target.com).
3. Rainforest Musical Mobile by Fisher-Price. When Easton finally transistioned from the bassinet to the crib (at 4 months) I lost the use of my beloved Clip and Go Mobile. Since Easton puts himself to sleep for naps and bed, a little music is necessary. I have loved this mobile. The music has two volumes and you have three music channels and one rainforest noises channel to choose from. It also has a remote—for those times when seeing mommy would not be a good thing. I also really like that the mobile part is removable and it can still be used to play music and as a nightlight as Easton gets older. Source: Any major retailer. I ordered mine site to store from Wal-mart.
4. Bath seat. You can see the one we have in this picture of Easton. I love that it is not a separate bath that I have to figure out storage for (key in an apartment), but still provides Easton with support while bathing. I was unable to find it anywhere online—so I apologize for the lack of a link. Source: I bet you can guess—Wal-mart.
5. Pump In Style Original Breast Pump by Medela. I realize a pump of this magnitude may not be necessary for every new mom—but as a working mom, it has been a life saver. I would start looking at these earlier vs. later so you can find a good deal. I was tipped off to a sale and was able to get mine for $175+shipping. {just wanted you to have a price point} The link I was able to find has it for MUCH more. Source: Any major retailer but I’ve only seen the sales online.

Items I thought I needed, but haven’t really used
1. Boppy. Everyone will tell you they are wonderful. I thought I totally NEEDED one, so I bought one. It made nursing MORE awkward and as soon as I stopped using it, things got easier. I used it minimally when Easton needed tummy time and I have put it around him twice as we are now working on sitting up. Bottom line? Not worth my money.
2. Bouncer. Again, a product that was highly recommended. I was an extremely lucky mom—whose child was not colicky. Easton preferred the swing and since the swing could move on its own and the bouncer required some human help—Easton was in it one time. I’m still hanging onto it incase my next child loves it, but if I had it to do over again I would wait to purchase one until I needed it (especially since you can get them anywhere).

Are you tired of reading? I apologize again for the length of this post, but now when anyone asks me my opinion—I can just refer them here.

Note: I [unfortunately] did not get paid for this post. Take it for what you think it is worth.

A Slip of the Tongue

Yesterday, Ronnie had a softball game. It was nice weather—hallelujah! So Easton and I decided to go watch. As we pulled up to the fields, this happened:

RJ: Do you want to get Easton out while I get his wheelchair?
Me: What?
RJ: Stroller, I meant stroller!

It gave me quite the little laugh.

The List (no more)

So, I have this list.

A list of things that I want to blog about.

It is completely random and has been an ongoing thing for the two years I have been blogging.

Until it ran out.

That's right--it ran out and now I am stuck. I could continue to blog about my organization tendancies and how my apartment was looking like this a week ago.


It's better now, but not quite up to photo taking condition.

So instead of boring you--how about you give me a few suggestions?

Things you want to learn about me (as if there could be anything left), my family, my beliefs, my opinions, etc. Let's face it, I'm an open book.

Really. What do you want to know?

6 months

Easton turned 6 months old last week! I can't believe it (and now know why every parents says this sentence when talking about the age of their children).

He continues to enjoy rice cereal and Ronnie did a much better job capturing it on camera. Enjoy the next four pictures of the process.

Easton also loves to grab his bottom lip and create that bub-bub-bub-bub noise. I hope you all know what I am talking about, because I don't know any other way to describe it. Again, here are a few pictures of that little trick. [try to ignore the shine coming off of his face due to all of the drool]



No teeth yet, but lots of drool and lots and lots of chewing. He has perfected the "sneak attack" as we call it. You will be holding him completely normally and then all of the sudden--he attacks your hand to try and chew on it. At the doctor's yesterday he weighed in at 14 pounds, 13 ounces and 26.25 inches long. Not big at all, but just fine. I figure if he is anywhere near as skinny as I was as a child, it will be a while before we call him "big." He is rolling all over the place and has conked his head many, many times on our furniture. He also pulls his knees underneath himself, but then has no idea what to do and falls back down. He is constantly babbling and I love it! This is such a fun age! We just love our little "Bubbers."

The Good Genes

I think we have discussed (probably too many times) that I like clean. I like organization. That gene was inherited from my mom, and she got it from her mom (is Easton cursed? We shall see).

In the past month my sister and I have moved out of our respective apartments. This has meant that deep cleaning has taken place. Both times, my mom came over to help (Erc even got the help of Grandma and Grandad, but I was not so lucky). In my sister’s apartment we cleaned for four hours. My mom spent the ENTIRE time on the stove and oven. You read that right, the entire four hours. When Erc and Dan checked out, they got rave reviews of the cleanliness of the oven. They were the first people to not be charged an additional fee for the management people to re-clean it.

When it was time for Ronnie and I to clean my mom came over to help us as well. I had not planned very well and my oven was still in the self-clean mode (which takes about one bazillion hours), so my mom tackled other areas.

Like the light fixtures.

And the top of the cabinet doors. (note that this was not just the cabinets, but the top ridge of the cabinet doors—they had some NASTY residue that I’m sure had been there for years and years).

And the light switch covers.

I would venture to say that the light switch covers and screws had never looked so good. (do you know anyone besides my mom that would take a toothpick to them?)

I teased her a little bit (all the while being eternally grateful for her help).

And then, we received our deposit check in the mail a few days ago.

For the FULL amount. Every. Last. Penny.

I hope my mom realizes that this means that for the rest of my life, I will be flying her out to help with the final cleaning. (Note: I also hope that my apartment/renting experience will end sooner vs. later)

Thanks, Mom!

See? I told you there would be more.

Easton showing you one of his new favorite past times--sticking out his tongue.

We were able to stop in Tremonton on our way to Sun Valley for my work event and see Matt and Laura! Please excuse my ivebeentravelingforoversevenhours look. Do pay attention to Easton though--he was actually smiling for the camera! {Laura, Easton, Me} {Laura, Easton, Matt} Here, Easton is showing off his new "scrunchy nose" face.
As I mentioned on my blog, Easton has started eating rice cereal--and he loves it. I asked Ronnie to document the process (we took video as well) and these are the pictures I got. I'm not sure if he really is Ray's son. I guess I better check that video's quality. :)