Monday, February 29, 2016

I Drove the Beetle!

Colin had a work trip out of state last week, so I headed down to my parents' this past weekend.  The big news...

I drove the bug!

I didn't get to drive it very far since it's still being remodeled, but I got to go for a few blocks.  My first car (which I still have) was a 1977 Triumph Spitfire.  I'm so used to the clutch, gas, and shifting in the Spitfire that I'll have to adjust to the bug being a bit different.

On Friday we went by a shop that repairs VWs and other foreign cars.  The owner and his wife let us check out their lot where they have cars they use for parts and cars that have just been sitting.  They have one convertible that is sadly rusting away. Someone come save it!  They also had some VW buses and Karmann Ghias (including a convertible...again, someone come save it!).  A few pictures from my dad and I checking out the place are below.

Click photos to enlarge

 
 

After we left the garage, we headed over to the shop to start working on the bug.  Dad had already removed the original, broken windshield.  You'll see below the bug with the windshield out and then a few pictures later you'll see the new windshield installed.  The original windshield had a chrome insert in the rubber.  We didn't have the budget to do that with the new windshield.  We still have the original one that Dad is going to hang up in the shop.  We had someone come and professionally install the new windshield.

The rest of Friday and all of Saturday we tackled a variety of projects.  We worked on installing bows to the original convertible frame.  There were some bolts stuck in the frame that took quite a bit of time to remove before the bows could go on.  We ordered synthetic bows from http://cip1.com.  We still have the bow above the window to install, so it is not pictured.

Dad had already installed the carpet in the front of the car and put in the original seats.  We got black plastic mats from Auto Zone to protect the carpet.  I detailed the dash.  Carpet still needs to be installed in the back and then the original bench seat will go in.

The silver you see is a heat protectant to minimize the heat coming from the engine compartment.  Dad picked this up from Lowe's (or Home Depot?).

The top needs to be put on the convertible frame and a few other projects need to be finished up, then we'll be cruising!

If you're new to my blog, you can catch up on my past Beetle posts here:

If you have a bug, leave me a comment and tell me about it!




Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Embroidered Easter Basket & Bunny

Hippity-Hoppity Easter's on its way!  So, let's craft!  Today we're going to dress up a store bought Easter basket and personalize a bunny.  And guess what-- two of the embroidery designs I'm using are FREE!
This zig zag egg is from Lynnie Pinnie, and yes, it's free!  I used the Curlz Appliqué font for the H and Curly Girl font for the rest of the name to pair with the egg.
The other side of the basket has this adorable chick from Beau Mitchell (yep, it's free, too!).  I embroidered an H in Curlz font on top of the shell.
I was too much of a scaredy cat to embroider directly on the basket.  It's a felt/foam basket I got at Walgreen's last Easter for Harlow's first basket.  I embroidered the designs, trimmed them to the shape of the appliqué, and used Heat and Bond to iron them onto the basket.
Last year I saw pictures of bunnies with names embroidered on the ears.  I had my embroidery machine, but had never used it by that point, so I knew it was a project I wanted to try when I got the hang of embroidering.  I forgot about it until I saw people posting bunny pictures this year in an embroidery group on Facebook.  This is a bunny Harlow got while I was pregnant, so I used the Quirky Girl font and gave it a try.  While it isn't perfect, I think it turned out pretty cute and will be fun to use in Easter pictures.

What Easter projects are you going to try this year?




Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Embroidered Easter Shirts

Easter is on the way!  There are so many cute Easter designs out there.  I had trouble narrowing it down to just two designs, so I came up with some additional Easter projects!  I did two onesies and two designs on an Easter basket that I'll share tomorrow (plus one more Easter project!).

The shirt designs are from Lynnie Pinnie.  She has such cute designs that stitch out so well.  It's definitely one of my favorite embroidery sites.


I love Easter!  If only it were this easy to find an Easter dress for myself!


Wednesday, February 10, 2016

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

I LOVE peanut butter cookies!  I pretty much love anything with peanut butter, but peanut butter cookies are my absolute favorite.

These cookies only take three ingredients and are so quick and easy to make.  My mom makes them and told me that this is how my grandmother made them.

Whip up a batch for your friends and family.  They'll have no idea how easy it was!

Combine one cup of sugar, one egg, and one cup of peanut butter.  You can use crunchy or smooth peanut butter.  I prefer using crunchy or at least half crunchy/half smooth.

Roll the cookies into little balls and bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.

When the cookies come out of the oven, I like to score them with a knife and move them to a plate to cool.

When I make them small, I get about 24 cookies.

The next step is the only difficult part of the recipe: Try not to eat the whole batch!  Resisting to eat the cookie dough is hard enough, but not eating all the baked cookies is the hardest!

Enjoy :)

Thursday, February 04, 2016

25 Baby Registry Must Haves (and Bonus Items)

When you have a baby, there is so much to get to prepare for the baby!  I have a list of items that we loved.  Please know that I am by no means saying you need these items.  These are just items that we found made things a tad bit easier in caring for baby.  If you can feed, change, and clothe your baby, that's all you really need!  While I'm calling this a registry list, there are some items you may want to buy yourself (like a nursing bra).  If you want to know some of the items we like, then read on!

1. Boppy Lounger-- This may have been our favorite thing ever.  Harlow napped on it, hung out on it while we did housework, and chilled like a baby should chill.  She loved it.
2. Bumbo-- We have the original design, but I would go with the new design.  It has larger leg holes and an easier to attach tray.  This is a great beginner high chair.
3. Sophie la Girafe Teether-- This is pricey, I know.  We purchased it for a Christmas present for Harlow hen she was two months old.  She loooooved it.  There's something about it that babies love.
4. Honest Co. Organic Healing Balm-- A little goes a long way, so this tube lasts a long time.  It's great for diaper rash and any skin rash or dry skin.  I've even used it on my skin.  It's safe to use with cloth diapers if you're using cloth diapers.
5. Butt Paste-- This is our favorite everyday diaper rash cream.
6. Resinol-- If your baby has extreme diaper rash that nothing seems to heal, this stuff will usually do the trick.  You can find it in the pharmacy section of your store and may even have to ask your pharmacist where it is.
7. Grass Drying Rack-- This mat is great for bottles that need airflow to get dry.  It's small and cute, so it doesn't ugly up your kitchen counter.
8. Sterilizer Bags-- These are great for when you need to quickly clean a bottle or pacifier.  You just throw it in the microwave.
9. Dishwasher Basket-- This is helpful for bottles, nipples, and all those small pieces that need to be washed.

10. Changing Pad/Pad Cover/Pad Liners-- If you have a changing table, it may or may not come with a pad.  The pad makes for a soft, safe place to change your baby.  I purchased a soft cover for the pad, as the pad itself can be cold.  I always keep a liner on top since babies like to pee while you're changing their diaper.  It's easier to throw a new liner on top and throw the dirty one in the wash than to replace the entire cover (which would also be more expensive to keep multiples of).  The liners usually come in a multipack.
11. Travel Changing Pad-- Because you never know where you'll have to change your baby!
12. Nasal Bulbs-- My favorite bulbs are these from NeilMed.  They are the easiest to clean of any bulbs I've seen, and since they're clear, you can see what is inside.
13. Sound Machine-- When your baby is in the womb, a lot of sounds are whooshing.  A sound machine is a great way to calm them once they are outside the womb.
14. Bouncy Chair-- This was handy for when I was cooking or getting ready.  Our baby did not like it for napping, though. We have the one pictured.  It was the cheapest we found at the time.
15. Swing-- We bought a swing when our baby was a few months old, and I wish we would have had it sooner!  It soothed her and put her to sleep when other things just wouldn't work.  We have the one pictured.  It was the cheapest swing we found at the time.  You don't have to buy the most expensive items to make baby happy!
16. Boogie Wipes-- I know you may be thinking, are you serious?  Yes!  These wipes have saline and are great for clearing your baby's runny/stuffy nose.  We have tried regular face wipes and off brand nose wipes, and nothing worked.  We went back to Boogie Wipes!

17. Cloth Diapers for Burp Cloths-- Monogrammed and fancy burp cloths are adorable and great for showing off in public, but old fashioned, cheap cloth diapers are the best burp cloths!  You don't have to stress when they get stained, because you won't care if they stay pretty.  Newborns spit up, and spit up stains.  Breastmilk stains.  I'm guessing formula stains too.  Keep these all around the house for burp cloths.  You also won't shed a tear if one gets left at a restaurant.
18. Breast Pump-- If you're planning to breastfeed, I highly suggest you get an electric breast pump.  It will help your body establish a good milk supply in the beginning, and it will allow you to feed your baby your milk if you have to be away from your baby.  I have the Medela, and love it.  Check with your insurance, because you can probably get it for free!
19. Lanolin-- This will come in handy when you're breastfeeding.
20. Nursing Pads-- The pads pictured are disposable.  I used disposable pads for the first several months.  I would leak through my clothes if I didn't have pads.  I now wear cloth, washable pads since I don't leak quite as much.  I would not have been able to do the cloth alone in the beginning, because I wouldn't have been able to have them washed and dried in time to meet my needs.
21. Nursing Bra-- I do have a nursing bra (with snaps) that looks like a regular bra, but my favorites are like the ones pictured.  They're called sleep nursing bras.  They don't have padding like a normal bra, but that's okay since I wear nursing pads.  They are so comfortable and much easier to nurse in than the bras with the snaps.  I got mine at Target.
22. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding-- If you are going to breastfeed, please PLEASE please read as much as you can before you baby gets here.  Educate yourself so you can have a successful and enjoyable experience.  This book is one of the best out there on breastfeeding.  It also covers other topics, but I must admit I only read the breastfeeding sections.
23. SwaddleMe Blanket-- We used some of the swaddle blankets that you have to wrap yourself, but once we moved to SwaddleMe Blankets, we never went back.  They're so much easier to use, especially when you're trying to swaddle an already sleeping baby!  There's no complicated wrapping with these, just velcro!
24. Humidifier/Vaporizer-- When you have a congested baby, a humidifier or vaporizer can make a huge difference.
25. Coconut Oil-- This is a great natural remedy for baby's dry skin and rashes and for mommy's sore nipples.

Bonus Suggestions
  • 3 Sets of Fitted Sheets-- 3 Sets?  Yep!  Here's why I suggest three fitted sheets.  Adorable baby pees on the first fitted sheet.  No problem, you grab your second sheet and throw in on the mattress.  Baby won't pee on the second sheet before you can do laundry, right?  Wrong.  Baby likes to pee on things.  Or spit up.  Or worse.  I have found that I have needed that third sheet but haven't needed more.  I just make sure to get the other sheets washed as soon as possible.  Fitted sheets can be bought for a reasonable price, so I think it's worth it.  Side note: We only did a fitted sheet and not a top sheet or comforter.
  • Mittens-- Soft, cotton mittens are great for the newborn stage when baby is likely to scratch her sweet little face.    It also helps keep her hand warm when she's not in a onesie with the built-in mittens.  I found some at TJMaxx.
  • Teething Necklace-- Teething necklaces are either hated or loved.  We loved having a teething necklace.  Make sure that you buy a genuine amber necklace from a reputable retailer.  When you purchase them online, sometimes the amber is not real.  The purpose of the necklace is that when the baby's body heat warms the amber, it has natural pain relieving tendencies.  If you think it's a waste of money, then don't get one!  Be sure not to let baby sleep in the necklace as it would pose a choking hazard.
  • Bath Items-- You may want to purchase a baby bath.  Just find what you like!  You'll also want washcloths, a couple towels, and shampoo and lotion.
  • High Chair
  • Crib
  • Pack 'n Play-- We used ours as a bassinet for daytime naps and for a baby bed when we traveled.  We registered for the cheapest, simplest one we could find, and it was just what we needed.
  • Bassinet-- We didn't have one, but some people love having a bassinet.
  • Pacifiers-- Our baby had to be in NICU for a few days, and the nurses gave her a pacifier so she could keep her sucking reflexes for nursing.  I was able to visit and nurse her a few times in NICU, but for the most part, she had to get my milk through a feeding tube.  From that time forward, she had a pacifier.  It helps her self-soothe, and it may have helped her be such a good nurser.  Some people don't like pacifiers, so do what you think is best for your baby.  We had about three different types of pacifiers we were gifted, and she would only take Mams brand.  You don't really know what kind of pacifier your baby will prefer until she arrives.
  • Bottles-- We had Medela bottles to easily use them with my breast pump.  We also had a couple Avent bottles and really liked them.  Some babies may be really picky with bottle types, but our baby wasn't picky.  She just wanted that milk!
  • Changing Table-- I'm so thankful my cousin let us borrow a changing table.  It makes it so much easier to change the baby and it doubled as diaper storage.
  • Monitor-- We registered for the cheapest monitor.  Ours doesn't have video, and I don't regret that decision.  We can peek in on her when we want.  I wanted to be able to hear her cry, but wasn't concerned about video once I saw the price tag.  Get video if you want, though!
  • Nail Clippers
  • Thermometer-- We have a forehead scanner thermometer.  It's fuss-free and pretty accurate.  We also have a regular digital thermometer we can use under her arm or can be used rectally if needed.
  • Umbrella Stroller-- Lightweight option
  • Stoller-- We have a car seat/stroller combo.
  • Car Seat-- This is a must if you plan for your baby to ever be in a vehicle!
  • Baby Carrier-- In the newborn stage, I wore Harlow quite a bit in a Moby carrier.  It helped me get things done around the house, and we went on walks together.  A baby carrier is also handy if you like to hike.
  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Cups-- Our favorite cup is the Munkin Miracle 360*
  • Spoons
  • Bibs-- I liked cloth bibs for the drool stage, but prefer silicone bibs for dinner time since they can be rinsed off.
  • Walker
  • Door Jumper
  • Play Mat
  • Vaseline-- Vaseline is great for preventing diaper rash.
Again, please don't think I'm saying to have to have every item.  You especially don't have to have the most expensive options of each item.  I just hope maybe something on the list helped someone starting a baby registry!

What items did you love when you were caring for you baby?  I'd love to hear for any future children we may have!

By the way, I received no compensation for listing any of these items.  They just receive our stamp of approval! :)


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