Sometimes it’s just too odd how insync Ken and I are. No, we don’t sing (well, he doesn’t, and only the kids want to hear me sing because they don’t know how much I suck), but we’re constantly on the same wavelength. Like just now. I’m ancy and send him an email.
Subject: Sew
How’s your afternoon going?

At that exact minute in time he’s sending me an email.
Subject: I’m bored
Anything going on at home?

Ahh the oddities of married life. Or maybe it’s just funny to me. So Ken’s coming home early (yay friday!) and will be here to amuse me shortly. Have a good weekend, yourself!

Well, everything is labelled now, though not fancy. For the time being they’ll be “naked”. I’m still working out the kinks, you see. As it is I’m not sure about the final size of the latest batches – I think they’re a bit *too* hefty but Ken likes the size. However, I can’t make anymore until I sell a bunch of these. I’ve used up all my raw materials right now, so I’m soap-making-less. I do, however, have a bunch of ideas about some recipes to try, so I’m excited to see what I can create once things get moving.

That all being said, however, should anybody want to order anything I’m willing to do that here. It’ll be a tad slower than a website since we’ll be working at the speed of Kelly instead of a computer, and can’t ship until Saturday since I’ll have to actually go to the post office (in person) instead of dropping off in a box. The approx weights of the soaps are below, so you can easily calculate shipping (I’m at 18328 and your soap would likely be sent in a “large envelope”, priority).

I have:

Coffee Bean Facial Soap:
Unbelievably gentle; great for facial cleansing or for hands that need some TLC; scent is that of coffee grounds. I love washing my face with this soap in the mornings! The lather is thick, creamy and very luxurious. Contains sweet almond oil, coconut oil, water, lye, fragrance. $3/3.5oz bar + shipping

Bamboo Facial Soap:
Unbelievably gentle; great for facial cleansing or for hands that need some TLC; scent is a unisex “green” smell – really hard to describe but fantastic! Bamboo and cedar mixed with lemon and ginger. I always take a second whiff. Contains sweet almond oil, coconut oil, water, lye, fragrance. $3.50/4-4.5oz bar + shipping

Lavender Fleur (x) Body Soap:
Lovely mild and gentle; good for body, hands or facial cleansing; scent is that of lavender flowers with some orange and lily undertones; similar to Victoria’s Secret’s scent. Contains coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, water, lye, fragrance. $3.50/4-4.5oz bar + shipping

Love Spell (x) Body Soap:
Lovely mild and gentle; good for body, hands or facial cleansing; scent is a light mix of citrus, apple blossom, lily, orange, coconut, raspberry and musk. It sounds like an odd mix but it’s just a lovely, light floral and fruit scent that is very feminine; an imitation of the Victoria’s Secret’s scent. Contains coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, water, lye, fragrance. $3/3oz bar + shipping

Cinnamon Pine Body Soap Sample Stick:
Lovely mild and gentle; good for body, hands or facial cleansing; scent is a dominant cinnamon with a pine undertone; masculine. This was my original batch so the size is smaller than the rest of my soaps but larger than (and has a more uniform size/weight of 1.75oz) the other sample bars. Contains coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, water, lye, fragrance. $1.50/bar + shipping

Sample Bars:
Any of the above bars can be had as sample bars. These are approx 1/4th of a regular bar size (0.75-1.5oz). They make fantastic bathroom hand soaps or guest soaps. $1/bar + shipping

If anybody is interested, please email me at: soap @ {insert website you are on}

Normally I don’t do these on this blog, but perhaps it’s info my kids might like to have, or perhaps I’ll just be too old to remember this stuff then.

Father went to college
Father finished college
Mother went to college
Mother finished college
Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers if they mean social class – 1) that’s crude, 2) I have no idea but will assume yes
Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
Had more than 500 books in your childhood home We always had loads of books.  I love books!
Were read children’s books by a parent Some of my best memories are of being read to.
Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18 Piano, which I will never force on any of my kids, and skating – though I already knew how to skate, it was how to skate better.
Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
The people in the media who dress and talk like you were portrayed positively
Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18 That’s obscene.  I got one when I started college.
Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costsMy Mother’s life insurance did.
Went to a private high school
Went to summer camp  One specifically for diabetic children – my parents wanted me to be able to feel “normal” with “kids like me”.
Had a private tutor before you turned 18
Family vacations involved staying at hotels  When I was young it was almost all camping.  When I was older it was further afield.
Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18  Not all, but every year we’d get a new outfit or two for the start of school.  I was the younger child so I wore hand-me-downs.
Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them  My parents never bought me a car, period.  Once you can drive you borrow your parents and refill the gas or buy your own car.
There was original art in your house when you were a child  Art done by family, yes.
Had a phone in your room before you turned 18  Lea and I shared a line, though she did most of the talking on it.
You and your family lived in a single family house
Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home  Mortgaged, yes
You had your own room as a child
Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course  We don’t do that in Canada
Had your own TV in your room in High School  I don’t think tele’s belong in bedrooms.
Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College  Inheritance was put into a mutual fund that then plummeted and caused me to highly distrust stock brokers.
Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16 That would be the family vacations “further afield”.
Went on a cruise with your family
Went on more than one cruise with your family
Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up And loads of theatre and musicals, too – culture is important and has to be experienced first hand if possible.
You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family I still am.  Neither was I more than vaguely aware of how much my parents earned or how much anything cost (of significance).   Money shouldn’t be something children have to worry about, if possible.  I do know how much that summer camp I went to as a child cost.

The list is based on an exercise developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. The exercise developers ask that if you participate in this blog game, you acknowledge their copyright.

To participate in this blog game, copy and paste the above list into your blog, and bold the items that are true for you.

I’ve also put personal comments in italics.

Lunch was ok today, but as usual Ethan was only able to listen to the first 3.4 seconds of anything I said to him.  So when I told him to come into the kitchen for his chocolate milk, 5 times and then had to repeat twice, sloooowly, to Come.INTO.the.KITCHEN.please.  And then again “Ethan!  Kitchen! Now!” before he actually did it, I was more than a little frustrated.  Instead of getting more angry, though, I started to talk (mostly to myself) about how it makes Mommy upset when Ethan doesn’t listen and it makes Mommy feel like she’s not important.  He was, surprisingly, kinda listening to this so I turned to him and asked “Is Mommy important?”  He repeated what I said (something he does when he’s not really paying attention) so I turned back to the milk jug and kept pouring.  I handed him his chocolate milk and he said “Yes, Mommy is important!”

*whoosh*

*splurt*

(sound effects brought to you by wind exiting sails and heart melting to floor)

Apparently my front flower bed doesn’t think so, as I’ve many little somethings shooting themselves up into the world. I’d show you with photographic evidence but by the time I saw them the sun was on *that* side of the house and it’s the sort of thing you want sunlight for. Tomorrow and the day after it’s due to rain/snow. Ugh. I’m hoping not, as I’d like to use Sunday to pile more dirt on said flower bed since the shoots are looking a bit… something. They look like they need more dirt on them. I won’t, however, pile on dirt when they’re snowed over, so it’s dependent on the weather. Maybe they’ll only last me this year since, clearly, I planted them too shallowly.

Having shoots, however, makes me want to wander around and see what else is growing. The only problem is that it’s cold enough inside that I don’t want to be outside right now. Look out the window and it *appears* warm. It lies.

Edit: Oh good grief!  After a mention from Ken about the weather, I checked our forecast and we’re due for a whopper tomorrow and Saturday.  Guess the Gods don’t want me shoveling dirt in the almost-freezing-ness.  I won’t complain about that, but it’s now *their* responsibility that my bulbs survive.

I got it right, finally.  It’s a larger batch, but I can get 16 bars from it (or 14 + 8 sample bars).  I made the Lavender Fleur (x) Shea Butter soap last night and it’s cut and done.  The scent is stronger than any other batches I’ve done, though I calculated the scent increase as it should have fit – I guess that Lavender Fleur (x) scent is just that strong (but nice!).  Either tonight or tomorrow I’ll do another Sweet Almond batch and then that’ll be it for the time being until I sell some of this.  I don’t have a website set up, or ebay or etsy, but I’ve got basic labels made (legally – no mention of moisturizability or anything else cause then it’s not soap, it’s a cosmetic and there’s a much more complicated set of laws regarding labelling cosmetics) and soap made in a variety of scents – most of which are even bar-shaped, now! (that first batch I made in the milk carton didn’t exactly work out well, shape-wise).

So now what?  Sell by word-of-mouth?  Send out sample bars and ask people for feedback?

Ken suggested that I made my niche that of better price points (price my bars at $2.50 or $3 a bar) and customization – I provide a base of 3-4 types of soap, a base of several colour/texture choices, and a base of scent options and you choose what you want.  Yes it may take a bit of extra time and it means I have to be on my toes for orders, but it’s something I haven’t seen anybody else offer.  I can have a minimum order of, say, 3 bars (at a slight premium, since it’s a custom order – so $10 an order) but give a discount for more of the order desired ($6 for 3 more bars, etc).   The exact prices aren’t set in stone yet, obviously.

Another active month for us! You’ve finished sprouting your top right tooth, so you now have a matching set of two on top and two on bottom.

To celebrate this, you’ve decided to sprout the adjacent incisors on the top, and, the bottom (we think). The drooling is at massive proportions!

After some light spring cleaning and dresser rearranging, we realized just how much you’ve grown and how big you are. We took this last night…

…and we took this one about 10 months ago…

Notice the jammies?

You talk a lot more, these days. We’ve heard “maw” (milk) lately, and some other mimiky words. You understand very clearly what we’re saying and asking you, and are very certain when you do not want something, though not as much when you do. We try to respect your wishes, though there are times we know you’re lying when you say “no more” and then promptly open your mouth for another bite.

I love that your personality is showing more and more. I love getting to know the unique you and seeing how you’re changing our family and enhancing it. You’re so much your own person… so determined to do things your way. You’re smart, too, as shown by your innovative ways to overcome obstacles like getting up on the couch… chairs… the kitchen table.

As much as you challenge us, we truly delight in watching you figure things out and do them your way. We love how you’ve changed our family for so much the better.

Love Always,

Mommy

You’re 3 and one half now, my honey, and wow what a tough 6 months the past ones have been. However, you’ve decided to stop being a cranky jerk and are, for the most part, a complete angel these days. *knock on wood*

Almost daily you say something or learn something or demonstrate something that surprises us. You pull on your own pants now! Yesterday you put on your own shirt without any help! You sit in a big boy chair, you nod ‘yes’ (sortof), you’re patient with Victor and give him toys just to make him happy. And tonight… tonight you blew out your 3yr birthday candle ALL.BY.YOUR.SELF!

Let me backtrack. Daddy made cake today. For no reason other than cake, sometimes, is a nice thing to have. We had some after dinner and while I was sharing with you you asked for a candle. You kept insisting there should be a candle on the slice of cake you and I shared. So Daddy went and got your #3 birthday candle, mounted it up on the cake, and lit it. It took you 4 tries but you blew it out all on your own (without any stray breezes from the general direction of one of your parents). We were so proud of that. And then? You wanted more candle. You didn’t want the cake. You wanted the candle. Sometimes we just don’t understand you, you crazy boy.

You’ve been watching a show called Max & Ruby lately, about a little bunny girl and boy, siblings. It’s your favourite, and you’re constantly pretending to be Ruby (the elder sibling) and ordering Max (Victor) around and showing him how to do things just like the show. You imitate her tone and the things she says and some afternoons you’ll spend hours playing, interspersing “MAaax!” with your play. Cute the first few times, a bit annoying after that. But still cute.

We eliminated your nap this month and though I had my reservations about that it’s been all for the best. You sleep better at night and you’re generally quite good at quiet time while Victor naps in the afternoon – made all the easier with tele watching and cookies.

We had your glasses replaced this month, and though it took a week to get them back I think you’re glad to have them. You looked so different without them on, it surprised me. Your father and I think, though, that you’ll likely end up having an eye patch after seeing the dr this month. I’ve noticed that, in the morning, you have a lot of trouble controlling your one eye and will constantly look at the floor rather than trying to focus on any of our faces for a while after waking up. I do hope, with time, we can improve your vision.

All in all life has been much more pleasant this month than it’s been in quite a while, and though you’re still a pain sometimes, you’re a much more reasonable, loveable, adorable, sweet little boy. The one we’ve always known is in there.

Love Always,

Mommy

My first type of soap made (two batches – one feminine, one masculine) was a shea butter soap. Love it. Lathers nicely, very moisturizing. The second type I made last night is an almond oil/coconut soap. It’s supposed to be very moisturizing and a great facial soap. I made coffee bean scented. I’m pleased with the soap, so far. My mold size isn’t working so well for the batch sizes of my recipes, though, so I’m going to have to fiddle with that eventually. Not yet, though. I’ve got a lavender scented batch to make and another batch (choosing between a masculine scent and a “german chocolate cake” scent) – one of the shea butter, one of the almond. Once they’re done I think I’ll have enough variety to send out samples and maybe sell them. The problem with it all is how to take payments. I’m thinking about setting up an ebay store for the short term. That’ll make it easier to take payments (I believe) and I won’t have to set up a website tout de suite. I’ll need to figure out packaging, though, and shipping costs.

I’ve got a label made up for the soaps with a font I like, but no image. What do you think? Do I have to have a picture or does font alone, work?

(sorry about the image – my camera doesn’t like close-ups)

Oh, and also?  Do you think it’s a drawback to have a product shipped in a box from the P.O.?  Just curious, cause they’re free and I’m thinking about solutions…

We’ve got three days together this weekend, our family, and we’ve got no idea how to spend it.  One day for chores, one day for rest, one day to stare at the cold and snowy that’s not snowy enough to enjoy but enough to prevent us going out?  Yeah.  Ugh.

I’ll make some soap, maybe even two batches!   Why can’t we have an additional 3-day weekend in the summer when we can enjoy it?!

Yesterday, with the morning stolen by the ice and snow, I was in a lot of a rush to get Ken’s bento done and his Sweet-heart’s Day “gift” finished. I short-cutted the bento at the last minute, substituting what I’d wanted to make with tamagoyaki (Japanese omlette). I did, however, finally get his proper V-day present made. Handmade chocolates. Truffles, to be precise. I didn’t get the whole batch done – but enough to tuck into the newest cute little bento box I have for him (I’ve been saving this one). They’re small, and aren’t “pretty” but they look like truffles (real ones) and taste great. I hope he likes them.

This morning, while we were curled up together between snooze-alarm outbursts, I dozed off and dreamt something was happening that wasn’t (something good). It was only after we actually got up that I realized this, and laughed with Ken about it. I’m so glad that we’re so compatible in almost every way. On today, the day to celebrate romance, I love knowing that our whole year is full of romance of one sort or another, and that just kissing him still sets us on fire. He gives me fever…

We got 5″ or so of snow last night that turned to rain before we went to bed and rained all night and gave us 1/2″ of ice this morning. It’s still raining, and slightly above freezing, so it’s now 5″ or so of sludge. We woke up to no alarm this morning. Yay. The cable was out too, so no way to phone the power company and let them know. We’ve been turning the heat down in the lower level of the house at night to save energy (and money), so the downstairs was… brisk. We showered our feet (the water pump just couldn’t last more than 30 seconds), bundled us and the boys up, trudged down the hill to where Ken parked last night and drove in to his work. Made a few calls and headed off to Perkins for breakfast. It was good, though we need to remember to stop ordering breakfast for the boys. They do much better eating off our plates, and even kids meal sizes are 4x’s too big.

So we’re back now. Power’s on, cable works, showers have been had (ahhh!), Ken’s off to work and the boys are being rewarded for their good behaviour this morning with tele. Well, that’s my excuse at least. Ken’ll be home on time tonight since he’ll have to clear off the bottom of the driveway to park tonight since it’s going to freeze all our sludge (and then continue with the melt’n'freeze cycle for the rest of the week).

This sort of situation tends to happen at least once a year in the winter – wherein we have no power and have to bundle up our offspring for a long morning of driving and eating and staying warm until the power’s back on. Every year we promise we’ll try to save up for a generator. Maybe this year will be the one. Not that we’re going to freeze to death, but it’s annoying.

Lately Ken and I have been indulging and stocked our liquor cabinet up a bit and bought a few mixing books.  Our standard, initially, was White Russians (yum) but we’ve been getting “adventurous” and trying new stuff on and off.  I’m not a straight liquor kinda gal, but I just love Jelly Donuts (Amaretto and Bailey’s).  Amaretto is my new favourite smell, too.  YUM!  Ken tried a new hot drink that’s just the perfect end to a long, cold day.  No caffeine, relaxing, warm.  An Amaretto Sour Toddy.  1oz Amaretto, 1/2tbsp lemon juice, 1/2tbsp lime juice, 1.5tsp sugar mixed in a mug and add hot water.  It’s like a lovely lemon herbal tea with a cherry finish to it.  Not at all alcoholy but more body than tea delivers.  So awesome!  I highly recommend!

I did not make soap this weekend, figuring I’d best get my labels in gear before making yet more soap I can’t give/sell away.  The labelling, however, is going well so maybe I’ll make the almond soap later this week.

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying making Ken’s bento, and have started making double portions and having some at lunch too.  I’m still waiting for my own box to arrive so that I can have it all packed up for me too.  I deserve a cute little lunch too, damnit!

Aside: made a super fast, yummy dinner last night: 1lb chicken breast(s) cut into 4, taco seasoning mix, 1/2lb red potato sliced thin, shredded cheese, salsa… preheat to 400F, lay out 4 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil (or double up with the plain type), lay 1/4 of the potato on each, then chicken sprinkled with seasoning mix, then salsa, then cheese.  Seal up pouches well and pop into oven for 35mins or internal temp is 160F.  Eat!  Super fast (10min prep time + 30min cook time wherein I do nothing but wait) and yummy and easy!

We got our property tax bill and it was quite a bit more than we’d expected and as we’re paying this (the mortgage company always pays it late which means more money for us to pay back) we need to file our taxes PRONTO.  But can’t since we’re waiting for two little bits of paper.  The refund will cover the property tax, thankfully, but it means we need to not run away.  I’m bummed, but running away costs money and babe, we’re strapped.

On that note we’re doing our best to conserve energy since our energy costs this winter are cahrayzee.  We’ve replaced many of the light bulbs with fluorescents, we’ve turned down the heat as much as we can bear and at night down further.  I sewed (me!  sewed!) a draft-killer-thingy for the basement door (since it’s not insulated down there and we get a nasty draft under the door).  I used some old jersey sheets we were going to toss – the pillow cases are just door-width so they worked well.  I ran out of stuffing, though, so the one for the bonus room (another uninsulated room though we have a big poof chair in front of it to block the draft) will have to wait.

I heard a rumour that, as part of an economic boost, the gov’mnt will be sending out refund checks based on income.  I hope so, since those will be buying supplies to finish the bonus room.  Unless, of course, I start to sell soap and am swamped with orders and become a millionaire soap tycoon.

What?  You don’t think?

I give up. My yearly dip into winter depression is firmly at hand. It’s frustrating knowing that I’ve yet more time to spend in this “funk” and I can’t really do anything about it beyond what I have been (distraction and rest). At least I know I’ll make it out.

I’ve a few things to distract me, these days, which will help. Lots of supplies for continuing Ken’s obento (and soon mine, as soon as my bento box arrives). More soapmaking supplies for a new recipe and some new scents to try out (I can make 3 batches and have 4 scents… decisions decisions to make!). My seeds arrived for the garden, so I can organize when I need to do what and plan plan plan. I’ve got a few books to read. Between all of that I should do fine. Not happy, but I’ll do.