Thanks to Alauna, of the famed Things Alauna Makes, I am inspired to take on the 30 days of creativity challenge. You can learn more about this amazing challenge here. So...with this challenge comes many blogs. I don't think I can commit to blogging every day in June...but I can commit to showing you all everything I have 'created'
Part of being creative is noticing when you're actually creating. So, some of the posts will be actual projects. Some might be dinner. Or, whatever else I have found I created during the day. I am going to make a conscience effort to purposefully create. But, if I find myself at the end of the day without something I purposefully made for this challenge, I will be creative and find something I did. :)
So...here's to the next 30 days! Wish me luck!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Butterfly Cupcakes!
Baby turned one this week! I've always wanted to be 'that mom' I have dreams of being the house all the kids come hang out at after school, with warm cookies waiting for them. I knew I had to do something special--it was her FIRST birthday!
Mom got me the book Hello, Cupcake! for Christmas this year. I immediately picked out the butterfly cupcakes. I HAD to make them. This turned out to be the perfect occasion!
I made two kinds of cake: Chocolate and Apple. I wanted a 'healthier' cake option for the little ones (apple), and Husband loves all things chocolate, I'm rather picky about my chocolate. (I don't like it in chip form. or ice cream form. or cake form.) Basically, I like chocolate, but not chocolate flavored things. ANYWAY, I asked my favorite blogger for her favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. These are great. I even liked them and I don't like chocolate cake. They're a bit tangy, and not too sweet. Husband thought they could be more 'chocolate-y' but everyone else raved about them! (Thanks, Alauna). They're dense and perfect. Mine fell a bit, but I do live a mile high, and haven't quite perfected the art of baking at altitude.
The apple cake was a slight adaptation from the Williams Sonoma Essentials of Baking. While they're not exactly "healthy" they DO have apples in them. That counts, right?
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
3/4c unsalted butter
1 1/2c granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2c buttermilk
2c diced, peeled apples (I used two average sized apples and didn't measure this exactly)
Preheat oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in 1/3 the flour mixture until almost incorporated. Then, fold in 1/2 the buttermilk. Alternate with more flour, the rest of the buttermilk, and end with flour. Fold until the batter is smooth and flour is incorporated.
This recipe is actually for a 13x9 cake, but it worked just fine for cupcakes. These even rose for me! The result is cinnamon-y, and the texture is light and fluffy. These were great, and baby loved them. But, then again, she'll eat anything with cinnamon. :)
On to the fun part! Decorating them with beautiful butterflies! I didn't manage to take any pictures while I was making them. I was busy stressing about the party. I'll do my best to walk you through it, but Hello, Cupcake! really does a fantastic job.
I frosted the cupcakes first, using a technique I used for a different type of cupcake from the book. Start with a tub of store-bought frosting. Put it in the microwave for 15 second intervals until it is soft and runny, the consistency of pancake batter. Dip cupcakes in and let frosting dry. This method of frosting is so much faster than traditional frosting, AND the result is amazing, perfectly frosted cakes. So smooth looking! And the frosting dries semi-hard, great for decorating.
For the butterflies, draw wing shapes on a piece of paper, put wax paper over it, and pipe melted Wilton candy wafers onto the paper. I started with the chocolate outline, and while it was still wet, I piped the color inside the chocolate. Then, take a toothpick to 'swirl' the chocolate into the color and combine them. Each wing is made separately. Also, pipe antennae shapes on the wax paper with the chocolate wafers.
**Please note: you can NOT put food coloring into the melting wafers. I learned this from experience. You can dye them, but you must use powdered food coloring, available at a baking supply store.
When all the wings and antennae are dry, carefully peel off the wax paper. Place each wing on cupcake with a chocolate chip under each one, to help hold them in an upright position. Place antennae between wings, and pipe a body onto the cupcake. I used more chocolate wafers for this, and it worked great, as it dried quickly, and fused the wings upright and the antennae all together.
These look incredibly impressive, and make a perfect centerpiece.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
New Blog!
Just a quick note to let you all know that my reviews have moved to a new home:
mamatested.blogspot.com
Please, check it out! :)
This blog will continue, but will stick to the 'craftingmaven' side of things....soon to come, butterfly cupcakes! Stay tuned.
mamatested.blogspot.com
Please, check it out! :)
This blog will continue, but will stick to the 'craftingmaven' side of things....soon to come, butterfly cupcakes! Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
being green
Its been a bit since my last post. Two things contribute to this: 1. I was on vacation. 2. I was fretting over content. I was inspired by my friend's itty bitty impact blog. I wanted to write about being green! But, thats not a review OR something I made. So, I have made the executive decision that I will be starting a separate blog for my reviews. (More on that to come!) And this one can be things I make. And whatever else I want. Ok, moral dilemma solved! Moving on...
Back to itty bitty impact. Have you gone to it yet? Do it. Go click on the link above. You will leave inspired. I recently read Cheri's list and thought, wow, I should make a list of what we're doing. Most of what we do to be green is easy. And, a lot of it is cheaper. (Have I mentioned I'm a cheapskate?) Here it goes:
• we carpool. everyday. (husband and I work together, so this is easier) Less gas=less money.
• we pack our lunches. almost every day. we use reuseable bags to bring our lunch in. We use recycled plastic containers to bring it in. (Think Noodles to-go containers!) I wash ziplog bags. I RARELY have to buy ziploc bags. Baby's lunch is packed in re-useable containers. Money saved=less ziploc bags, containers, etc.
• we made our own babyfood. not only is this better for baby since we knew exactly what was in her food, but we didn't buy excessive amounts of glass/plastic jars. We used ice cube trays to freeze small portions. This is exorbitantly cheaper than pre-made babyfoods. I can buy a whole POUND of sweet potatoes for the cost of just one jar of babyfood.
• we recently got rid of all our dandelions sans-pesticides/chemicals. this involved half a day with a trowel and digging them up by the roots, but it worked. and lawn is safe for puppy and baby. Cheaper because pesticides cost money.
• we use only reuseable grocery bags. this is 'cheaper' too, since most of them were free to begin with, and the stores we shop at give us a credit for re-using!
• I buy all of the dirty dozen organic only. Sometimes this isn't cheaper, but since baby was born, this has become more and more important to me. For the cheapskate's guide to organic, check out this site. Be sure to also check out the clean foods.
• Now that baby is starting to drink milk, we're going to have our milk delivered. In re-useable glass bottles. No more plastic! AND they have cheese. and eggs. I can't wait.
• We use a programmable thermostat. I am always cold, but I'm too cheap to turn on the heat. We keep our house cool in the winter and warm in the summer. Ceiling fans that reverse for winter help.
• We cook mostly from scratch. This reduces waste from packaged foods, and we know exactly whats in our food. Also, again, its cheaper, for the most part.
• We recycle. Which, believe it or not, is not required here. In fact, we'd have to PAY to have it picked up separately. We drive our recycleables to the recycling center, where it is free to drop them off. I can't get over the fact that recycling isn't required here. But, I digress.
• We use metal water bottles. We bring them everywhere. No buying bottled water! Ever. Husband also travels with a re-useable coffee mug. No styrofoam or paper cups, and refills are usually cheaper in your own mug.
• We use only CFL bulbs. They last forever and when bought on sale, they're similarly priced.
And the ever-expanding list of things we need to start doing
• Stop buying cleaning products and make my own. think less chemicals, less bottles. I think I will start with Cheri's great recipe!
• Get rid of my swiffer and get a steam mop. more expensive at first, no cost after initial investment. and, clean floors with just water!! WATER.
• Cloth diapers. While the difference between landfill v. water usage is a debatable one, especially when living where water is scarce, I still just can't get past the landfill filling the diapers cause. Since baby is fulltime in daycare, I can't fully switch, but I could be doing something.
• Gardening. I used to have a veggie garden, but being gone for much of my summer has stopped that. Perhaps I can plant fall vegetables?
• Stop using those pesky plastic produce bags. I bring my own grocery bags, but can't figure out what to do for produce. I usually resort to putting my items loose in my cart, much to the chagrin of the check-out people.
• Compost. In the suburbs with a postage stamp sized yard, and a doggie that quite likes smelly things, this is challenging. But, not impossible.
I'm sure there's millions of things I could be doing, and probably a few that I am doing that I've failed to mention. But trust me, the things we're already doing are painless. And, often cheaper than the alternatives. I challenge you to pick up one new 'green' habit by the end of next month. In turn, I will pick up a new habit too.
What are you currently doing? What can I add to my list?
Back to itty bitty impact. Have you gone to it yet? Do it. Go click on the link above. You will leave inspired. I recently read Cheri's list and thought, wow, I should make a list of what we're doing. Most of what we do to be green is easy. And, a lot of it is cheaper. (Have I mentioned I'm a cheapskate?) Here it goes:
• we carpool. everyday. (husband and I work together, so this is easier) Less gas=less money.
• we pack our lunches. almost every day. we use reuseable bags to bring our lunch in. We use recycled plastic containers to bring it in. (Think Noodles to-go containers!) I wash ziplog bags. I RARELY have to buy ziploc bags. Baby's lunch is packed in re-useable containers. Money saved=less ziploc bags, containers, etc.
• we made our own babyfood. not only is this better for baby since we knew exactly what was in her food, but we didn't buy excessive amounts of glass/plastic jars. We used ice cube trays to freeze small portions. This is exorbitantly cheaper than pre-made babyfoods. I can buy a whole POUND of sweet potatoes for the cost of just one jar of babyfood.
• we recently got rid of all our dandelions sans-pesticides/chemicals. this involved half a day with a trowel and digging them up by the roots, but it worked. and lawn is safe for puppy and baby. Cheaper because pesticides cost money.
• we use only reuseable grocery bags. this is 'cheaper' too, since most of them were free to begin with, and the stores we shop at give us a credit for re-using!
• I buy all of the dirty dozen organic only. Sometimes this isn't cheaper, but since baby was born, this has become more and more important to me. For the cheapskate's guide to organic, check out this site. Be sure to also check out the clean foods.
• Now that baby is starting to drink milk, we're going to have our milk delivered. In re-useable glass bottles. No more plastic! AND they have cheese. and eggs. I can't wait.
• We use a programmable thermostat. I am always cold, but I'm too cheap to turn on the heat. We keep our house cool in the winter and warm in the summer. Ceiling fans that reverse for winter help.
• We cook mostly from scratch. This reduces waste from packaged foods, and we know exactly whats in our food. Also, again, its cheaper, for the most part.
• We recycle. Which, believe it or not, is not required here. In fact, we'd have to PAY to have it picked up separately. We drive our recycleables to the recycling center, where it is free to drop them off. I can't get over the fact that recycling isn't required here. But, I digress.
• We use metal water bottles. We bring them everywhere. No buying bottled water! Ever. Husband also travels with a re-useable coffee mug. No styrofoam or paper cups, and refills are usually cheaper in your own mug.
• We use only CFL bulbs. They last forever and when bought on sale, they're similarly priced.
And the ever-expanding list of things we need to start doing
• Stop buying cleaning products and make my own. think less chemicals, less bottles. I think I will start with Cheri's great recipe!
• Get rid of my swiffer and get a steam mop. more expensive at first, no cost after initial investment. and, clean floors with just water!! WATER.
• Cloth diapers. While the difference between landfill v. water usage is a debatable one, especially when living where water is scarce, I still just can't get past the landfill filling the diapers cause. Since baby is fulltime in daycare, I can't fully switch, but I could be doing something.
• Gardening. I used to have a veggie garden, but being gone for much of my summer has stopped that. Perhaps I can plant fall vegetables?
• Stop using those pesky plastic produce bags. I bring my own grocery bags, but can't figure out what to do for produce. I usually resort to putting my items loose in my cart, much to the chagrin of the check-out people.
• Compost. In the suburbs with a postage stamp sized yard, and a doggie that quite likes smelly things, this is challenging. But, not impossible.
I'm sure there's millions of things I could be doing, and probably a few that I am doing that I've failed to mention. But trust me, the things we're already doing are painless. And, often cheaper than the alternatives. I challenge you to pick up one new 'green' habit by the end of next month. In turn, I will pick up a new habit too.
What are you currently doing? What can I add to my list?
Friday, April 30, 2010
"Homemade" Grilled Margherita Pizza
Ok, So this isn't exactly pizza from scratch. But, its also not a pre-assembled, store-bought pizza. In the past, this would have included home-grown tomatoes and home-made sauce. But, life changes and now I'm a working mama. Don't fault me for not making it all. :)
We make our 'homemade' pizza on the grill. The grilled crust is AMAZING! One of the other best things about this pizza is that its cheap! About $6 for the whole pizza. It would be even cheaper if I still grew my own tomatoes! :)
Ingredients:
Frozen Pizza dough $1.79 (from Sprouts, for those of you in the Denver area)
Marinara Sauce $1.33 (I buy All Natural Old World Pizza Sauce--its actually 3 4oz pouches in a box for $3.99)
Fresh Tomatoes $.99/lb (about 50 cents of tomatoes)
Fresh Mozzarella $5.99/lb (about $2 worth of cheese)
Basil from garden FREE!
Directions:
Follow directions for dough.
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, grease foil. (I use spray-able vegetable oil)
Spread dough on tin foil, poke with fork several times.
Put dough on grill, aluminum foil side up. Peel off foil. Grill until underside is desired brown-ness.
Take off grill, bring inside.
Invert dough on greased tin foil so 'raw' side is down.
Spread sauce over cooked side of dough. Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves.
Put pizza back on grill, to finish raw side of dough and melt cheese.
The grilled crust and fresh mozzarella makes such a difference!! This same pizza with shredded mozz in the oven is just not the same! This is a great, quick, weeknight dinner for us. Its best enjoyed sitting outside with a beer! But, usually its eaten in a rush before I dash out the door for yoga!
We make our 'homemade' pizza on the grill. The grilled crust is AMAZING! One of the other best things about this pizza is that its cheap! About $6 for the whole pizza. It would be even cheaper if I still grew my own tomatoes! :)
Ingredients:
Frozen Pizza dough $1.79 (from Sprouts, for those of you in the Denver area)
Marinara Sauce $1.33 (I buy All Natural Old World Pizza Sauce--its actually 3 4oz pouches in a box for $3.99)
Fresh Tomatoes $.99/lb (about 50 cents of tomatoes)
Fresh Mozzarella $5.99/lb (about $2 worth of cheese)
Basil from garden FREE!
Directions:
Follow directions for dough.
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil, grease foil. (I use spray-able vegetable oil)
Spread dough on tin foil, poke with fork several times.
Put dough on grill, aluminum foil side up. Peel off foil. Grill until underside is desired brown-ness.
Take off grill, bring inside.
Invert dough on greased tin foil so 'raw' side is down.
Spread sauce over cooked side of dough. Top with sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves.
Put pizza back on grill, to finish raw side of dough and melt cheese.
The grilled crust and fresh mozzarella makes such a difference!! This same pizza with shredded mozz in the oven is just not the same! This is a great, quick, weeknight dinner for us. Its best enjoyed sitting outside with a beer! But, usually its eaten in a rush before I dash out the door for yoga!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Review of the Bumbleride Indie Stroller
**Please note, the reviews portion of my blog has a new home!! Please check out mamatested!!**
We set out convinced we would not become a 3, 4, or *gasp* 5 stroller family. Everyone told us that no matter what by time baby was 1, we had at least 3 strollers. We decided we would NOT conform to that norm. So, we decided we could splurge a bit on the stroller. We'd been careful about our other spending. Thanks to two nieces, we have plenty of baby clothes (and toddler clothes, and pre-schooler clothes, so money wasn't going there)...we started looking for strollers while I was still comfortably pregnant. We read every review available on every stroller available. Google started noticing. Suddenly, my gmail account was flooded with ads about babies. Wait, we're having a baby!? whoa. Anyway, once we were past that, we spent literally every spare moment consumed with stroller searches. If we're only getting one, it has to be sturdy. and all-terrain. and pretty. (have I mentioned husband and I are designers by trade?) It has to be well designed and look nice. And, while I decided we could splurge, my practicality (or what husband would call my cheap-skate side) still overtook me. $500 for a stroller?? (or $1000 for that matter...I'm not buying a car, here). We looked at SO SO many. I soon had my heart set on a 3-wheel model. I have friends with babies. Watching them try to push a 4-plastic-wheeled Graco through a lawn makes me cringe. Surely, there's better design out there. Plus, I had visions of myself going on really intense hikes with this thing. (where can you hike that is stroller friendly?! I've learned that requires a backpack or sling, and that's for another time). We also went with a not-super traditional infant carseat (read, not Graco), and I was convinced we could find a stroller that worked with our Chicco Keyfit 30. This was one of the few that did.
Soon, husband had me convinced the Bumbleride Indie was the stroller for us. I still balked at the price, but after I found a site with no tax, free shipping ,and 15% off, I was sold. (it was a sale, I couldn't resist). I did have some nervousness of buying a stroller sight-unseen, but seeing as there are no retailers within a 100 mile radius of us, and none for sale on Craigslist, I decided we'd done our research and it would be ok.
When I was at 38 weeks and still had no stroller, due to delays in shipping, I began to panic. Why couldn't I have picked something out from a store that I could SEE? How would I take baby for walks? What if I wanted to go somewhere? (Little did I know a 3 day old baby does not need a stroller, and a 3-day postpartum mommie cannot walk around the block). Stroller FINALLY arrived when baby was a week or two old. (see, I don't even remember when it mattered so little at the time). I (yes, I, husband was at work and I could not wait) immediately assembled it. In about 10 minutes. It looks nice! But how does it perform? I took it out for a walk, and immediately loved it.
Simply stated, we love this stroller.
The list of things we love:
• The weight. Only 20lbs! (if you've done your research, you know this is pretty good for a full-sized metal framed stroller)
• The look. This is a cool looking stroller.
• Easy to fold.
• Easy to store. It folds relatively small for a full-size.
• It comes with a rain cover. (and we've actually used it!)
• VERY easy to steer. Even one-handed.
• Lockable front wheel. While this is not a REAL jog stroller, it serves its purpose for me, as I'm not a jogger. On the rare occasion I decide to pick up the pace, the locked wheel is a necessity.
• Large under-basket. I can fit a yoga mat in there! (ok, it sticks out a little, but still). I can realistically fit a full-sized diaper bag in there, AND snacks AND shopping bags AND a blanket. really.
• Mommy cup-holder. While it does seem like a bit of an after-thought, design wise, its a feature I need. And its expandable. Full size Nalgene, no problem. Small Starbucks, still no problem.
• Large sun-shade. We live in Colorado. 300 days of sunshine. This is one of the better sunshades. And with the carseat, I could connect the two and baby was in her own little shaded bubble.
• Adjustable handle. I am 5 feet tall. Husband is 6'2" Adjustable is a must. While it doesn't telescope, the adjustments fit us both great.
• Metal frame. Its durable. Trust me. I backed into ours when it was folded and stored behind my car in the garage. I pushed it out the garage, where one wheel got stuck between our garage and driveway, and pushed some more. It still works! Husband had to re-align the wheels a bit, but its not even bent.
• It works as a 'system' with our Chicco Keyfit 30.
The list of things we wish it did/had:
• Reversible seating. Baby was ready to sit in the stroller sans-carseat far before I was ready for her to not face me.
• Child tray. As baby gets older, I see the value a snack tray/cup holder would have for her. You can buy an attachment, but I like things to come with my original purchase.
• I feel like the seat could be more upright. It is fully recline-able, even to almost flat. But, when its completely upright, I feel like baby is still a bit reclined.
• While the sunshade is one of the larger, I wish it was larger still. Is it ever enough when trying to keep baby out of the sun?
• Wish it had an option of adding a second seat, somehow. Like Phil and Ted's. Seems almost silly to have bought a single stroller that we love knowing we'd be having another.
When I asked hubby for some ideas of what he wish he did/had, he said: "our stroller? ummm, I wish it teleported." Guess that means he likes it too.
The final testament to how much we love this stroller: Baby is 11 months now, and we own exactly 2 strollers. Why two you ask? While I COULD fly with this one, (and we considered it), I decided I would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to it while it was being gate checked. So, step in travel/flying stroller. We did cave and we do own two. But that's it!
We set out convinced we would not become a 3, 4, or *gasp* 5 stroller family. Everyone told us that no matter what by time baby was 1, we had at least 3 strollers. We decided we would NOT conform to that norm. So, we decided we could splurge a bit on the stroller. We'd been careful about our other spending. Thanks to two nieces, we have plenty of baby clothes (and toddler clothes, and pre-schooler clothes, so money wasn't going there)...we started looking for strollers while I was still comfortably pregnant. We read every review available on every stroller available. Google started noticing. Suddenly, my gmail account was flooded with ads about babies. Wait, we're having a baby!? whoa. Anyway, once we were past that, we spent literally every spare moment consumed with stroller searches. If we're only getting one, it has to be sturdy. and all-terrain. and pretty. (have I mentioned husband and I are designers by trade?) It has to be well designed and look nice. And, while I decided we could splurge, my practicality (or what husband would call my cheap-skate side) still overtook me. $500 for a stroller?? (or $1000 for that matter...I'm not buying a car, here). We looked at SO SO many. I soon had my heart set on a 3-wheel model. I have friends with babies. Watching them try to push a 4-plastic-wheeled Graco through a lawn makes me cringe. Surely, there's better design out there. Plus, I had visions of myself going on really intense hikes with this thing. (where can you hike that is stroller friendly?! I've learned that requires a backpack or sling, and that's for another time). We also went with a not-super traditional infant carseat (read, not Graco), and I was convinced we could find a stroller that worked with our Chicco Keyfit 30. This was one of the few that did.
Soon, husband had me convinced the Bumbleride Indie was the stroller for us. I still balked at the price, but after I found a site with no tax, free shipping ,and 15% off, I was sold. (it was a sale, I couldn't resist). I did have some nervousness of buying a stroller sight-unseen, but seeing as there are no retailers within a 100 mile radius of us, and none for sale on Craigslist, I decided we'd done our research and it would be ok.
When I was at 38 weeks and still had no stroller, due to delays in shipping, I began to panic. Why couldn't I have picked something out from a store that I could SEE? How would I take baby for walks? What if I wanted to go somewhere? (Little did I know a 3 day old baby does not need a stroller, and a 3-day postpartum mommie cannot walk around the block). Stroller FINALLY arrived when baby was a week or two old. (see, I don't even remember when it mattered so little at the time). I (yes, I, husband was at work and I could not wait) immediately assembled it. In about 10 minutes. It looks nice! But how does it perform? I took it out for a walk, and immediately loved it.
Simply stated, we love this stroller.
The list of things we love:
• The weight. Only 20lbs! (if you've done your research, you know this is pretty good for a full-sized metal framed stroller)
• The look. This is a cool looking stroller.
• Easy to fold.
• Easy to store. It folds relatively small for a full-size.
• It comes with a rain cover. (and we've actually used it!)
• VERY easy to steer. Even one-handed.
• Lockable front wheel. While this is not a REAL jog stroller, it serves its purpose for me, as I'm not a jogger. On the rare occasion I decide to pick up the pace, the locked wheel is a necessity.
• Large under-basket. I can fit a yoga mat in there! (ok, it sticks out a little, but still). I can realistically fit a full-sized diaper bag in there, AND snacks AND shopping bags AND a blanket. really.
• Mommy cup-holder. While it does seem like a bit of an after-thought, design wise, its a feature I need. And its expandable. Full size Nalgene, no problem. Small Starbucks, still no problem.
• Large sun-shade. We live in Colorado. 300 days of sunshine. This is one of the better sunshades. And with the carseat, I could connect the two and baby was in her own little shaded bubble.
• Adjustable handle. I am 5 feet tall. Husband is 6'2" Adjustable is a must. While it doesn't telescope, the adjustments fit us both great.
• Metal frame. Its durable. Trust me. I backed into ours when it was folded and stored behind my car in the garage. I pushed it out the garage, where one wheel got stuck between our garage and driveway, and pushed some more. It still works! Husband had to re-align the wheels a bit, but its not even bent.
• It works as a 'system' with our Chicco Keyfit 30.
The list of things we wish it did/had:
• Reversible seating. Baby was ready to sit in the stroller sans-carseat far before I was ready for her to not face me.
• Child tray. As baby gets older, I see the value a snack tray/cup holder would have for her. You can buy an attachment, but I like things to come with my original purchase.
• I feel like the seat could be more upright. It is fully recline-able, even to almost flat. But, when its completely upright, I feel like baby is still a bit reclined.
• While the sunshade is one of the larger, I wish it was larger still. Is it ever enough when trying to keep baby out of the sun?
• Wish it had an option of adding a second seat, somehow. Like Phil and Ted's. Seems almost silly to have bought a single stroller that we love knowing we'd be having another.
When I asked hubby for some ideas of what he wish he did/had, he said: "our stroller? ummm, I wish it teleported." Guess that means he likes it too.
The final testament to how much we love this stroller: Baby is 11 months now, and we own exactly 2 strollers. Why two you ask? While I COULD fly with this one, (and we considered it), I decided I would be absolutely devastated if anything happened to it while it was being gate checked. So, step in travel/flying stroller. We did cave and we do own two. But that's it!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Ok, so I didn't make it, but husband did!
Charlie is turning one! In 3 weeks to be precise. Since husband and I are both designers, we like to make all of our cards, invites, etc. Often, we get lazy, or time just gets away from us and I end up running to Target or logging on to a photo site and picking something out that we're both less than excited about. For Charlie's first birthday, I was determined we would design her invites. Recently, a friend asked if I had thought about what we were going to do for her first birthday yet. I replied something lengthy along the lines of: "I'm going to make these ridiculous butterfly cupcakes, and we're having people over and Charlie's little friends, and we're going to ToysRUs this weekend to pick out some presents and I'm really sad none of the grandparents will be making it, but it will still be really great" (Imagine that all in one breath.) To which friend replied. "uhhh ok" I guess I'm a bit overly excited? ANYWAY, here's the card husband designed. I cut them all. We had some left over mint-y green envelopes left over from her announcements, so that was easily taken care of.
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