Holiday Cheer in the Blogoshere: O Christmas Tree

 

I am a little late joining this link up for showing off our 2013 Christmas but I am pretty proud of it.   Normally our tree is covered with black,  silver, and white ornaments but then I thought of our toddler throwing those breakable ornaments like toys.   

I had to find something that was toddler friendly and the word "shatterproof" spoke to me during my trip to Hobby Lobby.  I decided that I could spend no more than $15 to refresh our toddler safe 2013 since we already had so much nice (but very breakable) Christmas ornaments already. 

I after circling each of the Christmas aisles three times I picked out a bright blue/greenish hue to add to my silver.  I spent $4 for a new base sheet cover, $5 on ribbon to make the bow the spiral down the tree, and $6 on two boxes of mini Christmas bulbs with 18 bulbs each.

I was pretty proud of myself:

I laugh at my improve skills in trying to find something to lift the tree higher off the ground, what do you think?

Yep, those are full diaper boxes, taped together, and then the tree base taped to it too.  It isn't going anywhere on my watch!  It works for me and after Christmas I may talk myself into a clearance taller tree.

Thanks for stopping by, Holland

Christmas Pj Party

What's cuter than all holiday pjs in the stores? Seeing them on our little minis! Today I am liking up with the Christmas pajama party.

We decorated our tree in our Christmas pjs:

I think he actually smiled because I let him stand on a chair for once....

We have a couple other pairs but haven't caught them on camera yet; we also snagged a cute pair for next year!  Again Wal-Mart $5.88 for some cute ones ranging from newborn to 5T!

Lessons from my toddler

I am organizing my photos and I keep finding some real gems....I decided to put a quote with a few and share them-here's the first:

Happy Monday everyone!

Holland

Holiday Cheer in the Blogoshere: Merry Mantel

Today is the first of the Christmas Link-Ups that I will be participating in and the subject is Merry Mantels.

Our fireplace and mantel sit directly below the TV so we I don't have the option of switching in a seasonal print or mirror..well I could cover the TV but I am pretty sure the hubs wouldn't stand for it!  I make do with what I have and so I present our  2013 Mantel:

A stocking for each of us with our initials, the "G" stocking hanger for our last name, some beads, with a couple of extra large silver ornaments.  I added some black metal trees from Target a couple years back.

The last several years our tree has been silver and black but I inserted a turquoise this year and have yet to find a stocking I like to replace the middle red stocking.  When I do, I will insert an updated photo.

Happy holiday decorating and season to all!

Holland

Why can't a girl get a free "who-ha" exam, it's bad enough I shouldn't have to pay too!

Twice this week I have had questions regarding an amount a doctor visit costed me and I not only spoke up twice but was right both times!

Insurance is very confusing and with Obamacare forcing some healthcare changes (won't say my beliefs on good or bad...) it won't be getting any easier.  I chose many times to go green and get electronic statements but when I had the option for my health insurance explanation of benefits papers (EOB) I declined.  I want to physically hold in my hand what was charged to insurance and what it is going to cost me.  I know I can look them up online but I wouldn't do it every time nor keep track of the whole family's appointments to look it up after each visit.  The paper versions are my best option.

I worked in Human Resources next to the benefits lady for six years and I thought I knew my plan well.  I was shocked to be told I owed $35 for a Pap smear/ women's exam.  I questioned it there at the office but was told otherwise.  It didn't sit well so today I got out my insurance book and found my answer: "pay nothing for an annual physical and covered preventive screenings."  Well I would say I went in for the exam as a preventive measure- it sure as hell wasn't for fun.  

I called the office back and after explaining and reading the some sentence to the lady four times, I was told that I would have a $35 credit on my account.  The second time was a different bill that was $21 more than normal. 

My lesson to share is don't be afraid to second guess charges, if it doesn't sit right look it up, call your insurance, and/or ask for someone else to help you- it just might save you money or get you better educated on your benefits!

Good-bye old friend...RIP pacifiers

As I sit hear writing this, my little one is screaming in his crib.  He missed his last nap and if that alone wasn't hard enough it is night number two without his pacifier.

Grant hasn't gotten his pacifier outside the crib or car seat (longer trips) since he was 11 months.  I wanted to pull the paci at one year but it didn't happen.  I was weak...and I gave in.  He isn't sleeping with with pacifier all night long just to calm down enough to fall asleep.  He will get in the crib and search for his paci, once he found it he would pop it in his mouth and lay peacefully.  

Greg and I talked about how hard it was going to be to get rid of and on the two hour drive home from Thanksgiving yesterday, I cut off the tip of his paci.  We gave it to him and watched him twist the thing around in his mouth, trying to make it fit right for 40 minutes.  It was pretty cute...I couldn't help spy on him in the mirror taking it in and out, staring at it, and twisting it around.  He cried some and fell asleep with the broken one hanging out of his mouth.  

Nap time yesterday was hard too. Fifteen minutes of crying and consoling to lay back down eventually got us a two hour nap.  The first night routine was the same bath, bed, sippy, but no paci.  Grant cried for fifteen minutes than was silent for ten...we thought he went to sleep but we got ten more minutes of soft sobs with him laying down in the crib before he slept all night.  

Day one over...not to bad....it still broke my heart to hear those cries but today I failed.  I had the opportunity to have Grant preoccupied when I dropped him off at daycare this morning and I took it.  I 

set him down and he went over to a little baby that was crying and I left without saying bye, causing a scene, or needing his teacher to peel him off of my leg crying.  

I had a plan to speak to the teacher about the no paci change and take what they had home with me....I forgot and it caused both Grant and I more pain.  He had two naps with a paci at daycare-so much for our progress yesterday!  

Fast forward bedtime right now, he spent ten minutes crying before the hubs went in, calmed him down, rubbed his back, and gave him kisses.  My sister told us just to go cold turkey and hearing him cry is hard.  I want to run in and give him a paci but know it will be a distant memory soon enough.  

The cries are louder now followed by a couple sheiks then nothing...28 minutes in now...

It's quiet now...I can't see any movement on the video monitor...hopefully this crying period will get shorter each sleep time and I can report back with some good news soon.

Thinking ahead- I'm not sure what to do in the car for longer trips, I swore I didn't want a video player but I completely understand it is probably just as good for the parents' sanity as the child!

Any suggestions welcome...

Happy December to all! 

Holland