I'm not lost...

In case any of you are wondering about me, I thought I'd let you know that I am still blogging, it's just been on www.muddymamas.net Since we returned home from our summer trip we've been on the road for 2 baby showers, the birth of a bay, a wedding, a funeral and a conference. So I've not had time to do much other blogging.. but if you miss me, go check out our blog.

Ashlee is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Update on Deacon's Family

Since I shared with my readers about the loss of our son's friend last March(click here to read it), I also thought I'd pass on this update posted on another blog. I know I've had many of you ask me as well about the family, so I hope this helps give you some more insight into how they are doing. Thanks for continuing to keep them in your prayers.

Here's the update.

Columbus Busy Bag Swap for Preschool Age

This Swap is now closed. Stay tuned in October to see what we get!

I recently read about a group of people doing a busy bag swap and thought I'd try having a swap locally to cut down on costs (no postage required). So if you want to have a variety of activities for your preschool aged child to do, here's how it works:

1. The swap will include up to 30 swappers which means up to 30 activities for you to take home. If you are interested in participating, look over the activities below and select your top 3 choices. Or if you have another idea of your own, you can submit that as well. The idea is to select a project that can be done for $1 or less per bag so look around your house and see what things you already have available to you as you select an activity. 
2. Tell your local friends about this!
3. By September 10th I will e-mail you with your assignment. If you have not heard from me by then, please comment here to notify me after checking your spam folder.
4. You will have until September 25 to complete your 30 packets. You can drop your packets off at Veritas Community Church (325 2nd Ave Columbus) Thursday, September 22 from 12-3 or Sunday, September 25 from 8-12 or if you know me, you can give it to me. All packets must be submitted by 12 pm on Sunday September 25th.
5. I will sort the sets and they will be available for pick up by October 2nd. 

Here are some ideas from Unsolicited Advice's Busy Bag Swap:

Shapes & Colors
--Shape Hunt & Sort
-- I Have, Who Has Game
(That's a lot of printing, but the game looks so fun. Wonder if you could play the game with just half the number of cards?)
--Double Trouble Shape Match
--Popsicle Color Match
(Make it with felt rather than paper to make it withstand the use of small children)
--Pom Pom Patterns
--Roll-a-Cise

 Numbers/Counting/Early Math
-- Number Wheel
 --Five Fabulous Frogs
(Can use any object and you can make your own sorting mats on smaller sheets of paper)
--Measure It
--Laminated Numeber Tracing Cards and a WASHABLE crayon or dry erase marker
(To keep the cost down, maybe you could just do one page, the numbers 1-12. If you use a crayon, it must be a Crayola washable crayon or it will not wipe off.)
--Felt Number Tiles and Bug Counting Cards

Alphabet
--Any of these alphabet activities from Confessions of a Homeschooler
--Felt Letter Tiles and Alphabet Tile Cards

Just for Fun
--Playdough and Play Mat(s)
(Some ideas: Number Mats, Letter Mats, Shape Mats look under "shapes", Berry Pie Mat, Carrot Planting,Facial Expressions, Feeding Giraffe, )

--Felt Cupcake Decorating
--Clothesline
--Spooning Beads
--Felt Snowflake Builder
(For the board, you can simply glue a sheet of felt to cardstock)
--No Sew Felt Fishing Game

Here are a few more ideas from Money Saving Mom
-Clothesline Busy Bag

-Pool Noodle Stringing
- Cupcake Busy Bag
- Velcro Matching Rods
-Button Snake

And feel free to use your own creative idea or another idea you've seen somewhere else!

Ashlee is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Visiting the doc

Noah was having some tummy trouble so we decided to get him checked out just to be safe. For $7 they analyzed a stool sample & he saw a dr. They said unless he has a fever or vomiting w/ it, just to give him lots of fluids & gave us a prescription to get a powder to make the equivalent of pedialite. If only healthcare were this affordable in the US. Though this price could be someone's daily wages. His "prescription" cost $0.25!

Hopefully it won't last long. Since both of our kids are bad at putting their fingers in their mouth, we decided we'd err on the side of caution & get him checked early.

My little helper

She's already helping clean up after herself! Don't worry, this was the final rinse, not the prewash.

Bath time

This is much easier than bending over a tub!

Road obstacles

Coffee Time

Roasting Corn

Great Cloth Diaper Change

Today Baby Girl and I went to participate in the Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011. I'm glad there were a few people who'd registered in advance that didn't make it (assuming that nothing bad happened) so that we were able to participate at Sprout Soup. We received these nice reusable grocery bags and some other goodies pictured along with a gift card to Firefly Cafe, which is a place I've wanted to check out, so now I'll be more motivated to do it!

I can't wait to hear what the total count was worldwide that participated in the event. It was funny seeing everyone hold up their cloth diapers before changing and then showing off our babies after the change. Here's a picture of our baby girl sitting on the changing pad just before the great cloth diaper change.

It's hard to get a picture of your kid when you're packed in a room with 30 other parents and babies all prepared to change our kids simultaneously. Anyway, it was fun. It was supposed to have been on the news but I missed and haven't found it yet, but I'll post a link if I find it. 

Did anyone else participate in the Great Cloth Diaper Change? How many participants were there were you were?

I'm a winner!

I'm so excited! I finally won something on Nicki's Diapers! I won the snack pack giveaway. This will be great for using on our upcoming trip! I had a 2% chance of winning and won! It was just a few weeks ago i told my husband I never win these sort of things but he reminded me that someone has to win.. so I entered again and won this time! Woo Hoo!

Ashlee is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com