A bit of this, a bit of that

Just a bunch of stuff going through my mind right now:

It's storming like crazy here. Like, power's out at work type of crazy! We're on generators right now.

Carissa is in deep doo doo. We still haven't figured out her punishment, but she broke a bunch of house rules yesterday. She's been doing so well, but my FIL was babysitting yesterday and she took full advantage. And I caught her using her last name and location on the computer. I FLIPPED out. She is grounded from the computer for 2 months. I need her to understand that it's SUPER dangerous to do that.

Tomorrow is Mom's Night Out at The Melting Pot. And it's 1/2 price night, can't beat that. Too bad I can't car pool because I'm leaving from work. I'd like to have a few or ten appletinis.

I don't know what to do about Jocelyn's birthday party. Our pool is likely going to take another 4-5 weeks. Do I put it off for that long? Do I suck it up and do it now with a big hole in my yard? Do I have it someplace like Chuck E Cheese (please no one suggest that)!

Carissa is starting competitive soccer. It's going to be intense. They practice 3 hours per week and have games EVERY SINGLE SATURDAY starting on September 8 and going through February! And then they have four tournaments that are Saturday and Sunday! And I'm not a very good sideline mom. I tend to scream and yell and get all agitated. Not bad stuff, but encourage the kids. I need to learn to keep my big mouth shut. I'll probably go hoarse if I don't!

I just joined BlogHer. It sounds really cool. I would've loved to have gone to the conference. For no other reason that I would have LOVED to have had the chance to hang out with all of those cool gals, and be child free for a weekend. Plus, my friend Nichole lives in Chicago so I could've visited her! We'll see where it goes. I'm no blog genius, but I really enjoy it.

I spent WAY too much money this weekend. I was having a pity party for myself because my husband made me mad. And shopping always makes me feel better. I bought a bunch of stuff at Victoria's Secret, NY and Company and Mervyns. Oh well.

I am doing really well on Body for Life. I'm down to 141. This is the lowest I've been since before Xander was born. And I'm only 5 1/2 weeks into the program. I am hoping to get down to 135. I have actually started to enjoy working out. Might it be that I can lock myself in my room for an hour to lift weights (sans children)? Maybe.

I don't feel like making dinner tonight. I hate making dinner on days that I work. I have no motivation. I love to cook, but not after working all day. And Carissa broke my crock pot on Monday, grrrrr.

I guess this turned into more of a bitchfest. Oh, well.

Happy happy joy joy!

Have you ever met someone that just rubs you the wrong way? You don't really have a good explanation why you don't like them, but you just don't?

I work with one of these people. The guy drives me crazy! He's so full of himself and how wonderful he is and all of the things he's accomplished in his life (he's 76). And he is super annoying. Like he'll say "hi" to each person that passes him 3-4 times each day! HE is super patronizing and overly helpful, but it's only so that he gets the kudos. He thinks he is super important, but half the time he doesn't even do his job correctly. No one can stand him, yet he thinks that the world revolves around him.

Yet, it doesn't! Thank God, my boss has seen the light and given him notice. She was just as annoyed as we were! Friday will be his last day. I only work until Wednesday, so I'll only have to deal with him until then. And to top it off it's Ladies Night Out at the Melting Pot on Wednesday.

What a wonderful week for me!

INSANE!

I just read this post over at Crazy Hip Blog Mamas. Here's more info: So Anyway

Now I'm all riled up! And it usually takes quite a bit to get me all riled up.

I think this is just ridiculous! I cannot believe that the big bad recording companies are SO freaked out right now that they won't even allow a parent to post a video of their child dancing to a song. Claiming copyright issues. What a load of crap! As some have pointed out, does this mean that you can't post a video of your first dance at your wedding? Can you not show a video of your child playing if they have a Nike shirt on? What about if you take a picture of your kitchen and happen to have a Campbell's soup can on the counter? C'mon! It's not like the woman was trying to share the song with the whole world for free. It's 29 SECONDS! Geez, I guess the whole Napster thing really ruined it for everyone.

I applaud her for suing them. I'm not usually one to applaud people for jumping on the lawsuit bandwagon, but someone needs to set these people straight. I hope she wins.

She'll be on "The O'Reilly Factor" tonight if you're interested.

I am a hippie!

This is my oldest daughter's latest term for me. She thinks I am a hippie and has told all of her teachers and friends. Lovely!

At first I was mortified. My vision of a hippie resembles my mother when she was about 20 years old. The long flowing muumuu dress. Long straight hair parted in the middle. No makeup, no bra. Smoking pot while listening to Jimi Hendrix (yes, my mom did this). I was freaked!

I don't think she could be more wrong. I wear makeup and a bra EVERY SINGLE DAY! I have NEVER smoked pot! I don't really care for Jimi's music. And I haven't had long straight hair since I was 6 years old. And I sure as hell don't wear muumuus. What is my daughter thinking?

So, I ask the wise 12 year old. She says I'm a hippie because:
a) we eat organic food whenever possible
b) I wear my babies
c) I cloth diaper my babies
d) I let my babies sleep with me
e) I recycle
f) I try to reduce waste (no plastic water bottles, cloth towels in the kitchen)
g) we are getting a solar heater for our pool
h) I use natural products around the house, such as, tea tree oil and Mrs. Myers products

I guess there's a new definition of hippie! If this is it, then, YES, I AM A HIPPIE! To me, it's not all about global warming. There is so much hype and propaganda about the world being ruined, I'm not sure what to believe. But, if I can do my part and MAYBE help, then I want to.

We actually eat organic food because I'm afraid that all of the preservatives and pesticides may be what's causing ADD and other disorders. Having one child with this disorder I'm trying to do whatever I can to prevent the others from developing it. Plus, it's just healthier.

As far and babywearing and cloth diapering. They are just easy for me. They are both super cute too. And of course my 12 year old enjoyed my philosophy of co sleeping when she was 2, but she has forgotten that!

I do recycle when I can. Our town doesn't have the best recycling program and I try not to use many things that need to be recycled anyway, but if I have something that can be recycled, I do. On that note, I try to reduce waste. We have dramatically cut back on our use of paper plates and paper towel. I try to use items that can be washed instead of thrown out. We use reusable 5 gallon jugs for our water.

We are getting a solar water heater for our pool. It is actually the most economical choice and we get a tax credit! We are also looking into renting solar panels for our homes electricity. It's too expensive to buy them, but to rent them is just about the same cost as our monthly electric bill.

As far as natural products, I just like them better. I use mineral makeup and other natural items around the house.

The one thing that totally grosses my daughter out and makes me a complete hippie is the fact that I am the new owner of a Mooncup. It is similar to the popular Diva Cup, but it's smaller. A friend of mine loves hers and I've decided to give it a try. I used to use Instead, but for some reason stopped and went back to ordinary tampons. I actually haven't used the Mooncup yet. I am looking forward to it (yes, I am a weird hippie). I have a feeling I will like it very much. But, my daughter was absolutely MORTIFIED when she saw it in my bathroom.

So, yes, I am a hippie. And I am now proud of it. Just don't ask me to stop wearing makeup and a bra!

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Girl!

Today is a hard day for me. My BABY is one! I cannot believe it. This year has flown by. It seems like just yesterday that I was in preterm labor and freaking out. I remember so clearly being in the hospital and thinking I would have a c-section because Miss J decided to stick her little foot in the birth canal. I was so scared, because she was coming early and because I didn't want surgery. I was relieved when the version worked. I was so disappointed that I didn't get a water birth at the birth center though. Knowing it was my last chance saddened me. I wish I had known about birth centers sooner. I may have had another chance.

Today I'm so conflicted. I am happy for my baby. And my head certainly understands that children grow up. And that we aren't having more children for time, money and space reasons.

But, my heart doesn't understand. My heart doesn't want any of my babies to grow up. Each year is one year closer to them leaving to go out on their own. This terrifies me. I pray that as adults we will still have a good relationship and they will live close. I remember how devastated my grandmother was when our family moved across the country. And she only got to see us twice a year. I pray that my children won't leave me like that! I guess I love knowing that they NEED me right now. One day they won't.

My heart also has a hard time coming to grips with the fact that I'll never be pregnant again. That I'll never experience labor and delivery again. Never have a brand new baby to hold and feed and love. (Or course I pray for grandchildren someday, but it's not the same.) I ache to have another newborn baby. Even if I had 10 children, I'd probably still feel this way. My mom says that she STILL feels the urge to have children sometimes. I guess it's one of those mommy things.

So, I am happy for my forever baby to be one. But, I am still sad that she will be my last baby. And that she has to grow up.

From sweet little preemie 5 lb 10 oz baby girl

To 19 lb one year old little monkey!

Picture Saturday

First day of school
Some new bows!

Her favorite food: nectarines! What happens when the nectarine is gone.
Are these the cutest little toes you've ever seen?

Her new headband.

What happens immediately after the headband is put on.

And yes, my children are always naked. We live in AZ people!

Question Meme

Rules
1. Tell me a random fact about you in the comments section of this post.
2. I will then ask you five questions
3. You propagate the meme when you post your answers in your own blog and invite others to tell you a random fact about themselves.

Here are Ingrid's questions for me:

1- You mentioned that you used to want to be a medical examiner. Tell me more about that; what appealed to you about it.

First of all, I LOVE biology. It was always my favorite class. The human body is amazing and I love to learn about it. When I was in high school I would actually sit down and READ Gray's Anatomy. I even got some college level anatomy coloring books that I loved to work with. I took AP Bio my senior year and that is the only class that I never ditched! Plus, I love mysteries and criminal justice. I've always been pulled to that type of book and show. Patricia Cornwell is my all time favorite author. I wanted to BE her.



Life got in the way and I couldn't go to college right from high school. When I started at age 20 I went into criminal justice. I didn't think I had the money or time to actually go to medical school. But, I did intern with the medical examiner for one summer. It was so fascinating. I am 6 credits shy of a degree in Crime Scene Investigation. I've thought about going back to it, but with the kids it doesn't make sense. It doesn't pay much and the hours suck.



2- You are a rocking babywearer. How did you get into babywearing and how many of your kids have you worn?

I actually got started babywearing when we were on the Babycenter board. Lisa B. showed a picture of a beautiful Sachi MT and I was hooked. Once I tried it I realized that is was SO helpful to have a sling. And you get a lot of attention when you wear a sling (and I sure love the spotlight)! They are so cute that I needed one to go with every outfit. Xander LOVED to be worn. I wore him until I was 7 months pregnant with Jocelyn. She on the other hand doesn't like it so much. She would prefer to be on the floor with the kids. But, she will tolerate it when we're out and about. I WISH I had known about babywearing a lot sooner. I would have loved to have worn the older two. Now it is my mission to make sure that every mom at least KNOWS about babywearing. If they choose to do it, good for them.

3- What is special to you about each one of your children?

Carissa- She is my first born. She'll always be special because she really made me wake up and become and adult. I was 19 when I had her. And immature. Once she came into my life I really straightened up. I am forever grateful to her for that. And she has such a fun spirit. A little frustrating at times, but she loves to have fun. She's very creative and of that, I'm jealous.

Robert- He is my quiet old soul. He is much wiser than his years. He is shy, but super smart. He can drive me crazy because he treats me as an equal (since he thinks he's an adult), but I love to see him soak up new things. He has a memory like a safe. I swear he remembers things that happened years ago!

Xander- My truly free spirit. I just love his zest for life. He is constantly on the go (and usually naked). And he is truly a momma's boy. He gravitates to me like none of the other children do. And he is SO loving. He always wants hugs and kisses. He has a smart mouth on him though (I don't appreciate being told to "shut your piehole"). He picks up on things in movies really quickly! And he loves the Pirates movies. He loves Captain Jack just as much as I do!

Jocelyn- She's just now getting a stronger personality. I love the way she loves her Daddy. She is definitely a Daddy's girl. She will go straight for him the minute he walks into the room. And she has a silly streak too, always trying to get a laugh. I love how easy going she is. She just goes with the flow. She has been the easiest child by far (that may be because we're so worn down by now).

4- Tell me, how is it working for a judge?

That's an interesting question. I would say it depends on the judge. Previously I worked for a judge that had an ego problem. She was very demanding and overbearing. I liked the job, but she was difficult to work for.

My current judge is a dream. I wish she wouldn't retire. She doesn't micromanage, gives praise, backs up her staff and is super easy going.

The work isn't too bad, but I've only worked on the Juvenile bench. The Civil bench is a lot more demanding. Working at Juvenile has its disadvantages, though. We get all of the CPS cases. And they are heartbreaking. To see 1,000 new families get their children taken away every year is hard. Sometimes I wish I didn't know that people did these things to their children. It's so, so sad.

On a day to day basis I get the judge's files ready for court, manage her calendar, type correspondence, orders, rulings, coordinate with attorneys, bailiffs, court staff, handle calls from the public (these provide my entertainment for the day). I actually like the work a lot.

5- If you could take your dream vacation, where would you go?

A trip around the world? Seriously, there are so many placed I'd like to see.

When we retire we plan to take a 14 day cruise from FL to Barcelona. From there we will take a 7 day cruise through the Mediterranean. And then take the 15 day cruise back to the Dominican Republic. I cannot wait! Can you tell I love cruising?

Now, play along. Post a random fact about you in the comments section and I'll ask you 5 questions!

Hang on or let go?

Ah, the struggles of parenthood. It's always hard to know when to let go a little more or when to hold them back. Of course we want them to learn from their mistakes, but we also want to PREVENT them from making mistakes. This is one of the hardest struggles for me as a parent.

I think back to when I was a child. I am the oldest and only girl. My parents were super strict with me. I wasn't allowed to do anything (makeup, date, shave legs, go anywhere without a parent) until I was almost 16! It was tough. But, I think I grew up to be a pretty decent person. Was this the reason? If I had been given more freedom would I have wasted it? Or taken it for granted? Would I have made worse mistakes? I do know that when I WAS given freedom (when I turned 18) that I did make poor choices. Had I been given that freedom when I still lived with my parents would I have made better choices? I don't know. I don't fault my parents for raising me the way they did. I am a little bitter than my younger brothers were raised in a completely different manner (given a license and car at age 16, and another one when they wrecked that one, whereas I had to wait until 18 to get my license). At the time I thought they sucked and that they were ruining my world. But, I'm happy with how I turned out and the adult that I've become (can't really say the same for my brothers), so I thank them.

But, now it is time to make some of these decisions for MY child. Do we go the opposite way and relax? Do we do the same thing and stay strict? Is there a middle ground? And where is it? What things to relax and what things to reign in? It's such a battle.

Here are a few of the issues that we face with our pre teen daughter: cell phones, computer access, staying home alone, makeup, dating, going places without adults, shaving legs, clothing and hair coloring/straightening. You get the point. All the things that are SO important to a middle school child. We have decided to pick our battles and draw the line on things that are really important and be a little lax on things that aren't such a big deal.

We draw the line on cell phones (not anytime soon), dating (she actually had a "boyfriend" last year and she broke it off bc she didn't like being a couple), going places without adults (not allowed at this point), hair coloring/straightening (not allowed, even the hair dresser told her it would be bad). We are pretty strict with the computer access, but she does have some. She has an e-mail account (that we check daily) and will not have myspace, facebook or IM for awhile. We're pretty strict about the home alone thing too. She used to be allowed to stay home alone for 2 hours after school every day. But, she abused that power, so it's been taken away. Occasionally, we let her stay home while we run to the store, but it doesn't happen often. Once she earns back the trust she'll be allowed a little more.

We give her pretty free reign in the clothing department (as long as it's not skimpy). She definitely has a different taste for clothes, but as long as she's covered we are fine with her expressing herself this way. Last year I broke down and let her start shaving her legs. I know that it bothered me tremendously when people would tease me because I wasn't allowed to shave my legs. I didn't want her to go through that. And it's really not a big deal to me. As long as she doesn't hurt herself.

Here's the big one: makeup. We finally decided to let her wear make up this year. And by make up I mean eye shadow and lip gloss and a little bit of mascara. I really wanted to hold out. I hate the way some of these girls cake the makeup on. It looks awful. But, one of my friends suggested going to the school to see how many girls DON'T wear make up. She reminded me what it felt like to be such an outsider when "everyone else was doing it". I remember and it wasn't fun. And is makeup really such a big deal? At least she's not doing drugs or having sex. I can live with some makeup. She kept pushing that she wanted eyeliner. I REALLY didn't want her to, but I knew it was the "cool" thing. So, I decided to put some on her and see if she liked it. I didn't do the best job (partially on purpose, partially bc it was hard to put on someone else) and she hated it. She agreed that she didn't need eyeliner! YAY! And she even talked to one of her friends and she agreed that she looks better without! Double YAY!

Let me tell you this is one of the best decisions I've made. She's happy, I'm happy (you can barely even tell she has makeup on). She thinks we're giving her "freedom" and that we're "cool".

And she hasn't even asked for a cell phone for three days!

Definitely know when to pick your battles!

Off again!

Sorry I've been neglecting my blog again! We all had this week off to recoup before the kids start school. We went to the waterpark and school open houses and shopping for clothes and supplies. Plus we watched some movies and did some all around family stuff.



Here are my Saturday pics (a few days late):

Before
After

In her new birthday dress.
Daddy wanted to see what she's look like with dark eyebrows!



In other news, my good friend Megan at Sorta Crunchy has nominated me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger. I am honored! I don't think I give my blog enough time or attention to be deemed rockin'. Maybe it's because I have that awesome picture of my kids. Yes, I am a rocker. Yes, I did dress my four children (the youngest was just 3 months old at the time) as KISS for Halloween (my husband and I were the groupies). Yes, I've been to more rock concerts in the last 10 years than I can count. We just went to Chris Cornell a month ago! In that sense, I am rockin', so thank you Megan!

I believe I am supposed to nominate 5 people to also be deemed Rockin' Girl Bloggers. I nominate Elizabeth at The Whole Family. I have enjoyed getting to know her through her blog. I enjoy reading about her family and how similar they are to ours. Next, I choose CamiKaos
I stumbled upon her blog when we participated in a group writing project, and I've been hooked since. She has such humor in her writing. And she writes about the everyday things in her life and makes them funny and interesting. I love her style. I must also nominate Susan who I actually know "in real life". She is super rockin'. She is smart and funny and practices AP parenting. I just love her! Next, I nominate Nichole at Ornery Musings . She IS rockin'. She is a super wonderful teacher, mother and wife. And her husband plays music, so she must be rockin'!

Last, but not least, I nominate my good friend, Devon . She is damn funny. I WISH SHE WOULD BLOG MORE OFTEN (hint, hint)!

Thank you so much to Megan for nominating me. It validates my random incoherent musings!

Body for Life

So, I'm into my third week of the Body For Life challenge. I have to say that I'm really loving it. The whole philosophy involved weight training and cardio on opposing days. Also, six small meals of protein and carb each day. And ten glasses of water. Plus, you get one day of no exercise and one cheat day food wise.


So far, I'm not finding it hard at all. I actually eat more than I used to, but much healthier. And a lot more protein. You would think it would be hard to drink 10 glasses of water a day, but it's not. I have two glasses with each meal. Getting me to 12! And usually I have at least one when I work out!


The workouts are easy. You alternate upper body and lower body weight training with 20 minutes of cardio. For my cardio on Tues, Thurs and Sat I either walk around the block (1 mile) while pushing the stroller and run the last stretch or ride my bike around the block with the bike trailer or do a Tae Bo video. I can already tell my stamina is increasing. In the past I couldn't ride my bike completely around the block (we have some big hills), but now I can! And I never used to run, even for a little bit, but now I can run about 2/10 of a mile.


For the weight training I have a bench and dumbbells at home. I had to start really light because I haven't ever lifted weights. I start with one set of 12 reps with the lightest weight, then one set of 10 reps with the next weight, 8 reps with the next weight and 6 reps at the highest weight. Then back to the second highest weight for one more set of 12. Then one quick 12 rep set of something else. I do this for each body part. Alternating lower and upper body days. I must say that I definitely feel stronger. My arms are definitely getting toned. And my legs hurt for DAYS after my first workout.


My goal is to lose about 15 pounds. Although I'd be happy with around 10 pounds if I gain more muscle. Ultimately, I just want to tone up. And feel better.


Here are my before pics:

Hopefully my after pics will look like these: Emily

Picture Saturday

Hanging with Daddy

Sharing some watermelon

Cosleeping. They both start out facing the right way, but sometime during the night this is what happens.

Fourth of July

Waiting for the parade

Breaking into the stash (you can see his little stash by his feet)

Watching the parade

First Otter Pop

Playing in the pool

Going down the slide by herself, which she LOVED!

Watching Tata play in the band
Lovies
More Lovies
Jocelyn with Nana(MIL) and cousin Jessica
Jocelyn w/ the infamous FIL
Jocelyn with Great Grandma
More Lovies
And more
My kids and their cousins waiting for the fireworks

Watching the fireworks
Daddy and the squirmy babies

All pooped out!

Stupid Blogger won't let me put a title on this post!

In other news

If you've read this post you know that it doesn't take much to amuse me.

But, I am so excited! I WON something! I won the solarveil ring sling from Elizabeth at The Whole Family! It will go to good use here in Arizona! I can't wait until our pool is completed so that I can try it out in there. Thank you so much Elizabeth!

In unrelated news, I am moving Picture Wednesday to Saturdays. (But, you must check back because I did get pics of Jocelyn and Xander cosleeping. They are adorable!) I just cannot upload my pics during the week. It's too time consuming and I can't do it from work. For some reason we don't have memory card readers on our computers. Geez!

Some other happenings with us:

Jocelyn is almost one! Her birthday is less than three weeks away. I am SO sad that my baby will soon be a toddler and that I won't have any more babies. Sad beyond belief. Maybe we should have had five children (or eight or ten). And my friend Stephanie is making Jocelyn's birthday dress. Isn't it to die for? I am in love! Stephanie has the BEST taste and extraordinary sewing skills. She makes all sorts of stuff. Contact her if you want anything.

Unfortunately, the party is going to be held off until our pool is completed. I'm hoping it will only be a two week delay. They were moving so quickly, but we've been at a stand still for three weeks because our tile is stuck in customs! I want to go pick another one, but Robert doesn't. He's hoping it will get here this week. They cannot do anything else until they install the tile. Ugh!

Carissa and I are going to The Melting Pot with her friend and her mother on Saturday. I LOVE The Melting Pot! And it'll be a fun Girl's Night Out!

Speaking of Girl's Night Out, we had another Mom's Game Night this last Saturday. I must say that I haven't laughed like that in awhile. We played Cranium, Catchphrase, and Scattergories. It is fun to see how different the games get as more alcohol is consumed. We were in tears. Such fun!

My kids go back to school on the 16th! Can you believe it! And Robert is going to be in a 1st/2nd combo class because he's such a smarty pants. They are putting the smarter Kindergartners in that class with the slower first graders from last year. Hopefully it will challenge him enough. He gets so bored. And he'll be going full day this year. Yay! It's so hard when they go for half of a day and you have to pick them up after three hours. Not really enough time to get anything done. I love year round school. They get a short summer, but they get three weeks off in both October and April. It's a lot of fun taking our vacations at those times when others are at home. A lot less tourists to deal with!

Lastly, I've gotten on Emily's bandwagon and started Body for Life. I'm in my second week and I really like it. I have a ton more energy and feel a lot better and stronger already! I am hoping to lose 10-15 pounds and firm up in general. The eating plan is really easy. Even when we eat out I don't find it too hard to stick with. And the weight training is definitely working. My legs were SO sore after the first workout. For cardio I walk around the block (1 mile) while pushing the stroller. After only the third time I was actually able to RUN part of it! I NEVER run. I cannot believe it! I really like the 12 week challenge part of it too. It gives me a definite deadline. Of course you still need to stick to it after 12 weeks. But, I like being given a time frame as to when I should expect results. I've done other diets, but haven't seen anything after four weeks and give up. This gives me a deadline to reach. Although, I am disappointed that I haven't lost a single pound yet. But, AF could have something to do with that. And if I feel better I don't really think the number should matter.

So, that's what's going on in my world! How about you?

FUNNY stuff!

So, you may have noticed that I added Site Meter to my blog. Really just to see if people are actually reading at all or if my thoughts are just floating around in cyberspace. Either is really ok with me. A lot of times my verbal words are just floating around in the atmosphere because people get sick of hearing me talk!

One of the neat features of Site Meter is that it will tell you how people were referred to your site. Whether from a link on someone else's site (thanks friends who link to me) or from a Google search or other various places.

Some poor soul was referred to my site from a Google search for: Alektra Blue gone naked! (She's a porn star, in case you didn't know.) When I was tagged I had chosen Alektra's birthday as one of the ones I listed. How funny that now my blog shows up when people search for her.

Those poor, poor horny men that think they are going to be looking at a hottie end up at my mommy blog!

Entertaining to say the least! (For me, not them!)

Another solarveil

So, since I didn't win Stephanie's solarveil ring sling contest, I've decided to enter Elizabeth's.

Elizabeth at The Whole Family is giving away a solarveil ring sling from AP Stitches.

It's funny how you meet people through blogs. I "met" Elizabeth through Stephanie from Adventures in Babywearing. Elizabeth and I have such similar styles and beliefs. I bet if we lived closer we'd be great friends. And we both have boys named Xander!