My Beloved Bedroom Furniture

OR why I can't go totally organic.

It's the designer snob in me. Plain and simple. We took about a year to decide on beds for the kids because BN wanted to go whole hog and not only buy the mattress and bedding but also the furniture. If you have looked at "organic" or chemical free furniture, it is Plain Jane. In fact, it's a lot like IKEA, which is fine for a boys room, but not my whole house. I like things streamlined rather than fufu, but Plain Jane? No.

This is My Beloved Bedroom Furniture (MBBF) in its natural habitat. See that bedding - that was my sacrifice. It's organic, Plain Jane, but it works for the feel I wanted in here. (the throw pillows are not organic) The room isn't big but it's comfy feeling.

We went to a Home-A-Rama (home show) about 9 years ago and this furniture was showcased in one of the homes. These home shows kick off a new development and local custom builders get to show off their skills and area designers get to show off theirs. It's a lot of fun to walk through the houses and see what's new on the market and get great ideas.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, MBBF. Did I tell you I polish it everyday? If I did, I was lying because I hate to dust but I wish I did to keep it oh-so-shiny. I saw this furniture at that home show 9 years ago and took pictures of the bedroom to put in my wish file. BN and I don't use credit as a rule, so I knew I would have to save for it. We always get a kick out of the look on the cashier's faces when we walk in with a huge piggy bank and hammer. Whoo-Boy that's fun. At least in my imagination. Imagine that with me now...Isn't that funny? Or not.

So I saved and saved and then the most amazing thing happened. That furniture showed up in our local discount furniture store. The best stuff always ends up there. I guess it is no longer in vogue with the designers and lucky me - I bought it. This stuff is so heavy I cannot move it. It's good furniture and I love it and therefore, I will never buy the Plain Jane stuff. Which is why I can not go totally organic.

And I think I'll use outgassing as an excuse for my fickleness.

~R

The Effing Hygienist

(Pretend it's Thursday please, I'm getting a hemorrhoid. Gotta get off the computer. Computer chair that is, you sickos.)

After lunch at Firehouse Subs, the boys and I went to Toys R Crazy and bought Tech Decks and then started for the park. On the way, I called some friends to see if they wanted to meet us there and they couldn't because they were on the field trip that we had to miss.

WAIT! Why did we miss the field trip? CRAP! Pete had a dental appointment that morning. Well SHAT! Since we were close to the dentist I just drove over there to let them know what happened and see if anyone cancelled and we could squeeze in. It was 1:25.

Fortunately, she could get us in at 2pm, but Pete had to...poo. So, I had to drive all the way home, coach Pete in a fast poo, and then drive like a bat out of hell to get back by 2pm. Luckily the hygienist was kind and understanding and took Pete back for his cleaning.

Then I came back to sit for when the dentist looked him over. Pete said, "Mom, I thought I wasn't supposed to get fluoride." Me, looking to the hygenist, "Oh that's right, his old dentist probably only sent over xrays not forms so you wouldn't know not to use fluoride. Would you please note that in his folder." Her (still smiling kindly): "Sure, but you know that fluoride is great for still developing teeth, right?" Me: "Thanks, but we prefer not to use fluoride."

Then the evil grin appeared. The all-knowing, hmmmm grin. The one that no matter what I say at this point, no matter that I had gone to college for 10 years and I'm great with small talk and usually make people laugh, she can only give up the smirking, snarky, belittling grin.

She mentioned she had daughters in 2nd and preschool. And then she asked about home schooling and I knew no matter what I said, she'd provide me with that grin. So when she assumed that RePete was doing preschool right now, I said nope, it isn't necessary. Her grin became something she could hardly contain. Her eyes were starting to look funny, so I knew I had to go on. I had to push her buttons.

I told her that I didn't do preschool because kids learn that stuff through play. And it's true. I told her that RePete, like his brother before him, learned counting, shapes, colors and the alphabet and letter sounds without any need for formal instruction.

"I mean, it's not rocket science, right", I laughed. She was about to burst and that was exactly what I hoped would happen.

Effing Hygienist.
~R

ps Oopsie on the spelling. It's hygIenist, not hygenist. Must have been too late for posting. :-)

Momma's still got it!

I took the boys out to lunch today at Firehouse. Man, we love that place.

Anyway, today the whole graduating class of 2008 firepeople walked in. I guess that should read firefighters. Okay. So I notice Pete watching everyone as we eat and then he pulled me close and whispered, "Mom, all the boys your age keep looking at you. I think boys your age think you are pretty."

Bless his loving little heart. (said without a sarcastic southern undertone)

~R

ps what do you think he meant by your age? 25-ish? Me too.

Thank You, Jenni in KS

You know... I love art. I love all forms, even the crazy stuff people poo-paw. I love it because someone created it and art is usually from the heart, although some is motivated by the wallet.

Jenni had a little contest over at her place and I'm competitive. Even though I didn't want the cd she was illegally burning, I'm just kidding, the cd she purchased and was giving away, I just had to try and win. Now I understand why my boys always race up the stairs or why they have to drink their water at dinner the fastest, etc etc. They get it from me. Poor little guys.

Anyhoo, I didn't win. I got the answer correct but was too late. Jenni could feel my deflated ego from way over there and decided to send me consolation prizes. BONUS! I received two prints from the Jennster. Photos taken by her own little hands.

Thanks, Jenni for having the foresight to place them in an acid free plastic covering because with Doodlebops blaring in the background and alternating reading Green Eggs and Ham pages with Pete, I didn't hear the postal worker. Apparently, because the envelope only said, "DO NOT BEND" and did not have the "DO NOT LEAVE IN RAIN" stamp, he thought it was okay to leave it IN THE RAIN on my front porch. He must have just delivered it and ran because it was just starting to get rain on it.

and when I opened the package, rain was indeed seeping inside.

Jenni sent me this little postcard with a small message for Willowtree. Hey, I'm just the messenger.

I just happened to have the perfect frame lying around and decided to put her work of art on my desk. It gives me happy thoughts.

Although, I have ouchy thoughts right now cause I cut my thumb cleaning the glass.

Just one little tip, my dear. ALWAYS sign your work or put a watermark on it. Not only because someone might try and steal your hard work, but because I need your autograph in case you become famous one day and then I can hold a piece of work from your "early years".

~Love~,
~R~

(see happy thoughts)

Pete's New Organic Bed

BN's argument for going organic is because of outgassing. Apparently, the chemicals used in the production and making of furniture, flooring and even bedding/clothing produces noxious fumes that over time cause bodily harm. I'm okay with that reasoning. But have you looked at the prices for this stuff. You may have tried but the websites don't post prices, you have to call for pricing. That is pretty much a dead giveaway to me as to how expensive it really is. Due to price we opted to buy the IKEA bedframes for the boys, which I love, and their mattress and bedding are organic. Actually, we are buying them one at a time. We need more money, people. Feel free to donate.

So anyway, we bought an organic mattress for Pete. Pete has always had sinus/allergy issues. He also has other issues that I always describe as "MORE". He's more of this than other kids, he's more of that. We love him for it. It takes more energy to raise him and we're happy to expend it. Just like we were happy to spend more on the mattress.

Pete would lie awake at night for a good two hours yelling down to us, "Goodnight, Mom, goodnight, Dad." or "What time is it?" or "What are you watching?" or anything really for two hours. This has gone on for quite some time. In fact, it started when he was almost 4 and we bought his first big boy mattress. We bought it from a respectable company, paid a respectable price. It was by anyone's standards a good mattress.

Then the organic mattress arrived last week. It's taken Pete no longer than 10 minutes to fall asleep and without all the questions. This transformation took place on the first night. It'll be interesting to see if this endures. Is it the mattress? I think it is. He's sensitive to soaps and perfumes, so why not chemical-laden mattresses.

Next RePete gets one and then we'll buy one. But I have no intention of getting rid of my beloved bedroom furniture - only the mattress.

~R

If you are interested, we purchase a great many things from Lifekind, including Pete's mattress.

Burn, Baby, Burn

Well, it's that time of year when I start looking at curriculum for next year.

We've been very loosey-goosey these last two years and it's time for us to buckle down. I came across a post on a message board and the poster uses Apologia Sciences so I decided to look them up and see what they were about.

What got me was a sample module on the sun. Here's the snippet from the actual text:

Did you know that you can take a magnifying glass out into the sun and burn little holes in leaves? This works especially well during the summer when the sun is shining its light more directly upon us. When you focus the sunlight coming through the curved lens of the magnifying glass for a short period of time, it will burn a hole in the leaf.

Yeah, right! Like I'd put that dumb idea in my son's head. Can you imagine? Tomorrow, I'd be writing a post, complete with pictures of course, of our house and all of the houses on our street burning to the ground because I told my son how to start fires with a magnifying glass.

So anyway, Apologia is OUT! Next.

~R

My eyes are burning

It is raining like crazy here. Still thundering and lightening. Needless to say we are stuck indoors.

Normally, the TV and gaming devices are not on during the day. From time to time, RePete will want to play a computer game - educational, of course. Today? Poop on it. Pete is playing Spongebob - marathon style. RePete is alternating between watching his Doodlebops dvd and playing preschool games on the computer. And I'm catching up on blogs.

A few minutes ago RePete said his eyes were burning. I told him to take a break from his ABC dot-to-dot game and let his eyes rest. He said, "No, I can't want to do that. I'm gonna get a washcloth."

That sounded reasonable until I looked across the hall to the bathroom and saw him rinsing his washcloth out in the toilet. He thought he had eye problems before...

~R