What day is it?

Last week was my kids’ first full week of summer break which happened to coincide with one of HH’s business trips. I decided it would also be a good time to sort through the mess that was our attic. After herding the kids and staying up well past 1:00 a.m. every night for the past week to wrestle the attic into submission, my brain is mush. But the attic is looking fantastic! As far as attics go.

Thank goodness the nearest IKEA is only 25 minutes away. I took advantage of IKEA’s kids-eat-free-horse-meat-Tuesdays amidst the chaos and a few things {that cost less than $20!} caught my eye while we were there.

SNIKA boxes // Seriously considering these for storage in my boys’ bedroom.

TOLSBY frame // You guys, these are only 99¢! They are made of plastic {i.e. super kid-friendly} but look ceramic and I think they would look way more grown up with a coat or two of gold spray paint.

KVISSLE steel & cork box // Visible, tangled cords drive me bonkers. This sleek box hides all that. Great for a desk or charging station.

FARKOST wall lamp // I’m loving the new swing arm lamps flanking our bed but they were a splurge. For an inexpensive version, you could spray paint these bad boys gold. I love that they are adjustable so you can direct light where you need it.

SKÄRBLAD pillow cover // It’s a 20″x 20″ pillow cover and it’s $5. Why wouldn’t I love it?! I tried really hard to think up a place in my house for one or two of these pillows but, sadly, could not.

While we were at IKEA, I did grab a few things for mine and HH’s bedroom and the boys’ bedroom. Can’t wait to show you!

Here‘s your Mod MomME winner!

images: IKEA

I use cloth diapers on Mabrey. Back when my boys {ages 8 and 5} were babies, cloth diapers weren’t on my radar. None of my mom friends were using them and they weren’t as popular as they are now. When I found out I was pregnant for the third time, I knew I wanted to give cloth diapering a try. My motive was strictly economical. HH and I had decided I would quit my job to stay home with the kids after #3 was born. That meant our household income would be cut in half. I was looking for any way to save money. Cloth diapers seemed like the way to go. Keeping disposals out of landfills and chemicals off our baby’s bum were just added bonuses. Now that I’ve been using cloth diapers for over a year, I thought I’d share what works for me.

1. I use organic bumGenius cloth diapers. We bought a dozen at $25 a pop. That seems like a lot to spend at once but when you do the math they pay for themselves after roughly 4 months of use compared to disposables. And since they’re one size fits all, we can use them up until Mabrey is potty trained. I didn’t know Mabrey’s gender before birth and I bought the white, butternut, clementine, grasshopper and ribbit colors. After a year of use, all twelve diapers are in excellent condition – no rips, no tears, no stains. They are all one piece – no absorbent layers to add, no separate outer cover. I would highly recommend them!

2. I started cloth diapering when Mabrey was ~3 months old. The three month mark was ideal for us. That’s when the cloth diapers fit Mabrey’s petite legs and that’s also about the time her diaper changes consisted of less #2 and more #1. Her diaper changes were becoming less frequent then too. To be honest, when I was just starting out with the cloth diapers sometimes I wished I had six more on hand so I didn’t have to wash them so often but I stuck it out and now twelve is the perfect number.

3. We installed a diaper sprayer on our toilet to rinse the cloth diapers. I don’t rinse #1 diapers – only #2′s – and I rinse them right away if I can. The diaper sprayer works great for this. Basically, I dump the solid waste into the toilet and flush. Then I give the diaper a good spray with the toilet sprayer making sure to rinse away any remaining waste. HH isn’t keen on rinsing poopy diapers so this usually falls on me. When I told him he had to hold the diaper down in the toilet to rinse it {not up above the toilet like he was initially doing and subsequently sprayed the entire bathroom}, he was like “what?!” But that’s what you have to do. Rinsing dirty diapers in a toilet isn’t my favorite thing to do but I tell myself it’s one less diaper I have to buy. After the diaper is rinsed, I spray a little Bac-Out on it, put it in a plastic bag and place it on a rolling cart next to the dryer in the laundry room until wash day. {If it’s just a pee diaper, I roll it up and place it on the cart unbagged.} At first, I had a wet bag to throw rinsed diapers in but after only three washes it started leaking and that was the end of that.

4. I use vinegar and Charlie’s soap powder to wash the cloth diapers. We have a front loading washer. Before I wash the diapers, I usually throw them in the washer with ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar on the soak cycle. This cycle can be pretty lengthy so if I’m in a hurry, I’ll skip this step but it does help strip the diapers of funky smells. Next, I wash the diapers with Charlie’s in cold water + an added rinse cycle. Then I wash the diapers with 50% less Charlie’s in hot water. If it’s cold or rainy, I throw the diapers in the dryer. Otherwise, I line dry them. Sunlight is the best natural bleaching agent! FYI – I know Bac-Out and Charlie’s seem expensive but I’ve only had to buy one bottle of Bac-Out and three containers of Charlie’s in the past year! A little goes a long way.

It does take a little planning on my part to wash the diapers at the right time so I have a few clean diapers on hand to use. When I notice that I’m down to two clean diapers, I’ll throw in a load of dirties. That’s usually enough to get me by until the dirties are clean. If I know I won’t be using cloth diapers for an extended period of time {i.e., we’ll be out of the house most of the following day for whatever reason}, I’ll wait until all twelve diapers are dirty to wash them. Typically, I’m washing cloth diapers every two days. Which brings me to #5…

A side note: Charlie’s soap powder contains coconut so if your baby is allergic to coconut, you’ll want to use something else.

5. I don’t cloth diaper 100% of the time. It’s more like 80% and it varies from day to day. If we’re going to be out of the house for longer than an hour or two, I’ll usually throw a disposable on Mabrey. I keep only disposables in the diaper bag. I also put disposables on her at night to avoid leaks. I used to feel guilty about not using cloth diapers all the time but it’s much easier on me this way. Running around town with three kids and dirty cloth diapers isn’t fun {there’s nowhere to rinse diapers in public} and changing crib bedding every morning from a leaky overnight diaper isn’t my idea of a good time either. So I always have a small box of disposables on hand. At first, I bought the jumbo boxes but I was having a hard time using up all the disposables before Mabrey outgrew that size. For instance, I would buy a jumbo box of size 2 diapers but Mabrey would need size 3′s before I had used up all the size 2′s. I don’t let myself feel guilty now. I’m still saving money and putting less waste into landfills.

6. Cloth diapers don’t give Mabrey a rash. When I tell people that I’m cloth diapering Mabrey, they usually ask if she has problems with diaper rash. Contrary to popular belief, diaper rashes aren’t a problem. In fact, the only time she gets a diaper rash is when she wears disposables. I think this myth about cloth diapers causing diaper rashes dates back to when folks were using bleach to clean cloth diapers. Even then, I don’t think it was the diaper causing the rash. Most likely, it was the bleach.

7. Cloth diapers look way cuter than disposables. They just do. Sometimes I use Mabrey’s cloth diaper as part of her outfit and forgo bottoms all together.

8. After Mabrey is potty trained, I plan to pass down or sell the cloth diapers. Cloth diapers are durable and long-lasting. There’s no reason why they can’t be used on subsequent babies. Neither of my sisters have children yet. When the time comes, I’d be more than happy to give them our cloth diapers if they choose to go that route. If not, I’ll sell them.

That’s cloth diapering from my point of view. I understand that it’s not for everyone. If you’re working out of the house, some caregivers won’t cloth diaper. It does take a little extra work but it’s become part of my everyday and I don’t really notice it anymore. What I do notice is that I’m not buying diapers every week {maybe once a month?} and that makes me happy.

If you’re interested in cloth diapering, be sure to check back later today for a giveaway related to the subject!

I was not compensated in any way for this post. Just sharing what works for me.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Many of you commented on the framed photo of my kids above my dresser. It is my favorite picture of them all together and I took it myself. One day a few months back I spontaneously decided to have an impromptu photo session with them. My goal was to capture their individual personalities and how they look in real life. No fancy clothes, no staged props, no overpowering scenery.

We didn’t leave the house and I didn’t even attempt to tame anyone’s hair. I threw white undershirts on the boys and put Mabrey in a white onesie. I had the boys climb into Mabrey’s crib with her {the boys love hanging out with M in her bed} and then I started snapping. The only prompt I gave the boys was to lean their heads in towards Mabrey. Somehow I ended up with that shot above. It portrays each child how I see them everyday. Everett is comical, rowdy, LOUD, sometimes uncooperative but truly sweet. Mabrey always wants to be in the mix with her brothers. With them, she is happy and bubbly. Without them, she is bored and unimpressed. She has the most amazing denim blue eyes and pouty pink lips which can melt our hearts with just one smile. Layne is a thinker and a builder. He’s smart, inquisitive, honest and loves to read. Did you gather all that from the picture? Ha!

After a successful {and quick! – photo ops with kids never last long} group shot, I though I’d try some individual shots while everyone was still content. I started with Mabrey.

Mabrey loves balls {you know what I mean} so I let her hold one. When she’s really excited about something, Mabrey sticks her legs straight out in front of her and taps her heels on the ground. That’s what she was doing here. {These were taken back before she was walking.} I love her toes in this shot. Mabrey’s toes are all the same length and they’re all very long.

Those eyes.

With the boys, I asked them to tell me jokes while I snapped away. Here, Everett is scheming his joke.

…and animatedly delivering it. Dimples!

He is his biggest fan. Other than me.

Layne is thinking up his joke. Those eyelashes are going to charm a girl someday.

And the delivery…with missing teeth and all.

These pictures aren’t perfect. The lighting isn’t ideal. There are shadows and blurs. But these weren’t taken to capture perfection. I strongly dislike it when people try to make kids take “perfect” pictures. Sit this way. Wear this. Look here. Stop doing that. Hold this. Why would you want to capture them as anything other than what they are? Why would you want a picture of them in some ironed outfit they only wore once? And why only take pictures on special days at special times of the year? What about that one Tuesday at 11:12 a.m. when they were in their sister’s room telling jokes?

I feel so lucky to have these kids and these pictures of them. This is how I will remember them thirty years from now.

For the most perfectly imperfect pictures of kids, try letting them wear undershirts whilst telling you jokes from their baby sister’s crib. Or let them hold that one thing that makes them happy even if it’s not that pretty. Who cares? Their smiles will be perfect. And that’s all that matters.

Click here to see who won last week’s giveaway.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Now that we have most of our basic furniture pieces in place, I’m slowing getting around to hanging stuff on the walls. I’m drawn to taxidermy but not the moose lodge / trophy room look. I like simple vintage pieces or modern alternatives. I recently discovered White Faux Taxidermy and I’m hooked.

The items offered by this etsy shop are made with a polyresin material, making them animal-friendly and lightweight. You can choose from various animals, sizes and finishes. I like the white and gold pieces above for a neutral and sophisticated living room. Glitter bison horns anyone?

Don’t let the word “white” in the shop’s name fool you. There are colorful options that would be charming in a nursery, child’s bedroom or playroom.

One of the best things about WFT is they have a pinterest board showcasing many of their items in clients’ spaces. Do you spy the silver tabletop skull?

How precious is this nursery with the deer head? And that belly button!

In terms of taxidermy, would you go faux?

Check in later today for a sneak peek of my bedroom!

images: White Faux Taxidermy

Notice anything different?

Yep, there’s a new rug in town. But, first, the back story…

I love the sisal rug shown above. It’s crazy durable and after a year of living with three kids, it looks the same as the day the UPS man delivered it. One caveat. Not everyone’s feet are as seasoned as mine. I grew up in the country where it was okay normal to walk outside barefoot. I still prefer bare feet over the trendiest shoes. {That’s why you see my feet naked in nearly every photo of me on the blog.} But my HH and my kiddos have sensitive feet {the kids get all of their persnickety traits from their father – ha!} which deem the natural sisal a little too “scratchy” and “rough”. Sissies, I say!

To put the rug-related whining at bay, I made a futile attempt to layer a striped DIY rug over the sisal but it was welcomed with little excitement. Still not comfy enough for my delicate family. In an effort to secure the “Mom of the Year” award, I reluctantly started hunting for a plusher option. Two must-nots: 1) it must not cost a bazillion dollars and 2) it must not shed profusely.

About a month ago, after nearly six months of hunting, I found THE ONE. It is plush, oh so plush. In all, it cost me less than $275 for the 8′ x 10′ size. {Looks like the price has since increased.} And it barely sheds. BARELY SHEDS! I’ve been eyeing moroccan berber rugs for a while but they are so expensive and I was leery of reviews reporting beast-like shedding. So when I found this polyester version, I decided to give it a try.

What can I say? We are smitten. It is the rug version of clouds in heaven. I would say it has boosted our living room’s cozy factor 1000%. My feet are becoming more refined by the minute. But don’t expect them to start wearing shoes anytime soon. Another quality we were unexpectedly surprised by is the rug’s sound absorbing abilities. The vaulted living room sounds cozier if that makes any sense. HH and I noticed how the rug quieted the room as soon as we rolled it out.

The 8′ x 10′ shag is slightly smaller than the 9′ x 12′ sisal and doesn’t come with a non-slip backing so I just layered it on the sisal. The natural fibers of the sisal seem to hold it in place pretty well. I vacuum it once weekly and that’s plenty. My only complaints are that the rug is polyester and it does have an initial carpet smell. The odor was remedied with a week’s worth of open windows. And I will make my kids eat organic everything from here on out to counteract the negative effects of polyester. Kidding. A little.

I can’t keep the kids off the rug. They are like moths to a flame. Mabrey enjoys rolling around on the rug like so…

…when she’s not practicing her WALKING!

And, finally, proof that I have secured the “2013 Mom of the Year” award…

The day we received the rug HH and I rolled it out, vacuumed it, opened the windows then let the kids have at it. As noted, they were all about it. The very next morning Layne, our eight-year-old, woke up early, made his bed, got dressed and went out to the living room where HH found him planted face down in the rug at 7:00 a.m.

HH: Layne, what are doing?

Layne: Puppies and rainbows, Dad. Puppies and rainbows.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Mabrey Larew was born March 30th, 2012, at 5:00 a.m. on the dot, weighing 7lbs 12oz and measuring 21″ long. She has taught me how to live fearlessly. This is the story of her birth.

During week 34 of my pregnancy with Mabrey, I suddenly became fearful.

My last pregnancy {with Everett} had ended with an intense precipitous labor and delivery. 48 minutes start to finish. It might sound desirable but I wouldn’t wish that kind of labor on my worst enemy. I had no control, no down time, no vision – literally, I couldn’t see. What I did have was a hellacious kind of pain that makes my uterus itself curl up in the fetal position just thinking about it now. Fortunately, everything turned out okay even though babies born precipitously are at risk of complications from moving through the birth canal so rapidly. Everett was healthy, perfect.

When I unexpectedly found myself pregnant three years later, I was told I was at risk for another precipitous labor. I figured I had nine months until I needed to worry about it so I filed the idea of precipitous labor away in the back of my mind behind “holy cow! we’re having another baby.”

But by week 34, the fear of precipitous labor had climbed its way to the forefront of my thoughts. What if I’m home alone with the boys? Will I scare/scar them? What if Steve is at work? What if I don’t make it to the hospital on time? {Everett was ten minutes shy of being an in-the-car, on-the-highway birth.} What if this baby doesn’t fare so well? All of these what if’s.

I mentioned something about it on the blog and asked for suggestions to help me mentally during labor. I received many comments and appreciated them all but one really stuck with me. It was Kara Sue {Kara Sue, if you are reading this, you are my hero} who said:

Have you read Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth? I don’t remember taking specific breathing exercises from it, but the overall positive tone on unmedicated births, especially in the personal stories, greatly helped me through mine. The book made me feel very empowered, much more so than any hospital birthing class did.

Could reading a book – as opposed to actually learning a coping method – really get me through an unmedicated birth? I like any excuse to read so the next day I checked out the book from my local library. The librarian said “oh, this is about the midwife who delivers babies on a farm in Tennessee.” I froze. WTF? I am not giving birth in a barn stall.

It took several chapters to shake that WTF feeling. The majority of the book is a compilation of true birth stories attended by Ina May. Yes, the births take place on a farm in Tennessee but there are proper accommodations for delivery. Usually small cabins. No barn stalls. There are graphic pictures. It all felt a little hippie-ish and free-spirited to me at first. But by the end, I was empowered. I can’t explain it. Somewhere between page 1 and page 368, I discovered confidence. Confidence in myself as a woman. Confidence in my body. Confidence in nature. Confidence in the birthing process.

One of Ina May’s suggestions for pregnant women is to have a doula present during labor and delivery. Is a doula really necessary? I thought. I mean, Steve can rub my back and tell me I’m doing great. I’ll handle everything else. But the personal birth stories in the book kept coming back to me. Then I realized something profound. At nearly every single birth, the birthing mother was surrounded by other women. The women talked with her, laughed with her, breathed with her, pushed with her, sweat with her, swayed with her. The woman’s partner was usually in attendance as well for support but I couldn’t get over the women.

It wasn’t the same as having a mother, a sister or an aunt in the delivery room. No one crying and holding a leg. No one in charge of taking pictures. No one posting updates on social media. Okay, maybe social media didn’t exist when the book was written but you catch my drift.

That’s when I decided I needed a doula. I told Steve and he was a little weirded out but totally supportive, like always. Here’s the thing. Men {even male obstetricians} can read every book on pregnancy, labor and delivery but they will always lack personal experience. They do not and will not ever know what it is like to give birth. And my man isn’t all that comfortable with blood and pain {he once *almost* fainted at the podiatrist} and the fear of childbirth shows on his face no matter how hard he is squeezing my hand. That’s why I needed a doula.

The next day I found a certified doula on DONA.org. Her name was Janet. She was local. I told her my fear of another precipitous labor. She reassured me she would be present even if I couldn’t make it to the hospital. We met several times during those last few weeks of my pregnancy. Sometimes she came to our apartment. Sometimes we went to the park. Sometimes we met for lunch. She shared her own birth stories with me {one of which was a stillbirth}, recommended more books chronicling real life birth stories, helped me nail down a birth plan with my OB and gave me things to keep in mind during labor.

On Thursday, March 29th, 2012, I had a checkup with my OB. I was 4cm dilated but baby’s head was still high. I was due in one week. I had never made it to my due date with my previous children and I had an inkling that this baby would make an appearance over the weekend. The boys’ spring break started the next day so Steve and I decided to let them spend the weekend at my dad’s just in case it was the weekend. We drove them out to my dad’s, stayed for dinner and a movie then returned to our apartment.

At midnight I was wide awake in bed. Steve was sound asleep. I was waiting. Waiting for something. Anything. Then a mild contraction hit me. Then another. And another. They weren’t awful but I could tell they weren’t Braxton-Hicks either. I muffled my labored breathing during contractions with my pillow. I didn’t want to wake up Steve. By 1:00 a.m., I was contracting regularly but I could tell this labor wasn’t like my last one. It had already lasted fifteen minutes longer, the contractions weren’t as intense early on and I had down time in between them. While my doula wasn’t particularly worried about a precipitous labor again, she did think I would progress quickly and thought we should play it safe as far as leaving for the hospital. So I woke up Steve and told him I was in labor. I thought we should call Janet.

Janet arrived at our apartment at 1:30 a.m. My contractions were getting stronger. I was sitting on the bed with my legs bent under me. When I felt a contraction coming on, I instinctively raised up onto my knees, bent at the waist and buried my head down in my pillow. It felt so good to be on my knees blowing into my pillow during the contractions. Steve pressed into my lower back.

I was having a lot of back pain like I did with my very first labor. My first baby was posterior, pushing up against my spine and tailbone. This pain was familiar. I got a little worried because after 15 hours of labor my first time around the labor & delivery block, my baby was literally stuck. He was facing the wrong way for his head to properly maneuver through the birth canal. He was under distress. My OB had suggested a “walking epidural” to help relax my uterus and get me on my hands and knees. One hour later, Layne was born vaginally sunny side up with a huge purple cone head and a low Apgar score. But he ended up being just fine. {I put a hat on him until he was a few weeks old and his head was no longer molded and bruised.} Still, I worried about delivering another posterior baby.

Janet was reassuring. She was vocally encouraging during contractions, her voice soft and kind. Knowing. In between contractions, she smiled and talked. An hour later, I started whimpering during the contractions. Janet reminded me to keep my mouth open and my voice deep. She suggested we head for the hospital. Part of me wanted to stay at the apartment in my bed. I was leery of my labor petering out and slowing at the hospital because of its cold rooms, hard beds, bright lights and constant prodding.

Steve dropped me off at the emergency entrance. I waited leaning against a wall while Steve and Janet parked their cars. The receptionist offered me a chair or a wheelchair. I declined. Sitting was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to move.

We all made it to the delivery room. It was 2:30 a.m. I was 6-7cm. I had the best nurse. She upheld my birth plan without criticism and I was able to move around without being hooked up to an I.V. or fetal monitors. She even turned off the bright lights. I worked through more contractions and more positions. I circled my hips on a birthing ball. I got on my knees in the bed. I stood and wrapped my arms around Steve’s neck, swaying. If I stopped moving my body, my mind would take over. This is what you wanted? This hurts. It’s going to get a lot harder you know. You can’t do this.

And then I would hear Janet. “You are so strong. You are doing good work. You have progressed so well. It won’t be much longer. Baby will be here soon.”

I was still having intense back pain. I asked the nurse if the baby was posterior. She said it was a possibility. I took that as a yes. At 4:00 a.m., I was nearing the end. I was tired. Really tired. I was having doubts. I was having trouble staying on top of the powerful contractions. The OB on duty came in and introduced himself. He was from my OB’s office but I had never met him before. He was short and reminded me of the dad on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. He asked if I wanted to have my water bag broken to speed things up. He was on his way to an emergency D&C in 15 minutes and wouldn’t be able to deliver me until after that if I waited.

I thought he was an asshole and secretly hoped the baby would come during the D&C. I nearly got my wish.

Everyone says there is so much pressure at the end of labor but I say there is pain and burning and PAIN. Maybe a little pressure. My younger sister who is a marathon runner and not a mother once asked me about natural childbirth. I told her if she could run marathons, she could have a baby. She replied, “Yeah, but it’s not like I’m running marathons with my vagina.” So, I guess natural childbirth is like a triathlon for your vagina. And I was about to cross the finish line sounding like a dying cow.

I felt like the baby was coming any minute whether I pushed or not. I told Janet. Then my water broke. On its own. Not ten minutes after the OB had asked to rupture my membranes. Take that Rick Moranis wannabe. I was getting feisty. More nurses had set up shop in the room. Somehow I had missed all that while my vagina was sprinting. The new nurses were telling me not to push. To wait for the doctor.

Wayne Szalinski entered the room. I could barely see him over the delivery bed. I was already pushing. I couldn’t help it. It was the first time my back had touched the bed. It was so uncomfortable. The OB told me to move down towards him. In my head – not out loud – I cursed him. It wasn’t my fault he had short arms. I was squeezing Steve’s arm so tight. Janet said the baby had lots of dark hair.

Instant relief. The OB laid the baby on me with its crotch right in my face. “Congratulations, it’s a girl!” Well, yes, I can see that. Thank you, Mr. Obvious. I looked up at Steve. I will never, ever forget the puddles he had for eyes at that very moment. Janet was beaming.

I couldn’t get over how cute, calm and alert our babygirl was. She didn’t cry. She was taking it all in – even lifting up her head to look around. I had always envisioned myself surrounded by a family of boys – big and little – and here was this girl. What in the world do I do with a girl?

Talk with her. Laugh with her. Breathe with her. Sweat with her. Push with her. Share with her.

Let her move freely. Remind her of her strength. Encourage her and tell her she is doing good work. Reassure her when she is scared.

Because even non-girly women need women.

images: Dana Miller

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, I’d like to share one of my favorite mom-related etsy shops this week. Mod momME is a shop that I have personally purchased from and love. The shop offers stylish handmade mom & baby accessories – everything from diaper bags to cosmetic bags – for those moms not wanting to sacrifice style for practicality. You can have both! Here are my favorite items.

This is the exact changing pad I have in my diaper bag. I prefer to use a roomy, good-looking tote as a non-traditional diaper bag so it’s applicable long after my baby-rearing years. When the tote is fulfilling its diaper bag duties, I toss in this lightweight roll up changing pad for on-the-go diaper changes. The brightly colored pattern makes it easy to spot in the diaper bag amongst all the other baby paraphernalia.

If you prefer having your changing pad, wipes and dipes together, I like this all-in-1 diaper clutch. Great for quick trips {it can’t hold a bunch of diapers} and quick changes. Both the roll up changing pad and diaper clutch have a wipeable TPU changing surface. TPU is non toxic, hypoallergenic, fungus resistant, PVC free, BPA free, lead free and phthalate free. Yesssssss.

I wish I had this wet bag. We use cloth diapers on Mabrey most of the time. I bought a different wet bag before she was born and after two washings a seam ripped and it started leaking. Um, yuck. The great thing about a wet bag is that it isn’t just for dirty cloth diapers. You can use it for wet swimsuits or stinky workout clothes after your baby is potty-trained. You know, that’s when you start wearing a swimsuit and working out again anyways, right? Ha! The inner layer of this wet bag is made of TPU like the changing surfaces above.

Kristin is the mastermind behind mod momME and I was amazed to learn about how her little etsy shop came to be. In her words…

When my youngest child was turning 1 I wanted to make her a dress for her party. I did not know how to sew nor did I own a sewing machine but I was not going to let that stop me. I was on a mission so I purchased a sewing machine, fabric and some patterns. Those purchases led me to etsy where I fell even more in love with handmade. It is also where I acquired my love of fabric.

Over the next few weeks I taught myself how to sew. I discovered 2 things: I was actually pretty good at sewing and I hated following sewing patterns. I became inspired by all the original designs from the artists on etsy and I decided that I was capable of creating my own designs.

I chose to create products for mom and baby. The products had to be innovative, practical and stylish. I prefer to steer clear of cheesy character prints and offer prints and designs geared more towards mom’s liking. As moms we often define ourselves by our children and we lose sight of who we are. I wanted my products to help moms ‘rediscover the ME in mommy!’

How awesome is it that Kristin didn’t let her shortcomings {not knowing how to sew & not owning a sewing machine} keep her from doing something she really wanted to do? Instead, she tried and learned something new and solved a problem in a creative way. I’m always inspired by moms who go after dreams – no matter how big or how small – with kids in tow. What great role models. For me and for their children.

Have you ever tried something new or something just for yourself with a family in the mix? Was it easier or more difficult than you thought it would be? How did you feel afterwards? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

images: mod momME

This isn’t technically an “all done!” after – just an after shot of the boys’ bedroom since adding the striped wallpaper. You can read more about the wallpaper install here.

There was some concern about PVC fumes off gassing from the wallpaper. But after touching base with the creator of Chasing Paper, I’d like to clarify. The wallpaper is actually made of PVC-free fabric {!} and non-toxic adhesive.

Still, I let the wallpaper off gas in the garage for a few weeks before I brought it into the house and I aired out the room after the wallpaper was hung by opening the windows which is protocol around here whenever I add something new {wallpaper, paint, rug, furniture, etc.} to any room. We have had absolutely no strange odors in the room – well, other than the natural strange odors that come with two boys ;)

The night after we hung the wallpaper I had dreams of waking to find the paper crumpled in a pile on the floor. Luckily, it was just a dream.

The wallpaper looks just as good as the day we put it up.

A reader asked if the boys ever pick at the wallpaper and try to remove it. {The peel-and-stick wallpaper can be easily removed without damaging drywall.} The answer is no. I don’t even know if the boys know it can be peeled away like a sticker. Also, anytime the boys witness us making an improvement to the house they are more likely to respect it. They really do have an appreciation for making our house a home. {Everett keeps telling us we need to “fix” the mantel and TV area in the living room. It’s still exposed to the block wall.} I think having the kids present during less intense projects allows them to see how much time and effort we invest in creating a feel good place to live. As a result, they are less likely to destroy stuff. Of course, they are kids and spills, scratches, dents, dings and messes happen. I’m not saying they’re perfect little angels but they’re definitely aware of any changes we make and are the first to compliment us on them. They love showing guests their bunk bed hideout!

The striped wall does exactly what I had hoped it would do. It makes the galley-like room appear wider. And you know I love the graphic black and white stripes.

Things left to do in the boys’ bedroom:

*add window treatments

*paint the step stool

*paint the lamps on the bookcases

*bring in more color and playful accessories

*style the dresser

*hang wall decor

*the boys are requesting a table for Lego building…we’ll see

Lots done and lots left to do. That goes for any room in the house right now.

Click here to see who won this week’s giveaway. If you didn’t win, you can still score 20% off one purchase by entering “TWEAKING20″ at checkout now through May 15th. Coincidentally, Alexandra of Erie Drive lives in Boston and my thoughts are with her, her family and friends, and anyone else affected by this week’s tragic events. Boston has always been at the top of my “cities I want to visit” list – and it holds steady after Bostonians came together as a loving community to help out in the aftermath of the marathon attacks. We’re thinking of you today, Boston. Stay safe.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

Congrats to Ashley – the first entry! – whose favorite kid-friendly item in her home is the living room pouf she recently made for her nephew to lay on.

I was first introduced to Alexandra Grenham’s amazing style via an Apartment Therapy house tour.

Her Boston home is full of kid-friendly furnishings and playful accessories but is far from childish. It’s a stylish space suitable for both kids and adults. Perfect for a young family of four. Alexandra is the creative director and buyer for Erie Drive, an online boutique featuring a blended collection of fun, practical and eclectic gifts. So when Alexandra contacted me a few weeks ago about a possible giveaway and linked to her AT tour, I had two immediate thoughts. First “Hey, I know that house!” and second “Yes! I would love to feature Erie Drive for a giveaway.”

Which brings me to this week’s giveaway. I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite items available through Erie Drive. I would be happy to have any of these pieces in my home.

Sources: wooden alarm dock for iPod or iPhone // “You Undress” giclee print by Christopher Gray // Magno portable radio // flour sack towel set // Critical Cycles bicycle in cream

Would you like the chance to win one of these items? See below for entry details.

PRIZE: one item of choice from the curated collection shown above {Of note – The wooden alarm dock is not compatible with the iPhone 5 but Erie Drive does offer another version for the iPhone 5. The flour sack towel set includes both towels shown.}

RULES: You must be at least 18 years old and have a shipping address {no P.O. boxes please} within the U.S. to enter. One entry per email address.

TO ENTER: “Like” Erie Drive on facebook then leave a comment on this post proclaiming “DRIVE ME!”

DEADLINE: Enter before Friday, April 19th at noon EST. One random winner will be announced later that same day.

WHILE YOU’RE AT IT: Since we’re talking family-friendly style today…what is your favorite kid-friendly item in your house? A soft ottoman that does double duty as a coffee table? A bench that opens to reveal toy storage? I’ll go first. A few months back I bought a pair of floor poufs from West Elm. I’d been eyeing them for nearly a year but couldn’t pull the trigger…until they went on sale. I’m so glad I did! My kids drag the poufs all around the house and they look great in every room. In the boys’ bedroom, they are wrestled and jumped on. In the living room, they are the perfect lounge spot for reading or watching TV. Mabrey loves pulling to stand and climbing on top of them. HH and I like to prop our feet up on them at night after the kids are in bed. I love them!

BUT, WAIT!, THERE’S MORE: House*Tweaking readers can score 20% off one Erie Drive purchase now through May 15th by entering the discount code “TWEAKING20″ at checkout.

Thanks Alexandra!

You can check out more of Alexandra’s inspiring home tour right here. Follow Erie Drive on twitter and pinterest.

images: 1) Tara Bellucci for Apartment Therapy  2) polyvore collage by Dana Miller linked within

Last week I was on hiatus in Weeki Wachee, Florida. My {active and lively!} grandparents live on the water there and we drove down to visit for the boys’ spring break. We don’t vacation often {for the past few years we’ve done the staycation thing} but we were itching for warmer weather after winter’s gloom. Plus, we were offered free lodging and promised home cooked meals. Thanks Gigi and Great Grandpa!

Here’s a little instagram recap of our week away.

GOOD FRIDAY – Travel day. 18 hours in the car with three kids isn’t exactly my idea of heaven but it was worth it. I think Everett described it best. “We drove a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, verrrrrrrrry long time and then it was summer.”

SATURDAY – Mabrey turned 1! She absolutely loved it when everyone sang “Happy Birthday.” I’ve always been an emotional mess on my kids’ first birthdays. Okay, every birthday but especially the first ones. I feel like “we made it!” To celebrate, we took Mabrey on her first boat ride in the river then watched the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. Teary + smiley = me.

SUNDAY – Easter. Somehow the Easter bunny knew we were in Florida. The kids had fun searching for and then emptying their Easter baskets. We spent the day at my aunt’s house. The kids had a grand time swimming and splashing around. My grandpa served up his famous fried grouper {which he caught himself in the Gulf} and hush puppies. Not your typical Easter dinner but, hello, YUM.

MONDAY – My two younger sisters made an appearance! Just in time for a more traditional Easter meal which included Gigi’s homemade spinach balls. The recipe is coming, I promise. We kayaked on the river and put together a scavenger hunt for the boys that ended with a treasure/snack. Then they asked to do it all over again.

TUESDAY – We dragged Easter out a little longer and painted eggs. In the afternoon, I gave HH the day off {hehe} and we headed to a little beach with the boys and my sisters. Mabrey stayed back at the house with my grandparents for her nap.

WEDNESDAY – My sisters left {boo} and per Everett’s birthday request, HH, the boys and I hit up Legoland. My grandparents babysat Mabrey for the day. I was relieved of my diapering, bottling, baby-on-the-hip duties but was really missing that girl by the end of the day. We loved Legoland – especially Miniland USA. So many little Lego details! I prefer Legoland over Disney. It’s smaller and less overwhelming. It’s definitely family oriented. All four of us were able to go on 95% of the rides together so we didn’t have to split up, me taking one boy to one ride and HH taking the other boy to another ride. Everett had to get his face painted. {He never misses an opportunity to dress up, accessorize or make believe.} Of course, he picked the most expensive, least attractive design. Of course.

THURSDAY – Rain day. We spent the day reading {my faves were The Honest Life, Domino’s Small Spaces special edition and Dwell’s Renovate Today special edition} and in between sprinkles Everett learned to ride his two wheeler. In the evening, we took the boys to see Oz The Great and Powerful. Going to the movie theater is a rare occurrence for us. We all liked the movie but Everett was a little scared of the wicked witch. Even after his frightening face painting the day before – go figure!

FRIDAY – Our last day in Florida. I did a few loads of laundry to make packing/unpacking easier. We went on another boat ride. Just as we were heading back to the house, three manatee came right up to our boat! We took my grandparents out for dinner as a thank-you-for-letting-us-make-your-house-loud-and-messy-for-a-week gesture.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY – Travel days. On the way home, we split up the drive. We stayed in Tennessee overnight. Mabrey thought it was fun that we were all sleeping in the same room and proceeded to play peekaboo. Sunday was Everett’s birthday and he was such a good sport about spending it in the car. He turned 5 and will start kindergarten next fall. Ahhhhh! All my babies are achieving these huge milestones on different age appropriate paths and I’m trying hard to savor each and every one.

Our little vacation was just the refresher we needed. It was so nice not to have the laptop as a distraction and just focus on my family. I think I should go offline more often but maybe for shorter periods of time. It makes me a better mom and blogger!

I’ll leave you with the funniest picture from the entire week that had me howling…

Criminals.

Were you on vacation last week too? Any vacations in the works? Do you have the same online/offline struggle?

images: Dana Miller via instagram