Ron Swanson Approves

After reading Dana's post about the "Wet Sock Treatment", I couldn't help but cringe and shiver thinking about how cold and gruesome that must be! After reading her comments, she makes it sound like it's not too bad, but I was still pretty skeptical... Until I heard that Ron Swanson did it!

For those of you who don't know, Ron Swanson is a character in the TV show "Parks and Recreation", and he is basically the epitome of a man. He, too, is a fan of the wet sock treatment, and now so am I!




For those of you who don't watch the show, I strongly recommend it, especially if you're a fan of "The Office". Either way, I'll definitely try out Dana (and Ron's) advice for the wet socks the next time my nose is in a bind :)

Side note: Ron is also a big woodworker, and I like posting things I make, so here's a cabinet shelf I worked on this weekend that's in the process of getting completed. I'm thinking I'll put chicken wire in to complete the "doors" of it... any suggestions on how I can better improve it/finish it?

Brad.

Too Cute

I just thought Cole looked too cute not to take a picture to share with you as we got ready to go to church yesterday. 

What's the style? Not hipster. Not grunge. Not metro. What is it?

Cute!

Kitchen Help (Future Kitchie?)

Cole helped me make chex mix this morning for Thanksgiving! He's becoming a great kitchen companion. 

Notice his bulging cheeks. Tasting your creation is part of the deal. :)

I had planned to make it during his nap, but thought I'd try it this morning after breakfast. When I started being busy in the kitchen, he immediately went for the dining room chair and grunted/communicated that he wanted help bringing the chair over to help, like he has done so much recently. 

I LOVE it! It keeps him engaged in what I'm doing, which keeps him content and happy. It keeps him stationary, so I'm not always having to go check on him to see what he's getting into. And it's just good time together - productive, educational, and sweet mama/son time. 

I love my kitchen helper!

Nose Frida

From Dana:

I came across this little contraption on Amazon one day.  The Nose Frida - Snotsucker Nasal Aspirator.  You literally use the suction from your mouth to suck the snot from your baby's nose. 

As you can imagine, I was super skeptical and a little grossed out.  But, it's a #1 Best Seller in one of Amazon's categories and had tons of good reviews and a good rating.  I couldn't believe it!  It seemed too weird.  I watched a few YouTube videos, saw how it worked (and that there was no way to get snot in your mouth - my number one concern), and dropped the $15 or so on it.  And I haven't regretted it since.

It's great!  I love that the tube is transparent, so you can see your success.  I love that it's easy to clean.  I love that the tube is wide, so you don't have to jam it up their nose very far.  And I love that the tube isn't pointy, so when you're corraling a squirmy, screaming 18 month old, you can't hurt them if you miss their nose.

Brilliant.  I would suggest this to anyone who is filling out a baby registry or a gift for that baby/mom on your Christmas list.  It's something they may not know they want, but wouldn't know what they would do without it once they have it.

The Nose Frida.

(I think it orignated in Sweden - seems foreign/European, doesn't it?)

Wet Sock Treatment

From Dana:

I have been introduced to a new home remedy for tackling a runny nose/congestion (and maybe other things too).  It's called the Wet Sock Treatment.

The jist of it is that you get your feet hot/warm (by taking a bath or soaking them in hot water) and then you immediately put on ice cold, wet, cotton socks, covered by dry wool socks, put on your pajamas, cover up in bed and go to sleep.

The logic behind it, "they" say, is that your body works hard to warm up your feet and it enlivens your immune system somehow.

To say I was skeptical at first would be an understatement.  It sounds downright weird.  But, I thought, what could it hurt?

Marc has been battling a cold for over a week and it was only a matter of time before Cole and I got it too.  Tuesday night I started sniffling and sneezing (after having a little bit of a sore throat the day before).  I decided to try the Wet Sock Method, and it worked!  Or seemed to.  I was able to sleep, which is often half the battle when you have a runny nose, and I woke up relatively good to go.  I had a little congestion and gunk to blow out, and continued to have "episodes" throughout the day but it wasn't lasting.  I repeated the treatment again last night and found myself nearly all better today.  Weird.  I think I'll continue again tonight, for good measure, because "hey, what's the harm?"

My friend that told me about it said it was really good for kids, because there isn't really any medicine you can give them for congestion.  I did it on Cole last night because I thought for sure he'd be next.  He had been coughing some during his naps and sneezing here and there.  I never heard him cough, and he slept through the whole night and woke up good to go.

Tonight will be the test.  He woke up super snotty from his nap and went to bed that way.  But, I haven't heard him cough or really cry out.  He seems like he's sleeping soundly.  I wonder how he'll be in the morning!

Google it: Wet Sock Treatment

I know, I know, add it to the list of weird, earthy, wholistic, granola things Dana does - right after wash her face with oil and her hair with baking soda (which I'm back to using shampoo, sparingly) and making her own pumpkin puree.

Cole Musings

This week the weather hasn't been AS cold, so Cole and I have ventured out some.

 

A few days ago, we came home from taking General on a walk.  Marc was finishing getting dinner ready, so we brushed General out and took a few swings on the swing.  I thought he looked cute all bundled up.

 

Yesterday we ventured out in the morning for a jog.  It was windier and colder than I was expecting.  We should have waited until the afternoon.  But Cole found it to be perfect sleeping conditions!  I couldn't believe he fell asleep.  Maybe it's all the padding from his coat - acting like a makeshift pillow.  I hope his unexpected mid-morning nap isn't an indication that he's getting sick...right before Thanksgiving, of course.

 

 

And then, yesterday afternoon we met some friends at the park after walking to get a few things at the store.  Cole and Lilli are the same age (and height!).  I thought they were too cute not to photograph.  Whitney brought popcorn to share.

 

"Cole, can you share some with Lilli?"

 

And then this afternoon we went on a jog with Micah and her girls and ended up at the park.  These "big boys" were already there on their own playing with a ball.  Cole REALLY wanted to play with them and their ball, but they seemed to think it was a fun game to keep it away from him.  Such is life, I suppose.  This mama didn't intervene.

 

Cole is at a really fun age right now - starting to say more and more.  "More", actually, is one of his newest words.  He says it more like "moe" and often with his eyebrows furrowed and with his little pointer finger up and with conviction.  We think it comes from the nursery rhyme "no more monkeys jumping on the bed".  Ha!

He just started saying "ta da" when he accomplishes something - like placing his lid on his snack cup or putting all the pieces away in the box. 

And we have come to learn that his "uh oh" always means "uh oh".  He never cries wolf.  Something is out of place - the lid isn't on the ranch dressing, or a mess has been made - General has dribbled after getting a drink, or his shoe has come off his foot, or something.  He's teaching us to take him seriously.  It's fun.  I hope you get to see him in action!

One of the most recent conundrums for me is what to do when we are at a restaurant and he says hi to everyone.  It's cute the first time, and if they acknowledge him, he usually stops (though not always).  But, if they don't say hi back for one reason or another, he keeps saying it.  And then he says bye as everyone leaves.  Most people think it's cute, and it is, but he keeps saying it loudly until he gets a response.  Oh my!

Snow Day

We woke up to a surprise this morning - SNOW!  We had about 3-4 inches.  Marc has been nursing a cold and the condition of the roads down to Liberal were questionable, so we decided to stay home from church. 

We ventured out in the snow this morning - for about 4 minutes!

Showing Cole how to make a snow angel.  He wasn't so sure about laying down.

General LOVES the snow and the cold weather, even if it does make his joints hurt

Our friends, Aaron and Kristy Zeller, have a son about a year older than Cole.  A few months ago, Kristy gave me Grayson's snowsuit  and snow boots to borrow for the season to get some more use out of them.  We were glad for them today!

We got to have a relaxing day.  Al and Shirley stayed home too, so we spent time over there for lunch and dinner and playtime. 

LOIS's place - before and after the fall

By Georgann

Two weeks ago Grams E invited Elsy and me to lunch at Tallgrass Creek.  Elsy had been at Tallgrass before and remembered playing the piano.  She knew exactly where it was and asked to play it before lunch.  We told her she could play it after we ate and we were true to our word.  Elsy played it gently and softly. I loved that Grams E sat down at the piano beside her.  I believe we have similar pictures of Grams E with Dana and Julie.  If I find those photos, I'll post them.

Then a week later, after a freaky accident with a door and the wind, Grams E finds herself with a pelvic fracture.  She spent 4.5 days in the hospital and is now in Blue Sage Pointe, the rehab unit at Tallgrass Creek.  She has had a great attitude, been very positive, and done very well.  When it was "moving day", I had the idea to make a banner to greet her in her home away from home. While Dave went to the hospital to wait for the shuttle to transport her to Blue Sage, I quickly created the banner.  With permission, I snuck into her new room to hang it.  LO AND BEHOLD, I had put the letters on BACKWARDS! I had laid them out on the kitchen counter correctly then just turned the pieces over and adhered them IN THE WRONG ORDER.  I was in such a hurry that I never looked at it before leaving home.  Poo!  So when I discovered my error, I quickly pulled them off the ribbon and switched them around.  It was all good.

And Lois loves it!

Lois's home away from home.  Pretty nice room.  

Tonight she treated Dave, Brad, Kathryn, Chuck and me to a pizza supper.  

We had a great time visiting, laughing and eating her Bundt Cake!

Cory's & Brad's birthday party by Georgann

I read a blog recently that focused on people pictures vs. things pictures. It was from ABBY! (click here for blog)  Her words came back to me during Cory's and Brad's party on Saturday evening so I chose to take people pictures that night...that included the not-so-cute-as-the-little-ones adults.

This picture includes the blogger, sweet Abby, that penned the wise words 

"take more pictures of people."

The hosts doing their thang!

Poor little Elsy got banged in the head by a door.  After some ice, TLC from everyone and some time on Grandpa's lap she was up and running and playing.  She's a tough one.

Brad & Cory's Birthday Party by Cindy

We had the party at Brad & Kathryn 's house with some great food and family fun.  We had two different types of chili and two delicious cheesecakes to pick from, maybe because we were celebrating two wonderful young men!!

The great nieces and nephew really add to the fun!

The kids wanted to help with the big present....and then it became a fun game.

Kathryn had wanted to hold Tirzah, she finally came to her when she had this delicious dessert in her hands.

Want you to know Norma, Ladell, Georgann, Dave, Kay, Charlotte, Eric and I were there celebrating too, we just aren't as cute! Love family parties.

Will This Work?

Nope. I tried to just quickly upload this video. I know mom has had trouble in the past. 

Here is a snapshot from the last scene of the video. Pretty cute!  Check out those big boy jammies!

Visitors

Today we had a visit from one of Marc's cousins from Phoenix. Tim and his wife, Leisa, made a last minute trip to our kneck of the woods to visit an uncle on the other side who just recently went into hospice down in Liberal. They came up to sublette for the afternoon and Cole and I were the only ones available to join them at Al and Shirley's. 

I'm not sure, but I think Tim might be in his late 50's - quite a big gap between him and his siblings and Marc and his siblings. But Tim has a very sweet demeanor and always a big smile on his face. I was surprised to see Cole warm up to him so quickly.  

It's always good to connect with family, even for a brief time. You kind of catch up a bit and then have a point of connection and feel, in the future, that it hasn't been that long since you've see them, so you feel closer, not as disconnected. Get what I'm saying? Maybe not...

Bottom line: I was glad they made the effort to come see us, if just for a few hours, while they were in our area. I want to be like that!

Brad the Builder

From Brad:

As most of you know, since getting married I've grown to enjoy the hobby of woodworking more and more. I didn't grow up doing much with my hands (I'm pretty sure I passed woods class in 7th grade due to sheer sympathy), but decided that I wanted to try to learn to be better since I was becoming a husband and Kathryn and I would have a home to furnish/keep up with.

In the past months I've made quite a few things. I've made...

• A coffee table

My first project - a coffee table for our living room

• Window flower boxes
• A TV stand

Near-finished TV stand downstairs in my "shop"

Finished product, with my very own Vanna White!

• Cornhole boards for Anthony's father's day present

Anthony's Corn Hole Boards for Father's Day

• Planter's boxes for my mom/mother-in-law's mother's day

Mrs. Hanson's flower box for Mother's Day (guest appearance by Shep the dog)

• Toy chest for Cole's birthday
• Side table
• Pallet shelves
• Hanging shelf for above our downstairs bathroom

I've definitely had some projects that I wish I could do over again (I'm looking at you, Cole's toy chest that is intended for a toddler but has screws sticking out of it), and others that I'm pretty proud of. I've really grown to love it, and I'm planning on even making my dad something nice for his birthday/Christmas (hint: it's a shelf you put books on). I'm excited for the day when Julie and/or Dana has triplets and I can build them one of these:

Anyway, Monday night marked the official time to go ahead and "move south for the winter", aka move the shop that I had set up in my garage down into my basement. I decided to go ahead and deep clean my work area down there before moving everything back down, and now I have a well-organized and clean work space!

Anyone want me to build them something, or have an idea of something that'd be cool to build? Better yet, anyone want to build something with me?




Love you all,

Brad <><

Cole is Occupied

This kept Cole occupied and stationary for a few minutes this morning while I was hoping to hold off eating lunch until 11:00 (you can't have lunch at 10:45!).

 

He pulled his box full of shoes out of the cubby and sat in it (notice that he had me put one black shoe on one foot, though it's a tad small) and then proceeded to get all of his lincoln logs into the shoe box with him.  Ha!

 

 

By the end he was breathing heavy he was working so hard.

 

Seeing his task complete, he started taking them out again...

 

 

 

As always, I wish I would've gotten it on video, but this will have to suffice.  A glimpse into our life...