The Making of an American Girl Bed

So..yesterday we had a little extra time (no, my baseboards aren't dusted or my laundry put away..but it was Sunday! haha!) (and they never are and it never is!)

Anyway, we've had this piece of wood for a while..and Mary Claire finally figured out what it was for.  I'd bought it about a month ago with the intention of making her an American Girl bed..but then it got SO hot!  (My tools are outside..and the large amount of wood shavings keep them outside.)

But, even in the 100 degree heat..we persevered (and dripped).  First I measured her doll.  We determined we wanted her bed 12" wide x 24" long.  (She has a little room for a buddy in bed and a dog at the end.) ; )  Then, we decided it should be 4" off the ground.  (Easy math, people.)

So, I drew all the dimensions:

Then I added a rounded top to the headboard and footboard (I folded a piece of paper in half, cut it till I was happy, then traced the paper.)

Then I cut a 2x4 into a 12" length, cut it down the middle lengthwise to use to nail my pieces to.  Obviously I didn't take pix of me all sweaty over the saw..but here are all five pieces together.

Then, I covered the headboard and foot board with batting and stapled. (with my regular stapler-the wood was too thin for my big staple gun!)

Then I monogrammed some fabric (Too Tiny), and made a slipcover for the headboard and foot board.

Finally I added a sheet/bedskirt (the two are connected together, and it just lays over batting stapled to the bed like a mattress: three layers.) and a quilt. : )  (The pieced quilt-looking fabric came all sewn together..I'd bought it to make her a dress, but never made it!  But..it matches her bedding!)

Oh..and a PiLLoW! : )  See how tiny her name is?  Poor planning...

But she likes it just fine. : )

So..an American Girl bed, and Mary Claire is happy.  And I think it cost about $5.  So much better! : ) heehee  ...and we can change the bedding and headboard covers! : )  (..and there's actually enough wood for one more..do you need some wood?) ; )

Back-to-School Top Ten

There are things I *love* about back-to-school time, and things that make me not-so-thrilled.  Let's see if I can sum up the greats in just ten:

10: Buying school clothes!
9: Buying and organizing back-to-school stuff (I really like it..sorry!)
8: Seeing friends and other parents! : )
7: Writing those first-day-of-school notes for their lunch boxes!
6: I'm up and moving super early.
5: The laundry is more likely to get finished (and put away!)
4: The kids are passed out by nine. ; )
3: They are so happy to see me after school!
2: Grocery time alone. ; )
1: They have AMaZiNG rules! : )  All thank you's, yes sir's, and no bragging:

And the not-so-greats for people like me?

Yep, read the starred area entitled Late Fees.

Late Fees do not apply to paying your (automatic draft) late.  No, they mean if your four-year-old is late to preschool!  Can you read the print?  50 cents/minute/student (thank goodness it's only one!) for the first ten minutes, then $1/student/minute after ten minutes!! Umm..maybe we'll be on time?

And tomorrow?  ...an American Girl Bed! : )

*I remembered another one... #11: Sometimes I can sneak in a nap! : )  Do you have any more to add?

She's Growing Up

My little girl is growing up (heck, all my kiddos are!), and I'm all emotional.  There are sure signs..like her getting taller (and when she stands on the kneeler at church, she's taller than me), and wearing older, less ruffle-y clothes, and wanting to carry a purse.  Then, there are the days she doesn't wear a bow..that make me cry.  Not because she wants to spread her wings (although she does), but because her hair looked better that way..and it did.

And..earlier this week, we got to go with friends (Leigh and Emma!) to get Mary Claire's first real pedicure and manicure!  She's had the little painted nails (even in a salon) before, but never the Real Deal.  She got it all..while enjoying her royal seat watching 3-D Tangled.   How much more spoiled can you get?  ; ) (I must admit Leigh and I were across from them watching while we sat in our warm massage-y chairs getting our own nails done!) Absolutely the best of both worlds! : )  Here they are:

talking and smiling, and doesn't that foot scrubbing tickle!?

She could totally be a princess full-time.  (Next time she will wear shorts.) ; )

They are drying..

Check out the blue/white zebra with silver sparkles along the edges!

And the pink/white zebra with silver sparkly edges too.  Pretty.

Sweet, sweet girls...glad we all got to go together! : )

And then..(because who wants to mess up your nails cooking?) we had dinner at Olive Garden together!  Yum!  They practiced good manners and everything. ; )

And then reality..Ethan started school Tuesday morning.  We were all r-e-a-l-l-y sleepy, but we made it by 9..he was so excited!  (and I was thrilled he was excited..I never know!), Mary Claire had dressed herself and done her own hair (and she always chooses ponytails):

And then, the very next day, my big kids started school.  And they look amazingly older than last year.  Really.  (It's partly the no-bow look, and partly that they just aren't those squishy-cheek little kids anymore.)

*Love* these kids.

And..bow or no..still beautiful.  And Clay in his clean hair with those glasses?  Adorable!!  Can you love them more as they grow up?  I think so. : )

And for fun..an old first-day-or-school picture:

I know..it's only from 2009, but that's as far back as my digital pictures go on this computer. ; )

Gosh..in TWO years!  I am so thankful to God for watching over us, and getting us this far.  Parenting is not an easy task, and I'm not the best, but I'm thankful God's graces are new every day! : )  I pray they all have an awesome school year, that they learn, and that they impact their classes in a positive way.  (and keep growing..but slower?)

Diabetes Gets Ready for the First Day of School-Nothing like a deadline to motivate you!

Hey ya’ll!  Sorry it’s been so long-it’s crazy as usual.  I have been getting the kids ready to go back to school (thought I was ready...), and I had more to do than I thought.  : )

To start, I had to work on Mary Claire’s diabetes care notebooks.  I update them every year with all our current information (emergency numbers, ratios, corrections, how to operate the pump, etc.).  I have three notebooks: mine (of course!), the nurse’s, and the teacher’s.  I also made some new tabs and changed up the Table of Contents to add our glucagon instructions and to make things easier.

Here are some pictures of my notebooks if you want to see! : )

(and I hyperlinked them with my 4shared account if you want to see them larger or download them for free!)

We're up to...three notebooks! : ) We buy the white notebooks with clear overlay..and scrapbook the outside and decorate the inside with stickers!

Her Table of Contents

Glucagon Instructions..page two was fuzzy : (

I have three (for each blood check), but this is her Lunchtime Blood Sugar Chart-takes the thought/human error out of "What to do if..?"  It has her bg in the first column, then tells what to do.  No error. ; )

And this is her Afternoon Chart (2pm check)

Her current Bolus Ratio Chart

Her current Correction Ratio Chart

This is just an extra page on what to do if she's below 70 (technical Low), above 123 (upper level of our target range), and over 240 (ketone level)

A few snacks in case they have snack in the classroom together.

These are little 4x6 cards I make (9 altogether-with her picture!) for her grade level, substitute and special teachers, offices, etc. with her low and high warning signs and our contact info on the back.  Here is the large one you can shrink.

I also updated her tub of snacks, and her drawers for the nurse’s office.  I got the plastic set of drawers when she was going into kindergarten at Wal-Mart..and they’ve been so handy! (I think they were meant to hold scrapbook paper and cardstock) : )  There are three drawers: one for lows, one for highs, and one with supplies.  The “Low” drawer has stuff for lows: glucose tabs, fruit snacks, cake gels (can be rubbed between their teeth and gums if they have a low and pass out-it absorbs into their cheek-no swallowing required!), and glucagon.  The “High” drawer has mixes for water bottles: Propel, Crystal Light, and she likes Splenda in water too!  The “Supply” drawer has extra meter and pump batteries, extra strips, lancets, alcohol pads, and ketone strips.

The tub of snacks (not an accurate name, BTW) is full of stuff for highs and preventing lows.  (Too long to write on the tub!)  There are water bottles, 15g and 17g juice boxes, applesauce, more fruit snacks, peanut butter crackers, goldfish, Cheez-it snack mix, and Teddy Grahams.

I usually print (address) labels with the name of the food, the carbs, and the bolus (during school hours) for each..but every time I have to reload the tub, I make all new stickers, and I’ve decided that’s a lot of work! : )  So, this time I made a 4x6 card that shows through the front of the tub, shows all the foods in there, and the carb counts and bolus for each.  Much easier!

And..for the first time I wrote out the instructions for the glucagon.  I think I thought that by not reading it or touching it, I was denying it would ever need to be used.  I like that it’s never been opened when I throw each one away on it’s expiration date.  But...it could happen.  And if it happened at school...I’d want them to be prepared.  So, I read and typed, and cried, and got it done.  Now there are two pages (BIG print for shaky hands!) with exact instructions.

I went back to my 4shared account to add all of these files.  If you can't read the pictures, you can go to the site, enlarge, and/or download the file to make it really big!  Bonus! ; )

I hope this helps at least one person. ; )  I'll get back to life in a few days..I have so much to tell you about!  We've had some fun... 

**Edited on 8/8/15 (with some of Clay's stuff too, and new pictures, so ratios are a bit different!)  Let me know if you have trouble with any of the links : )