Tip #77 From Mrs. Sunny

"Never be afraid to ask for help"

Okay...so I'm asking for advice. Kathryne has consistently felt the need to get up at 5 am and I have to put her back to sleep. No biggy, she goes right back to sleep...as long as her brother doesn't wake up!

Kristofer who is over 3 has started doing this again like when he was first potty training. He comes into my room honestly thinking it's time to get up at 5 am and I have to be the mean mom who yells to get him to stay in his room. He's totally out of it and can't settle down.

When he was potty training I would put the potty in the living room and let him watch cartoons, otherwise he would get too upset and wet himself. I don't want to put him in front of cartoons now because then it will become habit and he will never sleep in!

I feel like my kids haven't turned their sleeping habits since the time change! But my idea so far is to put a digital clock in Kristofer's room because he's starting to learn his numbers. I'm okay with 6:30 as his wake up time. My kids are "usually" in bed sleeping between 8:30 & 9:00 other than Sunday nights Sunny and I have bowling league and every other odd night life brings us. For some of you that may seem early, but 6:30 is not unreasonable considering that would be over 9 hours of sleep for my kids.

I just don't know if he would actually look at the clock and stay in his room until 6:30 since he's soo out of it.

I'm at a loss. Suggestions welcome!

Mrs. Sunny

Tip # 76 From Mrs. Sunny

"Make homemade dishwasher detergent"

So I just finished my store bought dishwasher detergent and decided to look up recipes on making it homemade.

Here it is and I happened to have Borax and Washing Soda from the homemade laundry detergent I make:

1/2 Cup Borax

1/2 Cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)

1/4 Cup Kosher salt

2 packets lemonade mix (no sugar added)...some recipes call for 4 packets, but 2 packets worked just fine for me.

Just mix them all together in a lidded container and use 1 T. per dishwasher load! My dishes came out spotless! Enjoy!

Also, if you use a rinse aid, just put a little vinegar in the rinse aid section instead!

Tip #75 From Mrs. Sunny

"Seize the moment"

A few months ago Sunny won 5 free courses at our local Community Art Center from work and I was hoping to take art classes with Kristofer.

And actually, anyone from around here, each citizen gets one free course per year at the Art Center, so essentially Josh and I have 7 courses (which each run about 1 day a week for 6 weeks) to use by the end of the year!

I soon found out you have to be at least 5 years old and then I realized that Josh and I could just do something for ourselves for once!

I called last Tuesday thinking there were going to be basically art classes which would be fun, but then she said there was a guitar class that Friday. I was really excited. Just after we were married I bought Josh and I both a guitar. I can tune a guitar and play songs within the 15 chords that I know after taking a class in college for my education degree, but Josh hasn't had the time to learn so I thought this would be great for him and he actually gets off earlier on Friday.

But then the lady called back and said, "Mam, I'm sorry but I wasn't looking at the revised schedule. The class starts tonight." May I add that she called me less than 2 hours before the class started at 6:00 pm!

Well, I seized the moment and called everyone I knew to babysit for me, because Josh had to work late, and I was going to take this class! She said the classes would start over in the spring, so we'll call back for a guitar class for Josh.

So finally an old roommate happily said she could babysit. (Thank you!) I got the kids fed, changed, and I took off down the road. I got 2 blocks and realized I didn't have my guitar! (Kind of important for a guitar class, don't you think?!)

I was already running late for this 6:00 course. I went back for my guitar, and on my way back to the van realized my van was running with the keys locked inside...I rushed to the house and it was a miracle my spare key was on the counter and not in my purse sitting on the floor of the van!

Wow! You can tell I don't get out by myself much, I was soo excited I was forgetting everything! But I kept seizing the moment and pressed on...pressed on to the wrong building! I went to the Museum of Art and no one was there - I didn't realize this was a different building because apparently the Art Center just opened 2 years ago (that's how often I go downtown)! So I called the Art Center and they directed me thankfully only a few blocks further downtown and I made it...15 mintues late...but I made it!

As crazy as everyone's life gets, always seize the moment. Press on with a positive attitude and life will be much more enjoyable!

I can't wait for the next class on Tuesday! This time I will remember my guitar, and get to the right building, though!