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The Beginning of Sweet Pea’s Kidney Journey

· Sweet Pea's Health

Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert. I am sharing my daughter’s kidney journey to document her story, share updates with family and friends and hopefully ease the mind of a parent going through a similar situation. Please read my full Disclosures and Disclaimers.

This is not at all where I saw this blog going. This is not the reason I started this blog, it’s not the way I wanted to share this blog but here it is for those who know and have questions and for those who don’t know, this is what we’re going through. Our youngest daughter, who we have nicknamed Sweet Pea, was born with a multicystic dysplastic kidney. This is the beginning of her kidney journey.

What is a Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney?

The first pediatric urologist we met explained it the best: multicystic means lots of cysts, dysplastic means doesn’t work, and kidney, well that’s a kidney. In layman’s terms, one of my daughter’s kidneys is basically full of cysts. In her case, it has zero function. She only has one functioning kidney.

“Multicystic dysplastic kidney is a common condition that occurs when one kidney doesn’t get put together correctly as it’s forming in the womb.”

Nationwide Children’s has a good explanation of what this condition is, how it’s diagnosed, how it’s treated, and common complications. Another good source for information is Children’s Wisconsin. It includes lots of facts i.e.: “Unilateral (one side) multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) occurs in 1 in 1,000 to 4,300 babies born.”

Keep reading for our experience and feelings on having a child with a multicystic dysplastic kidney.

When was it diagnosed?

Short Answer: We found out about our daughter’s kidney at her anatomy ultrasound when I was 19 weeks 2 days pregnant (February 19, 2019).

The Full Story: We were in the process of moving from Newberg, OR to Bend, OR (about 3 hours apart). I already had to move the anatomy ultrasound appointment to a day when we were going to be in Newberg as I wanted to continue with my current obstetrician as long as possible before switching to one in Bend. My husband, other daughter and I were so excited to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. Some of my pregnancy symptoms and cravings led me to believe it was a boy. I had already reconciled in my mind that we were likely having a boy so imagine my surprise when we found out we were having a girl! I actually asked the ultrasound tech to double check. We were so excited to be having another girl that we didn’t notice that the ultrasound was taking a little longer.

After the ultrasound, we were asked to stay and wait for the doctor to read the ultrasound to make sure they didn’t need any additional images. I had an appointment the following day to discuss the results with a doctor, but I didn’t think much of this request. We were so excited for baby girl that we didn’t realize how long it was taking to read the ultrasound. I was very surprised when they cancelled my appointment for the following day and instead wanted us to meet with a doctor/nurse immediately. This is when they told us baby girl has a multicystic dysplastic kidney. I was in shock. I don’t remember everything that we were told or even if the person telling us was a doctor or a nurse. They referred us to a perinatologist.

What is a perinatologist?

A perinatologist, or commonly known as a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist, is an obstetrician who specializes in prenatal care of women who are at high risk of having a complicated pregnancy.

My appointment for the next day was cancelled and they scheduled me for an appointment with maternal-fetal medicine the next week. We went out to dinner but I remember still being in shock. I called my mom crying trying to explain what had happened. I told her, baby is a girl but her left kidney doesn’t work. The doctor/nurse told us I didn’t cause it, this condition is not genetic, and it’s fairly common (1 in 1000). No surgery as long as her right kidney works. And then, I pushed this information from my mind and focused on getting moved.

Second Ultrasound with Maternal-Fetal Medicine

We didn’t make it to the Maternal Fetal Medicine appointment the following week. A massive snowstorm hit Bend and we were snowed in. We didn’t end up meeting with a perinatologist until 3 weeks later (March 12, 2019 at 22 weeks, 2 days pregnant). We went back to Portland to NW Perinatology where I had another ultrasound and met with the maternal-fetal medicine specialist and a pediatric urologist.

What is a urologist?

A urologist is a physician who specialize in the genitourinary tract including the kidneys, urinary bladder, adrenal glands, and urethra.

During that 3 weeks we were in Bend, I met with an obstetrician who confirmed what I researched. At the time, there was no pediatric urologist or perinatologist in Bend. A perinatologist comes and does appointments once a month, that’s it. Not knowing whether or not I would need to have regular care, I decided to keep my appointment in Portland. I also wanted to find out if I could deliver in Bend or if I should deliver in Portland because of the need for specialists. I remember being confused filling out the paperwork for the appointment. The baby is the patient, but so am I.

Meeting the pediatric urologist

The pediatric urologist we met was awesome. He had great bedside manner and calmed any fears I had. He made it all seem like no big deal. Definitely something you want from a doctor, especially a specialist. He told us baby’s left kidney is full of cysts and doesn’t work but that the right kidney looks good. We want the kidney to look like meat or tissue but it doesn’t.

Multicystic Dysplastic (Left) Kidney at 22 weeks, 2 days gestation
Multicystic Dysplastic (Left) Kidney at 22 weeks, 2 days gestation

In most cases, the MCDK kidney just shrivels up and goes away (however, this could take years). The good side will be a “mega kidney” (bigger than usual) as it does the work of both. It is already doing the work of both. The pediatric urologist usually recommends an ultrasound on the baby within the first 3-6 months of life to make sure the good kidney is still functioning. They don’t care about the bad kidney as long as it doesn’t grow. It is also unlikely they would need to remove the bad kidney.

In very rare instances, the cysts will get bigger (making the bad kidney larger), the baby/infant/toddler will have feeding issues and they will have to remove the bad kidney. The pediatric urologist we talked to said it had been years since he’d had to remove a dysplastic kidney. Most of the time, it shrinks and goes away. This was very comforting to hear that my baby likely won’t need surgery.

Recommended ongoing care from the pediatric urologist

In the event that the baby develops other associated conditions such as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a kidney infection, then the pediatric urologist would investigate with additional tests to make sure the good kidney isn’t being damaged. Baby will get routine ultrasounds and meet with either a pediatric or adult nephrologist (kidney medicine specialist-non surgery specialist). There are no pediatric nephrologists in Bend so we have to either travel to Portland or have her see an adult nephrologist.

What is a nephrologist? What is nephrology?

A nephrologist is a physician who specialize in treating diseases of the kidneys. Nephrology, sometimes called renal medicine, is a specialty within the internal medicine field related to kidney care.

The pediatric urologist confirmed that there are no pediatric urologists in Bend but as he will just be watching the kidney until there is an issue, appointments with him can be done remotely. He does not need to be in the room when I deliver. This answered one of my big questions. Yes, I could have a normal delivery in Bend.

Handout from Pediatric Urologist showing a drawing of the kidneys, ureter and bladder. The handout also includes recommended care from the pediatric urologist.
Handout from Pediatric Urologist

No additional tests are needed when our baby is born. The pediatric urologist requested a 3rd trimester ultrasound and an ultrasound on the baby at 3 months of age. We will have the report sent to him and then talk to him over the phone. No need to drive to Portland. He said that children with one functioning kidney can have issues with that (good) kidney over time because it over works. They can develop high blood pressure and other kidney related issues (in adulthood). This is why it is important to get connected with a pediatric nephrologist.

The pediatric urologist also confirmed that a multicystic dysplastic kidney is not hereditary and I did not do anything to cause it to form. It just happens and I should not have mom guilt. This was helpful to hear (yet again) that I had not caused this for our baby.

Meeting the Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist

I requested to speak with the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) Specialist to ask a couple of questions before my appointment was over. The MFM specialist confirmed that I could have a normal delivery in Bend and that a 3rd trimester ultrasound was recommended to see the growth of the baby and to look at the kidneys. I also asked about having a caesarean delivery. The MFM specialist definitely shot down this type of delivery but said I should talk to my obstetrician. I got a bad vibe from the MFM specialist regarding my question about having a caesarean delivery. I was grateful that I did not need to see this specialist again.

Third Trimester Ultrasound

I was nervous for my 3rd ultrasound with our baby girl (May 21, 2019 @ 32 weeks 2 days pregnant). Not only was this my first (and only) ultrasound in Bend, I was worried what they would find with our baby’s kidneys. The pediatric urologist asked for this ultrasound to see how our baby’s kidneys are doing. We learned that our baby is still growing but so is her bad kidney. This scared me and I panicked a little. We had to wait until the pediatric urologist received the report and got back to us. I tried to take my mind off the worry and the waiting by unpacking my house (we had just moved). Thankfully my mom came to see my new house and to help me unpack.

We didn’t hear back from the pediatric urologist for 2 weeks. When we finally heard from them, they eased my mind but our baby’s condition hadn’t really changed. There’s still one good kidney and one bad kidney. They asked me to schedule an ultrasound for baby when she’s about 3 months old. I tried to schedule the appointment right after the phone call as I knew I would be lack of sleep after she’s born. The ultrasound place needed a birth date which I couldn’t give them as she hadn’t been born yet. So I had to wait…again.

Birth of Sweet Pea

Sweet Pea was born on July 7, 2019 at 39 weeks via a planned caesarean delivery in Bend. We decided it was best for baby and myself to have a C-section as I had a difficult birth with our first born and did not want to repeat the experience. That’s a story for another post but I will say that it was long and stressful on both myself and our daughter. We definitely didn’t want to put stress on our baby not knowing how this would affect her kidneys. This experience was completely different. My mom, sister and nephew came up to stay with our older daughter while I was in the hospital. The hardest part of the whole process for me was actually having to leave my older daughter over night (something I had not done before).

Keep reading here for the next part of our journey, our first trip to Portland to see specialists.

21 Simple Elf on the Shelf Ideas

· Life

Looking for simple Elf on the Shelf ideas? You’ve come to the right place.

In December of 2016, we introduced the Elf on the Shelf to my daughter who was almost 2 at the time. We named our elf Nicki. My daughter didn’t really understand the concept of the elf reporting back to Santa on her behavior. It was more of a fun, find the elf every day activity. Given my daughter’s young age, I decided to keep the locations simple rather than have the elf get up to crazy antics. It has certainly evolved since then. I moved the elf mostly after my daughter went to bed and on occasion in the morning before she got up. Here are 21 simple Elf on the Shelf ideas: all of the places Nicki the Elf spent time during December 2016.

Click on each of the photos below to jump to a description.

  • Day 1
  • Day 2
  • Day 3
  • Day 4
  • Day 5
  • Day 6
  • Day 7
  • Day 8
  • Day 9
  • Day 10
  • Day 11
  • Day 12
  • Day 13
  • Day 14
  • Day 15
  • Day 16
  • Day 17
  • Day 18
  • Day 19
  • Day 20
  • Day 21
2016 – Day 1

I kept things simple. Nicki the Elf was introduced by reading the book she came with and sat on a shelf on the top of our buffet in the dining room next to a Twisted Peppermint candle. In retrospect, I could have placed her hands in a better spot.

2016 – Day 2

Nicki the Elf sat on a lazy-susan in the middle of the dining room table with a decorated miniature tree. I told my daughter that Nicki had decorated this tree for her to look at while she ate.

2016 – Day 3

Nicki the Elf hung out on the Christmas tree with her arm around an Olaf ornament from Hallmark.

2016 – Day 4

Nicki the Elf sat on some open shelving (very 1970’s) between the living room and the hall, right outside of my daughter’s bedroom, facing the bedroom door. I had her leaning against a decorative bird cage with a Hallmark ornament bird inside.

2016 – Day 5

Nicki the Elf sat on the shelf above the buffet but this time with some holiday decorations including a strand of snow garland as we received snow outside. We didn’t get a lot of snow when we lived in Newberg.

2016 – Day 6

Nicki the Elf sat on my daughter’s toothbrush holder in the bathroom to remind her to brush her teeth.

2016 – Day 7

Nicki the Elf was tucked into the garland that wrapped around our open shelving in the living room. This was the garland that was covered in Santa ornaments. Easy to spot for an almost 2 year old.

2016 – Day 8

Nicki the Elf hung on a wreath on the pantry door in the kitchen. This wreath of bells jingles every time the pantry door opens or closes. Annoying to some but helpful to my momma ears.

2016 – Day 9

Nicki the Elf sat next to the cable box for a little tv time.

2016 – Day 10

Nicki the Elf was tucked into my daughter’s stocking “checking the size.”

2016 – Day 11

Nicki the Elf sat in the middle of a different wreath. This wreath hung above the buffet in the dining room.

2016 – Day 12

I had Nicki the Elf peeking out from behind a photo of my husband and I in the living room. My daughter had been missing her daddy the night before as he had stayed late at work to miss the traffic from Portland’s “snowmageddon”. I think Portland got a foot of snow that night.

2016 – Day 13

Nicki the Elf is tucked into and hanging out of a red vase on the kitchen counter. The elf watched my daughter and I make salt dough handprint ornaments that day.

2016 – Day 14

My daughter found Nicki the Elf sitting at the top of a bookshelf that sat in my dining room. She sat on top of a Santa puzzle box next to a pot of rosemary. I told my daughter Nicki must be “feeling the Christmas spirit.”

2016 – Day 15

Nicki the Elf sat on my daughter’s dresser in her room. I had her perched on a basket leaning against a soft Christmas tree from Hallmark. I made sure my daughter was asleep before placing her in her room.

2016 – Day 16

Nicki the Elf was back on the Christmas tree but this time sitting next to the bell from the Polar Express (another Hallmark Christmas ornament).

2016 – Day 17

Nicki the Elf was back on those open shelves between my living room and hall/entry. This time she was near the Christmas tree next to some Hallmark gnome house ornaments. I took the cardboard credit card from one of those credit card offers you get in the mail and used an eraser to remove the name. Then I wrote in Nicki the Elf and had Nicki holding “her” credit card. I told my daughter Nicki was ready to go shopping for a Christmas dress. Up to this point, our elf only had the clothes she came with. This was also to prep my daughter for going to Grandma and Grandpa’s house where Grandma had her own elf and she had a pretty dress.

2016 – Day 18

Nicki the Elf “bought” herself a new outfit on the way to Grandma and Grandpa’s house (see Day 17). Grandma had her sitting on a little chair on top of the china hutch in the dining room.

2016 – Day 19

Being in a new location gives me so many more options on where to hide the elf. My mom goes all out for Christmas so I had everyone searching for the elf. She was sitting in a wreath with fisherman (fishing Santa) ornaments.

2016 – Day 20

Nicki the Elf was hanging on a door hanger that was actually on the wall (less risk of falling). She had a good view of the Christmas tree.

2016 – Day 21

Christmas Eve at last. This is the last day that I hide the elf as Santa takes her home to the North Pole with him. She sat on top of a candle next to some Christmas decor on a small table in the dining room.

The theme this year was keeping it simple and high up so the elf was out of reach of my almost 2 year old daughter who might not always remember that she can’t touch the elf.

Small Business Saturday 2020 – Part 4

· Uncategorized

Every Saturday in the month of November, I am featuring a couple small businesses that I have either ordered from in the past six months or that I plan to order from before the end of the year. I love the quality of items that I have purchased from small shops. I also love knowing that there is an actual person on the other end of my order (quite possibly doing a happy dance).

On the first Saturday I shared baby/kids clothing shops. Next, I shared adult clothing shops. Last Saturday, I shared home decor & lavender products. Today, I’m sharing a couple of food (or food related) shops. In no particular order:

Hope & Happy Designs | Mugs

Hope and Happy Designs specializes in mugs that bring hope-filled and happy messages into your home. Additionally, they have apparel, coffee, chocolate, and stickers to help you find the perfect gifting combo! The owner, Andrea, began Hope and Happy Designs with the intent to bring encouraging, joy-filled, beautiful mugs into your home. She firmly believes that “the words you surround yourself with are the words you take to heart and find yourself repeating.” This is so true!

My favorites

I purchased the “Merry & Bright” mug and the “What a Beautiful Morning” mug as gifts for my in-laws. I love that the “Merry & Bright” mug is a Christmas mug that can easily be used year round. The “What a Beautiful Morning” mugs are offered at a discount because there is black ink wrapped around the entire mug. It’s a unique look (that I really like), just not how it’s “supposed” to be so Andrea offers it at a discount.

Image Copyright © 2020 Hope & Happy Designs

Andrea offers the ability to include a pretty gift tag with a message of who the gift is from in the checkout notes and hides the prices on the receipt. I love this option when sending a gift straight to the recipient.

She has 4 mugs in her “Things You Are” collection.: Cheerful, Hopeful, Thankful, and Joyful. Each mug comes with a scripture card with the mug’s verse printed on it.

Things You Are mug collection
Image Copyright © 2020 Hope & Happy Designs

She has an Imperfect Collection where the mugs didn’t come out quite right. They’re still perfectly usable; there just may be extra ink spots, text fading, or color inconsistencies.

All of the mugs are microwave and top-rack dishwasher safe but handwashing is highly suggested to keep it looking its Sunday best.

Make sure to follow Andrea on Instagram for updates to her shop. Hope and Happy Designs is based in Minnesota, USA (Central time zone). Current turn around time is 2-3 business days. She also offers free local pickup.

Black Friday Weekend Deal

She has a number of small businesses featured on her website so you have a one-stop, support-the-small-businesses, gifting area. These items are cozy and cute and perfect for pairing with mugs.

Fresco Chocolate | Artisan Chocolate

Fresco Chocolate makes and sells craft dark chocolate from cocoa beans. They roast, winnow, grind, conche, temper and hand wrap every bar. Their products include chocolate bars, drinking chocolate, online classes, and sweet treats. All of their products are dairy free, soy free, nut free, and gluten free.

Husband and wife duo Rob & Amy are the owners of Fresco Chocolate. Rob handles the chocolate making and new recipe development while Amy runs the day-to-day operations. It is truly a family business. Each of their four children have even worked with them at various times since they started in 2010.

My favorites

I purchased the Drinking Chocolate for my mother-in-law in Montana because she LOVES chocolate. It comes in two sizes: the 10 oz family size (8-9 servings) or the 4 oz personal size (1-3 servings) and includes recipes for hot cocoa and a thick sipping chocolate.

I also drooled over the Handmade Chocolate Covered Marshmallows. They hand dip Madagascar vanilla marshmallows in their single origin dark Ghana chocolate.  These are light and fluffy on the inside with a deep chocolate flavor on the outside. Yum!

  • Drinking Chocolate
  • Chocolate Covered Marshmallows
Image Copyright © 2020 Fresco Chocolate

Their chocolate bars can be purchased individually or in a tasting kit with a couple different varieties. You can also sign up for a live (through Zoom) chocolate tasting class with Fresco’s founders, Rob & Amy. Rob & Amy share their insights into the chocolate making process and teach you how chocolate gets it’s flavor.

Make sure to follow Fresco Chocolate on Instagram and Facebook for updates on products offered. Fresco Chocolate is based in Washington, USA (Pacific time zone). Current turn around time is 1-2 weeks. Free shipping on orders over $50.

Black Friday Weekend Deal

Buy 2 Get 1 FREE! Add any three items to your cart and one will be free. Discount is automatically added in the cart.

Holm Made Toffee Co. | Homemade Premium Toffee

I came across Holm Made Toffee Co. while reading an article in my sorority’s quarterly magazine. The article was about 40 outstanding women under the age of 40. Randi, Chief Toffee Officer and one of the owners of Holm Made Toffee Co. is a Gamma Phi Beta (like me) and local to Bend, Oregon! Randi has had an interesting career path working for three different minor league teams and one major league baseball team, the Seattle Mariners. In 2013, she took a leap of faith and joined her mother-in-law to grow a business of their own. Holm Made Toffee Co. is a play on Randi and her mother-in-law’s last name.

Toffee has been a tradition in their family for over thirty years. They’ve been crafting artisan toffee for family and friends to celebrate the holidays, life’s special moments and whenever they felt the need to bring a smile to a friend or neighbor.

Their homemade, premium toffee is available to purchase online and at more than 300 retailers nationwide. The recipe contains no gluten, no soy, and no corn syrup.

My favorites

While the Original Hazelnut Toffee is still my favorite, I’m excited to try the S’mores Hazelnut Toffee. I’m also curious about the Candy Cane Hazelnut Toffee and the Gingerbread Hazelnut Toffee. I’ll sample them all next week after I pick up my order.

  • Original Hazelnut Toffee
  • S’mores Hazelnut Toffee
  • Candy Cane Hazelnut Toffee
  • Gingerbread Hazelnut Toffee
Image Copyright © 2020 Holm Made Toffee Co.

Like them all and can’t decide what to get? I recommend getting the 6-Pack. You can try up to six different flavors and you save $5!

Make sure to follow Holm Made Toffee Co. on Instagram and Facebook for updates on their products. Holm Made Toffee Co. is based in Oregon, USA (Pacific time zone). Current turn around time is 3-7 days. She offers free local pickup and free USPS Priority shipping on orders over $35.

Black Friday Weekend Deal

Use code SHOPSMALL20 for a 20% discount on all Holm Made Toffee products through Monday, November 30, 2020.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for following along with my small business series. If you missed the first three weeks, you can read about them here: Part 1 –Baby/kids clothing shops, Part 2 – Adult clothing shops, and Part 3 – Home Decor & Lavender Products.

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are genuinely my own.

Small Business Saturday 2020 – Part 3

· Uncategorized

Every Saturday in the month of November, I am featuring a couple small businesses that I have either ordered from in the past six months or that I plan to order from before the end of the year. I love the quality of items that I have purchased from small shops. I also love knowing that there is an actual person on the other end of my order (quite possibly doing a happy dance).

On the first Saturday I shared baby/kids clothing shops. Last Saturday I shared adult clothing shops. Today, I’m sharing a couple of shops for home decor or personal items. In no particular order:

Lindsey Jane Co. | Home Decor Signs

Lindsey Jane Co. makes well designed quality farmhouse signs. The owner, Lindsey also owns Jane Thread Tees that I talked about last week. She offers a new sign every Friday that’s only available for one day. Yesterday, she offered this beautiful Merry Christmas sign. Her blog, LindseyJaneCo.com, is a great place to get inspiration to affordably create a stylish and livable home.

Images Copyright © 2020 Lindsey Jane Co.

Make sure to follow Lindsey on Instagram for the item of the week as well as DIY home update tutorials. Lindsey Jane Co is based in Utah, USA (Mountain time zone). Current turn around time is 2-3 weeks before shipping. She also offers free local pickup.

Black Friday Week Deal

There is normally only one sign available at a time in Lindsey’s Etsy shop. For the week of Black Friday, you can shop every item of the week, plus there will be new signs available to order. All signs will be ready in time for Christmas! Make sure to follow Lindsey on Instagram for updates.

Dolphinitely Designs | Disney inspired 3D printed Charger Charms & Nightlights

I am a huge Disney fan. So when my sister sent me a photo of one of these nightlights, I knew I had to get it. Ashley, the one woman show behind Dolphinitely Designs, has a background in the zoological field and a love of Disney. She restocks on Friday’s at 7:00 pm Eastern. You want to be online and logged into your account on her website because her items go FAST!

The night lights are my favorite product of hers. I have the Pumpkin Mouse (out of season and not currently available) and the Christmouse Tree night lights. I also have the Enchanted Rose and the Let it Snow night lights that I will be giving to my daughters for Christmas. She has a Midnight Castle (Cinderella’s Castle at Walt Disney World) night light that just came out yesterday. If/When she comes out with a Disneyland (Sleeping Beauty’s Castle) version, I will snap it up in a heartbeat.

  • Pumpkin Mouse
  • Christmouse Tree
  • Enchanted Rose
  • Let It Snow
Images Copyright © 2020 The Christerbelle Adventures

For her charger charms, my personal favorite is the Sleepy Castle (Disneyland’s castle). The charger charms are compatible with Apple cubes, the Samsung adaptive fast charging adapter and the Apple USBC. Double check which charger you are using so you don’t order the wrong one.

Sleepy Castle Charger Charm
Image Copyright © 2020 Dolphinitely Designs

She sometimes has limited quantities of magnets, ear sets and ornaments. She also sells Oops and Tester versions of night lights, magnets and charger charms so definitely check that section of her website as well.

Make sure to follow Dolphinitely Designs on Instagram for updates on the designs offered. Dolphinitely Designs is based in Florida, USA (Eastern time zone). Current turn around time is 1-2 weeks before shipping. I’ve received my order as soon as 1 week after ordering.

The Lavender Lady | Lavender Lotion & Other Products

I came across The Lavender Lady at the farmers market in Coos Bay, OR while on a family trip 5 or 6 years ago. I purchased her lotion and have loved it ever since. The owner, Sherri, planted Merritt Lavender Farm in September of 2005 and using organic growing practices started a wonderful lavender adventure. She now creates a line of 16 natural lavender products trademarked under The Lavender Lady brand name. I have also tried her Lavender Spirtz that I spray on my pillow before bed.

Image Copyright © 2020 The Lavender Lady

Make sure to follow The Lavender Lady on Facebook for recipes and updates on her lavender products. The Lavender Lady is based in Oregon, USA (Pacific time zone). Current turn around time is 1-2 weeks. She offers free Priority shipping on orders of $35 or more.

More small businesses to come

Next week, I’ll be talking about food shops (and a mug shop too). Check back here for my last post featuring small businesses.

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are genuinely my own.

Small Business Saturday 2020 – Part 2

· Uncategorized

Every Saturday in the month of November, I am featuring a couple small businesses that I have either ordered from in the past six months or that I plan to order from before the end of the year. I love the quality of items that I have purchased from small shops. I also love knowing that there is an actual person on the other end of my order (quite possibly doing a happy dance).

Last week, I shared baby/kids clothing shops. Today, I’m sharing a couple of adult clothing shops. In no particular order:

Blair Lamb Design | Made-to-order screen printed + embroidered items

Blair has a beautiful line of screen printed and embroidered items including short-sleeved tees, long-sleeved tees, and sweatshirts. Blair’s husband is a full-time screenprinter at his shop. She designs everything for her Etsy shop and he prints it. Each item is made to order, so any design can be printed on any garment. She launched her Christmas line a few weeks ago and there are so many cute designs, I am having a hard time choosing a favorite! I’m partial to the embroidered designs but the screen printed designs are fun as well.

  • Believe Embroidered Long-Sleeved Tee
  • Home for the Holidays Embroidered Long-Sleeved Tee
  • Vintage Green Minimal Christmas Tree Embroidered Hat
Images Copyright © 2020 Blair Lamb Design

I love the embroidered Believe design. It is simple and magical. She has it in both short-sleeved and long-sleeved tees as well as a sweatshirt.

I go home to my parent’s house for Christmas every year so of course I love the embroidered “Home for the Holidays” shirt. She has this design available as a short-sleeved tee, long-sleeved tee, and a sweatshirt. Similarly, she has a screen printed sweatshirt that says “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays”. This design is also available as a long sleeved tee.

I love the simplicity of the Christmas tree that she has embroidered on this hat. It’s a way to be festive without having your clothing scream Christmas. Let me be honest though. I love Christmas and would probably rock this hat ALL. YEAR. LONG.

Make sure to follow at Blair Lamb Design on Instagram for updates on designs offered and Etsy shop opening and closings. Blair Lamb Design is based in Texas, USA (Central time zone). She offers free shipping within the United States with a $50 purchase from her Etsy shop. Current turn around time is 2-3 weeks before shipping so make sure to order early if you want to purchase for Christmas.

Jane Thread Tees | T-Shirts for makers, woodworkers, and crafters

Lindsey Jane is the owner of Jane Thread Tees. She makes crafty tee shirts for the DIYer in your life (including if that crafter or DIYer is you). I definitely consider myself a crafter so her shirts speak to me. There are so many fun designs. My personal favorite is the shirt that says “I can totally make that.” So many times I have been in a craft store, or on Pinterest and thought those exact words. She also offers this design on a long-sleeved tee. I haven’t gotten into woodworking or using power tools yet but when I do, there is a whole line of shirts to choose from.

  • I Can Totally Make That Tee
  • Create A Life You Love Tee
Images Copyright © 2020 Jane Thread Tees

Not a crafter or woodworker? That’s okay. She has other shirts like this Create A Life You Love tee. This saying can be applied to anyone, not just crafters and makers. Make sure to follow Lindsey on Instagram where she shares DIY wood craft tutorials and well designed, excellent quality farmhouse signs (more on the signs next week). Jane Thread Tees is based in Utah, USA (Mountain time zone). Current turn around time is 2-3 weeks before shipping.

More small businesses to come

Next week, I’ll be talking about home shops (decor and lotion). Make sure to check out my next 2 posts featuring more small businesses.

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are genuinely my own.

Small Business Saturday 2020 – Part 1

· Uncategorized

Every Saturday in the month of November, I am going to feature a couple small businesses that I have either ordered from in the past six months or that I plan to order from before the end of the year. I love the quality of items that I have purchased from small shops. I also love knowing that there is an actual person on the other end of my order (quite possibly doing a happy dance).

Today, I’m sharing a couple of baby/kids clothing shops. In no particular order:

Sweet Leaf Lane | Handmade Girls Dresses

These are the cutest hand-made dresses and pjs. Kali, the creator and seamstress of Sweet Leaf Lane started this shop when she had her first baby girl. Now, having 2 girls, she specializes in sister sets. In her own words, sister sets are “coordinating girls dresses that complement each other like peanut butter and jelly.” Kali had her holiday launch yesterday (November 6, 2020). Many of her Christmas dresses are in non-traditional colors but are still festive for the season. The dresses are so beautiful that I had trouble choosing. I narrowed it down to the Christmas Gingerbread Pocket Dress and the Christmas Gingham Wrap Dress and let my daughter choose. She chose the Gingerbread Pocket Dress. Who doesn’t love a dress with pockets?!

  • Christmas Gingerbread Pocket Dress by Sweet Leaf Lane
  • Christmas Gingham Wrap Dress by Sweet Leaf Lane
Images Copyright © 2020 Sweet Leaf Lane
But wait, there’s more…

All of last year’s items are discounted 25% (no code necessary) through Sunday night, November 8, 2020. They are only available until she runs out. I have trouble resisting a sale (especially when I’m already placing an order). I ordered the November 2019 Dress of the Month for my oldest and the Christmas Rudolph dress for my youngest. It was perfect that she has leggings in her shop as well because it’s currently snowing here! I ordered the Candy Cane Stripe Leggings.

  • November 2029 Dress of the Month by Sweet Leaf Lane
  • Christmas Rudolph Dress by Sweet Leaf Lane
  • Candy Cane Stripe Leggings
    Image by Jamie Frayser Photography Panama City Newborn & Child Photographer
Images Copyright © 2020 Sweet Leaf Lane

Make sure to follow Sweet Leaf Lane on Facebook and Instagram to find out the Dress of the Month (DOTM). These dresses are $29.99 and can be found in the “New” category on her website. The November 2020 dress is the dress below.

Image Copyright © 2020 Sweet Leaf Lane

Sweet Leaf Lane is based in Idaho, USA (Mountain time zone). Current turn around time is 2-3 weeks. If you post a picture of your girl(s) in one of her dresses, make sure to tag her on Instagram @sweetleaflane and use the hashtag #sllsweetie. At the end of the month, she draws a winner for a $50 shop credit!

Wooly Monsters | Handmade Baby Leggings

Wooly Monsters are adorable 100% wool hand knit pants made for babies and toddlers with a fun monster face on the bum. The wool is both breathable and warm at the same time, making it suitable year-round. It also works amazingly as a cover for natural cloth diapers but can be used with disposable diapers as well. My personal favorite was the Rainbow Monsters because I love the bright colors but also for Arynne’s story behind them. Arynne, the creator and knitter behind Wooly Monsters, was courageous enough to share her story with me and allow me to include it below.

  • Custom Stripe Monster Baby Leggings
  • Custom Rainbow Monsters Baby Leggings
Images Copyright © 2020 Wooly Monsters
The Story Behind Wooly Monsters

I asked Arynne why she made these baby leggings. She shared the following story with me and allowed me to share her story here. “Knitting is a very calming and therapeutic process for me. Back in the summer of 2019, my little family decided to expand and we started trying for a baby. I knew I wanted to cloth diaper with natural fibers like cotton and wool, as I had with my teenager years ago. So I started looking into wool pants and covers and was saddened to see there was a lack of colorful and fun hand knit longies available. So I ordered some wool yarn and made a plan to make my own. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in miscarriage before I could start making anything.”

“Fast forward to 2020 and the crazy new world we all found ourselves in, and another pregnancy loss that I couldn’t explain. I had made a few wool things that time while I was pregnant, based on patterns available online, but they were all just a little off.”

“As we decided to keep trying for a successful pregnancy, I also decided I need something to keep my hands busy. So I made a pattern and knit a pair of rainbow longies as a gift for a family member’s rainbow baby. And I perfected my pattern and sizing, allowing myself to imagine our baby one day wearing these little monsters. As I shared my creations, I realized a lot of other mamas out there would like something fun for their little ones and opened Wooly Monsters. My favorite are the rainbow stripes, they just make me so hopeful for the bright futures of the babies who wear them.”

I am so grateful to Arynne for sharing her story and I hope her dreams expanding her family come true. Make sure to follow Wooly Monsters on Facebook and Instagram. Wooly Monsters is based in Utah, USA (Mountain time zone).

More small businesses to come

Next week, I’ll be talking about adult clothing shops. Make sure to check out my next 3 posts featuring more small businesses.

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are genuinely my own.

Memory Keeping | December Daily Haul 2019

· Life, Unboxing & Hauls

I’m back with my haul for my 2019 December Daily project. December Daily is a memory keeping project over the holiday season.

Some people document every day in the month of December (hence the name December Daily) while others document 25 stories leading up to Christmas. You can find more information about December Daily on Ali Edwards’ website. I share about my first experience with December Daily last year (check out my 2018 haul video here) and give you a look at the products I purchased for this year in this video or you can keep reading below.

Watch my video Memory Keeping | December Daily Haul 2019 on YouTube.

Last year (2018), my first year, I placed an order with Ali Edwards but when it came to December, I didn’t actually do the project. I had intended on starting the project the day after Thanksgiving which for me is Seasons Greetings and it kicks off the Christmas season. But the following week I went to Disneyland with my family. Then between sickness, including morning sickness, and remodeling our bathroom, I didn’t prioritize my December Daily project. But I am inspired now that I have this years order from Ali Edwards. I also purchased products from Hobby Lobby that I plan to use in my project.

Products Purchased from Ali Edwards

  • Red 6×8 Merry Everything Album
  • Christmas Words
    Stamp Set
  • Dye Page Inserts
  • 6×8 Transparency Bundle
  • Plastic Envelope Bundle
  • Pleather Embellishments
  • 3×8 Transparency Bundle
  • Gold Foil Chipboard Numbers 1-31
  • Story Card Bundle
  • 3×8 Journal Cards and Transparency Bundle
My purchases from Ali Edwards for my December Daily project

My purchases from Ali Edwards include: the red 6×8 Merry Everything album, plastic envelope bundle, Christmas words 6×8 stamp set, pleather embellishments, gold-foil chipboard numbers (1-31), die cut page inserts, 3×8 journal cards and transparency bundle, 3×8 transparency bundle, 6×8 transparency bundle (can you tell I really like the transparencies?), story card bundle, and 3×8 page protector variety pack. Not pictured but also purchased from Ali Edwards are 2 packages of the 1/2 inch super sticky red tape and brand new this year, the 12 days advent calendar.

In my video, I mentioned opening the advent on my Instagram stories beginning December 1st. Those stories can be found in my December Daily highlight.

Products Purchased from Hobby Lobby

Scrapbooking and paper craft items purchased from Hobby Lobby to use in my December Daily project

My purchases from Hobby Lobby include a large punch with a 2×2 square, stamp block to use with my word stamps from Ali Edwards, a small punch with a snowflake, gem stone Christmas trees, mini wreath set, round wooden tags that say “Happy Holidays”, felt star/tree backed numbers (1-24), gem stone holly leaves, gem stone Christmas lights, Scrabble board letters that spell out the words “Merry”, “Bright”, and “Believe”, glittery snowflakes, small canvas stockings, die cut Santa Claus (set of 25!), two small packs of paper in the themes of Rustic Noel and Old World Winter, a pack of “North Pole Express” postcards for my daughter to use to write to Santa.

Not pictured but also purchased to use with my project is a notepad with the words “So busy” at the top. I had intended to write notes on the pages and stick them in my album as a placeholder until I could complete those days. Unfortunately the holes didn’t line up with the 6-hole binder.

Craft projects purchased from Hobby Lobby

In addition to items I purchased for my December Daily scrapbook, I purchased some craft projects from Hobby Lobby to do with my 4 (almost 5) year old daughter. Then I can take pictures of us doing the craft projects and put those pictures in my December Daily. The crafts include felt stockings, felt reindeer, gemstone art with a Santa and a reindeer, suncatchers of a Christmas tree and a present, and a melted bead snowflake kit.

Thanks for reading and watching!

Haul of products purchased from Ali Edwards and Hobby Lobby to use on 2019 December Daily scrapbooking project

2019 Cyber Monday Virtual Craft Fair

· Uncategorized

Hello! Can you believe it’s Cyber Monday already? With Thanksgiving falling so close to Christmas this year and so much December travel for my family, I had to jump on my Christmas shopping early! I’m just about done (crazy right?) but I also have three birthdays in early/mid-January that I need gifts for yet. I’ll be checking out this Cyber Monday Virtual Craft Fair happening on Facebook. Check out their gift guide.

2019 Cyber Monday Holiday Gift GuideDownload

Why I cancelled my FabFitFun Subscription

· Unboxing & Hauls

While I enjoyed receiving the FabFitFun subscription box, I have decided to cancel my subscription. Watch below or continue reading to find out why.

The Back Story

My first FabFitFun subscription box was Fall 2018. I’d seen lots of advertisements for it and was curious about the subscription. My sister, who was getting her first box, was able to get me $10 off my first box so I only paid $40 ($39.99). I liked what I came in the box (and I enjoyed making the unboxing video) so I became an affiliate and continued the subscription.
In my opinion, the Winter 2018 box was better than the Fall box so I continued with the subscription. I was newly pregnant (hence the exhaustion if you watch my unboxing video) and cautious about what types of products I used, so I decided to save many of the items from the box to try later.
I continued the subscription with the Spring 2019 and Summer 2019 boxes, recording unboxing videos for both, but again saved many of the items to try later.

My Last Box

It was when I received the Fall 2019 box that I started thinking whether or not this subscription was for me. I’ve had this quarterly subscription for a year and a quarter. I’ve tried all of the seasons. But I decided to cancel my subscription because it’s simply not for me. It doesn’t fit my personality or my current stage/season of life. I’m a stay-at-home mom to two small children.  I don’t wear makeup most days. I am not a beauty guru and most of the products are beauty focused.

Other things to consider when getting this subscription box

Another thing to note is that there are two shipping groups. To get in the first shipping group, I bought an add-on item (additional items a la carte at discounted prices). For the Fall 2019 box, I had trouble finding something that I wanted that didn’t cost much.

What subscription box should I try next?

I do enjoy receiving a subscription box however. I’ve looked at crafting boxes like Adults and Crafts, KnitCrate, and Darn Good Yarn. I’ve looked at kids boxes like kiwi, LovEvery and even Disney Bedtime Adventure box. Which subscription box I should try next?

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