Full of Hot Air

06/07/2011

Over Memorial Day weekend I went with Jason down to the Hot Air Balloon festival in Decatur, Alabama. Jason was playing with Guy Penrod so the guys got the VIP treatment in an air conditioned RV (it really wasn’t very fancy) while the wives and kids wandered around in the heat and enjoyed all the arts and crafts, bouncy houses and greasy food. The highlight of the day—besides the concert, of course—was when all the hot air balloon suddenly started popping up out of the ground. At least that’s what it looked like.

This first one was my favorite.

Up it goes…

I wonder who sponsored that one?

Thanks Decatur! The balloons were lovely.

The night ended with fireworks—which I LOOOVE—a cheese pizza and a long drive home. Thankfully Jason let me sleep because I was beat.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Preparing for Foster Kids: Technical Safety Precautions & General Household To Do List

06/02/2011

Here’s the part of preparing our home for foster kids that’s not as much fun to talk about or photograph as designing the bedroom. We have a checklist of things that need to be done in our home before an inspection. These requirements differ from state to state and agency to agency, I’m sure, but here are some of the things we had to buy/do:

• outlet covers on all of our electrical outlets
• cleaning supplies and chemicals stored in a locked cabinet
• all medications (including vitamins) stored in a locked box
• smoke detectors in various locations throughout the house
• carbon monoxide detector installed
• minimum 2.5 lb. fire extinguisher rated for class B and C
• hot water heater set lower than 120 degrees
• matches and knives inaccessible to children
• landline telephone available (we decided to sign up for Vonage for $15/month)
• flashlights in working order and accessible (we got a nightlight/emergency light/ flashlight)
• bedroom for child with proper clothing storage
• bedroom for child has a window
• separate bed and mattress for each child
• infant crib in compliance with government safety standards
• area rugs secured to floors; mirrors and wall hangings secured to walls
• internet adult sites inaccessible to children (we use Safe Eyes to block these sites)
• pets are up to date on all required vaccinations
• automobiles in safe operating condition
• vehicles equipped with child safety seats for infants/young children and booster seats for older children

So that’s only about half of the list, but it covers most of the main requirements. I was looking for this information online out of curiosity before we started the process so maybe someone else out there will benefit from seeing our list. We added to this list our personal list of projects to get done around the house before we welcome foster kids into our home:

• buy furniture (crib, bed, dresser, rugs) for the kids room
• hang book ledges (pictured above—I did this all myself! I’m very proud.)
• decorate kids room
• paint the kids room
• paint the rest of the house… or at least the master bedroom, living room, kitchen and hallway
• finish the fence blog post coming soon!
• close up all the gaps along the bottom of the fence so Lucy can’t wander away
• remove the dangerously sharp fireplace hearth  Booyah!
• get the electricity fixed in 2/3 of the house (this is a new development as of yesterday … stupid old wiring! Right now have 4.5 rooms without electricity … the kids room, my cloffice, both bathrooms and the ceiling light in the kitchen.)
• get a new vehicle – The Silver Bullet. Yay!
• build a new patio table we got a great deal on an already built one
• finish drywall and trim in Jason’s studio aux room
• finish drywall and paint in the laundry room
• clean out studio aux room and closet
• clean out our bedroom closet and dresser and give clothes to charity
• clean out cupboards
• clean and organize pantry

Ok, so most of the things on our personal list have nothing to do with preparing our house for kids EXCEPT that we want to have all of these things checked off our to do list so that once we have kids we can just relax and have fun in the evenings and on the weekends. Sounds like a nice dream, right?

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Martina’s Childhood Favorite Toys: Handmade Barbie Furniture

05/31/2011

It would be hard for me to chose what my true favorite toy was but I certainly loved playing house. Thousands of hours were clocked playing with my Fisher Price Little People, you know the small, choking-hazard ones from the 80s? I had the tudor house, the SUV and camper, the hospital, the tractor, the school bus and of course lots of Little People. My mom still has these but she insists they stay at her house. She did, however, hand over the boxes labeled in colorful markers and glitter “Martina’s Stuff” containing all the handmade plastic canvas Barbie furniture gifted to me by my Granny.

I had forget just how many pieces there were in this set. Granny must have spent many hours making all of this for me. I feel very blessed that I had it. I didn’t get interested in Barbies until late elementary school days. My best friend Michele and I would set up huge Barbie cities in my basement and spent hours playing.

The two [barely] surviving Barbies have seen better days. Naked, chopped off hair, and both missing a hand due to a tragic dog attack. I think I’ll be on the lookout for some decent clothed Barbies at yard sales this summer.

Let’s go on a little tour of the Barbie house. Note, anywhere you see drawers or cabinet doors they’re functional! Here’s Barbie’s bedroom with a bed, rug, dresser with mirror, vanity chair and table, and a room divider screen:

The kitchen with area rug, china cabinet, corner hutch, stove and table with gingham tablecloth:

I love the blue vintage style stove with heart details:

The formal dining table with white lace tablecloth and 4 chairs:

The living room with area rug, fireplace, love seat with pillow, arm chair with matching footstool, coffee table, end table and floor lamp.

There is also an entertainment center for the TV, stereo and speakers:

I wonder if our kids will recognize this brown box with a picture on it as a TV:

Like Jason’s Definitely Dinosaurs, I’m really glad my mom saved this furniture for me, that it’s still in great shape, and that it’s pretty indestructible for our kids to play with. Too bad Granny hadn’t used her own house for inspiration and made this furniture mid-century!

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Preparing for Foster Kids: Versatility in Gear

05/26/2011

Like any first time parents, we’ve been scrambling to figure out what kind of equipment we need have in preparation for welcoming little ones into our house. Only with foster parenting we have the added complexity of not knowing whether we’re preparing for a newborn or a 5-year-old, since we’re opening our availability to kids anywhere in that age range. Being placed with a newborn – 1-year-old is less likely than a toddler or young child, so we’re limiting how many infant/baby items we bring into our cozy house at this point. As I’ve been researching, one word keeps coming to mind: VERSATILITY.

Crib to Toddler Bed
Cribs that convert into toddler beds seem to be the status quo these days, and for good reason since most kids are able to climb out of their crib by 2 years. Our SOMNAT has three options: a higher position for newborns, a low position for infants that can sit up or pull up to a stand, and a toddler bed with one crib side removed. (I can’t find any photos online of it set up like a toddler bed… the image on the right is a random Google search image.) Some cribs even convert into twin or double beds, using the crib sides and the headboard and footboard. We had other plans for a big kid bed though.

Low Bed to Loft or Bunk Bed
We decided on the popular KURA for kids too big for the SOMNAT. I’ve seen the KURA bed set up and even customized in many ways. I love that it can be a low bed, a loft bed or a bunk bed. Even in the loft/bunk set up the bed is not very tall so it’s a safer option for young children. According to IKEA the bunk shouldn’t be used for kids younger than 6 but I have friends who have used it with 3, 4 and 5 year olds with no issues. In the high bed position, the square footage under the bed is open for a second mattress or additional floor space. It can easily be closed off on the bottom to create a fun hiding place or to cover up a cluttered toy area.

Convertible Car Seats
Many friends have offered to loan us their car seats. INFANT car seats. Why? Because they’re only used for 8-12 months and then they’re stored for the next kid. When I started researching car seats I was amazed to learn that there are car seats that go from newborn up to 70 lbs—the whole range of kids we’re likely to foster parent! I’ve heard all the benefits of being able to tote a sleeping baby around in an infant carrier but for foster parents, a convertible car seat is perfect. If we have an infant and feel like an infant car seat would be helpful, I’m glad to know that so many people have them in storage. My friend Susan recommends the Britax Marathon because it’s “really sturdy, easy to clean, easy to install & versatile for sizes newborn to 65-70 pounds.” We were gifted a perfect black one. I’m confident that we’ll be needing a second one at some point so if anyone wants to buy us another one, I like this cowmooflage one… just saying. (SIDENOTE: Getting bedding, car seats, strollers, clothing, etc. in unisex colors is obviously the most economical option for any parents who are planning on having more than one child.)

Strollers
There is a lot of room for personal preferences here but I love the simple yet hearty Jeep umbrella stroller my mom and I found at a yard sale recently. (Similar to this, pictured above but black and without all the accessories.) There are lots of fancy stroller options out there, including ones that work specifically with infant carriers, but I survived infancy being worn in backpack-style carrier and pushed around in a simple fabric umbrella stroller. Cheaper, lighter, smaller. I don’t have the age/weight specs on mine since it was second hand but I suspect this will work for all kids 1-5 with no problem. If/when we have 2 kids, I’ll be keeping an eye on craigslist for one of those fancy Sit & Stand strollers (like this one) that can tote two+ kids from newborn – 45 lbs and have lots of storage.

High Chairs
This Eddie Bauer foldable booster seat was recommended to me by my friend K for it’s portability and ease of storage. Our friends Renata and Sean convinced us we should get a Stokke chair. They’re as pricy as the Britax car seats but with sturdy wood construction and an adaptable design to work for an infant, a child and an adult, it’s considered a lifetime chair. We inquired about one on craigslist but didn’t hear back and while we were at IKEA we semi-impulsively (I had it on my baby wishlist) bought the ANTILOP high chair and tray for $25. The seat base is a bit bulky but the legs pop off so it can be stored pretty easily. The style matches our other dining chairs and the tray means we can move the seat around and we don’t need to find a placemat solution, though these work great with our friends’ Stokke. Did I mention the Stokke high chair comes in a bunch of colors?

These are the 5 key pieces of baby/child gear I come up with. Can you think of anything else to add? If you are preparing to become a foster parent or looking for gift ideas for a new foster parent of young children, remember: versatility, versatility, versatility. Books, audio CDs, DVDs, dishes (kids utensils, sippy cups), bibs and classic toys (blocks, puzzles, stuffed animals, musical instruments, cars, dolls) can also be added to the list of items that can be used for a wide range of ages.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Jason’s Childhood Favorite Toys: Definitely Dinosaurs

05/25/2011

Little Jason was a dinosaur enthusiast. He and his little brother Dan had a collection of a particular kind of dinosaurs called Definitely Dinosaurs made by Playskool. Jason and his brothers also had every boy and unisex toy and game manufactered in the 1980s and early 90s. Nerf guns, sit-n-spin, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Ghostbusters gear, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Super Soakers…you name it, they had it. Anyway… most of that stuff is long gone but his mom saved the Definitely Dinosaurs for him. Since we’re going to have kiddos around the ranch soon she brought them over. I cleaned them up and took some photos before putting them away in toy storage.

The official Definitely Dinosaur crew:

With their 5 Caveman comrades:

And with a few inferior-quality friends. Every dino collection needs a T-Rex. And a … a … whatever that little guy on the left is:

I’m really glad Jason’s mom saved these. I’m also glad they’re still in great shape and they’re really durable toys so we don’t have to worry about sentimental childhood toys getting ruined by our kids.

3 Comments | Art, Art: modern design, Family, Family: Foster Parenting, Family: Jason | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt

Preparing a Bedroom for Foster Kids: Progress

05/19/2011

Jason and I have been working away on preparing our kids room, basically sticking to our design plans and floor plan. We painted the walls Ellie Gray from Sherwin Williams. Despite the gray wall, the room will be plenty colorful between the green night stand, various wood tones, the blue crib we’re getting from IKEA, a blue area rug and the bedding.

This is the opposite corner of the room, shot from the doorway. Those black tables and white table on the floor are marking the spot where the KURA twin-size loft bed will sit. The corner of the room where the chair is sitting—hopefully a rocker someday—I’m calling the reading nook. We’ll put a set of shallow book ledges along the wall there.

The curtain is actually a shower curtain we picked up at Target last year. Nursery curtains was always the plan for it but I’m not convinced yet. I’m going to wait to see how it works with all the furniture and bedding before I split it into two panels.

I made this mobile to hang above the crib but honestly, I’m not so sure about it. It’s navy blue and bright green card stock with dog images on one side. It’s growing on me so we’ll see if I decide to keep it.

I found this dresser on craigslist a few weeks ago. It’s not the ideal color or height or style but we’re running out of time so it’s close enough.The pack-n-play is posing in the crib’s place.

We’re almost there! The last furniture pieces, book ledges and rug will be in place soon. After that we will hang the wall decorations (a couple posters, a clock and some vintage items) and add bedding. I can’t believe how fast we’ve pulled this room together but on the other hand, I’ve been planning it for years… So fun. I’m loving this room and the whole experience of planning and decorating a room for our kiddos!

4 Comments | Art, Art: Bedoom for Foster Kids, Art: interior design, Art: kids room, Family, Family: Foster Parenting | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt

Baby (Child) Shower for a New Foster Mom

05/18/2011

A couple weeks ago some friends threw me a lovely “Baby” Shower. It’s kind of unusual circumstances; at least in my circle of friends it’s the first shower for a foster mom that I’ve ever heard of. There definitely have been a lot of things we’ve needed to purchase to prepare and we’re just like expectant parents in a lot of ways. It was very sweet and generous of these friends (and family) to bless us. My friend Jenna hosted the shower at her house with the help of my sister-in-law Ginger and another friend Katelyn. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of the three of them (or me)! Boo.

Jenna took these pictures of the decor. The food table was decorated with books. Tons of books (for us)!

Foam letters were super cute as window decorations and will be fun bath toys for the littles:

Jenna also crafted this sweet mobile:

The food for the shower was make-your-own ice cream sundaes. Hello! All kind of yummy toppings and waffle cone bowls. Yummo!

Angela (and baby in the belly) and my mom:

My mother-in-law enjoying a sundae. (Sorry I didn’t get better pictures.)

Rachel, my niece Eliza and my mom. At least half the pictures I took were of my niece. What can I say, Aunt Martina is enamored!

Leila with Eliza. Leila is soon to become a new mom through infant adoption. I hope we’re throwing a shower for her soon!

Everyone brought a book signed with a special message instead of cards. Between these special books and the ones used as table decorations, we now have a great book collection for our kiddos. I love Dr. Seuss. Yay!

I got all kinds of thoughtful and generous gifts. My mom put together a medical kit from Nurse Memaw and paid for our first car seat. My mother-in-law gave us a gift card for Amazon.com (where I’m keeping a wish list of kids stuff!) and my sister- and brother-in-law paid for the crib I’ve been drooling over for a while now:

This shop & play cover from Angela was a very clever gift and one that hadn’t occurred to me. It’s a shopping cart cover and a restaurant high chair cover. It can also be used as a play mat. Plus it’s farm/fruit/vegetable theme since we love to garden.

I love the compact portability of this booster seat from Rachel. If we get an infant or young toddler we might also want to get a foldable high chair with a tray.

Leila got us finger paints and bath toys. Get covered in paint and go straight into the tub. I like the way she thinks!

Angela also gave us this sweet baby blanket. Animals on one side and blue, green and tan stripes on the other. Perfect match!

Jenna and Katelyn got us this awesome pack-n-play with a bassinet and mobile option. I love the pattern.

My favorite big sister, who is also a soon-to-be mama, sent me this fun stuff from my Amazon wish list. I am really excited about this puppy backpack. I can’t wait to see one of our little ones bopping around with it on his or her back. Also, magnetic cabinet locks, outlet covers, and a chalkboard eraser and dustless (!) chalk for our chalkboard door.

And my sister- and brother-in-law keep giving us random things like a set of Mrs. Potato Heads, play doh, baby wipes and a sound machine/night light for a crib. I can’t keep track of it all. Needless to say, we are very blessed! We’ve got the greatest friends and family. I’m so excited to welcome these special kids into our lives. They’re going to be surrounded with an instant community of love and support.

6 Comments | Art, Art: kids room, Art: modern design, Family, Family: Extended Family and Friends, Family: Foster Parenting, Family: Me | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt

Classic, Spicy, Delicious Breakfast

05/17/2011

Poached eggs are the new fad around this mid-century modern ranch. Jason, who is a wonderfully creative cook, came up with this twist on the classic poached egg and toast.

Poach an egg the way you always do. We use a deep skillet with a few inches of water and a splash of apple cider vinegar and gentle slide the egg into the water when it’s at a gentle boil. Figuring out when it’s done is not an art we’ve perfected yet. Place the poached egg on a piece of buttered toast. Sprinkle with sharp cheddar cheese, dill, salt & pepper, and a few drops of Louisiana Jalepeño Hot Sauce. (Side note: Best brand of hot sauce EVER. I thought I didn’t like hot sauce until I had Lousiana Hot Sauce. Great flavor and not overly hot.)

Easy peasy. And it’s truly yummy! In fact, I want one right now just thinking about it…

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Medical Kit for New Parents of Foster Kids

05/13/2011

…or any new parents, really.

I got some wonderful, thoughtful, generous gifts at my shower. Most of them were from Amazon.com where I’ve been keeping a wish list of baby/kid items for my own reference. A couple gifts were totally original ideas. And one gift really took the cake with it’s thoughtfulness. I call it the Nurse Memaw Medical Kit. My mom, soon to be “Memaw” to our foster kids, is a nurse so it’s even more perfect coming from her. This is a great idea for a new foster parent or any new parent.

Medical supplies for kids:
baby wipes
sunscreen
shampoo for kids
baby bath solution
kid-safe toothpaste
fun kids toothbrushes
fever reducer for kids
fever reducer to infants (drastically different dosage!)
medicine droppers
bandaids
neosporin wound cleaner

My mom is awesome! So clever with her gifts. This reminds me of my bridal shower when she gave me a huge basket full of kitchen staples and spices. All those little things that it’s so nice to have on hand when you need them in the middle of a recipe, or in the case of the kids medical supplies, in the middle of the night.

A week later, a friend gave me the medicine lock box and infant medical pack off my Amazon list. I added this kit to my list because it contains a thermometer, nail clippers, a nose sucker (what are those called?), and some different kinds of medicine droppers. I think we’re all set now. Did we miss anything you can think of? Do you have any other great gift ideas for new foster parents? Is my mom amazing or what?

10 Comments | Family, Family: Extended Family and Friends, Family: Foster Parenting | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt

Gift Ideas for New Foster Parents

05/12/2011

A lot of people have been asking us what we need and how they can help. A group of my closest friends even threw me a little “baby” shower. (That deserves it’s own post…as soon as I can track down some decent pictures! I did take this one of my awesome niece. She’s not so sure about that camera I’m sticking her face. Don’t mess with her, she’ll punch your lights out.) So, in case you know some new foster parents and are looking for ways to bless them, I’m sharing what I’ve learned. Please note: this is NOT a plea for more stuff. We have almost all we need already covered. Also, this list is slanted toward newborn-5, our age range.

Before the first child arrives, what to get:
books, books, books
kids CDs for the car, for dancing around the house, for night time
games
car seats
child proofing safety items (outlet covers, medicine lock box, night light, cabinet locks, etc.)
kids tableware
rocking chair
infant and child medical kit
bath toys
staple toys (blocks, cars, dolls, puzzles, instruments)
stroller
movies
bedding
towels
booster seat
shopping cart / high chair cover

Before the first child arrives, what NOT to get:
gender specific items (this mainly applies to sparkly pink and purple things)
items with a limited age range (mainly infant items)
big toys (take up too much space)
clothes

Child-specific gifts / After a child is placed, what to get:
attachment building helpers (photo albums, snapfish gift cards, vouchers for outings)
child specific clothes*
child specific toys*
age specific equipment (lots of fancy gear out there for newborns, for example)
thoughtful, encouraging card
offer to babysit
meals
duffle bag, suitcase or backpack (to keep personal belongs in if moved to another home)

*Foster parents are given a stipend specifically intended for clothing and allowance for children. With our agency, we’re required to spend at least $1 a day on clothing and a $1 a day on fun things for each child. Some children come with a lot of toys and clothing already, especially if they’re moving from one foster home to another. Sometimes they only come with the clothing on their backs. Check with the parents to see if clothing is a need. Same goes for toys. Keep in mind anything purchased for the child after his or her arrival belongs to the child and goes with him or her if reunification happens. Gifts purchased before a child arrives are considered family gifts and stay with the foster parents.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

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