Allboymama is Alive!

Well I set out to learn to blog in 2011 & didn't do much with it, but hey I won a few things & IF there's ever more time in the day I will update more.  The picture of the boys & I was taken at the end of the summer when Grandma took us to Catalina :)  Here's a quick update...

The tall one (my step-son) has begun his freshman year at USC (which doesn't seem right being raised on UCLA, but thank God for academic scholarships).  We are really going to miss him around here, but thank goodness for facebook so we can see him in silly frat party costumes like this one below lol

My first born (13 this Friday...yikes) is in his first year of tackle football & in Jr HS with 4 honors classes, advanced reading & Spanish.  How he finds time to text the girls I have no idea.  Below is a picture of his team & cheerleaders doing their push up countdown (of points earned) at the end of the game.  He's at front right closest to coach.

My elementary boy is an upper grader and now that he is getting letter grades (rather than numbers) he's obsessed with checking his grades lol.  I guess it's better than the alternative.  He is also anxiously awaiting basketball season.  

and the baby (joy of our lives) has begun to walk although he prefers crawling & furniture cruising still at 14 months.  He's up moving around now so gotta go!

I'd really like a pair of these balls...

...wool balls that is lol. I really would like to get some of these wool dryer balls. I can not stand static electricity! Not only do they help reduce static, but they are eco-friendlier than dryer sheets as they cut down the dryer time & don't have any harsh chemicals. I think I'll have to look into making some of these if I don't win them :-)

Anyone know how to come up with a good pair of balls out there? haha OK that does sound a little crude, but being an allboymama I guess that kind of language gets thrown around all the time. Here are a few links on how to make wool dryer balls that I just might have to try out...

http://goodmama.typepad.com/goodmama/2008/05/make-your-own-wool-dryer-balls.html

http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/2011/02/tutorial-on-how-to-make-wool-dryer-balls/

http://www.clothbaby.org/index.php?option=com_jaggyblog&task=viewpost&id=130&Itemid=300

Crazy 4 Fluff: CrazyColorfulWools Review & Giveaway: "Since fabric sheets were eliminated out of our house about 8 months ago because they aren't cloth diaper friendly, I made the decision to ..."

Springs Sports Mania

omg I'm actually blogging!  I was sick, the baby was sick, and now I'm just crazy busy...best time to get blogging again lol

Tis the season of spring sports mania.  Basketball just wrapped up for our middle boys, I've started coaching elementary track & field, I have my black belt son training at the dojo, my step son is now playing lacrosse and we finally got a weekend of little league games in after a rainy opening day last week.

If you didn't know it already, I AM A BASEBALL MOM!  I don't just mean my boys play baseball.  I mean I REALLY get into baseball, especially when it involves any of our boys!  This past Saturday I got the kids up bright and early for team pictures then watched my Major & AAA boys play ball.

My AAA son is 2nd from the end here with his AA friends.


This is my son in Majors.


Baby being a trooper watching his brothers' games after mommy yanked him out of his cozy bed.


Saturday was a long day on the little league fields, but we had lots of fun watching the boys win their first games.  Here we are arriving home and ready to do it again. 


We also had Sunday games this week since last Saturday's opening day games were rained out.  Sunday was a shorter day at the little league park as both boys had the first game, but we also watched the boys both lose their games.  Boo!  I guess you can't win them all.

Blog Button Help

I'm a newbie blogger.  I'm learning as I go and I'm thrilled to have found a few tutorials on Blog Buttons to help me along.


I used "How to Make a Blog Button" at blogging with Amy to go to Picnik.com to make a quick blog button for now.  I can always go make a better one later.  While there are great pictures with this tutorial and it seems very thorough, I believe she's using Word Press so at times it seems different than what I'd need to do in blogger.

http://bloggingwithamy.com/how-to-make-a-blog-button/

Next, I found a blog that Jennie Shell originally created as a place to play & tweak so that she wouldn't mess up her real blog & now it has morphed into a blog help blog.  The blog now has a bunch of tutorials she wrote to help fellow bloggers.  Although, I get the feeling that blogging was a passing phase and she doesn't blog much now.  Jennie makes creating a clickable blog button (using html code) sound easy.

http://jenieshell.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-blog-button.html

Jennie also has a tutorial on adding the code under your button for others to grab.  However, I had a glitch that I couldn't figure out till I saw the next tutorial (which also had a glitch, but I figured it out..sort of).

http://jenieshell.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-make-scroll-box.html

Skye at Real Mom Reviews has a quick tutorial for how to add a "Grab My Button" widget.  This is best for people that don't need a lot of words, but would like to see pictures.  She had the code I copied to put the box under my button so others could grab my code.  It worked, but the text box wasn't centered under my button at.  I messed with it adding <center></center> into the code and it looked right, but then I changed blog layouts & now it still needs tweaking.

here's the tutorial...

http://www.realmomreviews.net/2011/01/tutorial-how-to-make-grab-my-button.html

Now for all those blog buttons that you've added to your blog haphazardly, Faith at Simplicity has this tutorial to clean them up.  I also had to go through and either add or take out a </center> or a <center> in between some buttonss to get two buttons on each line (before I changed the blog layout).  I didn't get it all figured out though because I still had a few lines that are one button lines.  So I changed my blog layout

http://faith-simplicity.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-arrange-link-up-buttons-in-your.html

Then I decided to check out the next two tutorial links on making the blog buttons scroll, but as I post this I still haven't got around to scrolling my blog buttons.  Hopefully one or both of the links will be helpful.

http://jenieshell.blogspot.com/2009/04/scrolling-blog-buttons.html

and another

http://bloggingwithsuccess.net/3-steps-to-create-rolling-list-for-button-images

Soon I will attempt adding hyperlinks in my posts so that you don't have to look at those long links.  It just seems like a pain in the butt, but it's really not that big of a deal

New You 2011 "What's Your Food Weakness?"

Thursday Weight Support Loss Link-Up
The question of the week is..."What's your Food Weakness?"
My biggest weakness is sugary foods.  My sweet tooth has been quite active lately.  So, I will need to plan ahead this upcoming week.  Most important is weeding out the junk food in this house and having fresh fruit handy when my sweet tooth kicks in.
Lately I have not been motivated to eat right.  I want to be motivated to eat right, but I'm just not that into it.  So I need to have accountability and that is why I am linking up with the "New You".  My sister in law is supposed to be coming out here from Texas soon as we're planning on supporting each other and eating right together.  She's even checking into bringing her daughter out here to complete her second semester of school here in California.  
Food is only part of the weight loss equation.  Exercise is key.  I went on a great hike last Friday.  I ended up using a hard framed back carrier for the baby and boy did I work up an appetite!  It was not only a great workout, but I was able to spend some quality time with my girlfriends on the trail.  Jamie had some good tips about making easy changes in her diet.  One of the things she's doing is no whites after 5pm.  So she can have the baked potato as long as she has it before 5pm.  I love her motto for 2011...Celery sticks instead of chips!
I'm looking forward to another great hike this Friday.  I would like to set specific exercise goals this next week & then work on better meal planning.  I would like to lose another 25 lbs.  So it's time to step it up with my physical activity & step it down with the sugary foods.

I Want to Try Rockin Green Detergent, but...

I'm fairly new to the mom blogs, but wow I keep seeing Rockin Green Cloth Diaper detergent coming up in reviews & giveaways.  I know many people who use cloth diapers swear by Rockin' Green detergent for their diaper laundry, but I kinda have my cloth diaper laundry under control right now.  I mean in the beginning I started getting the ammonia smell coming from the wet diapers for a while, but it's gone now.  I rinsed (& rinsed & rinsed) the ammonia buildup out of the diapers & then found that once I stopped adding vinegar in the rinse the ammonia smell went away.  I've heard other people say they had to add vinegar to their rinse cycle to perfect their diaper laundry routine.  I guess it just depends on your machine, the soap you use, your water, or some combination of all of the above.

I've changed my wash routine a few times, but for now what's working for me is using a dry pail method, a diaper sprayer, making sure that I only use a little bit of soap, and a simple hot wash cycle with an extra rinse,.  When I change baby's wet diapers they go straight into the diaper pail.  When they're poopy I put them in a small plastic tub & when I have a moment I take it to the bathroom to use the BunGenius diaper sprayer (that I found on craigslist & installed myself) to spray the poop off.  On wash days I dump the diapers in the old sink by my washer & give them a quick rinse while I'm starting a hot wash cycle, set with an extra rise & extended spin.  I use a very small amount of "free & clear" detergent (to first line).  I do wonder if that small amount of brightener that some "free" detergents use really is all that bad for covers & AIOs over time hmmmm

So I'd like to go out and buy a bag of Rockin Green, but with all of the current Rockin Green Giveaways out there right now I'm really hoping I'll win a bag to try haha  I didn't win the Three Ps in a Pod Rockin Green giveaway that ended the other day, but there's still a few more Rockin Green giveaways that are still open.  And more popping up all the time.  Who knows, maybe I'll win one of these!?  Check out some Rockin Green giveaways here...

Diary of a Devil Dog Wife "Funk Rock" giveaway ends 1/19

http://www.diaryofadevildogwife.com/2011/01/rockin-green-funk-rock-review-and.html

Real Mom Reviews ends 1/19

http://www.realmomreviews.net/2011/01/rockin-green-review-and-giveaway.html

Leaves of my Tree ends 1/22

http://leavesofmytree.blogspot.com/2011/01/rockin-green-review-and-giveaway.html

Sweet T Makes Three ends 1/25

http://www.sweettmakesthree.com/2011/01/rockin-green-review-and-giveaway.html

What Mama Wants ends 2/5

http://questfortheperfectclothdiaper.blogspot.com/2011/01/check-out-diaper-jungle-androckin-green.html

Oh So Savvy Mom

http://www.ohsosavvymom.com/2011/01/rockin-green-detergent-review-and.html

I'm Just Getting Started...ABE

A Blogtastic Extravaganza has begun!  Many blogs have themes for their giveways and some just have a bunch of things thy're going to giveaway.  It ends on the 1/22 so I'll be entering like crazy today after pasting this lol

Before 6am I entered into the following ABE giveaways before my husband kicked me off his laptop lol


Real Mom Reviews $75 Gift Certificate (to Zutano)
http://www.realmomreviews.net/2011/01/zutano-review-and-giveaway-blogtastic.html



SAPsMaMa's "Going Green for the New Year"
http://sapsmama.com/2011/01/blogtastic-extravaganza/



The Penny Wise Mama's Prize Packages - Bonbon Charms, BabyLegs & Jasmere
http://thepennywisemama.blogspot.com/2011/01/win-125-in-prizes-during-blogtastic.html



What Mama Wants" Fantastic Fluff" 
http://questfortheperfectclothdiaper.blogspot.com/2011/01/its-finally-here-blogtastic.html




Happenings of The Harper Houshold's "Making safety Fun"

http://happeningsoftheharperhousehold.blogspot.com/2011/01/blogtastic-extravaganza-making-safety.html

My Silly Monkeys "A New You"

http://www.mysillymonkeys.com/2011/01/blogtastic-extravaganza-new-you.html

How cute is this?

The Penny Wise Mama is giving away an adorable hat of your choice from 

Blueberry Hill.  Love the boy hats!  The giveaway ends on 1/31 at 12am MST. 

http://thepennywisemama.blogspot.com/2011/01/blueberry-hill-sock-monkey-hat-review.html

Frugal Fridays Blog Hop

I can't believe I'm doing blog hops already when I don't even have my blog the way I want it, but I figure maybe someone will stop by & offer me some suggestions and/or it'll make me get on top of it faster lol
I decided to try the Frugal Friday Hop because I'm a tightwad at heart.  A while ago, my mom got me one of those books '101 Ways to be Cheap' (or something like that) and all my 12 year old son says when she showed it to him is, "Oh my mom knows more ways than that to be cheap".
Well, my husband is asking me to get off of his lap top so I better listen.  I guess I'll be blog hopping after I catch some ZZZZZZZZZZZs. 

My Diaper Stash

Here's my cloth diaper stash...mixed pocket diapers, prefolds & covers, grobaby/grovia diapers, gdiapers & even some older WAHM made ones.  No disposables ever.  I use the diaper stacker for grobaby inserts.

Weight Loss Link Up

I'm checking out a weight loss link up today.  I haven't shared my blog with all my friends yet as I'm learning & changing things constantly, but this is a first step in sharing blog.  Hopefully I'll meet some friends that'll point me in the right direction :-)




I can use the blog help and the Lord knows I can use the motivation to get back on track to lose the baby weight.  I'm planning to go on a good hike in the morning with some girlfriends.   I'm going to wear the baby in a SSC on my back & see how that goes.  I know that I can drop the weight & get fit again because I've done it before, but I haven't been as motivated as I'd like to be.  Baby is 6 months on the 15th so I better get a move on it.

Hot Baths are Waaaaaay Underrated

As I rock my fussy baby & type with one hand, I am thinking about how wonderful it was to get a nice hot bath with epsom salts earlier this evening.  Never mind that I never made it to the shower earlier in the day & had enough spit up on me today that I could have used 3 showers.  Seriously, why is it that I don't use that jacuzzi tub more?  I even got to shave my legs.  God only knows the last time I did that.  Hey it's winter.  I'm wearing pants.  It's not like I let people see my legs like that.  After soaking a bit, shaving, washing & conditioning my hair, the sounds of stomping tennis shoes (from Mr. Flash, my 8 year old) and dog nails on the tile outside the bathroom door told me my 20 minutes of bliss were over.  I jumped out, threw on a robe & hollered to Mr. Cool, my 12 year old, to see if he was dressed & ready for his basketball practice.  Mr. Wonderful, yes thats my husband, did the taxi job to & from practice tonight.  I love that man.

Well, the baby is not so fussy now, but he's wide awake.  I think I'll go text Mr. Tall, my 18 year old step-son, to see how his 1st semester finals week is coming along.  Yikes!  One one semester, then he's off to college.  Funny how it just hits you at times how fast the time is going.  We should all slow down long enough for hot baths because they're waaaaaay underrated.

The Penny-Wise Mama has an Inspired By Finn Review & Giveaway ends 1/23

The Penny-Wise Mama has an Inspired By Finn review & giveaway going on right now.  We just got the baby an amber teething necklace recently because he was so miserable and I really think it's helping.  I'd love to try a bracelet for my baby-induced wrist pain or a necklace for my current neck-ache & sporadic headaches.

check it out here...http://thepennywisemama.blogspot.com/2011/01/inspired-by-finn-review-giveaway-baltic.html

Inspired by Finn Review & Giveaway (Baltic Amber Teething Necklace) ENDS 1/23

Why I'm Starting to Blog...

I've jumped onto this bloggin' bandwagon & while I'm not going to commit to writing x times a week, I hope to catch some glances of what it's like to raise men in America before it slips by so fast that I forget what it was like to have my baby drifting of to sleep in my lap as I'm on the computer (yep he's almost a goner) or what it was like to juggle baseball tryouts, basketball games, church & family time on the weekend (like our upcoming weekend).  I'm a pretty busy mom raising a pack of boys here, so why am I blogging?  Well, I haven't found the time to journal, scrapbook, or even videotape the way I'd like to...and well, writing a blog is a sign of the times, along with joining twitter & facebook.  I've been on facebook for quite a while now, but I've just signed up with twitter & blogger as allboymama.  So if I ever have a girl I'll have to change that name....Now that's funny & scary!

I seriously have a sign hanging on a wall in the living room that reads "DUDE RANCH".  Currently our oldest, my step-son, is 18 years old, next we have our 12 year old, 8 year old, and the baby will be 6 months old on January 15th.  My dog is also male.  I'm "not allowed" to get a cat, but if I did get one I would rather have a male cat too.  Everyone of our boys is such a blessing & I can't imagine life without them.  They have a pretty cool Dad too.  I am so thankful for the way their daddy works so hard and proud of the father that he has become over the years.

Please be patient if you follow my blog from the get go.  I will be learning as I'm doing here.  If you have any tips for me I'm all ears.  I wanted to learn more before jumping into the blog scene, but upon entering a few online giveaways recently I noticed that I would get more entries for tweeting & grabbing blog buttons.  Soooo, I figure I might as well win a few things while I'm learning, right?