the DIY movement, Puente style

I love having our nanny, Isabel, help me out four days a week. I've just got too many doctor's visits and safety issues to cut her back, but having full-time help isn't something many families on one income do because it definitely comes at a cost. Over the past year I've been looking at creative ways to save money and have come up with quite a list of crazy things that somehow 'work' for our situation. All of them are a bit of a hassle, but save quite a bit overall because I went for high expenses and quick substitutes.


For example, I had my goal to nurse for one year which I did (and am still doing!) I made my goal and never bought formula! I also don't buy baby food (well, maybe once or twice and we went through it before you could blink), but make everything the babies eat. It would be quite a hassle to chop and cut those fruits and veggies for just one baby, but somehow it seems easy (did I say easy? easiER) to make food for two and the savings add up. I also use old cloth diapers every now and then for about a week. We never hire sitters, but instead do sitter-swaps with friends. For dates we've been going on bike rides and walks and getting movie tickets from Costco. I've made our own yogurt for the babies and as a buttermilk substitute in pancakes and waffles, Ian makes our syrup and for the past few months and I recently went through my closet and started making a few repairs and accessory purchases rather than buying a new post-preggers wardrobe. I'm surprised that once I got it out of my head to solve problems by making a purchase, the world of funky DIY has opened to me. I always see if I can make it myself, recycle something, or use craigslist.
SO, the newest thing I have to add to the list is studio photos. I love having recent, nice photos of my kids and our family. A couple weeks ago I realized I could save on ever paying for a photographer again if I just learned how to use the Nikon D80 camera Ian got me for my birthday awhile back. Then I wouldn't have to make appointments and drive out somewhere and risk multiple meltdowns! I found an online class, which was perfect for me because I didn't have to be anywhere, by Maggie Holmes, a famous scrapbooker and professional photographer. The class was a bit of an investment, but it was equal to or way less than the cost of a location family shoot so I feel like I came out ahead. I just did my first family photo swap too. I took photos for our friends the Taylors and then Justin, who also recently took a photography class, took photos of us. We all came out with so many good shots. I thought they turned out well and look forward to doing another one. I'll try to post more later.


I also finally learned how to use my camera. Let's just say it's embarrassing how little I knew about it. I'm still perfecting a few things, like focus, but I got to practice a lot on my kids and when they got sick of that, on friends in the area. Here are some other shots. I have learned a ton and loved every minute of it! I'll try to post more later, I have quite a few good ones!




Now if I can only figure out how to get myself ready with hair done and makeup on before 7pm at night... wonder if there's a DIY solution for that.

the Bermuda Triangle

I just want you to know that it's so not you. It's me.

You are perfection itself.

Designed by Malia Mills, whose swimsuits typically run for hundreds of dollars, you just happened to be part of a special refined casual line Malie created for the affordable Martin + Osa. As if that wasn't too good to be true, you were on sale. I was incredibly lucky to snap you up. Our love affair began the first time I tried you on. You were a mix of fabrics that made me feel amazing and look about as good as I can possibly look in a swimsuit, except better. That one time I wore you was the most comfortable and relaxed swimsuit experience of my life. In fact I think it's my first public swimsuit experience in about six years. I still remember how odd it felt that I loved being in a bathing suit.

So I don't want you to take it personally. The thing is, before I had kids, I didn't understand it myself. If, say, a certain three year old had gotten into the glitter stash and dumped glitter all over his bed, his room, the bathroom, and the kitchen table, I would have listened politely as his mom moaned about spending hours vacuuming, wiping, shaking sheets, pillowcases and duvets over an apartment building balcony like they did in the 30s before rinsing out all linens and children involved in the disaster, only to find the glitter was still all over her house, including her tupperware and her toilet paper and her teeth. All the while I would have wondered privately why she didn't just put her glitter in a safer place. Probably everyone else who is not a mom of three year olds currently, or was a mom to a three year old within the past couple years before the amnesia sets in, would have wondered right along with me. Most of those not included in this category would have nodded in sympathy.
And, while we're making confessions, I should also mention my cell phone has been in my physical possession only four days in the past sixty, and my day planner/wallet is flattened because it got run over a couple times after I left it on top of my van and then drove away. A sharp turn on Sepulveda and Santa Monica left it for roadkill. Miraculously, my angels saw fit to have a very kind, complete stranger rescue it at great peril to his life and get in touch with me by calling the phone number on the last scrap of paper in there, which happened to be to the physical therapy office I frequent. Even more miraculously, everything important in there remained intact. Hundreds of other items are being pulled away by that special force that is turning my life upside down right now, including earrings, toothbrushes, necklaces, one of the diamonds in my brand new replacement-wedding-ring...

The weird thing is that somehow, in the past couple months, all the things that I really need are still here. My children, my health, my husband, my ATM cards, but anything that is one step removed seems to be fair game. So I wasn't surprised that you completely disappeared one day. I have my theories... but honestly there is no clear answer to what happened to you. Despite the fact that I turned every nook and cranny in my home upside down looking for you, it's been weeks and I know in my heart that you have left me, taken by the force that makes my crazy.

So wherever you are, I just want you to know that I still think about you every day. I miss you. Ours was a match made in heaven, and a separation from more than just little hands or my own forgetfulness; it's my own personal Bermuda Triangle.