100,000 views!

Thank you, everyone, for letting me surpass 100,000 page views on this blog!

My 2nd Blogiversary was last Friday, April 12th, but I was so busy, I didn't get a chance to post.

I will be doing a giveaway soon.  Stay tuned!

How to Lock or Unlock Multiple Files on the iMac

I have not blogged about this, but I have recently gone semi-pro with my photography, obtaining a business license, and getting things set up to have a side business.  I had a photoshoot last week with a sweet, beautiful, fun little 14-month-old.

I am now in the process of editing her photos, and have to be very careful that I do not overwrite the original files.  I know that I can do a right-click on each file in Finder, select Get Info, and put a checkmark by Locked to lock the file so that it cannot be changed.  (For Windows people, you do something similar, but the term is Read Only rather than Locked.)  I took nearly 200 photos and really did not want to do that for each and every file (I'm so OCD that I want to do that for even the photos that should be deleted due to blinks or photobombs by my daughter).

I did a search for how to lock or unlock multiples files and found a great, easy solution:


First, select all of the files by doing Command-A.  (Hold down the Command key, press the A key, then release both.)  A is for All.

Secondly, do Command-Option-i (Hold down the Command key, hold down the Option key, press the i key, and release all keys.)  i is for Info. This box will show up.

If you want the files to be locked, put a checkmark by the word Locked.

You may then close the Info box.

When you look at the files in Finder, you will see a little padlock by the file to show that it is locked.

Even in a different view of the list of files, you will see the padlock.

That is my daughter Gracie.  I took her Spring Photos last week as well, but I have not yet edited them.  Yes, I know the hat doesn't match, but she likes it, and I like for photos to represent what Gracie is really like.

Gracie's New Closet

A little over a week ago, my husband took care of a much-needed project: redoing Gracie's closet!

As you can tell from the photos below, her closet was messy and there was a lot of unused, inefficient space.

 

I used a cheap white shelving to hold some of her toys.  The laundry basket holds her stuffed animals that she doesn't play with very much.

The grey box in the lower right holds Gracie's clothes that are too big for her right now.  On top of that is a stack of pillows, blankets, and a basket that we use to gather up her things from the rest of the house.

As you can see, the top of the closet is not used at all!

After Robert painted Gracie's room and closet 3-1/2 years ago (when I was pregnant with her), he did not put the (old, ugly) closet rod back in.  I bought a shower tension rod to use until we could redo the closet.

Now that Gracie is older and is able to put her things away when I tell her to, it was time to fix up the closet.  I was tired of all her stuff being scattered all over and there not being a planned space to put them away.

After we bought the closet system from Lowe's, I cleared out the closet in preparation for my husband to install it.  Gracie was excited about her new place to play and wanted to sleep in her closet that night.

While I had everything cleared out of her closet, I took the opportunity to go through her clothes, put away her clothes that were getting to small, and getting out the next sized clothing.  I love doing that because it's like Christmas to see her new things.  I shop the clearance racks, thrift stores, and yard sales for larger clothing, and then will fill in the gaps at a consignment store or retail store.

This cubbyhole is for Gracie's shoes.  She is familiar with the concept since she has to put her shoes in cubbyholes at the Chick-Fil-A playplace.  She loved putting her shoes away, and was disappointed that she had a hole left over!  She has since done a pretty good job of putting away her shoes.  She has also put socks in with her shoes, presumably to make it easier to put on her socks and shoes.  I thought that was a pretty clever idea!

The only thing I don't like about the shoe cubby is that part of it is behind the front wall which makes it harder for me to reach in there.  I originally wanted it to be hung on the side wall so that it was perpendicular to where it is now and facing towards the middle of the closet.  We may have to change that at some time in the future.

The finished closet!  I have a shelf at the top which has a couple of bins and some boxes of toys (blocks and building logs).  The side shelves also have toys.  The blankets you see have been moved to a large drawer in her dresser.

The top closet rod has Gracie's church clothes.  Her Sunday clothes are on the left, and her Wednesday night clothes are in the middle of the closet.  The bottom closet rod has dresses that she can wear whenever she wants.  She also has other clothes in her dresser.  She also has a backpack ("like Baby Drew's!") for toys to take somewhere. (Baby Drew is our little friend at church.  He brings his toys in a similar backpack to our ladies prayer group each week.)

On the floor she has her box of larger clothes (winter clothes for next year as well as up to two sizes larger for the following year or two), her suitcase (which she loves to pack to pretend she is going to her Mia's), and her laundry basket.  I'm glad I can get the laundry basket out of the main part of her room!

On the back of the closet door is a hook from which I have her portable DVD player case.  (The DVD player is actually on top of the bookcase in her room.  I'm too lazy to put it in the case!)  I also have a couple of Command hooks which hold her favorite sweater and a hoodie.

One day soon, I will do a post showing her room.  I still have a few things I want to tweak before I do a full post on it.

Hooded Baby Bath Towel + Baby Doll Blanket

When I was pregnant with Gracie, my sister-in-law made a hooded baby bath towel similar to the one above.  It was one of my favorite gifts and is one that I enjoy making and giving to other expectant mothers.  It's pretty easy to make.  I will show you how I made the one above and give tips on how to make it more easily (fewer mistakes) which I figured out the next time I made some.

Hooded Baby Bath Towel

What you need for one hooded bath towel:

• A large bath towel
• Half of a handtowel
• matching thread
• A roll of ribbon

If you are making two hooded bath towels, you will need:

• Two large bath towels
• One handtowel
• matching thread
• Two rolls of ribbon

Step #1:  Sew the ribbon onto the towels first.  This will help you see which side is the right side of the towel.

For the large bath towel, sew ribbon across the width at both ends.  If the towels have the decorative stripes on them (like below), it makes it very easy to sew the ribbon over that.  If the towels do not have the decorative stripes, you have to measure and make sure it's straight.  You also have to be careful when sewing to make sure your seams are straight.

For the handtowel, sew across one end, or, if making two hooded bath towels, sew across both ends.

Step 2:  Fold the large bath towel in half with RIGHT SIDES together.  (The ribbons should be on the inside.)  Measure 8 inches over from the fold and pin.  You will sew a line going down 6 inches.

Measure 8" from the fold and sew a line going 6" down.

(The photo shows the ruler measuring 4" - ignore that.)

Step 3:  Pinch the top part together so that it folds evenly over the seam.  See photo below.  Now sew along the edge to sew the layers together.

Step 4:  Measure over about 9-1/2" inches from each end of the handtowel and cut that piece off.  If you are only making one hooded bath towel, you can save the other half for another project.  If making two, you will have two pieces from the ends plus a smaller piece from the middle.

In this photo, I cut the hand towel in half across the width before measuring over 9-1/2" and cutting that piece off.  I prefer not to do it that way anymore.

Step 5:  Fold the handtowel in half right sides together.  Sew down the cut end to make a hat shape.  I used a zigzag stitch to make it strong.

Step 6:  Pin the handtowel hood to the bathtowel with RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.  Make sure the middle of the handtowel lines up with the middle of the bathtowel.  This will be difficult to sew since there are so many layers.  Sew slowly and carefully.  I actually broke a needle doing this step.

 Here is Gracie modeling the hooded bath towel.

I made this hooded baby bath towel for a lady at our church who is expecting her first child.  I knew that Gracie would be excited about the Winnie the Pooh ribbon, so I decided to take the leftover handtowel piece and make a baby doll blanket for her.

I later made another Winnie the Pooh hooded baby bath towel for a lady in church whose grandson had a baby.  I made two at once and have kept the extra one for future baby showers.

I also made a camouflaged-theme one for a friend of mine who had a baby boy.  I used tan towels and camouflage ribbon.  I don't have a photo of it, but if she takes any photos with her baby, I'll post it here.

Baby Doll Blanket

Step 1:  Take double fold bias tape (which I already had on hand), open it up, and pin right sides together to the cut end of the towel.  Sew.

Step 2:  Fold the double-fold bias back so that it covers the cut end of the towel.  Sew the other side.  I did it pretty quickly so my stitches look pretty ugly.  (Gracie doesn't care!)

Step 3:  Sew the ribbon across the towel.

Gracie wanted to help put the ribbon on the towel.  It actually goes straight across and not folded back as shown in the photo.

She was happy with her baby doll blanket and put it to good use right away.

Blog Post Roundup

Here are a few posts I thought y'all might like to read.

Friendship Must Be Wooed @ All Things Laura Ingalls Wilder

The Right Choice @ Simplicity & Celebration (This is a MUST READ and SHARE article!)

Professional Backslappers @ The Pastor's Perspective

When You Feel Inadequate @ The Better Mom

Winds of Change @ Valerie Write Now

10 Things Moms Should Never Feel Guilty About @ Better in Bulk

Being Busy & Knowing God @ Journal for Women

When You're Spiritually Numb @ Encouraging Words

8 Ways to Help Those Who Grieve @ Encouraging Words

Cake on the Beach

I made a dessert that I haven't made on several years. It is SOOOOOO good!

I got it out of a Hungry Girl book from the library.

This recipe makes 3 servings which is just right for our family (or would be if Gracie would eat it).

Ingredients:
1/2 cup yellow cake mix
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
1 T water

About 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 Jello sugar-free vanilla pudding (which is amazing by itself!)
1 T shredded coconut

Mix first three ingredients in a small bowl. Divide among three small bowls. I use Gracie's plastic baby bowls. Put the three bowls in the microwave and nuke for 45 seconds. Let sit for five minutes.

Poke some holes with a toothpick. Add a layer of crushed pineapple and then a layer of pudding. Put in the fridge for at least an hour.

When ready to serve, garnish with coconut.

Robert suggested to add marshmallows which made Gracie very happy. She tried eating just the marshmallows because the cake didn't pass the sight test. That's ok: more for me!

"I Stopped Crying!"

"No! I don't want to!"
"I want the other one!"
"I want you to stay!"

You mothers of toddlers know what it's like to hear whining, griping, complaining, and crying all the time.  Oh, the crying!  It's a struggle to try to figure out how to placate them while still maintaining your authority.

Several months ago, when Gracie would cry, I might offer an alternative.  She could turn the tears off like a faucet, and she would say, "Mommy! I stopped crying!"  I found myself making sarcastic comments in return.

Then, one day, it occurred to me that for Gracie to stop crying was actually a good thing.  That's what I want: for her to learn self-control and to adjust her thinking and attitude to being happy even in less-than-desirable circumstances.

Now, I still try to offer alternatives or things to think about or sometimes I just ignore the tears.  A few minutes later, when Gracie has directed her attention to something else, she will happily say, "Mommy, I stopped crying!" and I will happily praise her for being a big girl.  Now we both have smiles on our faces!

"...but David encouraged himself..." I Samuel 30:6