May 2017 – Karla's Cottage

Our set up for the puppy nursery

By Karla Nathan / May 30, 2017

The pups now can find their way out of the whelping box. But couldn't get back in when they wanted to nap.

My husband built the box with a cut out segment for Honey to step in and out of, and when the babies got big enough, our plan was to add a ramp for them. But he was out of town and I had to figure out another plan.

So I flipped it over! Well, DUR. Why didn't I think of that before? I'd fretted about the best way to make the ramp for them, before I realized one wasn't even necessary. The cut out entry way becomes a doorway for the pups when the box is turned over. The black pad at the bottom is a thick, rubber mat meant for a horse stall. It keeps the babies off of the cold cement, and can easily be sprayed off, or just mopped, what ever works out the easiest.

I'm counting on them soon being big enough to stop peeing in the nest and am encouraging them to walk toward the pee pads (covered in paper litter for more absorption because these guys pee in VOLUME, unlike the Yorkie pups I've raised before). There is a space heater/portable radiator in the room for chilly nights. I've used it and the step stool to build a barrier that will encourage the tiny tinklers to head toward the litter when they walk out of the nest. Because as soon as they wake up, they need to go. And you do not want the pee pads right in front of the doorway, for them to walk directly through. I've laid a towel in the entry for them to use as a welcome mat and wipe their little footies on. So that they don't drag that pee smell on wet foot prints into their bedding.

They have graduated to a big kid bed now too. It is a fluffy cushion that is so cozy that they practically fall asleep the minute they touch it. To keep it out of the pee zone, I've sat it on a lid to a large, Rubbermaid container.

At 3-1.2 weeks, they don't have all the rules down yet, and still tinkle right on the bed, but they are learning. And I am doing a lot of laundry. This cushion, ($10 at Ross) washes up nice. While it is being cleaned up, they have to settle for towels and rugs.

I've rearranged the rest of the space too. The tea cart from my studio is now a nursery changing table. It holds formula, pee pads, and other supplies. It has space to hold extra rugs and towels but those are all in the washing machine at the moment. Did I mention that I do a lot of laundry with these guys around?

The back door to the breezeway (where I was standing as I took this picture) is left open all day for Honey to get in and out of. It has a board across it that the pups can't get over but their mama can.

And of course, the kiddos need some space to run and play, and a lounging area for when they have played so hard that they are too tired to make it back to the nest. The walls of the breezeway are a few inches off the ground, so I keep them blocked until I need to spray the room with the garden hose to rinse it out.

Seriously, could there be a more ideal space to raise golden doodles in?

I have folding chairs in the back corner to set up when guests come, and these little cuddlers get lots of company. Everybody wants puppy hugs!

And there is a wicker chair with a soft cushion for Honey to jump onto and watch her babies when she wants to be near them but still out of reach.

My Own Birthday fun

celebrations, family

By Karla Nathan / May 28, 2017

This year, I had quite a birthday. It was such a jam packed week of celebrating, that I've probably used up my quota of birthday fun for the next few years. Seems like there was one special thing after another, it was really something. If my birthday gets forgotten in the future, that is just fine because I got more than my fair share of celebrating this May!

Caike baked a white chocolate flourless cake, Thia made a sculptured edible rose to go on top of it. My husband's boss sent flowers! Honey had puppies. The whole family came over and Adam treated me to a wonderful shrimp and pasta dinner that I didn't have to help cook., then he gave me some new paint brushes too.

Some dear Birdsong friends took me out to lunch, cupcakes, and shopping, Tami even made this necklace for me. (notice the little birdie?)

My friend, Shanna, made a fairy garden, and sweet treats for her craft day party. Earlier in the week, a group of friends had me over for a dinner party. Ryan took me out for pizza another night. the little grand fairies and I went out to the T Rex cafe for a big meal to make use of the $25 gift card that the Landry's club gives on every birthday if you sign up for a membership, and I bought myself a tee shirt with the $10 that Kohls gives out on birthdays. I still have a free popcorn coming from the movie theater and I will not let that go to waste.

Cards came in the mail, too.

From the family, I got the mixer I'd been wanting for years and years.

I was kind of overwhelmed by it all. Yep, it was the best!

Happy 3 week birthday, Puppeesh!

dogs, puppies!

By Karla Nathan / May 26, 2017

When pups hit 3 hits, it is time to start weaning them, to give the mom a break. Feeding those growing, always hungry, furballs can wear her down.

So, I mixed up some formula, dipped my finger into it, and offered some to one of the babies, thinking I'd need to coax them into learning out to drink from a bowl.

But no, these guys were all into the new experience, body and soul.

They, slurped, gobbled, and swam in the dish of deliciousness.

So much so, that they all needed washed off. After sitting each on the potty pad (which they all used!), they were ready for a bath and then to be tucked back into their box. At this point, they are still too little to climb in and out of it, so they need the bedding changed throughout the day. Soon, they will learn not to pee in their nest, and will venture outside of the box to potty. For now, they will use the pad if I set them on it right after they wake up or right after they eat.

I had a small bowl of warm, slightly sudsy water that I dipped a cloth into for a soft wiping off. I kept towels on a space heater nearby to wrap them in as I finished washing them. With six, wet babies, it was a bit of a struggle to get them all warm and dry, I was able to wash one at a time, with two in a towel on my lap to dry off. With their fat tummies all full, they aren't very wiggly, and are happy to curl up in a warmed towel.

As I'd finish, I'd kiss them on the top of the head and set them back into their newly freshened up bed.

Rinse, lather, repeat.

This is what my days will be looking like for a while, puppy feeding and cleaning (and snuggling) a few times a day. Not a bad life….

Cyclone

family, Sacred Circus

By Karla Nathan / May 24, 2017

Our girls were in a wonderful show recently, based on Oz, and titled Cyclone. Avahni was a Poppy.

Kia was a flying monkey.

They are part of an ariel troupe in KC, this is the first performance of it that I've seen, and I was impressed by the quality and professionalism.

And of course, I'm always smitten by any version of Dorothy's story.

And doubly smitten by my flying fairies.

Especially when I get to have the littlest fairies on my lap while watching the show.

Portraits from the past, thinking about Mother’s Day

family, paintings, puppies!

By Karla Nathan / May 21, 2017

I used to do a lot of portrait sketches. This was one of the very first ones, a charcoal pencil drawing of my grandma (Dad's mom) when I was 16.

These are colored pencil from a few years after the first. My other Grandma and my Mom. All of these pictures are on a shelf hanging in the stairway landing, in a grouping with other family pictures.

This shot from my wedding is one of my faves, it is the only picture I have of my mom and grandma together (along with my sisters and I).

The wall is a mix of paintings, drawings, and photos. None of the art is all that great, but it is sentimental to me. This watercolor is of a photo of my husband's grandma, Gladys, with one of her quilts behind it, and a gladiola in front.

The area is a quiet corner of our home, we rarely use the upstairs unless we have guests, or the grand fairies are sleeping up there. So, the mix of portraits aren't a focal point in our cottage, some of the frames are cheap and cheesy, like the one from the 80s on the drawing of my grandma, but the collection means a lot to me.

I take time to stop and look, sometimes will go upstairs just to think about the pictures and the people in them. Especially on Mother's Day.

Speaking of mothers- I can't leave you without pics of Honey and her pups, can I?

And of Twinkle, who has had her own share of puppies, wishes these babies were hers.

Mother’s Day

celebrations, family

By Karla Nathan / May 18, 2017

Our Mother's Day was a full one, with a cottage brimming with loved ones.

Miss Tree's mom, aunt, grandma, and dad, along with my husband's brother and many of his family joined our regular bunch of kids and grand fairies, for a pretty, spring day to hold puppies and feast on a big Mother's Day lunch.

I don't think those pups were in their nest for more than time to nurse, throughout the day.

Before everyone arrived, Sugarwings whispered an idea in PopPop's ear- they should mow the word,"MOM" into the field.

The O was even a heart!

Sweet, huh? I hope your day was special too.

More storage space for the kitchen- sometimes making something work turns out even better than what you thought you wanted

cottage, Kitchen remodel

By Karla Nathan / May 15, 2017

Last First Friday when West Bottoms was in full swing, I spotted this wonderful hutch at Good Juju, and thought it would solve all of my storage issues in the kitchen. Still, I dismissed the idea, thinking I didn't really need to be making changes or spending money on the house right now.

Throughout the month, as I juggled the avalanche of plastic containers, and struggled with the leaning towers of mixing bowls stuffed into my kitchen cupboards, I kept thinking about that piece.

By the time the West Bottoms opened back up for the big, monthly shopping experience, I was convinced that I couldn't live without it and was fretting that someone else had bought it.

Nope, it was still there. But it was over 10" longer than the wall I had in mind for it. Dang it! Now that I'd decided that I couldn't live without more storage space, and had shown up with a truck and a willingness to open up the pocket book, I WANTED A SOLUTION!

Well, Good Juju has about anything you'd need. I just had to get creative. I needed a piece with a big cabinets below, that measured under 59", and had a top with glass doors for the pretties.

No luck, in finding something that fit all the criteria, but this piece sure caught my eye. It was 58" wide and really deep, I knew I could fill it up with all my kitchenware overflow. All it needed was a top piece.

And here one is, found one store over at Serendipity for $70, all it needed was paint to tie the pieces together.

Now, this isn't as fancy as the one that caught my eye and got me thinking that I had to solve the space problem in the room.

But the kitchen looks good with a hint of primitive style. I like the mix.

And while this is 10" shorter and fits the spot, it doesn't feel smaller because the base is huge and deep. And the topper has a lot more room than the one with the pretty, arched windows. Sigh…I did love those arched windows….

I lined the back with vintage wallpaper to fancy it up.

I think I'll be very happy with this solution. All my favorite tea party or dinner dishes are easy to get to, no longer jammed in tightly like they were in the previous, narrow cabinet that used to be in the kitchen. And I think that the display shows off better than it would've in the hutch that I'd day dreamed about for a month.

My boy, Ryan, helped me put it together (it was heavy), and he also screwed the top piece to the bottom one so it wouldn't be tipped over.

Now, I could've taken my time looking for just the perfect piece, but that isn't how I roll. Once I get something in my mind, I follow through right away and move on to the next thing. This might not be the exact look that I had in mind, but sometimes you don't really know what you want till you find it and see that it works even better than what you planned for.

Bee Happy

cottage, how to's

By Karla Nathan / May 13, 2017

My husband has a new hobby. He has adopted a bee family, and added a hive in the field behind our "Food Forrest". I know little nada about bees, and was a bit worried when he didn't seem to either, as we were building and painting the hive (it came in a million little pieces!). And I wasn't all that enthusiastic about the idea of it.

But he quickly learned and has been talking to beekeeping friends, as well as reading up on the subject, and I am learning more about it from listening to him.

Not my hobby, so I am NOT going to read up on it. But I will enjoy the goods from the hive.

Apparently, you don't get honey for a while, you need to let the little buzzers build up enough for themselves before you can have any.

Seems fair.

But, they have to be checked up on, and if they are building combs in spots that aren't in the right locations, those need to be cleared away. Since our new pets got confused and built an extra piece, we got to harvest that bit.

Somehow or another (like I said, I'm not going to get into the details, NOT my hobby) the honey we get to harvest is separate, and doesn't have bee eggs or parts in it. This chunk was in an area that did contain those. Also, it held little honey so far. It wasn't edible, but the wax was good to use to make beauty products.

I double wrapped it in cheese cloth, submerged it in water, and let it simmer as the wax melted out. Then, squeezed out the cheesecloth to get as much beeswax as I could, let it cool, and scooped out the wax into a bowl. To that, I added melted coconut oil and a couple drops of lavender oil, and whisked it all together.

Oh my, it made the best, most creamy, body butter ever! It was soooo easy to do, too.

Now, I can't say that I did it correctly, or followed a recipe, but I like what I got out of it. I'd looked online for recipes and directions and all were too complicated and even involved scales. No way. So I winged it (fitting for dealing with the produce from flying creatures) and was happy with the results.

My husband is loving the new family members, and has made himself a little patio with seating to watch them buzz in and out of their home. I'm loving the beeswax cream that I made. And I have a feeling that our fruit trees and berry bushes will benefit too. So, I guess I'm happy that we invited them to come live with us after all.

Puppeesh!

dogs

By Karla Nathan / May 10, 2017

The babies arrived 6 days early and gave us a big surprise. All did well, and in a week since, they seem to have doubled in size! Goldendoodles sure grow a lot faster and bigger than Yorkies do…

We thought we were ahead of the game, had the whelping box built, set up, had the puppy pads and birthing towels ready to go.

I had big plans all week for birthday celebrations and get togethers for myself, and figured the timing was perfect for the pups to arrive on their due date, 2 days after my birthday. But they had other plans.

On Tuesday, I'd been working in the studio till late and realized Honey was still out after dark. I called, and called, she didn't come!

Ryan and I went out to hunt for her, and she came running up, all wet and muddy. We put her in her kennel to keep the mud contained and she went berserk!

That made me realize she might have babies outside in the dark and cold, so we grabbed some flashlights and followed her out, of course, she went right to the big hole that she'd dug out under a shrub, in a fence corner. I reached in, after shining my flashlight down into the mud pit and seeing many little shapes and hearing squeaks.

Only to find a limp, wet, cold, dead thing.

ooooooh noooooo!

But then, realized, it was not a puppy, it was a stuffed toy. Honey had gathered every stuffed toy she owned, and filled the hole with them. Plus, had a couple pups too.

They, also were wet and cold.

But wriggling and alive.

We brought the two, icy babies in and warmed them up, getting them settled into the box with their mom, who seemed to be happy to be inside but still worried. She quickly had another one, but wouldn't calm down.

So I sent Ryan out with a flashlight to see if we'd missed any. Nope, no pups outside.

But she still fretted.

So, I went back out and gathered up the muddy, sodden, soaked toys.

Yep, that was what she wanted.

Once she counted and kissed all the toys, and tucked them underneath her, she went back to the job of having a few more pups.

3 girls, 3 boys total.

Honey has been a devoted mama, and I'm loving having a boxful of babies in the house. They will move out to the breezeway once they get big enough to climb in and out of that box, though!

I'm not enjoying the excess dog hair that is floating around my house at the moment. Apparently the stress of birth combined with warmer spring weather has sent Honey's fluffy fur into a full on, shedding attack. Oh my god, I'm sweeping every hour.

She reminds me of those cartoons of Pigpen and the dust that follows him like a cloud. Add on the fact that she has gone from part time to full time house dog and the amount of hair that she is producing is just outrageous.

Even with the mountains of hair that are covering the floor, it has been a wonderful time with the newborns. All of the grandfairies are smitten, so we get extra visits from them, which is a nice bonus.

They would all like to keep one, and Sugarwings is doing everything she can to prove that she can be a good puppy caretaker to get the option of having one stay with us. But even though these guys won't shed like their mom does, 5 dogs might be too much for me.

For now, I'm staying strong. Of course, none of them have opened their eyes yet. Those big, brown puppy eyes can be hard to resist when they stare into your soul!

Adventuring with Grand Fairies- tips and tricks for Disney with little girls

celebrations, Dew Drop, Sugarwings, Travel

By Karla Nathan / May 7, 2017

The Grand Fairies and I went on an adventure.

The 3 of us flew to Orlando together and spent a couple of days at Disneyworld. I was impressed with how smoothly it all went, considering it was spring break time, and we weren't the only ones who had the idea of going there then.

There were a few struggles, but nothing we couldn't handle.

Lost rental car keys? Take a bus. (There is great, free transportation from the Disney hotels to the park, it was actually easier than driving)

Chilly weather? Lots of layers. Lots.

Bag too heavy? Rent a stroller to carry it.

Kids too tired? Trade that single stroller in for a double and push those kids around, remembering to call it a carriage, NOT a stroller. Who cares if they are "too old" to be in one, it made the day much more pleasant for us all, and those strollers glide so easily, that it was no problem for me to manage it. It was actually more convenient to have the girls seated together as the day progressed and the crowds grew larger and larger and larger and larger.

Crowded restaurants at lunch time? Find a kids' zone to color in and wait til it clears. Patience and distractions got us through wait times, along with a bag full of snacks, and water bottles.

We took breaks and kept it as chill as we could. We arrived early to our scheduled events, like our dinner at Cinderella's castle, and read books or played games on ipads to rest up before the party started. For the "Wishes" fireworks show, we found a cozy spot with a family chock full of little girls nearby and hung out for an hour before the show began, for a perfect view, enjoying just BEING there, while making friends.

Our sidewalk neighbors were Muslim (I'm guessing on this) and didn't speak English, I'm not sure where they were visiting from, but I got a kick out of watching Dewdrop befriend them, even with a language barrier. They were joined by a couple Hispanic girls behind us, and it became a little United Nations of princess talk and giggles.

One trick I regret not using on this trip, was watching the parade from Frontierland instead of Main Street. It begins in Frontierland and the crowds are much smaller there. We didn't have a good view this time, and it was my own fault for not getting to a good spot early. Because it is hard to see the show if you haven't staked out a place ahead of time.

My thought is that a trip to Mickey's place isn't a contest to see how much you can do to "get your money's worth", a day in the park is meant to be completely enjoyable and fun, not rushed and crazy.

I plan ahead as much as I can to make the most of the time, but we leave plenty of space for just plain old sightseeing, hanging out, and rolling with the day. We spent the entire day in Fantasy Land and Tomorrow Land, without seeing a single other area, and didn't care. So what if we didn't see it all in one day?

What we saw, and what we did was amazing!

My biggest tip for a good day at the park is to make the most of fast passes and use the Disney park ap on your phone to keep them updated, as you use them up, you can book more. Also you can check wait times on all rides so you know where you can get in quickly without waiting for crowds. We never waited more than 10-15 minutes throughout the day, unless we were purposely taking a break.

And if you can't get reservations for the meals you want, keep trying. Even during spring break's larger than usual crowds, we were able to dine at Cinderella's Castle as well as in Belle's. Both were full up when I first checked, but I made a point of looking online for openings periodically the month before we left and eventually, spots opened up both places we wanted to go.

(okay, I admit that I was a bit obsessed with that, and some days, I checked the dining reservation site 5 times a day)

Another tip that I found helpful was dressing the girls alike. I dread the day they won't let me do this anymore, because it sure makes it easier to find them in crowds. I always make sure I am wearing something colorful myself, so they can spot me easily too. When they get too sophisticated for twin outfits, maybe we will all chose a family color to wear when we go to zoos or amusement parks.

I have never splurged on taking the girls to the Bippity Boppity Boo salon, but I do buy them each a new dress for our visits. Kohls has the cutest Disney lines of clothes, and with their sale prices, I got two dresses from the Beauty and Beast collection that will be worn over and over and over for much less than I'd have paid for a gown from the salon. And I knew the girls would be comfortable for the day. Some of those gowns that are sold in the park are too flimsy to be warm in the early mornings and after dark, but look hot in the middle of the day when the sun is out.

We went on St Pat's day, and I checked out the Dollar Spot at Target before we left for some light up necklaces and crowns to celebrate in an affordable way. We also packed glo-sticks from the dollar store to give us some sparkle once night time came.

If you want to get into the park early to get decent photos of the castle before Main Street becomes shoulder to shoulder traffic, you should go early and be there when it opens (or before). We were lucky that the Extra Magic Hours (a free hour to go early or stay late at a park) happened to co-inside with Magic Kingdom that day. Sometimes the park that has the Magic Hours isn't the one you have tickets to, they change daily. And you have to stay at a Disney hotel to get that free hour.

Or you can book a reservation at a restaurant in the park, for an early breakfast and get in early that way. When you go early, you can often walk right onto rides, no line at all.

We had no waits at all for Winnie the Poo, Small World, and the merry go round, all in about 35-40 minutes or so. We even rode Small World twice. And you are welcome for the gift of that song in your head for the rest of the day, it is still in mine, we rode it later that day too. Twice. Yes, it will be in my head til the end of time after that, but I kinda like it, so didn't mind.

Here is another tip- if your kids are into gymnastics, and trapeze like mine are, please council them before getting on the carousel about not standing up and doing tricks on the horses.

The operator stopped the ride to talk to these two after they were caught showing off their circus skills as the ponies went round and round. And funny enough, they hold the ride up for a LONG time talking to the kids, they didn't simply tell them not to do it, or to get off. I was surprised by the length of the lecture. Or did it just seem like it was forever because they were all pointing to me in the crowd as the reprimand was going on?

A lot of time waiting can be spent looking for Hidden Mickeys too. I don't know if this counts as one, but it was delicious anyway.

This was the first time we used the Disney dining plan, we chose "quick service" which is the lower end one. And we were not able to use it for the upper priced meal at Cinderella's castle, so we had extra meals on it. The quick service plan was honored at Belle's castle tho, and the meal even came with this bonus tray of pastries.

We also shared two meals three ways a couple of times. And didn't really buy much in the way of snacks. So, was purchasing the meal plan worth it? Well, it ended up being so for us, because we met up with Dewdrop's mama the day after we went to Magic Kingdom and I paid for them to go to Animal Kingdom together, and the credits on the meal plan carried over for them to use. The points were good until midnight the day you check out of the hotel and could be used at Disney Springs too. Sugarwings and I went there to hang out, had some dinner, and bought snacks to go to use up some of the credits. We ate caramel apples at our beach hotel for the next couple of days.

But for just one adult and two little fairies, for just two days, it wouldn't have been a good deal, it was too much food for the three of us. I don't know if I'd do it again or not.

Check out was at 11, and we were able to get a later one, (request a later check out upon checkin, don't wait!) so we spent time at the pool at our hotel, then spent the rest of the day at Disney Springs, seeing Beauty and the Beast and having dinner. That gave us an extra day to use up the meal plan, and we shared it with Dewdrop's mama, but it was still hard to finish up all of the credits without stuffing ourselves.

Here is something I learned about the dining plan we were on. 10 years old is ADULT PRICED! But- when I used the dining plan, it wasn't divided up between "adult" or "child" meals. There were two credits each, each day for just a meal, plus snack credits and a refill cup good for use at the hotel only, but it was great for refilling with ice water- free at any counter service restaurant.

We could order two adult meals and split them three ways, and could order the highest priced meals on the quick serve menu.

BUT- you have to purchase a meal plan for each person in your hotel room. So, the only way I see doing this again would be if I had two separate hotel rooms, and we shared a meal plan somehow. Or once the kiddos are older and eat more, it would be worth it. For now? Not for us.

We stayed at one of the "value" priced hotels and it ended up being the favorite of any we'd been at. At least from the kiddos point of view. (I've stayed at the Animal Kingdom resort with my sis, Terry, and I can't say any hotel anywhere is better than that one!)

This one, Art of Animation, was over the top gaudy, bright, fun, and full of 3 story high characters the kids love. So, it was an ideal choice, was much less expensive than any of the other hotels I've stayed in there, and it made the grand fairies VERY happy. The pools were such fun that we wished we had more time to stay there. The hotel itself was a blast for the littles, although it might have been a bit much if my husband had come along.

It was at least $150 less per night than the medium value hotel we usually go to (Caribbean Beach). That alone was good for me, the girls loved the Ariel decor, and the bus to the Magic Kingdom was direct and quick.

A tip I got from my sis, the Disney master (Terry) is to get a fast pass to see Belle's tales. It is a cute, interactive play and every child gets to be in it, meet Belle, and get a free book mark. That is much more interesting than simply standing in line to meet a princess.

If you do a character meet and greet or one of their meals, pick up a note book from the Dollar Spot at Target, or somewhere else with bargain prices so the kids can collect autographs. No reason to buy one for $10 or more at the park. And Target has Disney themed books that are every bit as cute. My girls saved the signature pages to make a scrap book with the photos I took of them meeting their royal friends.

Here is another tip- pick up extra maps, they get torn up, lost, and fought over if you don't. No reason to play tug of war with one if there is an unending supply.

Another activity to keep busy between rides is Pin Trading. The grand fairies like doing it so much, they even traded back and forth with each other all day.

We had the best time with our stay. I wish it could be longer, I've never taken the little ones when we could go to the park more than one day, the timing just never works out for us. This time, we had an afternoon and evening at the hotel, then a day at the park, and another night at the hotel, then a late check out.

Here is another tip- don't over do it!

We probably could've squeezed in one more day at a park before driving to the beach to meet up with my husband after checking out of the hotel. But, as tempting as it was, I knew I'd be exhausted if I spent another day in one of the parks, then had a two hour drive to get to our beach hotel afterwards. Hanging out at the pool and at Disney Springs for a couple of hours was ideal for us, plenty more Disney fun, and no more ticket purchases. There are a lot of fun things to do in the area without buying a ticket.

These are all tips that I've learned after taking children a few times, and I know that I am in no way an expert. I just wanted to pass on some things I've learned along the way.