Trampoline Netting Repair (aka I may have been a fisherman)

Perhaps I was a fisherman in a past life....

for today I did the most AMAZING job of netting repair in the whole entire world.

Okay....maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration (pardon me while I toot my own horn).

Here's what happened.

Just weeks after purchasing our trampoline last year, someone found a loose thread on the netting and pulled...and pulled....and pulled until there was a sizeable snag reaching 2/3 the way around the diameter of the netting. 

SO NOT COOL! 

 I was not happy (to say the least) but, after threatening them with expulsion from the trampoline for eternity if they ever did it again, I let the matter go.  Enough said.  Or so I thought.

A few days ago someone got the brilliant idea of sticking their little fingers in the snag and pulling until the hole grew bigger, and bigger, and bigger (hello pretty garden).   

Blood!  Fire!

WHOSE ARE THESE CHILDREN ANYWAY? 

After cooling down (ha ha) I figured I had two choices.  I could either let the problem go and watch it get worse until the whole net was destroyed and had to be replaced ($200+) or I could come up with a plan to fix it.

After brainstorming, I came up with this....

 (Fishing line...20lbs.  Cost me less than $3.00 at Walmart)

and I went to work.

Result: EXCELLENT (toot, toot)
Cost:  < $3.00
Effort:  Minimal

If I can do it...anyone can.

Here are my suggestions on HOW:

#1  Pull out a sizable amount of fishing line (about 1 1/2 times the length of the hole) and than double that length again.  Fold line in half (as if you were using a double thread for swing/stitching) and slip on a quilting or other large eyed needle (I didn't use one myself....wish I had). 

#2  Weave the line through a few squares (about a 1/4 inch from the start of the hole) and tie a good knot.

#3  Starting right next to the knot weave a few vertical stitches and continue on until you reach the actual hole(to secure it).  Once you reach the hole, start widening the height of the stitch (I skipped the first set of squares right on the edge of the rip and started on the second row (for added stability).  Pull the line through and take it vertically to the edge (or one row in) on the other side of the hole and pull tight.  Skip a few squares horizontally (I did every other) and do it again.  Do this for a couple of stitches until you get the hang of it.  (you may have to pull the net closed as you work to tighten it at first).

#4 Once you get the hang of it, try doing several loops up and down before pulling tight.  It saves a LOT of time.

  #5 The completed line WILL unravel unless you keep it tight at all times.  Unless you are an octopus with 8 arms, this will require some finagling.  Pull the line tight (seen below).  (Now here comes the weird part)  Clamp the line in your front teeth to hold it tight.  Yep, that's what I said.  In your teeth.  (Just don't tell my mother...or my orthodontist...he he).

This way both hands will be free to work on the next set of stitching without undoing what you have just done.

#6  Work your way to the other end of the hole.  Back stitch the line a few times and tie it off with another good knot.  You are done.

The finished repair should look something like this.

 

BEAUTIFUL, yes?

I'm gonna make a pre-emptive strike on these two babies before they meet the same fate as the last one. 

Happy Stitching Y'all!

Summer Lovin'--The Jungle

I am going to attempt to catch up on life and the adventures therein.  I was a little (a lot) burned out with blogging and decided to phase my addiction into something more instantaneously gratifying ...facebook. 

But I've missed actual writing and so I think I'm back for a while now. 

Maybe.

As for catching up, here's the first installment. Introducing " Summer Lovin'-- The Jungle. 

What started out as this: 

Has now become this:

This is what we lovingly refer to as "The Jungle".

Goes to show what a little bit of compost and steer manure can do to otherwise extremely sterile soil.  (sterile, as in, not ONE weed popped up the entire spring)

We've never experienced anything like it.  It boggles my mind.  The plants are bigger than anything I have ever seen.  The green bean plants reach well above my knees.  It's insane.   Not even the hail storm we had the other day could stop their growth.

 Holy Monkey Lovin'.

As you can see, we didn't plan enough room for their ginormousness.


Who knew there was gold in dung? Not me...that's who.

Check it out....

The pumpkin plants have started taking over the kids digging area.

 I'm not gonna lie....I'm not too sad about that.  I'm thinkin' we may just need all of that space next year.  No more dirt caked faces (clothes, hair, eyes, tongues, etc) and no more mud pie slinging.  DARN, DARN, DARN! (wink)

Back to the goods.

The biggest yield-er, so far?  The ZUCCHINI!

These babies are just from today (sans 2 that Rob took to work).  That's 9...in ONE day!  Plus the 15-20 we have previously harvested makes for A LOT OF ZUCCHINI!  It's a good thing we love it.

In addition to plumping back up my freezer stores (sliced for regular dinner table consumption and shredded for tasty winter baked goods awesomeness) we have been enjoying a lot of this:

Squash, green beans (also from the garden), 1/2 to 1 TBSP olive oil, 1 tsp minced garlic and a dash of seasoned salt.  SO TASTY (unless Rob cooks it and puts in 4 TBSP oil).

 and some of this:

Grilled pizza---SO GOOD!  You can find grilling instructions on Our Best Bites here.  I also make my own pizza sauce using 1to2 15 oz cans tomato sauce and Our Best Bites garlic bread seasoning recipe (to die for).  Better than ANYTHING you will find at the store.

Next on the list for zucchini love:
This,  this, this (SO GOOD--already had it once--thank you Lisa), this , ohhhh and maybe this.

(Pinterest....I LOVE YOU!)

In the meantime we will are anxiously awaiting more green beans, tomatoes, crookneck squash, cantaloupe, cucumbers, walla walla onions, pumpkins and carrots. 

Fresh food makes my mouth water. 

How about you?

Sigh.....

Now I'm off to eat a Twix.

Goodnight!

Huggies and Heroes...

Huggies Slip On's---What's your take?

Well, here's mine.

To be honest, I don't normally buy Huggies diapers.  As a first time mom I experienced severe absorbency issues (newborn boys maybe?) and in babies more recent...allergy rashes.  I'm just not a huge fan. 

But...I thought I would give these puppies a try and ended up scoring them for only $3.99/Jumbo pack (using some mad couponing skills)...hoping, of course, that the newborn skin sensitivity was a thing of the past for Mr. Golden Locks.  

(Warning:  Possible soap box moment below)

While they have generally been fine, I have had concerns with the snuggness of their fit.  The whole add campaign revolves around easy diapering for the active baby.  I find that simply slipping them on does not secure them to the babies form and therefore having to take the time to undo and readjust the "adjustable straps" then deafeats the purpose of their whole creation.  Am I right?  I mean, if you then have to lay them down in order to adjust the velcro-ish thing-y's (because let's face it, in my experience, no active baby is going to stand still long enough for you to adjust them without trying to run off, right?) then Huggies whole campaign is blown out of the water, right?

(Excuse me while I step down...)

So...as a stubborn consumer, hail bent on using the product as intended (whether or not it actually works), I haven't been making the adjustment (pure laziness on my part).  

Let's just say that there has been a whole lotta' butt crack going on over here as of late. 

Other than that, no real problems.....

Until today.

I'm cleaning up after lunch and "Mini Rob" comes into the kitchen, "Mom...Mom...Moooooooooom....come here, come here, come here."

"Just a second,"  I say in typical "mommy's concentrating on something else" fashion.

He persists....

So do I.  

Then I get a feeling (I call them "Mommy Revelations")......and think, maybe I should listen to him.

"Okay [Mini Rob] what do you want to show me."

"Come here....come here."

He drags me off to the toy room.  When we reach the outskirts (aka the door) he pauses, points towards the corner, and says,  "Look."

I do as I am told. 

There I find Mr. Golden Locks squatting down...playing with some toys...with the "Niagara Falls of Poop" cascading forth from the back of his diaper.

I spring into action.  

Running over to Mr. Locks, I grab him around the waist, swing him upside down and start yelling orders as I sprint over to the "changing area"...."'Little Red' towel....'Mini Rob' garbage bag....'You' (pointing at the little Mr.) stop wiggling.  Hold still.  NOW!"  

The crisis was soon over, damages assessed....a sigh of relief.  

It could have been much worse.  The blob of brown goo was quickly loosing ground....gravity was winning....it could have ended up on the floor, and who knows how far it could have been tracked then.

Sigh...

"Mini Rob" wins Hero of the Day!   Thank you for you attentiveness and saving me from a lot of grief.  

Thank you Heavenly Father for sending me a "Mommy Revelation" to remind me that maybe, just maybe I should listen to my children every once and a while (and therefore be saved a lot of anxiety and work).

As for the diapers....not super impressed.  But...be as it might, I have two packages left....I guess I will just have to make the most of them (and pray for the best).

So...have you tried them out?  What do you think?

Just one easy click!

Attack of the flying bugs leads to desperate use of duct tape

Now, I'm not one to get squeamish about a few bugs here and there.

Yes, I kill spiders (even squish them with my hands or bare feet), I pick up praying mantis's, I'll hold a handful of rolly polly's while my 3 year old uses the bathroom at the park,  but I do not....I repeat, DO NOT like infestations of any kind.  You know...a large gathering of small-ish creepy things.  It makes me feel vulnerable and itchy all over.

Among my least favorites are ants (now that's a good story for later), lice, maggots, and swarming winged ones of any kind.


That's why I spent some time this morning repairing holes in some window and door screens (and when I use the term "repair" I mean jimmy rigging things with duct tape because I don't believe in spending money on things unless I absolutely have to (exceptions being any sort of  sugary goodness) because I have a pack of male rugrats who are determined to destroy anything in their path, so until they are grown and out of the house or we become millionaires and can afford to keep up on repairs I will continue to patch things up with a large roll of duct tape that cost me no more than $6 at old Walmart-O).

(Let's see...where was I?)

Right...so...in summers past, at night, when it would finally get dark enough to turn the lights on inside, we would get all sort of winged friends coming in to play.  They'd enjoy swarming, particularly around the dining room light fixture, and then laying their bodies to rest (dying) on the table for us all to enjoy with our breakfasts the next morning.

But this year (I assume because of the wetter spring and the holes in the screens) we not only have them gathering in the dining room, but the kitchen, the windows throughout the house, and my bedroom ceiling.  I swear I went to bed last night with nightmares of waking up to a "blanket" of bugs.

UGH!  So disgusting.


So...the screen door got a bit of work done on her (notice the handle missing?  Yeah...the kids broke that off two summers ago...so last year I jimmy rigged a "handle" down lower where they could reach it and, wouldn't you know, they'd rather just tear a whole in the screen and open and close the door with the frame instead...yeah...that's why I don't replace things).  Now she's all patched and looking perty don't cha think?(We'll see how long it lasts.)

 The other major repair was on the large kitchen window screen.  Earlier this year I just happened to lock myself out of my car at Costco.  Yeah...Rob was out of town with the three older boys so Mr. Golden Locks and I were stuck...really stuck.  Luckily I have a good friend who was willing to break into my house (thank goodness I left a window open) and grab a spare set of keys.  Unfortunately, those screens are extremely difficult to get out (which is a good thing otherwise any crazy might try to get in) and I gave her permission to bend it if she needed to.  So she did...(no don't feel bad) and came to my rescue.  Long story...well, long....the screen was bent and the bugs have had a super easy time getting in.  

Until today...

With a little bit of muscle and, you guessed it, duct tape, the screen is back in place and doing its job quite nicely.    

Now before you go on judging me, just keep in mind that these repairs, although somewhat "trashy" looking,  cost me no more than $.15 cents.

How's that for "frugal" home improvement?  

And, even better,...so far so good on lessening the amount of little buggies buzzing around my head right now. 

That makes me happy....very happy. 

Just one easy click!