Alaskan Mama Chat for July - Page 5

[stellarmomof3]

Originally Posted by brightonwoman

Here's the actual pool I got http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Center-2...9737124&sr=8-3
here's the review i left for it
I bought this pool to use for my homebirth and I was very happy with it. It is comparable depth to other 'fishy pools' available from waterbirth suppliers, and of comparable price but with amazons free shipping of course it was a bargain! Fishy pools in general are not as deep as name brand birth pools, and I did find that I wished I had 4-6 more inches of depth when I was kneeling up, however I had someone to pour the warm water on my back and it worked out fine.
I hadn't been sure about the 'star' shape (As opposed to a regular oval or circle) but I actually really liked it because I had 'corners' to sit against and it gave me great back support when I leaned on it.
One thing to be aware of--the sides are clear--you can see right into the pool from anywhere in the room. Initially I thought that might be awkward because it didn't afford any extra privacy, but it ended up being no big deal when I was actually in labor.
My baby was born in this pool and hopefully my next one will be too. Five stars to amazon and this pool!!

It doesn't have free shipping anymore, darn. The price is still ok though. I am not having any luck with people selling a birthing tub. Thanks. I just checked and they won't ship that tub to me. Have no idea why.

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

In other news... I'm soooooooo over this weather It's seriously depressing us. One day of sun every 10-12 days is NOT ENOUGH. Hubby and I are seriously contemplating selling everything (our business, both houses, vehicles, everything) and jumping in the RV and just fulltime RVing for a couple of years. We think it would be an amazing experience for the kiddo. Instead of studying the grand canyon in a book, lets go! She could see so much. Of course, some of my more mainstream friends have told me that such a thing is downright irresponsible parenting that I'd be socially crippling my child (of course, they think homeschooling is already scarring her ) I tend to think the exact opposite. We are looking at leaving Oct/Nov 11. (I have to wait to get my braces off LOL).

Originally Posted by stellarmomof3

Please take me with you lol! I feel the same way about the weather and I just moved here. Really worried when winter gets here cause I don't like cold

I am hoping when I am not prego I will be able to do more though. Guess we will wait and see.

I'll tell ya there is nothing more fun the living on the road and doing just that!
We have done it and would do it again. Boo to all those that think it is irresponsible.
Just let me know when you go! We can make a caravan of it!!

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by stellarmomof3

It doesn't have free shipping anymore, darn. The price is still ok though. I am not having any luck with people selling a birthing tub. Thanks. I just checked and they won't ship that tub to me. Have no idea why.

If you are thinking of getting one to rent out, why not look into the Rubbermaid Stock Tanks?
They are really deep, and so sturdy!

http://www.katom.com/007-FG424500BLA...ogleProductsAd

you can get them from the Mill and Feed and probably order one from that Horse supply store on 88th. I bet there are places in the Valley that would sell them too!

We used one as a tub back when we were hauling water. We had the 100 gallon one and I recall numerous times, thinking how awesome they would be to birth it! I would get a 150 gallon though for that job.

[roadfamily6now]

Hi everyone,

Please plan to join us at our monthly public meeting on August 13th. We will be screening the movie "Laboring Under An Illusion: Mass Media Childbirth vs The Real Thing" with a group discussion afterwards.

Since we'll be watching a movie, please arrange for childcare if you can.

About the film:

"Anthropologist Vicki Elson explores media-generated myths about childbirth. As a childbirth educator for 25 years, she observes daily how our culture affects our birth experiences. In this film, she contrasts fiction with reality. The result is hilarious, engaging, and enlightening.

'To understand what it's really like to have a baby, we have to debunk the silly and scary images served up by the profit-driven media. In reality, birth is hard work, sometimes simple, sometimes complicated, but always miraculous and unforgettable.'"

Meeting Details:
Friday, August 13th
Organizational Meeting: 6:00 PM
Public Meeting: 7:00 PM
One Family Birth Center
1108 East Northern Lights Blvd
Anchorage, AK

[L&K'smommie]

Originally Posted by heartmommyak

Anyone have any experience with any little kid classes (she's turning 3 in Sept) in Wasilla/Palmer area... dance/ballet, music (kindermusik?), swimming, or similar? We did gymnastics last winter/spring and I want to sign her up for something again starting this fall but I'm not sure what to sign her up for.

The Palmer pool offers swim lessons as well. And Excel gymnastics used to offer ballet as well, I'm not sure if they still do though. There is another dance studio at the end of the PW off of KGB I think it's called Dancer's Workshop.

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

In other news... I'm soooooooo over this weather It's seriously depressing us. One day of sun every 10-12 days is NOT ENOUGH. Hubby and I are seriously contemplating selling everything (our business, both houses, vehicles, everything) and jumping in the RV and just fulltime RVing for a couple of years. We think it would be an amazing experience for the kiddo. Instead of studying the grand canyon in a book, lets go! She could see so much. Of course, some of my more mainstream friends have told me that such a thing is downright irresponsible parenting that I'd be socially crippling my child (of course, they think homeschooling is already scarring her ) I tend to think the exact opposite. We are looking at leaving Oct/Nov 11. (I have to wait to get my braces off LOL).

ITA! I'm sick of the rain and clouds. And if you're irresponsible then so are we. We're thinking of doing the same thing next fall...only we have 3 kids We want to wait a year since so we can get our finances more in order.
Also do you use IDEA for homeschool? I'm trying to figure out how to fill in an ILP...though I may use Mat-Su Central school as they offer a bit more money and it can pay for some of my 3 yo's activities.

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

I'll tell ya there is nothing more fun the living on the road and doing just that!
We have done it and would do it again. Boo to all those that think it is irresponsible.
Just let me know when you go! We can make a caravan of it!!

This is encouraging to hear. How many kids did you have when you did it originally. DH and I have seriously been discussing it a lot lately. And the advantages/disadvantages of living in an RV with kids and how cost effective it would be.

[~PurityLake~]

Originally Posted by stellarmomof3

Hello mama's. I have a question for anyone in Anchorage or Eagle River. So what is there to do in town with the kids that doesn't cost anything? Since the weather has not been so good and I really need to get my 5yr old out of the house and to run around. She has too much energy, so does my almost 2yr old. Plus I need to get out of the house. Will be 37 weeks prego this friday and that alone is almost too much lol. I am just going stir crazy lol. I guess I am just use to always having sunny weather and could always take them to a park to play but not here. All the indoor play things cost money and the sad thing is, I am in a condo where there doing construction so I don't have a yard they can just play in. Also can't find any good playgroups that meet up. Or that I should say meet up doing something free. It always cost. I don't have money to do that. So any ideas or suggestions would be great.

You sound like me. I want some indoor play area for my girls, 5 and nearly 4, to run off some steam.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by L&K'smommie

ITA! I'm sick of the rain and clouds. And if you're irresponsible then so are we. We're thinking of doing the same thing next fall...only we have 3 kids We want to wait a year since so we can get our finances more in order.
Also do you use IDEA for homeschool? I'm trying to figure out how to fill in an ILP...though I may use Mat-Su Central school as they offer a bit more money and it can pay for some of my 3 yo's activities.

I do use Idea... who is your contact teacher? They should be more than willing to help you fill it out if you have any questions (I needed help my first year) I prefer IDEA over MSC merely because I've heard horror stories of MSC nickle and diming you to death for any of their activities you participate in. I also liked that IDEA had such a large resource library. My kiddo FLIES though curriculum like mad, so I need tons of supplementation... and I liked that I could get all those kits at no charge.

I'm soooooooooooooooo excited.... we are getting ready to order our new "home" in the next week or so. Our current one is nice and large (almost 30 feet with a large tipout) but it doesn't have any privacy other than a curtain for our kiddo in her bunkhouse, and while that is fine for short camping trips.... long term, she needs her own room where we can close the door and she can get sleep. We sleep significantly less hours than she does, so I don't want to disturb her. We found one that we LOVE that she can have her own bedroom... with a loft bed, a huge closet, a sofa and an additional bunk, PLUS her own half bath!!!! I had no idea such a thing existed in an RV. And it has a kitchen big enough for me to still be able to prepare my raw foods. (doesn't that sound like an oxymoron?) we have to go to Michigan to pick it up, but it's literally half the cost there that it is here! Plus since we are ordering it from the factory, which will take around 8 weeks, they said they would store it for us until spring when we can safely drive down to pick it up We have a trip to homer in August and then I'll be putting our current one up for sale. Now, I just can't wait to get out of here!! Waiting 15 months is going to be tough.

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by L&K'smommie

This is encouraging to hear. How many kids did you have when you did it originally. DH and I have seriously been discussing it a lot lately. And the advantages/disadvantages of living in an RV with kids and how cost effective it would be.

We have 4 kids. We have been a "RoadFamily" since we were a family of 4 and it's "6 Now"
We have no savings so any money we would have to finance that would have to be made on the road. We are thinking of a School bus conversion and a tow behind food vendor trailer and make money selling food at fairs around the lower 48. true Gypsies!

[L&K'smommie]

Originally Posted by Icequeen_in_ak

I do use Idea... who is your contact teacher? They should be more than willing to help you fill it out if you have any questions (I needed help my first year) I prefer IDEA over MSC merely because I've heard horror stories of MSC nickle and diming you to death for any of their activities you participate in. I also liked that IDEA had such a large resource library. My kiddo FLIES though curriculum like mad, so I need tons of supplementation... and I liked that I could get all those kits at no charge.

I'm soooooooooooooooo excited.... we are getting ready to order our new "home" in the next week or so. Our current one is nice and large (almost 30 feet with a large tipout) but it doesn't have any privacy other than a curtain for our kiddo in her bunkhouse, and while that is fine for short camping trips.... long term, she needs her own room where we can close the door and she can get sleep. We sleep significantly less hours than she does, so I don't want to disturb her. We found one that we LOVE that she can have her own bedroom... with a loft bed, a huge closet, a sofa and an additional bunk, PLUS her own half bath!!!! I had no idea such a thing existed in an RV. And it has a kitchen big enough for me to still be able to prepare my raw foods. (doesn't that sound like an oxymoron?) we have to go to Michigan to pick it up, but it's literally half the cost there that it is here! Plus since we are ordering it from the factory, which will take around 8 weeks, they said they would store it for us until spring when we can safely drive down to pick it up We have a trip to homer in August and then I'll be putting our current one up for sale. Now, I just can't wait to get out of here!! Waiting 15 months is going to be tough.

I'm with MSC and my contact teacher is Janice Bishop. I just enrolled today. I figure if we don't like them we can go with IDEA next year. I have lots of friends happy with both so it seemed a tossup to me.

And linky to the RV site please. That sounds great!

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

We have 4 kids. We have been a "RoadFamily" since we were a family of 4 and it's "6 Now"
We have no savings so any money we would have to finance that would have to be made on the road. We are thinking of a School bus conversion and a tow behind food vendor trailer and make money selling food at fairs around the lower 48. true Gypsies!

That is awesome! I love it! Dh and I are definitely going to be looking into it more.

[1stimestar]

If you do go with the stock tank, you can throw a big, thick comforter in it and up the sides with to give you a little cushion. Afterwards just throw it in the washer.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by L&K'smommie

And linky to the RV site please. That sounds great!

This is the exact floor plan we are getting (but substantially cheaper) except a different color. We were originally going to get this one, because with their discount, it would have been 4k cheaper, but we really want a built in generator so we don't have to go outside to fire it up, and we want a 2nd A/C unit (for those hot states... I've forgotten what heat is) and we wanted a washer and dryer... so for them to retrofit all that into this one, it would have been about 6k more than to order one from the factory with all this... since ordering is only 4k more than this one... we are saving ourselves money.

http://www.asrvcenter.com/Showroom/t...-Keystone.aspx

Tammy, have you ever thought about park hosting jobs? Hubby and I really think this would be a blast, especially the parks that have the pools and golf courses, etc. It's not something we want to do full time, but we definitely want to do it at least once.

I've just suddenly lost all attachment to "stuff" in our lives. I watched my mom die having never done anything she wanted to, because she was so obsessed with "saving money for the what if's in life" and she was really successful at saving all that money, but it didn't do her any good in the long run. We just decided that life is too short to sit back and say "gosh... wouldn't that be amazing?" but not do it... so we are selling everything and going for it. We have no idea what we'll do for jobs when we stop (we want to be settled into one place by the time she's jr high age for sure) but we'll figure it out. Having your house paid for, and your only utilities being propane to run a generator... you can live pretty darn cheap for quite a while... we don't need a mansion to be happy, we'll be fine. Wish I could convince my mainstream friends of this. They are literally convulsing that I would give up my home and our business and just "wing it" for a while. I will admit, I'm having a bit of a struggle with the thought of selling my car, because I LOVE that car and I've not had it very long... but the reality is, I could get a lot more for it here than I could in the states and while I could store it with DH's parents, it seems like such a waste to let it sit and rot for several years (and depreciate) when I could sell it now and have a substantial padding to the savings acct.

[roadfamily6now]

oh yes, being a camp host would rock! Do you get paid to do that?
My DH is disabled Vet and we can get a free pass for some parks. We also get $500 a month for Vet Disability pay. we would need gas money and Food really.

Oh, when we were in MT we toured some RV's and Trailers. HOLY SH!T they were nice. WOWSERS.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

oh yes, being a camp host would rock! Do you get paid to do that?
My DH is disabled Vet and we can get a free pass for some parks. We also get $500 a month for Vet Disability pay. we would need gas money and Food really.

Oh, when we were in MT we toured some RV's and Trailers. HOLY SH!T they were nice. WOWSERS.

It depends on the park. A LOT of them pay in addition to providing free hookups during your stay. You just have to research park per park. I'm dying to land a gig at one of them that has a pool (and warm weather) for a while. I keep researching more each day on the ways to most frugally pull this off. We are very lucky that we'll have a generous savings account and could live in any fashion we wanted for a couple of years, but I'd still like to have a significant amount left so when we settle, we can put a very large down payment on a house so we can finally do jobs we like versus jobs we HAVE to do, to live... y/k?

Is anybody completely DONE with this weather? It's seriously making me very depressed. We took off and went to Denali (with no more than 30 minutes of planning) on Friday and stayed through Sunday and while it was cold and windy, at least it never rained!

We were able to hike the park, Emma got her Jr. Ranger award, I drug the whole family on a 4 mile dog walk LOL The poor wiener dogs kept stopping and looking back at me like "pick us up and CARRY US!!!!" the whole way back. Their poor little legs probably logged 4xs what we did LOL Gotta love all this extra energy I have from eating raw/vegan for the last month Shockingly enough, my carnivore husband has joined it with me. I'm still in shock over that one!

OH... and a shout out to the McKinley Princess hotel!!!!! My lovely husband insisted that we could just fill up in Talkeetna on the way home (versus me insisting that we fill up in Denali) Well... needless to say, we ran out of gas 14 miles from Trapper Creek! I called the McKinley Princess (because I figured they'd know who to call, since we had just passed their entrance I remembered the name) and they sent their maintenance guy down with a 5 gallon jug of diesel, and gave it to us at NO CHARGE!!!! It's SO RARE that you find big business that is willing to help out without something in it for them. I sent an email to the CEO giving massive KUDOs to their staff. I can't imagine how much it would have cost to call a tow truck to bring us gas. I'm still in shock at their kindness. The upside, hubby has learned.,.... yet again... .listen to the woman

[1stimestar]

Any of you use Dr. Woodward as their pediatrician? She just died unexpectedly.
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story..._most_popular2

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by 1stimestar

Any of you use Dr. Woodward as their pediatrician? She just died unexpectedly.
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story..._most_popular2

That's sad... but if anyone sees her, make arrangements to pick up your medical file asap.. my doc died (not recently- this happened a while ago) and my record was permanently misplaced.. scary too as it included my birthdate, ssn, previous residences, parent's names, etc.. but nothing to be done about it.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by stellarmomof3

Also I am looking to buy a cheap birthing tub, anyone know where I can get one?

Want mine? I labored in it, but didn't end up having a waterbirth.. it is sitting on my deck at the moment still partially inflated.. clearly the kiddos will not be using it this summer for playing in..

Mine was an inflatable pool, but pretty big. I ordered it from In His Hands- website that my midwife listed her birth kit in.. big enough for two people really, but it has pics on the sides of fishies since it's original intent I believe is a kiddy pool..

http://www.inhishands.com/html/WaterBirth.html

here's mine with measurements.. I am in Anchorage if you would like to look at it.

In somewhat related news, DH went to a consult for a Vasectomy today, so I guess he is up for the procedure. We were referred to a specialist though. The doc we saw declined to do it.. which I thought was weird.

And yes, the weather sucks. I also have been having computer issues so that makes me feel even MORE cooped up than usual.

[brightonwoman]

Originally Posted by roadfamily6now

Hi everyone,

Please plan to join us at our monthly public meeting on August 13th. We will be screening the movie "Laboring Under An Illusion: Mass Media Childbirth vs The Real Thing" with a group discussion afterwards.

:sigh the little moments when I wished I lived in Anchorage.
That sounds like an awesome meeting.

[onyxravnos]

its august! new thread: http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1249148