Taking Off My Shoes

I'm back!!

2010-01-20T01:31:00.002-05:00

The shelves are ready and Mom finally is too!

The recent snow is going to be the inspiration for this week of activities.

E-Book: Healthy Homemaking

2009-09-27T07:42:00.003-04:00

I just purchased a copy of a great resource that I thought I might pass along to others. It is "Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time". I've only read the first few pages but it sounds like the book for me. As mentioned before I have a bad habit of starting to make changes and then getting burnt out. I'm using this as a guide to help me slowly incorporate changes to make my family healthier so I can actually stick to it!

You can check out the book using this link.

Mommy Confession - Pride

2009-09-23T22:53:00.004-04:00

I'm sure you haven't noticed but I haven't been blogging. I'm not really sure why and I'd like to be able to answer that question. Maybe it's because I have not been doing much with Michaela in the Tot School department. Maybe it's because I've been spending too much time reading other blogs. Maybe I've become a little lazy.

All of those reasons could be the case but I really think it's just a bad habit I have. I get really zealous about making some changes in our lives and then I get burnt out. I have begun to notice a pattern. Want a few examples?

Started "Flying" with the Fly lady (another post for another time. You can check out her website if you'd like.) Loved this but I ended up quitting.

Blogging. I have a tendency to go through ebbs and flows with this hobby. I do it for a while then quit but I really like doing it so why do I quit?

Tot School. I got really into planning out activities and even devoted a whole room for her school. No sooner did I start making this a part of our schedule did I find myself backing off day by day.

Sewing. I made a few cute things, got really excited and then put the cover on my machine.

My latest fad is natural cooking. I decided I didn't want to continue to eat boxed, processed meals so I have been scouring the internet and blogs to find natural, frugal recipes. I have also decided to make all of Corbin's baby food instead of buying jar foods. I wonder how long this one will last for me?

I really struggle with committing to the changes I want to make in my life and my family's life. All of these habits/hobbies are good for my family but I can't seem to make them stick. I notice when I start to implement the changes I become prideful. I really honestly don't want to have this attitude but it seems to happen time and time again.

It would be very easy to blame this one on Satan but I really think this is something that I need to take responsibility for so Christ can help me overcome it. Every time I see the pride I just tend to stop doing what is making me feel proud and not deal with the root of the problem. This only ends up hurting my family since the habits and hobbies are edifying and my intentions are genuinely God-honoring. Somewhere along the way I let my sinful nature get the best of me.

I'm not telling anyone this so that I can get a pat on the back for spilling my guts. If I want to continue to blog and share my experiences with other Moms I need accountability. My husband and I have learned that keeping our sins in the dark can only make them worse. I would rather confess my sins to God and others so that I can move forward and strive to be the woman that God intends for me to be.

Does anyone else struggle with this? If so, what have you done to help correct this sin?

What I love about you- 22 Weeks

2009-09-14T10:14:00.004-04:00

What I love about you at 22 weeks

I loved seeing how happy your Dad was when you got dressed up in your Louisville football jersey for the first time.

You watched your first football game this week.

I love how protective your sister is of you. She is so loving to you.

I love how big you look when you are dressed up like a little man. You are so cute in your polo and jeans!

You can see other proud Mommas at Lil Ladybug's blog.

Acquire Wisdom! Acquire Understanding!

2009-09-09T07:23:00.002-04:00

This morning I felt led to share some things that God is showing me in the book of Proverbs. I started reading Teach them Diligently: How to use the scripture in child training by Louis Priolo. While reading I realized that I hadn't memorized a lot of scripture. It was becoming increasingly hard to use scripture to discipline her when I didn't have enough of it stored in my head and my heart. This lead to my study of Proverbs. This is an amazing book for wisdom. I didn't realize how much of it could pertain to child rearing! I guess that is the amazing thing about His word; you can always learn somthing new.

Wow. I'm really chasing a rabbit here. Let me get back to my point ;).

Sometimes I feel, what's the word...silly when using biblical language to correct Michaela. It's not something I heard growing up and it's not the main stream way of correction. I second guess myself and think that maybe she is just too young to understand "obey", "honor", "respect", "wise", etc. I mean, she's only two.

But God confirmed to me this morning through His word that I should continue to use the scriptures to correct her. Proverbs 4:3-9 says,

³When I was a son to my father,

Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
⁴Then he taught me and said to me,

"Let your heart hold fast my words;

Keep my commandments and live;
⁵Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
⁶"Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.
⁷"The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom;
And with all your acquiring, get understanding.
⁸"Prize her, and she will exalt you;
She will honor you if you embrace her.
⁹"She will place on your head a garland of grace;
She will present you with a crown of beauty."

King David taught Solomon at a young age about wisdom. My first thought was that he had to be very young because it said the only son in the sight of my mother. I assummed there were more children so he was probably very young. He still might have had more children with Bathesheba but it doesn't mention it in scripture so I don't want to make that assumption. He does use the word tender so we can say that he was a young person.

From the young age David is teaching Solomon to acquire wisdom and acquire understanding. According to Webster's dictionary acquire means "to get as one's own". My goal as a mom is to lead my children to love wisdom and to fear God. I don't want them to fear me as a parent because one day I will not be here. One day they will leave my sight but they will never leave the sight of God.

Not only am I to teach her wisdom but I also have to teach her how to use this wisdom. She needs to acquire understanding. I need to let her see how the Bible is practical in her everyday life. Another goal is to show her that God wants her to use His word everyday. To be a Christian doesn't just mean we go to church. It means we are striving to follow Christ and become more like him everyday.

So I guess this means I need to continue to feel silly.

Thanks for showing this to me God and letting me share your wisdom with others.

Tot School-24 Months 4 Weeks

2009-09-08T14:35:00.005-04:00

Michaela is 24 Months Old

Last week was so busy with doctor appointments that we didn't have a lot of formal school time. This week was filled with more play time and practical life experience. Here's a glimpse into our past week.

Puzzle about colors.

Writing in her salt box. I saw this idea on a few other blogs but I did not write down the location. (Sorry I can't link up.) We didn't have any sand so I used salt instead. She loved writing in her box and making it disappear.

She worked on a number matching puzzle.

Sorting her pom-poms. She sorted by color and then by size.

I've been trying to teach her about sharing. We sent some of our extra supplies to another homeschooling mom. Michaela is coloring a card to include in the box.

Our week usually includes cooking. She is baking cookies with Aunt Holly here. She helped me make potato soup. I let her wash the potatoes.
Then she got to put the veggies in the crock-pot.
Then she stirred the soup.
She also got to water the flowers at Nana and Papaw's house.
Need more ideas? Check out Carissa's blog to find more Tot School Links.

What I love about you- 21 Weeks

2009-09-05T07:47:00.005-04:00

I have recently felt like I leave Corbin out. This blog usually is filled with Michaela because of Tot School and I occassionally throw pictures of Corbin in the mix. I really want to change that. Starting this week I'm going to link up with Lil' Ladybuy and do "What I love about you". (Michaela-when you get older and read this I want you to understand that I love many things about you as well. This is just a special way for me to document Corbin's first year.)

I love the way you "held" your bottle for the first time.

I love watching you play with your toys.
I have also learned to love you despite of the projectile vomit and additional laundry.

I love your carefree disposition. I love those huge dimples.

I love giving you a bath in the sink. (This was the first time we tried this and it was so much easier on my back then the tub.)

I love the excitement from your Daddy when we buy a matchbox car.
(This is your first official car.)

I love the face you make when eating your solid foods. (This is your first time eating avocados.)

I love the way you laugh out loud when we tickle you. You have the most adorable laugh ever!

I love hearing you cry. It might be one of the most precious sounds to me, especially since our accident. I can't tell you how much more I appreciate you (and your cries.)

You can check out other proud Mama's here.

Nuts and Bolts

2009-09-05T07:32:00.003-04:00

This is a simple exercise in hand-eye coordination. My Papaw graciously donated some random nuts and bolts for Michaela to work with. We added different sizes to challenge her.

Counting Hide and go Seek

2009-09-05T07:26:00.002-04:00

This one is still a work in progress. I haven't let her use it yet so I'm not sure what kind of tweaking it will require.

The idea is to help her work on her counting abilities. She knows how to say her numbers but I'm not sure she understands the reason she can count. The idea here is to open each of the boxes and count the objects inside. Not only will she get the thrill of surprise when she opens the boxes but hopefully she can begin to understand the concept of counting.
Not only will she get the thrill of surprise when she opens the boxes but hopefully she can begin to understand the concept of counting.

Sorting Pom-Poms

2009-09-05T07:16:00.002-04:00

This is a very simple tray to assemble. Put different colored pom-poms in a divided tray and let your little work sort. In this tray we can sort by colors or by size. (Right now she is obsessed with different sizes. She likes to call everything either a Daddy(large), a Mommy(medium) or a baby(small). You can also try using a tong to pick them up one by one.

Mommy Confession Update

2009-08-31T23:30:00.003-04:00

About a week ago I wrote a post about my lack of discipline in getting up before the children. I realized that I could no longer function in the chaos!

I just wanted to give you an update and maybe some encouragement. I can promise you that I am so not a morning person. I love staying up late and HATE, HATE, HATE getting up early. However, the last few weeks have been so amazing. I have gotten up around 6:30 most mornings. (After the first week I found myself slipping back on the couch hitting the snooze. Bad idea!) My days have went so much smoother. I have felt energized and focused.

More importantly my relationship with God has been growing a lot. I've actually been anticipating "our" time in the mornings and not just checking it off my list. I'm so excited that I have a desire for His word again. I'm still amazed that he lets me run back into his arms when I so blatantly neglect him.

If you read the post and thought you could never make that commitment to get up let me encourage you to at least try it for a week. You will be amazed at how much different your days will be if you put the Lord first!

Tot School- 24 Months 1 Week

2009-08-24T01:51:00.009-04:00

Here is our Tot School for this week:
(if you are looking for creative ideas you can skip this post. It was a very busy week so we didn't delve into very artsy crafts or activities.) Click here for other Tot School ideas.

I finally got the courage to let her paint. I'm always afraid it will be too much of a mess and hard to clean up. I'm so glad I got over this and let her paint. She absolutely loved it!

We painted something for Daddy for his birthday.

She is obsessed with playing with these dice. I'm not quite sure why!

This week we tried to incorporate a funnel into her pouring exercises. She still needs some help in mastering this skill! I'm still finding pieces of rice on the ground.

The flowers were the big hit for this week. She got to sort the flowers, arrange the flowers in the vase and carry them around in her basket. These turned out to be very open-ended.

She is sorting the Popsicle sticks.

Lovely yard sale find. Only $3.00 for this graduated shape toy.

Aunt "Libia" helping her.

I thought she might want to drive her new car but alas, she just wants to sit in it.

Corbin feel asleep in his seat. It was so precious.

This is the first time that Michaela initiated a picture. We were having a get together at our house for Tots and their moms. Michaela grabbed my neck and started saying cheese loudly. She didn't stop until we snapped at least 3 pictures. I'm loving it! She has been so reluctant to take any pictures lately!!!

I'll end on this note:

Do you have one of these?

2009-08-22T22:44:00.000-04:00

Ever since we have been doing arts and crafts at home I second guess throwing away ANYTHING. I finally put a box in the basement to collect my "goodies" so I wouldn't find them all around the house.
It is also great to dig through when I need some inspiration! You should try it.

Corbin had cereal!

2009-08-21T22:37:00.000-04:00

Before the meal.Michaela wanted to be right there with us as we fed him.
I say us because Daddy stood up long enough to record the event.

Of course it was coming right back out of his mouth!

Fully Tummy!

Homemade Lacing Cards

2009-08-20T22:17:00.000-04:00

I found some cute lacing cards from Totally Tots and I wanted to make some for myself. I tweaked them just a little so I thougtt I would share.

I picked up a package of Foam Sheets at Hobby Lobby for $4.99.

Cut out shapes. Punch holes around the edge.

The problem I noticed was that if she pulled the ribbon too hard it would come back through the holes. I made a coordinating ribbon for each shape. At the end of the ribbon I attached a piece of the foam so that it could act as a stopper.

Not only can they practice lacing and shapes but they can practice matching the colors.

Now what to do with this?!?

Need mats? Go to Target

2009-08-19T22:53:00.002-04:00

I found these Bamboo mats at Target today for $2.50 each. I really wanted some toddler size mats for school and these are perfect!

Actual size: 18"x24"

How to "Unsucessfully" make a Tot Book

2009-08-19T21:34:00.005-04:00

I recently tried to make a few Tot Books for Michaela. I figured she was still a little too young for these but it wouldn't be long before she could really enjoy these. I wanted to get a head start so I sat down to make a few the other night.

Here is the end result. It took awhile to get here though!

Let me tell you what not to do so that if you ever want to make them you won't have to make the same mistakes!

First things first. Head over to 1+1+1=1 to get the PDF's. Carissa so graciously allows you to use her exsisting PDF's instead of having to create your own. Print them out. I used regular paper but I did notice that she suggested using cardstock. This apparently helps to keep them from ripping. (I'll probably wish i would have done that once she actually uses them.)
Gather your supplies. You will need:

Scissors
Tape
1 Manilla Folder
Marker
Stickers to decorate (optional)

So did you notice that I had 2 manilla folders? This was my first mistake. I thought I needed 2 folders. You only need 1 and you cut that one in half.

Take the two pieces and tape them together in the center so that your folder opens up like one of the science project boards we all used when we were younger.
Start to arrange your elements inside of the book. I used the same format Carissa used but you could always be more creative and change up the layout if you wanted. Either way you have to be careful when you are taping down the accordian element. I didn't realize it was going to matter at first. I taped the last piece straight to the folder. Mistake!
When I started folding the colors I got to the end and it didn't line up. The front square was backwards. I took off the squares and added a blank one at the end. This time it lined up correctly.
I also was trying to be frugal and print the on the fast draft setting on the printer. Mistake. Usually it doesn't matter if the color isn't as bright as possible but when you are trying to teach a young person colors it helps if they can really tell the difference. I noticed that the orange and the yellow were very similar. I had to go back and reprint the color page in the normal setting. In my attempt to save ink I acutally used more!
Eventually I did complete the book but it took a little longer then expected. I've made a few more since then and the process was a lot easier!

Final Prouct:

Great Online Store for Melissa & Doug/Montessori Toys

2009-08-18T16:42:00.003-04:00

You may have noticed some of our new Melissa & Doug toys. Most of the new toys came from our family for Michaela's birthday. (We could never afford to buy her all of these great toys!) I did a lot of research to try to find the best prices and the most affordable shipping.

I came across a great family owned business: Out of the Toy Box. The customer service was excellent, the shipping was very fast, and they even included a little bear for Corbin as a gift. (I was trying to feed Corbin while we were on the phone and I think she could hear him screaming ;) I love being able to buy items from a small business! You can click here to learn more about them.

Originally, I was going to get some of the traditional Montessori equipment from other websites but I wasn't able to beat the shipping price: It is FREE if you spend $99 or more. When you get a few people together to make a purchase you can all benefit from the shipping prices! The prices for the M&D items are very comparable to other websites and stores you can purchase the toys from.

And the best part: They are going to start carrying traditional Montessori equipment for the classroom. I'm so excited!

I can't wait for Christmas now!

1+1+1 Introduction

2009-08-18T13:41:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite blogs is having a celebration!

1+1+1=1 is celebrating 1,000 subscribers. You can read my introduction here but make sure to get to know some of the other wonderful Momma's who read her blog.

My name is: Amanda

I have: a two-year-old daughter, a 4-month-old son and a wonderful husband

I am: a Child of God, Mommy, Wife, Sister, Daughter,

The name of my blog is: takingoffmyshoes.blogspot.com

I blog about: Mostly my children. I also touch on my relationship with God and my husband

I have been reading at 1+1+1=1: since March 2009

This is my first time commenting on 1+1+1=1:no

My favorite Bible verse: Psalm 118: 24 This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I participate in Tot School: yes

Confession of the Sleep Deprived Mommy

2009-08-17T00:30:00.003-04:00

I stay up way too late.

Almost every night.

I'm not sure when exactly this horrible habit started but I really need it to stop. (I tried to actually go to bed at a decent hour but it was too early and I woke up and was not able to go back to sleep.)

I really think that this bad sleep schedule is affecting my family and my relationship with God negatively.

First and foremost, my children are usually the ones to wake me up. I have been getting up with them. This starts the day off way too chaotic. Most mornings I don't spend any time with God because as soon as my feet hit the ground I am taking care of little ones. I always say I'll do it during nap time or while they are playing but this rarely happens. It also makes me feel very rushed and unprepared for the day. I don't feel like I have on any armor, let alone the full armor. And it never fails that most nights I go to bed without giving God the proper priority in my life.

Secondly, it affects my children. Mostly because if Mommy is not in tune with God, she is not going to be properly equipped to train and lead them for the day. Also, I'm not really ready to give them proper care and attention in that first hour or so. I'm not a morning person at all.

When I let her wake me up breakfast will usually consist of a cereal bar, banana and milk. There is no thought to the nutritional value at all. She eats the easiest thing from the cabinet. She will also watch tv because it is nearly impossible to give Corbin his bottle and do anything else. (He likes to cry off and on during feedings.) I would really like to teach Michaela to spend time with God in the morning and get a good start to her day. I'm learning that it is extremely hard to break a bad habit once it's established.

I have justified staying up late in the past by saying it's the only time that I can get things done around here since the kids are asleep. There is some truth to this statement but I need to look at how it is affecting my priorities and my family. If I put God first He will give me the desires of my heart. I really think that if I put God first the rest will fall into place.

My goal for the week:

Get up at 6:30 every morning. This should give me 1.5-2 hours in the morning before the kiddos get up. I'll let you know how it goes.

(p.s.- I posted this at 12:47 at night.)

Tot School-24 Months 1 Week

2009-08-16T23:19:00.010-04:00

Michaela is 24 Months

Playing Dress Up

Playing with her new dollhouse

Writing on her Chalk BoardPlaying Music with Melissa & Doug Band Set
(I love birthdays. Great way to get those toys you really want but can't afford. I also love Grandparents ;)
She stacked them up and put them on the shelf in one trip

She loved the latch board. She could have played with this all day!

Matching Geo Shapes. I thought she might be young for this but she wanted to try.
She did an okay job with it.

Of course, we had to draw on the board.

Playing with the Magnetic Dolls. Also a birthday present.

I set up her Little People Village to keep her busy while I cooked.

I just thought this was cute...

We finally got to go to the pool this week.
First time all summer!

Blowing Bubbles

This was her face after frozen yogurt and a fudgesicle.

We went to the pool again today!

Tot School this week included a lot of free play time which she really enjoyed. I think there is something to be said about balancing educational time with free play time.

I want to remember this forever

2009-08-15T23:45:00.003-04:00

Sometimes kids say the cutest things:

Michaela's "Aunt" Gail is about 36 weeks pregnant. I had her and "Uncle" Matt over for dinner last night. We were trying to explain to Michaela that Baby Andrew was in her stomach. This is how the conversation went:

Michaela: Can I hold the baby?
Me: No. The baby is still in Gail's stomach. Just like Corbin was in Mommy's belly.
Michaela: Oh.

(She now has an extremely confused look on her face.)

Michaela (while looking at me): Is she a kangaroo?

We all cracked up. I guess she thought she was holding the baby in her stomach pouch.

Classic.

Mommy Confession Monday

2009-08-10T00:23:00.004-04:00

This week I have a more serious confession to make. It didn't even really hit me that I needed confession in this area until the last few days. That really scares me...

Let me explain.

Ever since our accident I have had a real spiritual roller coaster. At first, I was on top of the mountain with God. He had shown his faithfulness by sparing my family from death. The healing process has been long, but nonetheless He is faithful to heal. That was apparent in the beginning. I was praying more then I think I ever had in my walk with Christ and felt really in tune with him.

Then we left the hospital a few weeks later and our new "normal" had begun. I had lots of help from family and friends, but I was still extremely busy. I was the only person of our family that didn't need someone else to take care of them. In just a matter of months it went from 1 person to care for, then Corbin was born and then overnight I had to do EVERYTHING for my husband as well. From the moment my feet hit the floor until my head hit the pillow I was helping someone.

Now, I'm not complaining (I have at moments though). But somewhere during all of this business I just slowly started to lose my focus on God. We were also not able to go to church for months which can really but a damper on your spiritual life. I was praying less, reading less and thinking about Him less. Then a few days ago it hit me: I hadn't even thought about the fact that I was getting further from Him in days.

Unfortunately, I am not the only one affected from my sin. When I am not focused on God and growing in Him, my children are not going to be focused on Him. At this age they look at us for guidance. They look up to us and follow our example whether it is good or bad. The things I have been doing with her are not evil in and of them self but when they are the only focus it becomes bad.

After the accident I gave into things that she wanted more then what was good for her because I wanted to make her feel better. We slipped into a horrible habit of lots of TV but when you are stuck in a hospital room for a week there isn't much you can do. As a parent you also want to try to do anything within your power to make them feel better. Then once we got home I was so busy I let her watch TV-all the time. Now I don't think there is anything wrong with Dora or Backyardigans or Veggietales, etc., but I do feel like I need to incorporate a balance. The other night she told me to stop praying and sing the theme song for Dora. At that moment I knew I needed to make some changes within our household.

And God is always faithful. I read a great post about resources for training your child but I just knew we didn't have the money right now. I got on Amazon, saved a few things in my cart and logged off. The very next day my father-in-law hands me a card from a friend of his. Inside the card was a check with a note that simply said, "From one friend of the Lord's to another."

I am so thankful that even when I lose sight of what is important God is willing to let me try again.

Guilty I might fall, but forgiven I will rise.

Happy Birthday Michaela!

2009-08-08T01:09:00.009-04:00

Happy Birthday, Michaela Grace. I have loved every moment with you this past year. You have brought so many smiles to my face (and so many tests of my temper.) As I look back over this past year through pictures I am amazed at what a sweet girl you have grown into. I can't imagine how I could enjoy this next year with you as much but I'm sure we will have an amazing time. My prayer for you this next year is for you to grow in the Lord and continue to obtain a better understanding of who He is. I love you so much.

Enjoying looking back at our past year together...

First Birthday

Swimming in the baby pool for the first time.

The beginning of Tot School.

Your lovely smile.

The infamous edible art project.

Seeing baby Corbin for the first time.

One of the first times you helped me clean the house.

Going to the pumpkin patch for the first time.

I remember how happy I was for you the first time you were able to put this toy together.

This was your first match! You were so proud of yourself.

Trunk-or-Treat

First time at Chuck-E-Cheese

The beginning of your obsession with hats.

Thanksgiving

The two of us.

Your first pigtails!

Valentine's Day

First time at the park with me and Daddy.

You really started playing with your babies this year.

Smelling the flowers at Easter.

Your first "official" tray.

Holding Corbin for the first time.

You loved him from the start.

Helping me in the garden.

The first time we baked Chocolate Chip Cookies from scratch together.

Playing with Ella during the Easter Egg Hunt

Unfortunately, we had a few bad moments. I didn't want to ignore this part because it was used by God to make me appreciate and love you even more!

Praise God for the healing that took place!
You got to see Dora Live! and finally got Boots.

Your first 4th of July with Corbin.

You got a school room this year, which you love!

You really started to use your imagination during play. It has brought me so many laughs.

I love you! Happy Birthday!

Matching Colors Activity

2009-08-05T00:34:00.007-04:00

This is a ~~frugal~~ simple activity for Matching Colors. I don't have a laminating machine or much colored ink so I improvise...a lot.

Materials Needed:

Packing Tape
Markers
Coordinating Clothespins
Piece of Cardboard
Piece of White Paper

Simply draw a few circles, or any other shape of your choosing, onto the white paper. Wrap the cardboard with the colored paper then cover with packing tape. I decided to do use the tape so she could get the clothespins on easier without tearing the paper.

Now your Tot is ready to work on colors,
matching and hand/eye coordination.

Check out other Tools for Tots here.

Tot School-23 Months 3 Weeks

2009-08-04T23:36:00.008-04:00

Michaela is 23 Months Old

Warning: I have a lot of pictures this week. I'm not really sure why because it seemed like we did less Tot School this week but a lot of the pictures have the same outfit. (I think we had 1 really good day which makes us look like we did stuff all week. I'm sure that never happens to anyone else, haha.) I'll keep the writing to a minimum and let the pictures do most of the talking for you.

Learning to get out her mat.

Learning to unroll the mat.

She was really good about putting everything back once she was done with the activity.

Matching lids.
First time for this one and it was a success. Just save different bottles when you are cooking. Can't get much cheaper then this!

She wanted me to call out a shape or color. Then she would hammer it.

Matching Colors.
I'll do a follow-up post to explain this one in more detail.

Cutting for the first time.
This one wasn't very successful. She needs to get better with hand/eye coordination and I need to buy her left-handed scissors. I forgot about that small fact when I purchased 'normal' scissors.

Transferring Rocks

Arranging Flowers

Putting together Cootie Bugs

Playing with her new feather board. For instructions on how to make this go here.

Matching the Uno Cards. (Notice the PJ's and hairbow?!?)

Official Kick-Off to our once-a-month Play Group.
We've talked about this for months now!

Now some practical life activities:
Putting together her art easel.

Using the easel.
This is a new favorite. I can't seem to get her to do ANYTHING else now that this is up!

Helping Mommy cook.
I wish you could really see this outfit. Leopard Dora Shirt, Orange Skirt, Rainbow socks and Pink/Blue plaid shoes. She is in the "I-can-dress-myself" phase.

Putting away the utensils. (And yes, I have already put away the knives.)

Helping me with muffins.

Want more ideas for Tot School? Check out this link. You will find many wonderful mommies with many wonderful ideas!

Slow Blogging Week

2009-08-04T22:03:00.007-04:00

I just wanted to mention that I may not be posting as much this week. Michaela is turning 2 this weekend and I've been getting some things ready for the party. I have a wonderful, wonderful friend who offered to throw Michaela's party. That was such a blessing in so many ways.

One way is that I have time to do a few extra things for Michaela that I may not have done otherwise. One of my other awesome friends came over this week to help me make my first dress for Michaela. I would have been COMPLETELY lost. Patterns might as well be written in Latin!

This is the front of the dress.

Here is the back. We had a beautiful mess up. The ribbon was originally suppose to meet at the zipper in the back. While I was sewing the zipper it moved the satin ribbon. We had to take it out but we decided to make the sash extra long so that we could tie a bow in the back. It's beauty from my ashes. ;)

My sister, Michaela and I also decided to learn how to make fondant. I'm not sure it's going to work on the cake but we had fun learning. Michaela also had a blast!She must see me on the phone a lot. She is already talking on the phone while cooking.

That is a true woman!

Mommy Confession Mon..Opps Tuesday

2009-08-04T21:39:00.005-04:00

Bathroom Edition

So..I'm a day behind. I have to apologize! This Saturday is Michaela's 2nd Birthday so I have been super busy getting things ready for the party but that is for another post for another time

I've been thinking about what to admit to you all this week. I decided to go with something embarrassing in the hopes that someone else does this. We don't really have a lot of storage room in the bathroom so I have to use the actual tub to store things. You'll see in the picture below what the tub looks like before we use it. We actually empty is out every time we need to use it. If you notice on the bottom you will see the used towels. I was going to take them out before the picture but I figured that would defeat the purpose of this confession.

This is a picture of the downstairs bathroom. We don't actually use this shower, ever. When I worked on cleaning up the school room I decided to use the shower stall for storage. I knew my husband would not let his Lego's go to the garage. Please someone out there tell me I'm not the only one that has to use the tubs for storage!

I have sewn my first project!

2009-07-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

I got a sewing machine for Christmas. It only took me almost 8 months to finally get it out of the box. I have been completely intimidated by that little machine. Mostly because my background in sewing is very minimal. I learned to sew a button last year, finally.

But I have a very awesome, and patient, friend who offered to come offer and lend me her expertise. I am so thankful for her. I've always been sad because I had no idea how to sew. I really wanted to be able to pass this skill onto my little girl but felt completely inadequate.

Anyway, I digress. (I'm not sure who posted about this project and left the link so I have to say that I'm sorry for not being able to link to the middle man.)

I fell in love with this book case! It seems that at night she has to pull down every book in order to pick the one that she wants. This book case/shelf solves that problem. She is able to see the front of the book and not just the spine. Granted we have way more books then this shelf can hold so I will rotate the books out occasionally.

It is just her height. (Look to the right of the dresser.)

Close-up picture.
The pattern is of a mother and daughter. This may sound way too sentimental for a bookcase, but I had to have this pattern. I wanted to remember this project because it was the very first thing I sewed for her. I hope to pass on skills that make her an efficient wife and mother who glorifies the Lord.

Feather Activity

2009-07-28T00:00:00.001-04:00

I made a new Tot tray for Michaela that I hope she enjoys. Here are the supplies you need:

Thick Styrofoam
Beads
Feathers that match the beads

Stick the beads in the styrofoam and you are done!

The object is for your Tot to stick the feathers into the matching beads on the Styrofoam board. Note: I originally tried using markers but they don't really write on the Styrofoam very well. Another variation is to use paint. I chose beads because it was simple and I could take them out and still use the Styrofoam for something else.

I love the smiles of my Little Man

2009-07-27T23:47:00.004-04:00

No reason for this post except I had to show someone the recent pictures of Corbin. He is beginning to have such a sweet personality.

We finally made it back to church after many weeks. It was so good to be there!If you see him he will more then likely be laying like this. He loves, loves, loves to have his hands above his head!

I still can't get over seeing that smile. I can't help but remember being in the ambulance with him after our accident. It was so horrifying to scream and cry at him and still get no response from him. I made a deal with God that if he would just let him cry to get the oxygen I would never get upset when he cried ever again.

I think I've only failed once so far.

Mommy Confession Monday

2009-07-27T01:24:00.005-04:00

There are so many things I probably need to confess. I think I'll just make a list instead of elaborating on each one. That might be easier!

1. I forgot to make dinner tonight. This might sound crazy but Sundays are always different since we have such a big lunch with the family after church. At 8:30 I realized we hadn't had dinner so I fed the family Apple Jacks.
2. I spent way too much time preparing and not playing. Is it really worth the prep time if I'm not actually spending time with them while their awake?
3. I've been extremely short with every member of my family this week, especially the last few days. I need to have an attitude check.
4. I bought a pint of Starbucks Carmel Macchiato ice cream at the store tonight even though 1/4 of the container has more then 40% of the fat I should have in one day. I couldn't resist!

Tot School- 23 Months, Week 2

2009-07-27T00:56:00.005-04:00

This week didn't include a lot of 'actual' tot time. I spent a lot of the week organizing and trying to get my life back together a little bit. I did manage to sneak in a few exercises here and there.

Playing with a toy while I tended to Corbin.

This is a rare sighting: smiling for a picture!

She helped me make dinner. (If you can say putting frozen items on a stone is making dinner.)
Playing with a Melissa & Doug see and spell.

I love the way she lays on her belly to work. It's so cute!

I've never gotten this out for her because I thought it was too old for her but she wanted to play with it. It was a bit challenging for her but she enjoyed trying to match the shapes.

The week wouldn't be complete without transferring beans.

She did manage to actually use the spoon some this time.

But we always manage to end up with the same result..

Pouring the beans from one bowl to the other.

Corbin was being so good in the swing while we worked.

She practiced slicing bread with the sandwich making set.

Then she slice an apple.

We also did some rock climbing at a birthday party.

She came inside to find me and bring me outside to show off her new skill.

Check out this link for more great Tot School Ideas!

New Classroom - Before & After

2009-07-27T00:14:00.008-04:00

I spent a lot of time this week organizing Michaela's school room. My wonderful sister came over to help me tackle this project. It's something I've wanted to do for awhile since my supplies outgrew my original idea for storing materials.

This room used to be my closet. Before I had children I worked as an assitant manager at a clothing store. I had tons of clothes but unfortunately I have outgrown almost all of them either by size or age. It's hard to believe this room was a closet at one point. I had way too much stuff!

Little did I know when I had my Papaw build the shelves in this room that it would one day be an awesome place for my children to learn! (Thanks Papaw!)

Overall Before

Overall After

Wall #1 Before

Wall #1 After

Wall #2 Before

Wall #2 After

Wall #2 Shelves: Tot Trays/Montessori Work

Wall #3 Before

Wall #3 After
Wall #3 Shelves: Bible, Art, Music and Misc. Educational Toys
Wall #4 Before
Wall #4 After: Finally a nice place to "plan" the week.

We did our trays in the kitchen for a long time. Please understand that it is not necessary to have a space like this to play purposefully with your tot. All it takes is a parent who wants to spend time with their little one and help them discover their world. I just like to see how other Momma's organize their supplies and thought that I would share.

Adding a signature to your blog

2009-07-22T23:19:00.002-04:00

I'm stuck sitting at the computer printing many, many pages for a montessori album. I decided to try to learn how to create one of those cute little signatures that I see on other people's blogs. I am amazed to see that I could accomplish this! However, I am not smart enough to explain it to you. Here's the link to the how-to that I found thanks to Peter.

Tool for Learning Colors

2009-07-20T22:57:00.002-04:00

I was reading about Rocker Mom's connect four cards and it reminded me to post about the color cards I made. We are on a tight budget and cannot really afford to buy colored ink for the printer. Hence the homemade matching squares. This is a super easy idea and you could use any colored items to match your papers.

I chose to use these small wooden blocks for matching.
I made some cards with a single color to focus on the individual colors

And cards with a pattern for more of a challenge.

Final Product:

Click on the button below for more great Tot Tools!

Has it really been THAT long?!?!?

2009-07-19T23:55:00.007-04:00

I just have to admit that I am the world's worst blogger. I just seem to fall of the invisible internet world and then randomly appear again. This time I have a good reason. Well, I guess first trimester pregnancy is an okay excuse but this one is better.

(This turned out to be a looonnggg post but the end is worth it. God is amazing!)

First of all, we had our second child. Corbin Isaiah was born on April 8, 2009. The birth itself was awesome! Thank God it went exactly like I had envisioned, with the exception of induction. I had developed high blood pressure and it was becoming dangerous for the baby and myself. The contractions started at 4 pm. At 8 pm I was 3 cm and then at 9:00 I was 10 cm. Corbin was born at 9:34. I was even able to have him without an ephideral because my husband was a wonderful lamaze coach! Thanks honey!

Everything seemed to be going great. They seemed to be able to get my blood pressure back down and everyone seemed pretty healthy. The night before I was to be discharged from the hospital they told me that Corbin was not going to be released because he had lost more than ten percent of his birth weight. Since Corbin was going to be kept one more day, the doctor said he would let me stay another night. God knew exactly why Corbin lost the weight: I needed to be in the hospital the next day.

That morning my blood pressure started to rise. The doctors started medication that morning but it still wasn't working. They decided to go ahead and give me a shot. About 30 minutes after the shot, I started feeling pretty bad. My heart started to beat exceptionally fast and I was becoming short of breath. I paged my nurse and waited for a few minutes. I pressed the button again but by the time she got in the room I was barely breathing and my heart rate was 190.

After many tests and 24 hours in the ICU, the doctors still do not know why this happened to me. I do know that God made sure that I was still in the hospital when this happened. I couldn't imagine what would have happened if I would have been at home! I am so thankful that Little Man lost enough weight to justify being in the hospital another night.

We spent a week in the hospital and then it just took me a while to get adjusted to "normal". I didn't mean to let blogging, or Michaela's school for that matter, go for so long but it just happened. I was about to start again but...

We decided to go to the zoo one day. The day seemed like any other day until we decided to get on the train. Chris was sitting in the cart in front of me and I was holding Corbin on my lap and I had Michaela sitting next to me with my arm around her. As we went around a curve the train derailed.

I don't want to go into too many details, but everone in the family except me was hospitalized that day. Michaela had some bleeding on her brain and had to have plastic surgery. Corbin had a fractured skull and Chris, who had been pinned under the train, had broken both bones in the lower part of his leg. He also had severe road rash on both legs. (This is not a full list of the injuries but this gives you the gist of what happened.)

I spent the next week living at the 2 hospitals. We have an AMAZING children's hospital right here in our city and it's only 3 blocks from our trauma hospital! The kids were released about a week later and Chris was there about 3 weeks total. We are all home now and everyone is recovering beautifully. God is so good and faithful. It has been amazing to see the great physician work in our lives.

Today I got to think about something though. I started to think about the children's names. Michaela's middle name is Grace. I can tell you right now it is only by the grace of God that she is still here. It is only by the grace of our wonderful healer that the bleeding was stopped on her brain. It is only by the grace of God that I get to see my baby turn two next month.

Corbin's middle name, Isaiah, means "saved by God." We chose that because Corbin means "dark and bruding" and we wanted something to balance it out. (Can you tell that we really like choosing names because of significance and meaning?) Anyway... I was thinking about Corbin's short life. Within the first few days God used him to possibly save my life. He was the only reason I was at the hospital when I had my 'attack'. Then just a few weeks later God used me to help save Corbin's life. As we were falling over, I can remember pulling him close to me and wrapping my body around his while I was grabbing Michaela. God has already saved him and he has been used as an instrument to save someone else. I pray that God will continue to use him to save many more people!

So needless to say, I haven't had much time for blogging lately. But I think I'm back.

Food Guide for Preschoolers

2009-04-02T08:36:00.001-04:00

Do you have trouble remembering exactly what your preschooler should be eating every day? This website will give you a personalized food pyramid for your LO based on age, gender and activeness.

Vanity of Vanities! All is vanity.

2009-03-31T07:43:00.004-04:00

Ecclesiastes 1:¹The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
²"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher,
"Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."...
⁸All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
⁹That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.

Vanity:(from Webster's Dictionary) 1: something that is vain, empty, or valueless 2: the quality or fact of being vain

Vain: (from Webster's Dictionary) 1: having no real value 2: marked by futility or ineffectualness

In the past few days I have felt a tidal wave of conviction. You probably know what I'm talking about. It's the times, as my preacher would say, that you "have been taken to the Holy Ghost woodshed for a good whippin" (He's from down south in Alabama). Last night God confirmed these convictions and lovingly gave me a little wisdom and direction.

You see, I have felt like I have been in a spiritual pit or valley for a while. I have been continuing to go through the motions but it has felt completely empty and ineffective. I would read my bible, do my bible studies with a friend, pray with Michaela every night. The typical rituals that Christians have but felt nothing.

Finally, I began to pray to have a desire again. God will always answer when we ask with a sincere heart. He began to show me that I have no desire or joy because I am trying to find meaning from anything and everything apart from Him. Everything I try to accomplish is meaningless and ineffective without Him. He is the only reason I will find joy.

This also spills over into my work with Michaela. Verses 3&4 of Ecclesiastes 1 say: ³What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? ⁴A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. Where am I teaching her to get her joy from? Soon I will be gone and I only get one shot to instill God's values into her. It is great if she knows her colors, how to count and transfer objects. However, all of my work is meaningless if I do not teach her about the greatest source of joy and satisfaction in her life.

We need more Bible time in Tot School.

Thanks Nana!

2009-03-31T07:35:00.003-04:00

I bought a baby bedding set for Michaela's new big girl bed It was the only comforter set I could find that fit her bed since it's still a crib sized mattress. Nana had a great idea for the bumper: make a bumper for the rails but use the rest for pillows and the valences.
Valences still to come. Thanks for your hard work Nana! One of these days I'm going to have to get the sewing machine out of the box and learn!

Mommy Confession Monday:Clean and Dirty Room Edition

2009-03-30T15:26:00.004-04:00

For this week there is so much that I could confess to you all. Like we didn't get out of our PJ's most days, she watched more TV this week then the rest of her life combined or the fact that she had goldfish and yogurt one night for dinner. But I decided to be vulnerable and include pictures this week. I'm going to show you my children's rooms:

The nice, clean, organized nursery just waiting for the precious addition to our family.

Michaela's room. A complete unorganized mess!I have to explain so my embarrassment is lessened a little. I am in the middle of the dreaded switch of clothing sizes. I HATE HATE HATE to switch out one size clothes for the next. I have to do this in small doses. I had nice neat piles ready to be hung up or put away but unfortunately, my LO started playing in there before I could finish. Now I have so much more work ahead of me. I'll get there eventually but now my doses are even smaller!

What about you? Do you have something you need to get off your chest?

Our Trays

2009-03-30T15:16:00.003-04:00

I had a few people ask where I got Michaela's trays from. I was going to respond in the comment section, but I wanted to show a few pictures.

I actually got this idea from Carisa at 1+1+1=1. She suggested using the trays from her Melissa & Doug toys. We have a few different sets of these toys.
I emptied the contents of these trays and viola: Perfect trays with compartments. Some of the trays are a little more complex which will be great once we start sorting more objects.
I love yard sale season. I found these M&D toys for $4.00 each in someone's front yard!

We have Trays!

2009-03-29T18:12:00.009-04:00

~Michaela is currently 19 months old~

This was our first week using actual trays and somewhat planned activities. She had such a great time. I have to say transferring the beans was her favorite activity. She did this for at least 20 minutes before I asked her if she would like to do something else. Even then she told me no, so we kept playing with the beans! Here is a look at our week:

Puzzles are always a must around here. She loves them!

Learning to sort the shapes.

She entertained herself by stacking the wipe containers while I put away the groceries and Daddy started dinner. They are amazed by the simplest things!

Then Daddy gave her the drumsticks!

Transferring Beans with a Spoon.

She started with the spoon...

but quickly decided that she would have more fun pouring directly from the container.
Every time she would drop one on the ground she would say, "Aw, man!"

Putting small things in a container.

She would put 1 piece in each hole and then pull them right back out. Then she realized that they would break off and fall in the holes. Our activity then turned into taking the lid on and off. Then we just completely derailed!

She decided this looked like her cup with a straw. She actually would take a "drink" and say, "Umm." What an imagination!

Putting the feathers into styrofoam.

She had fun with this one until she broke one. I think it made her sad because she didn't want to do this activity any more!

She took the feathers and started to say "Tickle, Tickle!"
I have no idea where she got that from!

Her friend came over this week and they practiced taking turns.
They wanted to buckle the seat.

Then we realized there were 2 sets of buckles.
I'm glad they got to practice taking turns first though.

Building with the Mega Blocks. She did most of this tower on her own.

This is probably one of my favorite pictures this week. She loves the princess crown!

I'm just happy she enjoys reading books as much as she does!

Check out this post for many other great ideas for Tot School.

More Items for Tot School

2009-03-28T11:00:00.005-04:00

I took a trip to our local Deals (the dollar store) and Wal-Mart this week to pick up more items for Tot School. I think part of the reason I get frustrated is because I see all of these great ideas but I don't have many supplies at home to work on the activities. I finally bit the bullet and decided to go buy some items to get started. I can promise you that I am not going on a spending spree for a while but I think we have plenty to work on for now!

Here are some of the containers I found at various stores. The pencil boxes were on clearance at Wal-Mart for ¢.50 each.

The pencil boxes are great for organizing all of the smaller objects.

My kitchen has lost another cabinet!

I decided to keep all of the seasonal items in this container. This way my main cabinets do not have to be rearranged every time I switch my seasonal/holiday activities.

I am so excited to start working with Michaela!

The Benefits of Resting

2009-03-24T11:00:00.006-04:00

~~I finally decided~~ My husband and doctor decided that I probably need to rest more during the final weeks of pregnancy. I am a very stubborn person but I am thankful that I am trying to follow their advice. Michaela and I had a wonderful time playing in her room the other day. I may not have got to enjoy this time with her if I had let my nesting obsession take over (which I could have easily done if my husband hadn't told me no!)

We got to enjoy playing with baby dolls...

I walked in her room and she was changing the baby's diaper all by herself.

Then she gave the baby her pacifier.

And of course we had to feed the baby.

I feel like this most days when I'm trying to leave! She packed up all the baby's things and told me bye. She even walked over to give me a kiss first.

Then it was time for dress up.

I loved watching her look in the mirror at herself. It was so precious!

I was very surprised that she knew how to "work" the hair dryer.

I wish she would have let me get a better picture of this. She had on her Tutu, crown, 2 different shoulder wraps and was holding her wand. She wanted it off way too quickly for a picture though. :(

I can't believe how fast she has grown up. It seems like yesterday I was holding a newborn and now I have a little girl that plays Momma and dress up.I thought it would take so much longer to get to this stage of her life!

Tot School Update

2009-03-23T11:01:00.007-04:00

Michaela is 19 months old

I've mentioned this in my confession this week, but Tot School was very sporadic. We worked on activities at different points throughout the day. Once Corbin is here and we have more of a routine, I plan on having a specific time for "school" everyday. For now we are just going to enjoy playing together everyday.

We've had these blocks since Christmas, but this is the first time she has really enjoyed playing with them.

Thankfully, she enjoys cleaning up after herself. The top of the bucket has a shape sorter so she got to clean and learn at the same time!

Puzzles are always a favorite

You might remember these from your childhood. It's a towel that expands once you put it in water. Daddy loves doing water activities with Michaela.

She's watching the towel get bigger.

We went to the park for awhile one day. I love the warm weather! Unfortunately, this park did not have a slide. I thought all parks had a slide. Michaela was pretty bummed about not sliding but she soon forgot.

I was in the midst of moving Michaela's clothes out of the nursery so that we could move Corbin in and Michaela desperately needed something to do.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to work on her transferring skills. This kept her attention for about 10 minutes.

Check out this blog for other ideas from Tot Schools.

Mommy Confession Monday

2009-03-23T10:48:00.004-04:00

Ok, so here goes nothing.

1. Michaela watched entirely too much TV this week. I believe she watched at least 30 minutes a day and sometimes up to 2 hours (not consecutive). I'm just really feeling that last weeks of pregnancy and I let that get the best of me. Oh well, at least it was "educational" TV. ;)

2. We really didn't do any planned activities. Like I said, the last weeks of pregnancy can be tiring, especially when you obsess about having an organized, clean house before the new baby comes. Most of our activities were sporadic but she still loved them anyway. The important thing is that we still spent time together, even if it wasn't on the calendar.

3. We've started talking about Potty Training. Michaela will now tell me when she has to go "poo-poo". I sat her on the toilet and like always, she didn't really need to go. I tried to explain that maybe she should grunt to help her poopie come out. Unfortunately, it only helped a fart come out. She looked at me wide eyed and exclaimed, "I farted!" then threw her head back and laughed. I have to confess I thought that was hilarious. For some reason we tend to think of bodily functions as funny, not rude. We might need to work on this for public outings though.

Alas, we are not perfect around here!

Mommy Confession Monday

2009-03-21T18:44:00.004-04:00

Have you ever felt that the other Mom's in "blog land" are perfect? Of course, we all know that no one else is perfect and they don't have it all together but sometimes it seems that things go so smoothly in their home. Their children always do activities just as planned, they have clean clothes and fixed hair, and Mom has made a meal completely from scratch. We all know that this is not the case. No one wants another other mom to feel inadequate. Most of us blog to encourage one another and share great ideas, not to brag about how great we are.

This is why I'm going to start a new weekly post: Mommy Confession Monday. This can be a time that we confess things to each other that didn't go as planned during the week. We can also share funny stories about children. Or maybe we can be serious and confess an area we need to work on. It may help to have some type of accountability in our struggles to raise children to love God. These are just a few ideas because I'm sure there are many, many things that happen each week that keep us humble.

I pray this weekly post will help to show us that no one else is perfect and has it all together. God made each of us differently so we will all have different strengths and weaknesses. Now let's have fun laughing as we confess together.

Getting Ready for Tot School

2009-03-21T17:43:00.004-04:00

I have been bit by the Nesting Bug...bad. I think a lot of it started while reading 1+1+1=1. I had this sense of urgency to get things organized before the new baby comes. I haven't really been doing a lot of "formal" school activities with Michaela during this pregnancy. I think part of the reason is that I haven't had a designated area for her supplies. I think it would be so much easier to plan if everything was organized.

I decided to take a couple cabinets in the kitchen that were not being utilized efficiently at all! Look at what a mess they were:

Before

After

Before
After
Ah...Organized Bliss

Daddy was also an angel this weekend. He watched Michaela while I got to enjoy 3 hours of shopping all by myself. It was a much needed break. I picked up a few more supplies for school.

I found these pails at Target in the Dollar Spot.

These are a great, inexpensive tool for sorting activities.

New Blog that I absolutely LOVE!

2009-03-15T18:24:00.004-04:00

I was going through a friend's blog roll and I stumbled across a new blog that I absolutely love. 1+1+1=1.blogspot.com is a great site for helping to teach your toddlers. I really like the learning style of Montessori, but I have had difficulties finding activities that are geared toward children under the age of 3. While this website is not technically a Montessori based site, she believes in the idea and is very similar. There are tons of pictures, she writes very well (which is not my strong suite at all!) and is very clear with instructions.

The best thing about this site is the fact that she is very down to earth. After reading some blogs about teaching children I feel completely incompetant. It seems like the Moms never have a glich in the schedule or if you do something contrary to their beliefs you are wrong. I don't believe you will feel that way about 1+1+1=1. If you are looking for ideas in educational play for your tot, this site is awesome!

Sleeping in the Big Girl Bed

2009-03-13T23:03:00.004-04:00

Corbin, our second child, is due to be here in about 5 weeks. We have set up Michaela's new room but we have a slight problem. She has toys, a organized closet and a "big girl" bed-that she refuses to sleep in! I have tried to get her to take a nap in here but she cries and gets right back up. After every failed attempt, I wait about a week before I try again.

I wanted Michaela to be in her room before Corbin arrived so she wouldn't feel like he was taking her room. That is clearly not going to happen. I would like to try to get her to at least take naps in here so she can work toward sleeping in her bed all night. Thankfully, he will sleep in the bassinet in our room for a few more months so I don't have to have this situation fixed this month.

Do you have any tips or suggestions on getting your little one to transition to the big bed? She is almost 20 months old right now.

Cleaning your Microwave

2009-03-04T13:14:00.006-05:00

I hate to clean the microwave! It always takes a long time and too much elbow grease. I have found the solution:
If you steam the microwave before you clean it everything comes off with just a few wipes. To do this heat a small bowl of water on high for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes you should be able to wipe away all of the food that has accumulated on the inside. The steam from the water loosens up all of the particles.
This works for me!

My 100th Post

2009-02-28T22:07:00.001-05:00

According to blogging tradition, your 100th post has to include 100 things about yourself. I think this may be harder than I thought but here goes nothing.

My middle name is Brooke.
I have had 2 maiden names but I have only been married once. (I won't put them on here for security purposes though.)
So you are probably confused. I had my Mom's name first but when my parents married later in life my name was changed to my Dad's last name.
I would have had the same name as a famous person if I had my Mom's name.
My parents got married in Hawaii when I was 8.
Supposively, I was the flower girl even though I didn't get to be there. I'm confused about that to this day.
My parents got a divorce when I was 11.
I have 2 younger sisters.
I have an older stepbrother and an older stepsister.
I have moved many times in my life. Too many to count.
I always had a boyfriend in high school.
I regret always having a boyfriend in high school.
I was a "flag twirler" in the band.
I had no idea that flag twirling had anything to do with band until the first day of practice!
I was mortified after I found out because I thought I would be automatically labeled as a band nerd before I even started school.
I am so glad that I am not in high school anymore!
I started drinking and using drugs when I was 13.
My usage really increased when I was 15.
By the time I was 19 I had been in jail twice and had 2 DUI's.
I am an alcoholic.
I am thankful for the consequences because it helped me get my life on track.
My mom was killed in an car accident when I was 19.
I still miss my mom on a daily basis.
...Especially now that I am a mom.
Being a mom makes me wish I could go back and talk to her about her experiences with me.
I now understand everything she tried to tell me as a child.
As hard as this is to say, God has truly made her passing a blessing in disguise.
Please don't hear that wrong: I wish it could have been ANY other way though.
It led me to Jesus, eventually.
If I could say just one thing to her now, it would be to thank her for that gift.
She made the greatest sacrifice to help me find that gift: her life.
After my second DUI, I finally realized that the lifestyle I was living was not working.
I needed new friends, so I called Chris.
Who is now my husband.
I asked him if I could go to church with him. I needed new friends.
I had no idea that I really needed Jesus.
We hung out for a few weeks and I went to church with him.
I loved his friends.
But I was still kind of new to the "sober thing" so they seemed a little strange as well.
I was received Jesus as my savior on January 18, 2004.
The whole in my heart left by my mom's passing was finally filled.
It was almost exactly 1 year after she died.
The first time I ever felt God speak to me was on the 1 year anniversary of her death.
I opened my Bible and Psalm 118:34 which says, " This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
I had now idea where to find that verse, but God led me to it immediately.
Chris and I started dating 2 days after I was saved. January 20, 2004.
We dated until June because he broke up with me.
I was shocked but God knows what he is doing.
I grew so much in my relationship with Christ during that time. I am very thankful that I formed my identity as a believer apart from Chris.
We got back together in October 2004.
We were engaged in February 2005.
I got to marry the man of my dreams on January 7, 2006.
We adopted our first puppy, Baxter, the following April.
We weren't sure we wanted children right away.
We got pregnant 7 months later in November 2006.
We had our first child on August 8, 2007.
Her name is Michaela Grace.
She is named after my mother, Michelle.
Their name means "who is like God."
We chose Grace because we realized that just as we did not deserve the grace we received from God, we did not deserve to be entrusted with this precious child.
I am so thankful that God decided to give her to us for awhile though.
We got pregnant with our second baby, a boy, in August 2008.
Corbin Isaiah's due date is April 18, 2009.
To most people we have the 'perfect family': Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother.
I am also thankful that God has changed our minds about children.
We always talked about the number of children we wanted to have.
Then we realized that we had to let God control that area of our life just like we have to let Him control every aspect of our life.
Children should be considered a blessing from God, not an inconvenience. (Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now. ha ha)
My husband also struggles with addiction problems.
The first few years of our marriage have been trying.
I am so thankful that he is in active recovery now.
I am also thankful that God has been a solid rock to help us through the past few years.
To be honest, I'm not sure if we would still be married if it wasn't for God.
I would not change anything about my life experience because it has shaped me into the exact woman that God intended for me to be.
I don't think I would appreciate the good times in our marriage, if I didn't have to experience the bad times. We are on the brink of better, healthier, and 'richer' instead of worse, sicker and poorer.
God has always shown himself faithful.
I don't know when this turned into my life story so I will give you random facts about me to finish this list.
We have a house.
We really want to sell this house!
I have been to 4 colleges in my life.
I do not have a degree.
My favorite color is pink.
I have new found love of reading.
Raising children is harder then I ever imagined.
I stink at doing laundry. I never get stains out and I never fold it when it first comes out of the dryer.
And I can't use an iron that well.
I love to scrapbook.
I want to learn to sew.
I wish I had naturally blond hair. I can't afford the upkeep.
I love staying at home with Michaela.
My husband and I dated for a few months in the 7 grade.
I did the breaking up that time.
I am slowly learning to cook. I was trained on box meals, so it may take a while.
My biggest struggle in my relationship with God is my prayer life.
I loved the Twilight saga, even though it was about vampires and werewolves.
I am right handed.
I am not a worrier at all. Sometimes to a fault.
I have never been further west then St. Louis.
My favorite job was working at American Eagle as an Assistant Manager.
This was actually easier then I thought it would be.

Organizing Umbrellas

2008-12-03T13:28:00.002-05:00

This past week I was in one of my moods to organize. This particular day it was the hall closet. I found 6 umbrellas in the bottom of the closet that always seem to get in the way. I decided to get a few small nails and hang the umbrellas on the wall. This was a great solution to the problem. Since it's the hall closet no one will notice all of the nail holes either.

This works for me.

First Trip to Chuck-E-Cheese

2008-12-02T11:23:00.006-05:00

I am now officially a parent. I have survived my first trip to Chuck-E-Cheese. Chris had to work that morning so I am very grateful to have a sister who was willing to help me run around with Michaela. She had a great time! I didn't think it would be that exciting for a 15-month-old but I was wrong!

She is riding in the car with Chuck himself.

We actually won quite a few tickets!

This was my favorite game as a child. (Holly and I took turns playing without her.)

I did manage to give her pizza that day. She can't always eat healthy, especially there!

The rides were her favorite.

Thanks for going with us Aunt Holly!

I honestly don't think we made it out of the parking lot before this picture was taken!

I'm pretty sure if I didn't have to drive I would have joined her. We had a great time.

The Best Children's Bible!

2008-11-22T11:59:00.007-05:00

If you have ever shopped for a child's bible, you have probably been just as frustrated as I have been. I received a few bibles for Michaela when she was born but there was a problem. A lot of the infant and toddler bibles leave out the most important part...Jesus dying on the cross! One of the bibles she has seriously ends with "Jesus loves the little children."
While that is a great message for her to hear, it is not the complete story. I want her to experience what the Bible tells her in it's entirety.

I have found the perfect Bible to accomplish that goal. The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm is great for little ones! It has both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The testaments are broken into many different parts so that you can read a section at a time. For children with a short attention span (that would be mine) you can read quickly because there are not a lot of words on each page and the pictures are very vibrant.

What a great gift for the preschoolers on your Christmas list!

Tired of Red Stains?

2008-11-19T11:59:00.004-05:00

My camera was left at a baby shower this weekend. Until I can reclaim my prized possession I am forced to write post do not require my beautiful pictures. I'm so sad!

I realized today was Wednesday so it is Works-for-Me-Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer. What a perfect day for a no picture post!!

Moving on...
I was so tired of having red stains on my tupperware from leftover food that had spaghetti sauce. I realized that if you spray the bowl with PAM before storing the food it will not leave the ugly red ring! I have had a temporary ring before but it comes right out when you wipe the bowl clean. This is so simple to do and it saves my sanity!

Being Thankful

2008-11-14T12:50:00.005-05:00

November is a great time to emphasize gratitude with your children. This year we decided to focus on one thing we are thankful for each day of the month. We write it out on a cut-out and place it on the pantry door in our kitchen. This is a place that we will see many times a day. I love having this reminder every day!

The heart that is constantly overflowing with gratitude will be safe from those attacks of resentfulness and gloom that bother so many persons.
-A.W. Tozer

Enjoying Every Season

2008-11-12T11:37:00.006-05:00

I haven't always been the biggest fan of fall because it means the cold weather is coming soon. I hate snow. I hate feeling swaddled with clothes. I just plain hate the cold weather. I also hate racking leaves. (As you can see by the tremendous pile in our yard!)
This year I have decided to look at this season with new eyes. Maybe it's because we have a toddler who is experiencing fall for the first time. Maybe God is just trying to teach me to enjoy every season of life instead of only enjoying the ones that I like.
I never realized how much your attitude can effect your outlook. Normally, I would look at the front yard and be upset because we have to rack leaves. Now, I am looking at the leaves as a chance for Michaela to play. To watch the dog run through the front yard. To explore the leave and to feel the texture. To teach her about God and the beautiful creation He has made.
Today I am thankful for a new attitude. I am thankful for the different seasons of life we get to enjoy...no matter how much we may not like them.

Michaela's First Vote

2008-11-12T11:17:00.003-05:00

Everyone needs to vote when they have the chance. I think it is something that parents need to instill into their children at an early age. Hence, Michaela's first voting experience. I know she probably didn't understand what we were doing but I know in the coming years she will.

I didn't have my camera with me when she actually filled in her ballot and placed it in the box. We were at Aunt Gail and Uncle Matt's house. I did take some pictures of the ballot and the 'vote collector'.

Trunk-or-Treat

2008-11-11T12:39:00.003-05:00

Halloween was the first holiday that we were celebrating for the second time. Can I just say that time goes by way too quick?! This year Michaela was a lady bug. If I haven't told you, my child does not smile for pictures any more. I'm lucky if she even looks at the camera! She has not interest in pictures at all. Hopefully we can change her mind about that!

This is the back of the costume. I loved the wings!

Despite the look on her face I believe she had a good time.

OK. I have to admit something. As soon as we got home, I dumped out the candy and sorted it. It brought back found memories of my childhood!

No Matter Who Wins

2008-11-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

10 PREDICTIONS NO MATTER WHO WINS THE ELECTION

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still work.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed teaching and healing.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL!

Lightbulb Moments

2008-10-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

Every day that passes, I feel Michaela slipping away from a baby to a little girl. It seems that in the past few weeks, she has grown so much. Her language is improving vastly every day and her motor skills are becoming more precise as well.
This week she finally understood the concept of a few of her toys that she has played with for months. It almost seemed like a lightbulb went off in her head.

This is a simple wooden stacking toy. She used to turn it over, take the rings off and crawl away. On this occasion she finally understood that she is suppose to put them back on! After she would build the stack she would look at me, smile and clap for herself. I am so proud of her for figuring this out all by herself.

You can see the look of concentration on her face.
If her tongue isn't out, the mouth is at least open!

It isn't quite in the correct order but we can take baby steps to get there.

This fun little toy is always on our fridge. Typically she would play the music and dance. Put on this day she finally understood that the pieces to the animals go in the barn. She even matched them up correctly. Once she learned to do this she repeated this over and over again. Clapping for herself at the end every time!

This was her first match!
I never knew it was possible to be so proud of your children for the smallest accomplishments!

I am so thankful that God has given us Michaela. It has been such a blessing to watch her blossom and become a toddler.

Our first Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-30T10:35:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we carved Michaela's first pumpkin. It was actually a first for all of us. We had a pretty good time. Don't be fooled by the pictures though. She got very bored in between all of the steps so Mommy had to keep her entertained. I think next year will be more enjoyable for us.

She is watching Daddy cut off the top.

She only used the scoop a few times. She didn't really like the texture of the guts.
She is definitely a girl!

She got to help Daddy draw the outline on the pumpkin.
While Daddy cut the pumpkin, Michaela and I talked about the seeds. Then I let her work on transferring the seeds from one bowl to another. This actually kept her occupied for a while.
But of course, that wouldn't last!
She is learning to be such a great helper. She helped us clean up all of the pumpkin leftovers.
Here she is with her first pumpkin. If only we could get her to smile for pictures these days!The final product...

Sarah Palin on Focus on the Family

2008-10-25T00:09:00.003-04:00

This is not a political blog, but I do want to pass some information on to you that I found very interesting. This is Sarah Palin on Focus on the Family discussing this election and her religious views. I found this very encouraging. She is a woman who knows God and is letting God decide who will win the election. This is not something that would ever be heard in the mainstream media so I believe it is important to get the information out.

It is about 25 minutes long but it is well worth it. On the same page as the interview you will find state voter guides and a presidential voter guide. Please have an informed vote on November 4!

Click here to go to the website.

My Little Helper

2008-10-24T23:32:00.006-04:00

I love when teachable moments come that I do not expect. Some of you may not think this is a very teachable moment, but I think it is a great way to teach Michaela how to become a great woman.
I was cleaning the window of our front storm door. I had walked outside to wash the other side and when I looked down Michaela was "cleaning" the door with my older wipes. It was so adorable! She watched me clean and did exactly the same thing.

(Please excuse the glare. I was outside taking the picture.)

So, why would I call this a "teachable moment"? I really feel that a lot of little girls are not being trained to become true women. Women who can clean a home, nurture their children and love their husbands. The gender lines are being so blurred. I feel that any time I can make Michaela understand what it really means to be a woman I am being obedient to God.
I know helping a 1 year old "wash" a window doesn't seem like being obedient, but all too often we look over the importance of raising our children to be godly. We begin to see it as an every day task instead of our mission and ministry from God. At least I do all too often. I'm trying to open my eyes to see more of God in my every day tasks.

Expelled-No Itelligence Allowed

2008-10-22T21:01:00.003-04:00

This is a must see movie for any Christian family. Actually, it's a must see movie for any American who believes in freedom. This was an amazing documentary about what happens to scientists, doctors, professors, etc who try to research Intelligent Design. Most of them loose their jobs! What happened to science? What happened to freedom of academia? I was appalled about what goes on in our own country.
What was even more scary is what happens when Darwinism rules the day and where this could eventually lead us. I watched this with tears in my eyes.
If you are able, please watch this movie. There is also a website set up to sign the petition for Academic Freedom. Scientists should at least be able to challenge Darwinism. Especially since it is only a THEORY!
God, please have mercy on our country.

Pumpkin Patch and Petting Animals

2008-10-18T14:58:00.005-04:00

Michaela made her first trip to Huber's Family Farm this past weekend. This has been a great tradition in our family to venture up to Huber's in the fall. The food is delicious, the scenery is beautiful, there is a petting zoo and you get to pick your own pumpkin. You can't ask for more when it comes to fall fun.

She was very excited to pet the goats!

The horse licked her hand.

My sisters, Dad, Michaela and my nephew.

She tried to pick up the pumpkins.

She was having a blast in the pumpkin patch!

She waved goodbye to the pumpkin patch as we rode the wagon back to the farm.

If you are in the Southern Indiana area, this is a great way to spend the day with the family!

Mom was a Superhero

2008-10-15T22:39:00.003-04:00

I remember when I was little thinking "My mom is a superhero. Who else could really clean up puke without getting sick. That is a superpower!"

I have always had a very weak stomach. I could/would get sick if I just heard someone getting sick. I cannot stand it! Therefore, I was always amazed that Mom could clean up after us when we had the flu or when we just had a simple stomach bug. I could have never done that as a child. EVER!

Two nights ago Michaela gave me the opportunity to become a superhero. I went in her room to make sure the blanket was on top of her and I found that she had gotten sick in her bed. It was everywhere including her hair.

Just then I realized something...Mom's (and Dad's-Chris helped) can do the unthinkable because they love their children. They can do the unthinkable because they want to care for their children in the best way possible. They can do the unthinkable because, well, they have to!

Mom, if you could read this, I would like to thank you for showing me what it means to be a superhero. Thanks for loving your children, caring for us in the best way possible, and doing what you had to do to! I would also like to thank you for passing those superpowers along to the next generation. God willing, I plan to pass these along to your grandchildren the best I know how.

I love technology!

2008-10-09T11:15:00.005-04:00

We got to see our precious new miracle for the first time yesterday. It was so amazing! When I see things like this I can't help but thank God for creating us. I am in complete awe of how someone so small can be so real. In the pictures below, the baby is only about 3 inches big from head to toe but look at the details of this child. (I know it's kind of blurry because he/she is so small but it's still there). This precious little one even has a very strong heartbeat. I can't imagine how it can be legal to take away their life at such a young "age".

This last picture is remarkable to me.

You can see the profile, the legs and even the umbilical cord!

Housekeeping Mission Statement

2008-10-08T19:24:00.005-04:00

Many business have a mission statement. The president wants the company to accomplish a certain task and the mission is usually clearly stated in 1 statement.
While I was reading Organizing Junkie's blog I found a wonderful mission statement for her household. I was going to create my own statement, but she did such a great job. I printed out this statement and put a copy on my refrigerator.

My Housekeeping Mission Statement

To provide an inviting and peaceful household environment, for my family and all that enter, that is conducive to living simply, loving deeply and laughing abundantly. I will make strides everyday to achieve this by practicing and teaching good daily habits and routines along with effective organizational skills. I will graciously and cheerfully serve my family and genuinely enjoy my commitment to creating a home sanctuary that is above all else pleasing to God.

This serves as a great reminder when I don't feel like doing the housework or am tired from a long day of serving my family.

Thanks Organizing Junkie!

Playing with the Doll House

2008-10-03T14:51:00.006-04:00

Michaela has really started to enjoy playing with her dolls. Nana L. got Michaela this vintage Little Tykes doll house and she loves it! It is very basic but she finds so much to do!

She likes to transfer the people from one chair to the other.
(I think that might just qualify for a montessori hand transfer activity!)
She also likes to put the people in their bedShe always wants to show me that she can put them in bed. She is showing off her work!

Coupon Extravaganza at K-mart

2008-10-03T14:44:00.003-04:00

Get those high dollar coupons out and go to K-mart this weekend! Between now and Sunday, K-mart will double all coupons up to (and including) $2.00.

Today, I spent $14.07 for all of the items below. Without my coupons, the total would have been $51.26. That is a savings of $37.19.
Proceed with caution and do not get too frustrated while shopping. A lot of the items I had coupons for were already sold out. Of course, it was the items that would have been free after coupons! Just be thankful for what you are able to purchase.

Believing God through the Sifting Process

2008-10-01T00:19:00.004-04:00

Beth Moore is an amazing Bible teacher. Well, let me rephrase that because she would not want me giving her the glory... God has made Beth Moore an amazing teacher of His word. I have learned so much through the studies He has instructed her to write.
Presently, I am going through Believing God with Beth and a group of women at our church. It was God's perfect timing to do this study right now. It has been exactly what I have needed in my life. The basic gist of this study can be summed up in one question: You believe IN God, but do you believe Him? It has been very eye opening.
She said something tonight that I can't seem to get out of my head. I actually felt like I had to get up out of bed to share this with you all. Maybe this is for someone else besides me or maybe God just really wants this to sink in. Either way, let me back up and give you a scriptural starting point.
Luke 22:31, 32: 31"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you^[a] as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
The person speaking to Simon in this passage was Jesus himself. God gave Beth so many nuggets in these 2 verses and I am grateful that she passed this knowledge on to us.
First of all, Satan didn't just ask to sift Simon. The "you" in verse 31 is plural. Satan was asking to sift all of us. This verse wasn't intended for this lone disciple. Satan doesn't just seek to sift the people in the ancient days. He looks to sift all of us.
Secondly, and this may be the most important point, is that God will allow Satan to sift you if there are things in your life that need to go. Otherwise, he gets a big fat no. This was very profound to me tonight because I feel like I am being sifted over and over again. Unfortunately, sometimes I feel self righteous about this because I wasn't the "cause" of the problem. I didn't throw myself into the pit, so what can I learn? It's not my fault.
Either way, God has allowed this to happen in my life. Maybe, just maybe, there hasn't been a major healing because I am not allowing God to do what he wants to do in my own life. I need to get rid of some of the fleshy things in order for the things of the Spirit to move in.
Thirdly, if Satan is allowed to sift Jesus will pray for you so that you may not fail. I can really relate to this point as well. Lately, I have felt as if I just didn't have it in me to press on. I was at my breaking point. I actually said to myself recently, "I am at the end of my rope and letting go. I really hope God is there to hold on to me." Thankfully, He was there and He will continue to be there for me, especially when I don't have the strength to pray for myself.
Lastly, when all the dust has settled we are to strengthen one another. We are to encourage one another. This was very affirming in my own life. I know that God has called me into ministry. It happened 7 months after He so graciously saved me. It has been 3 years since that calling and I have felt like maybe I got it wrong. Like maybe I was just really excited about the transformation in my life and got ahead of myself. Maybe I was ahead of myself, but I do not doubt the calling that God has on my life and Chris' life. God's timing is not mine, which is a great thing. I can tell you that if I were to pursue what God has envisioned for me right now, I would fall flat on my face. I am just not ready for that yet. I see too many things within myself that just aren't right. There is still way too much me and not enough of Him.
As for the struggles and trails, I have a new perspective. I can look at this through the lens of sifting. I will try to ask myself daily what needs to be removed from my life. I will close with a paraphrase from tonight's lesson:

He has places to take us, but there are some things in us that can't go there and some things of the Spirit that need to go there.

I am going to believe God to take us to that place...no matter the cost.

Edible Art

2008-09-27T16:02:00.006-04:00

Michaela and I tried our first art project today. Since everything goes into her mouth, I decided to use instant pudding instead of finger paints. At first I was bummed because I had bought vanilla instead of chocolate because the vanilla would not show up on the paper. But then a light bulb came on in my mind-Food Coloring! It was even better then having chocolate. (That will be the only time in my life I will ever say that again!)

She had no problem diving right in to the "paint".

If you look at closely at her mouth you can see where all of the "paint" went .
She did actually paint a few times in between bites.
Towards the end she wanted to just eat straight out of the bowl.
Finished product:
We even added some sprinkles!
Of course it was straight to the tub.
Did you notice the color of the water?
We will definitely try this fun, delicious project again!

Children are so Compassionate

2008-09-26T16:29:00.004-04:00

Beware-Throwing up is the subject matter of this post.

Yesterday we decided to go meet Daddy at work and bring him lunch. Right before we were suppose to walk out the door, my stomach decided that it was not going to agree with Baby #2. I sat Michaela down, walked into the bathroom and got sick.

All of the sudden I felt 10 little fingers touching my shoulder. I looked up at little Michaela and she smiled at me. Then she looked at the toilet and started to spit. Children can be so sweet and compassionate.

Welcome Home Daddy

2008-09-25T15:20:00.005-04:00

I introduced Michaela to crayons today. She wasn't as thrilled as I thought she might be but she did manage to keep them out of her mouth most of the time.

After breakfast, I decided that we should make Daddy a welcome home sign to hang on the door.As you can see, she helped me with the sign a little bit...

but she was really more interested in taking out the crayons and putting them back in the box.

Better luck next time.

Evidence of our Time

2008-09-23T15:33:00.003-04:00

My dad was watching the news on CNN and I overheard a very disturbing report.

The reporter said that schools were back in session in Houston, TX. That, obviously, was not the disturbing part. She then continued to say that a lot of the parents were glad to send their kids back to school because they did not know how to entertain their children without electricity.

Sad.

Alphabet Soup

2008-09-23T11:33:00.004-04:00

She loves to stir. She will stir anything!

I tried to get her to take the spoon and scoop out some of her soup into the smaller bowl. She decided to turn the bowl over and put the "soup" on the floor.

Please excuse the clothing issue. We were about to eat spaghetti for lunch. I've learned that children should not wear clothing when eating spaghetti.

Nope- I don't want to do any of your Montessori Activities

2008-09-17T12:34:00.005-04:00

I think if my 13-month-old daughter could talk that is what she would say.

Every activity we try, she does something different. We tried water pouring and thankfully we did that on the kitchen floor. She liked to turn over every container on the floor.

We tried to screw on caps and she decided to sit them down. That was interesting enough for her.

I tried to teach her what stickers were but she wanted to learn to sit in her chair instead. She put the sticker in her hair.

She is just not into this right now, but I'm going to stick with the method. Which means that I need to figure you exactly what would interest her and find something on her age level.

And right now she is interested in books, babies and food. I am going to focus on reading lots of books with her, playing with her doll house and cooking lots of plastic food. I'm sure along the way I will figure out ways to incorporate learning into this, but either way we are having fun together and we are going to create lots of great memories.

Can I Say Convicting....

2008-09-11T13:57:00.003-04:00

I just read an article about a new warning that is on the television stations in France.

Simply put:

The High Audiovisual Council (gotta love that name) ruling states:

"Television viewing hurts the development of children under 3 years old and poses a certain number of risks, encouraging passivity, slow language acquisition, over-excitedness, troubles with sleep and concentration as well as dependence on screens."

The net effect is that regular French Broadcast channels are banned from airing shows for under threes and cable channels must include a broadcast a warning statement:

"Watching television can slow the development of children under 3, even when it involves channels aimed specifically at them."

Wow! Go here to read the entire article

Taking of the "Good Mommy" Mask

2008-09-09T10:32:00.009-04:00

The names in this story have been changed to protect the Good Mommy Mask.

It was a normal nap time at the "Smith" family household. Baby M was waking up from her nap and Mommy came in to change her diaper. This is the routine almost every day after nap time so Mommy did not expect anything to be different. Little did she know that Baby M was about to throw her first real temper tantrum.

Mommy put Baby M on the changing table and she started to scream. She wasn't just crying, she was screaming like someone had taken the cup of milk and didn't share. Mommy tried to give her some toys to distract her but that did not work. Then she tried to gently talk to her but that did not work either. Mommy was really starting to get frustrated. You see, the diaper was already off. Mommy had to get a new diaper on the baby so she did not make a mess everywhere. But Baby M just wasn't having any part of this process.

Then Mommy did something she had not done in the first 13 months of Baby M's life: She yelled right back at her. She even used the whole name trick followed by a stern "Stop it!" That of course, only made the situation even worse. Baby M continued to scream at the top of her lungs and turn herself over again and again.

After ~~an eternity,~~ several minutes Mommy finally got the diaper on Baby M. She sat Baby M back into her crib and walked away. The first temper tantrum had happened. Actually, it was still happening but Mommy had to walk away before she did even more things she might regret. She had already taken off her Good Mommy mask once today and she couldn't let that happen again.

Mommy sat in the bathroom for a few minutes and analyzed the situation. Then the tears began to roll down her cheek. Why did she get so angry? Why did she show the anger to the baby? Isn't Mommy the adult in this situation? Mommy talked to God for a few minutes and told Him that she was very sorry and asked Him to help her control her anger with her family. She pulled herself back together and walked back into Baby M's room.

Baby M was sitting in her bed with tears rolling down her cheek as well. She looked up at Mommy and reached out her hands. It was almost has if she was trying to apologize with her outstretched arms. As Mommy bent down to pick her up a few more tears began to fall out their eyes. For a few moments they just cried together. Mommy explained to Baby M that neither one of them had acted in a way that would have made God happy. Baby M smiled back at her in an understanding way.

They walked out of the room both trying to catch their breathe after a hard cry. After all, it was snack time and Baby M knew she couldn't eat her snacks if she was still crying. Mommy smiled as she sat Baby M in the highchair. She knew her Good Mommy Mask was back on and hopefully it would stay there for a long time.

Why Should We Read God's Love Letter

2008-09-07T07:55:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I ran across a index card I kept in my bible. It was from a sermon entitled, "Why should we read God's love letter?" As I went through each of the verses, I was amazed with God's love for us. I also fell in love with the Word all over again. I'd like to share some of the verses with you.

Acts 20:32: 32"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

James 1:23-25 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Proverbs 6:23 For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life,

Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Hebrews 5:12-14 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Jeremiah 23:29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

1 Peter 3:15, 16 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

I would also like to say thank you to preacher Dave Adams. He really strived to teach from the Word, rather than his own opinion. This message was full of God's truth and it really stuck with me. (I only listed about half of the verses he gave us that day!)

Great Reminder

2008-09-03T12:45:00.001-04:00

I just want to say that the second pregnancy definitely has perks. Every time you get sick or you feel exhausted, there is a precious little person that reminds you that it is all worth it in the end!

First Trip to the Zoo

2008-09-03T10:22:00.009-04:00

Michaela got to take her first trip to the zoo this summer. I really didn't think she would like it as much as she did, but she loved the animals! We had a lot of fun. I'm glad we have passes for 1 year.

We got to pet the animals in the petting zoo.

She hated to wear the hat!

She is pointing at the Giraffes.

The day wouldn't have been complete if she wasn't wiped out in the end!

Last but not least, here is a video of her looking at the Gorilla. Daddy was a little jerky with the camera but he got a few good shots.

I'm Back!

2008-08-30T00:13:00.007-04:00

Hello! It has been a long time since I have visited the blogging world. Ironically, my last post was about trying to get my computer/TV time under control. I did not mean to let my blog go completely. But somehow it happened.
I think the main reason was the transition from a mom who worked 40+ hours out of the home to working full time IN the home. It was a lot different then I imagined. I really tried to not have my expectations too high, but I really thought it would be easier. I underestimated the time and energy it takes to take care of your family and home ALL the time. That being said, it has been the most rewarding and fulfilling choice we could have made. I love it!
In the middle of my early life change, we were also remodeling the basement and I started taking on-line classes to learn the Montessori Method. Then to top it all off....

We found out that we were Pregnant!!

We are so excited that God would bless us with another little one. I know the next few years will be a little hectic but I also know that this is God's plan for our family.

Now that life has slowed down a little and I have finally adjusted to being at home, I'm ready to get back into blogging. I am sad that I have missed capturing the last 6 weeks so I will probably write a few posts about what has been going on in our life.

I'm very excited to be back!

Countercultural Calm

2008-07-21T16:07:00.003-04:00

Without any warning to anyone, I decided that I needed a break from a 'screen'. God started to show me that I was spending way to much time being entertained by either a TV or a computer. I had to have a break from Technology.

I love technology. I think it is a great way to stay in touch with people and a great way to learn. The problem is that we can be consumed by it. Blogging, email, social networking sites, news, games and the list can go on and on. There is so much to do on the Internet and a of of it can be beneficial.

I was doing pretty good with monitoring my online time until my friends signed me up for facebook. I would spend a lot of time just reading other peoples profiles. It was nice to see people from high school. I can even say that in my case it can be a great witnessing tool because I was very wild in high school. (I was not saved until the age of 20.) I would bet that most people who knew me in high school would not expect to see the content of my profile. There is a real change in the person I was and the person that I am in Christ.

However, I cannot sacrifice my personal relationships for online relationships. I decided to take a break from television and the Internet. I picked up a few books that I have always wanted to read. It has been a very refreshing 10 days.

In the book Finding your Purpose as a Mom there is a chapter on creating a countercultural calm in your home. Our culture is so busy. A lot of women find themselves rushing from one activity to another. Why do we do this to ourselves? It doesn't have to be so hurried. Life hasn't always been so fast paced.

Donna Otto makes a few simple suggestions in her book:

First, try backing up a little, taking steps to simplify your schedule and your life. This may mean you need to drop some activities and get rid of some items. At the very least, think about what you're trading off to keep up with today's culture. Is all the stuff in your life really worth the time you must invest in it?
Another way to counter the dominant cultural hurry-up trend is to reduce your dependence on technology. Perhaps a better way to put it is to be sure technology works for you-not you for it. Because there is something almost hypnotic or even addictive about "toys" such as televisions and computers, you may need to make rules for yourself.

Right now, I am asking God to show me how I should use technology. What rules do I need to make in my life to make sure my priorities are straight? How can I create a countercultural calm in my home? How can I use technology to glorify Him?

I wish I could

2008-07-11T15:20:00.004-04:00

I really wish I could write better.

I wish I was a little more eloquent and grammatical. I wish I could take better pictures. I wish I thought of certain activities. I wish I could be diligent enough to read to my daughter every day. I wish my house was clean all the time.

I wish...

In the world of blogging, I think we can get so caught up in comparing ourselves to other women. Sometimes I catch myself thinking, "I wish I could write better. They are so creative!" We can get so caught up in looking like other Mommies that inspire us that we forget that God made us unique.

Michaela is my daughter because God choose me as her Mom. He knew I would have exactly what she needed.

Maybe I don't have everything right now. Actually, I can say that I know I have not learned everything possible! He is constantly shaping and molding me through the set of circumstances that I call life. I will use this qualities to be more like Christ and to be a better Mom.

For now, I am going to focus my mind on one thing: Remembering that God made me unique and He loves me for who I am. The only person that I truly need to compare myself to is Jesus. He is the only one I need to be more like.

I wish I could remember this everyday.

Happy 4th of July!!

2008-07-08T17:11:00.004-04:00

We had a really good time on 4th of July! We started the day at Grandma Voelker's for a cookout.

Michaela and Aunt RaRa (Rachel)

Daddy fixed her hair that day!

Then we went to Brittany's moms to watch fireworks.

Mommy and Michaela Daddy and MichaelaAs you can see, we didn't spend a ton of money on Fireworks. We got the legal ones. Nevertheless, Michaela loved watching them!
She has a look of concentration.
She is in awe of the fireworks here.The plastic container she is holding is her 'firework'. When I pulled the string confetti came out and she loved that. She held on to the plastic for the rest of the night.

The night wouldn't be complete without something going into her mouth.

Wet and Dry

2008-07-07T14:48:00.016-04:00

Yesterday, we decided to play with a few objects in a cup. We started off with water(wet), cotton balls(soft and dry), and sunflower seeds (hard and dry). I really didn't want to use sunflower seeds but it was all I could find around the house. I soon realized what a mistake it was to use sunflower seeds.

The sunflower seeds either went to the dog or in her mouth. We took them away rather quickly.

However, once I took away the sunflower seeds, I had unknowingly created the "wet/dry experiment".

At first, she would put her hand in the container and feel the water.

She would also reach into the other container and touch the soft cotton balls.

After a few minutes of exploring, she started to put the dry cotton balls into the water.

In the end we learned a few lessons:

Mom should always put a towel down before playing water activities
Michaela learned the difference between wet and dry. You can see in the picture below she is holding 1 wet cotton ball and 1 dry cotton ball. She immediately got to experience what happens to an object once it is put into water.
Mom also learned that Michaela can get very wet during water play!!
I need to let her explore. She will suprise me! Babies are very smart.
Learning is fun. Be spontaneous.
And finally, don't try to give her something that can't be put in her mouth.

Faith Like Gideon

2008-07-03T17:09:00.002-04:00

Do you ever just sit back and wonder what God is up to? Do you ever just look around at the circumstances in your life and wonder how it will all work out? Last month, I posted a story about leaving work to stay home with Michaela full time. We were absolutely positive that was the direction that God was taking us. Having said that, we are STILL sure we made the right decision.

A few weeks before we made the decision, we visited another church with some friends. The pastor talked about the story of Gideon. If you aren't familiar with the story, I can paraphrase it for you. God told Gideon he would save Israel, but Gideon did not feel like he was confident enough to defeat the army. God assured him that he would defeat the Midianites but he also told him that he had too many men. God let 22,000 of his men go back home. He was left with 10,000 but God told him that it was still too many men. God wouldn't receive the glory. Gideon was left with 300 men to defeat the Midianites. Thankfully, God is all powerful. Gideon and his mean saved Israel from the Midianites and God received all the glory because Gideon's army couldn't have won the battle without him.

When we made the decision for me to leave my job, God was making the first cut. We weren't going to have all the money we needed but we knew that God would provide a way. Later that same week God made the second cut: Chris lost his job. My first instinct was to run back to work and ask for my job back. How are we going to survive? How are we going to pay our bills? But I knew with all my heart, that we had made the right decision. It is God's will for my family to have me at home to train Michaela in the ways of the Lord. It is God's will for me to be at home to make a safe haven for my husband to come home to everyday. I couldn't bring myself to turn my back on God's will.

So, here we are. The funny thing is though, God has reminded me of the story of Gideon so many times. Chris and I were cleaning house the other day and I turned on the radio. Do you know what was on? Someone I had never heard of before, but he was talking about the story of Gideon. Our pastor has mentioned Gideon in the last couple weeks. I really think that God is trying to tell us something!

I don't know how this is going to work out but I do know who can and will work it out. I want to have faith like Gideon to do what God says and let him get the glory for the result. It doesn't seem rational but God can do anything. Who am I to get in his way?

Mom's Birthday

2008-07-02T12:26:00.007-04:00

Every year on my Mom's birthday, my family and I go to the cemetery to have a birthday party for her. This tradition started the very first year and we have had a party every year. We get together, bake a cake, and talk about our childhood. It's a good time of remembering Mom.
We actually did this on her birthday, but I was late on getting this posted.

Here are some pictures from this year's party:

This was Michaela's first year to join the celebration.
The cake looks the same every year. We always get funfetti cake with funfetti icing. Usually, the cake doesn't turn out this great because we forget to let it cool. I think we are finally learning!

This is the first time Michaela has been to her Grandma's grave.

This is the first time she had cake!

One of the reasons I picked this site was because the plot was located in the Garden of Angels. I loved the thought of her being in that garden. Mom loved to spend time outside in her garden.

Michaela loved looking at this picture.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

We love you and we miss you!

Christian Symbol Game

2008-06-29T18:29:00.011-04:00

This idea came from 101 Great Games For Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers: Active, Bible-Based Fun for Christian Education.

The first activity in this book is Picture This. This game teaches important images and symbols of the Christian faith. First thing you will need is different pictures that represent an aspect of the faith. One of my friends had given me some leftover scrapbook pages that he did not need or want. I looked hrough the pages and I was lucky enough to find a couple with some pictures I could use.
I cut out the pictures, but since the bible looked like a plain book I wrote out a Psalm on the pages. I also had a picture of the cross on our church.

The symbols we used were:

The Bible
The church
a lamb
a dove
the Cross

After all of the pieces were cut out, I put them on the floor so Michaela could explore the pictures.

As she touched each picture I explained what the picture was and why it was important to us.

I love this picture of her looking at the cross.

To make this activity more fun, make sure to crawl around on the floor with your child. Michaela loves it when I get on the floor with her!

I think she really enjoyed this game. We got to talk and explore different pictures. Most importantly, we talked about Jesus and why He is important to us.

Matching Animals

2008-06-25T23:04:00.005-04:00

Grandma got Michaela a cute magnetic game. It is an awesome toy to keep her occupied, um, learning while I am doing dishes or cooking. It is also awesome because it helps her make matches either by the color or by the animal. When she puts one piece on the base it will also teach her the corresponding sound that the animal makes.

She really enjoys to explore each of the pieces. She is in awe of the fact that the pieces will stay on the refrigerator.

If the pieces don't match it sings a silly song about the created animal. In this case, it would be a song about a pig-duck.

Yeah. She found the right head for the duck!

Smiling for the camera.

I don't know if I can really classify this as Montessori, but it incorporates matching and exploring so I'm going with it.