I allowed myself only two items on my to-do list today: laundry and bake cookies. It's not as easy as it sounds, folks! Half the day is gone and I haven't even started on the cookies, which is pretty impressive with the sweet tooth that I have! It's also impressive since I'm a natural perfectionist and list-maker. (Even though there are only two things on the list, there are roughly 34 in my head.) Since rainy Mondays are my favorite, I thought it would be a good idea to try to take it easy, enjoy the kids, enjoy the rain, do some reading and writing.
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Random. Show all posts
Monday, April 28, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Snow Faith
The weather is usually a safe topic of conversation. Not so in Minnesota in the month of March! The snow banks on either side of our driveway are taller than I am and the temperatures have had a little minus sign in front of them more often than not this winter. I try to avoid taking my little people out anywhere as much as possible and not just because of the hassle of the frigid slippery world out there. These days, I sort of cringe every time I go into a store because everyone is SO CRABBY!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Bridal Shower: Maps & Twine
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Feed Yourself!
One of the main things any mama is told while pregnant and after giving birth is to eat well. Your baby's health depends so much on your own health. Have you ever thought of that beyond food though?
Just like it can be so hard to chose the salad over the donut, it is equally hard to chose "higher quality" things to feed your mind, heart and spirit with! We all know the best decisions are not made when we are tired and the fact is, we mamas are almost always tired.
Just like it can be so hard to chose the salad over the donut, it is equally hard to chose "higher quality" things to feed your mind, heart and spirit with! We all know the best decisions are not made when we are tired and the fact is, we mamas are almost always tired.
Friday, August 30, 2013
INSPIRATION (& Three Kids Napping)
It's like a miracle! All three kids are napping at once and I don't know what to do with myself! And of course, all the things I've been thinking about blogging about I can't remember at the moment. Except this word that keeps going through my mind these days:
I love feeling inspired. After a really good movie or book. After a motivating speaker. We each have specific things that inspire us and make us feel alive, that fill our minds with ideas that get us excited. For me, there are lots of little things that I find inspiring and I like to try to fill our home with them: books, candles, fun colors, the smell of coffee, music, words & quotes. Being surrounded with these things makes the dreary tasks of life a little more enjoyable.
Inspiration is like a fleeting moment though. It can be nothing more than a good idea, or it can become something great. It's up to us to act upon it. I think that's the difference between feeling aimless and feeling full of purpose. I also believe God is behind a lot of those inspiring moments, giving us a glimpse, perhaps, of our potential.
A lot of times we don't act upon inspiration because it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We need to find that first baby step and realize that it's a journey. I've also noticed that many times, we turn inspiration into an awful thing called comparison. We, ladies, are great at that! It's like our brains are wired to compare everything between us and other women. But what if instead of noticing what others have and do that we don't, we learned to be inspired by them? What a change in attitude and an opportunity for potential in our lives that would be!
People who live inspired and act upon that become inspiring to others. And of course, our greatest inspiration should be to become everything God created us to be because that's the very best version of us.
...Just some naptime thoughts. :)
INSPIRATION
I love feeling inspired. After a really good movie or book. After a motivating speaker. We each have specific things that inspire us and make us feel alive, that fill our minds with ideas that get us excited. For me, there are lots of little things that I find inspiring and I like to try to fill our home with them: books, candles, fun colors, the smell of coffee, music, words & quotes. Being surrounded with these things makes the dreary tasks of life a little more enjoyable.
Inspiration is like a fleeting moment though. It can be nothing more than a good idea, or it can become something great. It's up to us to act upon it. I think that's the difference between feeling aimless and feeling full of purpose. I also believe God is behind a lot of those inspiring moments, giving us a glimpse, perhaps, of our potential.
A lot of times we don't act upon inspiration because it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We need to find that first baby step and realize that it's a journey. I've also noticed that many times, we turn inspiration into an awful thing called comparison. We, ladies, are great at that! It's like our brains are wired to compare everything between us and other women. But what if instead of noticing what others have and do that we don't, we learned to be inspired by them? What a change in attitude and an opportunity for potential in our lives that would be!
People who live inspired and act upon that become inspiring to others. And of course, our greatest inspiration should be to become everything God created us to be because that's the very best version of us.
...Just some naptime thoughts. :)
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| My little inspiration this week: painting a dreary old table yellow! |
Friday, August 23, 2013
A Week In Thoughts
So many things I want to write about. So little time. I keep dreaming of sitting at a coffee shop and pouring all my inspiration into writing, but I've realized I can keep dreaming or I can force myself to summarize. So here's the summary of the little things I'm learning lately, which by the way, I mostly write for my own benefit. Putting it into words helps me remember the lesson better.
Super Mom days may be followed by Super Hard days. Why? I don't know. But it's still ok to call your mom and cry.
Positive Words: Never thought I was a wife who needed to hear "I Love You" constantly. But without being asked, that's what my husband has been telling me over and over this week and it has strengthened me more than I can explain. Words are powerful. "Be careful what you say", they say. But also be intentionally positive with what you say, I say.
Embrace the Giggles. Sometimes it's bedtime and all you want is for the kid to get in bed and fall asleep ASAP. But then he gets the giggles. It's more fun to join in than to try to stop him sometimes.
The Sound of Music: life and chores are always better with music. And random dancing and twirling with the little peeps.
Make a short list. I love lists and I can really get carried away with them. But this week I made a list with three things on it just so I could actually cross them all off at the end of the day and feel accomplished.
Just do it. Sometimes you gotta forget the list and just do whatever's in front of you.
If there's any bit of humor in the situation, laugh.
That's it I think. Happy weekend!
Super Mom days may be followed by Super Hard days. Why? I don't know. But it's still ok to call your mom and cry.
Positive Words: Never thought I was a wife who needed to hear "I Love You" constantly. But without being asked, that's what my husband has been telling me over and over this week and it has strengthened me more than I can explain. Words are powerful. "Be careful what you say", they say. But also be intentionally positive with what you say, I say.
Embrace the Giggles. Sometimes it's bedtime and all you want is for the kid to get in bed and fall asleep ASAP. But then he gets the giggles. It's more fun to join in than to try to stop him sometimes.
The Sound of Music: life and chores are always better with music. And random dancing and twirling with the little peeps.
Make a short list. I love lists and I can really get carried away with them. But this week I made a list with three things on it just so I could actually cross them all off at the end of the day and feel accomplished.
Just do it. Sometimes you gotta forget the list and just do whatever's in front of you.
If there's any bit of humor in the situation, laugh.
That's it I think. Happy weekend!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Don't Miss Out on Ice-Cream!
Just some late night thoughts... I should really be asleep, but I'm having that sleeping-children, quiet-house random inspiration moment.
If you think about the best moments of your life, those times when everything worked out so perfectly and you felt blessed beyond your imagination...can you honestly say that it was because you orchestrated everything so well? I think that truthfully, some of the best times in our lives happen in very unplanned, unorganized, unexpected ways.
Why then do we constantly try to tell (or politely ask) God about our future wishes? So far, everything awesome and good that has happened to me has totally been by the hand of God. Therefore, I would rather let Him do His thing. Yet, we all fall into that habit of thinking we can actually create the best plan for our future. We even pray about our specific ideas of how things should happen...as if God needs help. :) Hey, He is our loving Father and loves to hear our hearts. But in the end, I think He also loves to hear "Your will be done" because then He can really go all out! Like when my 3-year-old begs and pleads to be done with dinner and go play, but he doesn't know there's ice-cream waiting in the freezer. If he is so bent on his way, I might let him do it. But then he will totally miss out. That's just sad, isn't it?
Don't miss out on the ice-cream! :)
If you think about the best moments of your life, those times when everything worked out so perfectly and you felt blessed beyond your imagination...can you honestly say that it was because you orchestrated everything so well? I think that truthfully, some of the best times in our lives happen in very unplanned, unorganized, unexpected ways.
Why then do we constantly try to tell (or politely ask) God about our future wishes? So far, everything awesome and good that has happened to me has totally been by the hand of God. Therefore, I would rather let Him do His thing. Yet, we all fall into that habit of thinking we can actually create the best plan for our future. We even pray about our specific ideas of how things should happen...as if God needs help. :) Hey, He is our loving Father and loves to hear our hearts. But in the end, I think He also loves to hear "Your will be done" because then He can really go all out! Like when my 3-year-old begs and pleads to be done with dinner and go play, but he doesn't know there's ice-cream waiting in the freezer. If he is so bent on his way, I might let him do it. But then he will totally miss out. That's just sad, isn't it?
Don't miss out on the ice-cream! :)
Monday, July 22, 2013
Fruitfulness
At the beginning of this year, I was wrapping my brain around being called things like "Fertile Myrtle". By a midwife. It was an unexpected, very quick pregnancy, since I found out almost halfway through! (Yes, that's possible.) Before I knew it, I had three kids under three years old...and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that!
But that's not the kind of "fruitfulness" I want to talk about. With this new chapter in life I have also encountered a strong struggle with the things that flow out of me, things like the fruit of the Spirit. I'm talking about Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law."
Some days it seems like I'm praying for peace all day long. Other days it feels like my suffering is long but I don't really have longsuffering (endurance, patience...). Still other days kindness and gentleness are no where to be found in my emotions. I have always thought that we should be working hard to achieve these things in our lives. I've even considered focusing on one of these every week to try to make each of them more of a habit in my life. That may not be a bad idea, but just recently I realized something that I think is significant: you can't make fruit.
Really. You can't. Nobody sits down and says "I'm going to make an apple today". But you can plant a seed and care for it. And when it grows into a little plant, you can tend it until it grows into a big tree and produces apples. The fruit of that tree (and plant, and seed) is apple. Well, that verse said that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, etc. Therefore what is it that needs tending and careful attention? The Spirit. So all those things I desire to see being produced in me should come naturally out of the time and attention I give to connecting with the Spirit of God, with the one Jesus described as our "helper" and "teacher" (John 14:26). Boy, I could use some help some days...actually, lots of help!
This is just something I've been chewing on for a while. It's kind of freeing to realize that all I have to do is constantly run to the Lord, and then the woman he made me to be will naturally be. I don't need to strive and try to make things happen in my life on my own.
But that's not the kind of "fruitfulness" I want to talk about. With this new chapter in life I have also encountered a strong struggle with the things that flow out of me, things like the fruit of the Spirit. I'm talking about Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law."
Some days it seems like I'm praying for peace all day long. Other days it feels like my suffering is long but I don't really have longsuffering (endurance, patience...). Still other days kindness and gentleness are no where to be found in my emotions. I have always thought that we should be working hard to achieve these things in our lives. I've even considered focusing on one of these every week to try to make each of them more of a habit in my life. That may not be a bad idea, but just recently I realized something that I think is significant: you can't make fruit.
Really. You can't. Nobody sits down and says "I'm going to make an apple today". But you can plant a seed and care for it. And when it grows into a little plant, you can tend it until it grows into a big tree and produces apples. The fruit of that tree (and plant, and seed) is apple. Well, that verse said that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, etc. Therefore what is it that needs tending and careful attention? The Spirit. So all those things I desire to see being produced in me should come naturally out of the time and attention I give to connecting with the Spirit of God, with the one Jesus described as our "helper" and "teacher" (John 14:26). Boy, I could use some help some days...actually, lots of help!
This is just something I've been chewing on for a while. It's kind of freeing to realize that all I have to do is constantly run to the Lord, and then the woman he made me to be will naturally be. I don't need to strive and try to make things happen in my life on my own.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Suspense!
To quote my husband earlier today, "It's like we're juggling all these balls but they refuse to come back down!" We are playing the waiting game in so many ways right now that it can get a little tense around here at times. Other times I'd just rather take a nap and pretend nothing is happening. I said "I'd rather"...not that naps happen that often.
It's that last month in pregnancy where days drag on and I can't help but hope this baby will come tomorrow! It's also a matter of weeks before we are supposed to close on a house and the excitement of settling down and having space for our little family and our many friends is unbearable...but things keep happening. One day it's for sure, the next day it isn't. At the moment it isn't quite for sure.
We are also trying to sub-lease our apartment so we can move into the house, so... what will happen first? Baby? New renters? House? Will we be homeless for a while? With a newborn?! Ha, that is very unlikely, I know. But just the way everything is hanging in mid-air, like those juggling balls, is very suspenseful for us right now.
Besides, hubby is starting a temporary nursing job to supplement the recent lack of extra shifts at his current job. And my lovely mom and sisters will be visiting the entire month of May, when all this is happening. And will it be a boy or girl? And will I survive with three kids under 3 years old? And how do I keep the normal mess explosions from happening while we're having showings for the small apartment we are in? And when will winter end???
So, we wait. And thankfully, not just wait, but wait on the Lord who is in control of everything and has planned this all out. I can just imagine he's chuckling a little at my anxiousness to see how He puts it all together.
It's that last month in pregnancy where days drag on and I can't help but hope this baby will come tomorrow! It's also a matter of weeks before we are supposed to close on a house and the excitement of settling down and having space for our little family and our many friends is unbearable...but things keep happening. One day it's for sure, the next day it isn't. At the moment it isn't quite for sure.
We are also trying to sub-lease our apartment so we can move into the house, so... what will happen first? Baby? New renters? House? Will we be homeless for a while? With a newborn?! Ha, that is very unlikely, I know. But just the way everything is hanging in mid-air, like those juggling balls, is very suspenseful for us right now.
Besides, hubby is starting a temporary nursing job to supplement the recent lack of extra shifts at his current job. And my lovely mom and sisters will be visiting the entire month of May, when all this is happening. And will it be a boy or girl? And will I survive with three kids under 3 years old? And how do I keep the normal mess explosions from happening while we're having showings for the small apartment we are in? And when will winter end???
So, we wait. And thankfully, not just wait, but wait on the Lord who is in control of everything and has planned this all out. I can just imagine he's chuckling a little at my anxiousness to see how He puts it all together.
Friday, October 26, 2012
A Cozy Sunrise
It's been a while. We now live in a new city, in a wonderful little townhome overlooking a lake! A lot has happened, yet sometimes it seems like not much at all. We've cleaned and packed and cleaned and travelled and moved and cleaned and unpacked and cleaned some more. I'm not that crazy about cleaning, but it was pretty dirty! We've said many sad good-byes there and many nice-to-to-see-you-agains here. We've discovered our local grocery stores, library and playgrounds.
But at the same time, whenever you're in a place where you don't yet know many people and don't have an established community of friends, it seems like not much happens at all. We are looking forward to finding a church to plug into and make friends!
Still, so much to be thankful for: Husband's job is going well, the kids have been marvelous at adapting, and having this time as a family to discover a new place together is amazing. But one of my favorite things about living "north" is being COZY! :) It got pretty chilly almost as soon as we got here a few weeks ago so I've been thoroughly enjoying my sofa, soft blankets and many cups of hot drinks whenever I can! Right now, it's not my ideal time to do that, perhaps...at 6 a.m. after a sleepless night with a feverish baby girl. But maybe it is. I just looked behind my shoulder and there are blueish orange colors coming up from the lake! Sunrise...something I usually skip and should learn to enjoy more often.
But at the same time, whenever you're in a place where you don't yet know many people and don't have an established community of friends, it seems like not much happens at all. We are looking forward to finding a church to plug into and make friends!
Still, so much to be thankful for: Husband's job is going well, the kids have been marvelous at adapting, and having this time as a family to discover a new place together is amazing. But one of my favorite things about living "north" is being COZY! :) It got pretty chilly almost as soon as we got here a few weeks ago so I've been thoroughly enjoying my sofa, soft blankets and many cups of hot drinks whenever I can! Right now, it's not my ideal time to do that, perhaps...at 6 a.m. after a sleepless night with a feverish baby girl. But maybe it is. I just looked behind my shoulder and there are blueish orange colors coming up from the lake! Sunrise...something I usually skip and should learn to enjoy more often.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Potty Training: You Can Do This!
To anyone who wants to start this process and would like to know how others did it, this is our detailed story and I apologize, there is no way to make it short! :)
The method I used is from an old book that claims you can potty train in one day! Many friends, including my mom, recommended it, but I was warned that it could take up to 5 days. I won't go into all the details in the book because you can google it and read it yourself. But I'll try to give you a summary of their method and then the details of how we did it.
What you will need:
~Potty Chair with an easy-to-remove pot (the kind that just sits on top, not the kind you have to pull out from behind)
~A variety of snacks (especially salty) and drinks
~Other rewards your child might like (we used stickers)
~A doll that pees (I didn't want to buy one, so I got creative and used a stuffed bear...more on that later)
~8-10 pairs of loose-fitting underwear (at least!)
~Cleaning rags and soapy water to clean up accidents
~Paper and pen to track times and progress
~Lots of patience and maybe treats for yourself as well!
What the point is:
The goal is to get your toddler to completely toilet himself, a process which includes pulling down his pants, sitting on the potty and doing his business, standing up and pulling his pants back on, taking the pot to the toilet and dumping it, flushing the toilet (while still holding the pot in one hand), and putting the pot back on the potty chair. Sounds like too much? Let me tell you that for us, this was the easy part!
The difficult part is getting him to recognize when he has to go and getting himself to the potty on time. The idea is that you dedicate a few complete days to this training, letting nothing else, not even phone calls, interfere. It's better to do this in the summertime so that you can let your toddler run around in only underwear, since dealing with other clothes while learning to pull his pants down and up is difficult.
What to do:
You start out with several practice runs with the doll, describing everything out loud and getting to the point where the child "teaches" the doll by helping it do all the steps. You "give" the doll a drink, take it to the potty chair, pull down its underwear, make it sit and make sure your child is watching when it pees. You praise the doll for peeing in the potty and give it a treat, which you let your child have, while explaining that he will get a treat when he goes to the potty too. Then you teach him how to take the pot out of the potty chair, walk to the toilet, dump, flush and replace the pot. Guide him carefully through a couple runs, but gradually let him start doing it himself. You will be surprised how quickly they pick up on the whole routine. It is best, if possible, to place the potty chair in a spot that is an easy walk from the toilet, but not too far from the kitchen where you can have easy access to drinks and snacks.
Between potty runs, you constantly ask the question (to the doll in this case) "Are your pants dry?" and after guiding your child's hand to feel what "dry" feels like, the doll (and child) gets a small treat. At one point, you wet the doll's pants with water when your child isn't looking and ask the same question. When your child feels that they are wet, make a big deal about how disappointing this is. Then you quickly take the doll to the potty, pull down pants, sit her down, say "Pee-pee in potty, Doll, not in pants!". Make sure you mention that wet pants don't get a treat. Then change it back to dry pants and do another pants check and give a treat for the dry pants.
After this doll practice, which should take no more than half-an-hour, you can start training your child in the same way. Give lots of juice and do a dry-pants check about every 5 minutes, teaching him to feel his pants and answer "yes". Every 15 minutes or so, do a potty run. In the book they say that the first time you should tell him to go and lead him through the whole process, with your hands gently guiding him in pulling his pants down, etc. But every time after that you should limit your involvement more and more, as well as your direct instructions to go potty. You should get to the point where simply asking if his pants are dry instigates his own independent choice to go to the potty and do everything himself. Give a treat every time he passes the dry-pants inspection and a bigger treat every time he pees in the potty. Eventually, after a couple days, your praise should be enough of a reward and you can stop giving treats every time.
What about accidents? There will be many! Just be mentally prepared for it and ready with cleaning rags and a quick way to clean up like soapy water or a disinfecting spray. The book's method for dealing with accidents is to show disappointment, never anger, and do 10 quick practice runs to the potty without the "dumping the pot in the toilet" part. Start from the accident and then from many different parts of the house so that he grasps the idea that no matter where he is, when he needs to pee, he should quickly go to the potty. Then you teach him to clean up the accident, take off the wet underwear and put it somewhere specific like the bathtub, and put on dry underwear.
That's the idea and after he has successfully gone by himself several times, you can consider your child potty trained. The occasional accidents will still happen and you should continue regularly doing dry-pants inspections for several weeks.
What we did:
The range of ages that kids potty train is pretty wide, but I would say most often people wait till around 2 and a half years old. For a boy, I started our son pretty young, at 2 years and one month. The honest truth is that since we cloth-diaper (more on that here), I was getting really tired of the big 2-year-old diaper messes, plus the washing for two kids in diapers! So it was more for me, perhaps, although I did believe that he was showing signs of being ready.
I started on a Friday morning and I thought that two whole days of training would be good enough. Our Sundays are pretty full and busy at church, so I planned on having the training completed by then. That was failed assumption #1! After about 5 hours of "training", I literally had tears rolling down my cheeks in frustration! I felt like he wasn't getting it, I was running out of cleaning rags and dry underwear, he didn't have much interest in the reward system and he thought the 10 practice runs after accidents were funny!! It was way past his nap-time and we were all frustrated, including my 5 month-old! So I picked my son up out of yet another puddle on the floor, cleaned him up and put him down for a nap and sent a message to my husband saying I was giving up.
I decided to forget it for the rest of the evening. Next morning, after some encouragement from friends who have done this before, I gave it another try. Now I knew what to expect, I was more prepared for accidents and I even got smart and rolled up the rug in our play area! (Duh!) I decided that if it didn't seem to work, maybe he just wasn't ready and that was OK. We could try again in a few weeks. But lo and behold, it was getting better! I kept a tally on a dry-erase board of accidents vs. successes and the accidents were losing!
The book didn't really adress naps or bedtime with much detail, so I decided to keep his underwear on, but with a disposable diaper over it. That way he still had that underwear feeling, but I didn't have to worry about a wet bed. (I recommend having a plastic cover under the sheets anyway, or if you're like me, plastic garbage backs taped together.) I've used the "safety diaper" idea for church and other outings as well.
After about 3 days of training, even with church and a 5 month-old interrupting the process, our son was doing pretty good! He got all the steps right, from pulling his pants down to replacing the empty pot on the potty chair. But he still wasn't independently choosing to go potty like the book said. It has now been 13 days since we started and he hasn't yet voluntarily gone on his own. He sometimes tells us with words that he has to go, but for the most part, we look for his physical cues and tell him to go potty. He usually whines all the way there, but he still sits down and goes. If he doesn't, that's OK, at least he tried. I still ask him often if his pants are dry and I also constantly ask if he has to go potty. The answer is always "no", but I hope one of these days he will recognize that "yes" he needs to go. We have gone out to many places, mostly with the diaper over the underwear, but we try as much as possible to treat him as if he doesn't have a diaper. We have had to rush off the freeway and find a spot on the side of the road several times when we've heard the words "pee-pee!" from the back seat! When I ventured to the grocery store alone with both kids, I had to interrupt my shopping three times to take him to the restroom, and every time it was a false alarm! Then I realized that "pee-pee" must have been his new word of the day because he wouldn't stop saying it loudly during our whole time in the grocery store! That got lots of chuckles from other shoppers! And one of the times he didn't have the "security diaper" over his underwear, he made a nice puddle on the rug of the doctor's office!
It's been an adventure, but I've seen improvement every day and although it was extremely frustrating at first and for a while it felt like a lot more work than diapers, I'm so glad I didn't give up and kept trying!
A Few Last Tips:
The doll: Like I mentioned, I didn't want to buy one. So I used one of his bigger stuffed bears. I put a pair of underwear on it and filled one of those infant medicine syringes with water. When it was time for bear to pee in the potty, I would hide the syringe behind the bear and when my son was looking, I'd squirt out the water. I really think he believed it! :)
The snacks: Sometimes you have to think outside the box. I had been using fruit snacks, chex mix, chocolate covered raisins, chips and some lollipops. But the second day, my husband suggested olives. That was a huge hit and a much better incentive for him.
The accidents: I stopped doing 10 practice runs after the accidents and only did a few so that he wouldn't think it was a game. It might work for other kids, but not for mine.
The mess: Everyone with a toddler knows that having them "clean-up" makes a bigger mess! I had him clean up accidents together with me because ultimately my point is for him to learn where to go potty, not to be an expert cleaner! Same thing with dumping the pot in the toilet. The book's point is to get the child to do everything independently so you no longer have to even know or worry about it. Well, at my child's age, walking a pot of pee to the toilet and dumping it often results in a mess. So usually, when he has pulled his pants up, he comes out and we ask him to show us if he peed and then we supervise the rest of the process, as well as wash his hands at the end.
The toys: The book recommends putting away all his toys so he can focus on training. At first I was skeptical...what on earth is he supposed to do?? But the whole process (including accidents) does keep both of you busy enough to not have time for any playing. And it is true that as they learn this, they don't have the ability to interrupt something they are doing in order to recognize they need to go potty. Most accidents have happened when he is really absorbed in playing with one of his toys. Little by little I started introducing a few cars, books and other things. By now he has access to all his toys, but I'm constantly asking if his pants are dry, to remind him to be aware of that. I love hearing his little "Si!" coming from the other side of the house! (We speak to him in Spanish at home.)
The books: For us, it helped having a pile of board books by the potty chair by about the third day, when it wouldn't be a distraction from the training process. Like I mentioned, he usually whines all the way to the potty and I think it's because our first day was so rough that it wasn't at all "fun" to go potty. So after he knew what he was supposed to do on the potty, I used books to get him to sit there long enough to do it. This served a double purpose for me, since he has never had as much interest in books as I wish he did. Now he does! :)
The clothes: I added loose shorts over the underwear by the third day and a t-shirt by the fourth day. Make sure you are constantly running a load in the washer with the wet underwear...or buy way more than 10 pairs!
The praise: Utilize all the important people and even characters in your child's life to praise and motivate him. The first time we were able to show Daddy that he could do it all on his own, our son was so excited that he cheered and clapped for himself when he was done!
The shadow: You will soon learn that you need to be your child's constant shadow. After several accidents, you will learn to watch him closely at all times for several days, learning his cues for when he needs to go potty. In our case, I even had to realize he has night-time cues. He started crying or whining in the middle of the night and I quickly realized he needed to go potty but was subconsciously trying not to go in his pants! (A proud 3 a.m. half-asleep moment!). Now I try to limit the amount of liquid he drinks in the couple hours before bedtime, and usually he will wake up in the early morning with dry pants, go potty with my help, and go back to sleep.
The other things: What about #2? Nothing different. Eventually, on one of the potty times, it will happen and the only different thing to do is wipe, which is something they are already used to with diapers. And what about boys peeing while standing up? We have only done that on the side of the road so far. Everything he has learned already is a lot and I figure I will add the "aiming" talent once he's got this part down. I've been recommended by many people to use cheerios or froot-loops in the toilet for aiming purposes! :)
The disclaimer: At least for us, it didn't work in less than a day. We're on day #13 and we have had a few accidents today still! Some days we've had none, and other days it's like we regress a little, especially after spending time out and about, with other people and other toilets. But I still prefer the progress we have seen thus far over the other methods of trial-and-error that usually go on for months on end! However, I hear it's easier with girls, with kids that are a bit older and when totally uninterrupted during training. My mom used this method on all four of us kids and she said we all learned in one day. She said that even from the first night, I never ever had an accident! Impressive, right? I wish I could take the credit for that, but now I know how much work it takes for the parent!
Well, again sorry for the length, but I hope this is helpful to someone. If you have any other questions about our experience, I would love to answer! Please leave a comment!
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| Potty chair and "Pee Bear" |
What you will need:
~Potty Chair with an easy-to-remove pot (the kind that just sits on top, not the kind you have to pull out from behind)
~A variety of snacks (especially salty) and drinks
~Other rewards your child might like (we used stickers)
~A doll that pees (I didn't want to buy one, so I got creative and used a stuffed bear...more on that later)
~8-10 pairs of loose-fitting underwear (at least!)
~Cleaning rags and soapy water to clean up accidents
~Paper and pen to track times and progress
~Lots of patience and maybe treats for yourself as well!
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| Treats and Drinks |
The goal is to get your toddler to completely toilet himself, a process which includes pulling down his pants, sitting on the potty and doing his business, standing up and pulling his pants back on, taking the pot to the toilet and dumping it, flushing the toilet (while still holding the pot in one hand), and putting the pot back on the potty chair. Sounds like too much? Let me tell you that for us, this was the easy part!
The difficult part is getting him to recognize when he has to go and getting himself to the potty on time. The idea is that you dedicate a few complete days to this training, letting nothing else, not even phone calls, interfere. It's better to do this in the summertime so that you can let your toddler run around in only underwear, since dealing with other clothes while learning to pull his pants down and up is difficult.
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| Sticker Rewards marking all the times he successfully went potty! |
What to do:
You start out with several practice runs with the doll, describing everything out loud and getting to the point where the child "teaches" the doll by helping it do all the steps. You "give" the doll a drink, take it to the potty chair, pull down its underwear, make it sit and make sure your child is watching when it pees. You praise the doll for peeing in the potty and give it a treat, which you let your child have, while explaining that he will get a treat when he goes to the potty too. Then you teach him how to take the pot out of the potty chair, walk to the toilet, dump, flush and replace the pot. Guide him carefully through a couple runs, but gradually let him start doing it himself. You will be surprised how quickly they pick up on the whole routine. It is best, if possible, to place the potty chair in a spot that is an easy walk from the toilet, but not too far from the kitchen where you can have easy access to drinks and snacks.
Between potty runs, you constantly ask the question (to the doll in this case) "Are your pants dry?" and after guiding your child's hand to feel what "dry" feels like, the doll (and child) gets a small treat. At one point, you wet the doll's pants with water when your child isn't looking and ask the same question. When your child feels that they are wet, make a big deal about how disappointing this is. Then you quickly take the doll to the potty, pull down pants, sit her down, say "Pee-pee in potty, Doll, not in pants!". Make sure you mention that wet pants don't get a treat. Then change it back to dry pants and do another pants check and give a treat for the dry pants.
After this doll practice, which should take no more than half-an-hour, you can start training your child in the same way. Give lots of juice and do a dry-pants check about every 5 minutes, teaching him to feel his pants and answer "yes". Every 15 minutes or so, do a potty run. In the book they say that the first time you should tell him to go and lead him through the whole process, with your hands gently guiding him in pulling his pants down, etc. But every time after that you should limit your involvement more and more, as well as your direct instructions to go potty. You should get to the point where simply asking if his pants are dry instigates his own independent choice to go to the potty and do everything himself. Give a treat every time he passes the dry-pants inspection and a bigger treat every time he pees in the potty. Eventually, after a couple days, your praise should be enough of a reward and you can stop giving treats every time.
What about accidents? There will be many! Just be mentally prepared for it and ready with cleaning rags and a quick way to clean up like soapy water or a disinfecting spray. The book's method for dealing with accidents is to show disappointment, never anger, and do 10 quick practice runs to the potty without the "dumping the pot in the toilet" part. Start from the accident and then from many different parts of the house so that he grasps the idea that no matter where he is, when he needs to pee, he should quickly go to the potty. Then you teach him to clean up the accident, take off the wet underwear and put it somewhere specific like the bathtub, and put on dry underwear.
That's the idea and after he has successfully gone by himself several times, you can consider your child potty trained. The occasional accidents will still happen and you should continue regularly doing dry-pants inspections for several weeks.
The range of ages that kids potty train is pretty wide, but I would say most often people wait till around 2 and a half years old. For a boy, I started our son pretty young, at 2 years and one month. The honest truth is that since we cloth-diaper (more on that here), I was getting really tired of the big 2-year-old diaper messes, plus the washing for two kids in diapers! So it was more for me, perhaps, although I did believe that he was showing signs of being ready.
I started on a Friday morning and I thought that two whole days of training would be good enough. Our Sundays are pretty full and busy at church, so I planned on having the training completed by then. That was failed assumption #1! After about 5 hours of "training", I literally had tears rolling down my cheeks in frustration! I felt like he wasn't getting it, I was running out of cleaning rags and dry underwear, he didn't have much interest in the reward system and he thought the 10 practice runs after accidents were funny!! It was way past his nap-time and we were all frustrated, including my 5 month-old! So I picked my son up out of yet another puddle on the floor, cleaned him up and put him down for a nap and sent a message to my husband saying I was giving up.
I decided to forget it for the rest of the evening. Next morning, after some encouragement from friends who have done this before, I gave it another try. Now I knew what to expect, I was more prepared for accidents and I even got smart and rolled up the rug in our play area! (Duh!) I decided that if it didn't seem to work, maybe he just wasn't ready and that was OK. We could try again in a few weeks. But lo and behold, it was getting better! I kept a tally on a dry-erase board of accidents vs. successes and the accidents were losing!
The book didn't really adress naps or bedtime with much detail, so I decided to keep his underwear on, but with a disposable diaper over it. That way he still had that underwear feeling, but I didn't have to worry about a wet bed. (I recommend having a plastic cover under the sheets anyway, or if you're like me, plastic garbage backs taped together.) I've used the "safety diaper" idea for church and other outings as well.
After about 3 days of training, even with church and a 5 month-old interrupting the process, our son was doing pretty good! He got all the steps right, from pulling his pants down to replacing the empty pot on the potty chair. But he still wasn't independently choosing to go potty like the book said. It has now been 13 days since we started and he hasn't yet voluntarily gone on his own. He sometimes tells us with words that he has to go, but for the most part, we look for his physical cues and tell him to go potty. He usually whines all the way there, but he still sits down and goes. If he doesn't, that's OK, at least he tried. I still ask him often if his pants are dry and I also constantly ask if he has to go potty. The answer is always "no", but I hope one of these days he will recognize that "yes" he needs to go. We have gone out to many places, mostly with the diaper over the underwear, but we try as much as possible to treat him as if he doesn't have a diaper. We have had to rush off the freeway and find a spot on the side of the road several times when we've heard the words "pee-pee!" from the back seat! When I ventured to the grocery store alone with both kids, I had to interrupt my shopping three times to take him to the restroom, and every time it was a false alarm! Then I realized that "pee-pee" must have been his new word of the day because he wouldn't stop saying it loudly during our whole time in the grocery store! That got lots of chuckles from other shoppers! And one of the times he didn't have the "security diaper" over his underwear, he made a nice puddle on the rug of the doctor's office!
It's been an adventure, but I've seen improvement every day and although it was extremely frustrating at first and for a while it felt like a lot more work than diapers, I'm so glad I didn't give up and kept trying!
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| Now he likes books! |
The doll: Like I mentioned, I didn't want to buy one. So I used one of his bigger stuffed bears. I put a pair of underwear on it and filled one of those infant medicine syringes with water. When it was time for bear to pee in the potty, I would hide the syringe behind the bear and when my son was looking, I'd squirt out the water. I really think he believed it! :)
The snacks: Sometimes you have to think outside the box. I had been using fruit snacks, chex mix, chocolate covered raisins, chips and some lollipops. But the second day, my husband suggested olives. That was a huge hit and a much better incentive for him.
The accidents: I stopped doing 10 practice runs after the accidents and only did a few so that he wouldn't think it was a game. It might work for other kids, but not for mine.
The mess: Everyone with a toddler knows that having them "clean-up" makes a bigger mess! I had him clean up accidents together with me because ultimately my point is for him to learn where to go potty, not to be an expert cleaner! Same thing with dumping the pot in the toilet. The book's point is to get the child to do everything independently so you no longer have to even know or worry about it. Well, at my child's age, walking a pot of pee to the toilet and dumping it often results in a mess. So usually, when he has pulled his pants up, he comes out and we ask him to show us if he peed and then we supervise the rest of the process, as well as wash his hands at the end.
The toys: The book recommends putting away all his toys so he can focus on training. At first I was skeptical...what on earth is he supposed to do?? But the whole process (including accidents) does keep both of you busy enough to not have time for any playing. And it is true that as they learn this, they don't have the ability to interrupt something they are doing in order to recognize they need to go potty. Most accidents have happened when he is really absorbed in playing with one of his toys. Little by little I started introducing a few cars, books and other things. By now he has access to all his toys, but I'm constantly asking if his pants are dry, to remind him to be aware of that. I love hearing his little "Si!" coming from the other side of the house! (We speak to him in Spanish at home.)
The books: For us, it helped having a pile of board books by the potty chair by about the third day, when it wouldn't be a distraction from the training process. Like I mentioned, he usually whines all the way to the potty and I think it's because our first day was so rough that it wasn't at all "fun" to go potty. So after he knew what he was supposed to do on the potty, I used books to get him to sit there long enough to do it. This served a double purpose for me, since he has never had as much interest in books as I wish he did. Now he does! :)
The clothes: I added loose shorts over the underwear by the third day and a t-shirt by the fourth day. Make sure you are constantly running a load in the washer with the wet underwear...or buy way more than 10 pairs!
The praise: Utilize all the important people and even characters in your child's life to praise and motivate him. The first time we were able to show Daddy that he could do it all on his own, our son was so excited that he cheered and clapped for himself when he was done!
The shadow: You will soon learn that you need to be your child's constant shadow. After several accidents, you will learn to watch him closely at all times for several days, learning his cues for when he needs to go potty. In our case, I even had to realize he has night-time cues. He started crying or whining in the middle of the night and I quickly realized he needed to go potty but was subconsciously trying not to go in his pants! (A proud 3 a.m. half-asleep moment!). Now I try to limit the amount of liquid he drinks in the couple hours before bedtime, and usually he will wake up in the early morning with dry pants, go potty with my help, and go back to sleep.
The other things: What about #2? Nothing different. Eventually, on one of the potty times, it will happen and the only different thing to do is wipe, which is something they are already used to with diapers. And what about boys peeing while standing up? We have only done that on the side of the road so far. Everything he has learned already is a lot and I figure I will add the "aiming" talent once he's got this part down. I've been recommended by many people to use cheerios or froot-loops in the toilet for aiming purposes! :)
The disclaimer: At least for us, it didn't work in less than a day. We're on day #13 and we have had a few accidents today still! Some days we've had none, and other days it's like we regress a little, especially after spending time out and about, with other people and other toilets. But I still prefer the progress we have seen thus far over the other methods of trial-and-error that usually go on for months on end! However, I hear it's easier with girls, with kids that are a bit older and when totally uninterrupted during training. My mom used this method on all four of us kids and she said we all learned in one day. She said that even from the first night, I never ever had an accident! Impressive, right? I wish I could take the credit for that, but now I know how much work it takes for the parent!
Well, again sorry for the length, but I hope this is helpful to someone. If you have any other questions about our experience, I would love to answer! Please leave a comment!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
At Grandma's
Currently I am sitting on the back patio of my parents' house, listening to old Adventures in Odyssey on CASSETTE TAPE with my husband and grown-up siblings. Yep, we are. :)
It's been a great week enjoying some time off with my family. Now that all four of us "kids" are no longer kids, it's only a couple times a year that we get to all be together. What has been specially fun for me is coming back to my parents' place as a mom and watching my own kids have as much fun as I remember having at my grandma's house as a kid. Unlike my grandma, my parents live in the city, but my mom has still managed to create (probably without even realizing it) the same kind of experiences for my kids that I remember having at my grandma's house. These are some of them:
Great food: Nothing like homemade Mexican rice and beans! And tonight my mom is making one of my favorites - banana pudding! When I was little, my grandma would always make homemade tortillas, fill them with a soft creamy cheese called "requezon" and roll them up for us kids. My mouth still waters every time I think of those!
The animals: My grandma used to have chickens, peacocks, turkeys, cows, dogs, cats, birds and deer...yes, deer. My parents only have dogs, which I'm thankful for...they don't need more animals! But the way my son begs to go see the dogs outside every time he hears them bark reminds me of us begging our aunts to take us to see the chickens. My brother also has several fish in a large tank...a favorite with my son as well.
The pool: Nothing like it in the hot Mexican summers. Last night we had so many inflatable mats and rafts in the pool (which isn't very big), you could hardly see the water!
Plants and flowers: everywhere! I remember following my grandma around her yard checking on the progress of her oranges, limes, avocados and coconuts. This year, my mom has grown a papaya plant, a grape vine, a lime tree, chili plants and many beautiful flowers.
The hammocks: endless entertainment for us as kids, and my grandma used to lullaby us to sleep in them. As I write, my kids are experiencing their first swings in my mom's hammock.
And some extras that my grandma didn't have:
The trampoline...not every kid has a grandma who likes to jump on a trampoline!
And the wall-to-wall bookshelf, full of all kinds of books for kids (young and old) to enjoy.
These and many more are the delights that we are enjoying together as a family this week. And more than any of this is the fact that we are so blessed to not just be family, but friends. It's not always easy to find like-minded friends and people who love and support everything you are...we are extremely blessed to have that in each other.
It's been a great week enjoying some time off with my family. Now that all four of us "kids" are no longer kids, it's only a couple times a year that we get to all be together. What has been specially fun for me is coming back to my parents' place as a mom and watching my own kids have as much fun as I remember having at my grandma's house as a kid. Unlike my grandma, my parents live in the city, but my mom has still managed to create (probably without even realizing it) the same kind of experiences for my kids that I remember having at my grandma's house. These are some of them:
Great food: Nothing like homemade Mexican rice and beans! And tonight my mom is making one of my favorites - banana pudding! When I was little, my grandma would always make homemade tortillas, fill them with a soft creamy cheese called "requezon" and roll them up for us kids. My mouth still waters every time I think of those!
The animals: My grandma used to have chickens, peacocks, turkeys, cows, dogs, cats, birds and deer...yes, deer. My parents only have dogs, which I'm thankful for...they don't need more animals! But the way my son begs to go see the dogs outside every time he hears them bark reminds me of us begging our aunts to take us to see the chickens. My brother also has several fish in a large tank...a favorite with my son as well.
The pool: Nothing like it in the hot Mexican summers. Last night we had so many inflatable mats and rafts in the pool (which isn't very big), you could hardly see the water!
Plants and flowers: everywhere! I remember following my grandma around her yard checking on the progress of her oranges, limes, avocados and coconuts. This year, my mom has grown a papaya plant, a grape vine, a lime tree, chili plants and many beautiful flowers.
The hammocks: endless entertainment for us as kids, and my grandma used to lullaby us to sleep in them. As I write, my kids are experiencing their first swings in my mom's hammock.
And some extras that my grandma didn't have:
The trampoline...not every kid has a grandma who likes to jump on a trampoline!
And the wall-to-wall bookshelf, full of all kinds of books for kids (young and old) to enjoy.
These and many more are the delights that we are enjoying together as a family this week. And more than any of this is the fact that we are so blessed to not just be family, but friends. It's not always easy to find like-minded friends and people who love and support everything you are...we are extremely blessed to have that in each other.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Everybody Stinks
Obviously, blogging regularly with two kids under 3 and both still in diapers, is not easy. I really miss writing, but for now, the lack of time and inspiration only allow me to add a few lines here, as I nurse baby girl...and what's going through my mind? Somebody stinks! Diapers maybe? A sweaty baby? A sticky toddler driving his cars around me? A showerless mama? Yes, yes...we do. Everybody stinks. Good thing they are both so adorable and they love me even when I stink!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
First Day of the Year
So it's a new year. I thought I should post something because it's an important day, but honestly I don't have too much to say. I am very thankful for the past year and very excited for the new one, God has been so good and I can't wait to see everything He has in store for us this year. But at the moment, it's been a slow first day of the year. My husband is working a 16-hour shift at the hospital because they are short-staffed. My adorable son has been so good lately, keeping himself busy all over the house, developing such a silly sense of humor that I love. And I am keeping myself busy and waiting and waiting for our little girl to arrive. I have four weeks left, but I really want her to come as soon as possible! All her things are washed and ready for her. I made her a little corner in our bedroom that is exploding with pink! Even though it's not my favorite color, who would not fall in love with such ridiculously cute outfits and accessories! This girlie's got way more stuff than I do already! We have been SO blessed by so many dear friends and family that made certain this baby will be looking cute as can be.
So that's our New Year's Day. I hope this new year has started off well for you and that you will experience a deeper understanding of God's extravagant love for you this year! Blessings!
So that's our New Year's Day. I hope this new year has started off well for you and that you will experience a deeper understanding of God's extravagant love for you this year! Blessings!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
With Love From Scratch
This is the name of my new gourmet cafe, where everything is homemade from scratch. Ok, it's not really open to the public, but it exists in my house! And my most faithful client is my husband. :)
I've been married three and a half years now and to say the truth, I don't really remember what I used to make for dinner in that first year of marriage. This is probably because there isn't much to remember! I think I heavily relied on boxed pasta, quesadillas and banana bread...I did know how to make that! Slowly I started experimenting with new recipes out of our desperate need to eat something different and soon I discovered that I loved the kitchen! Still, by their very nature, experiments don't always turn out right and my poor faithful "client" endured many bland, over-cooked, under-cooked meals before I started becoming more confident and capable.
I remember wishing I could get to the point of being known for certain dishes, like my mother and my mother-in-law are. There are certain things they make that people keep coming back for again and again. That's how I wanted to be. But it has taken over three years to feel even close to this goal, especially since my growing love for experimenting in the kitchen often keeps me from repeating and perfecting recipes that turn out well. Slowly but surely though, I have reached a point where at least in my little "cafe", we have some of our own favorites...not just hand-me-down recipes from our mothers (which are awesome), but our very own!
So my project today is to make my official menu. Maybe I went a little too far with naming my cafe and everything, but it helps inspire me and it's fun. My goal is to categorize on a menu, just like in a restaurant, all of the food I feel I can make really well. Why? Because even after so many experiments and successful meals, I still stand in front of my pantry wondering what in the world to make for dinner! Maybe it's my pregnant forgetful brain at the moment, but I still end up relying on boxed pasta and canned sauce, simply because I can't think of anything else! In my opinion, this is due to a lack of planning ahead and establishing a variety of things I feel confident making. Also, the more I make them, the easier and quicker they will be even when I forget to plan ahead.
Eventually I also want to add "prices" to my menu. Don't worry, I will not charge you for being a dinner guest at our house! It will be a way for me to plan my weekly menu based on the cost of each meal, so that I can manage my grocery budget better. Yes, I know I'm a planning fanatic.
So why do you care about all this? If you don't, I'm sorry you read this far. (ha ha) But if you also love cooking, or maybe don't love cooking but are trying to learn to make good food anyway, creating your own menu is a fun inspiring way to give yourself a plan and some variety to choose from. Think of what you would order at your favorite restaurant and dare to find a similar recipe online to try out at home! If it's great, add it to your menu. It's kind of a hobby of mine to make things at home that you would normally only get at a restaurant, and usually they turn out even better! It's not as hard as you think and it makes you wonder why people don't make these things at home more often. Like what? Molten Lava Cakes. Chicken Marsala (just like Olive Garden). Cheddar Biscuits (Red Lobster). New York Cheesecake (Cheesecake Factory)You name it...you can usually find it at www.allrecipes.com Who wouldn't want to eat this stuff at home for a fraction of the cost?
My point? Be bold, make a plan, try new things, have fun. You'll be surprised and you are sure to wow whomever you live with... they will become your most faithful clients. :)
I've been married three and a half years now and to say the truth, I don't really remember what I used to make for dinner in that first year of marriage. This is probably because there isn't much to remember! I think I heavily relied on boxed pasta, quesadillas and banana bread...I did know how to make that! Slowly I started experimenting with new recipes out of our desperate need to eat something different and soon I discovered that I loved the kitchen! Still, by their very nature, experiments don't always turn out right and my poor faithful "client" endured many bland, over-cooked, under-cooked meals before I started becoming more confident and capable.
I remember wishing I could get to the point of being known for certain dishes, like my mother and my mother-in-law are. There are certain things they make that people keep coming back for again and again. That's how I wanted to be. But it has taken over three years to feel even close to this goal, especially since my growing love for experimenting in the kitchen often keeps me from repeating and perfecting recipes that turn out well. Slowly but surely though, I have reached a point where at least in my little "cafe", we have some of our own favorites...not just hand-me-down recipes from our mothers (which are awesome), but our very own!
So my project today is to make my official menu. Maybe I went a little too far with naming my cafe and everything, but it helps inspire me and it's fun. My goal is to categorize on a menu, just like in a restaurant, all of the food I feel I can make really well. Why? Because even after so many experiments and successful meals, I still stand in front of my pantry wondering what in the world to make for dinner! Maybe it's my pregnant forgetful brain at the moment, but I still end up relying on boxed pasta and canned sauce, simply because I can't think of anything else! In my opinion, this is due to a lack of planning ahead and establishing a variety of things I feel confident making. Also, the more I make them, the easier and quicker they will be even when I forget to plan ahead.
Eventually I also want to add "prices" to my menu. Don't worry, I will not charge you for being a dinner guest at our house! It will be a way for me to plan my weekly menu based on the cost of each meal, so that I can manage my grocery budget better. Yes, I know I'm a planning fanatic.
So why do you care about all this? If you don't, I'm sorry you read this far. (ha ha) But if you also love cooking, or maybe don't love cooking but are trying to learn to make good food anyway, creating your own menu is a fun inspiring way to give yourself a plan and some variety to choose from. Think of what you would order at your favorite restaurant and dare to find a similar recipe online to try out at home! If it's great, add it to your menu. It's kind of a hobby of mine to make things at home that you would normally only get at a restaurant, and usually they turn out even better! It's not as hard as you think and it makes you wonder why people don't make these things at home more often. Like what? Molten Lava Cakes. Chicken Marsala (just like Olive Garden). Cheddar Biscuits (Red Lobster). New York Cheesecake (Cheesecake Factory)You name it...you can usually find it at www.allrecipes.com Who wouldn't want to eat this stuff at home for a fraction of the cost?
My point? Be bold, make a plan, try new things, have fun. You'll be surprised and you are sure to wow whomever you live with... they will become your most faithful clients. :)
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Curiosity
I've been pondering a couple questions I heard recently because they are quite deep and I like deep things:
I'm curious to see what it will be like to have a little girl around... to have two kids around! I'm curious to see how I'm going to ever take a shower again after said second child comes along! I'm curious to see what our path looks like around the bend, because I feel there's a bend coming. I'm curious about how God will provide resources, opportunities, blessings as we possibly embark into the life of a med-school-student family. I'm curious about what our family life will be like....most of all I'm curious about how God will teach me to be the wife and mom I'm supposed to be when I have never seen this (medical) lifestyle exemplified first hand.
Curiosity, however, doesn't have to be a lack of faith. It's actually the best type of faith...like a child; an expectancy of all the awesome things God will show us and take us through. At this point, I have no idea how it will all unfold, but I'm confident that He has it all planned out. And it is a huge step of faith for a planner-list-maker like me to put down my calendar and my pen and let Someone else make our plans... specially when they are not in the habit of letting you know what the plan is! :)
This is why life is an adventure and we would be bored if it wasn't.
How did God show up for you this past Summer?
and
What words are defining this Fall season for you?
The answer to the first question is way too long because Summer was way too busy and long...so I have to think about that a little more to come up with a specific answer. But for the second one, I'd have to say that one of the main words that immediately comes to mind is curiosity. I know, it's not the deepest answer I could come up with, but it's how I currently feel. I'm curious to see what it will be like to have a little girl around... to have two kids around! I'm curious to see how I'm going to ever take a shower again after said second child comes along! I'm curious to see what our path looks like around the bend, because I feel there's a bend coming. I'm curious about how God will provide resources, opportunities, blessings as we possibly embark into the life of a med-school-student family. I'm curious about what our family life will be like....most of all I'm curious about how God will teach me to be the wife and mom I'm supposed to be when I have never seen this (medical) lifestyle exemplified first hand.
Curiosity, however, doesn't have to be a lack of faith. It's actually the best type of faith...like a child; an expectancy of all the awesome things God will show us and take us through. At this point, I have no idea how it will all unfold, but I'm confident that He has it all planned out. And it is a huge step of faith for a planner-list-maker like me to put down my calendar and my pen and let Someone else make our plans... specially when they are not in the habit of letting you know what the plan is! :)
This is why life is an adventure and we would be bored if it wasn't.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The best kind of multi-tasking
I want to encourage all wives and moms to take advantage of Your Family Live webcasts by Focus on the Family! It airs live every wednesday, but you can watch any previous webcast anytime online. Go to www.focusonlinecommunities.com and click on the Your Family Live link on the left-hand column. You will see links on the left to watch webcasts done in the past three years on all kinds of family-related matters!
Why is this the best kind of multi-tasking? Because it's the perfect way to refresh yourself with encouraging messages and even laughter while you do those tedious chores like folding laundry or washing dishes. We all know some days it's hard to get any quiet or devotional time as a mom. This morning I think I was able to read about five verses in the Bible before I had to clean up yet another messy disaster, and all that with Thomas the Train in the background...not the most spiritually inspiring moment. But during nap time, I turned on a webcast that I hadn't seen and attacked my mountain of unfolded laundry while being encouraged on how to be a better wife and how to love my husband the way he needs me to. Now I can go on with my day with challenging, uplifting thoughts in my head!
So put a sticky note somewhere to remind yourself every now and then to watch or listen to something that will actually encourage and bless your spiritually and practically. You'll love it!
Why is this the best kind of multi-tasking? Because it's the perfect way to refresh yourself with encouraging messages and even laughter while you do those tedious chores like folding laundry or washing dishes. We all know some days it's hard to get any quiet or devotional time as a mom. This morning I think I was able to read about five verses in the Bible before I had to clean up yet another messy disaster, and all that with Thomas the Train in the background...not the most spiritually inspiring moment. But during nap time, I turned on a webcast that I hadn't seen and attacked my mountain of unfolded laundry while being encouraged on how to be a better wife and how to love my husband the way he needs me to. Now I can go on with my day with challenging, uplifting thoughts in my head!
So put a sticky note somewhere to remind yourself every now and then to watch or listen to something that will actually encourage and bless your spiritually and practically. You'll love it!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Always Assume the Best
Why is it so hard to do this? I've been trying to make this a habit. Instead of letting negative thoughts come in automatically, I want to be a person who always assumes the best about people, who never loses faith in who God made them to be. I might be disappointed, but at least I won't be guilty of false accusations or rumors. God sees us with so much grace and that is how I wish to see others. I think we all know how much conflict and misunderstandings could be avoided if we all did this.
The other day I read some verses in my favorite book of the Bible, Philippians, about what we should let our thoughts dwell on: "Whatsoever things are true... noble... right... pure... lovely... admirable... excellent... praiseworthy...think on such things." I was struggling with assuming the worst instead of the best, so obviously the solution was to make a list! I listed specific things about life around me to fit each word so that I could focus my mind on that rather than on negative thoughts. It's not a magic solution, but sometimes you have to be proactive even about little things if you really are serious about wanting to see change in your life.
The other day I read some verses in my favorite book of the Bible, Philippians, about what we should let our thoughts dwell on: "Whatsoever things are true... noble... right... pure... lovely... admirable... excellent... praiseworthy...think on such things." I was struggling with assuming the worst instead of the best, so obviously the solution was to make a list! I listed specific things about life around me to fit each word so that I could focus my mind on that rather than on negative thoughts. It's not a magic solution, but sometimes you have to be proactive even about little things if you really are serious about wanting to see change in your life.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Get the Hint!
Have you ever made a mental note about something, just to realize too late that you lost the note? I do it all the time. My husband will often ask me to do something while I'm cooking or changing a diaper, so I make a mental note about it. A few days later I'll have this uncomfortable feeling of having forgotten something important, but I just can't remember so I shrug it off. But the minute he says, "Honey, did you...", the light will finally come on and suddenly I can't believe I forgot!
I don't just do that to my husband. I'm pretty sure I've done that to a few friends too, but mostly I do that to God! How awful, right? It's quite common, actually. It's been said that prayer is a conversation yet most of us make it a monologue. God has things to say to us and not only through the Bible. Just like we need to listen to people around us with both ears and everything in between, we also need to learn to listen to the ways God speaks to us. I said "the ways" because God is so full of grace and compassion, He knows exactly where you are, how you feel and what you need. The way he speaks to you is unique. When I haven't had enough sleep and it's taking pretty much all my energy and concentration to make a pot of coffee while an equally tired and crabby baby is pulling at my pajama pants, God knows I'm not able to sit down and seek his voice over a deep study of Corinthians. But that doesn't stop Him from speaking! He isn't like us when we sometimes don't speak to someone because they are ignoring us. Thank you Jesus!
So one of the awesome ways God has been speaking to me lately is through what I call hints. When I'm folding laundry and thinking about the next ten things on my list to do that day, all of a sudden something will remind me of my friend so-and-so. I'll think about something funny they said on facebook or something difficult they are going through and then my baby boy will start babbling about something and the thought is gone. Before I know it, the day is over and I'll think back to that random thought earlier and wonder how it even got to my brain.
Well, I've started to realize that perhaps God was hinting at something and perhaps I should respond. Maybe that person needed prayer at that moment. Maybe a call or a text message of encouragement. Maybe that person is feeling like no one cares and they need to know that God put them on my mind. Maybe it would simply deepen my relationship to that person if I just called to say hi.
Maybe it's not all about me and my little world. It's about God and touching people, and He is giving me hints so I can have the opportunity to do just that! If you can relate in any way, join me and get the hint! :)
I don't just do that to my husband. I'm pretty sure I've done that to a few friends too, but mostly I do that to God! How awful, right? It's quite common, actually. It's been said that prayer is a conversation yet most of us make it a monologue. God has things to say to us and not only through the Bible. Just like we need to listen to people around us with both ears and everything in between, we also need to learn to listen to the ways God speaks to us. I said "the ways" because God is so full of grace and compassion, He knows exactly where you are, how you feel and what you need. The way he speaks to you is unique. When I haven't had enough sleep and it's taking pretty much all my energy and concentration to make a pot of coffee while an equally tired and crabby baby is pulling at my pajama pants, God knows I'm not able to sit down and seek his voice over a deep study of Corinthians. But that doesn't stop Him from speaking! He isn't like us when we sometimes don't speak to someone because they are ignoring us. Thank you Jesus!
So one of the awesome ways God has been speaking to me lately is through what I call hints. When I'm folding laundry and thinking about the next ten things on my list to do that day, all of a sudden something will remind me of my friend so-and-so. I'll think about something funny they said on facebook or something difficult they are going through and then my baby boy will start babbling about something and the thought is gone. Before I know it, the day is over and I'll think back to that random thought earlier and wonder how it even got to my brain.
Well, I've started to realize that perhaps God was hinting at something and perhaps I should respond. Maybe that person needed prayer at that moment. Maybe a call or a text message of encouragement. Maybe that person is feeling like no one cares and they need to know that God put them on my mind. Maybe it would simply deepen my relationship to that person if I just called to say hi.
Maybe it's not all about me and my little world. It's about God and touching people, and He is giving me hints so I can have the opportunity to do just that! If you can relate in any way, join me and get the hint! :)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Recommended Resources
I'm still alive! I just happen to have found out recently that being the new occupant of a house is a lot of work! Meanwhile, I've been wanting to share some of my favorite resources that inspire me even when I'm doing tedious house chores! We don't own a TV because we don't want to (another topic for another day), but we have movies and internet. When I was pregnant and home alone for long periods of time, I discovered I could watch HGTV shows online! Now, that is not what I came here to recommend...although some of them are still my favorite things to watch. :)
During that time I also discovered Your Family Live. It is a webcast that Focus on the Family puts on every Wednesday, but you can watch it any time. You can also watch any of their shows from the past year! It is set up like a talk show where they have special guests who are mostly authors of family, marriage or relationship books, for the most part. Now, I don't know about you, but I love books and I hate that I don't have any time to read them! So this show has been an awesome source of inspiration, challenge and encouragement to me because the christian authors that they interview are basically talking about the main points of their books and at the end of the show I always feel like I gained or learned something valuable. So, although HGTV is fun now and then, I've learned to opt for this instead and actually grow and learn while I fold laundry or wash dishes.
Another great resource comes from Covenant Life Church with pastor Joshua Harris. There are plenty of great churches with great sermons online, so I'm not saying this is the only one. But because Joshua Harris was very influential in our pre-marriage relationship, I came across his church website and found a very extensive and organized library of sermons and teachings. I have especially enjoyed the teachings they have on marriage, parenting and womanhood. They have some great, sound teachers and again, it is so much more encouraging and uplifting even than always defaulting to music in the background.
I apologize for the run-on sentences and whatever other grammatical offenses I have committed tonight...this is the brain of a tired momma!
Here are the links to both resources I am writing about:
Your Family Live: http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/community/webcasts
Covenant Life Church: http://www.covlife.org/
During that time I also discovered Your Family Live. It is a webcast that Focus on the Family puts on every Wednesday, but you can watch it any time. You can also watch any of their shows from the past year! It is set up like a talk show where they have special guests who are mostly authors of family, marriage or relationship books, for the most part. Now, I don't know about you, but I love books and I hate that I don't have any time to read them! So this show has been an awesome source of inspiration, challenge and encouragement to me because the christian authors that they interview are basically talking about the main points of their books and at the end of the show I always feel like I gained or learned something valuable. So, although HGTV is fun now and then, I've learned to opt for this instead and actually grow and learn while I fold laundry or wash dishes.
Another great resource comes from Covenant Life Church with pastor Joshua Harris. There are plenty of great churches with great sermons online, so I'm not saying this is the only one. But because Joshua Harris was very influential in our pre-marriage relationship, I came across his church website and found a very extensive and organized library of sermons and teachings. I have especially enjoyed the teachings they have on marriage, parenting and womanhood. They have some great, sound teachers and again, it is so much more encouraging and uplifting even than always defaulting to music in the background.
I apologize for the run-on sentences and whatever other grammatical offenses I have committed tonight...this is the brain of a tired momma!
Here are the links to both resources I am writing about:
Your Family Live: http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/community/webcasts
Covenant Life Church: http://www.covlife.org/
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