Blessed Mom 24/7

Princesses and Ice Cream

2011-07-28T08:30:00.000-04:00

I have a confession: sometimes I miss girlie things. You know I love my boys, but sometimes I wish I could buy the cute pink, sparkly things in the stores. So when we decided to donate some school supplies to Act Together Ministries, I secretly saw this as a chance to indulge in cute things. I had no idea it would turn into a great lesson in compassion.

So we took the boys to Target with a school supply list in hand. Then I told them we were going to buy supplies for a little girl. They were temporarily thrown off kilter, but it was so great hearing them talk about what "she" would like. Would "she" rather have a backpack with Disney Princesses or cute monkeys? "She" would like the notebook with hearts on it. Can "she" keep all of her supplies in this pink pencil case?

The drop-off location for the supplies was an ice cream shop. Every good deed comes with it's reward, right?

In the past, when we've shopped for donated items like this, we always went with the mindset of shopping for a boy the same age as Patriot and Azlan. But here, shopping for someone totally different than them, really seemed to build some empathy and compassion. Great surprise!

Food Network Family Night

2011-07-25T08:30:00.002-04:00

Our family has become major Food Network nerds this summer. We love watching "Food Network Challenge," "Iron Chef," and "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," but "Food Network Star" is our favorite. I think it's great that the boys are learning how good food is made and understanding about quality ingredients. I wish I was a better cook, so we could experience more of this in our kitchen. But I think Patriot might end up being a pretty decent chef.

We had a quiet weekend at home and I dreamed up a Food Network Family Night. Our whole family are big fans of Mexican food, so we looked up some recipes and divided into teams to make dinner.

Team Salsa used Giada's Spicy Tomato Salsa recipe. We were surprised to find a traditionally Italian chef offering a salsa recipe, and the ingredients peeked our curiosity. We don't have a food processor, so they used a blender—worked fine.
Team Guacamole used Alton Brown's Perfect Guacamole recipe. This has become my favorite recipe to snack on—I love it! But I only use about 1/4 of the onion it calls for.

We did a taste test, and I have to admit that Team Salsa was the winner. I think that's because of the green color and onion in the guacamole. They can enjoy the salsa—just means more guacamole for me!

The boys and I worked together to make these beautiful chicken fajitas. I found a package of stoplight bell peppers, so the boys were able to taste the different colors raw and cooked. They both liked the yellow pepper best. We added some seasoned black beans on the side and had a great meal! (And I had help making dinner!)

It's ALWAYS the Parent's Responsibility

2011-07-13T23:01:00.003-04:00

This news story completely cracks me up. Watch the full video if you have a couple of minutes. The best part is the discussion between the anchors at the end.

I'll summarize: restaurant owner is tired of unruly kids in his restaurant and made a policy that kids under 6 are not allowed. Parents are mad because they're "being discriminated against."

NEWS FLASH TO PARENTS: If your kids can't sit in a restaurant without disturbing the other patrons, they shouldn't be in the restaurant. These parents should be embarrassed, not insulted.

It is the parent's responsibility to address behavior issues in public and teach their children to respect the people around them. I can remember sitting in the lobby of a restaurant (many restaurants, actually) with my misbehaving toddler while the rest of our group enjoyed our dinner. I took responsibility for my child, made myself uncomfortable if necessary, and taught my child how dine in a restaurant.

Now, both boys are pretty good at restaurant dining—able to place their own orders politely and color or work puzzles while they wait for their food. We are still working on volume control during the meal, and try to choose loud restaurants until we get a little more self-control in that area. We take responsibility for choosing a restaurant where our children will not disturb other diners.

My favorite line in the news story: We understand that your child might be the center of your universe, but he is not the center of THE universe.

I might have t-shirts printed with that quote.

When You Wish Upon a Star

2011-07-09T21:11:00.003-04:00

I hope you can handle one more post about our Disney trip. After this, I'll talk about something else. I promise.

Here is our trip in video pics. Please enjoy!

Newbies at Disney: Back to Reality

2011-06-27T08:09:00.000-04:00

This is the final post in my series about our first trip to Disney World. I shared what I learned for any other newbie families out there. The Disney experts in my life are Kathy and Debra, so check in with them if you're looking for info that I don't have here. Comment or find me on Twitter if you have any suggestions or questions.

After a week at Disney, reentry into the real world can be tough. Both of my kids got sick, with fevers as high as 104. We all took 4-hour naps that weekend. And the piles of laundry were overwhelming. I only have three tips:

Give yourself a couple of days if at all possible. We returned on a Friday, so we still had Saturday and Sunday to recover before work Monday.
Spend lots of time enjoying your pics. We loaded them all on the computer and started editing them right away to compile them for a photo book. (BTW, when you enter your Photopass number, you might find you're missing a couple of pics. Find the place to submit a request and Disney will look for your missing pics for you! And they found ours! I was so excited!)
Start planning your next trip to Disney. I predict we have a window of about 5-7 years that our family will be excited about Disney. After that, I'm afraid we'll have outgrown the magic. I intend to take my children to Disney as often as possible while we're in that window.

Enjoy the Magic!

Newbies at Disney: Cutting Costs

2011-06-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Our family just returned from our first trip to Disney World and we had a wonderful time! We learned a ton and I researched for hours before we left. Over the next few posts, I want to share what I learned for any other newbie families out there. The Disney experts in my life are Kathy and Debra, so check in with them if you're looking for info that I don't have here.

We are a family that is willing to spend a little money on things that are important to us. Most people probably would not characterize us as "frugal." We like a certain brand of paper towels and won't buy other brands, even if they're on sale. But I do watch for coupons on that brand of paper towel and will buy extras when they're on sale. So we like to save money when we can and on the things that don't matter as much to us. And that's the way we approached our Disney trip.

We knew that, for our first trip, we wanted to stay in a moderate resort—not the cheapest, not the most expensive. And we decided it was worth it to upgrade to a pirate-themed room with a water view. So we were willing to spend a little more there. (Fortunately, though, we were able to get a discount on that room thanks to a friend who lives in Orlando. That's my first tip: make friends with people who live in Orlando.)

We also knew we wanted to have a handful of really good meals. We are a family of eaters, and we like to eat good food. Plus, we wanted the boys to experience some of the character meals. Those do not come super cheap and there are no coupons. You just have to bite the bullet.

So how did we save money? Read below, and please comment with any savings tips of your own.

Food

Eat breakfast in your room. We have a tradition where the kids get to pick out a sugar cereal to eat on vacation. This is something they look forward to. Plus, everyone's so anxious to get the park, they don't eat a lot anyway. And days with early Extra Magic Hours, you'll leave for the park so early, you might eat in the car on the way. We did Poptarts and bananas that morning. Pack some plastic spoons, put some milk in your room fridge, and use the coffee cups provided, and you've got breakfast.
Brown bag one meal at the park. We packed bread and peanut butter, chips, carrot sticks, and some Oreo's in a gallon-sized baggie for lunch every day. Any counter service place that serves breakfast will have jelly packets with the condiments. And if they serve salads they'll have ranch dressing for you to dip your carrots, but you'll have to ask. You'll be able to put together a nice lunch at no substantial cost.
Ask for cups of ice water. Pretty much everyplace in Disney will give you free cups of ice water. For variety, pack some individual drink mixes and use your straw to stir the mix in. We did Kool-Aid and Propel. You'll avoid drinking too much soda, stay hydrated, and save cash.

Souvenirs

Pick up t-shirts and ponchos before you go. We got t-shirts on sale at the Disney Store and Mickey Mouse ponchos on Amazon.com for significantly less than the same items cost at the parks.
Buy a lot of trading pins on eBay. At the parks, these pins can cost $7-15 each. We got a lot of 50 for $30 and lanyards for $4 each on eBay. Most of them were pins we did not want, but we had so much fun trading them at the parks. The boys collected most of the Club Penguin puffles. Matt collected sports-themed pins. And I found lots of Minnie Mouse. We did each buy a pirate and Star Wars pin to remember the events of our trip.
Give the kids spending money on a gift card. I mentioned this a couple of days ago. The boys have been doing chores to save up money for months. Before we left, we went to the Disney Store and got Disney World gift cards for that amount they'd saved (plus a little from Mom and Dad). This was their free money to spend however they wanted. Our only rule was they couldn't buy something you can get in Target. They kept a list of things they wanted throughout the week, and Matt helped them narrow down and make choices at the end of the week.

Newbies at Disney: Star Wars Weekends

2011-06-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

We scheduled our trip to coincide with Hollywood Studio's annual Star Wars Weekend. I grew up on Star Wars, and the force is strong with my younglings, so we knew we'd enjoy it!

The gate to the park was well-guarded:
There were many younglings anxious to demonstrate their saber skills while waiting for Jedi Training:
Our younglings worked hard during Padawan Jedi Training:

And Padawan Patriot was ready to battle Darth Maul:
We met many of our Star Wars heroes:

We enjoyed a wonderful Star Wars parade, played Padawan Mind Games, rode Star Tours twice, and ended the day dancing at Hyperspace Hoopla:

May the force be with you!

Newbies at Disney: Navigating the Parks

2011-06-23T16:25:00.000-04:00

Our family just returned from our first trip to Disney World and we had a wonderful time! We learned a ton and I researched for hours before we left. Over the next few posts, I want to share what I learned for any other newbie families out there. The Disney experts in my life are Kathy and Debra, so check in with them if you're looking for info that I don't have here.

Walt Disney World is is 42 square miles. It is way bigger than I realized and can be a little overwhelming. You will need to make some decisions to prioritize what's most important to your family.

We decided we wouldn't see everything in this one week. Our first sacrifice was Animal Kingdom. I don't think we even drove by that park, but I really don't know. Our second sacrifice was any ride or attraction that we weren't all tall enough to ride—just no reason to exclude the littlest McKee. And we learned very early that Disney's 44" is about 1/2" taller than the doctor's, so we had to cut some rides we thought we'd hit. Oh, well.

We also decided to use a Disney touring plan to guide us through the parks. TouringPlans.com was recommended to us, and we really liked it. You have to pay to subscribe to it, but it's totally worth it. The accompanying app is called Disney World Lines. It provided plans based on park capacity, kids' ages, and real-time line waits. We knew when to get Fast Passes and when to use them. We never waited more than 20 minutes for anything. It was awesome.

Some other quick tips:

Don't miss the opening of Magic Kingdom. There's a show at the gate that really sets the magical tone for the day. I cried. Seriously. For like 10 minutes.
Make sure you catch the closing show at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Both were great.
People kept suggesting we go back to the resort for the afternoon and rest. We didn't. We just planned to watch a show before dinner to give Azlan a chance to nap.
Let the kids have Disney gift cards with a set amount of spending money for them to buy souvenirs. Help them understand that when the gift card is empty, they're spending is done.
If you're going to watch any of the parades, get there 10 minutes earlier than you think is early enough. Sit down, have a snack, take turns going to the bathroom, but protect your spot. The electric parade in Magic Kingdom was totally worth the wait.
Decide ahead of time what pace your family is going to follow in the park. Will you schedule potty breaks, or take them as needed? Will you pause to take pictures randomly, or stay on task to reach your next attraction? If you're going to be a family that moves at a pretty quick pace, don't invest in pins and autograph books. These diversions will slow you down. But if your family is going to move at a slower pace, trading pins and collecting character autographs were a lot of fun (especially for younger kids).
Plan a rest day if your trip is more than 3 or 4 days long. You'll need a day that you don't go to the parks. Spend the day at the pool, reading a good book, napping, going to Downtown Disney, or checking out the other great resorts on property. There is plenty to do outside the parks.
Don't miss Captain EO in Epcot. If you don't know what that show is, you'll be surprised.

Disney does a great job reminding you to live the magic and create memories while you're there. But let's be honest, you're kids are only going to remember so much. So take a ton of pictures to remind you of the special moments you had together.

Newbies at Disney: Just For Mom

2011-06-22T08:00:00.002-04:00

Shower at night before bed. I assume that if you're savvy enough to log onto the internet and find a blog, you probably don't need my advice on personal hygiene, so don't be insulted by this. But I found that a nice, warm shower after a full day at the parks calmed me spiritually and kept my muscles from stiffening up while I slept. And it's nice to wash the sweat, sunscreen, and general dirt off before bed.
Bring along a sleep aid. You will be tired at the end of the day, but you'll also be excited and full of adrenaline, so you might have trouble sleeping. A little Tylenol PM may do you wonders. However, if you're like me and kind of weirded out by sleep medications, try an aromatherapy sleep aid. I have a great lavender spray that I got from Bath & Body Works that I love.
Take care of your feet. I know there are some hard-core Moms who can wear sneakers everyday for a week. I am not one of them. I wore comfortable shoes, but I had a few other tricks that helped save my feet: BAND-AID^® Friction Block™ Stick and tingling foot cream. Rub the cream on your feet and ankles in the morning, then use the stick on places that might rub. You'll be ready for the day.
Pack a small bottle of Woolite. I am not the kind of lady who packs a different bra every day. I tend to travel with my favorite two or three. But after a hot day at the parks, those bras can get a little rank. It's so much nicer to start my day with a fresh, clean bra. So a quick wash with some Woolite during my nightly shower did the trick nicely, thank you.
Plan some things you like to do. I am a mom of boys. At Disney, I helped Buzz Lightyear battle Zurg. I cheered for Captain Jack Sparrow and booed Darth Maul. I raced around the Test Track and danced with Phineas and Ferb. The only time I saw a Princess all week was during a parade when she was in front of Captain Hook. But I did talk the boys into riding the Teacups with me. And I did make dinner reservations for Tony's, from Lady and the Tramp. It was my magical vacation, too.
Make coffee arrangements. There is no Starbucks at Disney World. That bears repeating: THERE IS NO STARBUCKS AT DISNEY WORLD. The resorts that host conferences do have espresso bars in the lobby. But if you're not staying at one of those, you're coffee options are the coffee pot in your room and the coffee machines in some of the counter service places in the parks. They did OK in a pinch, but I'll probably take some Via packets next time.

Newbies at Disney: The Backpack

2011-06-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

Our family just returned from our first trip to Disney World and we had a wonderful time! We learned a ton and I researched for hours before we left. Over the next few posts, I want to share what I learned for any other newbie families out there. The Disney experts in my life are Kathy and Debra, so check in with them if you're looking for info that I don't have here.

Our family's general policy is to travel as light as possible. From the moment I was able to forever set down a diaper bag, I try not to carry extra bags around with me. So I was very resistant to the idea of carrying a backpack around Disney. But the more people I talked with, the more times I heard "make sure you carry this in your backpack." So I gave in and I'm so glad I did.

We decided to invest in a decent backpack for this type of thing, and I found ours at the Eddie Bauer outlet for just $20. It is very lightweight, water-resistant, has padded shoulder straps, and a breathable back lining. And I picked the blue one so Matt didn't mind wearing it some. It worked out perfectly. Here's a shot of me wearing the backpack, and meeting Woody & Jessie!

What did we carry in our backpack? Well, I'll tell you that Kathy taught me everything I know about packing a Disney backpack, but I chose not to follow all her advice and lived to regret it, so go to her blog for her list. But here's my list:

in the front pocket:

park map & schedule
Photopass cards
my phone
my lip balm
couple of extra sandwich-sized baggies
our lanyards when we got tired of wearing them

in the small pocket on top:

autograph books and pens
package of extra pin backs (more about that later)

in the big pocket:

ponchos for the family (should have had them in gallon-sized baggies, didn't know what to do with them when they got wet)
water misters
first aid kit (wipes, hand sanitizer, band aids, wound cleaner, anti-itch spray, Tums, aloe gel, sunscreen)
hats when the boys got tired of wearing them (or we rode a fast ride)
snacks in a gallon-sized baggie (frozen grapes, goldfish, portable apple sauce, fruit snacks, granola bars)
refillable water bottles and individual drink mixes (more about that later)
lunch in a gallon-sized baggie (more about that later)
pirate swords and light sabers as needed :-)

The main things we missed were an extra pair of dry socks, Tylenol, and some more clean baggies. Otherwise, we had pretty much everything we needed for the day!

Newbies at Disney: Managing Anticipation

2011-06-20T08:00:00.002-04:00

Our family just returned from our first trip to Disney World and we had a wonderful time! We learned a ton and I researched for hours before we left. Over the next few posts, I want to share what I learned for any other newbie families out there. The Disney experts in my life are Kathy and Debra, so check in with them if you're looking for info that I don't have here.

I'm a planner, so for me, the best part of any major event is the anticipation. Our family's first trip to Disney World is a major event, so we started planning and saving about a year ago. The boys went through stages of anticipation: excitement when we first started talking about it, boredom when it didn't come as soon as they hoped, and even maybe a level of disillusionment. I wanted to make sure they knew the right time to get excited, but I also didn't want to deal with "Is Disney tomorrow?" questions 12 times a day for a month.

So I got this treasure chest on eBay and put it outside the boys' bedroom about 10 days before we left. (We're going through a pirate stage, and reserved a pirate-themed room for the trip, so it fit the theme.) Every morning when they woke up, there was new treasure in their chest. I shopped Disneystore.com, eBay, and the dollar store for their treasure items. The treasure included:

pirate swords
a pirate ship craft kit
pirate masks
Disney trivia game
Mickey Mouse personalized duffel bags (these were on clearance, I was so excited when I found them!)
Mickey Mouse PJs and t-shirts
Mickey Mouse rain ponchos
lanyards & pins (more about that later)
autograph books and pens
portable water misters
first aid kits (I made these more exciting by including pirate stickers for decorating)

Some of there were big hits, others were duds. Eh, not everything's going to be a winner. The treasure helped build appropriate excitement, but didn't answer the "when are we leaving" question. So I made this very unprofessional calendar.

We had the gold coins left over from the school carnival this year. I added two gold coins each morning and told the boys they could cash in each coin for $1 free spending money at Disney. Azlan really got into collecting his "gold doubloons" and Patriot enjoyed spending them.

This was a great way to manage the boys' anticipation and make getting the supplies we needed a little more fun!

Confessions of a Sheep Mom

2011-01-27T09:57:00.003-05:00

I was sent a link to this article by the Chinese Tiger Mom. I usually ignore these types of debates, but the link was sent by a family member so I thought I'd read it. I must admit, my initial reaction was "Oh, crap! I really need to step up my parenting or my kids are not going to be able to compete in the marketplace!" I started thinking of science projects, math worksheets, and reading programs. I starting wondering where I could find a piano teacher and considering not signing up for spring soccer.

Then I took a breath.

And remembered my goal as a parent.

My goal as a parent is to introduce my kids to a loving God and show them how to live as He instructs. When I imagine my kids at 20-years-old, I hope they're men who love the Lord, love their neighbors, and turn to Scripture for answers. I hope they embody Godly characteristics and are humble enough to still be learning and growing. I hope they have discovered their God-given strengths and talents and boldly use them to serve God and others.

I've heard people joke about there being no "how to" book for raising kids, and the same relative mentioned above pointed out that even the Bible leaves a lot of freedom in the day-to-day practicalities of parenting. But the Bible tells A LOT about how to live, and those same principles apply to my kids as well as they do to me. I can think of no better parenting handbook than the one written by The Creator. So as I encounter issues with my kids, I'm not going to refer to Google, Dr anybody, or even cultural traditions. I'm going see what Scripture teaches and then teach the same.

Kids not doing their homework to the best of their ability? Colossians 2:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..."
Kids having trouble getting along with another kid at school? Matthew 5:44: "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."
Kids fighting with siblings? Matthew 20:16: ""So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Try explaining that to a 5 year old!)
And my personal favorite: Ephesians 6:2-3: "Honor your father and mother—which is the first commandment with a promise—so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

From beginning to end, the Bible tells the story of God parenting His children. Sometimes He has to discipline harshly, sometimes He leads lovingly. Often He lays out guidelines for His children to follow, knowing what's best for them, but He gives His children the choice to obey or not. Although I cannot adopt all of God's parenting techniques, I am inspired by His ability to know each of His children well enough to know the best way to teach them.

I am a far cry from a Tiger Mom (although I have been known to demonstrate some Momma Bear characteristics occasionally). I'd like to think I'm more of a Sheep Mom, following my Shepherd and leading my kids to do the same.

Things I never Expected to Say, Part 2

2011-01-21T10:51:00.002-05:00

We got a new dog, then we were literally snowed in the house for 3 days. Some of the words coming out of my mouth have surprised me.

1. We don't stand on the Bible. (meant literally, not necessarily figuratively)
2. I'll pay you a quarter if you sleep an extra 1/2 hour tomorrow morning.
3. You are not allowed to pray again the rest of the day. (don't ask)
4. Did you delete an app when you licked my phone?
5. Let's use cardboard boxes to sled down the driveway!

Snow Cream

2011-01-10T09:41:00.003-05:00

Thought some of my southern friends might enjoy this recipe -- a gift from the north. If you don't have all the ingredients on-hand today, stick some fresh snow in the freezer until you can get to the grocery.

Happy Snow Day!

Snow Cream

1 cup half & half

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. of any extract: vanilla, peppermint, almond, orange ...

Dash of salt

5 cups fresh snow

Mix all ingredients together (don't overmix or the snow will melt) and enjoy!

Sprinkles are always fun on top. Try marshmallows, raisins, chocolate chips, coconut, honey, granola, even Cheerios!

Separation of Church and School

2010-11-01T15:01:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago, Patriot had a play date with a girl from his class. Matt went with to chat with her dad. Through their conversation, Matt came to learn this family is Hindu. They began talking about the differences in their faiths and the kids mentioned that their teacher said they aren't allowed to talk about God at school. That caught all the grown-up's attention.

We certainly don't want to start teaching these kindergarteners that their teacher is wrong ... but in this case, she is. We also want to empower our kids to talk openly about their faith and their loving God, even as young as kindergarten. So how do we strike a balance?

In this conversation, we started with creating context. We talked about certain times when it might not be appropriate to talk about God in class. For example, if the teacher is in the middle of a spelling lesson, it may not be the best time to bring up God. I figure as long as the kids aren't disruptive with their comments, their teacher cannot be upset when they mention their personal faith.

Next, we talked about times when he can respectfully to show his faith. An obvious time is praying before lunch. Patriot loves the idea of silently praying -- and God can hear his prayer in his head! (How cool is God!?!) Another time would be at recess. We role played a few situations like "I'm practicing basketball because God gave me the ability to play ball and I want to do the best I can. This was a little awkward to work out, but I think he understood that he can talk about God in regular conversation at school.

Since that talk, Patriot has reported a couple of times he mentioned God at school and didn't get in trouble -- I think he was a little surprised by that! I haven't talked with his teacher about this yet. I'd really like to see Patriot learn to navigate his witness himself. And I'm thrilled he's in a position to start learning that process at such a young age. If he can practice this basic skill now, imagine how powerful he can be as a teenager!

Parents: The Solution for Bullying

2010-10-05T10:30:00.002-04:00

I have been shocked and disappointed by the number of bullying tragedies in the last few weeks. There has been college cyber-bullying. A dad facing charges for defending his daughter against bus bullies. And a 13-year-old who committed suicide after being bullied at school. Each of the stories I've heard lately have focused on the victims and talked about how parents and schools need to protect kids from bullies. Although this is true, I don't think it's the solution to the problem.

To solve, or at least improve, the bullying problem, parents need to teach their kids not to be bullies.

I know, we all say "My kids would never bully another child!" But every bully has parents, and often those parents don't know their kid is a bully until things get out of hand. So what's a parent to do? Here are my thoughts:

Teach children the importance of others. Instead of landing at "You are special" or "God made and loves you" take it a step further to "God made and loves every person." It's a slight, but important, difference. When you're driving in the car, point out people who look different than you and ask your child if God loves that person. Of course He does! And since God loves that person, that person should be important to us.
Give your children opportunities to interact with people different than him. Intentionally play sports with kids of a different color. Set up play dates with the kids at school or in the neighborhood whose family practices a different faith than you. In the privacy of your own home talk about how some people are different than us. Some of those differences are designed by God, some of those differences are our choosing, some differences (like handicaps) could be from accidents. Be specific about the same and different characteristics in their new friends. But end the conversation with "Even though they're different than us, does God still love them? Then they should be important to us."
Teach your kids to respect their bodies, and the bodies of others. Show her pictures or drawings of the skeletal or nervous system. Be amazed together at how our body heals itself when we get a cut or scrape. Wonder at the amazing bodies God created for us. Since our bodies are so wonderful, we need to treat them with respect, which means not hitting, pushing, etc.
Help your child develop ways to deal with anger. We all have times when we get upset, but we can't allow ourselves to take that anger out on others. Maybe it's as simple as counting to 10. Maybe your child needs a Bible verse to repeat. If he's a particularly physical kid, maybe he needs to hit a pillow or go for a run in the yard to blow off steam -- or sign him up for football to give him a healthy outlet for that physicality.

These four strategies cannot be taught in one day. They must be a part of the ongoing conversation you're having with your kids. But if more of us can use the time we have with our kids intentionally, we can cut back on the number of bullying victims in this generation.

Less School Work and More Faith Work

2010-09-30T13:31:00.003-04:00

Now that Patriot is in full-time school and I've started working outside the home, we've seen a major change in our daily schedule. Of his waking hours, he spends 7 at school, 2 in after-school care, and 3 constructive hours with us as a family (I'm not counting things like brushing teeth and riding the school bus). Part of that constructive time is making and eating breakfast and dinner, and about 45 minutes a day is homework. Yes, homework. In Kindergarten.

I am a big believer in education. I truly believe that learning to learn is a huge factor in future success. Our public school systems may not be perfect, but I think succeeding in public school helps kids learn how to succeed in the world after school. But daily homework in Kindergarten seems like a little much.

We had our first teacher conference last week and his teacher said he's doing great. She's giving him extra work in class because he's advancing so quickly in reading and writing. She said he's one of the top kids in his class. Then she handed us a full-page list of EXTRA activities, customized to Patriot's skill level, that we can complete with him at home. In addition to our regular homework.

Seriously?

In an average week, Patriot spends about 1 hour at church. We try to spend about 15 minutes every morning doing "God Time," a brief devotional that our church sends home each week. We pray together for about 15 seconds before dinner every night. We read a Bible story before bed about 4 times a week. And we say a prayer when we tuck them in at night.

I'm not going to do the math because it would probably make me cry. But his number of minutes spent on school far outweigh the number of minutes we spend on faith-building. And now we're being asked to do more school activities? I am not OK with this.

So we've made a change this week. I talked with his day care about doing homework with him before we pick him up. That gives us back those 45 minutes a day. And I've made the conscious decision to not do the extra activities with him. Instead of talking about the difference between a period and an exclamation point, I'm going to talk about Godly virtues like respect or courage (or whatever they're teaching at church that month). Instead of taking time to build his math skills, I'm going to teach him to build his relationships within the family and with friends.

I am not going to spend my time doing activities with him that anyone else could do. I am going to use my time with him to teach him the things that only I can teach.

Bringing the 90s into the New Millenium

2010-09-29T08:08:00.006-04:00

So Azlan continues to entertain us with his music. His latest favorite is to "mashup" his favorite songs all into one. BTW, don't judge me when you hear what his favorite songs are ...

So that was "Baby" by Justin Bieber, "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks, "Hey Soul Sister" by Train, all concluded with a rousing rendition of "Space Jam" by Quad City DJs.

He did this completely on his own, even his own choreography. Since we took this video, he's started working on a Mashup of his favorite Bibleman songs. Not sure I'll be able to talk Matt into recording that ...

Green Means Go

2010-09-20T15:48:00.003-04:00

Our church has partnered with a Christian foster care organization to match Christian foster parents, support communities, and kids in need. They announced this partnership several weeks ago at church and I instantly got excited. For years, I've had a heart for families in desperate times and wanted a chance to physically help kids in need. Of course, I started having kids of my own and a baby or toddler's needs became all-encompassing. Maybe this was finally my chance!

I attended the orientation class last week and came home ready to sign up, but I knew Matt would be hesitant. We talked through the details and particulars, determining that it really could work (the support system this organization provides is very helpful!). Seemed like the biggest hurdle is fitting another kid in my car. We agreed that we should sleep on it and not make any decisions for a couple of days.

I woke up the next day and drove to work feeling certain I had an answer from God. But it wasn't the answer I expected, so I argued with Him a little bit. But arguing with God rarely nets anything but frustration, so I quickly abandoned that effort and accepted God's answer -- even though I still don't understand it. Matt and I talked and, fortunately, he was hearing the same thing from God: wait.

We've always taught the kids that God gives one of three answers to our requests: yes, no, or wait. "Wait" might be the hardest answer to hear. I feel ready to help these kids. I feel like our family could really make a difference. I feel like Matt and I are right now uniquely situated to invest in a child more deeply that we could as children's pastor. I feel like this could be why God has me right here. But God clearly said "not right now."

So, for now, I'll sign up for one of the support communities and help where I can. And I'll wait for God's green light to make a difference.

In case you needed to smile today

2010-09-15T14:51:00.006-04:00

Azlan has really warmed up to his little day care class. He talks about his "best friends" in the class and, together, they have planned his entire birthday party already (two months early). He brings home drawings of dinosaurs and roller coasters. And he learns a bunch of new songs.

This one totally makes me smile.

Age is Just a Number, Right?

2010-09-08T13:29:00.002-04:00

A couple of months ago I noticed a misshapen, pale brown spot form on my forehead. The spot looked like I'd just missed the middle of my forehead during my daily sunscreen application. I was able to blend it with makeup and didn't think much about it. But when it didn't go away after a few days, I decided to see a dermatologist covered by our insurance. This is what he said: "As the pigment in our skin ages, it begins to react differently with our hormones and the sun, and some discoloration may appear."

What a minute! My pigment is aging!?! I. Am. Not. That. Old, Right?

But when a medical doctor tells me I'm getting old, I feel the need to take a moments pause and consider my life. I do need a coffee IV to get started in the morning. I do get up pre-dawn and like it. I do think the music at church is sometimes too loud. I do think the kids getting driver's licenses are getting younger each year. I do start sentences with "when I was a kid." I do enjoy bird-watching. I do . . .

. . . think I might be getting old. Or, am I just getting comfortable with myself? I feel like I'm entering a season where I'm accepting who I am, recognizing my strengths, and gaining confidence in my abilities. I've lived long enough to learn who God made me to be. I've had enough life experience to learn what I'm made of, what I can handle and what I can't handle.

Most people probably come into this sense of self at about 17 years old. It's taken me almost twice as long. But with my years has come an acceptance of my weaknesses as well. I know I will never be perfect, and I'm OK with that.

But I will use the skin bleaching cream the dermatologist gave me -- doesn't hurt to erase some flaws.

Everything I Need to Know about Life

2010-09-03T14:22:00.006-04:00

Patriot started public kindergarten two weeks ago. Here's a link to video of him getting on the bus. Since school started, I've learned a few things like:

never show up to a PTA function without your checkbook
the school supply list is not comprehensive, you will need more stuff
discuss rules for sharing DS games before the first day
it's OK for the bus to be late to the bus stop, but not for us to be late

I've also had a few conversations with Patriot that I hadn't anticipated. At dinner after the third day of school, Patriot casually asked me, "Mom, when are you and Daddy going to break up and marry other people?" I assured him that his family was secure, but I was a little stunned he had already noticed such a difference with other families. After thinking for a bit, I realized we haven't had much divorce/remarriage in our immediate circle of influence, so I guess we've just not talked about it.

People keep asking me how I'm doing with him starting school. Of course, I miss him during the day and pray often for his safety, but the most shocking thing is sending him out into the world without me. I'm used to being the protective cushion that guards him from concepts and experiences I deem inappropriate. I'm used to being the filter through which he experiences life. Suddenly, he has to create his own filter.

Fortunately, he's really good about telling me things when I ask the right questions. So our ride home tends to be filled with a question/answer that eventually leads us to conversations like the one about step-parents. Listening to how he views the world and helping him start to develop his filter has been the greatest joy of the last few weeks.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

2010-09-02T21:44:00.003-04:00

Since the last time I blogged, nearly everything has changed. Matt has changed careers. We've moved to the Atlanta area. We've joined a different church. Patriot has started elementary school. I've gone back to full-time work outside the home. Azlan has started full-time preschool. Just thinking about all this change makes me tired.

Even though so much has changed, many things remained the same. The four of us are still together. We are still a healthy bunch. Matt still likes his phone. Patriot still likes computer games. Azlan still tells jokes. Toodles still pees on the floor.

And ... I am still a very blessed mom.

Green Mom: Rechargeable Batteries

2010-04-10T18:24:00.004-04:00

Over the past several years, I've adopted one new green habit each Earth Day. With the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, I'd like to share some of the things that have helped me reduce my family's impact on the Earth, improve our health, and save money. Hopefully you'll find one that you can add to your family's routine.

If your family is anything like mine, you go through AA batteries like it's your job. About 3 billion alkaline batteries are sold in the US every year, and the average person throws away 8 a year (totalling 84,000 tons). Statistically our family should throw away 32 batteries in a year. Between toys and electronics, I think that number is dreadfully low. I would estimate we spent about $100/year on AA batteries, even shopping sales and using coupons.

Having grown weary of buying batteries, and hearing reports about the dangers of mercury and other toxins leaking into landfills through crushed or degrading battery casing, I decided to invest in rechargeable batteries. It has been a worthwhile, but slow, transition, so let me tell you what I've learned.

1. Prepare for an investment. Plan to buy one pack of rechargeable batteries every month until you have enough to power your household (plus a few extra in reserve). Often you can find coupons in the Sunday paper, so watch for those.

2. Wean yourself off regular batteries slowly. Buy a pack of regular batteries to have as backup while you build your supply of rechargeables. Heaven knows you don't want a dead Wii controller while you wait for the batteries to charge.

3. If you have a battery store nearby, like BatteriesPlus or Radio Shack, go there to get your charger. They'll be able to help you choose the best one. If you don't have a battery store nearby, most battery companies have chargers. Just pick the one you like best. Due to poor planning and lack of communication, we have 3 chargers: Radio Shack, Duracell, and Energizer. My favorite is the Radio Shack because it charges in 2 hours, adjusts to charge AA and AAA batteries, and has a cord.

4. Choose one brand of battery and stick with it. Different brands can be fractionally different lengths and hold their charge differently. If you choose one, you'll be able to develop consistency. I like the Duracell because they often have coupons and it's easy for me to remember the copper top. (Sometimes I loose my mind in the grocery store and need visual reminders of what to buy.) BTW, some batteries come "precharged" while others need to be charged before you can use them. Read the package so you aren't caught unprepared.

5. Get in the habit of charging batteries as soon as you discover they've gone dead. Then keep a small container of charged batteries ready for when the camera goes dead in the middle of a birthday party (not that I've learned that the hard way ...).

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T21:18:00.008-04:00

Happy Easter from the McKees!
We pray you each celebrated our risen Savior today.

The Easter Bunny came while we were at church!

The Great Hunt of 2010: Patriot - 5 yo, Azlan - 3 yo, Caedmon - 3 yo, Chloe - 1 yo

In pictures . . .

And in video . . .

Green Mom: Reusable Shopping Bags

2010-03-26T13:55:00.003-04:00

Over the past several years, I've adopted one new green habit each Earth Day. With the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, I'd like to share some of the things that have helped me reduce my family's impact on the Earth, improve our health, and save money. Hopefully you'll find one that you can add to your family's routine.

Traditionally you have two choices at the checkout counter: paper or plastic. Plastic bags are durable and easy to carry, but for some reason it takes two dozen of them to bring your groceries home. If you throw all those bags away, you're greatly increasing your addition to the landfill situation. In some places, you can recycle plastic bags, but the energy and emissions generated to produce and recycle them are hazardous to the air we breath.

Paper bags are another option. Not as durable or easy to carry, but they do biodegrade in a landfill if you throw them away. With paper bags, you still have the energy and emission situation, plus you have to add the number of trees it takes to produce paper bags (about 14 million in 1999, according to the American Forest Association). Since trees improve our air quality, paper bags might be a double-edged sword in your green efforts.
The most generally accepted solution is reusable shopping bags. I have found them to be an easy addition to our family's shopping habit. I simply keep half my bags in the trunk of my car, ready for quick stops at the store. The other half I keep in my pantry, so when I'm in the pantry making my grocery list I can just grab my bags, too.

Once you decide to make the switch to reusable bags, you'll first have to decide how many you'll need. I grocery shop once a week, buying for two adults and two kids. I guessed we'd need about 10 bags (turns out we usually only use about 6 -- you can pack a lot in one of those bags!). You can get them at most major stores for $1-$1.50, not much individually, but if you buy them all at once it could really skew your weekly grocery bill. So I bought 1-2 bags each week for a few weeks, until I had enough collected.

You may want to scout out the different designs available at different stores. Some are very decorative, others pretty simple. I wasn't sure I wanted to be a walking advertisement for any one store, but found some fairly plain black bags at Wal-Mart, and I've been satisfied with them. You'll want to get bags with a flat bottom so they'll stand up nicely when full of groceries. You also want to get bags with a little loop on the back -- makes it easier to store them hanging, and your grocery clerk can hook them over the plastic bag corral easily.

Some people will suggest you buy organic reusable bags. That way you know the bags were produced from cotton that was grown in a healthy way, avoiding any concerns that chemicals in the bags might contaminate your food. If this is a concern for you, ecobags.com is a great place to buy organic shopping bags. I don't have any of my food that just rolls around in my bags, so I'm not personally concerned about trace amounts of chemicals contaminating it.

Many folks will forget about produce bags. If you're like me, you've always used those thin plastic bags at the grocery to carry home your produce, without really thinking about it. Let me suggest you think about it. That little plastic bag gets thrown away and goes directly to a landfill. If you need a bag, try one of these. I also hear Whole Foods has great reusable bags in a variety of sizes, if you have a Whole Foods nearby.

Other ways we use reusable shopping bags:

I allowed the kids to each choose one bag they liked. We use them when I have a short shopping list. Each boy "helps" me shop by carrying his bag through the store and adding items from our list. I usually need to carry a bag, too, for the heavier items. But this keeps the boys occupied and keeps us from needing a cart.
When I'm taking dinner to a friend who just had a baby, I will pick up an extra bag to deliver it in. Looks a little nicer than a plastic bag and the new mom can use the bag for other things.
Toys R Us has very fun designs for their reusable bags. I like to wrap birthday presents in one of their reusable bags instead of a traditional gift bag. It's usually cheaper, won't sit in a landfill, is very decorative, and gives the birthday kid an extra bag to hold their stuff. I add tissue like I would a traditional gift bag (I know, tissue is not very green, but it looks good).
Try to find one bag that can be folded up small and snapped closed. Keep this in the car and you can drop it in your purse if you're going to the mall or running errands. You have the bag if you need it.

Green Mom: Recycling

2010-03-22T16:50:00.004-04:00

Over the past several years, I've adopted one new green habit each Earth Day. With the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in a month, I'd like to share some of the things that have helped me reduce my family's impact on the Earth, improve our health, and save money. Hopefully you'll find one that you can add to your family's routine.

Recycling is a daily habit that can make a big difference in the amount of waste that goes in landfills around the country. It's estimated that the average person generates 3-4 pounds of trash each day. If we gathered all of America's trash for a year in one place, it would be a pile 40 stories tall and over 1000 acres square. Glad that's not in my backyard! According to the EPA, about 30% of each person's trash is recyclable - that could knock about a dozen stories off our giant trash pile each year!

The easiest way to recycle is to join your community's recycling program. Many communities have recycling pick-up just like trash pick-up. Just call your trash collection company, or city hall, to join their program. You'll want to ask which items can be recycled in your area, then be sure to sort your recyclables to match (you'll have to check the number in the center of the triangle on your plastics). Sorting may be a hassle at first, but it won't take long for you to remember the things you use regularly. Just keep a separate trash can in your kitchen for recyclables.

Recycling could save you money. Most trash collectors charge for the size garbage can you use. If you start recycling, you'll throw less waste in the trash. You may even be able to downsize the garbage can you use, and lessen your monthly payment for trash collection. If you don't fill your garbage can each week, check with your trash collection company and see what they can offer you.

If your community doesn't offer a recycling program, you have a couple of options. You could drop off your recyclables at the nearest recycling center. That seems pretty impractical to me, not sure I'd be really excited about loading trash in my car and going out of my way to deliver it. But if the recycling center is convenient, it might be a great solution for you. Another option would be to start a grass roots campaign to begin a recycling program in your community. Contact someone on your city council and ask for their advice and help.
For whatever reason, recycling just may not be your thing. That's fine. Let me suggest you rethink your shopping routine and habits to reduce the waste you generate. Instead of buying a box of single-serve snacks, reduce the package waste by purchasing the larger bag. If you still want smaller servings of that snack, buy some of the little reusable Ziploc containers to divide your snack. You can also use those containers instead of baggies when you're packing a snack for the kids in the car. Instead of buying plastic bottles of juice, buy biodegradable cans of concentrated juice and mix them in reusable pitchers at home. Don't buy anything with an outer package, like yogurt with a lid over the foil seal. Instead of using paper towels to dry spills or clean your windows, buy some bar towels that can be washed and reused. In most cases, these choices will not only save trash in the landfill, but will save you money, too.

No Labels, Just Me

2010-03-18T14:53:00.003-04:00

I started a new, real, paying job in February. Now that both kids are in school a couple days a week, and I have this college degree, and there are things I like to do besides laundry and cleaning (sarcasm), I thought maybe I could do some of those things and use that degree. A friend of ours at church works with a young company that needs some PR work done for them, so we managed to work out an arrangement where I work from home two days a week. I write press releases and a monthly in-house newsletter. I manage their news archives and Twitter feed. I help them find opportunities to build relationships and promote their product. It is good, and they pay me.

Unfortunately, I have run into a bit of an identity crisis. When people ask "What do you do?" I've always easily and proudly answered "I'm a full-time wife and mom." However, this job has opened me up to the possibility that I might someday re-enter the work force full time. Not because we need the money, but because I like PR work and I'm good at it (which are not feelings I always have about mothering *sigh*).

So now when the question is posed to me, should I say "I'm a part-time PR rep."? Although that's accurate, there's a piece of me that says "If I'm a part-time worker, does that make me a part-time mom?" I don't want to be a part-time mom -- I am a mom all the time, it is who I am.

I also don't like the answer, "I'm a working mom." because, seriously, I work two days a week from home. I have total respect for the women who are able to manage full-time jobs and their mothering and household duties -- I have no idea how they do it. I do not qualify for their ranks.

My conclusion is that I am a woman with no labels. I wear many hats, as most women do. I wake up every day and try to love my husband and kids the best I can, contribute to the world in a positive way, and follow God with all my heart. There is a sense of freedom in ridding myself of a label. I feel like God could lead me anywhere, and I'm ready to follow.

So if you ask me "What do you do?" I hope you have some time to kill. My answer may not be simple, and it may change depending on the day. I think I like it that way.

It's Superbowl Weekend!

2010-02-06T09:34:00.006-05:00

The Superbowl is tomorrow! Any football fan knows Superbowl Sunday should be a national holiday, and deserves the same amount of preparation as other holidays. Mom and I have planned the menu for the day (tacos/chips/cookies/etc.) and I've readied my football themed dishes (football-shaped crockpot/snack dish that plays MNF theme when you open it), and I've chosen my wardrobe (Bengals sweatsuit & slippers).

Hopefully the following clip will help you get in the spirit. Disclaimer: I didn't know the answers to most of these questions, either, but it certainly cracked me up! Can't wait to see these guys play!

CNBC's Darren Rovell Gives Hilarious Business Quiz To NFL Players At The Super Bowl
CNBC's Darren Rovell went around Miami quizzing Colts and Saints on the economy.

When asked to identify a picture of the Fed Chairman, the answers varied from "a crook" to "Raj Rajaratnam." After finding out the unemployment rate is 10%, Colts linebacker
Cody Glenn exclaimed: "What's everybody crying about?"

Watch this clip.

Toodles' First Birthday

2010-01-07T00:12:00.008-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TOODLES!

Our goldendoodle, Toodles, turned 1 year old yesterday. She got to wear a special birthday bandanna, ate a birthday bone, and we had a birthday party for her. Here she is opening her birthday present:

Snow Party!

2010-01-06T22:30:00.006-05:00

We had our first snow day of the year on Tuesday, so we decided to have a Snow Party to celebrate. I jumped on Family Fun's website and got a bunch of great ideas. We had a wonderful day!

We started by making an indoor snowman. We wrapped boxes in white felt (leftover from our Christmas village) and taped on felt facial features. The boys were especially excited that he wouldn't melt.

Next we built indoor snow forts by draping batting over some chairs. Not high tech, but the kids had fun. Then we crumpled up pages from a magazine I had in the recycling bin and called them snowballs. Check out this intense snowball fight!

After all that snow play, we needed a snack. We made these snowman-on-a-stick treats with marshmallows and drank hot chocolate, of course.

We ended our party watching Snow Buddies, which Azlan got from Santa this year. We sat in the snow fort to watch the movie and even eat lunch! We had a great snow day and I didn't freeze to death - or have to deal with all the snow gear.

They've already canceled school for tomorrow -- guess I'll have to bust out the snow cream recipe!

New Year, New Mom: Bible Reading

2010-01-01T11:21:00.004-05:00

For the new year, I've established a few new goals to help better myself. I've done OK keeping up with them for the first month, so I thought I'd share what's working for me.

One goal is to develop a daily Bible reading habit. I've tried to do this on my own before, but always faltered after a little while. This year I found John Piper's reading plan that gives me more direction.

This plan provides 4 bookmarks that you place in 4 different parts of your Bible: Old Testament, Psalms/Proverbs, Gospels, the rest of the New Testament. You are led to read a passage from each bookmark every day. One thing I love, is that there are 25 days per month, so the plan gives flexibility for those days you have to miss.

I am really enjoying reading from different sections of the Bible every day. I am amazed how God weaves a consistent message throughout the entire Bible. I would recommend this reading plan to anyone.

Elfed McKees

2009-12-23T20:44:00.000-05:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

There Are Two Wondrous Weeks for Our Christmas Vacation

2009-12-21T23:58:00.007-05:00

The boys and I made these adorable mice for their Christmas parties at school. It was funny having a whole army of mice spread out on the dining room table! We made it a whole mouse theme by reading the Christmas version of "If You Take a Mouse to the Movies" -- so fun! These little mice were super easy and yummy -- we couldn't find cherries with stems, so we used pretzel sticks for the tails. I highly recommend these if you're looking for a way to fill these no-school, waiting-for-Christmas days.

I also highly recommend Family Fun magazine (idea came from them). Usually you can find a deal for the magazine subscription online somewhere, but lots of their ideas are on their web site, too. They have printable games and color pages that kept the kids busy most of Thanksgiving day. I plan to call on some more of their ideas to keep the kids from watching non-stop TV for the next two weeks. Seriously, how much Phineas and Ferb can we watch? Although I love their Christmas special. Take a minute and enjoy!

Our Christmas Village

2009-12-20T21:34:00.004-05:00

For many years my family has set up a Christmas village. I remember growing up we used to play pranks with the village, adding things that didn't belong and my mom would act offended (at least I hope she was always acting). One of my favorite holiday trips would be to see train and village displays, checking out all the intricate details and creative arrangements.

When Matt and I married, my parents gave us a "Start a Tradition" set so we could begin our own village. We've added to it every year (except one year when we actually sold a few pieces, trying to make the village fit in this house). This year we (and by "we", I mean "Matt;" he busted out his old foam carving skills!) constructed a big display in our office so we can properly arrange the village.

Our village is the Department 56 Dickens' Village series. We love the old world look of nostalgic village life. I like to ponder the lives people might have lived back then, considering how very blessed we are with today's modern conveniences, yet how we can be reminded to simplify life.

One of my favorite scenes is the church district. The bride and groom coming out of the church are new to our village this year, commemorating our 10th anniversary. I also love the little girl donating apples and a basket of bread to the parson. I think he'll probably snack on one of those apples before he delivers them to the needy . . .
I call this the government district, since it has the castle and the stock exchange. I made the creek and pond out of satin and decorative river rocks. I think the king likes to sit on that bench while he ponders grave matters of state . . .
This year we decided to start a new tradition and involve the kids in the village, so we've added a North Pole to our village. As you can see, the North Pole Series from Department 56 has a very different look. With lots of colored lights, moving parts, candy, and even some licensed characters (the Mickey Mouse piece is beautiful!), it really draws the boys in. They even helped me make the candy trees in the background. Hopefully we've found a way to take one of our hobbies and begin making new memories for the entire family.
Our village will be up through the month of January. It's always the first thing we put up and the last thing we take downeach year. If you're local, please stop by to take a look!

And now back to our regular programing

2009-12-19T23:49:00.003-05:00

Azlan's preschool class "performed" a couple of songs for the parents at their Christmas party this week. Enjoy these!

Patriot's class had their Christmas program together with the other classes at his school. This is the program in it's entirety. If you take the time to watch it all, see if you can guess why he'll be receiving a handkerchief in his stocking this year. And maybe some coal.

Nothing Says Merry Christmas . . .

2009-12-19T00:12:00.002-05:00

. . . quite like Jack Bauer interrogating Santa.

WARNING: This is NOT family friendly. But you'll love it if you're a "24" fan.

BTW, 2-night 4-hr Season 8 Premiere begins Sun Jan 17th at 9.

Making Seasons Bright

2009-12-17T10:29:00.004-05:00

I enjoy most parts of the Christmas season. However, some traditions I could live without and my Christmas would not be ruined. Those are the things I do kind of halfway -- for example, decorating the Christmas tree. Just doesn't mean much to me. So we let the kids put the ornaments on and they're all in one heavily decorated part of the tree. I considered rearranging them so the tree is evenly covered, but I just don't care that much. Honestly, our tree could be bare and I'd be fine with that.

There are a few, kind of strange, parts of this season that I just love and am willing to put extra effort into. Be prepared, it's an unusual list, but these are the things that make my season bright (besides my family, of course).

1. Wreaths - I have an unexplainable affinity for wreaths. We have a wreath on almost every door of our house. (Couldn't find the wreath for the downstairs bathroom door this year. I personally think Matt "lost" it in the storage shed. I fear next year he might "lose" another, just to harass me.) Our indoor wreaths are very simple, just the greenery and a bow. Our front door wreaths have some pine cones, but that's it. No reason to mess with God's natural beauty. Our wreaths are artificial, but I daydream about filling the house with live wreaths . . . maybe someday.

2. Bows/Ribbons - I adore beautifully wrapped presents under a tree. (Shoot, I like any present with my name on it, but that's a different story.) Last year I found a Bowdabra on sale and used it to make a few bows -- I was hooked. I determined that this year I would make all my bows, no pre-made bows for me. I'll admit that it's taking longer to wrap gifts, but I think it's so worth it. I also like to decorate the house with ribbon and bows, so I have them tied to the banister and on every wreath. Something about brightly colored ribbon just feels like Christmas to me.

3. Photo Christmas Cards - I love receiving Christmas cards in the mail. We so rarely send snail mail anymore, but the tradition of Christmas cards is classic. The artistic cards with beautiful covers and rhyming prose are meaningful, but I get so excited to receive photo Christmas cards. Even if it's someone I just saw yesterday, I like looking at their picture on their Christmas card. I especially like cards with the entire family included in the photo, but I'll admit that our card this year only has the kids (it's so hard getting everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time!). I confess that I find it a real hassle to send photo Christmas cards and consider not doing it every year, but I like receiving them so much that I always talk myself into sending them.

So there's insight into some of the little things that make my season bright. I also adore Christmas music and movies, that's a trait handed down from my mother which I hope to hand down to my boys (although even the 5yo fought me listening to Christmas music in early November). We also have our Christmas village that I'll discuss in another post.

What makes your season bright? And what could you live without during the Christmas season?

The Perfectionist and The Jokester

2009-12-05T21:14:00.003-05:00

I'm reading "The Birth Order Book" by Kevin Leman with my MOPS group. I haven't finished it, yet, so I'm not going to review it now. But it has caused me to pay closer attention to the developing personalities of my boys, and watch how they mesh with their parents' characteristics.

As described by this book, Patriot is a classic first born. He always has a plan and a schedule, and gets very bothered when things don't go the "right" way. I can identify this in him because I could also be describing myself (I'm also a first born). You can imagine the struggles between us at times. His preschool teacher has noticed perfectionist tendencies, especially when it comes to cutting and writing (she says it takes him forever to write his name). I've been helping him develop the positives in these characteristics by teaching him how to tell time, showing him how recipes work, asking him to help determine the dog's routine, etc. He really seems to flourish in tasks that require precision and routine.

Azlan, however, is the baby of the family. I call him my jokester because he's always thinking up a joke or a prank. The other day he hid the angel from our nativity and replaced it with a monkey figurine. Then he walked around the house "looking" for the angel: Is she in the Christmas tree? Is she under the couch? He played it well -- I really wasn't sure if he was joking or serious. After I gave up looking, he "found" the angel and laughed and laughed. I fear this is going to become a problem in the future (pretty sure I will be the butt of too many of his jokes), but for now his easy-going, light-hearted personality is such a breath of fresh air for me. The difficult parenting piece for me is developing the positives of this personality, since its so different from mine. For now, my focus is giving him enough free time in his routine and wiggle room with the rules (i.e.: not punishing him for messing with the nativity) to allow his creativity to bloom. And helping him realize appropriate times to joke. For a 3-year-old, I think that's enough.

I'm having a ton of fun with this stage of parenting and can't wait to see how God will use these characteristics.

Obey the Rules

2009-11-30T13:26:00.002-05:00

These have been the rules of our family lately:

1. You may not shoot out your car window.
2. Never punch a dragon.
3. No skydiving off the top of the stairs.
4. Don't hit your brother in the head, face, or ears.
5. You have to finish your french fries before you can have candy.
6. No more hanging from the garage door.

I'm such a good parent.

General Fall Fun

2009-11-21T07:39:00.004-05:00

Here are some pics of old-fashioned fall fun. We had a hilarious time playing in the leaves with Toodles (AKA Spaz Dog)! And the boys each had their fall parties at school (I actually helped organize Azlan's, thus more pics). Enjoy!

Happy Halloween - What? It's not Thanksgiving, yet!

2009-11-21T07:31:00.003-05:00

I was the safest trick-or-treater this year because I was accompanied by Batman (Patriot), Spiderman (Azlan), and Superman (Cousin Caedmon). I love Halloween in this neighborhood because everyone sets up in their yards and it's like a giant block party. SO much fun!

Hiking!

2009-11-21T07:24:00.003-05:00

We went hiking at a local nature preserve with some friends. Boys had never hiked before and weren't quite sure why we were doing this. It was a pretty cold day, and being so outdoorsy, I wasn't sure why we were doing it either. But we ended up having a great time and plan to go back!

5 Years

2009-10-18T17:45:00.007-04:00

My firstborn turned 5 years old today. This occasion has led me down memory lane -- join me, won't you?

Seems like it was just yesterday I found out I was pregnant -- it snowed that weekend, in Texas. I vividly remember all the doctors appointments where the baby (and I) grew bigger and bigger. I remember the fears that he'd get too big (which I now believe to be ridiculous, but that's a different soapbox).

We scheduled our induction for Monday, October 18 at 8 AM. The week before I coordinated, and Matt taught at, a conference for children's pastors. It was huge, so was my belly, and my ankles. I was rather miserable, but Matt kept singing to me "Come Monday, it will be all right. Come Monday we'll be holding him tight . . ."

The conference ended on Saturday and our families started arriving. (A definite benefit to scheduling the birth, everyone could plan to be there!) Matt's parents flew in from Kentucky. My mom flew in from Poland. And my sister flew in from Africa. Mom and Joni had only seen pics of me pregnant and Joni almost screamed in the airport when she saw the giantness of me.

Joni hadn't eaten an American meal for years, and I wasn't supposed to eat the morning of the induction, so at midnight we went out for burgers, fries, and ice cream. That was the last meal I ate before my world totally changed.

We got to the hospital and started the paperwork and pitocin. The day progressed slowly. The family played cards while I napped and watched Dr. Phil. Finally, around 7:30 that night, it was time to push. I had chosen to not take any childbirth classes, for fear that they would freak me out, so I had no idea what was normal. Turns out, we weren't. I pushed and pushed but he didn't come. My doctor explained that he had gotten stuck on my pelvic bone, so each push was pressing him into the bone, rather than out the canal. They used a vacuum and out he came. His little face was bruised and squished, but he was otherwise perfect.

(BTW, during all of this pushing business, the doctor was more concerned with Matt than me. Apparently Matt wasn't handling all of this well. Dr. White kept sending him out to get juice and suggesting he sit down. Hello, people, I'm trying to have a baby here!)

I'll never forget the sunny fall day we drove him home from the hospital. I've found a Maya Angelou poem that describes how I felt that day -- and still do.

The moment you came into the world
I tried to see it through your young eyes and
Everything became new again.

The moon became brighter,
The sun warmer,
and the stars even more mysterious.

Yet nothing is as glorious as you.

Happy birthday, my Patriot!

Happy Aluminum Anniversay!

2009-08-22T09:57:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the day I married my best friend. We're celebrating with a trip to New York City in November, so we decided not to really celebrate on the actual day-of. (Plus, we're on a family road trip to North Carolina, so the focus has been packing and getting down the road -- thus this blog post wasn't written yesterday.) However, one of Matt's love languages is gift-giving, so I thought I'd get him a little something to commemorate the day.

Thinking it might be a fun place to start, I looked up the traditional 10th anniversary gift which, according to About.com, is tin or aluminum. "The pliability of tin and aluminum is a symbol of how a successful marriage needs to be flexible and durable and how it can be bent without being broken."

What a beautiful illustration of the place I feel like we've reached in our marriage! After 10 years, we've discovered each others faults, realized we can't change them, and learned to strengthen where the other is weak. After 10 years, we've acknowledged that the goals and plans we had on our wedding day may not all become reality, but we're committed to the adventure that is before us. After 10 years, we've learned that our spouse cannot meet all of our needs (that took some counseling sessions) but it's OK to look to friends, hobbies, and God for some fulfillment.

Right now we are in another "pliable but durable" phase in our marriage. Kids are starting school, I'm looking at taking a job outside the home, and Matt's responsibilities are changing again. Transitions are rarely smooth and easy, but I am confident our marriage will survive to the other side. What will the next 10 years bring? If I've learned anything, it's that I have no idea what God has planned. But I know our aluminum marriage will survive.

So, what gift did I give him? An aluminum water bottle with a cool design on it. He can stay healthy and be green -- perfect!

Teaching Moments

2009-08-07T09:18:00.002-04:00

So we were in the car and we had this conversation:

P: Hey, Mom, I learned something new from Kung Fu Panda.
M: Really, what did you learn?
P: I learned that when we're upset, we're supposed to eat a lot.

WARNING! WARNING! TEACHING MOMENT APPROACHING.
CHOOSE YOUR NEXT WORDS CAREFULLY.

M: Um, well, a lot of people do eat when they're upset, but it isn't really healthy for our bodies. It's best for us to pray to God when we're upset. We could also talk with someone or go for a walk. But you should only eat when you're hungry.

(BTW, I am an emotional eater, so this one was difficult for me, too!)

These are my favorite moments with my boys. They come when I least expect it -- so I have to always be prepared. When they suggest a topic, and I'm able to put together a rational and correct answer for them, then I feel like a successful parent.

Relax, Mom!

2009-07-29T15:04:00.004-04:00

I see her almost every time I go out in public. You've probably seen her, too. She looks like a mild-mannered young mother, often with her little ones and their necessary garb in tow. But suddenly, and without warning, she morphs into a short-tempered, inflexible, ugly, often insulting, beast-mom.

I can hardly go in public without another sighting. The mother in the public restroom degrading her daughter for not moving out of the way so the door can close. The mother in a restaurant completely beside herself because space at the available table won't allow her to put the high chair where she'd like. The mother creating a scene because the only racecar shopping cart is too dirty. Unfortunately, I realize, I see it in myself when the children would rather dance into their carseats than roboticly sit and fasten their seatbelts.

What has so many of us so high strung?

I have some thoughts:
1. Budget stress - For many women, economic security is a high emotional need. Many of us hear the talk in the media, but don't have the time and energy to understand it. The fear of the unknown overtakes us and we begin to worry about our own financial situation. We start scouring sale ads, collecting coupons, reading budget friendly cookbooks, all in an effort to control something that really is out of our control. This additional stress can be a real burden and certainly could shorten our overall patience.
2. High expectations - In this age of select sports and elite preschools, the competition drives many of us set unreasonably high expectations for our kids, and often for ourselves. This sprint to perfectionism will cause all of us to fail. I think sports and preschool and all the other things are beneficial to kids, but we parents have to give our children room to be kids.
3. TMI - The internet is such a useful tool. My kids can watch astronauts take space walks and research the lives of dinosaurs. But it also gives moms every product recall, every research study result, and every medical finding. What mom wouldn't be stressed out to learn that her child's favorite toy is coated in toxic paint, but taking it away could cause feelings of insecurity that could lead to bedwetting!?

So what's a mother to do?
First, learn your own triggers. What causes the beast to rise in you? Then create ways to work around it. It's OK to make lifestyle adjustments to work around your weaknesses. I know that if I don't get time to myself regularly, my patience starts to waiver. So this summer I've had a teenager come babysit one afternoon each week. This gives me time to take a deep breath, get something accomplished, and really just dash in and out of a store. It does cost us a little in cash and mommy-guilt, but it's really so worth it.

Second, count to ten. Will this situation really matter in 10 minutes, 10 weeks, 10 years? If not, calmly let it go and creatively think of a solution.

Third, remember the mom you dreamed you'd be. When we first learned we'd be parents, we all had a picture in our heads of the fun, kind, beautiful mom we'd be. Let that picture become your reality.

Goodbye, beast-mom! Hello, fun-mom!

Oh, The Lessons We Learn Through Parenting

2009-07-22T08:12:00.004-04:00

One day a farmer asked his son to move a boulder out of the field. The son ran out and pushed the boulder, but it was too heavy and wouldn't budge. He ran back in to Dad and declared he couldn't do it. The farmer sent the son back out saying, "Try again, you can do this."

The son went back and really put his shoulder in it, pushing as hard as he could. The boulder didn't move. He laid on the ground and pushed with his legs, but nothing happened. He tried taking a running start to push the boulder, but it didn't work. Discouraged, the son came back to the farmer and said, "Dad, I tried everything, but I just can't move that boulder."

"You haven't tried everything, yet," the farmer explained. "You haven't asked me for help." Together, the farmer and his son went to the field and easily rolled the boulder away.

Our guest speaker at church this weekend shared this story and it really struck a nerve with me. Initially because so often my boys will whine and complain about a task I've asked of them. If they would calmly and politely ask for help, I'd be happy to help them accomplish it. Instead, their whining usually ends in disciplinary action and we still have to finish the task.

Then I started to think about myself. I wonder how often I do the same thing with God. He gives me a task. I try to complete it in my own strength. When I can't do it, I whine and complain instead of asking Him for help. I can think of specific things I've given up on rather than ask God for help.

When will I learn asking the Creator of the universe for help should be my first response to any task?

So, Matt's Out of Town

2009-04-30T17:41:00.004-04:00

. . . at a conference for about 5 days this week. The boys and I are getting along fine, with a lot of help from Grandma, Grandpa, Nana, and Papaw -- and American Idol. Before he left, Matt and the boys recorded this Two-Minute Tuesday about what we'll do while he's gone.

Matt's plane left at 11:10 on Tuesday morning. At 11:30, this is what we were doing. We wasted no time mourning his departure.

We've also been conducting our own version of Clean Sweep in preparation for an upcoming yard sale. The boys have been so good about cleaning through their toys that I'm treating/bribing them with Chuck E. Cheese tonight. So Daddy's missing a lot of fun.

But I think he's having some fun of his own, too. This was recorded last night, or maybe very early this morning . . .

Brown Bag Lunch from Kenny Conley on Vimeo.

Maybe we need an air hockey table

2009-04-21T09:58:00.005-04:00

Here's video of the boys playing air hockey with two leftover plumbing pieces and a quarter on the ottoman. Very resourceful!

BTW, the plumbing pieces laying around the house should give a little insight into how our weekend went -- flooded basement, couldn't find the replacement part, water turned off for 24 hours, had to move in with in-laws, shower repaired, all is well now.

Our Latest Addition

2009-04-08T13:35:00.005-04:00

Five weeks ago Matt and I made a fateful decision that will forever change the face of our family. We decided to get a dog. We'd been thinking about it for several months, considering it for Christmas, but the time wasn't right. Thought we might wait until Azlan was potty trained, but that could be forever. So after much research into breed characteristics, one weekend we decided this was the weekend we were going to get a dog.

Enter, Toodles . . .

Toodles is a golden doodle, which means her mom was a poodle and her dad was a golden retriever. Her breeder says she'll be 45-50lbs full grown, and should shed very little, both things that were very important to us.

We've had a lot of fun with Toodles over the last five weeks. Here's very bad video of her playing in the yard with the neighborhood kids. She also likes to take walks around the block and loves to be cuddled.

We've also had a lot of frustration with Toodles. She bites everything -- including the children, to the point that they don't want to be around her. She's having difficulty with housebreaking. The vet says she's a slow learner. She barks anytime she's in her crate and knows we're in the house. The vet said to ignore it. She's out-of-control wild. The vet offered us a Ritalin prescription, and he was serious. This is what she tends to look like to us.

So today is Toodles 3-month birthday. For her birthday present, we're getting her puppy obedience classes. I'm determined she's going to be a nice family pet someday. This is the best birthday portrait I could get of her.

I'm buried somewhere under the pile of laundry.

2009-04-06T14:13:00.005-04:00

You may be wondering what I've been doing lately. Perhaps this pic will help you understand why I've not been blogging.

This is the pile of laundry I have to sort, clean, fold, and put away today.

Oh, how I wish I had a Laundry Fairy who could come in and help me. Enjoy the following video to see what I mean. I think many of you will relate to it. When you pass this video on, All Small and Mighty will donate to a designated charity.

I'm Dreaming of a White and Sandy Beach

2009-01-16T22:11:00.012-05:00

I awoke this morning to a thermometer that read -3 degrees. That was the temp! The wind chill was something like -4000! So my thoughts have naturally wandered to daydreams about summer vacation on a warm beach. In case anyone else has fantasies like mine, let me tell you about my vaca last year, because it was fabulous and I'd highly recommend it!

Matt and I took the boys to Beaches Family Resort (they advertise after every Sesame Street episode, that's where you've heard it before). There are several locations, but we chose Beaches Boscobel in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. It is an all-inclusive family resort.

Let's run down the highs and lows of the trip for you:

THE HIGHS:
1. Sesame Street - Because Beaches has partnered with Sesame Street, the Sesame characters are part of the resort. Three evening each week they perform a live stage show with singing and dancing, sets, etc. Every day has kid's activities like Dancing with Zoe, Baking with Cookie Monster, and Storytime with Elmo. My boys thought they had entered some magical Sesame Street land.

2. All-inclusive - Our room had a little fridge in it. When we arrived it was fully stocked with tiny cans of juice and sodas. I assumed it was like a hotel mini-bar and those tiny cans would cost a ton. Then another family told us they were free. So we let the boys have a can of juice in the morning before breakfast. The next day, it was restocked. It became a little ritual for us to have juice on our balcony and watch the sun come up every morning.

Kids Camp was open from 9 am - 6 pm every day. Your kids could stay there all day long for free. They took them swimming, fed them lunch, took them to craft time, gave them naps. They had daily themes like Olympics day when they had Olympic events on the lawn. There was a pirates day and a birthday party day. The kids loved it! They asked to go to kids camp every morning. So we dropped them off and would spend the morning lounging by the pool or on the beach. (We did get a copy of the Kids Camp schedule and would drop in when our guys were doing something worthy of a photo. It was fun surprising them!) Matt and I ate a nice lunch without cutting anyone else's food and would pick them up after naptime for an evening together. It was all included in the resort price!

3. Such service - Every member of the restaurant staff learn our kids names and often what they liked to drink, too. The Kids Camp staff knew what my kids liked for lunch and their favorite toy. There was always a clean towel at the beach. The lifeguards taught Matt how to do tricks off the water slide. No matter what we asked, it was met with "No Problem."

4. The pools - There were several pools on the resort, but we preferred those with water slides. Two pools had three levels of water slides: one was appropriate for Azlan, one appropriate for Patriot, and one appropriate for Matt and me. We had so much fun cheering for each other when we'd slide down and laughing when we fell in. The toddler pool also had fun toys that the boys could climb and splash with. Great stuff!

THE LOWS:
1. Travel day - I know customs is always long, but it seemed so much worse in Jamaica. Maybe it was just because we were waiting with a cranky toddler and a restless preschooler, but it was brutal. And the resort was a 2 hour bus ride from the airport. They don't tell you that in the brochure.

2. Fabric table clothes + no lids - At dinner, every restaurant had beautiful place settings with table clothes, real silverware, and glass glasses. No lids, no plastic plates or forks. We spilled or broke something at almost every meal. I think we ruined at least 4 table clothes. The servers were always very "No problem" about cleaning the mess and were pretty quick about it, I think because they had so much practice. I guess Beaches is trying to give the grown-ups a nice meal, but a plastic cup with a lid would really help.

3. Food variety - Matt was disappointed in the restaurant options. There are three family restaurants, a family buffet, and an "adults-only" restaurant. I thought it was fine, but we've heard that other resorts have more choices.

4. Tiny beach - For a place called Beaches, we expected a pretty nice beach. Not so much. It was maybe a football field in length and 50 feet wide (I'm not very good with distances, but it wasn't big). Taking a stroll on the beach was only a two minute excursion. It was lined with comfortable lounge chairs under palm tree awnings, perfect for reading a book and listening to the ocean. And we had lunch at the grill on the beach, definitely a memory.

5. Time change - My kids wake up at 8 am no matter what happened the night before. Because of the time change, they were ready for bed and cranky at 6:30 (some nights we didn't even survive dinner before they broke down) and woke up at an obscene hour in the morning. This could happen on any trip, but it's something I wasn't prepared for.

All in all, we had a wonderful time. I'd love to do it again and would recommend Beaches to any family. (There were teen activities if you have an older kid.) You can check out more pics on my Facebook page.

Top 5 Ways I Know I Have Boys

2009-01-10T09:40:00.002-05:00

5. Our conversations are consumed by Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
4. My kitchen towels and chip clips have morphed into capes.
3. I found Lego pieces in the dishwasher.
2. My children really want me to burp the ABCs.
1. We had to make a "no guns at the dinner table" rule.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T09:25:00.003-05:00

The McKees (and Abby Cadabby) want to wish you a merry Christmas! We did one of these last year, but when I saw the new dances I just couldn't help myself. Enjoy

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I've been tagged!

2008-12-21T16:58:00.003-05:00

My sister tagged me for this photo game, and it's easy enough so I thought I'd play along. I'm to go to where I keep pics on my computer (iPhoto), choose the 4th folder and post the 4th pic without editing or cropping.

So here it is! This is Azlan during the summer, so he must be about 8 months old. He's in our living room just playing with toys and being cute. I think he was just learning to stand, so I've got him wedged between the couch and the ottoman. The funny thing is that we've totally rearranged our house, don't even have a couch downstairs anymore, and don't own that couch at all.

Now I'm supposed to tag 4 people, so I'm going to tag Debra, Starr, Lydia, and Matt. Do you think Matt will play?

Are we two-years-old?

2008-12-20T10:54:00.002-05:00

The following took place in our kitchen this morning . . .

Azlan: Mommy, I have some candy?
Mommy: No, we're going to eat breakfast. No candy before breakfast.
Azlan: Daddy, I have some candy?
Daddy: What did mommy just say?
A: (pause, then with hesitation) I need more candy . . .
D: Are you sure that's what she said?
A: Um, yes . . .
D: Do you know that I was standing right here and heard what she said?
A: Um, yes . . .
D: Are you lying to Daddy right now?
A: Um . . .
D: Daddy is answering you the same way Mommy did. You may not have candy until after breakfast.

So we found stickers on sale today . . .

2008-12-15T17:33:00.001-05:00

Patriot's Premiere

2008-12-08T10:33:00.006-05:00

This weekend Patriot participated in his first Christmas musical, and made his first onstage appearance (without Mom or Dad). He did great! He loved performing -- you could tell. We had one hiccup that gave me a parenting dilemma, though. Let me tell you about it.

They had three performances this weekend. One was Saturday night for some inner-city kids and any grandparents, etc who couldn't come on Sunday. The gang all came to see him at this show and he was wonderful. The other two were for our two services Sunday morning. The early service was good, he performed as practiced. The second service was a different story.

On the last song of the last performance, Patriot decided to pull his shirt up to his armpits and dance around. I was horrified. I have never seen him do this before. Ever. Why did he pick the church stage in front of a packed house to show off his abs? I have no idea. Then he started tugging at the waist of his pants. I was dumbstruck -- frozen in time and space. I was in the audience on the other side of the room and could never get to him in time to stop what might happen. This was the first time I've ever seen him misbehaving but was totally unable to do anything about it. The crowd thought it was hilarious. I didn't find it as funny.

(Side note: Matt had to come out and close the show by thanking all the volunteers, so he was backstage during all of this. He had no idea it was his son causing the commotion. If only he could have seen and stopped it.)

The show remained G-rated, but that didn't stop the jokes. I sat shellshocked in the auditorium as people filed past. "Didn't know Patriot was an exhibitionist," laughed someone who doesn't have kids yet. "Really enjoyed the strip tease," joked someone whose kids are grown and must have forgotten what this moment was like.

Before I went to pick Patriot up, I took a moment in the empty auditorium to collect my thoughts and pray about how to handle this situation. Some of you are probably thinking I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe, but please remember that Matt and I have been in children's ministry for a long time. We've seen lots of misbehavior, from kids and their parents. We've seen parents in this situation compliment their kid for "expressing himself." We've seen parents get mad at the church for allowing their child to act this way (still don't understand that one). We've seen parents pull their children out of preformances, never to participate in a childrens musical again. I knew none of those options seemed appropriate for us.

But what was?

Funny thing is that I never expected to be in this situation myself. In all the times I'd critiqued other parents, I'd never once thought about what I'd do. I didn't think my kid would ever behave that way. This is pretty unlike me. I tend to spend my moments sitting in waiting rooms or at stoplights thinking about "what would I do if . . ." Kind of a sick hobby, I guess. But I'd never run through this scenerio.

Here's what I did.

The first thing I did was hug Patriot and tell him what a good job he did singing on stage and remembering all the motions. I told him I loved seeing him smile really big on stage. "But then you made a mistake, Patriot. You lifted your shirt onstage, and that wasn't the right thing to do. We sing to show God how much we love him, and being silly onstage is not respectful towards God. Mr. Tim and the other kids worked hard to make this a nice show. We need to go tell Mr. Tim you're sorry for being silly and ask him if he'll let you be in the show again next year, so you can try to do better."

Patriot didn't like the idea of apologizing to Mr. Tim, but discipline isn't supposed to be fun, right? We made our way through the crowd with all their jokes and found Mr. Tim. It wasn't Patriot's best apology, but we got through it. Mr. Tim didn't even realize Patriot was the kid everyone was talking about, but once he stopped laughing he accepted Patriot's apology.

Next we went to apologize to Daddy. We got through that one, too, but not without some drama. I could see in his eyes that Patriot was starting to like all the attention he was getting over this misdeed, so we made a hasty exit from the building.

I will never speak of this incident again. I think at this moment we have the perfect balance of "what I did was wrong" without entering the "my wrong behavior got me a lot of attention" zone. I'm afraid any more attention might push him into the danger zone for more misbehavior next time. If you're local, please don't mention it to him.

Parents, have you ever had to deal with this type of behavior? How did you do it?
Church workers, what have you seen parents do that seemed appropriate?

Below is video of Patriot being good onstage yesterday. He's the second boy from the left in the front row. You can see the light in his eye while he performs. We really might have a rockstar on our hands. (Sorry the video quality is so bad. I hope it doesn't make your eyes bleed looking at it.) Rumor is that footage of "the incident" is on Facebook already, but I'm not telling you where.

Peppermint Tea

2008-12-04T21:28:00.004-05:00

I was in the grocery today and remembered I had a coupon for Celestial Seasonings tea. Last Christmas I really enjoyed their peppermint tea, so I decided to buy another box today. I brought it home and unloaded all my groceries. As I put the box of tea away, I noticed another box of tea on my cabinet shelf. I started digging around and discovered this:

I had all this tea sitting on the shelves of my cabinet and pantry. Here's the ironic thing: I'm really not a tea drinker. I like the idea of drinking tea. I admire those women who can sit and enjoy an afternoon cup of tea. I really want to be a woman who tucks the kids in bed, then curls up with a cup of tea and a good book. I want to be her, but I'm not. And I keep buying tea hoping I'll eventually become that calm, relaxed woman who is so together that she has nothing better to do than sit with a warm cup of tea.

Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are his (God's) workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." God created us to be who we are. Do we sometimes stray from the good works He created us to walk in? Sure. But He accepts me exactly as I am -- and I should do the same.

So, right now, I'm going to go brew a cup of peppermint tea and try to forget the mountain of laundry that needs to be folded.

Charlie Brown for this Generation

2008-12-03T11:18:00.004-05:00

We introduced the boys to Charlie Brown this Thanksgiving. We'd been given the "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" DVD, so we took it to Nana's house for the kids to watch while the grown ups watched football in the other room. They made it about halfway through the first episode before they totally lost interest. I was afraid Charlie Brown might be a little slow compared to the Imagination Movers and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse that are our current favorites.

We went to Wendy's for a quick dinner on Monday night and their kids meal toys were Charlie Brown. So we've been able to reintroduce the boys to Snoopy and the gang through the Wendy's stickers and toys. I think they're starting to warm up to the classic fav.

Then I saw this on my old friend, Jeff Prosser's, blog. The boys loved it, of course. Azlan was dancing and beatboxing along with the music. So we might get them into Charlie Brown after all. Enjoy this little clip.

The Day for "Redemption"

2008-11-23T14:05:00.005-05:00

Today, November 23, is the day that Jack Bauer and the cast of "24" return to TV. It is a day which I've been anxiously anticipating for 18 months. The writer's strike did what Russian terrorists, Colombian drug lords, and a Chinese prison couldn't do -- stop Jack Bauer. Today he will return, in Africa.

Jack has a long history with our family. During those early weeks after Azlan was born, those weeks when days and nights are all the same, Jack provided a much needed distraction. Matt rented seasons of "24" and we'd watch episode after episode during feedings. Watching Jack torture people with a cigar cutter somehow made all of the diapers, spit up, and crying more bearable for us. I did wonder if all the shooting noises might somehow affect the subconscious of my precious newborn, and I decided it was OK.

But the writer's strike took away our beloved "24" just when we'd caught up to the current season. Then the lead actor was put in jail for a DUI. Then another key actress had a baby. Then the NFL season started and Fox knows better than to run "24" against Monday Night Football. But finally, tonight, we get a two-hour "prequel" for the 7th season starting in January. I will have my popcorn ready.

Enjoy this preview to determine if "24" is your cup of tea.

We're Still on the Road

2008-11-17T22:13:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago we took the boys to the planetarium for the first time. Patriot LOVED it and has started on this kick about space, astronauts, planets, and stars. This interest has been furthered by a couple of Star Wars video games (Wii and Leapster) that he's been playing lately. We now have a full blown obsession.

So today I decided to not be annoyed by the obsession but instead to play into it. Today he wanted to blast off in a rocket ship and go fight the bad guys in space.

OK, I said, let's go downstairs and build a rocket ship. We got out our play tools and our plastic mega blocks, all ready to build a rocket ship. Azlan and I put together a pretty nice little rocket ship, but Patriot sat with his arms crossed critiquing our work.

When we were done he announced that this rocket ship was not big enough for us to get in. We needed to go outside, get some wood, and build a big rocket ship, he decided.

Well, no, we can't build a rocket ship out of wood because it would catch on fire when we blast off into space, I explained. We'll just pretend to go onto our nice mega blocks rocket ship through this little door, we'll sit down, put on our seatbelts and countdown for blastoff!

Then Patriot got a great idea: we need to turn our car into a rocket ship. It's big enough for all of us to get in and put on our seat belts!

OK, I said. We found a remote for an old toy and covered it in aluminum foil. We printed off pictures of a rocket ship and taped them to our remote, completing our "button" that could turn anything into a rocket ship.

By now, it was naptime, so we decided we'd all get a good rest and blast off after naps. At Patriot's insistance, we "plugged in" the button so it could "charge" while we napped.

They napped a little longer than I expected and I had a Mary Kay appointment tonight, so Daddy was nominated to blast off with them this evening. According to Matt, here's how it went:

Matt hung the button on the rear view mirror and started the car. They counted down, pushed the button, yelled blast off and he hit the gas pedal. After a few moments looking out the window, Patriot was disappointed.

Daddy, it didn't work. We didn't blast off. We're still on the road.

Well, Patriot, were pretending we blasted off and we're flying in space.

No, Daddy, we have to go into the dark to go in space. We have to go off the road. Maybe the button needs to charge longer.

Guess we haven't perfected the "pretending" idea yet. But I will encourage this interest in space. I've always had a special fascination with space myself. Maybe we have a future astronaut in our house.

What do your kids do while you're on the computer?, Part 2

2008-11-12T14:56:00.005-05:00

Today I was trying to meet a deadline so I had to work on the computer while Patriot was at school (usually our "Azlan and Me" time). After he deleted some text, pulled books off my shelves, and turn the power off on the computer, I ejected him from the office and told him to go play. I heard him throw the laundry downstairs, but figured it needed to go down there anyway so I wouldn't intervene. I kept working and suddenly realized it was way too quiet. Here' s why:

Guess all that mischief wore him out. He may not sleep at naptime now, but at least I got my project done!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T16:28:00.005-04:00

We had a great time for Halloween last night. Here are some pics!

We made these pumpkin shirts ourselves! (Idea from Family Fun Magazine) First the boys helped put the rubber bands on the shirts to tie-dye them. Then we each picked out a pumpkin face online and I stenciled them on the shirts using fabric markers. Pretty cool family project, but Matt was called the dorkiest dad on the street so he says he'll never wear his again.
Here's Super Mario and Froggie just before Trick or Treating. Aren't they cute?
This is after the festivities and Mario, Froggie, and Frankenboy (Cousin Caedmon) are in a candy stupor. But none of them wanted to take off their costumes . . .

Democracy

2008-10-26T11:02:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about whom I'm going to vote for in this year's Presidential election.

I listened to both candidates' acceptance speeches at their party's convention (while on vacation, I might add), and I had a pretty strong feeling who I liked best. One candidate talked about education in the way that I think my family would benefit most (can you believe we'll be starting school while this candidate is in office!?). That was important to me. He said a few other things that sounded good to me, but I've not been terribly convicted on much of it.

Then I started hearing all the talk and listening to TV commercials. That just got me confused. I think most of those TV attack ads are so specific and taken out of context so that you can't take any of it seriously. But it is so easy for those messages to get in your head and start to make you doubt.

Next I watched a couple of the debates. What a waste of time. No one answered the questions appropriately and instead just spewed out their canned lines. How ridiculous.

Then the economy went crazy and I started feeling the pressure to make the right choice, knowing it could affect our family's situation. The problem is that I don't understand what went wrong, so I don't understand the possible solutions. Now I'm stressed about making my choice, but more confused about what that choice should be.

Just recently different leaders have stepped up endorsing one candidate or another. They know what they're talking about, right? They understand what's going on, right? Maybe I should just follow their lead.

This weekend I was talking with a friend about all of this. She said the choice seemed simple to her. She was going to vote for the candidate who agreed with her Christian views on life and family. She said the Bible was pretty clear on those two issues, and as long as we as a country follow Scripture on those absolutes, the things that may not seem as clear (economy, war, health care) will fall in place behind.

Well, here I hit a real problem. I believe the Bible and choose to follow God in my decisions (as best as I can). But there are Americans who have chosen not to follow God. They define life and family differently than me and, I believe, differently than God. So what about the separation of church and state? What about choice? Should I vote for a candidate who will make God's laws our country's laws, when there are people in our country to say that isn't right for them?

Wow . . . it is so easy to let relativism sneak into your thought pattern when you aren't diligently guarding your mind.

So this morning I was blessed to have a vomiting child and we had to stay home from church. On the rare occasion that I don't attend Horizon, I like to watch Ed Young back at Fellowship. So I logged on to FellowshipChurch.com this morning and found his current sermon series is called "Politicked." Ed is talking about how he is ticked off at politics in our country. I listened to both sermons that were online and they were totally helpful.

Isn't it awesome how God meets us right where we are and speaks to us the way we need to hear?

I recommend you listen to both messages, even if you already know who you'll vote for. The first goes through issues our country is currently facing and helps Christians determine God's perspective. The second goes through qualities that we should seek in any candidate who deserves our vote.

More than anything, these messages armed me with the Scriptural ammunition to boldly enter that voting booth and support the candidate who will promote Jesus in our government.

Either the Best or the Worst Mom Ever

2008-10-16T16:37:00.003-04:00

Today I was either the best or the worst mom ever, depending on who you ask.

Patriot's birthday is this weekend and I'm making cupcakes to take to his school Tuesday (best mom ever). I purchased a new cupcake baking stone from my sister, a new Pampered Chef consultant (best sister ever?). Since I'd never baked cupcakes in a stone before, I thought I'd better do a practice batch before we needed the school cupcakes. So this morning I let the boys help me mix up some cake batter (best mom ever) and we filled the stone and a regular cupcake pan. Here's a pic of the boys watching the cupcakes bake (is that like watching paint dry?):

The cake mix box (you don't have to make cupcakes from scratch to qualify for best mom ever, do you?) said they should bake for 19-23 minutes, so I set the timer for 19. Both the stone and the regular pan were done at that earliest time -- very impressive to me because I tend to do the "one more minute" thing for 10 minutes. Here's how they looked right out of the oven:

We whipped up some buttercream icing using this super easy and super yummy recipe. Then we used our Pampered Chef decorator bottle set to decorate the cupcakes and here's how great they look! I think we'll color the icing for the school cupcakes next week. He wants green.

My general review of the stone is that it's pretty great! The cupcakes baked evenly and quickly and actually seem taller and fluffier than the cakes from the regular pan. I did use cooking spray, but I could pull the cakes right out of the stone with my hand. I love that I don't have to use the paper liners because I think those are just messy when the kids are trying to eat.

So here's why I might be the worst mom ever: we lost track of time while baking and didn't have time for lunch before school today, so I fed the boys cupcakes and water for lunch! Delicious, but not nutritious. Please don't tell CPS.

HELP!

2008-10-06T15:36:00.004-04:00

My dishwasher has gone bonkers and I have no idea how to fix it. For almost a month, my dishwasher has been leaving this white film on my dishes.

It has gotten progressively worse. Now after I run the dishwasher I have to take everything out and wipe it clean with a wet paper towel and then wipe it with a dry towel. If I let them air dry, the white returns.

I've tried four different detergents but saw no difference. I added some Jet Dry (which I don't normally use) but saw no difference. I've tried cleaning out the dishwasher by running vinegar through a cycle, but saw no difference.

Until we get this fixed, I'm back to hand-washing everything. It's actually more efficient than running it through my dishwasher.

Any ideas? I'll take any advice you've got.

Conversations with Patriot

2008-10-05T21:42:00.004-04:00

Yesterday . . .
Patriot: Where's Daddy?
Me: In Texas.
P: Why's Daddy in Texas?
M: Watching the Bengals football game.
P: Is Daddy in Heaven?
M: No, Daddy's in Texas.
P: Is Texas Heaven?
M: No, Texas is a place on earth. Heaven is where God lives.
P: Will Daddy come home from Texas?
M: Yes, in a couple of days.
P: Will Granny come home from Heaven?
M: No, people don't come back from Heaven because Heaven is such a great place.
(pause)
P: Where's Daddy?
sigh . . .

This morning we were eating Chocolate Chip Special K cereal . . .
P: Look! I have two chocolate chips stuck together!
M: Wow! That's a bonus!
P: What does bonus mean?
M: Bonus means you get a little bit extra.
(pause)
P: What does bonus mean?
M: What did Mommy just say bonus means?
P: Bonus means it's healthy for you.
M: No, bonus means you get a little bit extra.
sigh . . .

Wool Fest

2008-10-04T21:06:00.006-04:00

We've started an annual tradition the first weekend in October. We attend Wool Fest with friends from church.

Wool Fest celebrates all things wool with sheep shearing and dog herding exhibits, spinners making yarn, and knitters weaving fabric. The many other country festival activities include performances by cloggers and harmonica players, homemade sorghum and root beer, deep fried everything, and an old fashioned blacksmith.

The kids love the petting zoo . . .

. . . and the pony rides . . .
. . . and the food . . .

. . . and the unusual freedom to get into stuff.
We really enjoy this country adventure, but seem to endure some mishap every year that makes us rethink attending next year. Wool Fest is in Falmoth , KY, just over an hour from the Cincy area. But, because it is literally located in the "holler," the road system is not designed to handle the amount of traffic this popular event attracts. Last year we waited about 40 minutes to get into the parking field. Fortunately we'd packed plenty of snacks because we were still sitting on the road at lunch time.

This year we wisely decided to leave earlier and hopefully beat the rush. It worked and we had relatively no wait to get in and park. In fact, my accidental shortcut (discovered with a wrong turn that got me there anyway) had us arriving so early that we were one of the first ones there and guided to park in the far side of the field. After our fun-filled day, we loaded back into the car ready to leave and made our way into a line of cars that was not moving.

I had not expected this delay but quickly figured out the problem. It's like when you park at the top of the parking garage at a downtown sporting event or concert. The bottom levels have to clear out before the top levels get to leave. Since I'd arrived so early and parked in the back of the lot, I'd have to wait for the front to clear before I could leave. So I accepted that we'd be waiting a few minutes and we pulled out the treats we'd purchased to take home (rock candy for the boys and cinnamon roasted almonds for me - yum!).

After a half hour my acceptance had turned to frustration as we still hadn't moved. I could see the cars in the front of the field moving, but we never got our chance to go. Does anybody already know the reason? Let me tell you: The difference between this situation and that of a downtown sporting event is the finishing time. The downtown event ends at a certain time and everyone leaves. This festival was ongoing, so people were staggered leaving and the front of the parking field never cleared. (And I suspect some from the back of the field were getting through and driving around to the front.)

We sat there for an hour (precisely 53 minutes, not that I was counting) before one of the poor parking volunteers stationed in the back convinced the volunteers in the front to hold their rows and let those of us in the back drive straight through. I don't know how they handled the situation the rest of the day, but I sure hope they figured out a solution.

Now I'm stuck with the quandry of what to do next year. If I arrive later I'll have to wait to get in. If I arrive earlier I'll have to wait to get out. Any creative suggestions?

Abby and Preschool

2008-09-17T21:05:00.005-04:00

My big boy started preschool last week.

The first day was orientation, so Matt and I went with him, but last Wednesday was his first day at school without us. It was the weirdest thing being at home and thinking, "My son is at school right now." His class is called Barkley's Bunch and it's all 3-year-olds.

Here his is with his teacher, Mrs. Beth. You can see Mrs. Annette in the background. She's the room assistant.

He's enjoying school and tells me all about the letter (R), color (red), and shape (rectangle) of the month. I hear about cookies and pretzels for snack time and riding the bikes on the playground. However, today was the first day I've heard about another kid in his class. Before we were even in the car he announces, "I invited Abby to come to my birthday party. You need to call her Mom."

I did one of those confused-dog head tilts and asked for the rest of the story. Apparently Patriot plays with Abby and Hannah the most. He's nice to both of them, but Abby has light hair and was wearing a green shirt (his favorite color) so he invited her to his birthday party. OK.

I have my first Parents Auxiliary meeting tomorrow morning, so I'll have to try to find Abby's mom. I'm also trying to find someone who lives nearby and can carpool with me. I had no understanding how much time would be spent dropping off and picking up my child from preschool. It is seriously an hour a day, and that's if I manage to get out of the parking lot before the elementary school lets out. Trust me, I made that mistake last week and don't plan to repeat it!

Another thing I did not expect: How much Azlan misses Patriot during the afternoon. He spends the afternoon saying "Where's Payiet?" and "Aya go scoo too?" The first day he was beside himself as we pulled out of the parking lot with Patriot's carseat empty. We spent so much time prepping Patriot to start school, I never even thought about prepping Azlan, too.

It's hard to believe we've started the 20-year journey through education. I'm expecting many more unexpected adventures!

Can you help a sister out?

2008-09-12T07:26:00.006-04:00

I have a big Mary Kay goal this week. My director has challenged me to sell $1000 by Monday, which would allow me to achieve a company milestone -- and I'm excited about tackling it! Thus far my average week is $300, so this goal is quite a stretch. I think it can be done, but not without some help.

If you have a moment and would be interested in helping, please go to my personal web site and browse the great products. Mary Kay is the best selling brand in the skincare and cosmetics categories, so if you haven't tried it you're really missing out. And your order is 100% satisfaction guaranteed, so if you don't like a color or an item just isn't doing what you thought it would, let me know and I'll make it right!

For this week only, if you purchase $30 worth of product, I'll give you the lipstick of your choice at 50% off.

We also have a ton of incredible holiday products coming out next month, so if you'd like to go ahead and invest in some holiday shopping, you can purchase a Star Certificate from me this week. When you purchase a $100 Star Certificate, you'll receive $125 worth of fabulous Mary Kay product! A $200 Star Certificate will provide you with $250 of wonderful Mary Kay product!

Men, this is a great time to treat the ladies in your life to a "Just Because" gift and earn a ton of brownie points. Just browse these gift ideas and pick the one you like best!

So stop by my web site this weekend. Try a new look on our Virtual Makeover! Think about the events you have on the horizon and the gifts you might be needing. Please let me know if you have any questions or need advice. And help a sister meet her goal! You are appreciated!

They Really Are Different

2008-08-22T08:51:00.003-04:00

The other day I was cleaning up after lunch and Steven Curtis Chapman's song "Cinderella" came on the radio. This song tells the story of a father dancing with his daughter at different stages of her life. It reminds me that my children will grow up quickly and we should take time to enjoy them at every stage, because we know that soon this stage will be gone.

Well, I was not having one of those "enjoying them" moments. They were pulling dishes back out of the dishwasher, tugging at my skirt hem, screaming about this and that, and generally driving me crazy. We've all been there.

But hearing this song inspired me. I wiped my hands and decided to take time to dance with my boys there in the kitchen. I took Patriot's-3yr hands and began to lead him in a waltz around the room. Against his resistance, I tried to spin him and twirl with him. He freaked out and refused to cooperate.

"He used to love to dance with me," I remembered. "Maybe he's just too old now. I'll try with Azlan-1yr."

So I took Azlan's hands and tried to waltz with him. He, of course, followed his brother's lead and would have nothing to do with it. So my feelings got a little hurt and I asked them why they wouldn't dance with Mommy.

Patriot responded, "We'll dance with you Mommy, but that's not how you dance. You should dance like this." And he proceeded to breakdance on my kitchen rug. He was spinning and kicking. I think he might have even done the inchworm at one point. After a few moments, Azlan joined in and they were both cavorting around my kitchen. Looked like if I was going to dance with my boys, it would have to be a breakdance instead of a waltz. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so we breakdanced through Steven Curtis Chapman's beautiful "Cinderella."

I think boys are really different than girls. And I think we're going to limit how much "So You Think You Can Dance?" we'll let the boys watch next season.

Striking the Balance

2008-08-13T15:47:00.003-04:00

I have met so many moms lately who are struggling with the balance of meeting their children's needs as a stay-at-home mom while also making necessary contributions to their family budget. I guess with rising gas and grocery prices, and many people in my circle of friends working to pay off debt, we're all starting to feel the pinch in our pocketbooks.

Mary Kay is offering a career opportunity this month that cannot be beat, and I'd like to tell you about it. Now, I know this isn't a Mary Kay blog, it's a mom blog. But I have found something that works for me and my family, and I want to share it in case it might work for someone else.

First, let me tell you some of my favorite benefits of my Mary Kay business:

The company teaches that our priorities should be God first, family second, and career third. My training even includes quiet time ideas and time management skills to ensure that my time is spent in my priorities. I know some churches that don't even encourage their staff this way -- much less businesses!
We're not just in the cosmetic business, we're in the people business. That means we strive to provide "Golden Rule" customer service. (Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.) I am never asked to "sell" someone on something they don't want. My job is to provide each woman with the tools to help her become the best she can be. Often those tools go beyond skincare and cosmetics to prayer and encouragement!
Because I am an Independent Contractor with Mary Kay, I am my own boss. I determine when I work, how much I sell, and when I'd like to advance in the company. The company offers excellent training (they've been doing this for 45 years and have learned a few things!) but doesn't require anything of me or limit me. Now, if I want to drive a pink Cadillac, there are certain things I have to do to earn it, but I can move as quickly or as slowly as I want toward that goal.

There is a ton more I could tell you about this opportunity, but I don't want this post to be too long. Go to my web site to learn more about our company and products. If you've never had a Mary Kay facial, let me know and we'll schedule one (if you're not local, I'll try to hook you up with a local consultant).

Here's the incredible deal Mary Kay is offering this month: When you sign your contract in the month of August and pay your $100 start up fee (which gives you all of the product and materials you need to do your first 30 faces), and then place an initial qualifying product order with the company (product you're selling to your customers) in August or September , you'll receive a $100 rebate check!

If you can get excited about seeing positive change in your life; If you could think of a way to spend an extra $$ each week; If you desire more time with your loved one's while helping others as well; Please consider this Mary Kay opportunity. Check out Matt's blog to get a husband's perspective on this career. Then contact me and I'll fill in all the details.

Product Recommendation: Apple iPhone

2008-08-10T21:39:00.004-04:00

I didn't think I needed an Apple iPhone. I'm not a high-powered executive who needs to be "plugged in" all the time. I'm not a giggly teenager who needed to text "OMG!" to her "BFF" every twenty minutes. I'm not a tech geek who needs to have the latest thing just because it's the latest thing.

However, Matt let me goof around with his phone and I realized it really could be useful. So when the iPhone 3G came out last month, I used some of my Mary Kay earnings and bought one for Matt, and I took his hand-me-down.

I've now had my iPhone for a month and I LOVE it.

Like so many of you, I wear a lot of hats and this phone is useful in each of my roles.

As a mom, I love that I can download YouTube videos on my phone. This means that while we're waiting in the world's longest line at the grocery store, I can entertain the children with Sesame Street or Veggie Tales videos. I can also download age-appropriate games on my phone, so we can play match games or draw pictures while we sit in the doctor's waiting room. And I don't have to lug around a giant bag of stuff to entertain the kids.

As a wife, I love that I can text or e-mail Matt anytime, anywhere. And it's cool to be able to Google from my phone, so we can settle arguments about "who sings this song?" quickly and accurately.

As a Bible Study leader, I love that I've downloaded the application YouVersion, which allows me to carry the entire Bible on my phone. I can search verses or keywords, switch back and forth between versions, and even sort through commentary about particular verses. This application also gives me a daily Bible reading each day.

As a Mary Kay Consultant, I love that I've downloaded my customer list on my phone. So, with just a couple of clicks, I can have any customer's phone number, address, and directions to her address from my current location. Yes, my phone tracks where I am (similar to a GPS, but not as good -- the 3G actually has GPS). I can also check e-mails and my personal web site no matter where I am, so I can stay in communication with my customers. Plus, since my phone is also an iPod, I can download training MP3s and inspirational songs and listen to them anytime.

As me (like I get "me" time!), I love the application eBooks. I have to admit this was the application I was most skeptical about, but I really love it. eBooks is a web site that sells electronic books. You set up a Bookshelf and then purchase books to add to your Bookshelf. My phone connects to that Bookshelf and downloads my purchased books. Books still cost $5-$25 each, but they stay on your Bookshelf even after you've read them. I thought I'd miss holding a book and turning pages, but this mimics page-turning and the practicality of not needing a physical book is wonderful.

This is what I love about my iPhone after about a month. They are always coming out with new applications, so I'm sure I'll find even more stuff to love about it. With Christmas just a few months away (ugh! it pains me a little to type that), I'd recommend Moms look into asking for one. You won't regret it.

Uh, Oh!

2008-08-07T14:39:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I was in the bathroom getting ready for the day and had left both boys watching TV on our bed. I heard some rustling around and then I heard something that struck fear in my heart:

Patriot-3yr. quietly saying to Azlan-1 yr. "If we whisper, she can't hear us!"

They have learned to conspire against me. I'm in big trouble now.

Unexpected Thrills

2008-07-26T23:01:00.005-04:00

The other day we had some unexpected business to attend to, and I was a good bit irritated that my plan for the day was thrown. As we were running the necessary errands, I actually told the boys, "I know none of us wants to do this, and this is turning into a bad day, but let's just try to be good and get through what needs to be done." Great attitude, Mom!

But when we pulled into the parking lot of the bank, we saw something that peaked all of our interest: a police car, an ambulance, a fire truck, two helicopters, and a crowd of people. My first thought? "Oh, great! There's been some bomb threat and they've had to evacuate the bank. Now we'll have to wait to do our business. Can my day get much worse?" (Remember that bad attitude?) Then I realized the people were not panicked and kids were climbing in all the emergency vehicles. That was my first clue this was not a bomb threat.

We completed our business at the bank and decided to walk across the parking lot and see what was going on. I learned that the library, in the same shopping center as the bank, was having some special event and had brought these vehicles in for the kids. Patriot said he didn't want to get in the firetruck or the police car, but he was definitely interested in the helicopters, so we went over to check them out. He and Azlan both got to sit in the helicopter and pretend to drive (see pics below, taken with my new iPhone, thankyouverymuch).

Driving the helicopter must have warmed them up to the whole idea, so we sat in the police car and got to turn on the lights and the siren, then we climbed into the firetruck and got to turn the big steering wheel. We talked with the police officer and firemen, and generally had a really good time!

Just as we were about to leave, the propellers on the helicopters started spinning and they asked everyone to back up. We were able to watch both helicopters take off and fly away, feeling the warm wind and hearing the loud whir! It really was exciting even for Mom!

So I learned a couple things that day:

A firetruck generally goes about 65 mph. A police car goes about 140 mph. And a helicopter goes about 200 mph. We thought that was very interesting.
I need to just roll with the changes that come to my day, because you never know when the coolest opportunity might pop up.

And who are we today?

2008-07-15T22:02:00.002-04:00

You know how you sometimes see that little girl in the grocery store wearing her Cinderella dress? Or the boy who looks like he's been wearing his Spiderman pajamas for four days straight? When I see those families, I always have to wonder what happened at their house before they walked out the door. Now I know.

Patriot has taken to dressing in strange costumes. I think it started a week ago when I let him get a Batman mask at Wal-Mart. He immediately (meaning, before we left the toy aisle) put it on and assumed the persona of Batman, at least as much as he knows seeing as he's never seen a Batman movie, cartoon, or comic book. As we continued our shopping, we talked about how Batman was a hero who helped people and fought bad guys. Patriot liked that idea and, as long as I referred to him as Batman, actually helped me continue my shopping.

Me: Patriot, do you see any bananas?
Him: No, Mommy, but Batman might.
Me: OK, Batman, do you see any bananas?
Him (in a deep voice): Yes, they are right over there.

This seemed like it could be a pretty good deal for me. So I let him keep the mask on until naptime. As soon as he woke, he wanted it right back. I figured it couldn't hurt any, so I gave it to him. He was Batman the rest of the day and the next day. As time went on, though, we noticed "Batman" seemed to be a little sassier and wasn't afraid to talk back to grown-ups disrespectfully. This is not OK, so we promptly limited the time in the Batman mask.

The next day he asked to wear his Bengals helmet and wanted to wear it all day long. A little unusual, but maybe he's just anxiously anticipating the start of the NFL season (aren't we all!).

We had a sunglasses day. This day he wanted his brother to join the fun, so they both wore their sunglasses. Patriot told Azlan, "Now we're styling."

Today he found a kid-sized life jacket in the garage. You know, the kind you'd wear on a boat. He wanted to wear it and, since we were just goofing in the yard, I put it on him. The boy wore it all morning. He played Wii in the life jacket. He kicked balls in the backyard in the life jacket. He looked like he was just waiting for a flood! Oh, how I wish I had a picture of him wearing the life jacket and the Batman mask at the same time! It was the funniest thing ever.

So where do you draw the line on ridiculous costumes? For me, the line is when my own inconvenience or embarrassment outweighs his desire to express himself through imaginative play. And my embarrassment threshold is pretty high so don't be surprised to see me running errands with Batman!

Remembering Granny

2008-07-12T14:46:00.008-04:00

My Granny died this morning. She was my dad's Mom and lived here in the Cincinnati area. She was survived by her husband of a zillion years, Grandpa Stan, her three children: John, Susan, and Sarah; three grandchildren: me, Joni, and Curtis; and three great-grandchildren: Patriot, Azlan, and Elias. I don't know the exact cause of death. Her health had been failing for a while now, and she was taken to the hospital last night with stroke symptoms. They determined she had fluid in her lungs and carbon monoxide poisoning. I'm sure we'll learn more in time.

I remember a lot about Granny. She always told a story about when I was a child and she was taking me to the zoo. I was upset because I didn't have new sandals, but I apparently pronounced it "sanders," which she loved.

We used to go to Granny's house for Christmas every year and she always made the best pressed cookies! When she started getting sick and couldn't bake anymore, I secretly tried to mimic her cookie recipe every year, but they were never quite right. I'm sure she'd have given me the recipe had I asked . . .

Granny was quite the card player! She played all kinds of different card games, but we played a lot of Uno around her kitchen table.

Granny loved bird watching. I think cardinals were her favorite. She always had a bird feeder or two set up and could tell you about all the different kinds.

She always used to sing the John Anderson song "Just a Swingin'" -- I have no idea why. She was a Cincinnati Reds fan, especially Johnny Bench. But she was always disappointed by the Bengals (just like the rest of us!). She had also gotten into Nascar and had her favorite drivers, but I couldn't keep up with all of that.

Granny was a spirited woman! She kept up with politics and current events and had an opinion about all of it. She and Matt had several friendly sparring matches, but she always won!

I remember she cried when I told her I was pregnant with Patriot. She said, "I didn't think I'd live to see any of my great-grandchildren." Not only did she live to see them, but she attended Patriot's first birthday party. When Azlan was born, she held him for the longest time and then asked us to take him because he was just too heavy.

She requested to be cremated and have no funeral service, so we're going to have a small graveside service for her. If the circumstances are right, I think I might take the boys (or at least Patriot). Neither have ever been to a cemetery or had any real encounter with death. I don't think Granny would mind if they raised a little ruckus.

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

2008-07-01T15:29:00.003-04:00

My little blog is turning 1 today!

Thank you for reading my random thoughts and enduring my endless pictures of the boys. I see my blog as my electronic scrapbook, because we know I don't have time for all those stickers and stamps that come with regular scrapbooks! The boys and I have already been able to reminisce about Halloweens and snow days by scrolling through this blog. Maybe someday we'll look back and remember how Wii-obsessed Patriot is and how Azlan's appetite is never satisfied. Your comments add to our memories, so please keep them coming!

I hope you like the new look! Change is hard and I keep thinking "Maybe I'll just go back to the pink." However, if I've learned anything as a parent, it's to accept and welcome change because it's coming whether you're ready or not!

Now, do they sell blogiversary cake at Wal-Mart bakery?

Why we don't have fine china . . .

2008-06-26T14:27:00.002-04:00

My Boys and Baby Eli

2008-06-25T15:21:00.004-04:00

It's always interesting to see how your kids react to a new baby. You hope they're going to be kind and gentle, playing peek-a-boo and all those adorable things that make great pictures. This past weekend Matt and I took the boys down to Knoxville to meet their new cousin Elias. We had a great visit, and here's the photographic proof.

Patriot did great with Baby Eli. We had talked a lot about it -- even checked books out of the library to read to him and gathered some of our baby toys to take to him -- so Patriot was well prepared. Plus, he'd already survived a baby brother, so he kind of knew what to expect.

Azlan was a different story. He wasn't unkind to the baby, just not really interested. I had to work hard to even get a picture of both of them. Azlan did fuss a couple of times when I held Baby Eli. Otherwise, Azlan just did his thing.

Matt taught Eli about the iPhone -- looks like Eli enjoyed it!

We tried and tried to get a picture of him smiling. I think this is the closest we got. He's really getting to be a cutie!

And who doesn't need another cute pic of my boys? Especially one taken in the bathroom!

Patriot had a couple of milestones on this trip:

He graduated to a booster seat! We've had to scrunch him into his car seat for a while, so I think it's time. He looks so grown up sitting in a big seat with a regular seat belt.
He's nighttime potty trained! It's been some time since he's had a wet Pull-up in the morning, but I'd been scared to give them up. This weekend, however, I forgot to pack any, so we gave it a go. He's stayed dry every night so far!
He's never allowed to go back to Tennessee. Or at least to leave Tennessee. He threw up again when we came home. Some of you may remember our last fateful trip home from Tennessee. Fortunately, this was not a repeat performance and he waited until we got home to throw up. I cannot explain what about this trip makes him sick, but I'm not doing it again. The good news? My sister is moving to Missouri, so we won't have to make any sacrifices.

Justin, Joni, and Elias are doing well and adjusting to life as a family. Check out Justin's blog to hear about their move (and a lot of bad news about gas prices).

Growing Men of Courage

2008-06-18T10:20:00.004-04:00

Since we first saw the baby boy sonograms, Matt and I both had a picture in our heads of the kind of men we want our sons to become. Until this week I've not been able to verbalize this notion. Then I heard this Scripture:

"Be on your guard; Stand firm in the faith; Be men of courage; Be strong. Do everything in love."
1 Corinthians 16:13-14

This passage is found at the end of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians and he is giving them several brief instructions and requests. The Scripture doesn't give any conditions, situations, descriptions, or explanations regarding these 5 instructions. It simply is what it is.

I did a little research online and found this commentary on a blog called "Mentoring Our Boys."

Be on your guard: A call to fight against temptations from Satan, from the world, and from our selves. It also helps guide us toward self-control. Finally, we are called to be alert, always prepared for Jesus’ return.

Stand firm in the faith: The center of what gives meaning and purpose to our lives through Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it is our faith in Christ as our Lord that assures our salvation and it is our identity in Christ that directs our heart, mind and soul to the nature and character of God.

Be men of courage: This proclamation implores us to pursue our divine roles as men. Biblically, we are to be disciples, servants, husbands, fathers and finally, patriarchs. Not all men will be called to fulfill every one of these roles. Some of these roles will be carried out during different seasons of life. To fulfill these roles, we are called to spiritual leadership and servant leadership. We are to be the provider and protector. In this directive from Paul, the original text refers to a masculine courage.

Be strong: Strong in faith, strong in character, strong in perseverance, strong in body. This statement dovetails with our roles as leader, provider and protector.

Do: Implies being proactive, not passive or reactive. “Released from the law…we serve in newness of the Spirit,” proving ourselves “doers of the word.” As the Lord’s Prayer says: “Thy will be done.”

Everything in love: Sums up the law (Galatians 5:14) and implies a selfless, servant attitude.

What an awesome role God has given me as Mother to sons! May He strengthen me to trust and follow Him in every moment I'm given with these young men. And I'm charging you, as family and friends, to join me in raising young men of courage.

Under Construction

2008-06-17T14:29:00.002-04:00

This blog is coming up on it's 1-year anniversary! To celebrate I'm overhauling it's look. On July 1, watch for an exciting new look for Blessed Mom 24/7.

If you happen to notice any strange changes before then, it's just me working on it.

I'm so excited!

Statically Smashing

2008-06-15T15:22:00.004-04:00

Our church doesn't have your typical annual VBS (anyone who knows Matt isn't surprised to hear this). Instead we have a week-long day camp for 3 year olds to 5th graders called Smash Camp. It's technically three camps going on at the same time, we just share an opening session, lunch time, and closing session. This year our three camps were a soccer skills camp, a science learning camp, and a preschool camp. We had 172 kids and almost half of them were preschoolers. Yikes.

Last year I volunteered with the preschoolers thinking it wouldn't be much different than my regular life, just a few more kids and at church instead of home. I was wrong. What I learned is that Smash Camp is a great opportunity for me to have a break from my regular life. So this year I volunteered with the 2nd & 3rd graders. Since I help with the 2nd grade girls on Sundays, I thought it'd be fun to hang out with some of my girls this week. I was right.

Last week was one of the most enjoyable church camp experiences I've ever had. A little history for those who may not know: in my pre-mommy days I was an event coordinator for a children's ministry. Meaning, planning church camps was my life for several years. Although I enjoyed that immensely, it was a LOT of work and a LOT of pressure. We as a staff always worked hard so our volunteers could enjoy their camp experience with the kids and focus on building relationships instead of logistics. My experience this week was testimony that this hard work pays off.

This week I got to know a girl who was visiting a friend from out of state. During the week, her grandfather died. She came and told me about it, and we were able to pray, hug, and cry together. I was so honored that she shared that time with me.

This week I taught a boy some of the basics of prayer. I noticed that every time we prayed, this kid didn't bow his head, didn't close his eyes, did none of the things we do to show respect. At one point I even had to scold him for burping during prayers. (BTW, I'm adding that to the things I never expected to say list: "It is disrespectful to God for us to make burping noises while we pray. If I hear it again you will be in big trouble.") So I asked him about it and learned that he wasn't a regular at church and didn't know much about prayer. How awesome to be able to teach a kid how to pray!

And this week I learned about science with the kids. We had a large group time when the scientists did demonstration experiments that were really cool. We shot rockets, filled a room with evaporating dry ice, froze stuff in liquid nitrogen, and played with electricity. Nothing but good clean fun here! On the last day the scientists brought in a static ball (honestly, I was tired by the last day and didn't catch a lot of the scientific details from this demonstration). At one point she called me on stage to help. This pic shows what happened when I touched the static ball.

As you can imagine, the kids thought this was hilarious and wanted to see more volunteers. So she called Matt on stage. Here's what he looked like.

The funniest part of his hair-raising experience was his legs. Check this out! (You may have to click on the pic to get the full effect.)

All in all, I had a great time at Smash Camp. Even though I volunteered thinking I'd hang out with my girls, I actually spent more time hanging with the boys. I loved watching the way they interacted and anticipating the way Patriot and Azlan will be when they're older. I think I have a lot to look forward to!

On a "proud parent" note: This was the first year Patriot was old enough to actually attend camp. Here he is posing in his room. How cute is he?

Everything I Need to Know I Learned at the Waterpark

2008-06-07T15:30:00.004-04:00

Yesterday Matt and I found ourselves with a free morning, so we decided to take the boys to Boomerang Bay, the water park connected to Kings Island. We have been to Kings Island several times, but never to Boomerang Bay, so we didn't know exactly what to expect.

One thing we did know was that, since we are Kings Island Gold Pass members, we could get in 30 minutes before the park opened. We'd been told this was important because the chairs near the wave pool fill up fast. I don't know about you, but I sure want a coveted chair by the wave pool! Problem: we weren't sure what time the park opened and we didn't know where the wave pool was inside the park.

We arrived just after 10 AM and there was a terrible line at the gate to get in. Matt and I both thought, "Those poor people don't have Gold Passes, so they have to wait while we enter early. Well, membership has it's privileges, right?" I jumped out of the car and walked right up to the gate while Matt gathered the children. It was then that I realized all of these people were also Gold Pass holders and I needed to get in line behind all of them. There went my privileges.

About 10:30 the line started moving and we realized the park opens at 11. We followed the herd through security and had our passes checked. Then we expected to follow them to the prized chairs by the wave pool, only to realize there are chairs all over the place and, at that time in the morning, there were plenty to be had. So we dashed from attractions, slides, and pools scoping out the best place for our young family to plant.

After choosing a great 0-entry pool with a little water slide, several geysers, and a raindrop fountain, we finished our sunscreen coverage and headed into the water. Matt and Patriot were soon off to the bigger water slides but Azlan and I were happy sitting in the shallow water letting the geysers randomly "surprise" us. We enjoyed a light lunch and then went to bob in the wave pool. Soon it was naptime and time to go.

We had a great morning and learned a lot for our next trip to the waterpark:
1. Arriving about 10:30 should be sufficient most days.
2. We can pack a lunch and save ourselves a ton of money and calories.
3. Even spray-on sunscreen needs to be rubbed into the edges of swimsuits and hairlines. We all have red sunburn outlines where our suits had been.
4. Azlan needs to wear a hat, no matter how much sunscreen he has. It's hard to see in this pic, but he has sunburn splotches where the sunscreen was lighter than in other places. (And yes, he has a mouthful of pretzels in this pic.)

It's Time for a Comeback!

2008-05-27T10:57:00.005-04:00

So, it's been 10 weeks since I last blogged. Sorry about that. Sometimes life gets in the way of even the best blogging intentions. So this post is a recap of the things that have happened since my last post.

1. My sister had her first baby! He was born May 21 at 2:34 AM. Measured in at 9 lb 7 oz and 21 in long. Mom and I drove down to spend some time with them. (Kudos to Matt who stayed with the boys for three days! When I came home the dishes were done and the laundry was folded!) Here's a pic of me with baby Elias John Tapp. I'm so proud of my new nephew and his mom and dad!

2. Gas prices have gone up like $1 a gallon. Does anybody remember when gas was $1.89/gallon. Seriously.

3. Matt turned 30! His birthday was May 20. Our family and friends worked together to throw him a surprise party. It was a blast! Here he is about to blow out the candles. He makes 30 look good, doesn't he?

4. I've done about 67 loads of laundry. Read this post to know why that matters to me.

5. I started a new Mary Kay business! I've been a Mary Kay consultant for 2 months, but my business has been open for about a month. I am really loving the opportunity -- having a reason to get dressed every day and being out with people so much. It has been an adjustment for both me and the boys, but I am so blessed to be surrounded by supportive family. And we're already reaping the benefits of Mom's extra cash flow -- so far Mary Kay has bought the boys swim lessons and passports for the our upcoming vacation! Here are some of the awards I've already earned.

6. The cicadas have taken over the world. I've never seen so many bugs in one place before. Wikipedia assures me they are not classified as "pests" but I beg to differ.

7. My boys have grown right before my very eyes. It is such a blessing to overhear them playing together in the next room. I pray they continue to be each other's best friend. Azlan is in the thick of toddlerhood; yesterday between naptime and dinner, he played in the toilet, emptied one of my kitchen cabinets, and spilled red Gatorade on the carpet. Patriot has become so independent he can turn on the TV and set up the Wii all by himself. You should hear him sing "Come Sail Away" on Wii American Idol. What big boys!

Each season of motherhood has it's joys and it's trials. Hopefully this season for me will include a few more blog posts.

Snow Day!

2008-03-17T16:25:00.005-04:00

Like most of the eastern half of the country we had a huge snow storm about a week ago. The weather men were calling it a blizzard and the worst snow storm since 1978. (Actually, it might have been worse than the blizzard of '78, because we had more inches this storm. We just didn't have the same amount of wind so the drifts weren't as bad. I don't really know what criteria is used to judge the worst blizzard ever, but I can tell you it was a snow storm like I'd never seen before.)

Like most of the eastern half of Cincinnati, I went to Meijer just as the snow started to fall because we need toilet paper and maple syrup -- I think even the Survivor contestants aren't required to go three days without t.p. and maple syrup, are they?

Like most of the eastern half of our neighborhood, our road was covered in ice and sludge, so we decided to just stay home for a couple of days. It was nice! We watched a movie, ate popcorn, played the Wii, drank sippable chocolate -- a good, all-American snow day!

Here's a pic of the boys in the front yard. It's hard to see the yardstick, but they measured 10 inches. That's a lot of snow.

What do your kids do while you're on the computer?

2008-03-17T16:09:00.000-04:00

Outing Recommendation: Creation Museum

2008-02-28T15:21:00.006-05:00

It's a big day for any mom when she leaves the kids with a sitter and spends an entire day with grown-ups. I had such a day today. The staff at my husband's church (and their spouses!) were invited to visit the Creation Museum for a private tour and an exclusive lunch with its founder: Ken Hamm. (I'll write about all I learned from him in another post.)

Through a $27 million facility that includes a planetarium, multi-sensory theater, 18 videos, thousands of informative signs, and beautiful robotic displays, the museum tells the 7 C's of God's Eternal Plan. These 7 C's are a comprehensive, easy to understand explanation of God's workings from the beginning of the world to its end.

The displays throughout the museum were breath-taking. Below is a picture we took in the Garden of Eden room. In this particular display, Adam is naming all of the animals. It was amazing!

They also had a room dedicated to Noah's Ark where you felt like you were walking into the construction of the ark. Incredible! There was also an entire room dedicated to dinosaurs that was fascinating! Through these displays, visitors come to understand how all of the science confirms the Truth of the Bible.

The museum is designed to be family friendly. There are strollers available for rent and every bathroom has changing stations. I think most, if not all, of the exhibits would be appropriate for gradeschool kids. Some are so dynamic that they might frighten preschoolers. (My 3 year-old would freak out in the multi-sensory theater, but older kids would love it!) To make it easier for younger families, they've provided a "Bypass Route" that takes you past some of the potentially frightening exhibits. In the warmer months, outdoor walking trails through the Botanical Gardens will give little one's some room to run.

The museum is located in Northern Kentucky off I-275, near I-75, only a day's drive for 2/3 of the United States. Adult admission is about $20, kids 5-12 are $10, and kids under 5 are free. The planetarium is an additional $7. Snack bars and a restaurant are available on-site. In my opinion, it's worth the drive and the expense.

Or, better yet, get a sitter and go with your grown-up friends! That's a good day!

iLearn

2008-02-26T14:50:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I was pulling laundry out of the dryer and saw this:

That is a pair of earbud headphones that had apparently been in someone's pockets. Since I found them in the dryer, they had already been through the washer and a complete drying cycle. I was pretty sure this was going to be a tragedy.

Why were these earbud headphones so special? They were the really cool kind that have a microphone in them, so you can plug them into your phone and receive calls while you listen to music playing on your phone. What made this pair of earbud headphones so extraordinary? They had come with my husband's new iPhone, for which he'd been pining for months. The new iPhone he just received three days ago. The new iPhone that he calls his new friend and ranks as one of his top four most important things.

And now I had washed them.

See, I hate doing laundry. I find it one of my most mundane tasks. And it always needs to be done. Ugh. So I'll admit that I don't go the extra mile and do things like check the pockets, turn socks right side out, or iron. I'd prefer to just get the laundry done as quickly as I can, even if I haven't done such a great job.

However, Colossians 3:23-24 says:

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

I guess that even means laundry. What a hard lesson to learn!

P.S.: The earbuds still work! Who knew those things were washing machine-proof?

Some days are like that.

2008-02-24T23:18:00.004-05:00

While I was teaching Sunday School today I had a 2nd grade girl flip me the bird.

Parenting in Jericho

2008-02-18T10:21:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I started a new "Get Out of Jail Free" program for Patriot (see here for details). In all honesty, I thought it'd make my life easier: Patriot would say he was sorry and I wouldn't have to dish out corrections -- great! He's gotten pretty good at saying he's sorry -- those apologies come quicker than I can say "go to timeout!" But it hasn't all been easy for me.

It surprised me to find that offering forgiveness instead of correction left me with a strange feeling of guilt. I was afraid of letting him get away with murder and I was filled with doubt about this plan. Would he learn the proper way to behave? Or, would he learn to spit out the words "I'm sorry" with no real meaning behind them?

Last Sunday, our Senior Pastor Chad Hovind taught on the story of Joshua and the Wall of Jericho. This Bible story, which you can read in it's entirety at Joshua 6, tells of God giving His people, the Israelites, the land He had promised them. The land, a city called Jericho, was protected by a great wall. God commanded Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, to march his army around the wall once each day for six days. On the seventh day, they were to march around seven times and blow their trumpets. Then the wall would fall and the army of Israel could enter in and take the city.

The Israelites obeyed every specific direction from God, and the wall did fall. Verse 21 says the Israelites "devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys." If you're like me, that verse is a little hard to understand. God sanctioned the destruction of all living things inside the wall of Jericho. How could that be?

Chad shared some insight that I'd not considered: The city of Jericho was decayed with sin. For generations, the people of Jericho had treated each other in ways we consider only horror movies today. God knew the depth of their sin and the rotted state of their souls. So much so that He knew even the donkeys would be worthless, as their mistreatment had made them mean. Chad offered that, had we been there, we would have been crying out to God to put an end to their cruel ways.

So why would God ask His people to do the whole marching routine? Why couldn't He just deliver the wicked city into His people's hands? I had always thought it was to test the Israelites' obedience, but maybe it wasn't. Chad suggested that God, in His great mercy and love, wanted to offer the wicked people of Jericho another chance (or maybe 7 chances) to turn from their sin and seek forgiveness. In that day, God's reputation proceeded Him and the people of Jericho knew whom the Israelites served. By asking His people to march around the wall, God was making His Presence known and warning the people of Jericho. They may not have known what was going to happen, or when it was going to happen, but they knew something was going to happen.

A deeper look into the story reveals one prostitute, named Rahab, who risks her life to offer aid to the Israelite army. In verses 22 & 23, through Joshua, God saves this prostitute and her entire family before the city was destroyed. He knew her heart was softened; He was giving them another chance to turn to Him.

So, what can we learn from this?

About God: God's love is endless and tireless. He offers chance after chance for us to choose to follow Him, forgiving even our most repetitious sins when we ask it of Him. He truly desires for us to choose to love Him.

About parenting: My forgiveness must be tireless, also. In the years my children live under my roof, their behavior will never mirror that of the people of Jericho. If God can offer forgiveness to them, I can offer forgiveness to my children without guilt or fear.

Skip the Teddy Bear, Buy a Necklace

2008-02-13T11:05:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and it's impossible to avoid the thought of gift-giving. I've noticed one oddity that I just need to discuss. Has anyone else noticed that you can't walk into a grocery store, gas station, shopping mall, or gift store without seeing Valentine's Day stuffed animals? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 21% of Americans give stuffed animals for Valentine's Day.

Why? This is one tradition that I simply do not understand. I just don't know what a woman is supposed to do with the stuffed animal. No woman over the age of 14 should display stuffed animals as room decor. Is it appropriate to give this toy to your children? I just don't get it. If any of you like getting stuffed animals as gifts and could shed some understanding on the subject, please comment.

Matt says the reason men buy stuffed animals is because they're cheap. I understand living on a budget, but let's find a better way to spend our limited Valentine's Day budget. The same Census Bureau report says that only 11% of Americans give jewelry as gifts, and I think that's a shame. Matt says that's because jewelry is expensive, but most women don't expect diamonds at every gift-giving occasion.

Fun and stylish costume jewelry makes just as great a gift as fine jewelry with a much friendlier price tag. And, since it didn't cost as much, most women feel free to wear it daily instead of only on special occasions.

You can choose a great costume jewelry gift with just five simple steps:

Choose a color. Look through your ladies' closet and see what colors she wears most. What color are most of her shoes? Do you have a favorite outfit of hers'? If so, what color is it? This is the color you are looking for when you go shopping.
Choose a type. What type of jewelry does she tend to wear? Does she like earrings? Bracelets? Necklaces? Maybe a watch? This is the type of costume jewelry you are looking for.
Choose a store. If you have time, go to an antique mall or flea market. You'll find unique vintage pieces at reasonable prices. If you don't have time to wander the booths, go to a large department store. Kohl's and JC Penney will have a variety of different styles to choose from. Target has lots of trendy stuff if your lady likes the latest fashions, and it's usually sorted by color.
Choose an item. Keeping in mind your target color, look at the selection of items in your type. They will often be displayed on racks next to the cases of finer jewelry. Find one that catches your eye and looks like your ladies' style. Do not make the mistake of thinking "she doesn't have anything like this, so I'll get one for her." She doesn't have anything like that because she doesn't want anything like it.
Choose a companion piece. If your budget allows, look for a matching piece to the one you've already selected (i.e.: you've selected a necklace, look for matching earrings or a bracelet). This is advanced because you need to match color and style. It might be wise to ask a salesperson for help.

Now simply drop the items in a gift bag. When she opens it, tell her all of the thought you put into picking out her gift. She will be so impressed you cared enough to take the time to choose the perfect gift.

Cool Project

2008-02-12T23:21:00.003-05:00

My friend Jocelyn had this on her blog. It's a group with the mission to reduce the footprint they leave as consumers, both in humanitarian terms and environmentally. Check it out and let me know what you think.

BareFootWorld

Product Recommendation: Nintendo Wii

2008-01-25T22:07:00.000-05:00

If you are savvy enough to read blogs, I will assume you are familiar with the Nintendo Wii, so I'll provide no description. Matt got ours for his birthday back before the huge excitement started. It is really one of the best purchases we have ever made. Seriously, we play Wii almost every day. Matt and the boys will play while I make dinner. Then we'll all play after dinner until bedtime if we have no other evening activities scheduled.

I did not grow up as a video game player, so I was not enthused about the Wii -- until I played it. It really is fun and Patriot and I will occasionally play even when Matt isn't home. I am so impressed that anyone, regardless of age or ability, can play and enjoy the Wii. I've seen three generations play Wii against each other, and actually all have fun. I've seen my uncle, who isn't normally a game player, play Wii for hours and enjoy it. But the video below is most impressive to me. This is my 14-month old son playing Wii boxing. Enjoy!

The Real Issue

2008-01-23T15:42:00.000-05:00

I intentionally named this blog "Blessed Mom" because I wanted to force myself to focus on the joys of being a Mommy, through the good and bad days. Nobody wants to read my whines and complaints, so I decided I would just avoid whining and complaining (on this blog, at least -- don't ask my husband about the other times!).

Today, I will disregard those intentions.

Can anyone tell me why there is a public restroom anywhere in the country that doesn't have a changing table? I am especially frustrated with restaurants, Wendy's in particular. Why would a restaurant offer kid's meals, special "under 3" toys, high chairs, and not have changing tables in their bathrooms? I think that's absurd. And gas stations. Everyone knows that people stop at gas stations to use the restroom. Why would any gas station not have changing tables?

I did a quick Google search and found that the Sturdy Stations and Koala Bear fold down changing tables are sold for about $200. Seriously. You will not convince me that cost is the deciding factor. And since they fold down, they don't take up too much physical space in the restroom.

I think it's high time we mothers of the country unite. I say we vote for the presidential candidate who is willing to take a stand on the real issue that affects our daily lives: changing tables in public restrooms.

It's All Right Now

2008-01-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

Matt was gone on a trip with the youth group this weekend. Instead of just sitting around waiting for Daddy to come home, I thought, "why not take the boys on a big adventure?" So we picked up Grandma and Grandpa and headed to Knoxville, TN to see my sister and her husband.

Overall, we had a nice visit. We relaxed, played games, ate a lot, and enjoyed each other's company. My sister's in-laws were out of town and generously let us stay in their beautiful townhouse, so it was a little like being at home (much better for the boys than staying in a hotel!).

Our trip took a turn for the worse on our way home. We were about an hour into our 4-hour car ride when Patriot started coughing. Something in my head told me this sounded like his pre-throw-up cough and I should probably get ready for the worst. But I ignored that little voice -- and lived to regret it. Patriot threw up all over the backseat and we were totally unprepared. No bucket or bag to throw up into. No towels or products to clean the mess. No tarps or ponchos to protect the rest of us. Nothing.

My dad was driving and pulled into the nearest gas station. I carried Patriot into the bathroom to clean him up and change his clothes. Meanwhile, my mom stood in 20-degree weather to comfort the screaming baby and clean the backseat with paper towels and water. There is no end to a grandmother's will.

We continued on and had several more "episodes." I chronicled our trip on the following map. I've got to give Dad some props. He kept driving through the entire thing. His sheer determination got us home through a very difficult trip.

View Larger Map

Now, a day later, both boys are doing better. They had popsicles (what else?) for lunch and some chocolate milk and applesauce for dinner, and no throwing up all day. I managed to clean the car and get the messiest of the laundry done today. So we're almost puke-free.

We ended up having more of an adventure than I'd bargained for, but it's all right now.

Get Out of Jail Free

2008-01-15T10:48:00.000-05:00

At our house, we've instituted a new "Get Out of Jail Free" program for Patriot. I felt like we were on him all the time about his behavior: you're being disrespectful, you need to obey, no whining, stop crying. The poor kid was enduring correction after correction and Mom and Dad were going crazy. Something had to change.

I've heard it said that, to a young child, God looks a lot like Mom. So, I try to model my parenting after God's parenting of us. (As a side note, if you ever want to feel better about your parenting, consider God. We know He is the ultimate parent, yet look how his children -- us! -- behave. If He can't make His children obey, I'm certainly not going to!) How does God deal with our disobedience? According to 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

What our house needs is less correction and more forgiveness! We have taught Patriot to confess his sins. If he can tell me he's sorry and correctly identify the wrong-doing, before I administer the due correction, he is forgiven for that sin. Thus he "gets out" of the time-out or spanking he deserves. If there are natural consequences, he still suffers those (i.e. He still has to clean up the mess he made.)

So far, our new "Get Out of Jail Free" program has made for a more pleasant home. I hope we're learning a lot about grace.

Are you ready for some football?

2008-01-12T11:36:00.000-05:00

Sometimes compromise is necessary to keep a family happy and functioning. One of the areas Matt and I have compromised on is our family's involvement in sports. Before I married Matt, sports were not a significant part of my life. I would wear sweatshirts rooting for the local college team because they were warm and comfortable. I would go to the Super Bowl parties to eat the food and watch the commercials. I was not a sports fan.

Matt, however, grew up in a family of sports fans. They all played a couple of sports a piece. Their family attended most, if not all, of the local college basketball games. They know the rules of most sports and readily debate plays and officials' calls. They keep up with stats and schedules. They are fans.So, over the last 8 years, Matt and I have settled into a pretty comfortable compromise. We, as a family, have become NFL fans. This is a compromise for me because, left on my own, I probably would have continued my life with little interest in sports. This is a compromise for Matt because his sport of choice is college basketball, not professional football. But we have found a common interest and both enjoy the NFL.

Our NFL compromise began with fantasy football. We set up a family league online that allows each member of our extended family to manage a team regardless of their physical location. This has been great for me, as my family tends to be scattered all over the world. We stay in touch on our league's discussion board and the friendly competition has given us something to talk about at Thanksgiving. It's really been a lot of fun.

One benefit I never expected is that I have become an NFL fan. I am actually watching games. I even bought a NFL magazine before our league's draft this year so I could read up on stats and schedules. I'm becoming familiar with teams' histories and players' personalities. I even watch ESPN on occasion by myself. And I like it!

This is all leading up to one big confession: I intend to waste about 16 hours this weekend watching football on TV. When I think of the magnitude of that amount of time, and the other things I could be doing, I'm a little embarrassed. But I think some leisure is OK so I've just made the decision that I'm going to be OK about it all.

Why 16 hours? Well, there are 5 teams I'm interested in: the Cincinnati Bengals (hometown team), the Green Bay Packers (Brett Favre was my fantasy quarterback and is impressive), the Indianapolis Colts (who doesn't love Peyton Manning?), the Dallas Cowboys (after living in Dallas for 5 years, Cowboys love is in my blood), and the New England Patriots (my first-born shares this team's name, and I'd love to see them make history by going undefeated). Four of the five teams are in the playoffs and are playing in different games this weekend. At about 4 hours per game, we're looking at a grand total of 16 hours.

So, if you need me this weekend, don't e-mail. I won't be on the computer. Don't call my cell. I won't be out and about. Call the house and leave a message. I'll call you back during halftime.