through mommy goggles

what we're reading...

2012-02-06T15:11:00.000-06:00

I go to the library without the kids every week or two to switch out our bin of library books. The library closest to our house isn't very kid-friendly, so I don't bring the kids along unless I really have to. When I do bring them I let them each pick out one book. One book? you say? Yes, just one. They are both too young to be able to pick out appropriate books for themselves.

Often, these days, I will request several books from other libraries and have them sent to our library. That way I can just run in and pick them up. Or if I am there by myself and have some time then I will browse the stacks to see if there are any that catch my eye.

The following are the books we currently have checked out:

Tikki Tikki Tembo
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Harry the Dirty Dog
The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury
Jamberry
Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?

I've also checked out a few audiobooks. Camille has mostly given up naps, but I still require that she rest in her room while Levi is sleeping. So during nap time I let her listen to books on CD. Right now she is listening to Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. I also have Little House on the Prairie and American Tall Tales for her to listen to when she finishes this one.

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

2012-01-30T16:23:00.000-06:00

We're back from spending a long weekend in Newport Beach with my parents. The weather was beautiful, Disneyland was wonderful...

...and then we started getting sick.

Friday night I went to Urgent Care and was diagnosed with strep. Then at 3 am Levi was throwing up. He seemed fine by Saturday morning, so after naps we headed to Disney's California Adventure and stayed until about 9:30. Then at 11 pm Camille started throwing up. Then at 5 am on Sunday it was my turn.

Somehow we made it back home, but I was very much under the weather all day yesterday, and still not back to 100% today. But I'm happy to be home!

And I'm happy that we were able to still have a nice time at the parks. Camille loved meeting the characters (though Levi would hardly look at them, and certainly wasn't interested in meeting them) and both kids did well on the rides. Their favorite thing by far were the carousels. I think they would have ridden those all day if we'd have let them! Camille also got to go for a little walk with Sleeping Beauty and she was just tickled pink. It was a sweet few moments I'll never forget!

paper dolls

2012-01-22T22:27:00.000-06:00

Yesterday my mom helped Camille make a few paper dolls from scraps of construction paper.

So I'd like to introduce you to Aaron, myself, Armando, and Auntie Megan!

They are darling little dolls, and I can't help but notice that Armando and Megan have gigantic smiles.

Megan will be visiting us for a couple days this week. Camille is so excited!

because they grow so fast

2012-01-12T14:43:00.002-06:00

painting with boppa

2011-12-29T23:25:00.000-06:00

The kids had fun sitting on the porch the other day painting with my dad. Camille has always loved painting, and got some new paints from her grandma for Christmas.

And of course there's no way Levi could be left out of such fun! (By the way, we're pretty sure he's going to be a lefty.)

We're enjoying our first warm winter. Highs this week have been in the mid 70s and we're taking advantage by eating lunch outside and visiting the neighborhood parks.

merry christmas

2011-12-24T16:00:00.000-06:00

One thing is for sure, this Christmas is different from any other we've had as a family! It's been quite a year, and Aaron and I feel that we are abundantly blessed.

This year we are spending Christmas at home with my parents in San Diego, just the six of us. Really, it's like any other weekend. Except we can feel just how special this Christmas weekend is. For over a month now we've been talking with the kids about getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday. We've read stories about his birth, we've been doing Jesse Tree devotions every night.

And it all comes down to these special days we get to spend as a family remembering the sacrifice that God was making for us when he was born in the flesh. A tiny baby who came into the world to save a sinful humanity.

Yes, today and tomorrow we are remembering the birth of Christ. And we are thanking Him for the love and hope He gives us each and every day.

Blessings to you all as you celebrate during this special time of year! And...

From our family to yours!

practicing

2011-12-14T18:23:00.000-06:00

Can you guess what Camille was practicing for this afternoon?

In just a few weeks she is going to be a flower girl in my cousin's wedding. And after her practice session this afternoon, I'm proud to say that she is a professional flower petal dropper!

And this...

...is why Levi wasn't asked to drop flower petals in the wedding!

what we're reading

2011-12-08T21:36:00.000-06:00

Here's a list of the books we've been reading lately:

At bedtime we're back to reading The Jesus Storybook Bible every night. Then before we say good night to Camille either Aaron or I will read a chapter or two from On the Banks of Plum Creek.

When we want to read a Christmas story we read The Night Before Christmas, The Polar Express, The Nativity, and Room for A Little One.

Levi's favorite books these days are The Song and Dance Man, The Little Blue Truck, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and Caps For Sale.

Camille is really into Chicka Chicka 123, which we recently picked up from the library. She also likes me to read Charlott's Web, A New Coat For Anna, and Blueberries for Sal. After naptime we've been doing something "school" related, so she often does a few pages from one of her Kumon workbooks. I just picked up one with mazes and this one with cut and paste jigsaw puzzles. She thinks they're the best!

I've read quite a few books lately, but the ones I've enjoyed the most are The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and The Same Kind of Different As Me. I just started reading Shepherding A Child's Heart and am looking forward to learning about this biblical approach to parenting.

bathroom mirror reminder

2011-12-06T16:39:00.000-06:00

I've been struggling lately with having patience to deal with my small (and sometimes unruly) children. So today while took naps I typed up the following and will tape it to my bathroom mirror:

And every morning I will pray that the LORD will help me be patient with them and shower them with Christ's love.

because they grow so fast

2011-11-23T16:34:00.000-06:00

Torrey Pines State Park

simplifying: kids clothes

2011-11-15T10:46:00.000-06:00

For me at least, when it came time to simplify our kids' clothes I found it to be relatively... simple.

My first clue that we needed simplification in this area was realizing that their closet and dresser were stuffed full of clean clothes even when their hamper was full of dirty clothes. And there were always the same clothes in the dresser and the same clothes in the hamper.

My goal has always been to wash their clothes once a week. So one day on washing day when their clothes were in the laundry room I took a good hard look at what was left in their closet and dresser.

I took out anything that didn't fit.
Anything they hadn't worn in a few weeks.
Any of the items I was tired of having them wear.
Anything they don't like.
And anything that didn't match something else to make an outfit.

Then when their laundry was dry I brought to their room and took inventory of what was left. Here's what we kept for each of them:

5 long sleeved shirts
5 short sleeved shirts
5 dresses (for Camille)
2 rompers (for Levi)
4 pants
4 shorts
3 pajamas
3 undershirts
3 swimsuits
2 jackets
6-8 pairs of socks
2-4 pairs of shoes

All of the shirts/dresses/rompers get hung up in the closet. I don't bother folding them when they come out of the dryer. I just lay them flat on top of each other, gather empty hangers from the closet, insert the hangers while the clothes are still in a pile, then pick them all up and hang them on the rod.

(The other half of their closet has the pieces of Levi's crib)

Their dresser has four drawers.

The first is for panties, socks, and swimsuits.

The second is for pajamas and undershirts.

The third is for Levi's pants/shorts.

The fourth is for Camille's pants/shorts.

All the shoes go in a bin in the bottom of the closet next to their hamper. Their jackets hang in the closet by our front door.

Somehow during the move we've ended up with a few extra clothing items. I think that mostly had to do with the climate change and the fact that we were living out of suitcases for a couple of weeks. So my plan this week is to go through them once again and pare down what they don't need right now.

When the kids' clothes are simplified, I find that doing laundry is much more simple as well. I can literally wash all their clothes in two loads, but if I keep on top of it and wash whenever their hamper is full then I can do it in one load. And when it's only one load to do, then folding and putting them away is very quick. In fact, often all I do is hang their hanging clothes and pass the basket off to Camille for her to put away. She knows what each drawer is for and likes the responsibility of helping me with laundry.

On a side note, I've always been one to buy the kids' clothes on clearance (or at consignment or garage sales) a few sizes bigger for them to grow into. But I've found that by doing that I accumulate many more clothes than they need, and thus spending more money on them than is necessary. I still occasionally pick up a few items that I know for sure we will love, but now my goal is to buy items only for the next season/size when we are nearly ready for them. Since I know exactly how many of each item I will need, I will be able to put together outfits and still spend less than I was spending before.

in our new backyard

2011-11-12T14:28:00.000-06:00

In our new backyard we...

...keep quite busy!

a walk on the beach

2011-11-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

That's right, we made it here!
The kids and I arrived on Sunday. Aaron and his brother Michael pulled into the driveway on Thursday.
And this afternoon we enjoyed a walk on the beach.

moving: an interview

2011-10-29T16:31:00.000-05:00

sticker boy

2011-10-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

You may remember that when Camille was a toddler she was deathly afraid of stickers. It took us ages, but we eventually desensitized her from that fear.

Then the next year when I was pregnant with Levi she covered my belly in Lisa Frank stickers.

Well that same book of stickers has managed to stick around (pun intended) the house and has become a new obsession for Levi. He definitely didn't inherit the sticker-phobia that Camille suffered from at first.

Now we are finding stickers stuck to everything. They are all over the floor. They are stuck to clothes, toys, furniture. I find them in the washing machine, in his carseat, on his tummy (yes, under his shirt).

I think his love for stickers will come in handy on our upcoming four hour flight. But I'm wondering if a sticker intervention may be somewhere in his future.

My kids and stickers. They just can't seem to find a happy medium. But it's ok, because they sure are cute!

weekend project

2011-10-16T20:33:00.000-05:00

I married a handy guy. There's no doubt about that.

Yesterday afternoon I proposed to Aaron the idea of building the kids a water table. Just a simple table with a basin set into it that the kids could stand at and play with water (or sand, or rocks or whatever). Something they could splash in on our patio at the new house.

After just a little bit of thinking, he got to work. By night's end we had not only a water table, but a picnic table! He built a separate table top that fits onto the table frame after the water basin is removed.

And by this afternoon it had two little benches.

The kids instantly fell in love with their new table. I think Camille has even forgotten that it is also a water table!

He built the benches just narrow enough that they can both be pushed completely under the table.

The kids had fun crawling over and under the benches, chasing each other around the table, and even sitting nicely at it looking at books.

I look forward to all the memories this table will bring.

Splashing.
Painting.
Learning.
Conversing.
Eating.

Next on the project list: A waterproof tablecloth!

overcoming stage fright

2011-10-09T13:05:00.000-05:00

Over the summer the kids who attended VBS at our church put on a music program at the end of the week. Camille, even though she loved singing the songs, completely refused to join the other kids in singing for the congregation. Her first experience of true stage fright, I think.

Needless to say, when I heard that the kids from the Wednesday night classes were going to be singing in church I set my expectations very low. I gave her about a 5-10% chance of making it to the front.

But much to our surprise, Aaron and I beamed with pride as we watched her march up there with her classmates and stand front and center!

Yes, I fought back tears the entire time.

change is in the air

2011-10-02T19:31:00.000-05:00

In just three short weeks the moving truck will be in our driveway.

We're spending our days soaking up Minnesota in all its Autumn glory.

Collecting (and raking) leaves.
Visiting a local apple orchard.
Zipping up our jackets.
Enjoying hot tub soaks as a family.
Watching the trees change colors.

Change is certainly in the air.

We're preparing to say many difficult goodbyes.

Preparing to pack our bags.

Preparing our move across the country.

Preparing to meet new friends.

Stay tuned!

simplifying: books & toys

2011-09-15T13:35:00.002-05:00

For several months now I've been on an organizing kick. It all started early last winter when the possibility of us moving across the country first came up. I went through a phase of purging and organizing a couple months later, sorting through all the cabinets and drawers downstairs, going through movies, books, toys, clothes, storage shelves, etc.

I didn't realize then that what I was doing was really simplifying.

Since then I've been reading books and blogs that encourage leading a simpler (and, dare I say, minimalistic) lifestyle. With kids. Yes, that's the hard part. Kids (most, anyway) have so many things. I've really been trying to pare our kids' stuff down to the bare minimum.

And by golly, I've noticed a difference.

Many differences, actually. Less clutter, for one. Easier clean-ups. And the biggest thing is that I've actually seen their imaginations grow. They play with the toys they have, but they also are generally content to come up with their own games.

Here are some pictures of what their two play areas look like right now:

What do you think?

Step one was to get rid of all the toys I knew they hadn't played with in a long time. Then I got rid of the toys that annoy me. After a few days of watching them again, I went through everything once more and took out even more things that weren't being used.

Books were the hard part for me. We all love books, and the thought of getting rid of some was difficult. But there were some that we didn't really like. There were some that were mostly just "fluff" kind of books that were't very good anyway. Also, since we frequent the library, I knew that even if we only hold onto only our very favorite books we could always freshen up story time with library books.

This week I've been reading the book Simplicity Parenting. It's really made me take another glance at our toy shelves and want to yet again reassess what we have so far kept.

Before we make our big move I plan to do another toy purge (or at least put many more into a box that we can store and occasionally rotate toys in and out). I'm also going to do another major book purge, and (hopefully) get our collection down to about 20 of our favorite picture books and 10 board books.

As I look at the pictures of our toy shelves I can tell you what we're going to be keeping:

Wooden sandpaper letters
Large alphabet blocks
Mr. Potato Head
Maracas
Doctor kit
Dress-up bin
Binoculars
Nesting stacking blocks

Besides the toys in the pictures, here are the other toys we will keep:

Small basket of play kitchen things
Balls, hula hoops, plastic pails, and sidewalk chalk for outside
Cozy coupe car, tricycle, and scooter
Art supplies (paper, crayons, markers, glue, paint, stickers)
Favorite dolls and stuffed animals (Camille has about four of these)
Counting and rhyming words puzzles

Life with fewer toys has been calmer. The kids are less overwhelmed and more easily entertained. They spend more time with books. They adore being outside, and would stay out all day if I would let them. Aaron and I want to let them be little kids for as long as they can. We want them to have the freedom to explore and learn what they want to explore and learn, not be bogged down with stuff.

I challenge other parents to consider simplifying.

It's refreshing. And actually kind of fun.

A side not to Camille and Levi's Grandparents: Thank you for showing your love to our kids without feeling the need to shower them with gifts. It's wonderful that they love you for who you are and not for what you give them. I think there are many grandparents out there who are naturally gift-givers (which is a good thing!), but that can really take a toll on simplicity. Thanks for finding other was to love our kids!

Coming Soon: simplifying: kids clothes

preschool {at our house}

2011-09-12T12:56:00.000-05:00

Last week signaled the beginning of the new school year for many kids. And the same was true for my children.

Ok, maybe not the beginning of a new school year. More like a continuation of everything we've been doing for a long time now. Here are the traditional (and not-so-traditional) courses we covered this week:

Gardening: My mom entrusted Camille with pruning sheers while they worked in our backyard garden. Camille rose to the challenge and used them very carefully to cut down the stems of dead flowers. Though her hand strength wasn't quite enough to do it on her own, with a little help from my mom she did a great job! Levi go in on the yard work action as well, though isn't quite old enough to handle pruning sheers. Instead, he helped my dad pick up sticks from the yard.

Cooking: This week Camille was able to help me in the kitchen quite a few times. For lunch one day she spread ham salad on crackers and cut up a piece of cheese to eat with it. She also likes to help me measure ingredients when I'm making dinner.

Hair-Cutting 101: We gave Levi a haircut. It was a family affair. While Aaron was doing some trimming, Camille gently combed Levi's hair in the back. She's practically dripping with concentration, that sweet thing!

Reading: Camille loves working with manipulatives! We used our set of alphabet blocks to make letters (and words) by laying them on the floor in lines and curves. We spelled h-a-t, and then took away the first h and replaced it with other letters so that we could make new words. So much fun for a three-year old!

P.E.: My kids get plenty of exercise. Camille could ride around on her tricycle all day. She simply adores that thing. I don't know what we're going to do when she's too big for it! She's also getting quite skilled at hoola-hooping these days, though her attention span for practicing that isn't very long yet.

Math: One afternoon we spent over an hour playing with a bucket (ok, three buckets) of landscaping rock. She likes to pour them from one bucket to another. Then she laid some in a row and we counted them. Then we did some basic addition using the rocks. After that, she used all the rocks from the buckets to make shapes. She made rectangles and triangles. And added a doorknob to each :)

Time with friends: Three days a week Camille gets to play with her friend Isabel. The girls have fun playing sleepover, beach, and other creative "games." On Thursday afternoons the kids get look forward to playing with the kids from a couple families who are in our farm CSA. On Friday we went to open gym where Camille took gymnastics. She and Levi played there with their friend Freddy, as well as some of the other kids there. Yesterday was the start of a new year of Sunday School. Camille was a bit nervous at first, but when she got to the classroom and found some of her buddies from class last year she set right to work learning about Jesus with her friends!

And, last, but certainly not least...

Nap Time: No explanation needed!

As you can see, we keep very "busy" doing school things all week long! We're having a great time doing preschool at home!

jail

2011-08-30T13:48:00.000-05:00

This was the conversation between Isabel and Camille in the car this afternoon as we were driving next to a police car:

Isabel: Look! There's a police car! We have to be good or we will go to jail.
Camille: Jail? What's jail?
Isabel: Well, it's...it's just...you see...I think it's...you just...(long pause)... You just don't ever come back from jail.
Camille: What?! Are we going to jail now?
Isabel: Yep, we're goin' to jail.
Camille: No we're not, silly. We're goin' to your house!
Isabel: No Camille, you're wrong.
Camille: Mommy, are we going to jail? Because Isabel says we're goin' to jail.

Needless to say, we did not go to jail.

But it sure was interesting to hear three-year-olds talk about it.

smile

2011-08-23T21:36:00.000-05:00

Unlike his sister, Levi is very enthusiastic about sharing his "smile" whenever I ask!

For now, at least.

little gymnast

2011-08-16T19:44:00.000-05:00

Camille has been taking preschool gymnastics classes at IGM since April, when Auntie Megan signed her up. She loves going every week, loves her coaches, and loves having a designated time for running, jumping, swinging, and having fun.

So, for Megan, who is back in Mexico and unable to watch Camille at class, I wanted to upload a few short videos.

At the beginning of class they do "warm-ups" and then for most of the time they basically do obstacle course circuts. One for balance beam (as shown above), one for bars, and one for tumbling type things (as shown below). The kids just love it, and are happy that they get to do things by themselves without any help.

Levi usually comes with us when Camille has class. There is a toy area that usually keeps him busy, though on several occasions I've had to retrieve him from near the balance beam if I've been distracted and not kept a good eye on him. Today he discovered that he could see over the half-wall if he stood on the Duplo table. Yep, he's a climber. But more on that later!

On Friday mornings the gym has open gym time for the little kids. We try to go at least once a month, and Levi really enjoys being able to roam around without getting into trouble.

Thursday is Camille's last class. Not sure if we will find a gym after we move, or if she will try out something new. I think we'll have to let her decide!

because they grow so fast

2011-08-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

beach girls

2011-08-03T21:38:00.000-05:00

Perfect weather days have been few and far between this summer, what with the heat, rain, and humidity.

But today's weather was perfect.

Aaron had the day off so we wanted to do something special with all the kids. We decided to venture back to a favorite local beach. The first time we were there was almost exactly two years ago. Camille and Isabel were practically just babies back then, but had still enjoyed playing in the sand and water. This time was no different. We stayed for only about an hour and a half, but they were in the water nearly the entire time.

The boys were beach bums and stayed on the blanket with a few toys and mostly just watched the action going on around them. Neither of them is fond of sand, so it was easy to keep them contained in the shade.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice out as well, so I'm hoping we can find something else to do outside!

in which camille washes the soap

2011-07-24T14:24:00.001-05:00

Alternately Titled: in which the rest of us get a few minutes of peace and quiet
Alternately Titled: Where'd all the soap go?

Camille has been really, well, let's just say active lately. More wiggly and talkative and mischievous than usual if you can even imagine.

So when we were eating dinner last night and she asked if she could go to the bathroom, we were more than happy to let her leave for a few minutes. Before she left we reminded her to wash her hands when she was done.

Several minutes later we realized we'd heard the bathroom faucet turn on and off quite a few times. She'd adjust the water flow, she'd run it full blast, she'd turn it off. Eventually I went to check on her. I peeked from afar and saw her happily sudsing up her toothbrush. When I returned with the camera I recorded while she "washed the soap" (as she later explained to us).

So here, for you viewing pleasure, is video of Camille washing the soap...

in which levi eats watermelon with a fork

2011-07-21T10:00:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure Camille wasn't given a fork until she was almost two. But yesterday while we were eating lunch Levi started pointing at our plates and grunting something that obviously meant "I want that!" After I explained to him that we were eating the exact same meal, he still insisted that I had something he wanted.

A fork. Of course. What 14 month old wants to eat without a fork? Certainly not ours.

So a fork he was given. And he proved to us right away that he has earned it. Nice job, son!

beat the heat: vol. 2

2011-07-20T13:24:00.000-05:00

For the past several days the temperatures and dew points here have rivaled those only found in the Amazon rainforest in South America.

Yep. It's been that awful.

We've literally stayed indoors at all costs, venturing out only to the car to blast the air conditioning until we've reached our indoor destination. When we get there (gymnastics, library, church for VBS, grocery store) we quickly dart from the van to the door, going as fast as possible without risking falling over from what feels like a lack of oxygen.

Thankfully, today we've been given a breath of fresh air. The high temperature today is supposed to reach 100, but with the dew point only at 69, being outside in the shade is much more manageable.

So after being cooped up for much too long, the kids and I headed out onto the deck with our bin of water for another episode of beat the heat.

Camille, as usual, was loving the water and was quick to climb right in to her "bath."

And even Levi, who is usually skeptical (to a point of hysterics) of standing water (besides in a bathtub) was happy to climb in and stomp around.

With all this heat the kids have been napping really well, which has been really great. And I'm not working this week, so it's been nice to just be lazy with them and spend some quality indoor time together!

And I think I can officially cross visit the Amazon rainforest off my list of things to do before I die. Or at least move it to the bottom of the list.

home management binder - free printables!

2011-07-19T19:39:00.000-05:00

I've had a few people ask for copies of my home management binder sheets, so I decided to just share them here. I've converted them to .pdf files, and you should be able to download them through their individual links. Let me know if for some reason it isn't working!

Feel free to download them for personal use. You may also share this link with others who may be interested.

2011 Calendar (July-Dec.)

If there's something else you'd like me to create, just say so in the comments section and I can see what I can come up with!

some things i've learned

2011-07-18T16:05:00.000-05:00

1. Couch jumping for distance can certainly be considered an acceptable afternoon activity.
2. Pushing buttons on the TV won't cause any permenant damage.
3. 14 month olds can navigate a flight of stairs well enough not to be directly supervised.
4. Snacks make everyone happy.

reuinion

2011-07-16T22:10:00.000-05:00

We've spent the last seven days vacationing in Fish Creek, Wisconsin with 50 of my my mom's relatives. It's been nice having a chance to relax, visit, sight-see, swim, and enjoy the company of all these people we don't often get to see.

Throughout the week there was lots of slide climbing,

kite flying,

snack stealing,

silly face making,

ice cream licking,

tent mingling,

hamburger eating,

pool enjoying,

and picture taking going on.

(my mom and her siblings/families)

Oh yeah, and a lot of napping!

But all vacations must come to an end. This family reunion left us looking forward to the next in a few years. It will be fun to watch the next generation getting to know each other more.

We're home now, and happy to be sleeping in our own beds tonight. It's going to be a hot and humid week, so hopefully we can come up with some new ways to keep cool! This week Camille has her first week of VBS and is really looking forward to it. She'll have five late nights in a row. Wish us luck!

vacation preview

2011-07-14T19:58:00.000-05:00

We're having fun on vacation and spending time with family members we rarely get to see. But I just wanted to offer a quick preview of the wonderful time we're having...

The weather has been beautiful here, the beaches are sandy (much to Camille's enjoyment and Levi's dismay), the sunshine is warm, the cherry pie is delicious, and the company couldn't be beat!

home management binder

2011-07-05T14:28:00.000-05:00

Between helping get the house ready to go on the market this week and cleaning up after my kids I've been busy brainstorming ideas to keep the house clean and organized (and keep my brain from going crazy trying to remember everything).

While browsing through blogs I stumbled upon the idea of creating a home management binder. A home management binder is essentially a central place to keep household information, calendars, reminders, lists, etc. It's a place to write down all those things I'm trying not to forget.

Wow, I thought. I need one of those.

And so I gathered my materials:
A three ring binder
Dividers
Page protectors
Printer paper (And ink. We had to buy ink.)
Plastic binder folder things (no clue what these are really called)

The sections I've decided to include (for now) in our binder are calendar, food, business, kids, and other.

I set to work scouring the internet for free HMB printables. There were tons available. But after searching for a while I discovered that most weren't quite what I was looking for. And I realized that even if I did find the right ones, they weren't likely to match each other (which would have really annoyed me).

My next step was to create my own printables in Microsoft Publisher. Having never used the program before, I'm not sure if I've used it in the correct/easiest/most logical way. But I still managed to create some pages I'm satisfied with. They are both functional for our family and appealing enough for me to look at every day.

So here you have it:

I got my 1" binder at Target, and can already tell that I'm going to need to upgrade to a 2".

I'm most proud of the week at a glance page I created. I took various elements from others I'd seen and put them together in a format that I liked. I can jot down notes about what's going on during the week in the top part. Two of the bottom columns remind the family of daily and weekly chores that need to be done. And the third column is where I can put my to-do list.

Next in the binder is my meals this week page. Since I don't plan meals out for specific days I can just list them as I think of them. And when I plan two weeks worth of dinners at once then I will just fill out two sheets.

After that comes my grocery list. I've found that it helps to group grocery list items together based on where they are in the store, and the format of this sheet makes this easier (especially when others in the family are adding items to the list). I also gave Costco it's own spot since we seem to end up there at least once a week.

My week at a glance page in the front lists which cleaning chores are to be done on which day, but on this next page, let's clean... I have detailed lists of what specifically has to be cleaned in each room or area. It's hard trying to keep a house "showing-ready" all the time and I think this will help us out a lot.

I also created some calendars to match the formatting of my other pages. This is where we will be able to keep track of vacations, future appointments, etc. so that I remember to add them to our week at a glance page each week.

In my "business" tab I have plank my list sheets to use wherever I might need them. This is also where I plan to keep our insurance information, emergency contacts and information, and any other business-type info that would be helpful to have handy. On the page below I had written down information for our babysitter.

Next is my "kids" section. In a clear pocket binder insert I have our library's summer programs, as well as a summer reading program log Camille has been doing (logging minutes we read to her).

Behind this is information that would be helpful to anyone who is watching our kids. First is a typical day at our house, not to be copied exactly by whoever might be watching them, but just to give an idea about what our routine generally looks like. I also have included (but not pictured) a sheet titled rules, favorites, and bedtime because I think this info would be helpful to someone who isn't familiar what we allow (and don't allow), what allergies the kids might have, their bedtime routine, etc.

I still have a few things I'd like to add to the binder, such as addresses and phone numbers, recipes, meal ideas, etc. I'm not sure yet what will go in the "other" section, but I'm sure it will fill up soon enough. And I only printed off a few of each sheet for now. This way I will be able to tweak the formatting and add or subtract things after I've used them for a few weeks.

But in general I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I'm glad to have everything in one spot. And I'm looking forward to reminding everyone to do their chores each day! I think this is definitely a step in the right direction toward keeping the house together despite the fact that there are many kids trying to tear it apart!

letting you in on a secret

2011-06-28T14:13:00.000-05:00

Last week it rained.

And rained. And rained.

And it was cold.

It was also my first week watching Isabel, as well as Josiah, three days a week.

Needless to say, we were all going a little bit crazy by day three (or was it day one?). We were getting on each other's nerves. They were tired of playing with the same toys. I was tired of cleaning the kitchen.

Being stuck in the house with four kids ages three and under wasn't fun.

This week? Well, let's just say things are looking brighter. And warmer.

Ahh, picnics.

Did you know that a picnic is a mommy's secret weapon?

The kids think they are getting a very special treat when you tell them they can have a picnic. But it's actually the mommy that benefits.

Real dishes? Nah, let's use paper plates today.
Crumbs? The birds love to eat those. Just leave 'em!
Napkin? I think your shirt will do just fine.
Leftovers? Here comes Levi!

Yes, I do believe we will be having quite a few picnics this summer.

I wonder if they will think picnics are such a special treat if we do them every day. Actually, though, I don't think the answer really matters!

because they grow so fast

2011-06-21T21:45:00.002-05:00

Letter of the Week ~ B

2011-06-19T20:17:00.000-05:00

This week we focused on the letter B!

Memory Verse: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Acts 16:31
Key words: blue, bakery, bread, ballerina, baby

We read lots of B books this week! Camille's favorites were Blueberries for Sal and Bread and Jam for Frances. She's really been loving the Frances books lately, and it was pretty handy that three of them are B books. Here are the B books we either had at home or checked out at the library:

On Monday Camille put pictures on her B poster:

Originally there were a few other pictures on her poster, but Levi got a hold of it and tore it apart best he could before we found him.

On Tuesday she decorated her B page with buttons:

On Wednesday we went on our field trip to our favorite local bakery, Great Harvest Bread Company! When I had spoken with them earlier in the week I didn't know for sure that Isabel, Josiah, Kristy, and Levi would be joining us on the field trip, so they weren't expecting six people. Nevertheless, they were very happy to give us all a little behind-the-scenes tour of their bakery.

Camille was on her best behavior while we were there, and listened with interest as Peter the baker showed us around and explained the steps of baking bread.

We tried to get the girls to be in the photo with him, but they decided to act like typical three-year-olds and refuse. So I took one of Camille outside after we ate our slices of cinnamon swirl bread.

On Thursday we boiled beets and blended them into a puree. Then we put on our don't-care-if-they-get-dirty clothes and headed outside to dye her hair pink!

We covered it with a plastic bag and left it there for about an hour before we rinsed it out. Unfortunately it all came out and left not even a hint of pink. We were all a little disappointed, but are determined to make something work. I told her we can try again soon.

It was fun to get back into the letter of the week routine, but I'm already finding I'm behind for next week!

menu staples: side dishes

2011-06-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

There are a few side dishes that are staples in our menu planning. They are things we don't even have to look up a recipe for because they are so simple and yet very delicious. Here are some of the things we love:

Green Beans with Sesame Seeds:

green beans
garlic
olive oil
sesame seeds
salt

In a pan on the stove (we use a stir-fry pan) put some fresh green beans and water, and steam them until they are almost tender. Then drain the water and add a little olive oil and a couple cloves of freshly crushed garlic and a little salt. Let them saute in the pan a few minutes while you toast some sesame seeds in another pan on the stove. When the sesame seeds turn golden then add them to the green beans and toss it all together.

Grilled Red Potatoes:

baby red potatoes
butter
salt

Wash the potatoes and half or quarter them depending on size. Lay them in the middle of a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Add pats of butter on top and then salt generously. Then pull up the sides of the foil and fold over, and roll in the ends, so that the potatoes are in a pocket. Use another piece of foil to make a double layer so it doesn't leak if it gets poked. Put them on the grill for about 20 minutes. (We often forget about them and leave them on longer). Turn the packet over half-way through. Be careful when you're opening it, there's a lot of steam inside!

Chipotle Copy-Cat Rice:

1 c. basmati rice
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1.5 c. water
3/4 tsp. salt
1 lime
fresh cilantro

In a heavy sauce pan heat the oil, then add the rice and juice from one lime. Stir it around for about a minute. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, cover the pot and turn the burner down to simmer, and leave it alone for about 25 minutes. When the water has all been absorbed, add a handful (or however much you want) of chopped cilantro and give it a good fluff.

what's for dinner?

2011-06-11T20:34:00.001-05:00

Feeding four adults and two kids every night can be time-consuming, expensive, and exhausting.

But for our family, it’s also very important. We enjoy gathering at the table each evening to share a meal and conversation. Since we all work different jobs during the day, dinnertime is often our only chance to be together at the same time.

Before I started meal planning, we would go to the grocery store and pick up a bunch of things (some of which we needed, some of which we didn’t) to eat during the week. Then dinnertime would come and we would realize that didn’t have everything needed for any particular meal. So somebody would stop at the store on the way home. We never knew what we’d be eating, and we never knew what we had in the house. And oftentimes dinner wasn’t ready until 7 or 8, so of course the kids ate whatever we could find in the fridge before going to bed. We’d also eat out a lot when we didn’t have time to cook. It got expensive.

So when the New Year came around I decided that I was going to take control over dinnertime. Since then I’ve planned, budgeted, and cooked (or designated an alternate cook) nearly every dinner we’ve had. And I’ve found that it really isn’t difficult. Actually, it’s quite a bit easier than scrambling at the last minute to put a meal together, and considerably less expensive than eating out once or twice a week.

So how do I do it?

~Plan~

First, I keep a list of meals our family likes to eat. I try to plan about 10 meals for every two weeks (because occasionally we do like to go out, and often we have leftovers). As the seasons have changed, I’ve found we eat differently depending on the weather. But there are some things that we like to eat year-round. Here is a sample of meals we might eat for dinner over a two week period:

Chicken enchiladas

Spaghetti

Omelets

Crock pot chicken

BLT’s

Grilled flank steak

Hamburgers

Quesadillas

Pulled pork sandwiches

Chicken sausage and couscous

We don't eat a lot of boxed dinner type processed food, so basically our meals are meat, veggie, fruit, and occasionally a starch (usually pasta, potatoes, or rice).

I usually go shopping on the weekend, and stock up on things when they are on sale. Some things we always get at Costco (meat, dairy, and some produce). Fruits and veggies that are in season are always on sale at the grocery store, so we buy those before the ones that aren’t on sale. We always have a veggie as a side dish (green beans, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and lettuce salads are among our favorites) and usually have a fruit for dessert (strawberries and watermelon are loved by most at our house).

I don’t usually plan ahead which meal we will have each day. It’s easier to decide in the morning and then thaw whatever meat might need to be thawed by dinnertime. I had tried planning with a calendar, but found that some meals worked better than others depending on our other plans for each day. So now as long as I know I have ingredients for all 10 meals, I can just choose whichever I want.

~Prepare~

Cooking a whole meal after I’m done working is sometimes a daunting task. I’ve been caring for three or four children all day, and by the time I’m down to just two kids they act as if they are starved for my attention. By this time of day at least one of them is crying, and I am counting down the minutes until one of the other adults in the family is home and can relieve me of my parenting duties for just a few minutes.

So one thing I’ve learned to do is to plan meals that can either be prepared ahead of time, can be cooked in the crock pot all day, or can be cooked easily and quickly on the grill just before dinnertime. I also make extras of something one day with the intent of using them in another meal that week. For example, whenever we make chicken in the crock pot I cook two whole chickens. We eat what we want the first night, and then I shred the leftovers to use in enchiladas later in the week. When we have flank steak, the leftovers are diced and put in quesadillas another night.

~Have a Back-Up Plan~

I’m the first one to admit that I occasionally forget to put the chicken in the crock pot. Or I forget to thaw the ground beef and don’t realize until it’s 5:30 and too late. So we always have a few back-up meals that are quick to prepare and are made of ingredients we almost always have on hand. One of our favorite back-up meals is pancakes. Some others we use ofen are PB&J sandwiches, cheese and crackers, and smoothies and popcorn. With any of these, just add some carrot sticks (or another veggie) and grapes (or another fruit) and you’ve got yourself a quick and simple meal.

~Save Money~

Since we've been planning our meals we have saved hundreds of dollars each month. By checking out the local grocery ad each week before I go shopping to see what is on sale, buying produce that is in season, and knowing what items to buy at Costco we spend considerably less than we used to. But I think one of the biggest money savers is not having to shop as often. It seems that even if we would go to the store for just one thing we would leave with several items that we didn't even need. And knowing that we drink about three gallons of milk each week means not having to stop at the corner store to buy the expensive brands of milk last minute. It's nice to know we aren't wasting as much money (nor are we wasting as much food as we had been).

I will say that I tried the coupon thing and it really wasn't for me. Most of the things you find coupons for aren't things we normally eat anyway because most are processed foods filled with salt and corn syrup. But occasionally I will see a coupon for something we use, and if I happen to remember it when I'm shopping (and happen to remember to use it) then I guess that helps us save some money too. But in general, I've found that the time it takes to sort through coupons compared with the money I save isn't really worth it.

My goal over the next few weeks is to post some of our favorite recipes. I’m always looking for new recipes to add to our repertoire and I think this would be a nice place to keep them all together. Feel free to try them out yourself and tweak them to what you think your family would enjoy. And feel free to email me some of your favorite recipes as well. I’d be happy to post yours here too!

beat the heat

2011-06-07T20:03:00.000-05:00

100 degrees with humidity is oppressive.

But when you're stuck inside with three ~~rugrats~~ angelic children for more than a day, well, let's just say that can be pretty oppressive too.

So when the boys woke up from their nap this morning I dressed all three kids in protective sunwear, slathered sunscreen on exposed skin, and shooed them out the deck door.

Baby pool? Nah!

I put a little water in a storage bin and a bucket, dumped in some bath toys, and let the kids go to town.

Even when it's this hot out, kids + water + shade + toys = FUN!

I'm proud to say we beat the heat.

isabel and camille

2011-06-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

See these babies? Aren't they cute?

As babies, Isabel and Camille really liked each other. They happily sat next together and shared a basket of toys, quietly taking turns chewing on one item or another.

Then there was a (long) period of time when they pretty much couldn't stand to be in the same room as each other. Looking back, I think it all started when Camille learned to walk. She quickly learned how to run off with toys Isabel wanted, and you can imagine how that made Isabel feel.

Whatever it was that caused it, it was a pretty unhappy (and long) period of time.

But I think it's safe to say that they've come full circle.

For the most part, these sweet three-year-olds finally enjoy playing together again. Together they dream up doctor's office scenes, play dress-up, and push baby dolls around in strollers. Sure, they still have typical three-year-old skirmishes. But Isabel and Camille are true friends now, and will be for quite a long time.

eight things we learned (or had confirmed)...

2011-05-30T21:32:00.000-05:00

...on our visit to San Diego last week:

1. Camille will still smile for the camera, but only when told not to.

2. Southern California has some breathtaking sights. The view from our bedroom window and porch at the resort made for quite a nice way to start and end the day.

3. Camille loves the water. Period.

4. Levi and my mom share more than just a birthday. They also share a dis-like for all things beach.

5. My dad is the only person in our family who won't torture Levi by trying to put him on the sand (or in the ocean, or in the pool).

6. Little resort friends whose Grandpas play golf made for perfect three-year-old entertainment (and Camille's first golf cart ride)!

7. There is at least one road in California that shares Camille's name.

8. Suckers should be renamed lifesavers (and one should not hesitate to give one to a 12 month old who is sick and tired of being on an airplane).

blonde

2011-05-29T21:26:00.000-05:00

It may sound silly, but I never imagined myself as the mother of a blonde-haired child.

I guess I just always pictured my kids as having hair similar to my color. And since Camille's hair is pretty medium-brown I suppose I figured any future kids hair would be the same.

Enter Levi. Sweet newborn boy with a head of hair very similar to how his sister's was when she was born, if not slightly darker and thicker.

But this sweet (nearly thirteen-month-old) boy is getting blonder by the day.

Slowly but surely his lovely locks are lightening.

It really should come as no surprise to me, considering his daddy had very light hair as a child.

And yet, whenever someone says to me, "Wow! Look how light his hair is getting!" I find myself caught off-guard.

And for some odd (but very special) reason, my heart swells with pride.

sunday school

2011-05-24T14:16:00.000-05:00

Last weekend was Camille's last day of Sunday School. The "Parents & 2's" class has had so much fun getting to know each other since January, and I'm sad that we won't be around next year (or for several years) to see this great group of kids grow up together.

They ended the year with a party, and each child was allowed to bring one toy to share with the class. It seems every week one kid or another was telling teacher Steph about something at home, and she wanted them to have a chance to share.

After sharing time and a little playtime, Steph brought out cupcakes for the kids to have as a special treat. It was so cute watching the kids as she set down the tray of cupcakes! They were literally drooling in anticipation!

After all the cupcakes were handed out, everyone prayed together, and then the crazy cupcake-eating commenced.

Thanks, Steph, for being an amazing first Sunday School teacher for these kids! Your patience with them and caring for them was right from your heart, and you have been a true blessing to all of us. And thanks, Anna, for sharing your mom with us. Camille is blessed to have you for a friend!

tubed

2011-05-19T20:08:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the less-than-wonderful cell phone pictures. I had too many things on my mind this morning to even consider remembering to bring a real camera!

Early this morning was a bit rough, but it could have been a lot worse.

We were given instructions from Levi's doctor that he was not to have anything to eat or drink after midnight. I fudged on that a bit, and did nurse him when he woke just before 1 am. But when he woke just after 4 this morning I knew I'd better not push my luck.

He was basically crying on and off or an hour and a half before I finally had Aaron get up with him. They ended up driving around for a little while just so Levi could get a little more sleep. When they got home he was in a great mood and it was encouraging to see him so happy despite having an empty belly.

Aaron left with Levi for the hospital around 8:15 this morning to make sure they'd be there by 9. Just as I was getting ready to bring Camille to school he texted me this photo, with the caption "I'm ready Mommy!"

After dropping Camille off I made record time getting to the hospital. Knowing his surgery was scheduled for 10, and knowing the procedure would only take a few minutes, I was hoping to make it there before he was finished.

Luckily they were running a bit behind, and when I arrived on the surgery floor they had just given him a concoction that included a mild sedative and Tylenol, among a few other things. So I was able to get a few giggles out of him before the sedative took effect, and he relaxed in Aaron's arms until they were ready to bring him back.

They finally took him back at around 10:45, and just after 11 his surgeon came to tell us that everything went well. GROSS DETAILS WARNING! He said that there was an "eruption of pus and blood from each ear" when he made the incisions for the tubes, which was definitely confirmation that we made the right decision to have the tubes placed asap.

About 10 minutes later they wheeled him back to us on a bed where he looked pretty relaxed. But as soon as they picked him up he started crying.

I was able to nurse him, but he still cried for most of the next hour. After nursing him two times, feeding him some pumped milk I had brought and a several ounces of apple juice/water and a couple graham crackers, he finally zonked out in my arms...

...where he stayed until they told us he was able to leave.

He slept the whole way home, and slept as I transferred him to his pack n' play in our bedroom. I think it was about three hours total (which is a very long nap for him!).

When he finally woke up we gave him some pain killers, put his antibiotic drops in his ears, and he was pretty much his usual self for the rest of the day.

He's happy to be snuggled in his own bed now in his sleepsack, and is resting quite comfortably without fluid pressure in his ears for the first time in several months.

Are ear tubes ideal? Of course not. But, knowing we've tried everything else, we are confident that this will be a positive step forward in curbing Levi's chronic ear infections.

We thank everyone for the advice, support, encouragement, and prayers offered for Levi during these past few months, and especially today. Even for a minor procedure, it's always a blessing to have your child covered in prayer.

As I was driving out of the hospital's parking lot this afternoon I looked at the clock. 1:15 pm. Exactly the same time we walked into the clinic yesterday for his first ENT consult. It's amazing what can happen in 24 hours!

tubes

2011-05-18T20:13:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, Levi has been battling ear infections since February. I think a fair estimate for exactly how many he has had is in the 7 to 10 range.

We've tried lots of things in an effort to avoid ear infections:

Antibiotics to treat
Garlic ear drops to treat
Probiotics to keep him healthy
Avoiding dairy to rule out dairy allergy
chiropractic adjustments

This has all been to no avail.

Today he had a consultation with an ENT. This began with a hearing test. It was determined that Levi has moderate hearing loss due to fluid in the ears. When we met with the ENT it was suggested that have a procedure done to put "tubes" in Levi's ears. (The tubes are more like grommets in the ear drums which allow fluid to drain and antibiotics to be administered directly to the ear.)

We mentioned to Dr. J that we'll be out of town next week and asked him about how Levi's fluid-filled ears will feel on the flights. Within 15 minutes he had consulted his surgery schedule (and those of his colleagues) and found a way to fit Levi's procedure in to his schedule.

Tomorrow morning.

Yikes! All of a sudden things are happening so fast.

For so long we've been dealing with these ear infections with really no way to help Levi feel better. By the time we got home today he'd had his hearing tested, consulted with the ENT, scheduled (very minor) surgery, and completed a pre-op appointment.

Now all we have to do is get through tonight. Even though Levi still nurses several times during the night, he's supposed to be without food or drink beginning at midnight.

I'm both nervous and excited right now. Concerned about my son undergoing anesthesia, but hopeful that the placement of the tubes will relieve the fluid pressure that he has constantly had in his ears for many months now. Worried that he will have a hard night, but looking forward to tomorrow night knowing his current ear infection won't be causing him pain.

So please pray for Levi tomorrow. I know everything will be fine, but mamas always worry!

fashionable

2011-05-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

Some days Camille sleeps during nap time.

Some days she doesn't.

It usually doesn't matter to me if she sleeps or not, as long as she stays quiet in her room. I prefer that she lays on her bed, but sometimes she gets up after a while.

Occasionally I'll hear her quietly playing at her Duplo table.

And occasionally I'll hear her closet door opening and closing. And that's when I know I'm in for a surprise when I go in to tell her that nap time is over.

I never know what she'll be wearing.

The other day she went to her room for her nap wearing a dress and leggings. She came out wearing this:

A clean pajama top and a pair of Levi's jean shorts.

Yes, she most certainly has her own sense of fashion.

out of the mouths of babes

2011-05-16T15:06:00.001-05:00

To her brother: "Welcome to gymnastics class, Miss Levi. Come sit down! Today we are jumping over ropes. Ok, now follow me. We are going to walk like a tree...like this."

"Do you like his hair, mama? Because I combed his hair! With a knife!" As she runs a wooden toy knife along her brother's head.

"...and when I was a little baby I was in your tummy in a pouch! Like a kangaroo!"

When I asked Camille to put something away before lunch: "I'm sorry mama. I didn't realize you didn't want it on the kitchen floor."

As she spins in circles: "Look at the house. It's starting to turn over. It's flying! Hold on, Mommy!"

Letter of the Week ~ I

2011-05-15T20:24:00.000-05:00

I let Isabel pick our Letter of the Week yesterday, so...

This week we are learning about the letter I.

Memory Verse: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Song: The Itsy-Bitsy Spider

Words: igloo, iguana, inch, inchworm, insect, instrument

Books: Inside Outside Upside Down

Field Trip: (not sure yet)

Letter of the Week J (overview)

2011-05-14T20:06:00.000-05:00

Just seven weeks in and I'm already getting behind on my Letter of the Week posts. Right now my "to do" list is several pages long. It's a good thing doing this post was on my list or it might never get done!

This week we focused on the letter J.

On Wednesday (Or was it Monday? All the days seem to mesh together sometimes!) Isabel came over for a little bit. Together the girls glued jelly beans onto their J pages.

Another day this week Camille and I used paper plates, construction paper, and tissue paper to make our very own jellyfish. When we brought them home we added them to our poster, along with a Jell-O box and a picture of Josiah. Then Aaron helped Camille come up with some other J words and together they wrote them on the poster.

Camille and my Mom made Jell-O Jiggler J's which were a huge hit with the whole family.

My Mom and I preferred the red cherry jigglers, while Camille and Aaron liked the green lime jigglers the best.

Another fun little thing Camille got to do a couple times this week was drink juice from a jelly jar. She liked using the little jar, and it was handy to have a cup with a lid without having a sippy spout. I think I'll be using this more in the future for when we're outside needing drinks.

The coming week is shaping up to be pretty busy, so I think we'll be going light on our Letter of the Week activities.

Letter of the Week ~ J

2011-05-08T16:24:00.000-05:00

This week we are learning about the letter J.

Memory Verse: Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." John 14:6

Song: John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt

Words: jump, juggle, juice, jam, jungle

Books: Jamberry

Field Trip: (not sure yet)

double trouble

2011-05-07T20:35:00.000-05:00

These two definitely keep me on my toes!

Letter of the Week U (overview)

2011-05-07T20:20:00.000-05:00

I guessed that U was going to be a little difficult, and boy was I right!

There really just aren't that many U words that use the short vowel sound (which is what we are teaching Camille first). Let's just say we talked a lot about uncles and umbrellas this week!

I was, however, able to find pictures of an unmade bed, an ugly bug, and a baby under a lampshade.

Creative, I know.

On Thursday night we baked a pineapple upside down cake for Uncle Michael. We went to Aaron's work to have lunch with him on Friday, and brought Michael the cake (he works in the same building as Aaron).

He was very appreciative of the Cake, and he and Camille sampled it together.

When we got home Camille drew a picture to send to Uncle Bryan!

Now we have to remember to mail it to him!

Some books we borrowed from the library are The Ugly Duckling, Ella's Umbrellas, and There's an Alligator Under my Bed. We especially liked Ella's Umbrellas!

sunshine

2011-05-06T13:42:00.000-05:00

The calendar tells us it's Spring, but the weather lately has been cold and wet.

This week we finally got a couple of nice days, and the kids were literally basking in the sunshine!

After being cooped up in the house for nearly seven months, Camille is constantly asking if we can go outside. Yesterday we brought her princess tent out and she and Levi played in it for an hour. They were roughhousing a bit too much for Josiah's liking, but he was content to play on the blanket with leaves!

Oscar & Olie

2011-05-03T10:48:00.001-05:00

Do you have room in your heart and in your home for these two kitties?

When weighing pros and cons of deciding whether or not we should move, one of the toughest issues was knowing that choosing to move would mean giving up our kitties.

Aaron and I adopted Oscar and Olie from a no-kill animal foster home through Last Hope in 2006 when they were just a couple months old. Though they weren't litter-mates, they were "foster brothers" and had already been together for several weeks. We decided to adopt them both, rather than separate them. They made a smooth transition into our home and made a great addition to our family. Now that we have children of our own we have witnessed that they truly are wonderful "family" cats.

After many weeks spent in prayer and discussion about our potential move, the decision was made. We truly feel God calling us to move with my family to San Diego.

Now we begin the difficult process of finding a new home for these guys. We have contacted local no-kill shelters but have found that none (that we know of) are accepting cats at this time. Nothing would please us more than to be able to move with the peace of knowing that our kitties will be taken care of by a family who will love them. Our last resort option is to bring them to a traditional animal shelter, though we would like to avoid this at all costs.

So I ask that you would pray for us during this time of transition, and that you would pray we would be able to find a new home for Oscar and Olie. And I ask you to consider if your own home might be a nice fit for them as well.

The most most difficult part of this move is knowing that we will need to leave part of our "family" behind. If you think you can help us out, please feel free to contact me at throughmommygoggles (at) gmail (dot) com with any questions you may have.

3:33 - a story of levi's birth day

2011-05-02T08:11:00.000-05:00

When I think about the day Levi was born I will forever remember 3:33 AM.

What happened at 3:33, you might ask? You would probably guess that it's the time he was born. But, no.

3:33 was the moment in the stillness of the wee hours of the morning when I woke during my very first contraction.

Three days past my due date, I was the only person in our home that was awake.

The only person with an inkling of what the day might bring.

The only person looking at the clock wondering how long this process would take.

All by myself, for a little while I was able to savor the excitement, to pray over my soon-to-be-born babe.

And slowly, ever so slowly, the world around me began to wake up.

The sun peeked over the horizon.

My mom woke to do her early-morning exercises.

And the contractions intensified.

Eventually I woke Aaron up. He began timing the contractions. They weren't very consistent, but were certainly no piece of cake.

And I also woke up Megan, who was sleeping in her "bedroom" in the little nook under the stairs.

Before I knew it we were on the phone with the hospital, asking if we should head in to the birth center. And before we had even reached the nurse I knew that we'd better get in the car and go.

When we got there, the labor and delivery nurses acted very nonchalantly, in no hurry to get me ready and check my progress. I think those were the longest minutes of my life.

And when they finally got their act together and checked me, they realized that I was already in "transition." Which, for those of you who have never had a baby, means THE BABY IS COMING SOON!

The room was a-flutter.

Everything happened at lightning speed.

"Keep the monitor on."

"I can't! I can't lay on my back!"

They kept strapping it around my belly.

I kept moving.

The doctor finally came in.

"I need an epidural!"

"You can't. You're too far progressed. Can you lay on your back so I can check you?"

"Not unless you give me an epidural. I cannot birth this baby laying on my back."

I got an epidural.

Relief.

Everything slowed down.

And just a little bit later, at 12:28 PM (I time I can never seem to remember), our sweet Levi joined our family.

Turns out he had been facing up instead of down, which is what had been causing me so much back pain during labor.

A year has now passed.
For a year we've been blessed by Levi's infectious giggles. We have basked in his snuggles.
From day one he stole our hearts.

And for many years to come we will watch him grow and develop into the person God has created him to be. We will love on him, encourage him, pray for him.

Happy birthday, Levi! What a blessing you are!

Letter of the Week ~ U

2011-05-01T13:56:00.000-05:00

Let's face it, some letters are more or less exciting than others. I told Camille that we should do a vowel this week, and she chose the letter U. Meh. I'm less than thrilled about this one. But a letter of the English alphabet it is, and an important one too. So we may as well study it and then move on to something more fun!

This week we are learning about the letter U.

Memory Verse: Under God’s wings you are safe. Psalm 91:4

Song: Under the Sea

Words: uncle, under, up, umbrella, umpire

Books: The Ugly Duckling

Field Trip: Underwater World at the Mall of America

Letter of the Week D (overview)

2011-04-30T13:32:00.001-05:00

This week was somewhat of a whirlwind, being Auntie Megan's last week with us. On Friday she headed back to Tijuana to continue her ministry there. Even though we miss her already, we know that her friends in Mexico are happy to have her back!

This week we taught Camille what dimes are. She had fun putting them on her D page, and then enjoyed sorting other coins into piles.

Our verse this week, "Do everything without complaining or arguing," brought a bit of a welcome relief to the complaining and arguing we had been hearing from Camille lately. We're happy that she now has this verse filed away in her memory so that we will be able to remind her of it whenever necessary!

On Tuesday Camille accompanied her Grandma to the dentist! She even came back with a fancy new toothbrush, dental floss, a small pink kitty toy, and a green princess crown. Who knew dentists were giving out such exciting prizes these days?!

Wednesday evening we hosted a small birthday gathering in celebration of Levi's first birthday (which will be on Monday). Camille was in charge of decorating, and with some help from Auntie she did a great job. Levi also enjoyed the decorating and had himself tangled up in crepe paper in no time (no photo, sorry!)!

Even Josiah got in on the D action this week and experienced his first driving lesson on Friday. Using the same seatbelt method that kept Levi in the little car last week, Josiah safely (well, mostly safely) enjoyed hurtling down the driveway and feeling the wind on his face. I think I might have another daredevil to keep up with!

Now that Megan has left, I'm officially on my own doing Letter of the Week at our house during the day. Wish me luck!

on the move?

2011-04-28T20:56:00.006-05:00

Levi is definitely on the move these days. He's finally getting his act together and realizing just how much fun walking can be! He'll gladly toddle from person to person, or better yet from person to favorite toy.

It's perfect timing, I think. Now he will be able to enjoy the great outdoors on his feet instead of his hands and knees. Hopefully his shoes and/or socks and pants won't get quite as dirty now! The kid is like a magnet to chalk drawings on the driveway and always crawls straight through them.

Now he'll just have to come up with new ways to get dirty.

I'm sure his sister will be happy to give him a few pointers in that area. She loves getting dirty!

But this post isn't just about Levi. It's actually about all of us. Well, our family. And my parents.

As many of you know, my dad was offered a job relocation this winter when it was announced the building he works in will be closing. After a lot of discussion, a visit to the new location in southern California, talks with family and friends, and lots of time spent in prayer, they have decided to accept the relocation offer!

But that's not all.

After a lot of discussion, talks with family and friends, and lots of time spent in prayer, we've decided to accept their offer to move with them!

We are all excited about this new chapter in our lives! There are many variables yet to be worked out, but we trust that God is faithful and will be there to help us through every detail.

Yes, this is certainly a big leap of faith, but it is a leap that Aaron and I are looking forward to taking together.

So I guess that this means we're all on the move! California, here we come!

because they grow so fast

2011-04-26T09:34:00.000-05:00

children in church

2011-04-25T13:47:00.000-05:00

Aaron and I both grew up attending church worship services with our parents. We remember sitting (mostly) patiently and participating whenever we were able.

So, naturally, when we became parents we had visions of our children sitting quietly and respectfully with us in the pew at church. We decided early on that it wouldn't be routine for our children to spend the service in the nursery. We wanted them to be comfortable (and eventually enjoy) sitting with us in church. We wanted them to have the opportunity to worship Jesus alongside us. As a family.

That vision quickly went out the window when Camille was just a few weeks old and started going through a colicky phase. Was this ever going how we imagined it would?

Even as she got older it didn't get much easier. Occasionally she would do a really good job in church, and occasionally she would go to the nursery to play.

Each Sunday we would ~~pack up~~ stuff the diaper bag with sippy cups, snacks, books, quiet toys, and crayons. And each Sunday we would find ourselves sitting in a pew drowning in a sea of kids things. And we would still have a squirmy, unsatisfied, and bored child with us.

Now that we have two children, and now that Levi is getting older, this has only gotten worse. Not only are we still drowning in a sea of kids things, but our kids are fighting over the toys and books, they are walking up and down in the pew and trying to crawl under them, and they are crabby and disrespectful when we tell them to sit and be quiet. (I realize that Levi is only nearly a year old, but he has progressively become harder and harder to handle in church over the past month or two.)

And then last week I read this blog post by a mother of many children.

And realized we were going about this all wrong.

And Aaron and I had a discussion about what we really wanted while we attend church with our children. We realized that we weren't raised sitting in a pew full of crayons, snacks, and a multitude of quiet toys. We were taught at an early age that church isn't a place for children to be entertained. It's an opportunity for children to worship. We didn't simply want quiet kids. We wanted our kids to participate with us.

We realized that our family needed a church etiquette overhaul.

And what better time to start than Easter Sunday?

On Saturday we prepped Camille for the changes in sitting in church that were going to happen the next day. I told her that she wouldn't be getting a "busy bag" (yes, she always got to pick a busy bag at church in addition to all the kid paraphernalia we brought from home). I explained that she was old enough to listen in church, sing with us when it was time to sing, and fold her hands with us when it was time to pray.

And she didn't complain.

Before we left for church on Sunday morning we told her she could pick one Jesus book to bring with her to church. We also picked one for Levi to look at. And we decided that if either of our kids needed to be brought out of the service for one reason or another, they would sit on our laps without anything to play with. When they calmed down then we would bring them back into the service and they could have their book to look at. I also reminded Camille what was expected of her and encouraged her by telling her I knew she could do a great job.

When we got to church Camille did fine when we reminded her that she wouldn't be getting a busy bag. We also chose a front pew to sit in. And in doing so, I wondered how many times we would have to walk all the way up the aisle to take the kids out.

I was shocked at how well Camille behaved during the service. But I suppose I shouldn't have been. She is a smart girl and she does know what behavior is appropriate and what behavior isn't. Just by clearly telling her our expectations and taking away all the distractions she was able to step up and participate with us.

Levi also did well sitting on our laps. Aaron took him out once for a few minutes during the sermon, and I took him out once to nurse him (this almost never happens, but he hadn't nursed in a while and didn't have time for a snack before church). It was a long time for him to sit quietly, but even he showed improvement from how he had been doing in church the past couple of months.

We know that not every Sunday will go this well.

But we also are thrilled to finally be on the right track to worshiping together as a family. I'm looking forward to continuing this way of parenting our children during church. I'm also planning on reading this book to see what other insights we can learn about how to encourage family worship.

And we'd love to hear any advice you have about encouraging our children to participate with us in church! As we all know, parenting is an ongoing process that is constantly changing. Once we figure one thing out we are faced with a new challenge!

Letter of the Week ~ D

2011-04-25T08:39:00.002-05:00

This week we are learning about the letter D.

Memory Verse: Do everything without complaining and arguing. Philippians 2:14

Song: Do Lord, Drive the Firetruck

Words: dinosaur, Dowie, dog, dig, delightful, dance

Books: How Does A Dinosaur Say Goodnight?, Dentist, Got to Dance

Field Trip: Dentist

Letter of the Week H (overview)

2011-04-22T14:00:00.001-05:00

Unfortunately we weren't able to do as many H things this week as we were hoping. We spent the better part of Wednesday and Thursday trying to get healthy. Camille caught a stomach virus and was quite under the weather all night on Wednesday.

We did manage to do a few things, though. As usual, on Monday we created the H poster. We're finding that the more and more she practices writing letters and words, the more she wants to practice writing. We're so proud of her and of course want to encourage her love of learning. So I'm sure you'll see more posters with her own picture labels.

She also had fun with her glue stick attaching hearts to her H page on Tuesday.

Each night this week (and even during the day) we've read Camille's favorite H library book, A-Hunting We Will Go! We've enjoyed singing the book instead of just reading it, and it's been the perfect way to finish off each day. It will definitely be going on our book "wish list" so that hopefully we can add it to our own book collection one day. Here are all the books we read this week:

Amazon.com Widgets

On Friday we took a special field trip to the hospital that Camille, Levi, Josiah and Isabel were all born at. Their mom Kristy was able to join us, along with Auntie Megan. We tried taking a picture of the moms and kids, and well, you can see how well that turned out...

We walked around the Birthplace floor of the hospital, peeked in the nursery window and watched two sleeping babies, and had fun talking about what it was like to stay there when each of the kids was born. Then we went down to the NICU where Josiah spent his first six weeks of life and were able to visit with a couple of his nurses.

Back outside getting ready to get in the car we tried to snap a photo of the girls together. And yet again, they weren't much in the mood but were able to hold still for a split second.

It was a fun visit, and nurses who passed us in the hallways kept commenting on our bunch of kids. When they learned that all four had been born at their hospital they thought that was pretty special, and agreed that this was the perfect field trip for H week!

We all think this was a pretty fun way to wrap up the week!

two loves

2011-04-19T20:36:00.000-05:00

Two things Camille loves:

Her Auntie Megan.
Making birthday cards for people she loves, even if it's not their birthday.

You'll notice that she's concentrating so hard that her tongue is sticking out.

And these days she's giddy with excitement that she can "write" birthday cards all by herself! Another person who is excited to have a new pen pal? Why, Auntie Megan of course!

None of us are looking forward to Megan going back to Mexico in just over a week, but it will certainly be fun writing her lots of "birthday" cards and drawing lots of pictures for her.

And, as Camille says, "Auntie's other children need her too!"

These four months have been filled with adventure and blessings, and now it's time for us to share our Auntie with her other children.

my kids have fun together

2011-04-18T20:42:00.002-05:00

They also have fun with their Auntie Megan who, for the record, was the one who came up with the ingenious scarf-seatbelt contraption. She's also the one who let my son eat chalk.

Don't worry, he survived both.

Letter of the Week ~ H

2011-04-17T20:41:00.001-05:00

This week we are learning about the letter H.

Memory Verse: He is not here. He has risen! Matthew 28:6

Song: Ho-ho-ho-Hosanna, Halleluiah

Words: hug, heart, happy, hat, honey, healthy, hosanna

Books: A-Hunting We Will Go, What A Hat!, Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild!

Field Trip: Hospital. Whenever we drive by the hospital where Camille and Levi were born she always points it out and talks about all the friends she knows who were also born there. We are going to visit the birth center to look at the babies in the nursery.

Letter of the Week S (overview)

2011-04-16T15:48:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the things we did this week (in no particular order):

Drew a spider web

Made our S poster

Practiced doing straddles at gymnastics

Ate homemade chicken and rice soup

Decorated our S page with star stickers

Talked about safety around fire, on the trampoline, in the yard, and other places

Visited Starfall and learned about letters

Ate sandwiches

Attended a Spring Sing-Along

Enjoyed our swing

Played with silly putty

Had a sunshine supper (known by some as a picnic)

Ate lots of PB&J sandwiches

Practiced writing the letter S on the magnadoolde

Cut out stars, squares, and other shapes and used them to make a mobile

Whew! That was a bunch of S things!

two years later, same spot, smaller cracker, bigger camille

2011-04-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

The Letter of the Week ~ S

2011-04-10T08:40:00.025-05:00

This week we are learning about the letter S.

Memory Verse: Seek first the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:33

Song: Oh Susanna! (This is Camille's favorite version of this song!)

Words: scooter, safety, square, silly, sandwich, starfish

Books: Six Hogs on a Scooter, Fire Safety, May We Sleep Here Tonight?, All Around the Seasons, My Somebody Special

Field Trip: TBD (Science Museum? Play soccer?)

Letter of the Week P (overview)

2011-04-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

Sunday
Planted pumpkin seeds

Monday
Made our P poster

Field trip to Papa Murphy's Pizza
Lunch: pizza and pink lemonade

Tuesday
Glued pompoms on our P page

Went on a percussion parade around the block
Collected pinecones

Wednesday
Exercise: pikes, pillow races (with a pillow between our ankles), and puddle jumps into the hula hoop

Friday
Camille spent the morning with Grandma. They played at the park, painted, and got parfaits at McDonald's.

The seeds we planted last weekend are doing well and growing quite a bit every day. I took this photo a couple days ago and already some of the plants are four inches tall!

Throughout the week we practice the memory verse "Pray without ceasing," and we talked about what prayer is and what the word ceasing means. I explained to Camille how God wants us to always be talking with Him throughout the day and sharing with Him our joys and struggles. These days she loves deciding what prayer we will pray at mealtimes and especially likes when we all sing the Johnny Appleseed Song.

We've also had fun reading our P library books. Some of her favorites were The Puddle, Pierre the Penguin, All for Pie, Pie for All, and I Drive An Ambulance (which is about paramedics). It's always interesting to discover which books she likes and which she doesn't.

We've had a fun week and are looking forward to more Letter of the Week fun next week! Check back tomorrow to find out what letter we'll be learning about.

upside down

2011-04-07T19:48:00.000-05:00

levi's new crayons

2011-04-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

I'd been thinking lately about making Levi some crayons that he could color with. He's tried using Camille's but he has a hard time holding them. But I didn't want to buy a new box of crayons just for this project. Then lo and behold I found a big box of Crayola crayons in the closet downstairs this morning! Perfect!

But wait? Won't Camille use those crayons? Actually, Camille much prefers to color with markers or colored pencils. And when she does use crayons she likes to use the Crayola twistable crayons.

So here I was with this box of 64 brand new crayons. I set myself up at the table next to Camille (who was playing with pompoms) with a knife and a bowl and the box of crayons. I used the knife to slice down the length of the crayons paper and peeled it away, and put the crayons in the bowl. I used all but 10 crayons.

Then while the oven was heating (200 degrees) Camille and I broke the crayons and sorted them into muffin cups by color.

I popped them into the oven and looked at the clock so that I would know when to check them. The directions I had found said they would melt in roughly 10 to 20 minutes.

And then I promptly forgot about them.

I can't really say how long they were in the oven because I don't recall when I put them in and I don't recall when I took them out. Maybe 40 minutes? More? But one thing was for sure: the were melted.

I set the muffin tray in the fridge so the new crayons would harden. After a little while (again, I have no idea how long, perhaps half an hour?) I checked on them and they looked ready. So I pulled them out, peeled the muffin cups off of them and beheld the glorious sight of Levi-safe crayons.

After trimming up the edges a bit (the photos are of the crayons before I trimmed them) I set the boys on the kitchen floor with the crayons and a piece of paper. Camille kindly showed them what to do and then was quickly off doing big kid things elsewhere.

Josiah thought they were a new percussion instrument and enjoyed clapping them together. Levi...well, you can guess what he did with the crayons. But still, they turned out well, and I'm looking forward to when all the kids can sit at the table and color together. We like to do lots of projects here and getting these babies used to crayons will be a big step in the right direction for them!

outside

2011-04-03T20:53:00.001-05:00

This weekend brought lovely mild weather to these parts, and we took advantage by spending time outside. Levi was, for the first time, able to crawl around on the driveway (the grass is still wet) and managed to turn his orange socks completely brown. But he was happy as a clam!

While Levi was on the loose Camille and I took some time to plant pumpkin seeds. We're going to try strawbale gardening this year, so I thought it would be fun to start some of the seeds indoors until it warms up more outside.

We used the bottom portion of an egg carton as our tray. Camille did a great job poking two pumpkin seeds into each section.

I asked Aaron to snap a photo of us, but Camille was too proud of her seeds to even look at the camera!

Meanwhile, Levi had discovered the bowl of dirt and was having great fun flinging dirt everywhere with the spoon.

I've got to keep my eye on that boy.

We did some other letter of the week P things today: Camille wore a pink dress with polka dots. And for dinner we ate pulled pork.

The Letter of the Week ~ P

2011-04-03T09:43:00.002-05:00

This week we are learning about the letter P.

Memory Verse: Pray without ceasing. 1 Thes. 5:17

Song: Pease Porridge Hot
Video: Classic Sesame Street - The Letter P

Words: picnic, penguin, paramedic, pizza, playdough

Books: Ten Dirty Pigs, The Puddle, The Pied Piper's Magic, Curious George and the Puppies

Field Trip: Papa Murphy's to watch them prepare a pizza

Check back later in the week to see and read about all the pandemonium we are causing while we learn about the letter P!

The Letter of the Week ~ L (overview)

2011-04-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

We had a fantastic time studying the letter L this week! Here's what we did:

Monday
We created our L poster and hung it in our front hallway. Throughout the week we added things as they came to mind.

Camille also helped with laundry and we read some books with L in the title.

Tuesday
Camille decorated her L page and we hung it on the wall next to the poster.

Then we had lunch with Daddy and drank lemonade.

Wednesday
Levi loved on Leo and Luisa.

Camille and Auntie Megan did lots of exercises like L-sits, log rolls, and lunges.

We also danced to some L songs that we had on the computer and watched a Sesame Street L song and version of This Little Light of Mine on YouTube.

Friday:
We went on a special trip to the library, where we were able to join in on a music class for kids under the age of five. Camille, Levi, and Josiah had a fun time playing with rhythm sticks, singing, dancing, and going under the giant parachute. When we got home Camille helped make fresh lemonade.

***

Overall I think that the week went very well. Camille had fun with all of the special activities, and also enjoyed pointing out L words wherever we went. She had her memory verse (Let your light shine!) memorized the very first day and is looking forward to learning a new verse next week.

At first I was worried that this project would be something I would have a hard time keeping up with, but since it's so very informal I don't think it will be a problem. Some weeks we will do more things letter-related than other weeks. Some weeks we will take fewer photos. And sometimes we'll just go with the flow!

Check back tomorrow to find out what the letter of the week will be for next week!

flour tray letters

2011-03-30T12:32:00.003-05:00

Last week Camille had fun writing letters in a cookie sheet filled with flour.

It was a messy activity.

But messy is Camille's specialty.

She enjoyed writing names and drawing designs.

She chooses to use mostly upper-case letters except for the letter i.

Josiah and Levi munched on Cheerios and watched in admiration and wished they could dig into the floury mess with her.

I told them they have to wait until they're old enough to know not to eat it.

See? Messy.

But Camille wasn't the only one who got to enjoy this activity. Auntie Megan played with her and was even on the receiving end of a luxurious flour massage.

Camille learns best when she's actively engaged in what she's learning. She likes hands-on activities that she can do without help and she loves to get messy.

So this activity was perfect for her.

blood

2011-03-29T20:16:00.000-05:00

Camille made it a full three years before her first bleeding boo-boo. It happened just a couple weeks ago while she was playing in the driveway. She had been pushing Levi in his stroller and tripped, ending up with a bloody fat lip.

It took her quite a while to regain composure, and still complained about it hurting for a few days after.

Levi wasn't quite as lucky.

He officially made it ten months and 27 days before he got his own bloody fat lip.

And Levi recovered from it within about 30 seconds. He was soon laughing with blood running down his face.

Camille has always been a pretty tough kid, but Levi has shown that he truly knows how to roll with the punches.

abandon ship

2011-03-29T08:40:00.001-05:00

Camille and Levi were pirates in their pirate ship...

holding tight when the seas were rough...

shouting AHOY THAR MATEY...

and just generally enjoying themselves...

until Camille decided it was time to abandon ship.

Levi thought that was pretty funny.

The Letter of the Week ~ L

2011-03-28T14:06:00.001-05:00

This week we are learning about the letter L.

Memory Verse: Let your light shine. Matthew 5:16

Song: This Little Light of Mine

Words: lion, Levi, light, love

Books: Mrs. Lather's Laundry, The Little Engine that Could, The Little Lost Angel

Field Trip: library

This morning after breakfast Camille did a lacing activity at the table while I washed dishes. Then she drew a picture of a lion with some help from Auntie Megan. Megan told her what to draw (circle for a head, a mane all around the head, eyes, nose, mouth, whiskers, four legs, and a tail).

Then while the boys were napping Megan helped Camille cut l words and pictures out of magazines and I helped her tape them onto our poster paper and wrote the words under them.

After lunch this afternoon Camille helped do laundry and just before naptime Megan read our l books to her.

We're only one day into this and I can already tell that Camille is enjoying herself and looking forward to the special little projects we have planned. Here's what we have planned for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: We will work on our "L" picture and will decorate it with leaves.
Wednesday: Camille will have some computer time where we will learn about lighthouses and llamas.
Thursday: Camille has school, so we might not do anything letter-related. But who knows!
Friday: Field trip to the library. Hopefully by then I will have decide what next week's letter will be and can find some books for us to read.

I'll let you know later how our first Letter of the Week week is going, and will for sure be back on Sunday so you can hear what we're going to be doing next week!

The Letter of the Week

2011-03-27T09:56:00.010-05:00

Welcome to our version of The Letter of the Week!

Each week will showcase a different letter of the alphabet, using that letter throughout the week to learn about things we like to learn about. I've used some ideas from this fantastic website and come up with a few of my own. Throughout the week we will:

Learn a memory verse from the Bible. Aaron and I have chosen brief passages that begin with each letter of the alphabet (except for x) and that we believe will be valuable to our children as they grow in their knowledge of and relationships with Jesus Christ.
Learn and sing a song that relates either to the letter of the week or the memory verse.
Do an full-page letter project. We will draw a large upper-case letter on a full-size piece of paper and decorate it with something that begins with that letter. I plan to photograph these to put into a photo book when our 26-week project is completed.
Enjoy several activities that correspond with the week's letter.
Read books that correspond with our letter.
Think of words that begin with the weekly letter.
Practice writing the letter of the week and words that begin with it.
Create a poster. Our poster will include our letter, the memory verse, pictures of things and people we know who begin with that letter, other words we've learned and talked about, and pictures Camille has drawn. These will also be photographed and included in our photo book.
Go on a field trip. We will try to find a local place or activity that we can travel to sometime during the week that will correspond with our letter of the week. This may be something that I take all the kids to during the day, or it may be a special one-on-one date Camille gets to do with either Aaron or myself (or grandparents, aunt or uncle, etc.).

We've decided not to go in alphabetical order so that we can sort of fly by the seat of our pants in deciding what letter we want to do when. I think this will be helpful for planning activities and such. Also, since Camille already knows the alphabet, I don't think it will be confusing to her to study them out of order.

In case anyone is interested in joining us in this 26-week project, I will plan on posting each week's new letter and memory verse, along with our tentative letter-related plan for the week, on Sundays. Our family will focus on memorizing just the memory verse, but I will include its Biblical reference if you or your children would like to memorize that as well. We will begin our new letter on Mondays. I say tentative because one of the great things about homeschooling is that we can easily change our plans, skip a week if necessary, or even do two letters in one week if we're feeling ambitious. We might find that working on our poster at the beginning of the week doesn't work very well, or halfway through the alphabet we may discover a completely different format we want to use for our learning. Or, we might find that we don't like doing this at all. But either way, we'll post our plan on Sundays and then try to update throughout the week with the things we've been learning.

You'll notice that each week we do things a bit differently, but that generally we try to cover the same types of things. I will add links to our Letter of the Week postings here as we complete them. And let's all remember that the most important thing about teaching preschoolers is that they have fun!

L Introduction and L Overview

P Introduction and P Overview

S Introduction and S Overview

H Introduction and H Overview (Holy Week)D Introduction and D OverviewU Introduction and U Overview
J Introduction and J Overview
I Introduction and I Overview

taking care of business

2011-03-25T21:50:00.000-05:00

I've been tweaking my blog these past few days and adding a few features.

Swagbucks Widget - Some of you use Swagbucks, some have heard of it but never checked into it, and some have never heard of it. Swagbucks is a way of earning money just by using a new search engine. You can also do surveys, complete special offers, and get referrals to earn money. I've added the widget to my sidebar. You can use this widget to sign up for your own Swagbucks account and start earning money. There are lots of things you can spend your swagbucks on, but my absolute favorite is to redeem them for Amazon gift cards. So far this year Aaron and I have earned more than $50 in Amazon gift cards and are in the process of deciding what to use them for (Christmas presents, homeschool supplies, and fun splurges are all in the running). And what I like most about using Swagbucks to earn money is that I have not received a single junk email from them.

Follow by Email - Tired of checking back at the blog every day only to find that I've been lazy at posting? Or forget to visit and realized you've missed a bunch of posts? Now you can sign up to get an email each time I put up a new post.Just enter your email address in the space on my sidebar that says "follow by email."

Confessions of a Homeschooler - I've started following this blog and have really enjoyed the homeschool ideas she has to share. I'm particularly interested in the preschool curriculum she has created and the free printables that go along with it. I've found a bunch of worksheets for Camille to do, as well as number and letter games, and many other ideas for things to do with the kids. So I've added this blog to my list on the sidebar. If you have young kids you can definitely benefit from checking out this blog, even if you don't homeschool.
Preschool/Homeschool Ideas - I'm also going to try to incorporate more preschool and homeschool ideas as I try to slowly add them into our routine. Like I said in this post, we aren't ready yet to start anything formal, but young minds are always learning and I'm constantly trying to be intentional about offering my kids opportunities to learn more. I've added a "homeschool" label to my blog posts that show things we are doing or ideas we have, so you can click on that to see all of those posts. One of the things I'm going to be starting soon is ABC Bible memory verses. I'm planning on posting each week's verse on the blog so that you can follow along with us if you wish.

Well, I think that's about it for now. If you have any questions about these things please feel free to ask! And if you're wondering more about Swagbucks or other preschool/homeschool things I've been reading up on I'd love to share.

bathtime phonics

2011-03-24T08:27:00.002-05:00

impressive

2011-03-23T20:37:00.000-05:00

Can you guess what part of this picture I find the most impressive?

I asked Camille to write her name in the corner of her picture. I told her each letter and waited to see what she would write. Her A may look like an H, and she did add an extra E (running out of room on the right through her off a little) but we had no idea she could write her name so well.

Actually, we had no idea she could write her name at all.

I think that's pretty impressive.

But I am a just a tiny bit biased.

And in case you're wondering, the picture she drew is of Aaron wiping spider webs with a teal-colored towel. Obviously. He even had some spider webs on his face. And three noses. And a big head. A really big head.

tricycle ride: take two

2011-03-23T14:39:00.000-05:00

A lot has happened in our yard in just one week. When I took these photo there was still some snow.
Then it was gone.
And now it's back.
At any rate, I've added photo storage space to my account so you can now enjoy the rest of the photos of Camille's first tricycle ride of the season...

There was no tricycle riding happening today, but rather snowman building! Equally fun in Camille's eyes.

baby beluga

2011-03-22T22:16:00.001-05:00

If I had to guess I'd say we sing this song at least 30 times each day.

And we never sing it the same way twice!

my final free photo

2011-03-16T11:36:00.000-05:00

I have some great photos of Camille's first tricycle ride of the year.

But alas, as I was uploading them to Blogger I was informed that I've reached my data limit. I've now had to purchase 20 gig of space, and am waiting for my account to acknowledge it before I can add more photos.

So you can feast your eyes upon my final free blog photo...

Do you suppose having to pay to have photos on my blog will make them look nicer?

I didn't think so either.

at 10 months old...

2011-03-16T10:20:00.000-05:00

Levi...

Can crawl, cruise, and stand on his own for a few seconds
Head's straight for the cat's water dish whenever unsupervised
Weighs roughly 24 lbs.
Still doesn't even come close to sleeping through the night
Generally nurses about 6-8 times in a 24-hour period
Shrieks with joy when he sees Camille for the first time each morning
Will eat everything green on his highchair tray before he touches anything else (except for cheese)
Loves to sing and dance to the song Baby Beluga
Has nearly out-grown his giraffe patterned snow suit
Holds his own in every tickle match he has with Camille
Has chosen the kitchen cabinet with the ceramic dishware as his favorite
Thinks the book Go Dog Go is outrageously funny
Tries to drink out of his sippy cup but gets as much on his shirt as he does in his mouth
Is still my sweet and cuddly baby boy

at three years old...

2011-03-16T10:11:00.003-05:00

Camille...

Knows all her upper-case letters and most of her lower-case (and the sounds they make)
Can count to 13
Adores her doll Susanna more than anything else
Is an excellent assistant in the kitchen
Has been known to wear her brother's pants as capris
Often blurts out a priate-y phrase such as ahoy thar and Captain Hook is closing in!
Has no problem eating stray Cheerios she finds on the floor
Asks for cereal for breakfast every morning (usually at least two kinds mixed together)
Can get herself completely dressed (and will often change her clothes when she should be napping)
Calls Levi big brother despite the fact that he is younger and smaller than her
Has almost completely given up her afternoon nap
Requests peanut butter and jelly for nearly every meal
Would listen to her Little House picture books all day long
Washes Levi's hair all by herself when they take baths together
Loves playing doctor and makes sure to give (or get) a thorough check-up
Is one of the most creative, talkative, caring, and beautiful children I know

think spring

2011-03-08T19:40:00.000-06:00

In an effort to think spring and in anticipation of the coming gardening season, Camille painted two flower gardens this morning.

Now go away, snow!

hurricane levi: part 2

2011-03-08T13:30:00.000-06:00

She was distracted for mere seconds.

And, before anyone could realize what was happening, Camille's oatmeal was everywhere.

Hurricane Levi strikes again.

Insert evil laugh.

because they grow so fast

2011-03-07T15:21:00.000-06:00

especially when they're sleeping

Camille's birthday extravaganza

2011-03-04T20:47:00.001-06:00

Camille's special birthday day was a smashing success!

Aaron and I both took the day off from work, and her Auntie Megan was also able to spend the day with us.

The day began bright and early when she woke ready for the day at 6:30. Knowing we wanted to make this a special day, all three of us adults (and Levi, who was already awake) got up right away and joined her in the kitchen where she was given a birthday present to open.

Her first gift was from Auntie, and it was a doll just the same as her favorite doll Susanna, except this doll is "from Mexico" (where Auntie lives) and her name is Luisa! Camille was thrilled to have another Susanna and instantly welcomed Luisa into her family of animals and dolls. She has already joined the ranks on Camille's bed and fits right in with the others.

Aaron and I also got her a summer dress that matches the outfits Susanna and Luisa are wearing. She excitedly put it on over her clothes and wore it (along with the birthday crown she got at school yesterday) for the remainder of the morning.

After opening her present Camille declared it was breakfast time. So what does a three-year-old have for breakfast on her birthday? Why, carrot cake cupcakes, of course. Weeks ago Camille specifically requested to have carrot cake cupcakes for her birthday while on a grocery shopping trip with my mom. Naturally, I obliged, and even topped them with delicious cream cheese frosting (which I made for the first time last night)!

After breakfast (we had fruit with our cupcakes, you didn't think we'd be that unhealthy, did you?) we had some down time, watched a couple cartoons, and let Levi (and Mommy) take a nap. Then as soon as nap time was over we packed up our things and headed to the local gymnastics gym for a morning of open gym. Our friends Kristy, Isabel and Josiah joined in on the fun, and a great time was had by all.

When we got home we ate lunch (goudadillas - quesadillas with gouda cheese), took naps, and then headed to the library. We spent a while browsing and chose a bag full of books to borrow, including four My First Little House Books that we haven't read yet.

After dinner Camille played with another of her birthday presents - a set of wooden sandpaper letters I ordered for her from Etsy. This was a gift from Aaron and I and all of her grandparents. They were a huge hit. Camille absolutely loves learning letters and letter sounds. She has recently mastered all of her upper-case letters and I was excited to teach her lower-case letters.

But as she looked at each of the lower-case letters one by one, we quickly discovered that she already knows nearly all of them. So after doing a few upper- and lower-case matching games and having fun sorting them by size and by color (vowels are blue and consonants are red) we spent a while building words. Camille is just beginning to understand the concept of phonics and sounding out words, and having this concrete tactile tool to build the words is clearly going to help her make the connections faster.

Before bedtime we of course had to have some cake. We'd picked up a chocolate cake from Costco earlier in the week and this made for a great finish to the day.

After Camille got her jammies on it was time to open her final birthday presents: a Twiddlebug book (from Auntie) and A Little House Birthday book (from me and Aaron). After we read them together, I carried Camille to bed like a baby and we shared a birthday snuggle before I kissed her goodnight and closed the door.

I know we won't always be able to give Camille full-day birthday celebrations, but this certainly was a special day for our family to share together. It was such a blessing to see her face light up in wonder so many times in one day, and to hear her utter the words thank you so freely and joyfully.

Now I just have to get used to the idea that I'm the mother of a three-year-old. Yikes!

three

2011-03-04T09:35:00.000-06:00

Today is my baby girl's third birthday!

Last night after we read bedtime stories in the living room she asked me to carry her like a baby to her bed. I picked her up like a baby, struggling to balance her weight between my arms so that she wouldn't slip right out the bottom.

My, how the past three years have gone by in a flash.

Just three years ago I held my newborn babe in my arms like a baby. And now I hold her hand as we walk across the street, Camille clutching her favorite doll and me with her baby brother on my hip.

Just three years ago I nursed her during the wee hours of the night. And now I grab a cup from the cabinet (the same cups her daddy and I use) and give it to her so she can fill it herself from the dispenser on the refrigerator.

Just three years ago I swaddled her tightly and laid her in a bassinet. And now I snuggle in next to her at night to make a warm spot for her to crawl to when I leave.

And just three years ago I heard the sweetest sound a mother can hear, her firstborn's very first cry. But today I hear my little girl say to me, "I love you so much Mommy! You're the best mommy ever!"

It's true, my baby is growing up. But as long as I'm able I'll still carry her like a baby to bed at night.
Happy Birthday, sweet Camille. You make your Mommy and Daddy proud! We love you and are blessed by you every single day.

because they grow so fast

2011-03-01T13:46:00.001-06:00

countdown

2011-02-28T13:45:00.001-06:00

We're counting down the days...

Only four left!

hurricane levi

2011-02-25T17:58:00.001-06:00

He looks cute and innocent, doesn't he?

Cute he is, for sure.

But innocent? Oh no.

We've been hit hard by Hurricane Levi.

He is unstoppable.

In his path are puddles of drool and toys strewn about.

And I can't seem to keep up with him.

Good thing he's got cute going for him.

keeping it simple

2011-02-24T13:51:00.002-06:00

Outside my window… the skies are gray and the ground is white.

I am thinking… about how delicious the ice cream I just finished was.

I am thankful for…my husband, who has been up since 5 this morning and won't be home until 9:30 tonight.

From the kitchen… Cheerios, Cheerios everywhere!

I am wearing… jeans, a tshirt and a sweater.

I am creating… our menu plan for next week.

I am going… to bring Josiah home this afternoon, then to pick up my Mom from the bus station.

I am reading… Total Money Makeover and Crazy Love.

I am hoping… that Levi will nap longer than 30 minutes this afternoon.

I am hearing… silence. For the first time all day.

Around the house… books and toys scattered about just waiting for the sleeping children to return to them.

One of my favorite things… Archer Farms Belgian Chocolate ice cream from Target.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Megan and I are hoping to take the kids to open gym tomorrow morning. Camille has a blast there! Then I will be enjoying the weekend with my husband and kids. No plans!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing… Photo taken on Tuesday. Now that Levi is pulling up on things this is often the view from here. He has been hit hard with colds this winter. Though still generally a cheerful guy, Levi's been needing some extra love from Mama to help him make it through several ear infections and several thousand nose wipes. Please pray that he can get healthy and stay that way for a while!