I got the new BEP cd for our trip up the Flagstaff this week. It was kind of a last minute grab when I ran in to get discs for our video camera. I have always liked the song "Don't stop the Party" so I picked it up to keep us entertained during the drive. Call me another overstimulated American, but I get bored if there is no snacks and music to keep me occupied during a drive. I imagine with how much I snack on a 1.5 hour trip, a trip to another state might result in quite a weight gain! lol
So I listened to it through and I really liked it. I especially like the song "Love Me Long Time". I laughed at the title at first because of the obvious meaning that most people would get from the title. But when I listened to the song it was so cute. It has almost like a jungle sound to it! I really like it and now it is stuck in my head.
I would say that this cd is worth looking into if you have liked the older BEP stuff. It has a kind of up beat feel that is great for working out too!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Polar Express was AWESOME!!!
This year on our Christmas vacation, we surprised Tyson with a trip to the North Pole to thank Santa for all of his gifts. So we gave him tickets to The Polar Express on the Grand Canyon Railroad. It was a little expensive for what was supposed to be a one hour trip, but we decided the memory would be cherished more than the money. So we went to the 5:30 trip on Wednesday night.
We got there at about 5pm, just in time to find out that they want you to pick up your tickets no later than 30 minutes till departure time! Luckily there were still people in line at will-call so we were able to get our tickets and get on without any trouble. Just a side note, if you are buying these tickets for someone else, you will need to put their name on the order. They ask for an ID and if it doesn't match the purchaser then they will not hand you the tickets. The other option is to call them and tell them that you bought them but that whoever is actually taking the trip needs to be noted as your "guest". Back to the original point, we were happy to get there only 30 min. before the trip because my kids got bored very quickly of sitting in the seat waiting for the train to move.
There were three times available for departure, 330, 530 and 730. I knew better than to do 730, too close to bed time and my little ones would have a meltdown before Santa even got a chance to get on the train. What I didn't expect was to want the 330 departure. 530 was okay, but it took till 630 to get to the "North Pole" and it was already dark outside. That left my kids with nothing to look out the windows at and they quickly became bored with mommy and daddy and sitting nicely in their chair. At least at 330 we could have played "What do you see out the window?" for a little while.
Once the train got started the "chefs" were great at reminding the kids of where we were going and keeping them mildly excited. They brought some of the most delicious hot chocolate and snickdoodle cookies for us to snack on during the trip.
Like I mentioned earlier it took about an hour to get to the "North Pole" which turned out to be a little city of Christmas lights and a very big santa sleigh. Tyson was so excited to see Santa. As we were approaching the "North Pole" the "Chefs" asked if all of the adults on the right side of the train would move to the left side so that the kids from the left side would be able to see the "North Pole" and that was pretty cool I thought.
Also, on the trip they read "The Polar Express" to the kids so they knew what the story was and the gift made sense when they got it.
A little bit of advice before you go. . . keep in mind the age of children you bring. Chase and I both agreed that this might be better for kids that are at least three years old. Bug was so bored and she didn't understand why we had to stay seated. It was a little too long for her. I would also suggest that you bring your own copy of the book "The Polar Express". They read it outloud and Ty really wanted to look at the pictures closer. In addition, there were a lot of people wearing their pjs onto the train. Why you ask? because in the book it says that everyone on the Polar Express was in their pjs. I don't think I have ever seen so many people in their pjs :) lol
The highlights of this experience, awesome snacks and hot chocolate, well organized, cute idea and thoughtful staff. Downside, it was a little too much sitting still for the little ones.
We got there at about 5pm, just in time to find out that they want you to pick up your tickets no later than 30 minutes till departure time! Luckily there were still people in line at will-call so we were able to get our tickets and get on without any trouble. Just a side note, if you are buying these tickets for someone else, you will need to put their name on the order. They ask for an ID and if it doesn't match the purchaser then they will not hand you the tickets. The other option is to call them and tell them that you bought them but that whoever is actually taking the trip needs to be noted as your "guest". Back to the original point, we were happy to get there only 30 min. before the trip because my kids got bored very quickly of sitting in the seat waiting for the train to move.
There were three times available for departure, 330, 530 and 730. I knew better than to do 730, too close to bed time and my little ones would have a meltdown before Santa even got a chance to get on the train. What I didn't expect was to want the 330 departure. 530 was okay, but it took till 630 to get to the "North Pole" and it was already dark outside. That left my kids with nothing to look out the windows at and they quickly became bored with mommy and daddy and sitting nicely in their chair. At least at 330 we could have played "What do you see out the window?" for a little while.
Once the train got started the "chefs" were great at reminding the kids of where we were going and keeping them mildly excited. They brought some of the most delicious hot chocolate and snickdoodle cookies for us to snack on during the trip.
Like I mentioned earlier it took about an hour to get to the "North Pole" which turned out to be a little city of Christmas lights and a very big santa sleigh. Tyson was so excited to see Santa. As we were approaching the "North Pole" the "Chefs" asked if all of the adults on the right side of the train would move to the left side so that the kids from the left side would be able to see the "North Pole" and that was pretty cool I thought.
Also, on the trip they read "The Polar Express" to the kids so they knew what the story was and the gift made sense when they got it.
A little bit of advice before you go. . . keep in mind the age of children you bring. Chase and I both agreed that this might be better for kids that are at least three years old. Bug was so bored and she didn't understand why we had to stay seated. It was a little too long for her. I would also suggest that you bring your own copy of the book "The Polar Express". They read it outloud and Ty really wanted to look at the pictures closer. In addition, there were a lot of people wearing their pjs onto the train. Why you ask? because in the book it says that everyone on the Polar Express was in their pjs. I don't think I have ever seen so many people in their pjs :) lol
The highlights of this experience, awesome snacks and hot chocolate, well organized, cute idea and thoughtful staff. Downside, it was a little too much sitting still for the little ones.
Wing Mountain Snow Play Area
The online reviews said that there was sled rentals, lots of parking, and port-a-potties. They even talked about a snack-shack that would have hot chocolate. It sounded great. On top of all of that, it was not too far away from where we were staying.
So for my review, I would say this place was okay. It was not all that great. The sled "rentals" are actually sleds for sale. They are tiny one person saucer types that cost $12. To get into the park it was another $12 and there is no reentry if you leave. There were a couple good size hills and some open space for sledding and making snowmen.
The parking was good but muddy. The road into the park was VERY bumpy. It was muddy and had a lot of pot holes. There were also no lines on the dirt field they made a parking area so many of the visitors were not good at parking. This sort of parking creative freedom resulted in tiny parking lanes and a whole bunch of door bumping. It shouldn't be that hard to park well but some people are not that good at it.
Important points to remember, get there early! There are lots of families there coming to play for a day and head back to Phoenix. A large crowd was already there when we arrived at 10:00am but the line was all the way out to the highway when we left at 1:30pm. Also, bring your own sled/sleigh. They were very expensive and I felt like it was a huge waste. I would also say bring your own snacks/drinks. The snack shack was very over priced. It would be better to grab a cheap hot chocolate at the gas station on the way through Flagstaff.
In the end, I found that the park down the street from our hotel was closer, had significantly less people, had cleaner bathrooms and best of all was free. For all of these reasons I will not go back to wing mountain snow play area. Free is always better :)
Monday, December 26, 2011
Movie Review: We Bought A Zoo
We went to see We Bought A Zoo today at the movie theater! It is a movie about a widowed dad who takes his kids out of the city to buy a home that comes with a zoo. Matt Damon is the dad and that makes the movie worth watching in and of itself :) lol but add to that the absolutely adorable little girl that plays his daughter and I was sold.
The teenager was kind of a boring addition to the plot line and it probably could have done great without his part at all. On top of that, the other teenager in the movie (the girl) was awkward and has a smile that bothers me.
In the end I really did like this movie a lot. It had a great cast, (Scarlett Johansen and Matt Damon played leads) and it had a predictable but cute plot line. I love happy endings and I love predictable moments of hope and success in these kinds of moments.
I also brought along my four year old and my one year old. Lets start with the one year old. Be honest with yourself, if you are going to take your one year old to any movie and they already know how to walk, then you better be prepared to leave the theater after 20 minutes max. This is why most kid's TV shows do not even run a full half hour. With that being said, my one year old did sit for the optimal 20 minutes of this movie. She was delighted to see animals and especially liked the tigers. The animals are probably what kept her in her seat long as long as she was.
Now my four year old was a different story. At this age it is common for him to sit through a movie that is a cartoon, animation or some sort of "kid" movie. He can handle most of Kung Fu Panda or Cars any day. However I was curious to see if he would like this one because I knew it had a little bit of drama and a romance factor. In the end, Ty was oblivious to the other stuff and was completely content with watching other scenes in anticipation of another glimpse of a tiger or monkey. He sat nicely through the whole movie and even seemed to grasp the plot in a basic way.
My husband even liked the movie! :) Overall, I thought it was a win win for my family. Lots of animals for my kids, a little bit of romance for me and quite a bit of humor for my husband. They did a great job of mixing up the different elements and they didn't stay on one element long enough to bore anyone. I would like to get it on dvd when it comes out.
Here is a link to the movie trailer in case you are interested.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1389137/
The teenager was kind of a boring addition to the plot line and it probably could have done great without his part at all. On top of that, the other teenager in the movie (the girl) was awkward and has a smile that bothers me.
In the end I really did like this movie a lot. It had a great cast, (Scarlett Johansen and Matt Damon played leads) and it had a predictable but cute plot line. I love happy endings and I love predictable moments of hope and success in these kinds of moments.
I also brought along my four year old and my one year old. Lets start with the one year old. Be honest with yourself, if you are going to take your one year old to any movie and they already know how to walk, then you better be prepared to leave the theater after 20 minutes max. This is why most kid's TV shows do not even run a full half hour. With that being said, my one year old did sit for the optimal 20 minutes of this movie. She was delighted to see animals and especially liked the tigers. The animals are probably what kept her in her seat long as long as she was.
Now my four year old was a different story. At this age it is common for him to sit through a movie that is a cartoon, animation or some sort of "kid" movie. He can handle most of Kung Fu Panda or Cars any day. However I was curious to see if he would like this one because I knew it had a little bit of drama and a romance factor. In the end, Ty was oblivious to the other stuff and was completely content with watching other scenes in anticipation of another glimpse of a tiger or monkey. He sat nicely through the whole movie and even seemed to grasp the plot in a basic way.
My husband even liked the movie! :) Overall, I thought it was a win win for my family. Lots of animals for my kids, a little bit of romance for me and quite a bit of humor for my husband. They did a great job of mixing up the different elements and they didn't stay on one element long enough to bore anyone. I would like to get it on dvd when it comes out.
Here is a link to the movie trailer in case you are interested.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1389137/
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Just Dance 3
I had the privilege of playing this game on the wii tonight at my sisters house. At first I know a lot of people think, "I don't want to look stupid dancing in front of everyone" but I have to say I am not usually that person. I am more of the "sure lets try it" type on most non-dangerous things.
So, I decided to participate in the Just Dance 3 game on my sister's wii. IT....WAS.....SO...MUCH.....FUN!!!! I looked absolutely ridiculous. I may have rivaled even the best goofy youtube video with my busted moves. However, I enjoyed every minute of it.
I even got my husband to get up and dance with me to land of 1000 dances. After a couple rounds I even found myself dancing to songs without the controller. There was a giant group of us and it must have been hilarious to watch.
So we were all having so much fun and my son walks up to me and tells me that he needs to tell me a secret. He whispers in his little voice, "mom, I need everyone to sit down because I have a special long dance to show everyone." Naturally, I tell everyone to sit and get ready for a very entertaining show by a four year old. His little dance by far made my Christmas one of the best. He was so creative and he got up and danced in front of everyone! He did like a crazy rave dance then some shufflin. Kaylee even got up there and danced.
I was so thankful to have spent time with my family this year. This was a much appreciated memory that will stay in my favorites for a very long time. I love my little bear and bitty bug :) <3
Here is his special little Christmas dance. 1min22sec is an especially funny part :) lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dfHkquC_Ds&feature=youtube_gdata_player
So, I decided to participate in the Just Dance 3 game on my sister's wii. IT....WAS.....SO...MUCH.....FUN!!!! I looked absolutely ridiculous. I may have rivaled even the best goofy youtube video with my busted moves. However, I enjoyed every minute of it.
I even got my husband to get up and dance with me to land of 1000 dances. After a couple rounds I even found myself dancing to songs without the controller. There was a giant group of us and it must have been hilarious to watch.
So we were all having so much fun and my son walks up to me and tells me that he needs to tell me a secret. He whispers in his little voice, "mom, I need everyone to sit down because I have a special long dance to show everyone." Naturally, I tell everyone to sit and get ready for a very entertaining show by a four year old. His little dance by far made my Christmas one of the best. He was so creative and he got up and danced in front of everyone! He did like a crazy rave dance then some shufflin. Kaylee even got up there and danced.
I was so thankful to have spent time with my family this year. This was a much appreciated memory that will stay in my favorites for a very long time. I love my little bear and bitty bug :) <3
Here is his special little Christmas dance. 1min22sec is an especially funny part :) lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dfHkquC_Ds&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Gingerbread House Party Pics and Update
I had so much fun getting ready for the party today! I got the chance to bake cupcakes, two pies (my first pies ever) and a big Christmas Ham. I love love love to cook for guests. I especially love it when people like a new recipe I have tried. Cooking for large groups is like therapy for me. A bad day can easily be cured with two hours of cooking copious amounts of food.
Tonight's Gingerbread House Decorating Contest went off spectacularly!!! Here are some pictures of the houses. This year we decided to let everyone bring any embellishments they could think of to add to their houses. The resulting houses were ten times the quality as last years. I was so impressed with the inventive designs that everyone had!
The winning team was my in-laws. They had such a awesome house! We handed out papers for everyone that asked what house they thought was the best. In the end they had the most votes, but it was very close. I gave them the honorary trophy to keep for the year too.
Here are some of the best pics, this first house was the winner :
Tonight's Gingerbread House Decorating Contest went off spectacularly!!! Here are some pictures of the houses. This year we decided to let everyone bring any embellishments they could think of to add to their houses. The resulting houses were ten times the quality as last years. I was so impressed with the inventive designs that everyone had!
The winning team was my in-laws. They had such a awesome house! We handed out papers for everyone that asked what house they thought was the best. In the end they had the most votes, but it was very close. I gave them the honorary trophy to keep for the year too.
Here are some of the best pics, this first house was the winner :
Here is mine. . . .unfortunately it had the least votes
My winter tree for the front yard. . .haha
The runner up, or as my FIL calls is "the first loser"
The other houses. . .
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Trying to Relax During the Holidays
So every year I plan to throw this gingerbread party for my closest family and friends. It is a ton of fun and I enjoy every minute of the party. However, the planning has got me so tired I am yawning in the middle of my sentences. I have only finished about half of the stuff I need to do but given the fact that I have about 27 hours until the party starts, I am doing pretty good!
I host the party on Christmas Eve Eve (as we call it.) It is on the 23rd because (fingers crossed) everyone is open that night. It leaves them free to visit other family on the actual day of Christmas and it gives us the opportunity to sleep in with our kids Christmas morning.
So this year I have done a few things to make sure that the process is slightly more manageable. First, I am not letting anything wait. If I have time to do it, I am getting it done immediately. The kids watch TV each day after lunch for about 30 mins. I would normally think there was no project small enough to complete in that amount of time but today I cleaned the bathroom and both of the kids rooms!
The other thing I have done differently this year is to allow myself time (ten minutes or so) in my schedule once or twice a day to sit down with a cup of tea (apple cinnamon to be exact) and RELAX. This is important because I usually feel like I have no time to relax because even when I get a minute I fill it with other stuff to do. The problem with not taking any time to relax is that I get burnt out and I am so tired by the time our party gets here that I can't enjoy it. So extra "breaks" are on the agenda this year :)
I also have employed the help of my darling nieces and nephews! This is one area I had not gone to until yesterday. If you have nieces and nephews that are old enough to help out, I suggest you give them a call! I had so much fun yesterday with my niece and nephews working on the yard and getting the house ready for Christmas. It was a good way to spend time together and be productive.
The other really important thing is that I let myself not be perfect. I know it sounds stupid, of course everyone knows that nobody is perfect, but I like to strive for that level. You know the whole saying about shooting for the moon and landing among the stars? Well at this time of year there are just so many things going on that when I realize I did something wrong or forgot something, I just let it be. Everyone knows you loose a part of your memory with each kid anyways! So, I say, "Its ok, I forgot it, so what" and I move on. Luckily forgiving myself is the fastest way to move on to a positive rest of my day. When I dwell on the mistakes I tend to guide my day for a sure disaster.
I hope that you take some time to relax this Christmas and that you find humor in your mistakes/forgetfulness too. It can be freeing to let yourself relax :)
I host the party on Christmas Eve Eve (as we call it.) It is on the 23rd because (fingers crossed) everyone is open that night. It leaves them free to visit other family on the actual day of Christmas and it gives us the opportunity to sleep in with our kids Christmas morning.
So this year I have done a few things to make sure that the process is slightly more manageable. First, I am not letting anything wait. If I have time to do it, I am getting it done immediately. The kids watch TV each day after lunch for about 30 mins. I would normally think there was no project small enough to complete in that amount of time but today I cleaned the bathroom and both of the kids rooms!
The other thing I have done differently this year is to allow myself time (ten minutes or so) in my schedule once or twice a day to sit down with a cup of tea (apple cinnamon to be exact) and RELAX. This is important because I usually feel like I have no time to relax because even when I get a minute I fill it with other stuff to do. The problem with not taking any time to relax is that I get burnt out and I am so tired by the time our party gets here that I can't enjoy it. So extra "breaks" are on the agenda this year :)
I also have employed the help of my darling nieces and nephews! This is one area I had not gone to until yesterday. If you have nieces and nephews that are old enough to help out, I suggest you give them a call! I had so much fun yesterday with my niece and nephews working on the yard and getting the house ready for Christmas. It was a good way to spend time together and be productive.
The other really important thing is that I let myself not be perfect. I know it sounds stupid, of course everyone knows that nobody is perfect, but I like to strive for that level. You know the whole saying about shooting for the moon and landing among the stars? Well at this time of year there are just so many things going on that when I realize I did something wrong or forgot something, I just let it be. Everyone knows you loose a part of your memory with each kid anyways! So, I say, "Its ok, I forgot it, so what" and I move on. Luckily forgiving myself is the fastest way to move on to a positive rest of my day. When I dwell on the mistakes I tend to guide my day for a sure disaster.
I hope that you take some time to relax this Christmas and that you find humor in your mistakes/forgetfulness too. It can be freeing to let yourself relax :)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Online School: Tips for Success
I am far from being an expert about how to attend online school. However, I believe my organization tips can be easily applied to online school tasks. There are a few things that I have learned through working remotely from home and going to online school. The three that stand out to me the most are listed below. My hope is that these guidelines will help you succeed too!
First, it is important to have a schedule. Set aside an exact time and day each week that you "attend" your class. This may be different for each class. When you leave your schedule open at the will of life's demands, often your classes will be left for last. I often told myself, "I can go out today and I will do my homework tomorrow." Well that just doesn't work. When tomorrow comes I have already found something more interesting than my classes and I have pushed them off to the next day.
If you designate a certain time for your classes it is easy to say, "I have classes at that time." Everyone understands you have obligations and nobody is going to give you a hard time about it. If you stick to the class schedule than you are much less likely to have a project creep up on you when you are too close to the due date or even past it.
The second thing I always do with my classes is to review them at the start of the class. If you can, go through the assignments and look for what your teacher is going to ask of you and try to estimate how much time it will take to do it. For example, if your teacher is going to give you four short answer questions and ten definitions each week then you can guess how long it will take you. Always budget more time for assignments in case you run into a difficult topic or your teacher throws you a curve ball. Knowing about how long each assignment will take you gives you a head start towards planning a reasonable amount of time to "attend" your class each week.
The last way that I keep on track is to shoot for finishing the class early. Most of the online classes allow you to turn in your assignments early. Even if they don't you can still review the assignment and complete it before it is due. I always shoot to be at least two weeks ahead when I start the class. The first few assignments are usually the easiest, so I do the first three in the first week. This gives me a head start in case my schedule gets to busy or I let my classes slide for a week. Sometimes life gets in the way and it is best to plan ahead as much as possible.
These three tips helped me to get A's my last online semester and hopefully they can help you too :)
First, it is important to have a schedule. Set aside an exact time and day each week that you "attend" your class. This may be different for each class. When you leave your schedule open at the will of life's demands, often your classes will be left for last. I often told myself, "I can go out today and I will do my homework tomorrow." Well that just doesn't work. When tomorrow comes I have already found something more interesting than my classes and I have pushed them off to the next day.
If you designate a certain time for your classes it is easy to say, "I have classes at that time." Everyone understands you have obligations and nobody is going to give you a hard time about it. If you stick to the class schedule than you are much less likely to have a project creep up on you when you are too close to the due date or even past it.
The second thing I always do with my classes is to review them at the start of the class. If you can, go through the assignments and look for what your teacher is going to ask of you and try to estimate how much time it will take to do it. For example, if your teacher is going to give you four short answer questions and ten definitions each week then you can guess how long it will take you. Always budget more time for assignments in case you run into a difficult topic or your teacher throws you a curve ball. Knowing about how long each assignment will take you gives you a head start towards planning a reasonable amount of time to "attend" your class each week.
The last way that I keep on track is to shoot for finishing the class early. Most of the online classes allow you to turn in your assignments early. Even if they don't you can still review the assignment and complete it before it is due. I always shoot to be at least two weeks ahead when I start the class. The first few assignments are usually the easiest, so I do the first three in the first week. This gives me a head start in case my schedule gets to busy or I let my classes slide for a week. Sometimes life gets in the way and it is best to plan ahead as much as possible.
These three tips helped me to get A's my last online semester and hopefully they can help you too :)
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Affordable Christmas Presents for Family, Teachers and Daycare Kiddos!
Yes, it is true, I did just finish most of my Christmas shopping. Yes I was at the store so long after it closed that they started turning the lights off. But I was trying to figure out what to get my friends and family for Christmas.
My list contains no less than 62 happy faces. I have no more than $150 for ALL of their Christmas gifts. That gives me about $2.41 per person. So I have to get creative to say the least! Last year I was faced with a similar dilemma (with slightly more cash.) So this year I at least had a game plan. So here are my ideas for a Christmas that will leave your family happy and you feeling like jolly old Saint Nick himself.
The first thing I did was to give the one thing I do have, TIME. I made a family tradition that I am sure will continue even if I someday become a millionaire. Each year Chase and I host a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. We throw the party and we invite all of our closest family members. (35 people.) We break the group up into six "teams" and each teams starts with the same Gingerbread House Kit. The kit normally runs me about $9 and it covers 5-6 people. This is about 1.54 per person.
Then I pic up some snacks and have the guest bring in their favorite dish. We usually end up with soda, chips/dip and some seriously delicious baked goods.
The other thing I do is give each "team" a gift basket made by me. Some of the people who go to the party will also read this so I will just mention what was in last years basket. Two creme pie trees, two small pine scented candles, about seven Hershey kisses, a bag of mini marshmallows, a box of hot chocolate, several candy canes and some small chocolate bars. Things like the chocolate and the creme cake trees come in boxes with several per box so I can usually buy one or two boxes total. Each of the baskets cost me $1 and the contents cost about $4 each. That puts me at $.85 per person making a total of $2.39 for everyone to get some yummy treats and one totally fun party :)
I also like to give each of my daycare families a gift basket as well. That makes only $1.25 to $1.67 per person (some families have two kids.)
Now Tyson's teacher is a different story! I really wanted to do something special for the teachers but I know they have already gotten gift baskets ( I saw someone hand them one this morning when I dropped Tyson off.) I read online that teachers are sick of "#1 teacher" mugs and magnets. I think the coffee gift card is over played and I was running out of ideas. So I decided to get a little creative and I came up with this. . . .I made a little hand made note that says, "Having a caring teacher for our son means so much to us. This is to pamper the hands that helped mold my son this school year." I gave them each a gift certificate for the local nail shop for a manicure. I know it is a cheesy card, but I am pretty sure they are going to like it.
In total that puts me at $144 for all of my family, friends and of course Tyson's teachers. I am sure that everyone is going to love their gifts and most importantly, we will make some wonderful new memories of time spent with family and friends. Not to mention the fun we will have with some friendly competition!
Wanna know what I bought with my remaining $6? One absolutely delicious Hershey chocolate bar :) ($.89) Yay!
My list contains no less than 62 happy faces. I have no more than $150 for ALL of their Christmas gifts. That gives me about $2.41 per person. So I have to get creative to say the least! Last year I was faced with a similar dilemma (with slightly more cash.) So this year I at least had a game plan. So here are my ideas for a Christmas that will leave your family happy and you feeling like jolly old Saint Nick himself.
The first thing I did was to give the one thing I do have, TIME. I made a family tradition that I am sure will continue even if I someday become a millionaire. Each year Chase and I host a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest. We throw the party and we invite all of our closest family members. (35 people.) We break the group up into six "teams" and each teams starts with the same Gingerbread House Kit. The kit normally runs me about $9 and it covers 5-6 people. This is about 1.54 per person.
Then I pic up some snacks and have the guest bring in their favorite dish. We usually end up with soda, chips/dip and some seriously delicious baked goods.
The other thing I do is give each "team" a gift basket made by me. Some of the people who go to the party will also read this so I will just mention what was in last years basket. Two creme pie trees, two small pine scented candles, about seven Hershey kisses, a bag of mini marshmallows, a box of hot chocolate, several candy canes and some small chocolate bars. Things like the chocolate and the creme cake trees come in boxes with several per box so I can usually buy one or two boxes total. Each of the baskets cost me $1 and the contents cost about $4 each. That puts me at $.85 per person making a total of $2.39 for everyone to get some yummy treats and one totally fun party :)
I also like to give each of my daycare families a gift basket as well. That makes only $1.25 to $1.67 per person (some families have two kids.)
Now Tyson's teacher is a different story! I really wanted to do something special for the teachers but I know they have already gotten gift baskets ( I saw someone hand them one this morning when I dropped Tyson off.) I read online that teachers are sick of "#1 teacher" mugs and magnets. I think the coffee gift card is over played and I was running out of ideas. So I decided to get a little creative and I came up with this. . . .I made a little hand made note that says, "Having a caring teacher for our son means so much to us. This is to pamper the hands that helped mold my son this school year." I gave them each a gift certificate for the local nail shop for a manicure. I know it is a cheesy card, but I am pretty sure they are going to like it.
In total that puts me at $144 for all of my family, friends and of course Tyson's teachers. I am sure that everyone is going to love their gifts and most importantly, we will make some wonderful new memories of time spent with family and friends. Not to mention the fun we will have with some friendly competition!
Wanna know what I bought with my remaining $6? One absolutely delicious Hershey chocolate bar :) ($.89) Yay!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Long House Rules
So a couple months ago I was watching some videos online about discipline in the house. I had come to this point where I was about to give up on this time-out thing. Most of the time I am thankful for my little ones, but occasionally the thankfulness needs a little more encouragement to show its face. Sometimes my kids (daycare and blood related) drive me nuts.
I am not sure what it is that makes kids naturally want to inflict pain on one another, but it is inevitable that somewhere around two years old all of my daycare kids have gone through a phase of biting, kicking, punching, hitting, pinching, yelling or all of the above. They will be sweet little angels while I'm in the room, but if I dare to go to the bathroom I can bet I will find someone crying when I get back.
So now on my third round of two year olds (three of them this time) I am once again looking online for a magical answer to rid my kids of their desire to see what happens if they hurt their friends. While looking at these videos I came across a Duggar family clip. Of course you can't search for anything about kids without coming across that Duggar clan! So I watched a little snippet on how they discipline and their "Family Rules" . It was not the first time I had seen Family Rules but I did see some new wording in theirs that I thought might get through to my kiddos.
So I set out to create my own list of the most important rules for our family to follow. I wrote this list six weeks ago. I compiled rules to cover all of the discipline areas we were having problems with and even had my husband put in his two cents. Once I was done I sat down my little munchkins and read them the list. With each one I gave them examples and answered their questions.
At first I thought they weren't getting it, but slowly I began to hear them repeat the rules. One would hit the other and instead of an all out brawl starting the victim would say "Never raise a hand to hit." It was great. So I continued to read them the list and repeat the rules as a reminder every couple of days. In addition I would repeat the rule any time they broke it. For example, if Tyson kicked a friend I would say "Tyson, never raise a foot to kick. Please apologize to your friend."
So far so good! These rules have been a stepping stone to peace in this house. The kids are much less likely to be fighting, stealing toys or causing a ruckus :) I am a believer in family rules and I am going to keep practicing this plan for as long as it works. I would definitely suggest that you sit down with your family and set some ground rules for your home too. Hopefully it brings peace to your family too :)
In case you were wondering what our list looks like, here they are (feel free to use them in your home):
I am not sure what it is that makes kids naturally want to inflict pain on one another, but it is inevitable that somewhere around two years old all of my daycare kids have gone through a phase of biting, kicking, punching, hitting, pinching, yelling or all of the above. They will be sweet little angels while I'm in the room, but if I dare to go to the bathroom I can bet I will find someone crying when I get back.
So now on my third round of two year olds (three of them this time) I am once again looking online for a magical answer to rid my kids of their desire to see what happens if they hurt their friends. While looking at these videos I came across a Duggar family clip. Of course you can't search for anything about kids without coming across that Duggar clan! So I watched a little snippet on how they discipline and their "Family Rules" . It was not the first time I had seen Family Rules but I did see some new wording in theirs that I thought might get through to my kiddos.
So I set out to create my own list of the most important rules for our family to follow. I wrote this list six weeks ago. I compiled rules to cover all of the discipline areas we were having problems with and even had my husband put in his two cents. Once I was done I sat down my little munchkins and read them the list. With each one I gave them examples and answered their questions.
At first I thought they weren't getting it, but slowly I began to hear them repeat the rules. One would hit the other and instead of an all out brawl starting the victim would say "Never raise a hand to hit." It was great. So I continued to read them the list and repeat the rules as a reminder every couple of days. In addition I would repeat the rule any time they broke it. For example, if Tyson kicked a friend I would say "Tyson, never raise a foot to kick. Please apologize to your friend."
So far so good! These rules have been a stepping stone to peace in this house. The kids are much less likely to be fighting, stealing toys or causing a ruckus :) I am a believer in family rules and I am going to keep practicing this plan for as long as it works. I would definitely suggest that you sit down with your family and set some ground rules for your home too. Hopefully it brings peace to your family too :)
In case you were wondering what our list looks like, here they are (feel free to use them in your home):
House Rules:
1. Be Thankful for what you receive.
2. Obey your parents. (The first time I say it, You obey it)
3. Always use soft words, even when you don’t feel well.
4. Use walking feet.
5. Forgive your friends before you get angry.
6. Use inside voices.
7. Tell the truth at all times.
8. Clean up messes.
9. Treat others like you would like to be treated.
10. Always display kind actions, even when you have been mistreated.
11. Never tattletale unless physical harm will come to someone.
12. Never raise a hand to hit.
13. Never raise a foot to kick.
14. Never raise an object to throw.
15. Never raise a voice to yell.
16. Never raise an eye to scowl.
17. Use one toy/activity at a time.
18. Make serving others a priority.
19. Respect your belongings. (don’t climb on furniture or break toys)
20.Have fun and be happy!! J
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Taking Time for Mom
Each month I watch my daycare kids for one Saturday night. It is a date night so that the "daycare parents" can get away from their kids for five hours once a month. A lot of people ask me why I would do this. Mostly I do it for the kids and I will explain why. I found that parents that took the time to go out with out the baby were often happier parents. These happier parents resulted in happier kids which makes my job easier.
Society says that once you have children you should watch them every waking moment of the day. The only acceptable time you can leave them is if you are going to work. Otherwise as a parent we are made to feel like we are abandoning our "responsibilities" if we choose to leave the kids with a sitter. Parents are allowed the occasional adult outing, but anything more than once every couple months is looked at as irresponsible.
Often times a parent will appear to not like their kids if they try to go out alone for something that isn't necessary. I think that this thought process is one of the furthest from the truth. In fact, I think that I am a better parent if I have time away from my kids at least once a week.
For the last two years my mother-in-law has generously offered to watch my kids once a week for my husband and I to go out on a date. At first I spent the date worrying about Tyson, and wondering if he thought I had abandoned him. But now that I have seen the changes in our family, I realize that getting away from each other makes being near each other more enjoyable.
It is not that I couldn't keep going, never getting away from my kids and always taking care of them myself. Many people live that life everyday until their children go off to college. It is certainly more affordable than going out! I just find that going out on my weekly date has helped ME to be a better mother.
When Chase and I take time to get away, I am able to have fun new experiences. In the last two years I have learned Karate with Chase, gone to several new restaurants, painted pottery, gone to concerts, went ice skating and seen some great movies. My marriage has gotten stronger because Chase and I are able to create memories of us that only him and I share. We have hobbies together and we are able to talk about all of the new places we have gone. By going out without the kids, Chase and I are able to enjoy each other's company and good conversation. We don't have to worry about what the kids need and our parenting duties. We get to just be us.
This time away helps me to relax and have time-out from the hectic fast pace of family life. I don't have to worry about what I need to do, I can just enjoy what ever activity it is that I want to do.
I also inevitably find a time on every date where something I hear or smell or see reminds me of my babies. I miss them and I am able to look forward to seeing them again. Each time that I leave my kids I find that coming back is that much sweeter. My kids have a ton of fun at Grandma's house and I know they are safe there. It is a welcome change of scenery for them too :)
It is important to take time away to have adult conversation and experiences. Moms and Dads should not feel guilty about leaving their kids with a trusted care giver. The time away helps every family member feel refreshed and it makes time together more enjoyable.
Society says that once you have children you should watch them every waking moment of the day. The only acceptable time you can leave them is if you are going to work. Otherwise as a parent we are made to feel like we are abandoning our "responsibilities" if we choose to leave the kids with a sitter. Parents are allowed the occasional adult outing, but anything more than once every couple months is looked at as irresponsible.
Often times a parent will appear to not like their kids if they try to go out alone for something that isn't necessary. I think that this thought process is one of the furthest from the truth. In fact, I think that I am a better parent if I have time away from my kids at least once a week.
For the last two years my mother-in-law has generously offered to watch my kids once a week for my husband and I to go out on a date. At first I spent the date worrying about Tyson, and wondering if he thought I had abandoned him. But now that I have seen the changes in our family, I realize that getting away from each other makes being near each other more enjoyable.
It is not that I couldn't keep going, never getting away from my kids and always taking care of them myself. Many people live that life everyday until their children go off to college. It is certainly more affordable than going out! I just find that going out on my weekly date has helped ME to be a better mother.
When Chase and I take time to get away, I am able to have fun new experiences. In the last two years I have learned Karate with Chase, gone to several new restaurants, painted pottery, gone to concerts, went ice skating and seen some great movies. My marriage has gotten stronger because Chase and I are able to create memories of us that only him and I share. We have hobbies together and we are able to talk about all of the new places we have gone. By going out without the kids, Chase and I are able to enjoy each other's company and good conversation. We don't have to worry about what the kids need and our parenting duties. We get to just be us.
This time away helps me to relax and have time-out from the hectic fast pace of family life. I don't have to worry about what I need to do, I can just enjoy what ever activity it is that I want to do.
I also inevitably find a time on every date where something I hear or smell or see reminds me of my babies. I miss them and I am able to look forward to seeing them again. Each time that I leave my kids I find that coming back is that much sweeter. My kids have a ton of fun at Grandma's house and I know they are safe there. It is a welcome change of scenery for them too :)
It is important to take time away to have adult conversation and experiences. Moms and Dads should not feel guilty about leaving their kids with a trusted care giver. The time away helps every family member feel refreshed and it makes time together more enjoyable.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Four Things You Didn't Know About Marriage
I know I have not been married that long, (May 2008) but I want to share four of the biggest misconceptions I had about marriage. I have been right at times but on these four things I was a little less than informed.
1. Marriage is easy if you are in love.
This is only half true. It is true that without love a marriage will not be easy, but by no means does being in love guarantee an easy marriage. Marriage is just a state of relationship. It does not dictate what things you will go through in your life. A loving marriage doesn't keep your boss from firing you, it doesn't make you able to clean up the house like Mary Poppins and it doesn't keep the kids from getting sick. You will still go through trials married or not. The struggles of daily life will always exist, having someone who loves you enough to go through them with you just eases the pain. Your spouse cannot ward off all bad things just by saying "I do", but they will be able to help you understand your hurdles and find a way past them.
2. You will always like each other.
Let me start this one with the understanding that LIKE and LOVE are two totally different feelings. I have always loved my husband and I believe there is nothing in the world that will change that. I also would say 99.99% of the time I like him too. However, there have been little moments along our road that I have not liked him. Days when we are disagreeing, days when he hasn't helped enough with the chores and nights when he sleeps while I take care of our sick child. Being married doesn't mean you are automatically going to agree on every decision or always do the right thing. It means that you are going to do your best to give your spouse all of the love and support that they need and they will do the same for you. In the end you may not always like your spouse, but healthy communication and honest dialogue will often get you back to where you want to be.
3. Good Couples never disagree.
Hahahahaha, Right! If there is a couple that is out there that never disagrees then they must never talk. Human beings are made to have advanced feelings, thoughts and opinions. Each of us are raised with our own point of view. Marriage brings together two people who have, up to that point, led two completely separate lives. Each one comes to the relationship with different points of view and their own set of conclusions they have made about life. When bringing two different people together it can only be expected that they will have some similar opinions and very likely several differing opinions. It isn't that a "good" couple will never disagree, but rather that a "good" couple will disagree nicely. It is OK to disagree, these differences should be embraced and thought out together over honest respectful dialogue until each person can either agree on one answer or agree to disagree.
4. Marriage means everything is equal.
This is the biggest misconception I had about marriage. In America, this concept is grossly misunderstood. When I went into my marriage I thought certainly that Chase and I would split all of the chores, happily doing dishes together, each sweeping and mopping half of the house, each taking turns doing a load of laundry and each changing equal numbers of diapers. This is simply not how it works in an American household. Sometimes it is better to not split certain things. For example, I do not do as much of the car work in our household as Chase does. Duh!! He is a mechanic, in this particular area he is much better/faster at completing the job than me. Sometimes you will not have the same number of jobs in the home as your spouse and sometimes there will be jobs that you don't help with at all. The idea isn't to count how much of the to-do list you have done. It is to look at the list and do as much as you can to help out. There are things that I am better than Chase at doing, so I do them, but that doesn't mean that we are not fair to each other. In a marriage you must give an equal amount of effort, not always an equal amount of results.
1. Marriage is easy if you are in love.
This is only half true. It is true that without love a marriage will not be easy, but by no means does being in love guarantee an easy marriage. Marriage is just a state of relationship. It does not dictate what things you will go through in your life. A loving marriage doesn't keep your boss from firing you, it doesn't make you able to clean up the house like Mary Poppins and it doesn't keep the kids from getting sick. You will still go through trials married or not. The struggles of daily life will always exist, having someone who loves you enough to go through them with you just eases the pain. Your spouse cannot ward off all bad things just by saying "I do", but they will be able to help you understand your hurdles and find a way past them.
2. You will always like each other.
Let me start this one with the understanding that LIKE and LOVE are two totally different feelings. I have always loved my husband and I believe there is nothing in the world that will change that. I also would say 99.99% of the time I like him too. However, there have been little moments along our road that I have not liked him. Days when we are disagreeing, days when he hasn't helped enough with the chores and nights when he sleeps while I take care of our sick child. Being married doesn't mean you are automatically going to agree on every decision or always do the right thing. It means that you are going to do your best to give your spouse all of the love and support that they need and they will do the same for you. In the end you may not always like your spouse, but healthy communication and honest dialogue will often get you back to where you want to be.
3. Good Couples never disagree.
Hahahahaha, Right! If there is a couple that is out there that never disagrees then they must never talk. Human beings are made to have advanced feelings, thoughts and opinions. Each of us are raised with our own point of view. Marriage brings together two people who have, up to that point, led two completely separate lives. Each one comes to the relationship with different points of view and their own set of conclusions they have made about life. When bringing two different people together it can only be expected that they will have some similar opinions and very likely several differing opinions. It isn't that a "good" couple will never disagree, but rather that a "good" couple will disagree nicely. It is OK to disagree, these differences should be embraced and thought out together over honest respectful dialogue until each person can either agree on one answer or agree to disagree.
4. Marriage means everything is equal.
This is the biggest misconception I had about marriage. In America, this concept is grossly misunderstood. When I went into my marriage I thought certainly that Chase and I would split all of the chores, happily doing dishes together, each sweeping and mopping half of the house, each taking turns doing a load of laundry and each changing equal numbers of diapers. This is simply not how it works in an American household. Sometimes it is better to not split certain things. For example, I do not do as much of the car work in our household as Chase does. Duh!! He is a mechanic, in this particular area he is much better/faster at completing the job than me. Sometimes you will not have the same number of jobs in the home as your spouse and sometimes there will be jobs that you don't help with at all. The idea isn't to count how much of the to-do list you have done. It is to look at the list and do as much as you can to help out. There are things that I am better than Chase at doing, so I do them, but that doesn't mean that we are not fair to each other. In a marriage you must give an equal amount of effort, not always an equal amount of results.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
I am Thankful for the Chance to Be a Mother
Twice a day I take Kaylee into her room with her princess sippy cup and I sit down in my green rocking chair to rock her to sleep. I always turn on some country music quietly on the radio (when it is too quiet bug makes up for it by "talking") then I try my best to convince my little girl that sleeping is more interesting than all of the toys we are surrounded by.
Today when I sat down I had a particularly easy time getting her to sleep so I decided to take a couple of minutes to just rock with Kaylee and take in the moment. Every once in a while I try desperately to remember the smells, sights and feelings of being a mother. I try to commit to memory the little movements Kaylee's feet make when she is sleeping or the little smile she makes in her sleep if I kiss her on the forehead.
While I sat there soaking up the moment I heard a voice come across the radio of a woman. This woman speaking started with how old her son was. (He was four.) Then she said something that hit me, the date he "went home" to his heavenly father. It was the St. Jude Children's research for cancer fundraiser. The little boy's birthday was the same week as Tyson.
Suddenly I was flooded with the memory of a day in 2009 that I found out I have PCOS. For anyone that doesn't know what this is here is a synopsis of the disease. I had been hoping to find out I was pregnant that day but I found out in fact that I was going to have to fight for my chance to have another child. I was heartbroken. I had been convinced I was pregnant and had already begun dreaming of what the new baby would be like. I was angry because I felt like I had all of the reasons to DESERVE another child. I was married, I owned my home, I had a mini-van, I ran a daycare, etc. etc. etc. Boy was I wrong.
I would get angry because people who did drugs had babies, people who were in terrible relationships would get pregnant and everyone seemed to be getting pregnant instead of me! I was so hurt that God didn't trust me with another child but he would trust all of these obviously terrible choices. WRONG again.
I went through many months of negative pregnancy tests. Each and every one of them felt like I was loosing a pregnancy. I would get myself all worked up about the chances. I would chart, I would take fertility medications, I would make sure I followed every trick in the book. Consequently I was convinced every month that I had done enough to make sure I was pregnant. How hard could it be right?
Through my journey with infertility I realized that I was so lucky to have my son. I didn't deserve this chance no matter what life I led.Over the year we were trying to get pregnant. I learned so much about the gift of being a mother. I gained appreciation for my son that I would have never known without the struggle we went through. I would read forums of women with PCOS for hours each night trying to find hope that I would be able to get pregnant. Instead I found women who were rejoicing in the strength of their marriage through the trials of repeated negative pregnancy test. I found women who were thankful to have any children in their lives even their "angel babies".
It was then that I realized I was going to be OK with the blessings I had in front of me. I have a wonderful husband. He was there to hold me each month when I would cry for days after a failed pregnancy test. He was excited for me when I started taking medication to regulate my ovulation. He was rejoicing with me when I would be hopeful and he was comforting me when I felt hopeless. I am so thankful for him.
I realized the miracle of Tyson's birth. I became pregnant with Tyson when I was 18. I was young, I had almost nothing to my name and I was far from being married. Now that I know how hard it can be to get pregnant I can see that getting pregnant with Tyson was a miracle. God gave me my son to help me learn to be a better morning person. To help me see the beauty in life. Tyson reminds me that I am loved, I am important to him and I am precious to him. Tyson taught me the true way that my parents feel about me and he gave me the understanding I needed to build up my relationship with them. I am so thankful for him too.
I also realized that I am important. I know when I was younger I valued myself as a good student. I was worthy of life because I got good grades. In my late teens I considered myself a value to friends for my humor. I was worthy in God's eyes because I was funny. When I gave birth I was suddenly a mother, the harbor for life and the safe keeper of one of God's greatest gifts. And again I was valued for what I was able to give to the world. But never once in my life did I feel like I was valuable or worthy of life just because of me. It wasn't until I was no longer a student, an energetic teen or a fertile woman that I realized God has blessed me with this life because he loves me. Not because of anything I did for him. Not because of anything I could contribute to society. But merely because he wanted me here.
It was February of 2010 that I did my last ovulation test. I was disappointed because I had not ovulated. I cried again with Chase and he gently suggested that it was time to take a break. A break from the heart ache, disappointment and trying. We decided together to change our outlook from "we can't have another baby" to "we are so thankful to have each other and our wonderful son".
Two months later I found out that I was pregnant! I was so surprised. I had lived two months of the most fulfilling and enjoyable life without tests or sadness. I had learned to be thankful for my blessings and I had not even been considering what blessings God had in mind for my future. When I went to the doctor I was stunned when I heard my due date. I was due in November. I didn't believe it at first. . . I had to have gotten pregnant in the month that I decided to be thankful for my life as it was and stop worrying about the future. It was a tremendous miracle that I got pregnant not only when I was not expecting it but in a month that I did not ovulate on time!
The moment I realized that I must have gotten pregnant during February, I also realized something that has proven to me that there is divine intervention in my life. I realized that God needed me to see my blessings as they were before I could be ready to receive another. This journey strengthened my marriage and my relationship with my son. I now strive to be a thankful mother and a caring wife. I try to give my life everything I have because I know that it is a blessing to have every moment with my family.
I am so thankful for my journey with PCOS and the understanding I have gained from it. Now that Kaylee is done nursing I am hoping to bring another "Baby Long" into our home. I am hoping it does not take as long but I can wait as long as God thinks is necessary. In the meantime I will continue soaking up moments in the rocking chair with Kaylee and enjoy my family right in this moment, just the way it is.
Today when I sat down I had a particularly easy time getting her to sleep so I decided to take a couple of minutes to just rock with Kaylee and take in the moment. Every once in a while I try desperately to remember the smells, sights and feelings of being a mother. I try to commit to memory the little movements Kaylee's feet make when she is sleeping or the little smile she makes in her sleep if I kiss her on the forehead.
While I sat there soaking up the moment I heard a voice come across the radio of a woman. This woman speaking started with how old her son was. (He was four.) Then she said something that hit me, the date he "went home" to his heavenly father. It was the St. Jude Children's research for cancer fundraiser. The little boy's birthday was the same week as Tyson.
Suddenly I was flooded with the memory of a day in 2009 that I found out I have PCOS. For anyone that doesn't know what this is here is a synopsis of the disease. I had been hoping to find out I was pregnant that day but I found out in fact that I was going to have to fight for my chance to have another child. I was heartbroken. I had been convinced I was pregnant and had already begun dreaming of what the new baby would be like. I was angry because I felt like I had all of the reasons to DESERVE another child. I was married, I owned my home, I had a mini-van, I ran a daycare, etc. etc. etc. Boy was I wrong.
I would get angry because people who did drugs had babies, people who were in terrible relationships would get pregnant and everyone seemed to be getting pregnant instead of me! I was so hurt that God didn't trust me with another child but he would trust all of these obviously terrible choices. WRONG again.
I went through many months of negative pregnancy tests. Each and every one of them felt like I was loosing a pregnancy. I would get myself all worked up about the chances. I would chart, I would take fertility medications, I would make sure I followed every trick in the book. Consequently I was convinced every month that I had done enough to make sure I was pregnant. How hard could it be right?
Through my journey with infertility I realized that I was so lucky to have my son. I didn't deserve this chance no matter what life I led.Over the year we were trying to get pregnant. I learned so much about the gift of being a mother. I gained appreciation for my son that I would have never known without the struggle we went through. I would read forums of women with PCOS for hours each night trying to find hope that I would be able to get pregnant. Instead I found women who were rejoicing in the strength of their marriage through the trials of repeated negative pregnancy test. I found women who were thankful to have any children in their lives even their "angel babies".
It was then that I realized I was going to be OK with the blessings I had in front of me. I have a wonderful husband. He was there to hold me each month when I would cry for days after a failed pregnancy test. He was excited for me when I started taking medication to regulate my ovulation. He was rejoicing with me when I would be hopeful and he was comforting me when I felt hopeless. I am so thankful for him.
I realized the miracle of Tyson's birth. I became pregnant with Tyson when I was 18. I was young, I had almost nothing to my name and I was far from being married. Now that I know how hard it can be to get pregnant I can see that getting pregnant with Tyson was a miracle. God gave me my son to help me learn to be a better morning person. To help me see the beauty in life. Tyson reminds me that I am loved, I am important to him and I am precious to him. Tyson taught me the true way that my parents feel about me and he gave me the understanding I needed to build up my relationship with them. I am so thankful for him too.
I also realized that I am important. I know when I was younger I valued myself as a good student. I was worthy of life because I got good grades. In my late teens I considered myself a value to friends for my humor. I was worthy in God's eyes because I was funny. When I gave birth I was suddenly a mother, the harbor for life and the safe keeper of one of God's greatest gifts. And again I was valued for what I was able to give to the world. But never once in my life did I feel like I was valuable or worthy of life just because of me. It wasn't until I was no longer a student, an energetic teen or a fertile woman that I realized God has blessed me with this life because he loves me. Not because of anything I did for him. Not because of anything I could contribute to society. But merely because he wanted me here.
It was February of 2010 that I did my last ovulation test. I was disappointed because I had not ovulated. I cried again with Chase and he gently suggested that it was time to take a break. A break from the heart ache, disappointment and trying. We decided together to change our outlook from "we can't have another baby" to "we are so thankful to have each other and our wonderful son".
Two months later I found out that I was pregnant! I was so surprised. I had lived two months of the most fulfilling and enjoyable life without tests or sadness. I had learned to be thankful for my blessings and I had not even been considering what blessings God had in mind for my future. When I went to the doctor I was stunned when I heard my due date. I was due in November. I didn't believe it at first. . . I had to have gotten pregnant in the month that I decided to be thankful for my life as it was and stop worrying about the future. It was a tremendous miracle that I got pregnant not only when I was not expecting it but in a month that I did not ovulate on time!
The moment I realized that I must have gotten pregnant during February, I also realized something that has proven to me that there is divine intervention in my life. I realized that God needed me to see my blessings as they were before I could be ready to receive another. This journey strengthened my marriage and my relationship with my son. I now strive to be a thankful mother and a caring wife. I try to give my life everything I have because I know that it is a blessing to have every moment with my family.
I am so thankful for my journey with PCOS and the understanding I have gained from it. Now that Kaylee is done nursing I am hoping to bring another "Baby Long" into our home. I am hoping it does not take as long but I can wait as long as God thinks is necessary. In the meantime I will continue soaking up moments in the rocking chair with Kaylee and enjoy my family right in this moment, just the way it is.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Daycare Lady
I know many people have children that they need to take to daycare while they work. These "Daycare Parents" have very many choices: in-home or center, what schedule, organic or not, who provides the supplies, etc. Somehow through all of the hundreds of little preferences I have ended up the ideal "Daycare Lady" for several of the most adorable kids in the city of Phoenix. These kids have been a great joy in my life and I feel very blessed to have them in my home. However, I cannot help but ask myself if their parents realize what the "Daycare Lady" thinks of them.
There is something that I would like to share with all of the parents who take their kids to daycare each morning. It is taboo for a "Daycare Lady" to tell anyone (let alone the parents) if her daycare kids' behavior was less than desirable. I learned a long time ago to answer the question "How was Johnny's day" with the most positive answer I could give. For two years I had a kid that would give me hell all day. He would fight, yell, throw, break toys, anything you can think of he tried. Then when I would reprimand him, he would laugh! I don't think there is a response more annoying from a child than laughing when you tell them that they broke the rules again! It was very hard, but everyday when his Mom came to my door to pick him up, I wouldn't dwell on the bad. I would give her the daily count (How many time outs he had) then give her several highlights of his day.
Some people might gasp at this so I should add that we had several meetings to discuss behavior modification plans and how we could work together to help him improve. I know that a lot of people would say that I should have said more each day but the truth is, when parents hear something "bad" happened when they left their kids with me, no matter who was the doer or what happened, I look "bad". It never looks good no matter how you put it the parent always blames the "Daycare Lady".
So just for any "Daycare Parent" out there that might come across this. . . keep in mind that although your child is the center of the universe, they are still very much capable of mischief when they set their minds to it and it has NOTHING to do with the "Daycare Lady's" choices. Trust me, the "Daycare Lady" is striving to give you the good report as much as you want to hear it.
There is something that I would like to share with all of the parents who take their kids to daycare each morning. It is taboo for a "Daycare Lady" to tell anyone (let alone the parents) if her daycare kids' behavior was less than desirable. I learned a long time ago to answer the question "How was Johnny's day" with the most positive answer I could give. For two years I had a kid that would give me hell all day. He would fight, yell, throw, break toys, anything you can think of he tried. Then when I would reprimand him, he would laugh! I don't think there is a response more annoying from a child than laughing when you tell them that they broke the rules again! It was very hard, but everyday when his Mom came to my door to pick him up, I wouldn't dwell on the bad. I would give her the daily count (How many time outs he had) then give her several highlights of his day.
Some people might gasp at this so I should add that we had several meetings to discuss behavior modification plans and how we could work together to help him improve. I know that a lot of people would say that I should have said more each day but the truth is, when parents hear something "bad" happened when they left their kids with me, no matter who was the doer or what happened, I look "bad". It never looks good no matter how you put it the parent always blames the "Daycare Lady".
So just for any "Daycare Parent" out there that might come across this. . . keep in mind that although your child is the center of the universe, they are still very much capable of mischief when they set their minds to it and it has NOTHING to do with the "Daycare Lady's" choices. Trust me, the "Daycare Lady" is striving to give you the good report as much as you want to hear it.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Packing Your Hospital Bag for Childbirth
Packing Your Hospital Bag for Childbirth
When you are nearing those last few weeks before your baby is born it can be hard to think of anything other than getting that baby out of your body. These last few weeks before the baby arrives are an important time for preparing to make the transition into motherhood (or the addition of baby number 2, 3, 4, etc.) There are several things that are necessary when packing your hospital bag for the few days that you stay right after the baby is born. Here is a list of the things that helped the most when I went to have my kids. Some of these things were especially helpful with regard to medication free child birth. This list does not include the basics like clothing, toiletries and an infant car seat. These are additional items that have proven to be helpful in the past for me.
1. I pod w/speakers and a variety of songs. I used an iPod during my son’s birth (my daughters was too fast) Over the course of my labor I listened to everything from Enya to Coldplay right up to Kanye West’s “Stronger” while I was pushing no less! This was a welcome distraction from the pain and helped me to feel more at home.
2. A bathing suit for you and Daddy. During my second labor I took a warm shower and my pain went away almost completely. It was very soothing and helped me to relax.
3. Snacks for the Daddy. You will likely be restricted from anything but ice during your labor. Not that it matters much, with no pain medication you will be more focused on breathing and meditating than eating anyways. My first labor we were in the hospital for 19 hours before the baby ever graced us with his presence. My husband would have starved without the Oreos, Doritos and various candy my Sister provided him with J
4. Shoes. Hospital floors are cold and dusty feeling. There is more on those hall way floors than it seems. It helps to have a clean pair of slip on shoes for you and Daddy for when you have to take baby to hearing tests or out for a walk around the maternity ward.
5. Pictures/Gifts from older siblings, family members, etc. When I had my second child I brought a giraffe from my son to give to her at birth. I also brought pictures of him and our close family to show to the baby. The pictures helped me when I missed my son too. (He was not allowed in the hospital for our two day stay – boo RSV season!)
6. A heating Pad. During my back labor my heating pad was my best friend. Both times I used it during labor at home and in the hospital. It eased my muscles after all the hard work.
There are many items that we brought but these were the ones that stood out as most helpful and comforting when I was giving birth and those first few days post partum.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Raising the Milk: 5 ways to increase your breast milk supply
Raising the Milk: 5 ways to increase your breast milk supply
“I don’t think I’m making enough milk to satisfy the baby”
I cannot tell you how many nursing moms have told me this! The first point I have to make is that not all moms are successful at breastfeeding. It is not a complete science and not quite an art. As far as I’m concerned as long as you give it your best try then I am happy. I am here to give you my tried and tested methods of keeping my milk.
First, a little background. I am a mother of two children both of which I have successfully nursed. The first child I nursed for 16 months and the second child I nursed for 12 months. When my first was born I had a very hard time establishing my milk and I almost gave up. I would pump and get maybe ½ an ounce. So I started to research every possible way to make more milk. In the end I was able to raise my milk supply and start producing 8-12oz each time I pumped out of each breast. This is the nursing mother’s guide to raising the milk and producing a healthy supply for your little ball of sunshine.
1. Consistency
With most babies you will typically need to nurse once every two hours to establish a pattern with your body. Nursing is a supply and demand issue. Your body will supply as much milk as your baby asks for. So take baby to breast often from the start and your body will continue to produce at that rate.
If you are just starting out, now is the time to nurse often. Start as soon as you can after birth and continue the pattern until your baby has settled on a nursing schedule that works for both of you. Even when my daughter was older (10-12 months) I still continued offering at least every four hours. Even if she didn’t want it, it helped to stimulate my hormones to make more milk. That doesn’t mean you have to force your baby, it just means sitting down and trying.
If you are lost somewhere in the first year after the establishment period (first 6 weeks) have no fear, you too can re-establish your milk in the same way. Begin offering your baby the breast once every two hours. If the baby completely ignores it, then pump for 10 minutes.
2. Save for a not so rainy day
When the baby refuses to nurse, pump for ten minutes. In my early days of nursing I would pump and get only ½ oz at the most. I thought that this was not significant enough to store for the baby. I was wrong! Any amount, big or small is better than nothing. No matter when you pump or how much you pump, ALWAYS save the milk. It will be handy if you end up in some event that makes it impossible for you to nurse. You can also use this milk for supplementing your regular nursing sessions.
3. Baby is Best
I had a friend that “nursed” her daughter for a several months. She would go to work and pump (very commendable) then come home and pump as well. Instead of nursing her daughter to the breast she would give the baby the bottle so she had a chance to pump. Don’t get me wrong here, breast milk is the same from the bottle or the breast and pumping for months on end is impressive. However, the key to increasing your milk supply is to stimulate the nipple. Pumping does this too, but not nearly as efficiently as an actual nursing child. The nursing child’s mouth is shaped perfectly to get the most bang for your buck.
4. Bread and Water
I cannot stress enough the importance of drinking enough water and eating enough of the right calories. Try to think about the foods that you would like to give a toddler when you are picking your diet. You would not be feeding a one-year-old chips, soda, fast food and the like. You would be trying to feed them vegetables, fruits, lean meats and whole grains.
In addition to eating the right foods, it is equally important that you drink your daily water. I will be the first to say that drinking water sucks. I always forget it, it is boring and the thought of drinking 64 oz of it a day is just disgusting to me. However I will say that drinking water has been the most important aspect of keeping my milk supply and when I am nursing I do anything necessary to drink it. That might mean flavoring it or even breaking up the water into three ounce “sips” every couple hours. I don’t care how you get there, you just need to drink as much water as you can make yourself consume.
5. Have the right mindset
In my first nursing group I met a woman who was desperately trying to nurse her baby. After two months of trying to raise her milk supply, she was still only producing two ounces per feeding. She said to me, “I want to nurse this baby and I am not giving up!” That was the perfect mindset for the job.
A lot of women will think that nursing is very hard, or time consuming or that they are inadequate to nurse a child. I will tell you that a good mindset will take you very far. It does not matter what size breasts you have, what size nipples you have or how long other family members have nursed. You can do this if you set your mind to it. If you make nursing a priority then you will be successful.
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