Milk Jug + Black Marker + Sand (to keep it from blowing away) + orange glow sticks = fun/easy decorations to make with kids!
What a wonderfully kid-friendly, easy- peas-y idea for a little Halloween fun! Thanks Crayola!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Milk Jug Halloween Decorations
Crayola posted this on their facebook page and I just had to re-post this here to bookmark the idea for myself!
Milk Jug + Black Marker + Sand (to keep it from blowing away) + orange glow sticks = fun/easy decorations to make with kids!
What a wonderfully kid-friendly, easy- peas-y idea for a little Halloween fun! Thanks Crayola!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Milk Jug + Black Marker + Sand (to keep it from blowing away) + orange glow sticks = fun/easy decorations to make with kids!
What a wonderfully kid-friendly, easy- peas-y idea for a little Halloween fun! Thanks Crayola!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Crazy over Christmas
You can go ahead and hate me... I am one of those people this year.Halloween is tomorrow and I am already ready for Christmas! (Emotionally ready, not prepared ready, ha!)
Having kids makes the holidays so much fun. Melody is old enough to begin some real traditions with her and I am excited to incorporate the twins into a few of the traditions we already have.Also I am actually looking forward to cooking for Thanksgiving. The beauty of having Thanksgiving at your own house is that you get to be in charge of the menu. This will come in handy since we have some food sensitivities to work around (Melody- no peanuts, no white flour, Me- no dairy, Criag- no bananas).
BUT crazy as it may seem, I (currently) feel UP to the challenge! From somewhere deep inside of me the energy and enthusiasm is welling up to make a yummy Thanksgiving dinner and work around all of our food challenges.If I can wrangle my time well, maybe I can get a few things posted this year about our menu and our holiday traditions- but no promises. (Just being honest. :) )
Okay... off to be sure Melody's Halloween costume is ready for tomorrow!
In His Grace,
Rachel
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Inspire Me! Monday: Getting your children to listen
Getting your children to listen.
Am I the only person who has a child who listens pretty well to others but suddenly has selective hearing when it's time to listen to Mommy or Daddy?
Really?! I AM the only one?!
:)
It has been awhile since my last Inspire Me! Monday post, but I found this article online and wanted to put it somewhere that I couldn't lose it and also share it with others.
As a parent, I am constantly learning new things and searching for positive and encouraging ways to fulfill my role as a mommy. I have read a lot of books lately and found a lot helpful information about how to work things out with my 3 year old as she becomes more and more independent, resourceful and opinionated about her activities and her time. She is a sensitive, caring, perceptive, structure-loving (and I am not a structured mommy!) beautiful, wonderful girl. Sometimes we are so different though (and sometimes we are so the same) that I need a little inspiration about how to navigate these young and formative years.
This article by Dr. Sears is one of the most helpful (and short!) articles I have read about speaking to your children and avoiding power struggles while still teaching your child to heed your voice! I was excited to see there are a few things on the list that I already do (and that work!) and also to see that there were many new ideas that I can try!
25 Ways to Talk so Children Will Listen
So what do you do to help your child become a better listener?
Love,
Rachel
PS- Yes I know that it is Sunday, I am just ahead for Monday! :)
Am I the only person who has a child who listens pretty well to others but suddenly has selective hearing when it's time to listen to Mommy or Daddy?
Really?! I AM the only one?!
:)
It has been awhile since my last Inspire Me! Monday post, but I found this article online and wanted to put it somewhere that I couldn't lose it and also share it with others.
As a parent, I am constantly learning new things and searching for positive and encouraging ways to fulfill my role as a mommy. I have read a lot of books lately and found a lot helpful information about how to work things out with my 3 year old as she becomes more and more independent, resourceful and opinionated about her activities and her time. She is a sensitive, caring, perceptive, structure-loving (and I am not a structured mommy!) beautiful, wonderful girl. Sometimes we are so different though (and sometimes we are so the same) that I need a little inspiration about how to navigate these young and formative years.
This article by Dr. Sears is one of the most helpful (and short!) articles I have read about speaking to your children and avoiding power struggles while still teaching your child to heed your voice! I was excited to see there are a few things on the list that I already do (and that work!) and also to see that there were many new ideas that I can try!
25 Ways to Talk so Children Will Listen
So what do you do to help your child become a better listener?
Love,
Rachel
PS- Yes I know that it is Sunday, I am just ahead for Monday! :)
Monday, October 14, 2013
Still here!
I'm still here! We've just been a bit... well, um... busy at our house these days.
Let me just state (not complain- just state)... 1 preschooler, 1 special needs baby and twin babies is hard.
I knew that life would be hard with four kids, and I fully anticipated that. Let me also say, that my kids are a joy. Sometimes I walk from kid to kid, rocking, nursing, feeding bottles and singing, rubbing backs and snuggling at bed time, and in between kids I think "that was such a sweet moment... *deep breath*... let me go find the other baby/kid that hasn't settled yet and have more of them!" It is an intensely tired kind of enjoyment that lives over here in our tiny house.
Here's what we are up to in list form (it's all I have time for).
*Peanut is pretty much down to one nap. However, he took a morning nap today, so I guess sometimes we are still doing two? Update: didn't fall asleep for the 2nd one- so I guess one it is :)
*Craig is pulling to stand and trying to cruise.
*Melody is in preschool and loving it.
*Melody officially has a peanut allergy complete with epi-pen.
*I feel like we are fighting a losing battle with the yeast infection/white flour (melody) and eczema (craig) issues... I sense the GAPS diet looming in our future in a couple of years.
*Not having time to cook food is keeping me from introducing baby led weaning... I gave bananas- I think Craig is allergic to them (rashy eczema got worse on face and fingers after eating them), so the babies are still pretty much always breastfed (except for the bottles they get a few times a week while I teach dance or deal with milk supply issues).
*I HEART breastfeeding twins.
*We bought the kids redskins jerseys/onesies (and I got one too!)... but this is the stinkiest season on record (in our lifetimes as fans ;) ). Good thing we don't have much time to watch.
*I am currently still listening to baby lullabies on pandora even though the kids are down for naps. It is soothing :)
*Besides taking care of kids, I am teaching dance twice a week and helping to put on the Nutcracker show this fall. Those two things are pretty much all I have time for.
*And going to church on Sunday. Church has pretty much ROCKED lately.
*Confession: I am late to church EVERY Sunday, by a LOT. Thank you to all the really nice ushers who help us find seats late in the game :) Feeding 3 babies (one who is a slow special needs bottle eater), dressing 6 people and showering (sometimes) 2 of us takes time. There is no changing this right now. I am trying really hard not to feel guilty about it and just enjoy the church I am there for.
*My parents visited this past week end and it was a breath of fresh air!
*I am out of time to type... I hear babies :) Yay 15 minutes of bliss :)
Prayers appreciated :)
Rachel
PS Someone told me they are praying for energy for me on Sunday (thank you!), anyone can feel free to pray for that. And health. We are needing some major prayer for health in our whole family over here if you are up for it. Thank you in advance :)
Let me just state (not complain- just state)... 1 preschooler, 1 special needs baby and twin babies is hard.
I knew that life would be hard with four kids, and I fully anticipated that. Let me also say, that my kids are a joy. Sometimes I walk from kid to kid, rocking, nursing, feeding bottles and singing, rubbing backs and snuggling at bed time, and in between kids I think "that was such a sweet moment... *deep breath*... let me go find the other baby/kid that hasn't settled yet and have more of them!" It is an intensely tired kind of enjoyment that lives over here in our tiny house.
Here's what we are up to in list form (it's all I have time for).
*Peanut is pretty much down to one nap. However, he took a morning nap today, so I guess sometimes we are still doing two? Update: didn't fall asleep for the 2nd one- so I guess one it is :)
*Craig is pulling to stand and trying to cruise.
*Melody is in preschool and loving it.
*Melody officially has a peanut allergy complete with epi-pen.
*I feel like we are fighting a losing battle with the yeast infection/white flour (melody) and eczema (craig) issues... I sense the GAPS diet looming in our future in a couple of years.
*Not having time to cook food is keeping me from introducing baby led weaning... I gave bananas- I think Craig is allergic to them (rashy eczema got worse on face and fingers after eating them), so the babies are still pretty much always breastfed (except for the bottles they get a few times a week while I teach dance or deal with milk supply issues).
*I HEART breastfeeding twins.
*We bought the kids redskins jerseys/onesies (and I got one too!)... but this is the stinkiest season on record (in our lifetimes as fans ;) ). Good thing we don't have much time to watch.
*I am currently still listening to baby lullabies on pandora even though the kids are down for naps. It is soothing :)
*Besides taking care of kids, I am teaching dance twice a week and helping to put on the Nutcracker show this fall. Those two things are pretty much all I have time for.
*And going to church on Sunday. Church has pretty much ROCKED lately.
*Confession: I am late to church EVERY Sunday, by a LOT. Thank you to all the really nice ushers who help us find seats late in the game :) Feeding 3 babies (one who is a slow special needs bottle eater), dressing 6 people and showering (sometimes) 2 of us takes time. There is no changing this right now. I am trying really hard not to feel guilty about it and just enjoy the church I am there for.
*My parents visited this past week end and it was a breath of fresh air!
*I am out of time to type... I hear babies :) Yay 15 minutes of bliss :)
Prayers appreciated :)
Rachel
PS Someone told me they are praying for energy for me on Sunday (thank you!), anyone can feel free to pray for that. And health. We are needing some major prayer for health in our whole family over here if you are up for it. Thank you in advance :)
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