Coupon Sorting Mat

I've seen this on another blog (now I can't find it again to give you a link...go figure!) and thought it was a great idea. Right now, I'm on a mission to organize my coupons better. I've used binders before that contain clear business card pages and I've used an accordian pouch as well as a plain, old Ziplock bag. The business card pages are too much work, the accordian pouches can get disorganized fast and you can't see all your coupons quickly. The Ziplock bag, well. Not much to say about that other than it doesn't work well. I think for now, I'll stick with my accordian-style (from the Dollar Store...can't beat that!) coupon pouch. I just need something that has more than 8 dividers. The sorting mat shows you how many I need. If they're too generalized, I forget I have them. Anyhow, anyone got the perfect way to organize coupons, please share. =)

*Still working on my new weekly menu. I'll share when I'm done.

*Thanks for the participation on the baby/child tips as well as your 5 favorite products. For those that haven't posted yet, I can't wait to hear what you have to say!!!

"Eh, What's Up Doc?"

So, here we are at the doctor's yesterday. Avonlea, Lincoln and I all received both the seasonal flu shot as well as the swine flu shot. Norah had her 4-month well checkup and received 4 shots. Avonlea had her 4-year well checkup and received 3 shots. I had to restrain all three kids (although Norah didn't put up much of a fight!), but it's done and I have to say that although I went back and forth on the issue of the vaccines, I completely trust my pediatrician (who has little ones and vaccinated them as well). Norah weighed in at 15 lbs. and is in the 75th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height.

*Note: This picture was taken right before the shots were given. My children are smiling. =) Afterwards would have been a different story!

Mommy Tips

Okay moms! I want to hear your 5 best baby/children tips as well as your top 5 baby products that you couldn't live without. I'm going to add mine, tag others and if you're not tagged and just want to participate, let's hear it! =)

My top 5 baby/children tips are:

1. Put your baby on a schedule as soon as you can. They'll sleep through the night faster (mine were at 8 weeks typically), that means you'll be back in your own bed with your hubby and you know your baby will be well rested.

2. Spanking does work (when done correctly)!

3. Little eyes are always watching, whether you think so or not. Model what you want your children to do and say.

4. Deuteronomy 11:18-21

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth."

5. The dishes can wait! Yes, children need to have independant time playing or with their siblings, but a wise person once said that "children spell love, T-I-M-E".

My top 5 baby products that I couldn't live without are:

1. Boppy...there are SO many uses with this genius, little thing.

2. babywearing devices (Ergo and Baby Bjorn)

3. strollers (we have a double, a single and two umbrellas)

4. wipes!!! I'll probably still keep them around even when my kids are out of diapers.

5. Medela breastpump


So, let's hear 'em friends!!!! What are your faves?



*I tag: The Adventures of Supermom, Melissa B., Kris, Kristy D., Kelli from Powell, Dana, Lisa E., Jana H.

Staying Healthy (and a few random pics)

Avonlea squeezing lemons for lemonade

When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, right? =)

Here are two natural, herbal remedies that we're taking to support our immune systems this flu season...Sambucus and Elderberry.

Brewing Black tea

Homemade chicken vegetable soup (you can make it with noodles, but adding veggies and taking out the carbs is healthier and I think it tastes better too!)

{Random Pic} Rob took a pic of me with the kiddos.

{Random Pic} Norah and I getting ready to do dishes.

{Random Pic} Norah's crib in her room. We bought these letters a week after she was born and I just got around to putting them up.

As this flu season has rolled around, I've definately been doing a little bit more research on some natural foods that can keep you healthy naturally. We've been on the fence about to take the Swine flu vaccine or not and I can honestly say that we wouldn't be taking it if it weren't for the fact that we have a 4-month-old in our house. We are pumping our bodies full of healthy, immune-boosting foods (I'll share specifics later) and I have an appointment for vaccines this week. I have decided for us to get both the regular flu shot as well as the Swine flu shot. My kids can't get the mist due to asthma, so shots, here we come. I've been praying about this and it all comes down to the fact that my infant's life (worse case scenerio because yes, babies have smaller immune systems and can't get the vaccines) is more important than the rest of us getting a side effect or two. From the research I've done, it's the added ingridients that some doctors are against, not the strains of flu themselves. So, hopefully my pediatrician will give us the Swine shots this week because I know the vaccines are limited. The fact that we have an infant in our house puts us as more of a risk and bumps us ahead of others who may have older children.

I've been reading this new book by Dr. Sears. It's called The Top 100 Zone Foods (You can order it on Amazon for $1.99/new). There is a list of the top 100 healthy foods for your body. It tells you how the food itself is healthy for you, what vitamins it contains and how high it ranks in terms of health. I've been particularly paying attention to the immune-boosting foods and I'm going to post some on this today. Here goes...

(I used THIS WEBSITE and THIS WEBSITE that you may want to check out)

Top foods to keep you healthy (not in any particular order, just what I jotted down from doing research):

flaxseed, salmon, omega-3 eggs, nuts/seeds, Stoneyfield yogurt, oysters (loaded with zinc), garbanzo beans, lentils, garlic, sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, EVOO, citrus fruit, potatoes, peppers, pineapple, strawberries, cantalope, pumpkin, green and black teas, pork/poultry, cilantro, fresh thyme, blueberries, blackberries, mushrooms, oat or barley bread.

Things I have learned...

Did you know that green peppers have more vitamin C than citrus?

Stoneyfield Farm yogurt is the only US brand that carries the Lactobacillus reuteri strand which is a specific probiotic that appears to stimulate white blood cells?

Grandma was right about fixing chicken soup for a sicky. =) "The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking, chemically resembles the bronchitis drugacetylcysteine, which may explain the results."

By buying raw honey that is LOCALLY GROWN, you can help your children with asthma. Bees that pollinate locally, produce honey with local pollen eliments in it, giving you a very small dose of it (like a shot), thus helping you stay immune to local pollen.

You just have to check out the websites and/or do your own research for foods that can really help your body fight off disease and just in general, help you keep a healthy body. I can honestly say that I've never actually sat down and done research on what foods keep you healthy. My mom is a very health-conscious person and I'm so grateful for the healthy choices she made for our family and how she taught us to eat lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains. However, I also know what it's like to live on a budget and healthier foods are more a bit more expensive. Now, if you're a coupon clipper like myself and you watch for sales and can buy in bulk, you can definately save a bundle and make your grocery bills much lower. So, give it a try. This week, I'm working on a new weekly menu (I may make two and rotate them, having a "week 1 list" and a "week 2 list") which has more of these foods in them:

(Here are the 100 Healthiest Foods according to Dr. Sears, please note I was copying and typing fast so there are capitalization errors)

alfalfa sprouts, almonds, apples, apricots, artichokes, asparagus, avacados, barley, basil, beef tenderloin, black beans, blackberries, blueberries, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, canola oil, cashews, cauliflower, celery, cherries, chicken breast, chickpeas, chili peppers, cinamon, cod, cottage cheese, crabmeat, cucumber, curry, eggplant egg whites, emu, fennel, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, grapes, green beans, haddock, kale, kidney beans, kiwi, kohlrabi, leeks, lemons, lentils, lettuce, lobster, macadamia nuts, mackerel, milk (skim), miso, mushrooms, mustard greens, navy beans, nectarines, oats (slow cooked), okar, olive oil, onions, oranges, parsley, peaches, peanuts, pears, plums, pork tenderloin, protein powder, radishes, raspberries, red bell peppers, salmon, salsa, sardines, scallops, sea bass, sesame seeds, shrimp, soybeans (boiled), soybean hamburger crumbles, soybean imitation meat products, soy cheese, soy milk, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, tangerines, tempeh, tofu, tomatoes, trout, tuna, turkey breast, turnip greens, wine, yellow squash, yogurt, zucchini


Look at your breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and see what you can implement for healthier choices. Once I get mine finished, I'll share.

My other "to dos" this week are to change my master grocery list to include the new, healthier ingridients for my new meals and to clean out my pantry.

IF YOU HAVE ANY GREAT RECIPES, PLEASE DO SHARE!! =)

Let's Discuss...

So, there are some blogs that I consistently follow due to the fact that they are good, creative writers, they are family/friends and/or they are real. To Love, Honor and Vacuum is one of them and I know I've given Sheila props before, but I have to do it again because she is an amazingly gifted writer and I couldn't have said it better myself in this post:

Time, Opportunity Cost and Kids

I personally think she was being too nice with her math, but you be the judge. How many hours a week are you spending (real quality time) with your children? This doesn't count movies you watch with them or video games you play, by the way. REAL quality time.

Click on the link, read and and let's hear it friends! =)

Babywearing...Baby Facing Outward Unsafe?

So, I've been looking into another babywearing "device" called the ERGO. I'm trying to sell back my knock off Mei Tai due to the fact that there's no padding. My friend has the ERGO and says that it's amazing. It helps spread out the pressure that most carriers can put on your back. In reading about the ERGO, I found this article HERE and became a little worried about Norah being in the Baby Bjorn. From what I've read (again, these are just comments and only info. from one doctor), it can be bad for baby's hips, hindering walking. Others have said that when an infant is too young, carrying them "outward" isn't good because it allows baby to be stimulated to all surroundings, even ones that can be intimidating or scary. Now, although this is something to consider, Norah LOVES her outward carrier. She coos and "talks" while she's in it. I carried Avy and Lincoln in it, but not nearly as much as I carry Norah in it and both other children were walking by one year and had no problems.

The ERGO carrier doesn't allow baby to be faced outward at any weight or age. I'm wondering if this is going to work for her. Note-to-self, look into return policy just in case! =)

Norah is 4 Months Old

This picture was taken with the help of my 4-year-old. Not to shabby! My hair and wordrobe isn't the best, but hey. This is where Norah usually "lives" when she's not sleeping during the day. I do put her in her bouncy seat or down on the ground for toys/tummy time when I need to do dishes, cook with hot pans/pots or just want my back to have a break. =)

Norah and I at the hospital. Seems like it was yesterday! She was one day old here. Precious times.

I can't believe my newborn baby girl is four months old today! It seems as though I just brought her home from the hospital. She's doing so many things and growing in so many ways...

She's 13 pounds now, loves tummy time and is rather good at it, likes to grab things in front of her, is trying hard to hold a bottle, smiling and laughing (oh so cute!), her hair just keeps on growing, she's on a great, consistent schedule and has been sleeping through the night for months, loves her brother and sister, loves being in the baby carrier, enjoys swinging with Mommy on the swings, enjoys the outdoors, does well in the church nursery, is in 3-6 month clothing, can roll from her tummy to back and is almost rolling from back to tummy.

It's hard with the third child to video tape and take pictures like I did with Avonlea, but I do try and being at home with my children during the day helps provide the time for me to do this more which I am so thankful for.

I don't know about other families out there, but Rob and I have been searching for Bible verses for each of our children and I have a few for Norah, but haven't 100% narrowed it down yet. Anyone ever thought about this OR finding a "life verse" for yourself. In our Bible Fellowship class at church, we were challenged to find a life verse and again, I have a few, but haven't narrowed it down to one yet. I'll let you know when I find it.

"Thank you Lord for my precious baby girl and all the joy she brings to our lives. I pray that you would help us as parents to raise her according to your Word and your perfect will. I pray for her future husband that he would be a man of God and love you with all his heart. Thank you for all of your many blessings and for who Norah is and who she will become as she grows."

*If you did view the You Tube video from yesterday (it was only up for a few hours), research was done and although much was true, I chose to take it down due to some facts not being 100% true.

Soup Recipes

I had two requests for soup recipes, so I thought I'd just post them to share with everyone. First, let me tell you that I am a picky soup eater and have tried MANY recipes, but these are the best. I have taken recipes from online, cookbooks or family/friends and "tweaked" them. Second, I am an "eye-ball" cook, meaning that I eye-ball a lot of ingridients and experiment with recipes. So, here are my favorite soup recipes that will hopefully warm your hearts and tummies. =)

Beef Stew

1 1/2 to 2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
few dashes of salt
few dashes of pepper pepper
few dashes of Paprika
dash of ground cloves
1 small bag of baby carrots
4 potatoes, quartered (I don't peel mine, extra flavor and vitamins) =)
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of peas
1 can tomato soup
approx. 3 cups of water
2 beef boullion cubes
few dashes of liquid smoke (you can find this in the BBQ sauce/marinade section of your grocery store)

In a saucepan, brown your meat. In crockpot, combine all ingridients and then add meat. Don't cook meat 100% of the way. Allow it to cook in crockpot with the rest of the ingridients to obsorb the flavors. Cook in crockpot for 4 hours on high level.

* Goes great with Jiffy Cornbread.


Bacon Baked Potato Soup

3/4 cup chopped Leek, washed and drined well
4 large garlic cloves, chopped coarse
1 Tbsp. EVOO
One 1/2 lb. russet pre-baked potato
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp. heavy cream
1 1/2 tbsp. minced chives, bacon chopped and sour cream
grated cheddar cheese

In heavy saucepan, cook the leek and the garlic with salt and pepper to taste in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the leek just begins to soften, add the potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, and the broth and the heavy cream, and simmer the mixture, covered, for about 10 minutes. At this point, you can also add the grated cheddar cheese into the soup. when serving, add a dollop of sour cream on top and in the center of the soup. Garnish with chopped bacon and chives.

*I think I got this from The Food Network, but not 100% sure. I did get it online though.


Chicken Vegetable Soup

One 3 lb. fryer chicken
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 cloves of garlic
3 bay leaves
3 chicken boullion cubes
few dashes of salt
few dashes of pepper
1 small bag of baby carrots
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesean cheese, grated
1/2 cup heavy cream

Fill large soup pot with water and fryer chicken (don't forget to clean out your chicken before you boil him). Boil until cooked completely. Take chicken out and debone, saving only the good meat. Use the same water you boiled the chicken in and add all other ingridients as well, as your chicken meat, to a crockpot. Cook on high for about 3-4 hours.

*This recipe also goes well with Jiffy Cornbread.
* I originally started this recipe from Paula Dean's Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, but tweaked it a bunch (took out the noodles and some other ingridients). I also cook it a bit differently. You can add egg noodles if you like.


One thing that's so great about soups is that you can freeze your leftovers and use them for another dinner/lunch. Happy soup-making!

"Baby, It's Cold Outside!" Well, Not Really.

Okay, so it's not really "cold", but for Floridians, it is! =) No, the leaves aren't changing colors. No, the ocean isn't chilled. No, we don't have snow. No, there's not much to our "seasons", but this weekend, we had some cold weather (in the 60s) and what a change it can put in your mood. We had a bonfire (two, actually), we made some soups (chicken vegetable on Friday and I'm making beef stew for tonight), took a trip to the pumpkin patch (again), we dressed in warm clothing to sleep in (then changed back into our flip flops by noon!) and we made hot tea and warm cinnamon buns in the morning. There's just something about this time of year that puts a smile on your face. We only have summer and fall down here, so we have to live it up when we get the chance. =) I'm planning on making pumpkin cookies tonight and doing the rest of my baking this Wedneday and Thursday. I love making soup by the way! I usually make large helpings of it and then we eat half for dinner and I freeze the other half for another day. It's nice for crockpot cooking as well. We usually do crockpot meals on Sunday afternoons and Monday nights. It's nice because if we're out and about, we come home to a warm meal and the house smells great! I'm getting motivated to have a soup-making day where I make tons of soup and then freeze it for when it gets colder. This Christmas, I'm asking Santa for a LARGE stew pot so I can make large quantities of soup.

What kinds of meals do you like to make this time of year? Let's hear 'em folks!

The Farm

sweet corn

butterfly house...this is where Rob and I got inspired to build our own butterfly house in our backyard. It's not nearly as nice as this one, but we've had some luck in the metamorphasis process. We do this in April/May each year.

A Yellow Swallowtail on my hand. Norah is observing. Look at ALL her hair!! It's untamable.

Lincoln listening to the country band and eating kettle corn.

The market where they sell all of their produce they grow on the farm. Look at the size of these carrots!!!

Lincoln and Avonlea rode ponies. Here's Rob with the Linkster.

Daddy and his girls, eatin' lunch.

Here's another picture in the butterfly house.

We decided that due to the nice, cool weather, we'd go to the farm this past weekend. We were going to go next weekend, but couldn't wait! =) We played games, ate amazingly delicious food, pet farm animals, went through a corn maze, looked at crafts, danced to music, ate more delicious food, rode a train and fell asleep on the way home. What a wonderful day to be outside, enjoying fall time with family.

Speaking Notes...DAY 3

Here is the last day of my notes. It's on organization. Enjoy! =)

Organization

1.) House Rules -
Use Doorposts.com
OR...Write them together as a family

2.) Clean up basket – use to toss things in at the end of the day and disperse into bedrooms during clean up time. Note: Play fun music when cleaning up. Pretty soon, all you’ll have to do is start playing the music and the kids will know what to do. You won’t have to nag them to go clean up their room. It can be made into a fun game.

3.) Your “Car Kit”– Juice boxes/waters, snacks, wipes, hand sanitizer, extra diapers, change of clothing for each child, tissues, books to read as you travel, etc.

4.) “Busy Bag” – Keep a bag in your car where you store small games, books, search and finds, coloring books, crayons, snacks, match box cars, playdough, etc. in and use when you’re waiting for food in a restaurant, waiting at the doctor’s office, etc.

5.) File Folders – In your office space at home (whether it be in your kitchen or office), keep file folders for AWANA, ballet, t-ball, grocery lists, school papers, etc. You can keep one for each child if you want. These folders are ones that you don't need all the time and don't put into your Home Management Binder.

6.) Boxes for dresser drawers – helps in organizing socks, underwear, gloves, tights, bathing suits, etc. Use IKEA boxes, empty wipes boxes or small shoe boxes.

7.) Home Management Binder – Staying organized with your kids means being organized in all areas. Make a binder and keep your kids’ school papers in it along with other things:

- Your family schedule
- Mom’s LINC
- Budget
- Phone numbers
- Adoption info.
- Birthday list
- Book annotations
- Discipline/Rewards
- Lists (packing, grocery, camping, etc.)
- Safety/Health
- Travel Tips
- Cleaning
- House Repairs
- Bible verses
- Pen/pencil zip pouch (front)

8.) Binders – Keep a binder for the following:

- Holidays - Cooking/recipes
- Birthdays
- Camping
- Budgeting
- Gardening
- Summer fun
- Homeschooling
- Devotional time/spiritual growth

The Pumpkin Patch

Lincoln climbing in the pumpkins

Learning how pumpkin seeds grow. We had planted many in our garden recently, but they died due to pests.

Listening to a story.

Singing songs

We hit the pumpkin patch this week with our homeschooling group and we did have a great time. It rained for part of the time, but then the sun decided to show itself which was nice. The kids sang songs, learned how a pumpkin seed grows, listened to a story, colored and stickered pumpkins and then we payed an left. Lincoln's favorite part was climbing all over the pumpkins and Avonlea enjoyed the coloring and decorating of her pumpkin. We'll be going sometime this weekend to pick out our family pumpkin (the big one).

If I'm being real today, I must say that my kids were having one of those "off" days today. I was so embarrased at their behavior on our field trip today. I won't say what specifically happend, but I will say that they had "a talkin' to" when we got home, lost privedges and had to call and apologize to others that they weren't kind to. I was glad Norah cooperated since she basically slept in the babycarrier the whole time. I asked the Lord for forgiveness today. Forgiveness for my anger towards my kids. I'm usually cool as a cucumber, even with "issues" when they happen, but today was just one of those days.

Spanish Printables

I've been implementing more and more Spanish into our homeschooling...colors, numbers 1-20, and speaking simple sentences. We've also done the months of the year. Anyway, as I was searching for Spanish printables tonight, I found a great site HERE. Even if your kiddos attend traditional school, you can still work with them at home on a foreign language. Have fun!! =)

Speaking Notes...DAY 2

Hope you enjoyed Day 1 from yesterday. Here's Day 2...


Scheduling

Quiet Time for you…

Best to schedule when little ones are sleeping, having quiet time or when big kiddos are having quiet time or if they are at school.

Devotions: spend 10 minutes reading a chapter of the Bible, pick a verse which is meaningful to you, copy it into a notebook and write a short prayer concerning it. Then take a few minutes to memorize scripture. Finally, go before the Father in prayer.

Better to consistently, each day, spend a half-hour with the Lord, finding it adds up to three and one-half hours a week, than to always look for the hour or two that never happen.

The foundation for everything you do, in and out of your home, grows from your relationship with Jesus.


Assigned Playtime…

Have an assigned playtime for one sibling with another as part of your schedule. Keep it to 20-30 minutes tops. Keep the children’s ages in mind.

Neighborhood playmates – have this time scheduled as well, makes it easier so kids don’t come knocking at dinnertime or other inappropriate times.

Schedule in independent art time. Make sure you train child how to clean up his/her mess.

Independent play should be scheduled at the same time everyday in the same place. Little ones can have their playtime in their crib stocked with fun, safe toys.

Work Habits…

Schedule time in your day to train your child. Continue training until he/she has mastered this job. (chore charts)

Quiet Time…

Daddy Tapes - Daddy can record himself reading books or singing songs so that little ones can listen to him during quiet time when he's gone.
Afternoon naps/quiet time – have one child per room
Quiet time box/tray table – let the kids decorate it and stuff it with fun Dollar Store things that they play with only at this time during the day.

If you homeschool (or on weekends for traditionally schooled children), older children can have quiet time in other spaces of the house (Mom and Dad’s room in a cozy corner next to a bookshelf stocked with books he/she can read, etc.).


Scheduling and Babies…(Remember that I am not a doctor, just a mommy with some experience)

When a baby is part of the master family schedule, the family is able to plan the rest of the day around the baby’s needs. You can schedule appointments, meals, your hobby time around baby’s feedings and naps.

You can try the E.A.S.Y method: Eat, Awake, Sleep, Your time (Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, written by a Brittish Nanny, suggested by pediatricians for new parents) OR Babywise. E.A.S.Y is typically a 3-hour rotating schedule.

Scheduling helps new baby sleep through the night. Have a routine such as bath, lotion, jammies on, book, bottle with a lullaby, then lay baby down. Put baby to sleep AWAKE (It’s hard at first, but keep yourself occupied or go outside for a bit, checking on baby every few minutes or so) so baby learns to soothe him/herself to sleep. Having the same blanket or lovey (one that’s small enough to be transferred to grandma’s house or care giver) can help.

Nursing moms - Scheduling a time for a bottle once a day (we always do one before bed) once baby has successfully mastered nursing, ensures that you can have a babysitter and escape on a date with your hubby.

If newborn baby awakes during the night…keep lights off, noises quieted, no talking with baby. Simply feed, burp and put back down. Change a diaper only if really needed. Keep stimulation to a minimum. Do not stay up with baby even if he/she wants to be awake.

Scheduling Chores…

Have a training week or two for teaching children their chores. You can’t expect them to know how to do the dishes on the first day you tell them to.

Times –
1.) Early in the morning (get dressed, make bed, tidy room, bringing laundry to the laundry area, emptying trash, helping a younger brother or sister, etc.)
2.) Table chores - @ mealtimes (setting the table, putting food away, dirty dishes in sink/dishwasher, washing down the table, sweeping up crumbs under and around table)
3.) Mealtime – having a meal helper for preparing meals once or twice a week. Helps child learn cooking/baking skills and helps you out once child is trained.
4.) Before Bed – pick up toys (you can also do this before Daddy comes home), bath, jammies, brush teeth, put clothes in hamper.

Put your laundry on a schedule…need I say more? It’s just easier. Even two-year-olds can help you toss in some socks or fold towels.

Develop a master chore list on paper! Daily, weekly and monthly. You can rotate if you like, just remember that each child will need training when introducing a new chore. There should be consequences for not doing chores or doing a poor job. Have those set in writing as well so the child knows what to expect.

Interruptions to Your Schedule…

James 1:2 – “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

If we know interruptions come from the Lord, then we do not need to be frustrated or impatient over them. Treat your interruption with a quiet and gentle spirit. “Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” I Peter 3:4

Little eyes and ears are always watching and listening to how I am going to react to interruptions.

Your Master Schedule…

Try a few different schedules to see what works for your family. Rearrange things. You may not accomplish everything every day, but remember that at least there’s a goal.

You can use a block schedule, an every hour schedule or an every half-hour schedule. I would suggest a block schedule until the children get older. Then you could do an every hour or every half hour schedule. I tried all three and the block works best for us. Less pressure to get everything done.

Start gradually when implementing your master schedule. Take one week and do the morning routine. Once that is mastered, try the evening routine and so on.

Is a Schedule Right for Me?...

Families with one or two children may not need a tight-knit schedule. Have a general time for waking, breakfast, lunch, naptime, outside play, homework/school time, dinner and bedtime.

Larger families or families that school their children at home will benefit more from more tight-knit scheduling.

That's a wrap! Stay tuned for the last day on "Organization" tomorrow! =)

Speaking Notes...DAY 1

I was so honored when the Mom's group that I attend asked me to speak this week. I thought, well, I've already done the work. I should post this on my blog. So, here are my notes for my speech on kids and organization. It's not the whole thing, but I'll post some throughout the week this week. This is the introduction and section on organizing children's bedrooms...
* Please note that I use the Managers of Their Homes book by Steve and Teri Maxwell for much of this great information.

Introduction
“ORDER” – God created the world using order and scheduling, then rested.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

I Corinthians 14:40 - “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

BUT, don’t let order become the idol of your life! (Example: You may get so frustrated when you’ve just cleaned the house from top to bottom, then children make a mess and you’ve become frustrated with them and then feel guilty yourself for getting frustrated.)

Psalm 20:7 – “Some trust in chariots and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

Not managing our homes is one reason the enemy would have opportunity to slander us, our family and our ministry.

Scheduling enables you to focus on your God-given priorities. You will not reach the end of the day wishing you had spent your time differently. You may not get everything done that was on your list, but at least there’s a goal!

Scheduling gives direction to your children. They need to know what to do and when to do it.

Using a schedule allows normal routine to continue in your absence (babysitters, Daddy watches kids while you’re having a girls’ night out, etc.)


KIDS’ BEDROOMS

*Think of a classroom…different centers

1.) Dress up/housekeeping
Supplies: Dress up clothing, wallets, purses, shoes, hats, kid-safe jewelry, community helper outfits, silly outfits, wigs, make up, etc. Also…play kitchen, little aprons/chef’s hats, play food, telephones, play washer and dryer, iron, dollhouse with people and furniture, shopping basket/cart, baby dolls, strollers, doll clothing, bottles, diapers (real newborn ones are fun!), play potty.

To organize supplies: hooks on wall for clothing, bin with a lid for other dress up clothing, basket for play food near kitchen, basket or bin for dolly items.

2.) Arts/crafts

Supplies: crayons, markers, paints, glue, scissors, pencils, funky pens, stamps, stamp pads, sponges, pipe cleaners, glitter, sequence, beads, string, stickers, paper, coloring books, magazines to cut (go through them first!), etc.

To organize supplies: You can use a bathroom caddy, muffin tins, plastic pull-out
drawers from Walmart/Target, etc.

Get comfortable: an actual desk or table with a chair, bean bag chair with a lap desk
(Learning Express) or tray table.


3.) Blocks/Building

Supplies: blocks (legos, ABC blocks, etc.), cars, little people, train/train track,

To Organize supplies: pull out drawers, bookshelf, plastic bins

4.) Musical Instruments
Supplies: xylophone, wooden sticks, drums, tambourines, whistles, castanettes, etc.

5.) Games/Puzzles

*Keep on a shelf or somewhere where you can read the titles. We keep the majority of our family games in our living room on a bookshelf near a carpeted area and a table for the puzzles.
* If keeping puzzles in a ziplock bag, be sure to cut out the picture on the box and put it in as well.

6.) Kids’ clothing
Storage under bed (IKEA/Walmart/Target)
Hang in closet (it’s great if it’s within child’s reach)
Dresser (label drawers with pictures and words for little ones)

7.) Sleeping

Bunk beds or lofts are GREAT for space savers! Trundle beds too. Money is wasted on beds. If you’re planning on having a larger family, purchase bunkbeds from the start and train your little one to sleep in it. You can get a rail for the side and put pillows on the ground to protect them from falling. We trained our kids at 15 months and 18 months to sleep in a big bed.

8.) Books/Reading

Bookshelf for books; keep library books separate (we use a box with a label for “library books” on it). It’s great to keep books near child’s bed so they can read during a quiet time, before their set time to get out of bed in the morning or before they go to sleep at night. We also keep books all over our house in a basket in the living room (great alternative to watching tv), in the bathroom and in everyone’s bedroom.
Note: For quiet time, you can use a tent, a bathtub stuffed with pillows and comforters + quiet time box, a hammock out in the backyard, tree house…be creative! BUT, make sure the actual place isn’t too distracting for a child to stay put. You need your time, they need theirs and you don’t want to be interrupted! Be consistent.

9.) Computer/TV…keep in family room and engage with your child as they play games or watch an educational show. Keep it limited. Let kids earn screen time. You can use poker chips or tickets. Be sure that your children know what shows/games they are allowed to watch and why they are appropriate vs. why some shows/games are not.

“…let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” II Corinthians 7:1b

*YOU are the parent, YOU are in charge of what comes into your home and
YOU will be held accountable by God.

10.) Other: flannel board, dinosaurs, balls (baskets from the Dollar Store work great!), tools, Lincoln logs, puzzles, science “stuff”, Fisher Price’s Little People.

Monday, Monday...

I added another bin to Lincoln's room for his dinosaurs, tools and Little People. I keep finding these bins in our garage and getting motivated to move things around and create more space for things. I think they were old bins I used in my classroom while I was teaching. So, I'm putting them to good use.

This is what I replaced the old bin with (the one in Linc's room). It's the old homeschooling rolling cart (which was replaced by an actual bookshelf unit months ago). I put computer paper in the top drawer, then construction paper, then sponges/paint and finally the last two drawers are just for craft supplies.

Norah awoke early from her nap today and we spent time snuggling, cuddling, having tummy time and doing each other's hair. Okay, so she didn't do mine, but I sure did hers and she loves her new ponytail. Three months old and she's already stylin'. =) We'll see how long it lasts before she pulls is out!

We hit the gymnastics place this morning and I let Avy and Lincoln run around and wear themselves out. It's a great place to go for an hour (open gym) when it's hot which we all know it's STILL hot here in Florida. It's funny watching the weather and all the northerners are sharing how nice the cooler weather is. Yes, we're still frying here in Florida. I think we're going to hit the beach this weekend!

Today is laundry day and I'm finishing that up right now. Kiddos are still sleeping. I'm making lasagne, salad and rolls tonight for dinner. My mom always made it homemade (always made everything homemade) and I used to be intimidated by making things homemade, but now I've got things pretty much down to a science. I'm definately no chef, but it's amazing how far I've come from first being married and eating cereal for dinner to making homemade meals. I do love cooking, it's the price of ingridients that gets me. Grocery stores have really taken advantage of our economic times and jacked up the price of food. Yes, fuel and other things have had a part in it, but still. It's a good thing we do garden and get produce from it.

Oh, on that side note...our garden if full of pests and with the heat and forgetting to water it everyday, we'll only be having beans and some tomatoes this time around. Ug. The pests are insane and my normal "Seven" that I use isn't cutting it. It's still warm and the butterflies and moths are laying their eggs at the base of the plants, hence eating my plants when they hatch. I pulled up some pumplin seedlings the other day and couldn't believe how many caterpillars there were on it. Little suckers! Anyhow, I need to call dad for some more tips on how to get rid of them.

Still letting the big 3-0 sink in. Thanks for all the sweet comments friends/family. I did forget to mention the fact that my amazingly wonderful husband DID get me a gorgeous boquet of flowers for my birthday! We did enjoy a romantic evening out alone without the kiddos (thanks Mom and Dad)...dinner and a movie. We saw the new Jennifer Aniston movie and with the exception of a few unnecessary comments or a word here or there, I was quite impressed with the movie. It was my pick since it was my birthday and Rob was a good sport. =)

Well, got to get the rest of the laundry finished and I'm hoping that if these little darlings continue sleeping, I'll get a small project done by the time they awake. I'll have to post a picture once I get it done. I'm a lean, mean organizing queen!!

The Workbox

Oh my! I found this online and just had to share. It's WAY too expensive and I'll never buy it, but I thought it was so neato. I dig things like these. I love scrapbooking, but don't do it often because I can't leave everything out on the table or my kiddos would get into it. Too fun! =)

Avonlea's Party

Just about to sing...

goodie bags

The cake...homemade by mom. =) The jellybeans were a hit!

games

more homemade games

Avonlea's party went well last weekend. Her friends and family were able to celebrate with us and she was super excited for her special day. I do have to say that I was so proud of her. Her thankfulness throughout the day really shined. She was grateful for her friends/family being there, for her cake and for the sweet gifts that were given. She thanked each person for coming and all I heard for the rest of the week was "Thank you Mommy for my party". It made me feel like I was doing something right as a parent for helping instill those values in her.

Anyway, her theme was carnival/fall costume. The kiddos showed up in their fall costumes and
did they ever look cute. Avonlea picked Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. She's only seen the movie once and didn't see it entirely (some scary scenes), but she liked the costume. We actually got all the kids' costumes from the cosignment store this year. We have a credit there and so we basically just exchanged their costumes from last year for this year's. Can't go wrong with that! It's also fun to trade with friends. Lincoln is Thomas the Train and Norah is a very cute pumpkin. We had a ton of fun at the party and are so thankful for our big 4-year-old.

The Big 30!

Ahhh, the big 3-0. Well, I'm officially 30 years old today and I have mixed emotions...happy because I am soooo blessed and am thankful for the 30 years the Lord has given me. Sad because I've always looked at people in their 30s as "old" and now I'm one of them (smile). Curious to see how the next decade pans out in life. Thankful for my amazing family both here and abroad. Nervous because I've heard that it's harder to stay in shape in your thirties and I want to shed my remaining baby weight. Excited for the future and the things I have planned and want to accomplish (traveling, family time, educating my children, being with my husband, etc.) although I know Jesus in more in charge than I am and may have "other plans".

I have to say that today started out as any old morning with the exception that my husband sang "Happy Birthday" to me while he was getting ready for work as well as presenting me with a homemade card. If you are a member of this Bates household, we require homemade cards. It just shows that you took the time to make it for someone instead of having a friend pick one up for you on their lunch break. NOT that anyone has ever done that, I'm just saying. =)

Anyway, I've changed diapers today, wiped noses, given baths, played "dinosaurs", cleaned up messes, made meals, kissed boo-boos, got a shower (praise the Lord!), fed and burped babies, cleaned counter tops, swept, wiped another nose, read my Bible, brushed little ones' teeth, homeschooled, danced to princess songs and the list goes on. However, I have felt the incredible presence of the Lord today while doing all of it and He gave me an incredible quiet time with Him today where I was able to thank him for all that He has done in my life and in the life of my family. I didn't present Him with a list (like I sometimes do) of my worries and requests, but rather just sat, thanked Him and enjoyed being in His presence. We all have areas where we want to improve our relationship with Him. Mine is that I want to be a better listener. To really listen to what He is saying.

Tonight was so much fun. My family surprised me with a little party and I guess they wanted me to feel young at heart because we had it at Chuck E. Cheese. =)I must say that it was a blast! I played skee ball with Grandma, received some interesting gifts including denture adhesive cream, old-lady curlers for my hair, Depends and I'm sure my little brother would have given me a walker or wheelchair had he had the chance to get ahold of one! Little stinker. I'll get him back in 9 years. My favorite gift was a box full of pictures from when I was born all the way up through my childhood. I couldn't help but shed a tear and hug my mother profusely. I've been asking for years for pictures to fill my family scrapbook, but haven't had any childhood pictures to do it with. I found pictures of my baby dedication, old ballet recitals, cheerleading pictures, pictures with family and friends and some really neat momentos that I made or were made for me as a baby. Touching. Thanks Mom if you're reading this. It meant a lot. I'm also much looking forward to a date with my sweetie this weekend, just us (heart).

It was a wonderful day and although I definately feel older (not physically, just by title...a "thirty-year-old"), I'm not going to let that get me down! I guess I can say that I feel like an official adult. An official parent. A woman. Yes, I have found a gray hair or two(and plucked them quickly)...yikes! I need to locate that verse in the Bible about how gray hair shows wisdom. =)

Lastly, I have to give a birthday shout out to my ever-so-cool brother-in-law, Dean, who lives in the UK. We share the same birthday and I feel bad for not Skyping and sharing the excitement of the day with the Drydens. Miss you guys!

What a blessed day it was and I am so thankful for an amazing mother who gave birth to me 30 years ago and for parents who raised me in the Lord to be who I am today.

Babywearing Week

Apparently, it is national babywearing week or something. I've been reading THIS BLOG for the past few months and the author has some great "stuff" on babywearing. She has six children (4 boys and twin baby girls) and has quite the stash of babywearing supplies. To be honest, I LOVE wearing my babies (Rob does too...he has a backpack for when they're older), but carriers can be quite expensive. I do look at a local kids' consignment shop for carriers (only if I have credit there), but never find the good ones. For good reason, no one wants to get rid of their good carriers. They sell them on E-Bay or give them to a good friend. So, they're hard to find. Especially since babywearing in the US hasn't been around for that long. I do love my Baby Bjorn and knock off Mei Tei.

Any other babywearers out there? Be sure to check our her blog for some great pictures (she's a great photographer) and good tips on wearing your little ones. =)

It's the Little Things

My day was successful today because I...

- got my children's nails clipped and cut my son's hair (after bribing with a lollipop!)
- cuddled, tickled and laughed with all my children today
- sent my husband an e-mail that told him how much he was loved and appreciated
- read to each of my children today
- "talked" with Norah and received many smiles and coos
- baked cookies with my oldest daughter
- showed kindness to a stranger
- thanked the Lord for all of His wonderful blessings in my life

Adoption Stories

After talking with a friend (thanks Christy) during a birthday party today, I was touched by a story and decided to check it out. I'm not normally an Oprah watcher, but I was told about a particular story that was aired today and thought I'd share it if you haven't already heard about it. You can check it out here at Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Wise Words for Moms

One of my high school friends sent me this nifty, little device in the mail the other day and I've really enjoyed reading it. (Thanks "J"!) Be sure to check it out here. It's like a calendar, but only it's about discipline. There are Bible verses for certain actions and questions to ask yourself as a parent upon addressing those issues (lying, complaining, etc.).

Kids' Room Organization

I got this for a dollar at Target. It's what we use to keep Avonlea's weekly AWANA Bible verses posted on.

Lincoln's toys

Label for his cars and trucks

Avonlea's toys...pink toy bins were found at IKEA and they were $4.00 each. Not too bad!

I try to stay away from having a "miscellaneous toy" bin, but they each have one in their room. There are just some toys that don't have a label. You know what I'm talking about right? =)

One really great lesson I took away from my internships in teaching during college was my ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) training. I had to intern in an ESOL class (elementary) for a semester, observing for the first half and teaching for the second half. Well, if you know anything about teaching ESOL, you know that using pictures for labels are a GREAT way to get the children reading and learning a language. EVERYTING in a successful ESOL classroom should be labeled.

Well, when Avonlea was about 12 months old, I started labeling her little toy bins so that she could see what the picture was of and what toys went in which bins. At 12 months of age, she was too young to comprehend this, but around 18-20 months, she knew full well where things belonged and it was great. I use the same system for her now, along with Lincoln's room. Norah just has a basket for her baby toys, but I'm sure that when she moves into a big girl bed and shares a room with Avy, she'll learn just as the other two have. I found the pictures from Mircosoft Word's clip art and also did a Google image search for the others that I couldn't find through Word. Hint* Don't type in "baby dolls" as a search for Google. I was appauled by what I saw!! Use the word "dolls" or "dollies" instead. You might still find inappropriate things, but it's better than the latter (and we have filters!). If anyone knows of a flawless filter, let me know. I can't tell you how tired I am of putting in for a search for something and the JUNK that pops up. The feeling of wanting to physically throw my computer out the front door has been there more than once! Who knows, I might actually do it someday.

Anyway, happy organizing and labeling!!! =)