Today is the day.
In 3 hours, I will head out, side by side with my amazing husband, to make ourselves official homeowners. And I will cry. And my heart will just burst.
We've been down a long road these past 7 years. We've had years when we didn't know how we would pay for the next day's food or the electric bill. More recently, we've had years where we made a concentrated effort to live debt free, owe no one, boost our credit scores, and all on a missionary income. We have pined for this day...this day when a house no longer belonged to a stranger, when unpacking felt temporary and we instinctively knew that it wouldn't be long before we moved on. We have pined for this day when our house would become our home.
Home.
We finally have our own home. I can paint the walls. Sew curtains. Install beautiful lighting. Choose furniture for the long run.
More importantly, we can share love. Good times, bad times, and raise our children somewhere where they feel safe. It will be our haven from the outside world. A place where we commune with friends and grow in faith. It is not just a thing but an idea.
There is something about delayed gratification that is so....gratifying. I don't know that I would have such elation and appreciation for what we are about to embark upon if it weren't for the years we went without. For that, I am thankful.
Today, I thank the Lord for His blessings. The blessings of my husband and children, and the blessing of a home where we will strive to always praise Him.
(I'll be gone for several days I'm sure, setting up house and picking up our belongings in Colorado. But, hopefully I can get back to blogging again soon and add some pictures!)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Run Run as Fast as You Can
I'm having a shoe problem.
When there are 4 little girls who need new pairs of athletic shoes, buying them at $35-50 per pair is really more than I'm willing to budget. All my girls need shoes...their Crocs and flip flops have been great over the summer, but they aren't so stable for Sunday hikes, and now that the weather is cooling down, we are in full on search mode for affordable, good quality shoes.
Where to go...where to go...??
In town, my options are pretty much nil. Therefore, I turn to the internet.
A few weeks ago, I found a great deal on Stride Rite and I was just thrilled with the whole transaction. I was able to get all 3 of the big girls a new pair of great shoes, and $10 under budget to boot!
Of course though, when I feel that something must be too good to be true...it's too good to be true. Suffice it to say, I will never be ordering through Stride Rite again, nor will shop at their store, nor will I be found meandering through the outlet back in our old town.
Their shipping was a disaster! As you all know, we are in this temporary apartment and so all of my mail goes to a PO Box. I had a whole slew of birthdays to order gifts for, as well as other online shopping, from a host of other vendors - yet Stride Rite is the only one that made it complicated for me. I had the shoes shipped to my apartment, but I had to practically stalk the UPS man to get my package - and even then, I got it several days late. (I don't blame UPS by the way....a big business like SR should have shipping options for *all* their customers.)
We were all so thrilled to have the shoes in hand that all the girls tried them on right away. I like to buy their shoes a little on the large side, to allow for warm socks and growth. I ordered way big, just to be sure. And, wouldn't you know...two pairs were too small. Really, is it that hard to mark a product stating that it runs a little small??
Now, I had ordered from a good shoe company online, my return/exchange, etc wouldn't be too big of a deal. I'd just have to calm the crying children who really wanted to run in the playground with their sweet new shoes, round them all up during a time of day when they were all going to behave, and then stand in the post office line (oh joy) to return them. Then, alas! New pairs would arrive after stalking the UPS man for another week.
But, no. I must do all of the above, pay out of pocket to return, wait 1-2 billing cycles (!? really?) for a refund, with no hope in sight for an exchange.
It's really too bad for Stride Rite...the prices were good, and I still dropped a lot of $$$ for 3 children's worth of shoes. I may have been going back every 6 months to order from them.
What's too bad for me, though, is that I am still in need of shoes for my girls. Does anyone have a suggestion for a reputable place to buy them online for a good price and low hassle??
(Let me also edit to add....don't even get me started on the customer service when I contacted them about this. Even though I told them I am no where near a brick and mortar store, they asked for my zip code to find me the nearest store. Should I drive to UTAH to fix this?! Then...when I replied...nothing back from them. Great.)
When there are 4 little girls who need new pairs of athletic shoes, buying them at $35-50 per pair is really more than I'm willing to budget. All my girls need shoes...their Crocs and flip flops have been great over the summer, but they aren't so stable for Sunday hikes, and now that the weather is cooling down, we are in full on search mode for affordable, good quality shoes.
Where to go...where to go...??
In town, my options are pretty much nil. Therefore, I turn to the internet.
A few weeks ago, I found a great deal on Stride Rite and I was just thrilled with the whole transaction. I was able to get all 3 of the big girls a new pair of great shoes, and $10 under budget to boot!
Of course though, when I feel that something must be too good to be true...it's too good to be true. Suffice it to say, I will never be ordering through Stride Rite again, nor will shop at their store, nor will I be found meandering through the outlet back in our old town.
Their shipping was a disaster! As you all know, we are in this temporary apartment and so all of my mail goes to a PO Box. I had a whole slew of birthdays to order gifts for, as well as other online shopping, from a host of other vendors - yet Stride Rite is the only one that made it complicated for me. I had the shoes shipped to my apartment, but I had to practically stalk the UPS man to get my package - and even then, I got it several days late. (I don't blame UPS by the way....a big business like SR should have shipping options for *all* their customers.)
We were all so thrilled to have the shoes in hand that all the girls tried them on right away. I like to buy their shoes a little on the large side, to allow for warm socks and growth. I ordered way big, just to be sure. And, wouldn't you know...two pairs were too small. Really, is it that hard to mark a product stating that it runs a little small??
Now, I had ordered from a good shoe company online, my return/exchange, etc wouldn't be too big of a deal. I'd just have to calm the crying children who really wanted to run in the playground with their sweet new shoes, round them all up during a time of day when they were all going to behave, and then stand in the post office line (oh joy) to return them. Then, alas! New pairs would arrive after stalking the UPS man for another week.
But, no. I must do all of the above, pay out of pocket to return, wait 1-2 billing cycles (!? really?) for a refund, with no hope in sight for an exchange.
It's really too bad for Stride Rite...the prices were good, and I still dropped a lot of $$$ for 3 children's worth of shoes. I may have been going back every 6 months to order from them.
What's too bad for me, though, is that I am still in need of shoes for my girls. Does anyone have a suggestion for a reputable place to buy them online for a good price and low hassle??
(Let me also edit to add....don't even get me started on the customer service when I contacted them about this. Even though I told them I am no where near a brick and mortar store, they asked for my zip code to find me the nearest store. Should I drive to UTAH to fix this?! Then...when I replied...nothing back from them. Great.)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Autumn Babies
It seems as if all my friends in Texas are enduring heat waves and broken a/c's...here in Wyoming, it's a cool day. So cool, in fact, that I'm wearing jeans and a sweater (I love sweaters). This morning, when I woke up, I was down right cold, despite the King size comforter that I had over me in my twin sized lower bunk (can't wait to get my bed back!). Thankfully, my little one was snuggled up close and we kept each other warm.
This past week was birthday week in our family, birthdays included both my Dad and my Father-in-Law, as well as C & S. I am no longer the mother of an infant, but a toddler, two preschoolers, and a real life big kid.
The reason I mention the weather is that it's starting to feel like Fall. The way the air hangs in Autumn brings me so much joy. I love the background noise of football, the colors, the cool days. Also, remarkably, something strange has happened to this mother's heart of mine. Autumn is the season for babies. Three of my four children were born in the late Summer/Fall, and so it's only natural for me to have babies on my heart during this time of the year, I suppose.
I never really was much of a baby person. I always liked older kids, and when I spent a summer working at The Pines, a Catholic summer camp, my favorite were the teens, and the 11/12 year olds. It took a lot more effort for me to enjoy my littlest campers, the older children were, the more I liked them. Two things changed my heart though, one being a preparation: my sisters were born. I was a 14 year old Freshman in high school when my parents gave my brother and I the happy news that we were going to have another sibling. Following my dear sister, 3 more little girls arrived, giving me plenty of experience with babies to have a bit of a realistic start when I got married. (Funny fact though, my youngest sister is the same age as one of my daughters!)
Secondly, I became a mother. Simple as that sounds, I did not glide gracefully into motherhood. More like stumbled. Sad as it is to say, I was terrified. And that might be an understatement. Anyway, babies kept coming and I gained more confidence in my ability to parent, to remain in tact as a human being, and to truly nurture a little one.
The most interesting thing happened. The more children I had, the more I loved having children.
Yesterday, as we celebrated the birth of my sweet baby S, who quite literally flew into this world (truly, one of the happiest days of my life!), I found myself burdened with a strange sort of sadness. I have always taken great joy at my children's growth and their happy birthdays. Not to say I wasn't joyful, but I suddenly realized that...I have 4 children. There will likely be more, as I am young and healthy and seem to not have any problems...but could I be on the down slope? Maybe there will be no more? I don't know for sure, of course.
Not to mention, that at 1, her days of being a baby are waning. I LOVE babies. I love having babies, I love caring for babies, I love it. Lingering in the mind are the words of my husband's lovely grandmother, "I was always the happiest when I had a baby in the house."
It is Autumn, time for a baby. Or so my biological clock says. (BTW, this is not an announcement. haha)
It's birthday time, a little one emerging out of babyhood, and my new "big girl" leaving behind the last traces of baby fat and diapering! What joy!
This past week was birthday week in our family, birthdays included both my Dad and my Father-in-Law, as well as C & S. I am no longer the mother of an infant, but a toddler, two preschoolers, and a real life big kid.
The reason I mention the weather is that it's starting to feel like Fall. The way the air hangs in Autumn brings me so much joy. I love the background noise of football, the colors, the cool days. Also, remarkably, something strange has happened to this mother's heart of mine. Autumn is the season for babies. Three of my four children were born in the late Summer/Fall, and so it's only natural for me to have babies on my heart during this time of the year, I suppose.
I never really was much of a baby person. I always liked older kids, and when I spent a summer working at The Pines, a Catholic summer camp, my favorite were the teens, and the 11/12 year olds. It took a lot more effort for me to enjoy my littlest campers, the older children were, the more I liked them. Two things changed my heart though, one being a preparation: my sisters were born. I was a 14 year old Freshman in high school when my parents gave my brother and I the happy news that we were going to have another sibling. Following my dear sister, 3 more little girls arrived, giving me plenty of experience with babies to have a bit of a realistic start when I got married. (Funny fact though, my youngest sister is the same age as one of my daughters!)
Secondly, I became a mother. Simple as that sounds, I did not glide gracefully into motherhood. More like stumbled. Sad as it is to say, I was terrified. And that might be an understatement. Anyway, babies kept coming and I gained more confidence in my ability to parent, to remain in tact as a human being, and to truly nurture a little one.
The most interesting thing happened. The more children I had, the more I loved having children.
Yesterday, as we celebrated the birth of my sweet baby S, who quite literally flew into this world (truly, one of the happiest days of my life!), I found myself burdened with a strange sort of sadness. I have always taken great joy at my children's growth and their happy birthdays. Not to say I wasn't joyful, but I suddenly realized that...I have 4 children. There will likely be more, as I am young and healthy and seem to not have any problems...but could I be on the down slope? Maybe there will be no more? I don't know for sure, of course.
Not to mention, that at 1, her days of being a baby are waning. I LOVE babies. I love having babies, I love caring for babies, I love it. Lingering in the mind are the words of my husband's lovely grandmother, "I was always the happiest when I had a baby in the house."
It is Autumn, time for a baby. Or so my biological clock says. (BTW, this is not an announcement. haha)
It's birthday time, a little one emerging out of babyhood, and my new "big girl" leaving behind the last traces of baby fat and diapering! What joy!
 |
| (In lieu of a 2nd cake for the week, I made homemade ice cream sandwiches!) |
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Works for Me: Christmas Shopping
It's been a while since I've participated in Works for Me Wednesday, so I thought I'd do a quick post on something that has been working for me for several years, and something that I've got on my mind: Christmas shopping!So, we're not into credit cards and consumer debt, and it's quite a stress on the family to buy all of our gifts in the months of November and December only. Therefore, the month of August marks the beginning of Christmas shopping for me. Spreading out the shopping over several months accomplishes a few things:
a) obvioiusly, the cost of gifts for a large family and extended family gets dispersed over several months, rather than hitting hard at once
b) setting a budget for spending on gifts is much more realistic
c) I do most of the shopping online, or when sales are going on in stores, resulting in better deals and more money saved
d) I think through my purchases more thoroughly, deciding on things that I genuinely think the receiver will enjoy, rather than rushing out to find something, anything for those that I love
e) most of the shopping is done before Advent even starts, allowing me to spend more time enjoying the season on a more spiritual level, instead of running around like a crazy person shopping.
Each month, I purchase a percentage of the gifts and pick out things that I sincerely think people will enjoy. I am a gift giver, so this brings me so much happiness.
(As an extra tip, I found this wonderful website that makes good quality wooden toys that are great as group gifts to my daughters. Last year, we purchased a play kitchen from him via layaway, and this year we are doing that again for a great dollhouse! Layaway is a rare find indeed, and I love that my husband isn't going "You're spending HOW MUCH on a xyz?!" and instead says, "Wow! You paid for that over 5 months? I didn't even notice! Great!")
Friday, August 6, 2010
My (not so) Secret Addiction
I admit it. I am a magazine junkie. If this sort of thing were genetic, I would totally blame it on my sweet Mama, who far exceeds me in the race to the most magazine subscriptions!
I'm pretty careful about my subs, I don't get fashion magazines, I find them really not good for my heart. People...no, I have enough people in my life to worry about, I don't need to be worrying myself with the latest scandals in Hollywood. Mysteriously, I do happen to have a subscription to Allure magazine...I didn't pay for it and I'm not sure really how I ended up with it. It goes right in the trash every month.
Anyway, here are the ones I DO love!
Real Simple - This is the highlight of magazine delivery week for me! I LOVE this magazine...it's large, smooth pages, it's lovely photos, it's delicious recipes and great articles. Love it!
Better Homes and Gardens - This one is so cheap for a sub, how could I not get it? Much inspiration to be had, especially as I transition from renter to homeowner.
Family Fun - This has lots of fun ideas in it and the girls love flipping through it as well. I just re-subscribed for $3! Yeah!
Faith & Family - I've been getting this sub for who knows how long, and I still have another 2 years left that I paid for. It used to be monthly, but is now quarterly, which is a bummer. I do enjoy their website though, so I don't feel too bad about having paid for the subscription.
Mothering magazine - Ok, this is my total splurge magazine. Usually I hold out on the ones I want until I can get the subscriptions for between $3-7, but this one, no waiting for me! They have a great website (which I have linked on my side bar) and blog that I enjoy as well too. http://mothering.com/all-things-mothering/ I don't always agree with everything, but who does? I appreciate the articles and advertisements for cloth diapering, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby wearing, cooking healthfully, etc.
I've also had Good Housekeeping (whose tactics to get you to renew really irritate me, so I'm on a break from that) and Your Big Backyard (which the girls loved...but just ran out).
Other magazines I'd love to get are Cooking Light, Martha Stewart (how can I resist!), and Cooks Illustrated. But, I must wait to get a good deal!
One thing I am always sure to do is write down when I subscribed, when the first issue came, and when I should renew in my trusty calendar. Goodness knows, they send so very many "renewal notices" that I could get confused about when I'm actually up for renewal! It's really helpful to have it all in one place so that things run smoothly.
I'd love to hear what magazines others enjoy or if you have any other suggestions for me!
I'm pretty careful about my subs, I don't get fashion magazines, I find them really not good for my heart. People...no, I have enough people in my life to worry about, I don't need to be worrying myself with the latest scandals in Hollywood. Mysteriously, I do happen to have a subscription to Allure magazine...I didn't pay for it and I'm not sure really how I ended up with it. It goes right in the trash every month.
Anyway, here are the ones I DO love!
Real Simple - This is the highlight of magazine delivery week for me! I LOVE this magazine...it's large, smooth pages, it's lovely photos, it's delicious recipes and great articles. Love it!
Better Homes and Gardens - This one is so cheap for a sub, how could I not get it? Much inspiration to be had, especially as I transition from renter to homeowner.
Family Fun - This has lots of fun ideas in it and the girls love flipping through it as well. I just re-subscribed for $3! Yeah!
Faith & Family - I've been getting this sub for who knows how long, and I still have another 2 years left that I paid for. It used to be monthly, but is now quarterly, which is a bummer. I do enjoy their website though, so I don't feel too bad about having paid for the subscription.
Mothering magazine - Ok, this is my total splurge magazine. Usually I hold out on the ones I want until I can get the subscriptions for between $3-7, but this one, no waiting for me! They have a great website (which I have linked on my side bar) and blog that I enjoy as well too. http://mothering.com/all-things-mothering/ I don't always agree with everything, but who does? I appreciate the articles and advertisements for cloth diapering, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby wearing, cooking healthfully, etc.
I've also had Good Housekeeping (whose tactics to get you to renew really irritate me, so I'm on a break from that) and Your Big Backyard (which the girls loved...but just ran out).
Other magazines I'd love to get are Cooking Light, Martha Stewart (how can I resist!), and Cooks Illustrated. But, I must wait to get a good deal!
One thing I am always sure to do is write down when I subscribed, when the first issue came, and when I should renew in my trusty calendar. Goodness knows, they send so very many "renewal notices" that I could get confused about when I'm actually up for renewal! It's really helpful to have it all in one place so that things run smoothly.
I'd love to hear what magazines others enjoy or if you have any other suggestions for me!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
CD pt. 1
This evening I have the first video about cloth diapering. Please excuse my terrible video skills, maybe I'll have the 6 year old hold the camera for the next one (or if I'm feeling really crazy, I'll ask Charlie!). I'm a little dizzy after watching it back!
In my next video I'll quickly cover prefold folds, and then focus on laundering cloth diapers. I'll also be sure to address what I do for night time/nap time, quantity, and any other questions on a subsequent video.
Here are links to the products I mention in this video:
Prefolds - I have used both Chinese and Indian, bleached and unbleached. Personal preference is Indian unbleached. They seem softer and they wash easily.
Thirsties PUL covers - love these. And I'm dying to try out their Duo Covers in prints ad snaps.
Thirsties fitteds - I'd love to try some other brands of fitteds. If you have used some others and recommend them, please let me know. And for my friends who have enough domestic skill to sew up your own...well, I'm just jealous! ;-)
Snappi - in lieu of pins
FuzziBunz - pocket diapers. There are tons of these out there in all different brands.
Kissaluv's terry cloth wipes - my personal favorite
pail liners
2010-08-03 15 53 39 from Andrea M on Vimeo.
In my next video I'll quickly cover prefold folds, and then focus on laundering cloth diapers. I'll also be sure to address what I do for night time/nap time, quantity, and any other questions on a subsequent video.
Here are links to the products I mention in this video:
Prefolds - I have used both Chinese and Indian, bleached and unbleached. Personal preference is Indian unbleached. They seem softer and they wash easily.
Thirsties PUL covers - love these. And I'm dying to try out their Duo Covers in prints ad snaps.
Thirsties fitteds - I'd love to try some other brands of fitteds. If you have used some others and recommend them, please let me know. And for my friends who have enough domestic skill to sew up your own...well, I'm just jealous! ;-)
Snappi - in lieu of pins
FuzziBunz - pocket diapers. There are tons of these out there in all different brands.
Kissaluv's terry cloth wipes - my personal favorite
pail liners
Cloth Diapering Video Series
I had mentioned several months back about doing a few video blogs about cloth diapering. Thanks to my sweet friend Shannon, I have been encouraged to go ahead and do a short series of videos on the topic for the blog!
Cloth diapering has become one of those things I "just do." It doesn't feel like it's ruling my life any more for a few reasons. 1) I officially understand it. I don't feel completely confused by the whole thing like I did at first. 2) I have way more diapers than I started off with, therefore, I don't have to wash every day. 3) I'm just used to it. It no longer seems gross, or weird. It' just normal for us now.
So, just for kicks, I'm going to go ahead and make some little videos. I wish when I had started out I had some sort of visual way of learning about these things and I just love sharing about it. Cloth diapering has been a blessing to me, my babies, my family, our finances, and the environment (though, I hate to admit, this was not even on my radar as a reason to CD).
I'm not an expert, and I don't claim to be. I'm just a mama who loves using cloth and I want to share about it! It seems that every where I turn these days, it's a topic. Friends are talking about it on Facebook and I just read a really great and thorough article about it in Mothering magazine.
While I'm preparing here are some links!
Diaper Revamp - a past blog entry about how to refresh cloth diapers
Fluffy Mail - a past blog entry about my most basic diapering system
More on Cloth Diapering - a past blog entry answering questions from commenters, specifically about what newborns vs. older babies need, and laundry
Abby's Lane - my preferred diaper shop. Good prices, super fast shipping, and great customer service. I also got my beloved Ergo here.
Diaper Pin - This is where I did all my learning about CD's. I love the review section.
(I know I don't get a ton of comments on here, but I also have blog stats telling me how many people come through. Please do let me know if you have anything specific you'd like to see on the videos - I'd love to hear from you. :-))
Cloth diapering has become one of those things I "just do." It doesn't feel like it's ruling my life any more for a few reasons. 1) I officially understand it. I don't feel completely confused by the whole thing like I did at first. 2) I have way more diapers than I started off with, therefore, I don't have to wash every day. 3) I'm just used to it. It no longer seems gross, or weird. It' just normal for us now.So, just for kicks, I'm going to go ahead and make some little videos. I wish when I had started out I had some sort of visual way of learning about these things and I just love sharing about it. Cloth diapering has been a blessing to me, my babies, my family, our finances, and the environment (though, I hate to admit, this was not even on my radar as a reason to CD).
I'm not an expert, and I don't claim to be. I'm just a mama who loves using cloth and I want to share about it! It seems that every where I turn these days, it's a topic. Friends are talking about it on Facebook and I just read a really great and thorough article about it in Mothering magazine.
While I'm preparing here are some links!
Diaper Revamp - a past blog entry about how to refresh cloth diapers
Fluffy Mail - a past blog entry about my most basic diapering system
More on Cloth Diapering - a past blog entry answering questions from commenters, specifically about what newborns vs. older babies need, and laundry
Abby's Lane - my preferred diaper shop. Good prices, super fast shipping, and great customer service. I also got my beloved Ergo here.
Diaper Pin - This is where I did all my learning about CD's. I love the review section.
(I know I don't get a ton of comments on here, but I also have blog stats telling me how many people come through. Please do let me know if you have anything specific you'd like to see on the videos - I'd love to hear from you. :-))
Sunday Recreation
While it's sweltering hot in the afternoons in our top story, un-air conditioned apartment, we have really been trying to take advantage of the Summer.
Over the weekend, we took a nice hike that was only a few minutes away from town. It's still amazing to me how accessible the mountains are to where we live.
When we moved to Colorado from Texas, one of the things I most appreciated about our new location was the sheer amount of real things to do. In Texas, we were often limited by the fact that the Fall/Summer/Spring heat could give you a heat stroke, and therefore entertainment consisted mostly of eating out, going to movies, and shopping. When you're newly married and poor, that leads to a lot of...nothing. haha
I love the outdoors. Truly, being in the midst of God's creation gives me such joy. (The fact that I've turned into this person is still bewildering, even to me.) Weekend hikes in these breath taking mountains in Wyoming are good for my heart (literally and figuratively!) and even better for our family.
Outdoor play and experiences are essential for children, in my opinion. They come into close contact with everything, they drink it all in.
The butterflies, marching ants, wondering beetles, the water, the trees, purple and yellow and pink and blue wildflowers, rocks, dirt...the sky and the clouds, the colors and smells, all of it is noted.
Two miles up and two miles back affords us opportunities for quiet reflection, prayer, jokes, conversations.
"Mama...why did God make all of this for us? He must love us!"
We get to encourage our daughters to be strong. (Push on further, there's a waterfall and a pool at the top!) We encourage them to trust their bodies and minds, and to trust each other. (Slow down, we must go at the pace of the little one!)
While, yes, this is about Sunday afternoon recreation, more than that, it's about teaching and experiencing together as a family.
Wonder.
Trust.
Perseverance.
Joy.
Faith.
These are lessons learned that we would not have found in the chilly movie theatre or the shopping mall.
Over the weekend, we took a nice hike that was only a few minutes away from town. It's still amazing to me how accessible the mountains are to where we live.
When we moved to Colorado from Texas, one of the things I most appreciated about our new location was the sheer amount of real things to do. In Texas, we were often limited by the fact that the Fall/Summer/Spring heat could give you a heat stroke, and therefore entertainment consisted mostly of eating out, going to movies, and shopping. When you're newly married and poor, that leads to a lot of...nothing. haha
I love the outdoors. Truly, being in the midst of God's creation gives me such joy. (The fact that I've turned into this person is still bewildering, even to me.) Weekend hikes in these breath taking mountains in Wyoming are good for my heart (literally and figuratively!) and even better for our family.
Outdoor play and experiences are essential for children, in my opinion. They come into close contact with everything, they drink it all in.
The butterflies, marching ants, wondering beetles, the water, the trees, purple and yellow and pink and blue wildflowers, rocks, dirt...the sky and the clouds, the colors and smells, all of it is noted.
Two miles up and two miles back affords us opportunities for quiet reflection, prayer, jokes, conversations.
"Mama...why did God make all of this for us? He must love us!"We get to encourage our daughters to be strong. (Push on further, there's a waterfall and a pool at the top!) We encourage them to trust their bodies and minds, and to trust each other. (Slow down, we must go at the pace of the little one!)
While, yes, this is about Sunday afternoon recreation, more than that, it's about teaching and experiencing together as a family.
Wonder.
Trust.
Perseverance.
Joy.
Faith.
These are lessons learned that we would not have found in the chilly movie theatre or the shopping mall.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Help!
I need some advice.
1. My two big girls were completely enamored with the American Girls dolls when we were in the Denver store a few months ago. Per Charlie's suggestion, they are trying to save up to buy their own dolls. They are so expensive, and really, we don't want to send the message that we'll just drop everything and buy them expensive toys (or toys in general) whenever they get excited about something. Also, we think that if they work to save for their own dolls, they're less likely to be destructive when it comes for caring for a very special toy. So far, they're both up to about $5. haha They are enthusiastic and seem to have a pretty realistic idea that it's going to take them several months to save. I was wondering if anybody has any ideas for me about how to help them "earn" money? I've been offering them extra jobs (aside from their usual jobs that they don't really have a choice on) and I've found out that G is an excellent and very thorough sweeper, and that F has mad laundry skills. I'm at a bit of a loss though on maybe giving them more challenging work? What can an (almost) 5 year old and 6 year old realistically do? What other creative ways can I help them earn money toward their dolls?
2. I decided on a car seat for my little one's birthday coming up and I'm so excited about it getting here. After quite a bit of research, I think I might actually replace C's seat with this same one as well. F is in a booster, and in the very rear of the Suburban with a shoulder strap and enough maturity to leave it on. So, I think she's ok. But I'm worried about G, who really needs something more sturdy I think. She's almost 5, so I don't know what the best/safest seat would be for her. Any suggestions? (Also, our Suburban came out shortly before the LATCH system came in to place. Apparently, we could have it installed by a dealership, but from what I'm reading, it's not necessarily safer than buckling in with seat belts. Any opinions on that? I'm not sure about this...)
3. Things are moving along with the house situation, so I'm starting to get excited to get all of our furniture, etc out of storage. This has me planning on what we need for each room, and I'm specifically thinking about the girls' room. They will all be sharing a room (except for Fina, who will have her own room for at least another 6-8 months before she's ready for a big girl bed and will move in with the others). We have a set of bunk beds, and as it is (even here in the apartments) the big girls sleep together in the top bunk and C sleeps in the bottom bunk. Charlie and I have determined that they need their own beds -despite protests from certain girls- and are probably going to get another set of bunk beds, leaving the bottom bunks for the little girls and top bunks for the big girls. F & G are getting to an age now where they would like a little bit of their own space, and it seems that their bed tends to be their refuge. Given that none of them will probably ever have their own rooms, I'm wondering how to offer them a bit of their own space. I'd love to hear ways that parents of room-sharing children handle this issue, or any other suggestions!
That's it for now!
Up next...per Shanon's request...more on cloth diapers. ;-)
1. My two big girls were completely enamored with the American Girls dolls when we were in the Denver store a few months ago. Per Charlie's suggestion, they are trying to save up to buy their own dolls. They are so expensive, and really, we don't want to send the message that we'll just drop everything and buy them expensive toys (or toys in general) whenever they get excited about something. Also, we think that if they work to save for their own dolls, they're less likely to be destructive when it comes for caring for a very special toy. So far, they're both up to about $5. haha They are enthusiastic and seem to have a pretty realistic idea that it's going to take them several months to save. I was wondering if anybody has any ideas for me about how to help them "earn" money? I've been offering them extra jobs (aside from their usual jobs that they don't really have a choice on) and I've found out that G is an excellent and very thorough sweeper, and that F has mad laundry skills. I'm at a bit of a loss though on maybe giving them more challenging work? What can an (almost) 5 year old and 6 year old realistically do? What other creative ways can I help them earn money toward their dolls?
2. I decided on a car seat for my little one's birthday coming up and I'm so excited about it getting here. After quite a bit of research, I think I might actually replace C's seat with this same one as well. F is in a booster, and in the very rear of the Suburban with a shoulder strap and enough maturity to leave it on. So, I think she's ok. But I'm worried about G, who really needs something more sturdy I think. She's almost 5, so I don't know what the best/safest seat would be for her. Any suggestions? (Also, our Suburban came out shortly before the LATCH system came in to place. Apparently, we could have it installed by a dealership, but from what I'm reading, it's not necessarily safer than buckling in with seat belts. Any opinions on that? I'm not sure about this...)
3. Things are moving along with the house situation, so I'm starting to get excited to get all of our furniture, etc out of storage. This has me planning on what we need for each room, and I'm specifically thinking about the girls' room. They will all be sharing a room (except for Fina, who will have her own room for at least another 6-8 months before she's ready for a big girl bed and will move in with the others). We have a set of bunk beds, and as it is (even here in the apartments) the big girls sleep together in the top bunk and C sleeps in the bottom bunk. Charlie and I have determined that they need their own beds -despite protests from certain girls- and are probably going to get another set of bunk beds, leaving the bottom bunks for the little girls and top bunks for the big girls. F & G are getting to an age now where they would like a little bit of their own space, and it seems that their bed tends to be their refuge. Given that none of them will probably ever have their own rooms, I'm wondering how to offer them a bit of their own space. I'd love to hear ways that parents of room-sharing children handle this issue, or any other suggestions!
That's it for now!
Up next...per Shanon's request...more on cloth diapers. ;-)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)