A Very Happy Second Birthday!!!!!

Today is my LBB's SECOND birthday, and I can't believe that he already 2!!!!

And the cutest thing:

You ask "How old are you?" and he emphatically yells "TWO!!!!" while holding up a what is supposed to be two fingers. :)

I'd write more, but I'm at my mom's house because unfortunately we are computer-less again...meaning way less posts but hopefully in the next few months we will have a new computer.

So, to my sweet LBB...Mommy loves you to the moon and back. And back and forth many times. You are the sweetest little two year old and Mommy and Daddy are more than blessed to call you our soon. WE LOVE YOU!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Night Owl

I've been trying to get my night owl body used to going to bed at a decent time.

It's not going so well.

When you've been blessed with an "up and at 'em" kind of kid (like, 5:30 am up and at 'em), night owl tendencies don't really jive well with that. So, as a result, I end up drinking way more caffeine than I should just to make it through the morning. :)

And tonight, we set up the Christmas tree and headed to bed. My early bird hubby was out like a light...if I was ok with going to bed at 9 pm he'd be a happy camper. Me, on the other hand? I sat there tossing and turning and not getting a wink of sleep.

So, here I sit.

Knowing full well I should be in bed so that I can keep up with a very active LBB tomorrow, but unable to even will myself to sleep. I was too cold. I was too hot. My blankets were twisted. Dear Sweet Hubby was hogging the blankets. I had too much blanket by my face. The pillow is flat. Yadda, yadda, yadda. :)

I tried praying, and that didn't even relax me.

Here I sit, then, hoping that if I spend a significant amount of time playing around on the internet (and let's face it, looking at house stuff...I'm obsessed), I'll hopefully fall asleep.

Wish me luck, friends. :)

To Infinity and Beyond

photo from disney.com

LBB is a Pixar nut. Words can't begin to describe how much he loves Cars, and now his love has extended to Toy Story.

And his favorite?

Buzz, of course. :) My sweet little almost 2 year old does a wonderful buzz impersonation where he sets the "laser" on his arm, and then proceeds to flying around the house making whooshing sounds. It's adorable. And when he is watching Toy Story, which is now a daily thing, he gets excited when Buzz is shown for the first time. And at the part where Buzz realizes he is a toy and that he can't fly, my sweet LBB says in the most sympathetic voice: "Buzz?"

It's adorable...I love seeing LBB turn into a little boy who VROOOMS like Lightening McQueen and flies like Buzz Lightyear. It's all those little stepping stones that show his imagination is beginning to blossom. There's days that I'm very nostalgic that he is getting so big so fast, and then there are those moments when I can't do anything but stop and smile when he pretends he is Buzz.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

From our family to yours, best wishes

for a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving!

We hope the day brings plenty of family love,

time to reflect on all you've been blessed with,

and a nice full belly at the end of the day!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

LBB is NOT Happy With Me

I made him go to bed. On time.

And, despite his repeated efforts, with a minimal amount of bedtime tv.

Sigh.

He's been playing this game the past few nights where we give him his bedtime snack, he doesn't touch it, and then as we say "It's time for bed" (with multiple "warnings" in between), he immediately starts fussing that he's hungry and wants his snack. So...we give in. What parent wants to send their kid to bed hungry?

Tonight, I let him have his favorite snack. He ate one bite and then ignored it, but as soon as I said bedtime, guess who was starving. And for toast. Because, you know, you have to cook toast.

So, I brought him in his room. Gave him a piece of toast, and said we could read a story while he ate his toast. LBB was not a fan of that. But, after 5 minutes of yelling in his room, he is now quiet.

He's either asleep (which is very possible...his eyes were closed as he was yelling), or he's eating the piece of toast I left in there for him. Sigh. I hate rough nightimes. :-(

But, I know he's just testing us to see what we'll let him get away with...but I can say, I do hope he sleeps through the night tonight. For some reason he's reverting back to waking up multiple times a night. Yawn. This momma is beat.

What bedtime stall tactics do your kiddos have? I thought I was good at stalling for bedtime when I was little, but LBB has me beat. :)

Yikes...

I keep getting behind. :) On both thankful thoughts AND pinterest challenge posts! Not to mention that I'd really like to just blog about something else...what, I'm not sure...but there just isn't enough time in the day. Right now though, I'll get caught up on my thankful thoughts before I go relax a bit while LBB sleeps.

It's been a crazy few days, so things have been a little all over the place. :-) You know how that goes!

My thankful thoughts are:

Monday: I'm thankful for my husband's safety. A few days ago, our sweet little car that we've had for 8 years (and was 3 years old when we bought it with 55000 miles on it) started making a few little tapping noises. My hubby figured out what things it could be and planned on fixing it this morning. Then, on his way home from work Sunday night, in a foggy little snowy patch in the middle of a field, Dear Sweet Hubby broke through a bit of fog only to see a nice little doe standing smack dab in front of the car. He naturally slammed on his brakes, and thankfully missed the deer, saving himself from any injury. But...

...poor little Focie (our Ford Focus' nickname, haha), wasn't so lucky. That tapping that was worrisome but we planned on fixing pretty easily quickly turned into something worse. And by the time, my hubby pulled into the parking lot at his work Monday morning, he couldn't even turn the car right, and the tapping had become a TERRIBLE thunking noise. Then, something broke off and the car made this nice "whirring" noise. And, with that, Focie was done.

Now, the car is totally fixable. BUT. In good condition, we could trade it in for only $1500 or so. Just to fix this one issue would be around $1300 or so when all is said and done. Despite the fact that we love that little car, it's time to let her go.

And be thankful, because had that ball joint and CV shaft busted when Dear Sweet Hubby was driving in traffic on the interestate, and he could have gotten into a serious mess, and caused some serious damage to him and the car.

I'm so thankful to God that He was watching over my hubby that night when the deer was trying to be a roadblock, and by having that very important part break in the parking lot and not while we are commuting.

And today's thankful thought? I'm thankful for new opportunities out of what could be seen as a bad situation. We are fortunate enough to have a second car. It's a clutch, so I lack the skills to drive it, but we will be able to make do for a while. It will take some planning and a little patience, but I think we can easily make it until June at the latest, which is around the time we were going to start car hunting anyways. There are a lot of small circumstances that make this situation, and all of them but one are good, so all in all, what seemed pretty cruddy isn't bad at all. :-)

OK...so I'm caught up on that. Now to try to get caught up on my pinterest challenge. Maybe tonight when LBB is in bed...but for now I'm going to go watch some Mighty Machines Diggers and Dozers with my little guy.

A snowy Sunday thankful thought

Last night, I had about 18 thankful thoughts go through my head. It was a wonderful sort of night. :)

We got snow in our neck of the woods! It was that lovely, first dusting of the year, when everything is fresh and new. We put the radio station on that plays Christmas music, which is always an exciting thing, and enjoyed the wintery goodness.

Dear Sweet Hubby and LBB played outside in the snow (but only for a few minutes...Mommy forgot LBB's gloves at PaPa and GiGi's. Whoops.) After LBB went to bed, Dear Sweet Hubby and I spent some quality time with our new Wii. :)

It was a wonderful night...so I'm having a tough time choosing just one thing to be thankful for.

So...I'd have to say my thankful thought for today is:

I'm thankful for every moment that God blesses us with. Each one is special. Each one is to be cherished. And each one is a gift from the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

I'm beyond amazed to think that the One who made the stars and each perfect snowflake makes sure that I'm thought of. That is quite an awe-inspiring thing. Sometimes I get distracted and think about the things that are "missing" in life...second child, our own home, and whatnot. But it's those nights like last night that make me remember how wonderfully I've already been blessed.

I hope that today brings you loads of joy and happiness! As for me, I'm going to go enjoy some quality time with LBB on this snowy day...and get some work done on this week's homeschool stuff. Have a wonderful Sunday!!!

(And I plan on posting two days worth of Pinterest challenges later on today. Check back later!)

Thankful Thoughts Catch Up

Whoops! I didn't even realize I ran a few days behind on my thankful thoughts! So, time to catch up. :)

Thankful Thought #17: I'm thankful for naps and Pepsi...without them I don't think I could function. I suppose going to bed earlier would probably do just as well...but that doesn't seem to work very well for me. HaHa. So, until I get into a routine of going to bed earlier (we are starting by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each day), naps and Pepsi are going to have to do it. :)

Thankful Thought #18: I'm thankful for new opportunities. I think I mentioned before that Dear Sweet Hubby is the store manager of a new store that opens in February, and it's so exciting to see the process and know that the team he hires is his choice. Last night we drove up to where his new store is to see the progress, and it's amazing to see how the store is coming along knowing that my hubby will be the one who opens it. I can only imagine how excited he is. :)

Thankful though #19: I'm thankful for LBB hugs...they really are the best hugs. :)

Yay! All caught up! Check back tonight for my Pinterest Challenge blog post.

Oh, and guess what?!?!?! This is my 200th blog post! Thank you to each of you who reads my little old blog...there are times when I know that there aren't a ton of people reading my blog, but that is just fine with me. I know the people that stop by here that like my blog, and that means a lot.

Pinterest 30 Day Challenge Day 4

Today's challenge was a bit of bust. I saw this pin and immediately thought of my gross showerhead...what a simple way to clean that grungy thing! But...after letting it sit ALL day, I came home to just a stinky bathroom and no clean shower head.

Sigh...here's picture of my gross showerhead after I spent all day letting it soak in vinegar. Ah, well, you win some, you lose some, right? :)

And yes, I posted this, much to the chagrin if Dear Sweet Hubby. :) I have to be real about the whole challenge, right?

Pinterest 30 Day Challenge Day 3

I have been wanting to make an advent calendar for a long time now, and when I saw this pin, I fell in love. What a good idea to use activities instead of gifts! After a quick tutorial on how to cut fabric with my cricut, I went to work. To be honest, this took me a few days of work in between other projects, but it was pretty simple! And so much fun...some of our activities are to go see Santa, go sledding with Daddy, and bake cookies for a neighbor.

Pinterest 30 Day Challenge---Day 2

I love my new fall boots. And I was pretty much convinced to buy them after countless pins in my style board that consisted of the same type of boot. :)

So I got the boots. I got the leggings.

But you can't wear leggings everyday. And I am convinced that there is not a single pair of skinny jeans made out there that fits me just right...so when I saw this pin I knew I had to give it a shot. So, I grabbed an old pair of baggy boot cut jeans that I bought right after LBB was born and went to work.

And here's the results: (Sorry for the cruddy pic...it's nearly impossible to take a picture of yourself with a toddler grabbing at you. This was seriously the best one I could get.)

Yay! Skinny jeans that actually fit!!!! THANK YOU PINTEREST! :)

Phew!

This has been a busy morning...

We took 5 rubbermaids, a backpack carrier, pack n' play, exersaucer, and a few other big toys, sorted through them, and Dear Sweet Hubby is bringing them to the kids consignment shop (but not really one because they pay up front).

That's 2 years worth of sweet baby boy stuff. :) But...it's really doing no good taking up storage space in the garage and play space in his room, especially with his Birthday and Christmas coming.

I always have a hard time going through his things, so I tend to save more than I sell, but this time we finally are at a point where we know that despite our attempts to get pregnant with a second blessing, there is no telling when or if that will actually happen...so what is the point of holding onto all that stuff?

I ended up keeping one rubbermaid's worth of stuff of LBB's...the cute little sleepers he was so cuddly in as a newborn. The adorable little blue suede boots that looked so dapper on his tiny feet. And the sweet little rattle he always had to hold onto. :) It was a hard morning in some aspects, but freeing at the same time. Now, our little guy is surrounded with toys that are evidence of his "big boy" status.

And while I know 2 is still very young, it's so much different from when he was first born. He plays with trains. He builds with duplos. He uses construction equipment like it's meant to be used. He races Hot Wheels.

He's a big boy.

Definitely not my little 8 pound bundle that I was holding in my arms 2 years ago. As his birthday nears, I've been filled with nostalgia and trying to steal as many hugs as I can.

They really do grow up too fast...here's to slowing down and enjoying each and every moment. :)

Pinterest Challenge Day 2 (well, sort of)

I can't post my pinterest challenge today because my cat is sleeping on it. So, it sits there being a cat bed when it should be handing nicely on the wall having pictures taken of it.

But that's ok.

She's comfy. It's Cat #1 and she's a sweet old girl so we pretty much let her do what she wants. :) I'll take pics tomorrow, along with my Pinterest day 3 project.

But, I do have my thankul thought! Today I'm thankful that my Dear Sweet Hubby's BIG store walk with the CEO of his company went AWESOME!!!!! I personally think he is an awesome store manager, but I may be biased. ;) But for him to hear it from the big-wigs....well, that's just amazing.

Goodnight!!!!

Misleading

It is a gloriously sunny day outside, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why the house felt so chilly! Even sitting here curled up in a quilt, I can't quite fight the chill...

...and then I glanced at the thermometer outside and saw a whopping 32 degrees. :) Ah, it's winter in the northland.

Right now, I'm excited for it, as all northeners tend to be. (That is, of course, one of the reasons we live up this way.) And of course, I'll be dancing a happy dance with LBB once the flakes start sticking to the ground.

But.

Don't talk to me in February about the snow. Because I can tell you right now, by that point, I'm sick of the snow and cold and ice and grayness. :) Where I grew up we'd get snow, but then we'd get chinooks...so one day it'd be freezing and snowy and the next day it'd be close to 50. But here, winter is from November to April...and sometimes even May, and it is NON-STOP.

But, I love it. If I didn't I'd be urging Dear Sweet Hubby to get a job in a warm climate. And as LBB gets older, I'm really looking forward to all the fun things a northern winter can bring...sledding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowman building, and hanging out in snow forts. :)

Yep. It may be sunny outside today, but that chill that is in the air is full of promise of snow very very soon.

I love where we live. :)

Pinterest Challenge Day 1

I started off with this pretty simple project, but it was on my Christmas Gifts to Make board, so I thought it'd be a good one to do today. :) Not to mention...I've got all this cute scrap fabric that I keep picking up, and never know quite what to do with it.

So, here's the little Sleeping Bags I made for LBB's Bearemy and Ni-Ni, both of whom seem to really dig them. And in fact, I had to resist from letting LBB con me into giving it to him sooner than Christmas, but I can proudly say that it is tucked away and Mommy didn't give in. :)

I'm really happy with how it turned out, and it's hard to tell in the photo but I even did a little quilting on the top. Bearemy's Outer Space sleeping is sporting some swirlies (like spaceship trails), and Ni-Ni's Batman bag is super cute with it's chevron-like stitchs. :)

These will be perfect for Christmas because I have it on good authority that LBB will be receiving a super cute sleeping bag of his own for Christmas...now he can have campouts in his little tent in his room with Bearemy and Ni-Ni.

And, I better add my thankful thought for today! Day 15 of thankful thoughts is: I'm thankful for the mess in my house today. There are train tracks covering all of the living room and into the hallway. There are cars scattered about. There are tractors and trucks lined up in LBB's bedroom. And it all is proof that my little guy has been busy playing, learning, and having a blast. I'll be the first to admit that I love having a clean house, but the days that LBB is busy at toddler work are the best days. :)

Pinterst 30 day challenge

So, I was on pinterest the other day (shocking, right?) and I came across a pin about this very creative lady who was doing a 30 Day Pin Challenge. And I pinned it and moved on. But then tonight, after spending probably way too much time pinning way too much cute stuff, I realized that I'm pinning more than I'm doing. And maybe that challenge might be a good idea.

I currently have 109 pins just in my crafty lil' things folder. That's completely separate from my recipes, LBB crafts, Preschool activities, sensory bins, home decor, clothing, garland, and yadda yadda yadda. Needless to say, there are tons of projects I could do.

So, I'm going to embark on my own 30 day challenge tomorrow. I am only going to do the simpler ones for now, mostly because it is the holiday season, and I don't want to overwhelm myself with all the other things going on. Who knows...maybe after this I'll want to do it again in a few months. :)

Wish me luck! I'll post my first project tomorrow night...now to go decide which one to do.

And I just have to add...this is my 96th post this year!!! What's so special about that, you may ask? Well, my goal at the beginning of the year was to write more than I did last year. And then our computer crashed, and I was sure it wouldn't happen. But...last year I wrote 96 posts, so this means I completely achieved my goal!!!! WOOT WOOT!!!!

Organization

That's my thankful thought today! I'm thankful for organization. Who isn't, right?

Well, I suppose messy people aren't. But me? I love it. Sometimes I'm not as organized as I'd like to be. Sometimes I'm obsessively organized. But there are those moments where a light bulb goes off above my head and I can appreciate my home for what it is, part relaxed, part organized...just the right mix of mess and structure.

And then there are those parts that are, um, not organized. My constant trouble spots...bedroom closet, anyone? Good golly...you should see that mess. Well, you won't, because if by some chance you do come over, that is my "clutter ninja spot." The spot where things go to get lost for an indefinite amount of time when I need to put something away in a jiffy, only to be found again in a frantic treasure dig through the closet.

We're working on it though, because I have big plans for that closet space. So, that's my thankful thought today because I'm about to tackle that nightmare in my closet in hopes of making it into a sweet little office nook for my hubby and I (with some rearranging of a few other places in the house to accomodate our clothes until we can possibly buy a new wardrobe.) I'll make sure to take some before and after pics so you can see that I am not joking about the mess. :)

Living in the small space we live in, we've learned through the years that organization is key. The best thing? When we finally do buy a house that is sure to have a little more space than our apartment, we will be in serious business because we'll already know how to organize and make the best use of the little space we do have.

So, tell me? Are you organized? Messy? OCD organized?

Whoops.

I didn't get back on here. And there's lots I'm thankful for...but...now I'm tired and my brain is foggy again. :)

However, I do think I can say that I am thankful for this: (Making this Thankful thought #13) I'm thankful for moments of understanding, moments of quiet, and moments of knowing that God is showing you something you've been missing. And I'm even more thankful that there is a peace in finally stepping back and seeing something for what it is. :)

And with that thankful thought...I'm going to sign off. I know it's a vague thought, and it's something that has been a pretty big deal in our lives for awhile. But...it's one of those things that I'm not ready to share. :) I don't know if I will be able to share it anytime soon, but rest assured (just in case you were worried), everything is fine, and we really are at a point where we are learning true contentedness. That's an amazing feeling.

So, good night!

I Think Too Much

And when I think too much, my brain starts to argue with itself, and I end up being up at 1:15 am listening to the two sides of my brain argue back and forth.

Sheesh. Quiet down, thoughts. ;)

Well, really, I'm up right now because LBB was fussing just a bit and I'm making sure he gets back to sleep ok. Before that, I was just getting ready to stop spending way too much time on pinterest and head to bed. Really. I was. (OK...I may be fibbing. If you hear of a "Pinterest Anonymous" group let me know...I might know someone who could use a little help.)

But, then LBB fussed because he fell asleep in front of his bedroom door, which I am sure is not comfortable after a while. The worst thing? He CHOOSES to fall asleep there. We put him back in bed, and he immediately tried going back to the door (while he was still mostly asleep, mind you). He even managed to argue that he wanted to sleep by the door.

Sorry, Buster. Not gonna happen.

And trying to get him back in bed is not easy when he falls asleep by the door. Mostly because he literally falls asleep-RIGHT BY THE DOOR! As in, most of the time his sweet little face is 1 inch from it. So, thankfully I am still pretty skinny and can squeeze my way through a 5 inch opening (I think I may try out for Cirque de Soleil...I'm sure that is one of their acts), because if not he'd be sleeping by the door everynight. I always have to stick my arm in, turn and scootch him over a bit without waking him, make sure his face isn't pushed against the door, and then shimmy through the doorway. I don't know why he likes to sleep there...I'm sure it partly has to do with the fact that all his Cars are in their door organizer and he loves to drive them around while he falls asleep. I think it may also be due to the fact that he can then hear Mommy and Daddy while he nods off. And...he's LBB and LBB does things a little differently sometimes.

Do your kiddles have any strange sleeping habits? Please make me feel better here and leave a comment! :)

But for now, I think LBB is asleep, so I'm going to go hit the sack too. Hopefully my brain decides to cooperate...I'm tired of listening to it argue back and forth. ;) Goodnight!

(And I suppose since it is technically Sunday, I should do my thankful thought....but I'm tired. And if I blog it right now, it will be "I'm thankful for my pillow, my blanket, and my fat white cat that likes to cuddle up at bedtime." I think that's a pretty good thankful thought, but I'll get back on here later today when I'm not half asleep.)

Elmo & Jason Mraz

We are big Jason Mraz fans in our household. And LBB is a BIG Elmo fan. So, it makes complete sense that LBB is nuts about this video...it's on his Best of Elmo 2 dvd, and it's definitely one of our favorites. :) And whenever he hears "I'm Yours" on the radio (which is often...it's Mommy's relaxing song, haha), he calls it "ELMO!" It's adorable!!!!

And while this blog is titled "Little Boy Blue" there is also that little bit called "and Mommy too." So, here's Mommy's version of the ELMO! song. :)

Also, my thankful thoughts for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and today:


Thankful thought #9: Thankful that my hubby had a good, safe, and productive business trip this week. (That was one of the reasons for my internet break...I had him take the laptop with him.) He had training for his new store opening, and he came back even more excited for this opportunity.


Thankful thought #10: Thankful for a day off with Dear Sweet Hubby after he was out of town for 4 days. It's always nice to just relax and have fun at home after a few days apart.


Thankful thought #11: Thankful for my family...my Dad drove Dear Sweet Hubby down to the airport (and LBB and I so we could say goodbye) and picked him up, just so I wouldn't have to drive through the city. My Mom watched LBB on short notice Thursday morning while Dear Sweet Hubby and I got our flu shots and then did some pre-Christmas shopping for LBB. It means a lot knowing they are close by and there for us when we need them.

I'm Taking An Internet Break...

...but only for 4 days. I just have lots I want to get done, and I just need some decompression time. :) You know how that goes. My project list for Christmas gifts for LBB has been continually growing, and before I keep adding to it (darn you, Pinterest), I need to get a bunch of the ones I have started done!

But, I didn't want to skip any of my thankful thoughts for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. (My self-imposed internet boycott ends Wednesday evening...I'll be back then.) I'm going to do them right now so I stay caught up.

Thankful Thought No. 6: I'm thankful for the toddler boy giggles filling my house right now, and Dear Sweet Hubby's laughter right along with him. They are goofing off right now and being complete goofs. It's so fun to watch them.

Thankful Thought No. 7: I'm thankful for my pretty, bright red KitchenAid mixer. I bought it 8 years ago, and am still in love with it. :) Is it wrong to love a kitchen appliance? I don't think so.

Thankful Thought No. 8: I'm thankful for toddler conversations. :) I love that LBB is at the stage where he is beginning to converse with us. He'll point to something, I'll answer him, and he'll respond. I love it.

I've been thinking alot today about how this age is such a fun age...I love watching LBB grow into a little guy (even though it makes me super sentimental.) He is chatty, brave, courageous, creative, outgoing, funny (make that hilarious), and troublesome all in one little package. It's wonderful.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to not going online...although it will be a bit odd. Have a great few days and I'll "see" you on Wednesday!

Happy Saturday!

Thankful Thought #5:

I'm thankful that Dear Sweet Hubby is leaving work a bit early today!!!! I love having him home, so I NEVER complain when he tells me he scheduled himself to leave earlier than normal, even if it's only 1 hour. :)

Not only is it a treat for me, but it's a treat for LBB because there are more hours before bedtime. Tonight they are going to go play outside a bit, and then we have a few things we need to do out and about. Nothing exciting, but relaxing and wonderful at the same time. :)

Anyhoo...today is laundry day, and since we live in an apartment, we do laundry in the laundry room. Luckily, the laundry room is literally right down the hall from our door, so it's never a hassle. LBB brought his Little People dump trucks down to push around while I put the laundry in the washer, and then when we put the clothes in the dryer, he checked the lint trap, put it back in the dryer after he tapped it out over the trash can (even though there wasnt't anything in it), and then closed the door when the dryer was full. Gosh I love that boy...he constantly takes my breath away. :) It's really the simplest things, isn't it?

Those are the ones that make life wonderful.

A big thankful thought...and then a small thankful musing

Thankful thought no. 4:

I'm thankful that God blessed me with a husband who holds my hand when I am sad, pulls me close, and says it will all be ok. I'm thankful that I've been blessed with a husband that reminds me how blessed I am, just when I need to hear it, and not in a "You shouldn't be whining" kind of way. And I'm thankful that the husband I've been blessed with can focus on me when I know he is a sad about the same thing.

And to add to today's thankful thought...I'm thankful for my amazing Mom that lets me call her at 11:45 at night when I am in tears just to tell me that it will be ok. (And friends, please don't worry much...everything is fine. Just a little sad, is all.) Thank you, Mom. :)

And not on my list of thankful thoughts, I suppose, but I had to write about it tonight because it was one of those moments that made my heart melt into one giant puddle of Mommy goop.

Sunshine spilling on my sweet little boy's blonde noggin. Pine needles tickling his face. And a smile that can make any sad thought go away.

My sweet baby is not such a baby anymore...he is growing and becoming a sweet boy. He played underneath the big pine tree outside his window today...joyously running around the trunk. Pushing his Cars through the pine needles. And watching in awe as the first bird came to the birdfeeder he and Daddy made.

I'm blessed, and I know that. I struggle sometimes, wishing for something that is seemingly not meant to be right now. My human ways search for understanding, and when it can't be found, my frail heart begins to doubt.

But then, my sweet son hugs me and gives me sweet eskimo kisses. And I can hear God telling me that it will all be ok.

I apologize for the forlorn post tonight...thank you for reading it...and I promise soon I'll be back to normal.

Good night, dear reader.

Small Spaces

On the front of the IKEA catalog is something along the lines of "A home doesn't have to be big, just smart."

Amen, IKEA.

We're in the process of re-evaluating our apartment space...since we are a homeschooling family, our home looks a little different than other people's, especially since we don't work well with just keeping it at the dining room table. (Clearly the need for well-defined spaces is a common denominator in our little family. HaHa.)

We split our very long living room into two, making a small living room, and small homeschool area. But...

...it's feeling a little crowded and not quite conducive to learning and teaching. So, after a little debate, we are going to switch things up a bit. Long story short, we are planning on making what is the "dining room" the homeschool room. It makes no sense to me to have that large of a room for a place that we spend maybe 30 minutes a day. (Yes, we have the terrible habit of eating on the couch. We're working on it.)

So I've been getting lots of ideas that I want to incorporate into our little learning space to make it even more learning focused. I think it's going to turn out awesome, and if it doesn't? Well, then we move it right back. :) No big deal.

There are a few other projects in the works, like converting the freshly cleaned hall closet into an office nook for me so I can do my curriculum planning and what not in a designated space.

Plus, we get to paint in our apartment, and that makes everything a whole lot more interesting. :) The next few months will be filled with tailoring our home to fit us even more...and on a budget. I'll make sure to take some before/after pics and post them when I can!

Ah, I love decorating. :)

Thankful Thoughts #1, 2, and 3

A few years ago I did one of those Thankful Thoughts a day, and I saw a few posts on other places this year and it gave me a gentle reminder. I'm going to do it again...but this time, I'm not going to do the thankful thoughts that are the big thankful thoughts (like salavation, love, family members, and so on) because I think that if you read any moment of my blog you probably get the vibe that I'm thankful for all that. :)

So I am going to focus on the little moments. And since today is 23 minutes into November 3rd, I will post 3 thankful thoughts tonight.

1. I'm thankful for the sweet little boy who is now all over his croup. I was missing LBB's rambunctiouness and downright craziness. :)


2. I'm thankful for Dear Sweet Hubby listening me vent about everything that was irritating, and not even batting an eye. :) I'm sure he didn't care to hear about the same things 3 times in a row, but he is sweet, and he loves me, and it's those little things that he does that really make me realize it.


3. I'm thankful for surprise sweet hugs and an enthusiastic "LOVE YOU" from LBB. :) And then him grabbing my face to give me a big sloppy kiss. :)

My Son MUST Be Broken

Because if he wasn't, his naptime routine this morning would have been the same as usual:

Argue. Yell "NO!"Get in bed. Read a book. Get another book. Read that book. Get hugs and kisses. Cuddle up. Watch Mommy leave. Get out of bed. Yell a little. Bring all the cars and trains he can muster to the door. And go to sleep on the floor.

But he has to be broken, because this morning, he walked up to me, said "Night-night" and when I double checked with him that he was ready for nap, an enthusiastic nod and "night-night" followed. So, I picked him up, gave him hugs, got him in bed, gave him one big bear hug, said prayer (he loves saying prayer), and then he pushed his cars around for a few minutes in bed.

And now...

...he's asleep. That cannot be my son in there! :) I think the planets and the stars must be aligned perfectly or something.

Contentment (Otherwise Known as "Our Story and What We Are Learning From It"

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”--Frederick Keonig

We've had a lot of change in our lives in the past 4 years.

4 years ago, I was working Full Time at a big orange store as a department head in bookkeeping. Dear Sweet Hubby was working his tail off with no real rewards at a small tool store as an assistant manager. I dreamed of being a Mom, staying at home, and raising a family.

We decided the time was right and that we were going to try to have a child. So, we packed our belongings, moved to a 2 bedroom apartment in a different suburb, and were shown that not everyone gets preggers right away. :) Apparently, my plans were different than God's.

5 months later, and with no success, we stepped back and assessed the situation. Dear Sweet Hubby was completely unhappy with his job situation, I was feeling more than stuck where I was at, so when the opportunity for Dear Sweet Hubby to get a new job working at a strong retail company, we jumped on it. Not to mention the fact that the new job made it possible for me to become a housewife, and a hope of moving back into the "country". (We believed we weren't cut out for the big city lights.) So, we packed our stuff, again, and moved to our temporary city where Dear Sweet Hubby had to do his training. We literally lived in an Econolodge for a month, and then found this adorable little apartment. (And by little, I mean tiiiiinnnnyyyy.) But, it was nicer than any other apartment we were in, had a washer and dryer, a wonderful kitchen, and the balcony overlooked a wooded area that regularly housed a family of deer. Needless to say, those 4 months we lived there were absolutely wonderful. We were giving everything to God. We weren't attempting to get pregnant because we knew it just wasn't the time. And we just enjoyed the moment. We learned a lot from that moment in our lives.

Right before Thanksgiving, Dear Sweet Hubby finished his training and was told he'd be getting into his own store, and that he had to be there the Monday after Thanksgiving...talk about short timing! So....we packed up AGAIN, and moved into an apartment (sight unseen) in a small, tiny, Midwestern town. And of course, those dreams of having a family popped up again.

4 months later, a tiny plastic stick told us we were expecting, and 9 months later (with one more move due to a mold issue where we lived) we welcomed our sweet LBB into our family. And then, news that Dear Sweet Hubby's store would be closing due to repairs that were too costly, so off we went...right back to where we started from! Dear Sweet Hubby took a store that was 30 minutes from our first apartment. Crazy, isn't it?

So, we lived with my parents for a few months while we got our bearings straight, and then moved into the apartment that we are in now.

Did you count the moves? In the past 4 years, we have lived in 6 apartments, a hotel, and my parents' basement. :)

And...we just got wonderful news that Dear Sweet Hubby will be opening a new store 45 minutes from where we live. His current commute is 1 hour through traffic, and this is going out of the metro, so no traffic now! Immediately, our wheels started turning...well, if we could buy a house. If this. If that. When we have another child. If we can have another child...

...I am going to be completely upfront and share what breaks our heart each and every month. We dream of having another little one. We can't wait for the day that LBB is a big brother. We long to hold another sweet newborn in our arms. In fact, we've been waiting for that day for 20 months now. We know that when it is in God's plan, it will happen according to Him. Sometimes, though, that's not easy to accept.

But.

What's all this got to do with contentment? Do you see a common thread in this whole story?

I do, especially now. God has led us on an amazing journey. He has blessed us with an amazing marriage, an amazing son, and the ability to have me stay at home, be a housewife, and homeschool our little guy while Dear Sweet Hubby works at a job he loves. We've made some stupid mistakes, and some we are still paying for, but through it all, God is teaching us how to be content.

And I've gotta say...sometimes we can be really ignorant. Sometimes we try to ignore the lesson he is teaching us. Sometimes we try to make it happen in our time. Sometimes we get lost and ignore the way he is guiding us.

So, when the news of Dear Sweet Hubby going to this new store and knowing how cheap houses were, yadda yadda yadda, we started to get that discontentment bug again. We started to think about how we needed to rush to do this, rush to do that, move again in 2 years, and then rush around doing things in a house. But, we stopped.

We prayed. We talked. And we took a deep breath.

And decided, that deep down, when you find contentment in the place you live...in the apartment, house, underground silo (whatever it is you call home!), you find true happiness. When you realize that the list of things you want to do around your little apartment to make it work perfectly for your family makes you happy, while the lists of things to do to buy a house scare the living daylights out of you, it's probably wisest to go with what makes you happy.

God put us here for a reason. We live in the suburb we live for a specific reason...Dear Sweet Hubby has some time to relax after work before he walks in the door. LBB is close to all the cool extracurricular activities that the metro has to offer. And we live close enough to my parents to be happy and have that family time that is so special for us. Our apartment is home. And someday in the next few years, we would love to move into a 3 bedroom apartment in the complex for a little more space, but even that comes with contentment. :)

So, all that rambling comes down to one thing...and it's a big one.

Contentment isn't an easy thing to achieve. Sometimes you have to go through a lot of discontentment to even know how to get there. Sometimes you'll think you are "achieving" it only to find out that you had your blinders on and have to start over.

But once you find it, ah. It's a wonderful, relaxed feeling. You can begin to look at things with joy in your heart. Small things, big things. Happy things, stressful things. All of them take on a new look. And while as humans we are meant to struggle now and again with this issue, God will lead us on a path that helps us learn to be happy with what we've been blessed with. It is an amazing thing.

So, on this evening when I've rambled your ear off, please, take a moment and think...are you content? What is that makes you content? (And leave a comment if you want!)

That's all for now...I'm seriously going to go look at pinterest now. :) Have a blessed evening!

Preschool Weekly Wrap Up #4

Good evening! LBB started the week of strong, despite the fact that he had a low grade fever the first few days, and then lo and behold, that little fever turned into a small case of croup! He went to the doctor yesterday and got a steroid shot to help him get better quickly, and already today he seems to be better! But, despite the croup and all, we still had a wonderful week full of learning!!!

This week we learned:

• A few new words, including "Boo!" (which we had been working on all week, and then as soon as PaPa said it, he had it down like a pro) and copter (for helicopter.) I'm amazed at his vocabulary improvement!


• We began singing the ABC song everynight at bed, and he loves it. The other night I forgot and he made sure he pointed to his ABC poster and said "Y." He sings along the best he can and it's adorable.


• That pumpkins are fun to paint. Fun to stick Mr. Potato Head pieces in. And fun to catergorize pumpkin guts from pumpkin seeds. :) He also put some felt pumpkin face stickers on his small bedroom pumpkin and while the eyes are off-kilter, he had the general idea, and I can unabashedly say that it's the cutest little goofy pumpkin I've ever seen.


• That TV can be an addiction. That it can be overcome. And then it can be brought right back in when LBB is supposed to be getting lots of rest so he doesn't agitate his croup. Soooo...we're back at square one, but that's ok.


• How to jump! LBB can get 2 or 3 inches off the ground on a regular basis, and he LOVES jumping.


• How to wake up sleeping people and kitties. He comes right up to you, stands in front of your face, says (in toddler speak) "Get up", and jumps up and down. I love that little guy. However, Cat #1 may not appreciate the new skill as much as we do.

You know, I really feel like I'm forgetting some things, but to be dead honest, this Mommy brain is completely fried from the lack of sleep over the past few days of LBB's sickness. Dear Sweet Hubby has been fighting a cold as well, so while he has been helping out when he can between feeling icky himself and work, I have been mostly on my own...minus last night when my wonderful parents stopped by the house, bringing soup, and then coming back when LBB woke up realizing he had missed PaPa and GiGi. He screamed and cried until they got here...and then he proceeded to only want me to hold him. Ah, toddlerhood.

So, for now, while I should techinically go get some rest before Dear Sweet Hubby gets home from work, I am going instead to waste LOTS of time pinning TONS of stuff on pinterest. :) But, I'm going to use the excuse: "I'm getting lots of ideas for preschool" and "I'm getting inspiration for house decorations" and of course, "This would be a good Christmas gift to make for someone."

I am officially addicted to Pinterest.

Have a good night everyone!

I literally unplugged the television...

...and hid it in my room.

LBB has a slight addiction with TV. Ok. I correct myself. EXTREME obsession with TV. So, on Saturday, I called our cable provider and cut us down to basic cable. (I realized we spent too much time in the evening watching shows when we could be doing other things after LBB went to bed.) On the plus side, hello more time together, less annoying background noise, and about $100 extra a month. Sounds good to me.

And then, this morning, LBB woke up raring to go. At the lovely hour of 4 am. See, LBB doesn't care that we practically eliminated cable, because LBB has a plethora of DVDs to watch...and watch them he does. Now, I can defend myself (slightly) and say that all but one that he regularly watches(Cars, of course) is educational. And of course, I will also state that the majority of the time it was on as background noise.

HOWEVER...

I'm not a big fan of being woken up at 4 am to watch "MiMi's" (firetrucks). I always said when I worked at a big orange retail store that once I quit there I would not wake up before 6 am unless it was for a very good reason.

Firetrucks are not a very good reason, unless they are in my parking lot putting out a fire.

And it was then, as LBB sat yelling because I wouldn't turn that black rectangle that sits prevalently in the living room, that I was convinced LBB had an addiction. And as Mommy, it's my job to reign it in. I tried distracting him. Calming him down. And then, after loads of him yelling, I stood up, disconnected the cables, unplugged it, and put it in my room. And here it sits, unplugged and feeling slightly neglected. :)

For a whole entire day. That's right. LBB went a full day without one single moment of television. And oh, goodness, it was wonderful.

He was less cranky (although he is cranky due to a lovely 2 year molar trying to pop through). He played ALL day. He laughed. He danced. He painted. He played by himself off and on, giving me time to organize my entire craft closet. He learned how to jump. He read TONS of books. He took a very decent 2 1/2 hour nap that Mommy used to catch up on some sleep herself. He had loads of fun in preschool. And he even snuggled with me on multiple occasions. :)

Now...this is only for a few days that the TV hides out in our room. Once we know he's gotten it under wraps a bit, we'll put it back out there, and really stick to our guns on TV time. Some rules we decided on:

1. I am going to make a TV cover. Just something that covers the screen (and doesn't look hideous.) When the TV is covered up, no TV. Period.



2. 30 minutes before dinner. Most days, LBB's choice of what he watches, but if we checked out a DVD that has to do with school that day, then Mommy chooses. And after the 30 minutes, TV is turned off, cover put back on, and that is that.



3. On certain occasions, TV can be a reward...like "LBB, please do such and such." And if he does, 15 minutes of whatever he wants to watch.
   


4. One episode of Veggie Tales on Sunday. That can be his "Saturday morning" cartoons. :)



5. And last, but certainly not least...family movie night once a week. Mommy, Daddy, and LBB have yummy snacks, put our PJ's on, and watch a fun movie. Even if it is Cars each week, that is fine.

I'm not kidding when I tell you that he would easily watch Cars 2 times a day, his Mighty Machines movies for the first 2 hours he was awake, and then random things in between. He would play sometimes while he watched, but not like he should have been. I love watching him learn from these shows (like I Wanna Be a Fireman and whatnot), but it has to be in moderation!!!!

Today was wonderful. It was nice not having it on. And when I told Dear Sweet Hubby that I had told LBB that he could watch TV a little before bedtime, even he said "You know, why don't we try to pass on it tonight." :) (My Dear Sweet Hubby also has a weakness for television.) I'm so glad we did. LBB was read two books by Daddy, snuggled on the couch, and had his yogurt. A wonderful ending to a wonderful day. :)

Fingers crossed tomorrow goes just as well. :)

Preschool Weekly Wrap Up #3

Yikes. I was lazy getting this post up. And sad to say, slightly lazy the whole week that I should be "wrapping up." We're in the process of fine tuning...and I realize, I say that a lot.

Dear Sweet Hubby doesn't work your typical Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm job. He's one of the talented people who become very talented retail managers...meaning...no set days off (although there is usually a good chance of having Sunday off) and no set schedule.

So, I have a question for anyone in our same situation (homeschooling family where Dad works a "non-traditional" schedule.) What does your week look like? Do you have days off be the same as his?

The time we have with Dear Sweet Hubby is limited as is, so we've been seriously tossing around the idea of his days off are our days off. And generally, his day off means a field trip, so that is still school. Let me know your thoughts...but anyways...I am going to try and think of what we learned (bear with me, it's late! Haha.)

• We learned about construction equipment this week. Which, not surprisingly, LBB adored. He is bonkers about anything that moves dirt, demolishes buildings, or builds them back up again. He can now say bulldozer (sounds like "boe"), and even attempted to say excavator a few times. You go LBB. :)


• We read "Puppies" touch and feel(one of the usborne books) during potty time, and in it, there is a page that says "Most puppies like to sniff, but not this one." And the puppy that doesn't like to sniff has a bee on his nose. At first, LBB and I would pretend to be sniffing, which he loved. And now, he had learned the fine art of pretending to be a bee. He takes his little pointer finger, moves it around like it is flying, and buzzes. Then, he either lets the "bee" land on your shoulder, nose, or head and giggles hysterically, OR he lets you "swat" at the bee, which makes him laugh even more. It really is the most adorable thing. Sometimes I think he tells us he has to go potty just to play the bee game some more. :)


• And I learned...that I need to get more sleep. Shower in the evening before I go to bed and get dressed the minute I get out of bed in the morning. Stay focused. And embrace that at some moments I'm not going to get it ALL done.

Have a great evening!

I finally did it...

...I bought my first pair of "Mom jeans." Sigh.

I fought it for a while. I kept squeezing my post-pregnancy body into pre-pregnancy jeans, pretending that they fit just the same. But...as jeans got worn out and my closet dwindles down to nothing, I realized that it was high time to invest in a new pair of jeans.

And by invest, I mean spend as little as possible on a pair of jeans that suitably fits me. And that's tough...before LBB, when I was working full time and Dear Sweet Hubby was working full time, and when we didn't flinch at using those stupid credit cards, I didn't bat an eye spending $80 on a pair of jeans. Now though? Totally different story.

So, off I went to Target (to get eggs...which I forgot and had to make a second trip to the grocery store for.) While LBB and Dear Sweet Hubby looked at toys, I hunted through the clothes department.

And literally tried almost every jean on. Ugh. Not one of them fit right. I tried two dresses on. (They were cute, but still kind of "eh") I tried on a cute leggings and shirt outfit that I may go back and get. But I walked in and out of that dressing room at least 6 times. And then finally...I walked past them for the last time and picked them up.

Tummy slimming. Lifting. And one size larger that my worn out jeans. I sighed. Shuffled to the dressing room. And tried them on.

And they fit. :)

Of course they did. They are made for Moms, right? But I do have to say...aside from knowing that the waist is a bit higher than my low rise pre-child jeans, they are just as cute. Make me feel just as comfortable.

And cost me WAY less. So, here I am, Mom-Jeans world. :)

Although I do have a goal to find a cute pair of skinny jeans that I can wear with my boots...that's my next quest. Wish me luck.

Eating Healthy...

...and it rocks.

Since the post I wrote last week about eating healthy, I have been focused. We went to Whole Foods and stocked up on some nutritious food. We went to a local co-op and got a few other things that we found there. I've made granola. Made whole wheat french toast. Ate more fruit in the past few days than I have in a month. And just in general ate so much better than I have before. Not to mention...no Pepsi! (OK...I had one today, but it was disappointing, so that is a good sigh.)

And I remind myself of this thing I read about having a nutritious diet: "80% is perfection." So, the crescent dogs and chips we had for dinner tonight...that's ok, because tomorrow I will be back on track.

It feels so good to be taking care of myself and my family like this. I know that we are making changes to have a healthy future. And when I see my LBB begging for a banana in the store and passing up a cookie, it makes me smile. He's been healthy all along, it's time for Mommy and Daddy to follow suit. :)

And while those crescent dogs sure did taste yummy tonight, afterwards, I just didn't feel as well as I have the past few nights. I think that's a good sign, right? And I think it's even better of a sign when my steak and potatoes hubby says to me "When are you making a dish with lentils again? I really like those."

Hoorah for good eating. :)

We've figured it out.

LBB is an early riser.

And I mean early. Like, 6 am is sleeping in. :)

So, on Dear Sweet Hubby's days off, there used to be a slight disagreement on sleeping in. I was tired from waking up at 5 am every day amd then chasing crazy toddler boy around. Dear Sweet Hubby is tired from waking up at 5 am everyday and then working and commuting. Both valid arguments. But no compromise. Right?

Wrong! We figured it out. On days when it is possible to not have to be anywhere by 8 am when Dear Sweet Hubby is off, we got a routine going. We takes turns on who gets to sleep in first. They get to sleep for an hour after LBB wakes up. Then it's the other person's turn to take a "nap."

Does this make us lazy? I don't think so...I think we finally figured out how to get enough rest with a tot who likes to be up before even the birds are awake for the day. :) And it's nice to get that quiet time while sleeping, and equally nice for the one on one time in the morning with LBB (especially for Dear Sweet Hubby.) Plus, we get the day started at 8 am at the latest, and that means we aren't missing much in comparison to most "normal" family's days off together. :)

Ah, compromise. What a beautiful thing.

Preschool Weekly Wrap Up #2

Hello! I haven't written much this week...Dear Sweet Hubby took a 4 day mini-vacation so we've been busy just relaxing and spending some time together. This week we learned about Fire Prevention Week and read "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle. What a fun week it was! Here's what we learned:

• LBB went on a field trip to the fire station with Daddy and his PaPa. He had tons of fun. :) He says "MIMI" when he sees a fire truck, ambulance, or police car, and was running up to the firetrucks yelling "MIMI". He really wanted the firemen to turn on the sirens, but they couldn't because they didn't want to scare the other kiddos. LBB doesn't get scared of sirens at all, and just adores hearing them up close. :) (And why MIMI? Well...Mommy isn't very good at making American sounding sirens, so she makes European sirens. Think "Meeeeooooo. Meeeeeooooo. Meeeeooooo." It drives Dear Sweet Hubby crazy that I taught him that siren sound. Haha.)


• He is also on a bug kick right now. He learned how to say "bug" this week, and when he was at the firehouse he saw a fly land in the middle of the garage, yelled "BUG!" and ran over to point it out. :)


• We've been reading his Usborne Touch and Feel Puppies book, and on the second page there is a dog with a bee on his nose. LBB yells "Uh-Oh! Bug!" And then takes his pointer finger, makes a buzzing noise, and has the "bee" land on your nose. Then he laughs hysterically. :) Way too funny. He also swats at our hands if we pretend to be the bee.


• LBB made the most adorable fire truck this week...I haven't taken a picture, but I cut one large red rectangle, two black circles, one small white rectangle, and one long white rectangle and he helped glue them on and placed the pieces where he wanted them. It turned out really well!


• He's learned lots of new words and has associated a few of them together: moon (which he said a while ago but then stopped saying). Sky, Bike, Wind, Bee, and Bug. And tonight while trying to go potty, he was looking at his Batman cupholder, and pointed to the moon, said "Moon. Sky." I love that he associated the two!!!!


• And speaking of the potty...he went potty once a day for four days in a row! WOOHOO! He has sat on the potty the past two days and didn't go, but he is still trying and that is what matters! That's the joy of starting this early...we are taking it at his pace, and he is loving it. We haven't had any tantrums over the potty issue, and he is doing things at his speed.


• We also went to the zoo this week (for free! You can't beat that!) We rode the Monorail for the first time with LBB, which he loved. He pointed out all the "GEESE" to our car-mates, explored to his hearts content, got to ride in the wagon of a tractor ride. He loved the penguin exhibit and was probably the most excitable kid watching them. He also spent a lot of time in the Toddler room climbing, singing, dancing, and charming the "ladies" into reading him a story. Ah, he makes me laugh.

So, that's our week. We didn't focus on as much schooling as I planned, but between his field trips, potty training, and lots of Daddy time, I'm not complaining. :) Hope your week was just as wonderful! Check back tomorrow for a few more posts!

I Mean It This Time

(Pardon the plethora of blog posts tonight...I've been thinking of all these for a few days now and finally took the time to write them.)

I've been saying for a year or so now that I was going to start eating better. Exercising more than I do (which means...at least once a week should fix that, haha). And cutting out this terrible Pepsi addiction.

So, starting tomorrow after we go grocery shopping, I am no longer going to be unhealthy. I've got a list of foods I should be eating. I'm limiting myself to ONE pepsi a day (because let's be honest, there is no way I can go cold turkey right now...I always end up going a day or two and then having four in one day. Not the best plan.) And I'm going to start getting up and moving more, even if it is just dancing with LBB to his music.

I'm tired of feeling yucky and knowing that it is having an effect on my body. I hate that feeling. So...here's to a new me. :) It's all about mind over matter, and I'm going to try my hardest to be strong on this.

A Lesson in Gentleness

The other night, after LBB was sound asleep and Dear Sweet Hubby was relaxing, I took a much needed Mommy's night out and went to (drumroll please...):

The dollar store.

Oh, yeah, this Mommy knows how to rock her quiet time. ;)

And at the dollar store, I bought tons of goodies for LBB's preschool and 3 snowflakes for our patio. (See, I spoiled myself, haha.) AND...I bought "Mexican Jumping Beans".

I thought there was an off chance that LBB might enjoy them. I thought right. Since introducing him to his little "caterpillars" (we make sure we avoid the term "bean" lest he thinks it is a nommy) he has shown a gentleness that is heart melting and adorable. He quietly whispers "shhhh" when he is telling them goodnight. He softly picks them up and places on the carpet, which he observes as soon as he lays on his belly and props himself up with his arms.

He makes sure the kitties stay away from them. He puts them softly back in their new home (a snack container), and hands them back to me to put up on the counter. It is really the sweetest thing, and a lesson that he was greatly in need of due to his extreme toddler tendencies. :) Who would've figured that for a dollar, I could find a sweet little treat for LBB to learn what it means to be gentle? Not me, that's for sure.

OH, and if you want to read up a bit on these cool little things, check out this article! I'm going to do some research so I can make sure these little guys live for a while.

Story+Art "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle (Spider Craft)

Well, that's a pretty long title...but I wanted to make sure that it could be differentiated because we plan on doing some more crafts about this book this week!

Yesterday on our way to the zoo, I was talking with Dear Sweet Hubby about how I didn't think LBB was necessarily interested in focusing on a letter a week (in addition to a weekly theme.) And then I started talking about how he seemed much more interested in reading the same book over and over and over for a week, and it dawned on me...

Why don't I focus on one story and do a few projects throughout the week that tie into that story. Think story+art, along with a little learning (like a field trip that ties in), and voila...my hybrid of preschool for toddler. :) We are still going to do a weekly theme, but this replaces the major focusing on the alphabet...he's not even 2 yet, so we can postpone that (although we do still point letters out, of course.)

At the zoo, LBB fell in love with "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle (and tried to get a little girl he met to read it to him...what a charmer.) So, of course, I bought it for him, because it is for his preschool, after all...sooooo, that makes it ok. ;)

We decided to do his first project with the book today. A sweet little Paper Towel tube spider. Read on for directions!

The materials we used: A paper towel tube, cut to about 1 1/2 inches. A piece of black construction paper, cut to a length to fit around the tube with a little bit of overlap. 8 pieces of construction paper (cut 1/2" by 3 1/4"), and two wiggly eyes. (Because what kind of spider is it if it doesn't have wiggly eyes.)

LBB had a blast trying to make a glue fountain. :) I put the construction paper around the tube for him, since he is so little...I used invisible tape because it was quicker.

Inspecting the glue bottle before starting his project. We started with a little glue on the end of one leg, and put the leg on the inside of the tube. LBB got about halfway through and decided he was done gluing, so I used tape on the rest and tape to reinforce. After all the legs are attached to the inside, I folded them at the edge of the tube so they sat nicely. This becomes the bottom.

Then, just add a little glue to the eyes (or use those fancy self adhesive ones if you have them...I'm beginning to think they would be worth the investment), and you have a cute little spider. :) LBB's favorite part of any project like this is always gluing the eyes on...it's quite adorable.

Preschool 2011 Weekly Wrap #1

To see this closer, just click the pic!

Good evening! I decided I'd post this tonight so I wouldn't have to try to do it tomorrow...my computer is archaic, and as a result, simple things like posting one blog post are like playing the lottery...sometimes, it is quick, sometimes it takes 30 minutes to just get the thing from jamming up. :) But, it's what we have, and for that I'm thankful.

Our first week went so well! Monday morning we woke up early (that is by LBB's choice, not Mommy's), got dressed, ate breakfast, and began our chores. LBB vacuumed behind me and prepared breakfast at his kitchen for Bearemy while I quickly got all the other chores done. I have to say, it was pretty nice to get such a headstart on the day, and we were ready for Bible Study by 7 am. We read the story of David and Goliath, and I had taken out a coloring page from his Veggie Tales coloring book, but LBB colored two green lines and then wanted nothing to do with it. He quickly went to work on his preschool work though and started practicing using his tweezers on his building block sets. The first day went by soooo well, and I couldn't be happier. LBB took his normal naps and meal breaks, but he did mostly preschool activities from 7 am until 6:30 pm...pretty impressive! He did play trains and whatnot in between, but I'm not interested in the least at making him sit...I completely understand that he is still very young, so we make sure that while we focus on certain activities throughout the day, we also make sure we listen to his cues. That is what is most important!

So, if you see that picture up there, it's a few highlights from the week...I'll just go in order from left to right and I think that will work. If the pic is small, just click on it...I think it is quicker to do a collage and saves you from scrolling through a post a mile long. :)

1. Good Morning first day of school! LBB quickly went to work in his kitchen...he definitely loved playing with the practical life aspect of it and made food for his Bearemy and me. So sweet. :) He is in love with that kitchen...did I mention we got it at Goodwill for $3.99. Score.
2. Sitting at his desk playing dino's. We did letter D for the week and seeing as how he is a dino nut, it fit well...I think moving forward we won't focus so much on the letter, but it does add a nice theme variation throughout the week. We'll focus more on letters in a few months and just touch on it lightly here and there.
3. Practicing pouring with some chocolate chips. LBB loves pouring work...and he could literally do it all day long. :) Cat #2 has ardently adopted the role of class pet and was very insistent on helping. And yes, I am the crazy mom who gave her kid chocolate chips to use for learning at 8 in the morning. And yes...he ate some, and I ate some. It was wonderful. :)
4. Music time. LBB was really getting into his "Abby" song that he sings for his PaPa and GiGi's puppy.
5. Going for our nature walk! We were on a mission to find some leaves for a project. The nature walk lasted about 4 minutes. Then he was off to have some self-initiated p.e. Haha.
6. And on our nature walk, LBB discovered his shadow! He waved to it and played with it. Then he discovered Mommy's shadow, which apparently required lots of pats on her head. :)
7. The leaf wreath we made with the few leaves we picked up. He also decorated the plate with some Do-A-Dots (love those things!) and a little bit of colored pencil. It now hangs proudly on his bedroom door. It really is the cutest wreath.
8. More pouring work, but this time with water. He did this activity almost everyday this week...he poured, he scooped, he splashed. He had fun!
9. Our aluminum foil art! We taped some sheets of foil onto the cabinet doors (one for each of us, or so I planned) and then armed LBB with some washable markers. He immediately took over all of the sheets, but he had a blast and it was definitely a nice change from coloring on regular paper. Not to mention, when all was said and done, he was able to match every markers cap correctly...all by himself. Dear Sweet Hubby and I were amazed!
10. Close up of our foil art.
11. For social studies, I used the outline of Delaware (it was originally supposed to be Denmark, but you know...the best laid plans of mice and men) and cut it out of cardboard. Then I attached it to some cardstock and let LBB cover the state with some salt dough. I remember being little and doing salt dough maps and loving it, and while I was older than he is, I knew he would still get a kick out of decorating it. And I was right! He loved it! He used his children's "knife" and spread it on. He dug his fingers down in the dough and pulled out a sticky hand. And he figured out how it acts like a stamp if you don't press down all the way. (Although, mental note, must find a better recipe for salt dough...)
12. Another salt dough map picture...
13. ...and the finished project. He did pretty good!
14. As a treat, I picked up some of those cookie dough squares at Aldi's tonight, and LBB and Dear Sweet Hubby went to work placing them on the pan...
15. ...LBB did a great job of putting them where we pointed, and then he discovered that he could stack them, so he dove right into that! He had so much fun stacking them...
16. ...and even more fun watching the stack fall and yelling "UHOH!"

So, there's our week in summary!!! There was so much more wonderful things that we did, so many more special moments, but I told myself that I didn't want to have my camera alongside at all times. :) The special moments are much more special if you take the time to enjoy them!

Well, have a good night! Thanks for stopping by!

Beginning Fall Decorating

I'm a tad behind in getting my Autumn decor up, and I think they are buried somewhere in the garage...so until my hubby goes on an expedition to find the bin, I decided to make a few things for around the house. I've been so inspired my all those cute little felt leaf garlands I've been seeing around the internet, and I decided to make one for our humble abode. It was soooo simple. In fact, so simple I was able to complete it in an evening with LBB by my side. :) I hung it across our IKEA expedit unit that is in the dining room...

...and I had left over garland. So, I stood there, looking around trying to decide what a good use for it would be. And then I looked up...at our new dining room lamp that is gorgeous (and completely free and installed for us...it's moments like this that I LOVE apartment living, haha.) Those beautiful wrought iron curves just screamed for a little autumn festiveness. So, I wrapped some of the garland around each curve of the lamp, and voila!

Dear Sweet Hubby came home and just loved it. :) I also made a garland for my bedroom, but haven't gotten a picture of that yet...I need to get our decor up so we can have our Annual Family Fall-ebration. :) I'll take more pics then. :)

What We've Learned This Week

Ah. Our first week of preschool is almost done, and it's been such a joy! I plan on doing a post of our activities we did soon, but I've got a moment to write a bit while LBB goes down for his morning nap.

We are taking an easy morning, but after LBB wakes up, it's time for puzzles, pouring, and a salt-dough activity.

This week has been an absolute thrill...I love being LBB's teacher. There are moments when I get a tad worn out and moments when I wonder if we're doing it right, but then there are even more moments when I realize that we are following our hearts, minds, and listening to God about this, so we can't go wrong. And just in the past 4 days, LBB has learned so much.

And so has Mommy...here are some of the things we learned:

• LBB is a kinesthetic learner, no doubts about it. I kind of had a hunch that he was before we started preschool, but now that I'm working with him daily, I'm really seeing that he learns in a very unique way.
• Sadly, library storytime is not a good match for kinesthetic toddler. More on that in an upcoming post...
• My little tot runs at the sight of a coloring page, but jumps at the chance to color a piece of aluminum foil taped to the cabinet door.
• LBB can now say wreath, leaf, bus, truck (although it sounds strangely similar to bus), mine, why, and siren (but it sounds like me-me...which is Mommy's version of a European police car...I can only blame myself), bye bye, hi, pillow, Mearemy (his version of his bear's name Bearemy) and NiNi (the nickname for his little fox GiGi got him). That's in addition to what he said before, so his language is really seeming to take off!
• He is also beginning to put two words together to make phrases. He has said big boat, my mama, and mama no. (As in "LBB, don't do that" and I hear back "Mama no.")
• He can say "Love YOU!" now! :) He used to say it on command, but now he says it in return on his own. And at night, when he is going to bed, he gives Bearemy and Nick hugs and kisses and says love you to them. So sweet.
• He is a pro at putting puzzles together. Just two weeks ago he had fun, but was challenged, when he worked on his jumbo peg, 3 piece Melissa & Doug puzzle. Now, he breezes through their chunky wooden puzzles with no problem. The other day I picked one up at the consignment shop (Melissa and Doug for $3? Yes, please!), and within 5 minutes in the car he had the puzzle figured out.
• Loves this Melissa and Doug Shape Sequence Sorting Set, and it getting quite good at it.
• And I've learned that a little routine goes a long way. Skip the routine, and I'm thrown off all day. We've made it a habit to have the house vacuumed, swept, mopped, dishes done, beds made, and us dressed by 7 am. And I've also learned that I have to shower before bed the night before...because if I don't get dressed right when I get up and am ready for the day (like today), the rest of the day feels lazy and unmotivated.

This has been such a wonderful week full of learning. I am going to do a post on Saturday and it will become our weekly wrap up, so there will be details in there on what we actually did. :) I just had to share a little bit of life, especially since I was blogging almost everyday. I don't want to get in the habit of pushing it aside again!

Art Caddy Tutorial

I've been drooling over this divine little treat from pottery barn kids. However, my wallet hasn't been.

image from potterybarnkids.com

So, the other night in bed I was forcing my very sleepy hubby to look through their newest catalog when I kept going on about how I want one of these. And then, my genius of a husband said, "Why don't you just make one? It'd be easy enough...just get and old toolbox and put dividers in it." Well, duh. Of course I'd thought of that...of course. ;)

And then, pure genius struck me. Sitting empty in LBB's cabinet in his room was this little gem I'd picked up at Goodwill months ago:

I paid 99 cents for it. And I said to Dear Sweet Hubby: "We can just use that little toy wooden toolbox in LBB's room!" And I got back a sleepy sounding "Yeah." So today I set about re-vamping the unused tool tote. I pulled two flaps off LBB's diaper box. Grabbed some BasicGrey scrapbook paper, and went to town. First I cut the cardboard into 3 strips...1 long one and two short ones that fit the short width of the box. I trimmed them down to the same height as the sides, and then trimmed some paper to size.
After wrapping the paper (and I'm sure you could use glue...but tape was next to me and I honestly didn't feel like going to get the glue. LBB was distracted long enough to give me time to do this, I didn't want to press my luck. Haha!), I cut two slits halfway in and halfway up the short pieces, and then cut two slits going halfway up the long piece. I spaced them 3" in from each side, leaving a 4" space in the middle. (I really hope that makes sense...)
Then I put the pieces together (think TinkerToy style), sharpened all the colored pencils I could find, rounded up some crayons and markers...and voila!!!!!
Our very own Art Caddy...and it only cost me about $3 (and that's figuring in the paper I already had on hand!)

Our Reading Basket-Week 1

I decided today that I wanted to do a weekly post of what books are in LBB's red reading basket. If you remember from the post I did showing his homeschool area, it's the little red basket in his reading area. Some weeks I will change them all out, some weeks just a few, and some weeks, maybe just one. It will all be based on what he reads, what he loves, and what I want him to explore a little more.

So, here's the first list!

The Alphabet Book---P.D. Eastman

Fifteen Animals---Sandra Boynton

Flutter Fly---Kaaren Pixton

Runaway Bunny---Maragaret Wise Brown

Not A Box---Antoinette Portis

Cat the Cat Who Is That---Mo Willems

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy---Mo Willems

There is a Bird on Your Head---Mo Willems

How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?---Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Little David Sings for the King---Crystal Bowman

Cars 2-Race Around the World---Susan Amerikaner

Tonka Tough Trucks-The Bulldozer---Nancy Parent

Caps for Sale---Esphyr Slobodkina

The Little Engine That Could---Watty Piper

Baby Bear Baby Bear What Do You See---Bill Martin Jr/Eric Carle

Panda Bear Panda Bear What Do You See---Bill Martin Jr/Eric Carle

Cat's Colors---Jane Cabrera

LBB's ABC Book (We made this on a photo book website...we took a picture of things in LBB's life that started with each letter of the alphabet...it turned out wonderfully!)

The Mixed Up Chameleon---Eric Carle

Animals, Animals---Eric Carle

Hooray for Fish---Lucy Cousins

What do you have in your little one's reading basket? Please share!

Nature Walk

Yesterday we went for a very nice hike along one of our favorite parts of the state. Dear Sweet Hubby and I love hiking, and even with LBB in his carrier, we rarely shy away from most trails. :) We started hiking with LBB last summer when he was 5 months old, and back then, he was carried in the front carrier by me. Needless to say, as he got bigger, I was definitely happy when we invested in a Kelty Child Carrier...and when Dear Sweet Hubby started carrying him. Haha!

But now, LBB has gotten a taste of hiking on his own and not being carried by Mommy and Daddy, and he loves it! So, yesterday, we carried him for about 1 mile before he decided he didn't want to be carried anymore. He then got out and hiked the majority of the remaining 2.6 miles with us...pretty impressive!

What was even more amazing was not just the fact that he was hiking all on his own and for such a long distance, but the curiousity he shows! I love watching him investigate the flowers. Feel the rocks. Pet the wooly caterpillars. Watch a spider crawl by. Clap for the cricket when it jumps. Sing and dance in the middle of the pine trees that he and Daddy ventured off to explore. It is magical.

He is so focused when he hikes. He watches everything. Takes in as much as he can. Collects rocks that he finds interesting, along with sticks, leaves, and you name it.

I have a feeling that we might as well just start leaving the backpack carrier at home...he doesn't show much of an interest in it, and he is well capable of hiking these long distances (he just did a 1.5 mile hike last week as well.) Besides, he has so much fun watching everything on land, on the water, and in the air...and he can absorb so much more when he is on his own two feet. :) He's a natural born outdoorsman, and I know that makes Dear Sweet Hubby soooooo happy.

I love my little outdoors guy.

So Much to Learn!

I'm still working on LBB's preschool curriculum (which starts in 2 weeks, yay!), and it's amazing how homeschooling even this early is an ever evolving process. I'm learning what our priorities are, what is right for his age, what we want to incorporate into our daily schedule, and what our daily schedule should look like. We are aiming to keep it low key, fun, but educational all at the same time. And, in all of our research, we've decided that we really want to incorporate a lot of Montessori principles into our early childhood learning.

So, I've been looking for activities, setting up his homeschool area, fine-tuning the first few weeks of lessons that I've got done, and gathering supplies that we will need! It's so exciting, and a tad overwhelming, which makes me soooo happy that we are starting now. Right now we have the leniency of really trying out which methods work best for us.

We've already done a few of the activites that I've found, and LBB has loved each and everyone of them. :) Hopefully soon I will post some things that we've done, but for now, I need to stay focused! Haha! That's way easier said than done...

***Edited to add: After doing TONS of research and exploring today, I'm seriously thinking that a few things might change in our curriculum for the year. Not big changes but mostly organizational. Like I said...it's an ever evolving process!***