To Make a Cake

Since the kids are forever and always playing in the dirt and mud pretending to make cookies and cakes I decided to have them bake a cake yesterday in honor of Justus' one-month birthday! First they wash hands in a bucket of soapy water (which I keep handy for those times when fingers make their way into noses and mouths....)
Let's grease the pan! Jerby discovers that shortning doesn't taste that good.
Ali gets to add the water.
Both kids get a few turns to stir.
While mom is putting the cake in the oven, Jer decides to sample the raw cake batter.

While the cake is baking, Jerby has fun making yet another mess! Of course it was sister who snuck the water out of the bathroom to make mud and got into trouble for it!
Being dirty is so much fun!

Freshly washed and clothed, the kids frost the cake after supper.
Yummy! Happy One-Month Birthday Baby Justus!!!

Investing in Alathia

How is Ali liking preschool these days? Well, the other day, she enthusiastically exclaimed to me, "I LOVE preschool Mom!!!" She is so excited to get out of the door with Grammy that she hardly remembers to tell us goodbye! I love the things she is learning too! Everytime we go somewhere in the van she unbuckles her own seatbelt and then unbuckles Jeremiah and helps him out of his seat. She proudly says, "My teacher says we help one another." I guess when the teacher says it it's pretty cool as compared to when Mom says it! I've had a LOT less clashes with her in the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure if that's related to having some time away from her when she's at preschool or our new napping arrangement but whatever it is, it is nice!

For the past month I've been thinking of ideas for teaching Ali to be even more independent.

What kinds of things are we working on?

*Letting her pour her own milk as long as the jug isn't very full.

*Making her get her own drinks of water by filling the cup in the bathroom.

*Teaching her to wipe herself (not going so well yet...)

*Talking her through a frustrating situation instead of immediately helping or fixing it.

*Continuing to have her clean her own messes/sweep up dirt on the patio from her endless dirt cookie making, etc.

*Having her load the dryer with wet clothes and load the washer with dirty clothes.

*Continue to have her do her daily chores (making her bed, picking up clothes, and cleaning up toys).

*Setting the table.

*Biking. Ever since she started pedaling around on her own on Father's Day she is now thrilled to bike to the park or the store while I push the double stroller!

*Folding towels and washcloths (and continuing her chore of putting laundry away).

*Carrying her dishes to the sink after a meal.

What kinds of things would I like to see her learn this year:

*Cooking more with Mama (she loves it but she's often running around outside burning off tons of energy when I'm fixing a meal so she doesn't get as much opportunity as I'd like her to).

*Learning how to spray down and clean the bathroom sink.

*Folding more clothing items.

*Learning to cut coupons out =)

*Taking out the compost bucket and dumping it.

*Sweeping things off the floor with her small broom.

*Help out in the garden when we are able to have one.

I'm sure there are many more things I would like to see her learn, and will see her accomplish but I'm drawing a blank on anything else right now. I'm amazed at how independent Ali has become already in just the last year and I'm excited to see her doing so much on her own. Of course an Amish girl her age could probably sew a quilt and make a pie by now, but for where we live, she's doing pretty good! I now understand how moms can survive having lots and lots of kids! There is a tendency to think they have 6 babies or 8 toddlers, but as they get to preschool-age and beyond, they start helping and actually doing things for themselves, which is nice!

Three 3 and Under--3 Things

Three Things Have Really Helped Me.......

......in learning how to cope with having 3 little ones.

#1. Preparedness

Being prepared pays off big time! Remember the freezer meals and stocking up the pantry and de-cluttering at the end of my pregnancy? Trying to be prepared for things is crucial to survival with 3. Of course I'll be the first to admit that sometimes you think there are diapers in the diaper bag and there aren't, and quite a few times little Justus has been barefoot because I've forgotten to put his booties on before we head out the door. But if you have a mindset of thinking ahead, planning, and organizing in advance it helps a lot. I always try to stuff my pockets with Kleenex when my kids have a cold because I've known the icky-ness of NOT being prepared and having to use their clothes or mine as a tissue! I always try to make sure the baby is fed well before we go out to appointments or lengthy errands. It's not a guarantee he won't cry and want to be held but it at least reassures me that he has had his needs taken care of first and shouldn't be too hungry.

#2. Multi-Tasking

One of my single friends saw me the other day and witnessed me juggling the three kids while my almost-two-year-old was throwing an uncharacteristic-of-him tantrum. She was like, "Wow, you must be great at multi-tasking!"

Multi-tasking is a must for any mom, but especially a mom of more than one child. This means you should be able to talk with or read to a toddler while you nurse a baby, and unless you think starving is fun, you should be able to eat one-handed while nursing or holding an infant. Sometimes you will find yourself doing even more than that at a time. Like going to the bathroom while nursing a baby or talking on the phone while nursing the baby and eating supper. Anything involving the phone is an interesting juggling act with 3 kids unless they are all napping.

#3. Don't Expect To Sleep Much

I've always been a night-owl, since I was a tiny infant (whose bassinet got banished to the hallway so my weary parents could sleep) and no matter what stage of life I am in I stay up late. I'm sure my mom gleefully thought that when I was a busy college student, or pregnant or living with a newborn I'd start going to bed at 9 pm every night, but the truth is that even when I'm preggo I don't go to bed until 11 or midnight! Even later if I'm reading a great Joel Rosenberg novel! Even when I have a newborn I keep my consistent bed time and I don't take naps unless I'm really sick or have pulled an all-nighter or had 2 hours or less. I do well with little sleep. Six hours of sleep is fine but 7 is usually ideal when I'm not pregnant and 8 works fine when I am. This has served me well as a mom because you are NEVER, and I repeat you are NEVER EVER guaranteed your sleep when you have kids. I have a friend who took naps even before ever having kids and usually takes one daily now that she has only one kid. I can't understand it! After all, her kid slept 12 hour nights straight through at a month or two and is an easy child! If you are this kind of mom you may want to consider not having more than one kid or learning to live as a walking zombie. I honestly don't have much advice for the mom who is like this and is pregnant with, or has recently had, a third child. Pray pray pray for God's strength and help and learn to pump your milk so your hubby can help with nighttime feedings!

I really liked what "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God" had to say on this subject. So often we make sleep into an idol and think "I NEED my sleep!" Sleep is something we often have to sacrifice as a mom and the lack of sleep can help us to depend on God more. It's not fun, and it's not easy, but we have to learn to walk in the Spirit, with or without sleep. We are physically healthier with sleep and we do truly NEED it in one sense, don't get me wrong, but if we are always worrying about how much sleep we got or setting our expectations too high we will be more frustrated than if we realize that as a mom of little ones, there will be bad dreams, wet beds, colds and flus, and nighttime feedings galore so we should expect that our sleep will be minimal or at least interrupted.

Help for the Overwhelmed Parent

Thank you, thank you Kristin and thank you, thank you whoever first recommended the book to you, Kristin! I have so enjoyed reading Raising the Spirited Child by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka at Kristin's recommendation!

Even though it's a lengthy read, the overwhelmed parent will find it to be easy reading and it will lock you in and capture your attention. And hey, it's written by a Minnesotan, a fact that should make all of you friends in the artic country proud!

I could write forever on what I learned from this book but I will condense it down by quoting the author's first statements in chapter 1, "The word that distinguishes spirited children from other children is MORE. They are normal children who are more intense, persistent, sensitive, perceptive, and uncomfortable with change than other children." She also goes on to say that they can be MORE energetic and moody than the average child too.

In speaking of the difficult days with a spirited child, the author writes, "...you realize you've left more public places in a huff with your child in five years than most parents do in a lifetime." Ding, ding, ding, that one fits me and my child is only 3 and a half!!!

She writes, "You feel weary, drained, and much too old for this, even if you were only in your twenties when the child was born. It's hard to love a child who keeps you up at night and embarrasses you in shopping centers. On the bad days, being the parent of a spirited child is confusing, frustrating, taxing, challenging, and guilt-inducing. You may wonder if you are the only parent with a kid like this, scared of what is to come in the teen years if you don't figure out what to do now in the early years." Page 10.

There is sooo, sooo much in the book that is encouraging to me as a parent of a very spirited child. I have been "at my wit's end" so many times after reading parenting books because the methods they suggest do NOT work with Ali. I especially get frustrated with books that claim that if you do this, your kid will do that. Or books that leave no room for grace or differing temperments in children. Before I had children I suspected that if you were firm and consistent and spanked them in love they would turn out fine. After all, I was disciplined that way and it worked wonderfully for my folks. Even though I have a very spirited younger brother I somehow thought that he was the way he was because my parents eased up a bit and spoiled him more since he was the youngest.
Then I became a parent and experienced an 18 month old who could take any and every article of clothing off and fling poop all over her room EVERY SINGLE DAY no matter how I pleaded, cried, or disciplined her. I experienced a child who would get into EVERYTHING and in fact pushed open the screen door and crawled out into the yard before she could even walk sending me into a frenzied panic when I couldn't find her anywhere in the house. I experienced a kid who could scream for hours, who could pull off the most show-stopping tantrums ever in public and who could take whatever discipline was dished out and still refuse to bend her will. A girl whose grandparents laughed when I told them I was going to teach her to be a lady.

Finally.....a book that helps me to understand my daughter and feel like I'm not alone. It's like a breath of fresh air.

While this book isn't a Christian book, I still gained soooo much from it, in the same way that a Christian could gain from a book entitled, "How to Sew Hand-Made Quilts." The book explains the different traits of a spirited child and how to deal with their pesonality traits in effective ways based on lots of research and collaboration with parents of spirited kids. It doesn't talk a lot about discipline and give you fool-proof methods, but gives you the tools to figure out discipline that works better based on your child's temperment. The author does mention briefly in the tantrum chapter that one should never spank a spirited child, which I disagree with. I believe it is Biblical to spank for willful disobedience. However, I agree with the author's statement that one reason it can be harmful to spank a spirited child is because they are so intense and so good at riling us up that it's very easy for a spanking to turn into abuse so it's best to not spank if you can't handle it. A very good point.

While Ali doesn't have issues with adapting to new situations or to change like some spirited kids, she scored the highest possible score in energy, intensity, and persistence. She is also quite sensitive, something I didn't realize until I took the quizzes and read this book. No wonder she is irritated by the smell of dirty diapers in the bathroom garbage or freaks out if there is a wrinkle in her blanket. She's also very perceptive and can be moody. The book also pointed out to me that the reason we clash a lot is because we are similar in a lot of areas. When I took the quiz I realized that while I'm not a spirited parent, I am a spunky one, and I discovered I am way more energetic and intense than I realized, which no doubt causes clashes between Ali and I.

The author gives practical tips for diffusing battles with your spirited child and preparing and planning ahead to try to avoid struggles. She talks a lot about introverts and extroverts and how this trait affects the spirited child too. She emphasizes that because spirited children are MORE...than other kids, they take more training, attention, and parenting. So true! I feel like it is effortless to discipline Jeremiah! On a bad day, he gets disciplined a couple of times. On a great day for Ali she may only get a few consequences!

One of the best things about the book is the way the author speaks about the spirited child in positive tones, reminding the reader that spirited people are often the leaders, the inventors, and the people who make a difference. I know I have been guilty of labeling (my difficult, challenging, strong-willed, stubborn child, rebel, hellion etc.) and I have had to lay aside the dream or expectation I once had of what a little girl would be like (feminine and sweet and docile and obedient, etc.) and accept Ali for who she is.

Some phrases I got a kick out of in this book, (not sure what pages they are on and these quotes aren't word for word)

*If you are an introverted parent and not too energetic and you have an extroverted and very energetic child, you may feel like a Mack truck ran over you at the end of each day!

*If you have an energetic and intense child you may find that he/she is the one tackling his/her friends out of enthusiasm at a playdate. (Bingo! That's my Ali!)

*An energetic child can often be found falling out of his chair at dinner time or trying to get up and down a million times (am I the only one who has tried tying their child to a chair with a robe tie to keep this from happening constantly? I would LOVE to buy a trampoline for Ali to burn this energy off on!)

*One mom of 5 was quoted as saying something like, "If I counted up all the tantrums of my last 4 kids and combined them, they wouldn't come close to equaling the amount of tantrums my first child had." (I sure hope this is true for me and that any future kids we have aren't spirited.)

*If you have a spirited kid, you can pretty much guarantee your sister-in-law doesn't and everyone is looking at you at family gatherings and wondering why your kid is screaming and what kind of a parent you are or is doling out advice!

*Your child might be spirited if they have never whimpered or cried softly but they WAIL and SCREAM from day one! (So, so, so, so true! Even now, when Ali has a bad dream she goes from silent to screaming at the top of her lungs immediately! If she is frustrated or something little is bugging her she hollers and loses control! This immediately irritates my hubby and I and it's hard to be loving, kind, and calm with her because of this.)

If you have a spirited child (they may have only a couple of the characteristics of all of them) I highly recommend buying a copy of this book to use as a reference for years to come.

Kid Funnies

I found this embarrassing story on the web. It's hysterical! Of course it's author is anonymous!


"If you have young children, you’ll understand this. My three-year-old daughter had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on her constantly. A few weeks ago we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch in between errands. It was very busy, with a full dining room. While enjoying my taco, I smelled something funny, so of course I checked my 1 month-old son and he was clean. Then I realized that Mandy had not asked to go potty in a while, so I asked her if she needed to go, and she said, “No.” I kept thinking, “Oh no, that child has had an accident, and I don’t have any clothes with me.” Then I said, “Honey, are you SURE you didn’t have an accident?” “No,” she replied. I just KNEW that she must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse. Soooooo, I asked one more time, “Miranda Suzanne Smith! Did you have an accident!?” This time she jumped up, yanked down her panties pulled up her dress, bent over and spread her cheeks and yelled. “SEE MOMMY, IT’S JUST TOOTS!!” While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing, she calmly pulled up her panties and sat down. An old couple made me feel better by thanking me for the best laugh they’d ever had! I should have taken her word for it! When I got home and told my husband, he almost died laughing."

Three 3 and Under--Sleeping Arrangements

We have tried just about everything when it comes to sleeping arrangements for our brood. Ali started off in a little bassinet next to our bed, and sometimes slept between us, and then spent most of her first year in a Pack n' Play in our room because we only had one-room apartments, and we didn't have a real crib. Jer spent much of the first year of his life in a Pack n' Play in our bedroom even though we did have a crib at that point because we were scared to put our tiny boy in the same room with Ali at night.

When it came time to teach Jer to sleep through the night, we tried moving the Pack n' Play to the living room and letting him "cry it out" which didn't work at all and probably made the neighbors super mad. Finally, we moved Ali's toddler bed to our room and put him in his own crib in his own room and that worked wonders. He was a year old at the time. When he was used to sleeping in there, we moved Ali's bed back in there and ever since they have shared a room. However, they cannot share a room at naptimes because they talk and giggle and don't get any sleeping done.

So, I have tried various things for naptimes. For the last year Ali has been napping on my bed. However this poses some challenges as I have to CONSTANTLY be checking up on her and disciplining her for getting off the bed and into my things and jumping on my bed, etc. And no, she doesn't learn, no matter how consistent I am, and does the same irritating things over and over and over endlessly! In order to protect my bed, I have tried having her lay on the living room couch. However, this is even more stressful as I can't do laundry or chores or even be on the computer without her asking me a million questions and refusing to go to sleep.

My most recent experiment is to put Jer on my bed and Ali in her own bed in her room, alone. Justus' bassinet is now in the living room so I can conveniently watch over him as he naps throughout the day and he sleeps between us in our bed at night. Because Jer is a much more obedient and compliant kid, he can go to sleep on my bed without getting into a million things and even if Ali isn't sleepy, at least she is alone and in her own space for an hour or two, which is something I would go crazy without considering how much she exhausts me with her intensity and energy.

Of course it would be ideal to have a huge home where every child could have their own bedroom and have a place to rest and have "quiet time." It's hard not to be envious sometimes when I visit the huge elaborate homes of people I know and think about how nice it would be to have so many rooms, a huge fenced-in yard for the kids to romp in, and a dishwasher, a garage, more storage space, etc. It seems like life would be so much easier if I had these things at my disposable for raising 3 little ones. However, I have to remind myself how blessed I truly am. I make myself remember my rancher friend who is living with her two tiny kids and husband in a one-room trailer an hour away from town in the middle-of-nowhere with no internet, no TV, and no people, other than her folks and brothers and sisters. She only gets to come to town once a week for church and a quick grocery-shopping trip. She thinks I'm spoiled for having dial-up internet and the chance to rent/borrow movies to watch on weekends! I also know that most of the people in this world have far less space to live in than I do. My parents jokingly state that 45 Guatamalans could live in our apartment kitchen! (They visited Guatamala this spring).

So, even if other people have more wealth or more conveniences, we are making it work with what we have and we are learning lessons along the way. When you have a tight place you are forced to declutter and re-arrange constantly and the kids have to learn to share and get along. They have so much fun singing together in their beds after we put them to bed each night. They have had to learn to clean up their things well since our space gets used so much. Our apartment is fairly easy to straighten up and clean since it is such a small space! Because we have lived in such tight quarters, just about any house we buy someday will seem like a mansion!

Oddly enough, a couple of my friends with the biggest houses have said that they too started in very humble circumstances, like living in someone's basement or in a teensy apartment with lots of little kids. One gal even said she envied ME a little bit since she missed those "cozy" days of living in a tiny apartment! Wow!

Sorry for the major rabbit trail but I guess sleeping arrangements always leads me to the topic of housing/envy of other's housing, etc.

For those of you with 3 kids, I'd be interested in hearing how you make sleeping arrangements work at your house!

Deals of the Week

Sorry no pics of my merchandise this week but this was a GREAT week for freebies/deals!

Items I got COMPLETELY FREE this week:

Wal-Mart:
2 pkgs. Kotex pads
1 Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber (mail-in rebate form)

Safeway:
2 packages Mom 2 Mom wet wipes

Walgreens:
1 bottle Chemistry hair conditioner
1 water filter pitcher cartridge
1 box Excedrin
3 bottles of Robitussin (not only did I get these free but I got paid $7 to buy them thanks to coupons!!!)

Items that were a GREAT DEAL:

Walgreens:
Foil 2 for $1
Kleenex 89cents a box
Colgate MaxFresh toothbrush $1
Pampers $6 a package with catalina coupons
Chex Mix (2 bags) at 40 cents a bag after coupons

Safeway:
Tava Sparkling Beverages $1 for 4
Fiber One Granola Bars $1.75 box
Unbleached Flour (25 pounds for $7.50)
Betty Crocker Brownie/Muffin/Cookie mixes (50% off retail price)
Apple Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal $1 after $2 off mailer coupons
5 DiGiornio Pizzas at $4.49 each
Suave shampoo and conditioner 30 cents each
Breyer's ice-cream (our favorite) B1G1

*Note* If you like Tava beverages, you can get them free at Safeway this week if you purchase 5 cases and use 5 $1.50 off internet printables. That would be 20 Tava drinks for free! We decided against it because we don't like the taste of Aspartame in them.


Health Food Store in Town That's Going Out of Business:
Organic Sucanat (raw sugar cane)- 12# for $18
ECOVER natural laundry stain remover $2

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I just had to shout it from the rooftops now that the big new is OUT! Our good buddies here in town, Jesse and Shiloh, recently found out that they will be joining us in the

3 Kids 3 and Under crowd!!! The great thing is that they announced it today, on their twins' third birthday, and told everyone that Carsen and Kennedy are getting something special for their birthday: a new little brother or sister in early May!

Now it's goodbye Jeep and hello minivan for the Blasdel family!!!

Comparing the Kids

Justus in His Bouncy Chair
Jeremiah in His Bouncy Chair
Justus Staring Off Into Space
Jeremiah Staring Off Into Space

Justus Pouting
Alathia Pouting
Justus' First Bath (my short and chubby one)
Alathia's First Bath
Jeremiah's First Bath

Justus in Red Snowflake PJs
Jeremiah in Red Snowflake PJs
Justus Crying
Alathia Crying

Justus Bundled Up
Jeremiah Bundled Up
Justus Yawns
Jeremiah Yawns

So, who do you think Justus resembles the most?

Use What You Have

I met a new-to-town mom about my age the other day. Not unusual in our little town where it seems like everyone is a transplant and everyone leaves after a couple of years. However I recognized the lonely look on her face and remembered how hard it was for me to move away from my life in MN and friends there to here just a few years ago (and I had the benefit of it being my hometown where I grew up and my parents still being here!)

I felt like blessing this gal, but wasn't sure how to go about it. I didn't have the time to bake something up or make a whole meal and yet I wanted to do something more than just give her a card. Then I remembered that our refrigerator was full to bursting with fruit from great fruit sales last week. It is a major rarity that we have lots of fruit on hand because all of our fruit is trucked in and is usually expensive. There usually isn't a lot of variety either. But, I just happened to have tons of grapes, cantalope, peaches, apples and bananas on hand and so I put together a little fruit basket using a basket from my gift stash. It probably took me all of 3 minutes to put the basket together and yet what a blessing fruit is, especially when you have young children who eat a lot of it! She was so happy when we dropped it off.

This project was a reminder to me that we don't have to hesitate to be hospitable because we don't have a lot of money or a lot of time. Blessing others doesn't have to take a lot of creativity and energy. If God lays on your heart a certain person to encourage, go for it and use what you have available! Do you have time? Spend time on the phone with a lonely soul. Do you have money? Give to a family with a very real financial need. Do you have extra spaghetti sauce? Surprise your friend and share some so she can make a quick supper (by the way I write this because this is exactly what my friend did for me tonight!) Do you know an elderly person who would love to have a visit from some little children? Take yours over for a visit! Do you have lots of chocolate? Send it to this majorly-addicted blogger! *s* Are you friendly and talkative? Offer friendship to someone who could use one.

One other way I used what I had this week is when I wanted to pay my mom back for rushing over here on a moment's notice after a long, busy day teaching school to babysit my 3 little ones so I could go for a much-needed visit to the chiropracter. I knew it was a sacrifice for my mom and even though she never expects favors or payment for babysitting I wanted to bless her in return for saving me so I thought about what I had on hand. I remembered that I had a bunch of grilled chicken in the fridge, a large bag of potatoes, and of course, you guessed it, fruit! So, I threw together a simple meal, complete with warm brownies fresh from the oven and she picked it up the next evening on her way home. She absolutely hates to cook and I love to cook so it's the best kind of payment to give her a meal!

*Our internet/phone lines have been on and off (mostly off) for 4 days this week so my blog is getting neglected! But not for lack of post ideas! Blogging sure is addicting for those of us who like to write!

**I've so enjoyed the embarrassing stories! Keep 'em coming if you have more! I have gotten so many belly laughs out of reading them!

Frugal Friday--Frugal Gift to Cheer Someone

The ladies from the PIE group at my Mom's school made these bottle gifts for the teachers and had them waiting on their desks on the first day of school. How simple, yet creative and touching! You can easily make them by taking a long, thin strip of cardstock and folding the bottom up and using scrapbooking brads or staples or glue to affix it to make a pocket. Cut a hole in the top, decorate with stickers or stamps and an encouraging message and slip a little drink mix packet like Crystal Light into the pocket. This would be a fun way to brighten your hubby's day or to surprise a friend who needs some encouragement. This is a way to bless someone who is on a diet or who can't have candy/sweets.

Funny!

Someone sent me this in a forward this week and it was just too funny NOT to post on my blog. How would you like this to be your license plate number?

Embarrassing Moments

I mentioned on here before how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE reading embarrassing stories. I just get a really big kick out of them! Perhaps it is because I can picture myself doing most of them!

So, PLEASE share your stories with me this week! Even if you don't think they are that spectacular or embarrassing, share them anyway! I am dying to hear them! To kick things off, I'll share my own that come to mind. (How come it seems like the older you get the more you have???)

Mrs. Jo's Reddest Moments:

*In High School I tripped down a flight of stairs, sliding down them on my behind just as a crowd of cute guys were walking up them. They parted like the Red Sea to let me continue flying down them.

*My co-workers at the deli used to tease me about a guy that I really did NOT like, but they enjoyed giggling and making me squirm whenever I had to wait on him as a customer. One day they told him I liked him and I about died and was thankful that I was leaving for college soon after! I had a similar moment when I was 12 and my brothers told a teen guy from church that I had a crush on him! The sad thing was that I did, but had never told my brother that and would have died before admitting it!

*Since Ali won't remember this years down the road, I'll tell it for her! The other day she was jabbering as we took a family walk and she wasn't paying attention to where she was walking, as usual, and walked right into a post!

*If you are a nursing Mama, you have all sorts of opportunities for embarrassment. Such as: having your baby jerk the blanket off while you are nursing at a couple's Bible Study, going through the grocery store check-0ut only to find that your blouse is half-unbuttoned, discovering while you are running errands that your shirt is wet or has milk stains all over it, etc.

*Receiving a bouquet of flowers from my church on my 13th birthday while everyone sang to me. While this may not sound humiliating, for a very shy Jr. High girl this was the epitome of embarrassment!!!

*One job I worked while in High School was secretarial. My boss asked me to make a copy of something on florescent cardstock. He had intended for me to just copy the title of the section of papers but I copied the ENTIRE section on florescent cardstock! I was mortified when I realized the mistake and how much paper I had wasted!

*Trying to dig for change to avoid writing a check at yard sales. Why do I find myself doing this all the time? Of course no matter how hard you look you are always a few cents short and people feel sorry for you and say, "Just forget it! You're close enough!"

*There is one that comes to mind regarding childbirth but I will skip it because it's not that funny and the squeamish would find it to be an overshare! If one is extremely modest or private, one will definitely find childbirth to be an embarrassing experience!

*Here is an embarrassing moment that is not really mine, but one of my friends' (who shall remain nameless.) One day she was shopping with me in a VERY busy store where lots of people we knew worked or were shopping. I was a newlywed and was purchasing something only married people should buy. She was embarrassed to death. I left the cart to go get something else and she was standing by the cart when the embarrassing item fell off the cart right when some people were walking by. In her loudest voice she yelled, "They're not mine! I swear!!!" Of course saying this drew all kinds of attention to the item whereas no one would have noticed otherwise. I saw the whole thing as I was headed back to the cart and got a gut-wrenching belly laugh out of it!

*Along those same lines, I usually am not embarrassed when buying personal items but the last time I bought lingerie was quite embarrassing. I was buying it for a close friend's wedding gift and had gotten something really wild (...okay....so maybe it wasn't wild by city standards but it was about the wildest thing you can find in middle-of-nowhere-Wyoming). I tried to keep the lingerie hidden on the check-out belt but of course the cashier had to hold it up for a while and carefully fold it before putting it in the bag and two construction-worker guys were behind me, smiling in a friendly manner. They looked familiar, possibly friends of my dad? Of course I had my new baby with me (and my other kids were in the next check-out line with their dad) and was dressed in my usual long skirt and blouse (what my hubby calls "homeschooler clothing/style") so it was probably surprising to these men that I was purchasing such wild lingerie. I was so embarrassed just wondering what they were thinking!

Wheww! Now that I've gotten all of that off my chest, how about you?

Books I've Been Reading

What fun to get my box from amazon.com in the mail! I was anxiously awaiting these books because I'm feeling (yet again) the need for some more insight and encouragement when it comes to parenting Ali. My friend Kristin highly recommended Raising Your Spirited Child to me and I'll let you know what I think of it when I read it! I've read through Don't Make Me Count to Three already since it was a short book and while it definitely had some good points, I felt more overwhelmed than ever after reading it. I realize that discipline is a heart issue but I was almost more confused on how to discipline biblically after I read it because I felt like she was advocating having a "Bible verse chat/counseling session" with the kid after every infraction. Yes, reproof needs to accompany the rod, but what mom has time in the day to whip out a verse for each of the 50,000 times a day her various children misbehave and have them "role play" the correct behavior? I think it's worth reading if you see it at the library but it's not a book worth buying. The author was heavily influenced by Ted Tripp, who wrote Shepherding a Child's Heart and I would rather see you buy that book (considered by many Christians the best book on biblical discipline out there). Most of what is in the book Don't Make Me Count to Three is featured in the 5 broadcasts done by http://www.familylife.com/ last week so go there and listen to her programs from the archives to get a good overview of her book.

The book A Little Girl After God's Own Heart is very cute and something I've been reading daily to Ali. She loves it and most of all I love the message it is proclaiming about having the fruit of the Spirit and being a girl after God. It has darling illustrations and is very feminine. I think my friend Heather recommended this one on her Favorite Book Friday feature on her blog.

Other things I'm trying to read: A Mom After God's Own Heart, Hints on Child Training, and a wonderful new recipe book I got with a gift certificate called, Betty Crocker Whole Grains. I also decided to break away from the parenting-book overload this weekend and read the latest Ted Dekker novel just for fun. His books just seem to get weirder and weirder, but he's another subject....

*From the books I am reading you would think I have a challenging child or something! =)

Odds and Ends

*Has anyone noticed the price of cooking oil lately? I went to both stores in town only to discover to my horror that a 48 oz. bottle was $4-$6!!! I decided we would look at the stores in the other town we shop in. We haven't been there in a while and my hubby needed some work pants so the 5 of us went together last night. I was used to buying cooking oil at $1.80 at Wal-Mart there. It's now $3.50 a bottle! It's a good thing there was also a Smith's in that town and they are having case lot sales. We not only got tons of fruit at about 1/3 the price it is in our town, but we also got a case lot of vegetable oil, 9 bottles for $20! Only $2.22 a bottle. If you live in our area, head over to Smith's and stock up on all kinds of things for the winter! I figure that though we spent $10 in gas to get to the bigger town, we saved $30 on the oil alone by not buying it in our town! And we bought tons of other things at a few different stores too!

*Is there anything more wonderful than finding huge Ghiardelli dark chocolate bars on clearance and then using an Easy Saver coupon on them to make them a mere 50 cents each? Chocolate is my life's blood at this stage of life (and no, it has never bothered my nursing babies).

*With neighbors like these..........
One of Ali's little croc-type shoes disappeared about a month ago. The little neighbor girls told me that the girl who lives in the house behind our apartments, Kailee, took it. Well, on and off, throughout the last few weeks, whenever I see little Kailee, I ask her if she knows where the pink croc is. She's always said no, she doesn't know where it is, or who took it. We finally bought Ali a new pair of those shoes at Wal-Mart since she didn't have a good pair of play shoes and haven't found any in her size at the thrift store. Yesterday, I was out in the yard supervising the kids and Kailee came over again. This time after I asked her about the pink croc, I said, "I'm going to give $1 to any kid who can find Ali's croc." Lo, and behold, the pink croc appeared within about 2 minutes! Kailee came running back with it and said, "My brother took it. It was by our tree."
Then I was in a quandry. I wanted to honor my word and give her the $1 but I didn't want to reward her lying and teach her that she could steal things from us to get money out of us. So, I gave her a very stern lecture about how I'm disappointed in her and lying and stealing are wrong, but I'm still going to give her a dollar because the croc was worth that to me and I would honor my word, etc. etc.
After this incident, I concluded that living with neighbors around has never been so hard! I've had many neighbors in my day, but haven't had these issues because it's easy to keep to yourself when you have no children. Having kids adds a whole new dimension to neighbors! Between the little girls who I've posted about before, and the neighbors behind us, to the leering used car salesman neighbor who gives me creepy smiles, to the cranky, single guy who didn't like kids, and my Dungeons-and-Dragons-playing extreme Hippie neighbor, to the neighbors to the left of us who practice reverse racism and won't talk to us because of our skin color, I now understand why Jesus spoke so much about loving your neighbor. It's easy to love our friends, and most often if they are our friends, they aren't our neighbors, right? *s* It's easy to love lovable people. Loving your neighbors takes the power of the Holy Spirit.

*Our internet and phone was down for an entire day so I didn't get to post some good Frugal Friday things but I'll save them for next week!

The Gentle Mother's Support Club

When I'm tempted to dwell on my many failures, I try to remember something my friend Erin shared with me.

Erin writes, “ I heard and interesting word of encouragement from a fellow mom speaking on the radio and I’d like to share it. It stuck in my head and has encouraged me ever since. She was saying how parenting can bring with it so many feelings of guilt and inadequacy, even day to day as we sinful moms and dads blow it with our kids, in little and big ways. She said that we tend to remember most those moments of failure as parents. But she said kids remember PATTERNS, not moments. Of course this doesn’t excuse the need to learn from and try not to repeat mistakes, but making love the focus can cover those “stupid” moments. I liked that!”

So, when I read stacks of parenting books that overwhelm me with what I'm not doing right or what I should be doing, when I vent on my blog or chronicle my many weeks in a row of having "rough weeks" with my challenging child, I am tempted to think I am just the worst parent on earth and that I've forever screwed up my kid and doomed her to future therapy.

But, today I was reminded of Erin's comment and realized that, by God's grace, we have many wonderful patterns in place in our family that I hope Ali will remember. Though it feels sometimes like all I do is scold or chide or instruct her day in and day out, I try to remember the wrestling, tickle wars, story times, and times of having morning devotions/Bible stories together. I try to remember that we have always prayed with her and over her and that we always greet her with a big hug in the mornings and smile at her bright and cheery face as she chatters non-stop while we are still bleary-eyed. I remember all the times we have had fun together at the park, enjoyed walks in the sunshine, and played in the local pool.

It's easy to get bogged down with the negative moments where I've lost my cool, have been harsh, or disciplined in anger. While I'm working to cease those negative patterns and am praying for God's help in my failings, it helps to remember that Ali is a happy girl, full of life and exuberance, and she has had a very happy childhood overall!

I hope these thoughts encourage the weary moms out there today!

Investing in Alathia

It's hard to look at your precious tiny newborn baby and believe that you will ever get frustrated or angry with him/her. And yet, because I've felt that way twice before, I know from experience that I will, because my kids are human beings with a sinful nature and I am too! I also know that within less than 2 years, my little baby will learn to do unbelievable amounts of new things, some of which involve hurting me or their siblings, and being defiant, whiny, or naughty!

Here is a picture from way back when Ali was just 16 months and we first moved into the apartment building. I was preggo with Jer and the neighbor girls were just 3 and 4 year of age. They all climbed into her crib and sucked on her pacifiers to pretend to be babies.

This has been a much better week for dealing with Alathia, no doubt because her time at preschool has given me a breather. We actually went yard-sale-ing together on Saturday and had a wonderful time. It's quickly becoming a favorite hobby of hers too! I was enjoying her company so much I said, "You are such a cute little girl! I'm so glad you're mine!" She replied, "You are such a cute little Mama. I'm glad you're my Mama!" Awwww!

I'm doing much to invest in Ali this week; most of which involves reading. In another post I will feature the new books I purchased which came in the mail this week and how they are helping me in my quest to invest in my energetic girl!

Three 3 and Under--Trips Out

Well, so far I've been out about 4 times with the 3 kids, not including runs where they have stayed in the car for quick errands like picking up Ali from preschool. One of those times was to a doctor appt. for Ali and for Justus (killing two birds with one stone!) and one of those was on foot to the grocery store. The other two were also grocery runs, but in the van. I know, I know, I said I was going to cut down on grocery runs, but it seems like we're always out of milk or something small, or in yesterday's case there was NO chocolate whatsoever in the house!!! When you're only a couple of blocks from the store and your kids are dying to get out for some fresh air, it's nice to have an errand to run that doesn't take too long!

My best tips for taking the 3 out at this point in time are: nurse the baby before you go, and use the old double stroller (not our double jogger since Justus can's sit up in it yet). Since Ali enjoys walking or helping push the stroller or riding her little bike around, the boys get to ride in the stroller and it keeps my little active boy Jer immobile too! This was invaluable at the doctor's appt!

I've mentioned before on here that learning to keep kids immobile at times is essential. Whether that means one kid is in a sling or backpack or two kids are in a stroller or something, it is the only way to survive with so many little ones. Remember when I said I often apply make-up in the car when they are immobile in carseats? It's much easier to do it that way than to be chasing them around the house while applying make-up or fixing your hair!

For those of you who are seasoned moms of 3, please feel free to leave your own tips or advice here. Even if I don't always ask for advice, I always welcome it (thanks Nicole!)

Dinner for Two

The last time we had an uninteruppted dinner with just the two of us was probably in May, before our babysitting co-op ceased for the summer. Due to a committment my hubby had on Monday night, we weren't able to eat supper until nearly 8 p.m. after the kids were tucked away in bed. We'd almost forgotten what it was like to have quiet adult conversation over a meal! No demands for more juice or milk, no spills, and reminders to stay on the chair or quit throwing food.

Maybe we'll have to try this more often.....

Three 3 and Under--Laundry

All those stacks of little clothes......a reminder that we have been triply blessed!

How have I managed in the last few weeks to keep up with the laundry? Well, I do 1-2 loads a day first thing in the morning. Even if some days I have a huge stack of laundry to get done, I force myself not to do more than 2 loads or else I get overwhelmed with walking back and forth to the laundry room. I remind myself I still need to rest and being that I can't leave my toddlers alone in the apartment with the baby, I either need to take them to the laundry room or make sure all 3 are napping when I switch loads. Jer wets through his diapers nearly every night even though we use a very strong, name-brand disposable (he drinks like a fish!) so his sheets and security blanket get washed a LOT! Since Justus prefers to sleep between us on our bed right now, he often wets through onto our sheets or his blankets and then there are my milk-leakage problems so it makes for lots of laundry-doing!

I have a friend who is absolutely obsessed with laundry. (That's why I'm not telling her name here.) She dabs each and every little stain on each and every little thing and she hovers over her washer and dryer like crazy. She obsesses over how much time each article needs to dry and hang dries many things and is always checking the load and feeling which individual pieces are ready or not ready. Frankly, though I love her to death, I want to tell her to get a life. She spends triple the amount of time I do on laundry! I just don't have that kind of time when it comes to clothes that will be instantly re-soiled! She has been accused of dirtying a towel or something just so she can wash a load of laundry and you would be hard-pressed to find an article of dirty clothing in her home. While she folds each item carefully with military precision, I don't bother folding undies at all and often wonder why I even fold Ali's clothes since they go into her clothing tub and are immediately rifled through and unfolded as she changes outfits often (though we've now trained her to only change now when she spills something on her clothes or gets truly dirty).

At this stage of my life I don't even really sort clothes (gasp!) I do usually do a load of whites together once every other week (we don't have many) and I do all the kitchen towels and kitchen washcloths together and my husband's icky work clothes are washed separately, but since I use a scent-free homemade laundry detergent powder, I can mix baby clothes, towels, my clothes, etc. and they all come out fine. I'm not a picky person and at this stage I need to do what is simple! Usually the regular food stains come out fine in the wash without being pre-treated, but for extra-tough stains, I soak the item in a little bucket with some OxiClean Versatile and then throw it in the laundry and it almost always comes out!

One thing that makes laundry-doing easy at this stage of life is to have clothing tubs as opposed to dressers. I fold the laundry on our couch and try to put it away as soon as I can. Since Baby Justus seems to hate the bassinet we got him (thankfully a friend sold it to us at a yard-sale price) we have been storing his clean stacks of laundry there for quick access! Each of the other kids has a clothing tub in their room where I can quickly deposit stacks of clothes. In Jer's tub of clothes there are four stacks, one for pjs, one for pants, one for shirts, and one for complete outfits. As I mentioned before, Ali's tub is a jumble of unfolded clothing as she often goes rummaging through it. And yet...I continue to fold her clothes before she puts them away....go figure! She has a separate little bin for socks and another for undies and lately she's been "delegating" her own laundry chores to Jer, who thinks it is absolutely wonderful fun to put her socks and undies away!

So, my tip for doing laundry for Three 3 and Under is to keep laundry simple and don't sweat the small stuff. No offense to my laundry-lovin' friend! *w*

Justus Pics

Couldn't resist posting more pics of

"Dust-this I-yah-hom" (as Jer calls Justus Abraham).

Thanks Julie!!!

Isn't this jacket sweet for a little Wyoming boy? Blogreader Julie from The Antics of the Three 22nds sent out some hand-me-downs for our boys via my in-laws. I've never even seen her in person, but know her online through one of my hubby's cousins.

Just wanted to say a big thank-you to Julie for the cute clothes! This jacket got rave reviews at the Church Family camp on the mountain we attended this weekend! When Justus is done with it, I can't wait to pass it on to my cowboy brother, Colter, for his little buckaroos to wear someday!

Ali's First Day of Preschool

Ali was so thrilled to be going to school that I didn't even shed a tear when she left! I have to admit that I have been pretty excited about her having some time away from the house after a really rough week with her last week!

Ali in her classroom, after her first day of preschool. She was so excited about the homemade playdough they made and the songs they sang. I was excited to see her after having a peaceful morning with the boys.

At the Open House last week we got to meet the teacher and explore the classroom. They even have two little gerbils (the class pets!) Miss Jenny had purple goop and shaving cream for the kids to play with at the Open House.

You aren't the only one surprised that my daughter is in PRESCHOOL this year!!! I still can't believe it! You see, all spring and summer, as friend after friend was talking about putting their kids in this or that preschool I told everyone that Ali wasn't going and wasn't ashamed of it. King Jo and I didn't feel it was necessary, or a wise use of our funds this year as we need to be upgrading our housing or saving for a house. I knew that we would do plenty of homeschool preschool activities and learning projects from our many books on the subject.

It just never occurred to me that I would ever send a child off to school. As in: need to buy school supplies, need to make sure they have their backpack, and a jacket, and papers to give to their teacher, have an opportunity to chaperone field trips and join the PIE group, etc.

So, how did all of this come about? Well, this summer my mom, who is a teacher at our local Christian school, mentioned that she had heard that the school might open a preschool program there this year. I expressed mild interest and she decided to call the prospective teacher about it. Well, the teacher was out of town for a couple of weeks, so it wasn't until right before our baby was born that we got the facts on it. The price was comparable to other preschools in town, and a part of me was ALL FOR paying a little something to give Ali a couple of mornings out of the house this winter (and myself a break from her) but I knew King Jo wouldn't go for it. I also knew that I did not want to get 3 kids loaded into the van in the morning in the snow and cold, take Ali to school, and then do it all over again 3 hours later.

When I told my mom that we probably wouldn't be doing it, she got back to me and expressed that they would love to pay for Ali's preschool, and it would be no trouble for her to swing just 2 blocks out of her way on her way to the school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I wasn't sure about accepting such a big gift from my folks but she said she would love to help us out since we have a new baby and such a small apartment.

So, in a whirlwind of the last few busy weeks, we made the decision to let her go! We felt that 2 mornings a week was perfect as we wouldn't want her to be gone any more than that at this age. Our good friends, who also weren't planning on preschool this year, decided the same week we did to put their twins in the preschool too and we got the last 3 spots available by the grace of God! So, two of Ali's best buddies get to go with her! I'm excited to see how Ali grows this year as a result of the school schedule and training she will receive.

You can tell Jer is used to always having siblings around. When I got him up from his morning nap he held up his toy phone and said, "I talking to Ali." Then, when he couldn't find Ali and was told again that she was at school he said, "Dust-this wake up!" He wanted Justus to wake up and play with him!

When we went to get Ali, she exclaimed, "I missed Baby Justus soooo much because he didn't go to school with me!"

Recent Deals

Thanks to tips on Money Saving Mom, I've continued to get freebies here and there even though I haven't been posting about them much. I have had to drastically cut back on Walgreens trips due to gas prices and just the fact that taking 3 over there alone doesn't sound fun...but I continue to at least go once a month in order to get the free-after-rebate items.

So, recent freebies have included:

A box of Honey Bunches of Oats (got a coupon for a free box after sending in 5 expired coupons from other cereal brands) The cashier gave me the full coupon amount ($3.79) even though the Family Size box I was buying was only $2.50! Got paid to buy my hubby's favorite cereal!

Since our Safeway finally stocked the Wishbone Bountifuls salad dressing, I was able to get 2 free jars of yummy looking dressing this week thanks to internet printables.

I was glad to get a bunch of free organic shampoo, lightbulbs, and a few other things at Walgreens in August.

I got a free CD in the mail called, "You've Decided to Homeschool--Do it Right!"

I continue to shop the best deals at both grocery stores in town and use whatever store or manufacter's coupons that I can!!! Lately, every time I buy at Safeway, a $2 off catalina prints for Mom to Mom diapers or baby products. Since the diapers are often on sale for $7, this makes for some $5 per package diapers, which is an awesome price for our town!

Pregnancy Buddy Had Her Baby!

I've been so excited and enjoying the pics on my friend Lesley's blog as she had her little boy two weeks and one day after we had Justus! Early this Sunday morning, Christian Asher came into the world, much to his Mama's relief as she had about 10 times more false labor than I did over the last couple of months! It has been wonderful to have Lesley's support through ALL of my pregnancies, as she coached me through the new mom stuff the first time around having been through it exactly 11 months before me and then we spent our second and third pregnancies being preggo together and venting to one another over the same pregnancy woes. So.....Mega Congrats to her and her adorable family!!! I just wish we lived closer so our boys could be best buddies (and our other kids too!)

If you want to read the birth story from her hubby's perspective (very cute!), head on over to her blog!

Cute Books

My mom got these scholastic books for me this winter because she thought I would enjoy them. They are very cute! The first one is about a mom who just wants 5 Minutes Peace from her kids so she gets them settled with breakfast and goes to take a bath. But one by one they all ask her for favors and end up joining her in the tub and making a ruckus so she has to abandon her bath and head to the empty kitchen to try and have 5 minutes of peace!

The second book is about a little dinosaur who is telling us the things (in his opinion) that moms can't do. Two examples are: Moms need advice when packing lunches......and.....Moms feel better with someone in their laps.

If you get a chance to check these out or buy them, your kids will enjoy them almost as much as you will!

Craft for Kids--Dragonfly magnets

My mom made these dragonfly magnets with the kids a couple of weeks ago. They are simple, but cute and the kids love them! All you need is a couple of pipe-cleaners, some little eyes and strong glue (hot glue or craft glue), saran wrap for the wings, and a thin magnet to glue on the back!

Three 3and Under---If List.....

I love "If Lists..." so of course I had to do one on this subject! Believe it or not, I survived my first full week of caring for the 3 kids by myself and love it! Does that mean it was easy or that it's not hard to find time to go to the bathroom sometimes? No. But what it does mean is that all of my kids are precious to me and I love having another one in spite of the work involved. I have found it to be incredibly stressful to babysit regularly for one or two extra kids in the past when I only had one or two of my own, but having 3 now that are all MINE is wonderful!

Here's my list! I'm sure I'll be adding to it as time goes on. After all, I've only been at this 2 weeks (seasoned moms of 3 or more are chuckling over what I have yet to experience!) Many of these things could apply to moms in general even if you only have one or two kids!

You Might Have 3 Kids 3 and Under If............

*You've ever been so busy you've "forgotten" to eat

*Before you are allowed to eat at any given meal you must fill 2 sippy cups, prepare and warm up 4 people's food one plate at a time, re-fill sippy cups, re-fill plates, nurse the baby, wash kids' hands, encourage toddlers to eat, pick food off the floor, and wipe your preschooler. Then, and only then, you can sit down and eat your food while holding the baby.

*You can do just about anything while you're nursing, including typing at the computer without missing a beat, cooking supper, reading, talking on the phone, going to the bathroom and doing it successfully, chasing after a naughty almost-2-year old, reading stories to your other kids, doling out a consequence for bad behavior, cleaning house, etc.

*You get comments all the time from random folks at the grocery store who say "You must be one busy mama!"

*You get sick of people thinking that you have a baby every single year just because the oldest is 3. In reality, they are all about 2 years apart.

*Your husband gets teased by co-workers about why he has so many kids.

*You are dubbed a "babymaker" by some of your relatives who don't understand why you like children.

*You have been either pregnant or nursing for the last 50 months!!!

*You have 3 adoring fans who love you more than anyone else in the world.

*You have 3 chubby little faces to kiss and cuddle all day long.

*3 three and under is a natural birth control. Huh? Both you and your husband wonder how some couples have the time and energy to even conceive a fourth.....

*In the blink of an eye you went from an economical college car to minivan full of carseats, from roller blades to a double jogger stroller, from a sporty mountain bike to a bike with kid cart attached, and from backpacks to diaper bags.

*You have unbelievable amounts of toys, even though you carefully rotate and don't buy many for your kids.

*Your storage shed holds baby paraphernalia in all shapes and sizes. You own all stages of carseats, swings, bouncy chairs, exersaucers, and slings. You have enough receiving blankets to make a parachute.

*Your doctor thankfully decides to skip the main spiel at the hospital about taking home a newborn and just reminds you of a couple of the biggies!

*Talking on the phone with screaming, crying, and whining going on in the background is normal for you so you don't even notice it and talk above it. After all, you relish a little adult conversation and if you waited until your kids were quiet, you'd NEVER talk on the phone!

*You have a secret energy source. Whether it's a Big Slam of Diet Pepsi, 10 cups of coffee a day, or a huge mug of strong Hot cocoa (this is mine), super vitamins (these help) or going jogging, you have found a way to keep yourself going.

*You don't sweat the small stuff anymore. In fact, you get a kick out of the first-time mommies who do, since you used to be them!