Training Children in Worship

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After posting the article, Dear Parents with Young Children in Church, to my Facebook page, there was some discussion as to how to begin training your little ones to sit still during a worship service.  There was also some discussion about children's church, and how that may be more age appropriate and beneficial for young ones.

There is not much more I can add to encourage parents to include their children in worship, as the author did a beautiful job explaining the importance of having your children in the worship service, and encouraging moms who are already doing this. 

Read the full article, along with training tips, at His Rib.

Fun, Easy, and Frugal Play Idea: Masking Tape Roads

 

My kids thought I was pretty great when I pulled out the masking tape and began creating roads that led to all their Little Peoples play sets.  We rummaged up all the cars we could find, made road lines on the tape, and created a little town.

 

 

I'm telling you, they played for HOURS!  Even better, their creative juices were flowing full force.  My basic infrastructure was not sophisticated enough, so they made more roads, added a CVS and Walgreens store out of paper, and drew up a "Welcome to" town sign (of course, after I put the camera away)!  Even some of the older kids thought it was fun enough to join in.

 

 

So go grab that old roll of masking tape that you threw out in the garage after your last move, or pick one up the next time you go to the store, and let the kids have at it! 

And for you moms who struggle to get dinner going while you've got a toddler strapped to your leg, this should do the trick! ; )

Amelia Turns Two

Happy Birthday, Amelia

Our sweet neighbor brings a Thankful Birthday Tree for each birthday.  Everyone writes something special about the birthday kid on the leaves, and then hangs the leaves on the tree.  Here is Amelia with our wonderful neighbor, Kari!

I made her a pink cake, and with the extra batter, made cupcakes.

Enjoying her new Peter Rabbit Touchy Feely book.  Lookin' good with her "hairband" hair.

Loving on her PeeWee Pillow Pet, while sporting her new Tutu and Wings.

Mommy got a sweet kiss from the birthday girl!

Blowing out the candles!

 

 

It was a special day celebrating Amelia's 2nd birthday with the family!  Amelia is such a gift and we're so thankful for her!

 

 

Quick Tip: Stomach Bug Pads

It was a light bulb moment for me!

A couple of months ago, many of our children had the stomach bug.  And as we know, many children with a stomach bug equals lots of throwing up.....and usually at the same time.

Despite our efforts of placing buckets RIGHT by their heads, they would miss!  Vomit would inevitably end up on the blankets they were laying on.  When we got tired of washing blankets, we switched to towels.  Much smaller, and easier to wash.  However, even washing vomit-y towels is messy and exhausting. 

So there I sat.  Thinking there must be an easier way to clean up after vomiting little ones.  Then...

It came to me.....UNDERPADS!

Why hadn't I thought of this sooner?  Forget the buckets, blankets, and towels.  Lay these under your little ones' heads (drape the couches, over their pillows, or on the floor) and let them throw up on these!  Then, fold up the mess and throw it away! 

Genius, right? 

They're cheap, and well worth the savings of time and energy.  You can buy them HERE in various sizes, or here.  You home birthing mamas probably have extras in your birth kits.  I did!  And from now on, I will keep a stash around for the next bug!

For the record....I've coined the name "Stomach Bug Pads".  Catchy, right?  I thought it sounded better than Throw Up Pads or Vomit Pads.  ; )

Keeping the Little Ones Busy During School

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One of the biggest challenges for a home schooling mom is keeping the little ones busy so that you can focus on schooling the older children.

Since I have a variety of school aged children, as well as many littles, I get asked this question often.

The important thing to remember is that schooling is a part of home life, so don't be discouraged if you feel like your day doesn't flow according to your schedule.  With preschoolers, toddlers, and babies in the home, continuity is usually not a part of the package...and that's okay!  It still works, and God is faithful!

Here are my tips for keeping little ones busy while schooling.

Make play time something to look forward to.  My biggest and most successful tip is to have toys/activities that are ONLY brought out during school time.  I keep bins full of fun toys put away during non-schooling hours.  This creates excitement for the toys and keeps the kids from getting bored of them.

Location, location.  Choosing the right place in your home to school makes a big difference when keeping little ones busy.  We want to be able to keep an eye on them, but still have space for them to play.  In our two story home, we school downstairs in the front room.  Our rule is that little ones may not go upstairs during school.  They usually stay in the room with me playing with whatever we've taken out, but because of our open floor plan, they're free to roam the bottom floor.  I realize that some homes are limited in options for schooling, and others choose to spread out and school all over the house (we do that too sometimes), so just pick the best location for your needs, keeping your little ones in mind.

Have a variety of things for them to do.  I love toys that encourage imagination and creativity.  Things like Tinker Toys, Legos (the larger ones), Potato Head (and the Mrs.), Fuzzoodles, wood blocks, Lincoln Logs, dominoes (setting up and knocking down), etc. are the toys I rotate out one or two at a time.  If I have little ones at the school table with me, I give them coloring books and crayons, scissors and paper (you'll be amazed at how long a three year old can sit still just cutting paper into a thousand pieces), Dry Erase Activity boards, Magnetic Dolls (boys and girls), puzzles, etc. 

Schedule sibling time.  In between subjects, I will occasionally enlist an older child to play with a younger one.  It helps to change things up a bit and encourages relational building.  Encourage an older one to read to a younger one. 

Educational videos.  Our general rule is to keep the TV off, but on occasion, I will put in something educational or character building for the little ones.  They love Leap Frog's Letter Factory, Kingsley's Meadow, and The Book of Virtues.

Take breaks. Don't forget to take breaks when possible, even just a few minutes, to read to the little ones, snuggle with them, or give them a snack.  Mine often do a lot better when I take the time to love on them than if I were to only focus on the schooling children for several hours.

Routine vs. Schedule.  I remember the days when I had a wonderfully neat and tidy school schedule.  My personality is one of structure, so a schedule worked best for us.  Even if we strayed slightly, we knew exactly what must be done each day....and for the most part, stuck to it....even through morning (all day) sickness!  But somewhere around my sixth or seventh baby, I began to relax a little.  In fact, I was forced to.  With so many little ones to tend to (nursings, diapers, whining, correcting behavior, kissing boo boos, etc), it was impossible to allot specific time frames to each subject.  Having a routine, as opposed to a rigid schedule, affords structure, but allows for those unforeseen forks in the road.  We still know what we need to do for the day, but how we get there looks much different.  Play around a bit and find out what works for you, but be flexible and EXPECT interruptions.  Those interruptions are no surprise to God, so go with them and allow Him to direct your day!

But what about babies.  Ohhh sweet babies!  I pretty much always school with a baby in my lap, either nursing or just cuddling.  When my babies get old enough to sit up, I may put them in a high chair so that they can see what we're doing....or I use the walker/exersaucer.  I also take advantage of nap times!  I can get a lot accomplished when the baby is asleep.  Setting up a port-a-crib, with a few soft toys, in your schooling area can also help with mobile babies so that you're not chasing a crawler constantly.  Some of my friends "blanket train" their babies, but I have never tried that. 

Computer time.  If you have a computer in your school area...or a laptop, you can begin your 3-5 year olds in their computer skills.  There are many educational games that little ones love that will stimulate their brains and build their basic computer skills.  Fact Monster and Starfall are our favorites.  Both have lots of fun learning games for little ones.

Enjoy this time.  I know that these days....when the kids are little....seem so hard, and you look forward to them being older so that you can school without so many interruptions.  Since I've graduated my oldest child...and she is now married...and another one soon to graduate, I'm realizing more than ever that this time, when they are little, is short!  In a blink of an eye there will be no more babies crying, or toddlers to chase, or toys to pick up, or little ones to keep busy.  These are some of the sweetest times...so try to relax and enjoy these days with littles.  My husband and I often joke that this is the reason we keep having babies....because we'll miss these little years too much, as hard as they may be sometimes! 


Do you have tips to add?  What are your favorite ways to occupy little ones? 

The Crowded Bed

It's 4 am.  The baby wakes.  Eyes half closed, I stumble to her crib and bring her back to my bed to nurse.  She eventually falls back to sleep, but I am too tired to even place her back in the crib.  I shuffle down in my bed, beneath my covers and lay her next to me.  I drift back to sleep.

What seems like minutes later, I awaken to a little one climbing up on my bed.  Surprisingly, it's Ethan, my five year old.  I can't remember the last time he came into our room in the middle of the night.  I grab him and help him up into my bed, thinking he needed comfort.  I whisper to him to be careful of Baby Amelia, and he snuggles in and drifts off to sleep. 

By now, I'm slightly awake and just lying there, thinking.  Thinking of many things.  Praying.  Praying for loved ones, for situations, for anything that comes to mind.  Before I know it, I hear the pitter patter of feet.  Another one of my precious babies is climbing into my bed.  I glace at the clock.  It's now 5 am and we've got three children squeezed in between my husband and me.  My sweet husband sleeps soundly, not even aware of our visitors.  But I lay there.  Wide awake, yet so tired.  My thoughts bordered on feeling a little irritated that my bed was full, and I would surely not get back to sleep. 

Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him. Psalm 62:1

But as I lay there snuggling these babies, the irritation melted away.  I was suddenly filled with joy.  My heart was full.  For whatever reason, my kids awoke, needed to be close to us, and felt welcomed to come, knowing they would not be turned away.  What a privilege it was to hold my babies close, keeping them warm, knowing they were all safe and well.  They were at peace.  They were comforted.

I began to think about the truth of scripture, and how this mirrors our relationship with God.  When we are scared, need comfort, or reassurance, He welcomes us.  He welcomes us at any moment, day or night.  He doesn't get tired, or irritated by the hour.  He just welcomes.  He loves.  He comforts.  We are His children and He loves us more than we can imagine. 

"As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13

I am so grateful to be a mom.  I don't always show it, or appreciate it.  Some days I wonder why God entrusted me with these precious souls.  But He did.  And I am thankful.  It's moments like these, when my bed is overflowing with children, in the sleepy quiet of the night, that God reveals His deep love for me.  His child!  And just as my children come to us, without reservation or hesitation, I must go to my Father.  Only there, will I find comfort and peace!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.  2 Corinthians 1:3

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My Tips for Successful Potty Training

I will soon begin potty training my eighth child.  Having trained seven very different children, girls and boys, we've learned a thing or two.  Fortunately, all of our kids have gotten the hang of it fairly quickly...and I've never had one who just flat out refused to train.....yet.

So while I've got potty training on the brain, I thought I'd share some of our potty training tactics.  Potty training in our home is like boot camp.  It's all or nothing!  So I must be prepared mentally and physically.

For us, age does not determine when we begin.  We've had two train as early as 18 months and one train as late as 3 1/2.  It's important to take two things into consideration when thinking about potty training.

1. Is the child ready?
2. Are YOU ready?

For the child, you want to have a general sense that he is ready.  Is he showing interest?  Is he uncomfortable when wet or dirty?  Is he mature enough?

For you, are you prepared to stay close to home for the first week for consistency and continuity?  Are you prepared to clean up messes.  They WILL happen!  Are you prepared to make frequent potty trips? 

As I've had more children, and my life has become much busier, I have to mentally prepare myself to take on Potty Training Boot Camp.  If I'm too tired, or can't commit to staying home, I won't begin.  Inconsistency will only make things harder, as we all know.

Our Tips for Successful Potty Training

The Talk:  We try not go overboard in talking about the upcoming event.  We take more of a nonchalant approach.  We say something like, "Yay!  You get to start going potty in the big potty!  And each time you go in the potty, you get one of these treats!"  We have found that if we talk something like this up too much, it creates a sense of expectation that may clash with certain personalities.  We want to be excited, but also give a balanced sense that it's just the natural progression of growing up.  Make sense?

Rewards:  Nothing like a good old reward to get our kids excited.  Our two staple potty training rewards are M & M's and Skittles.  Our kids are very motivated by the possibility of a treat, so are generally ready to get down to business right away.  We usually give 2-3 pieces for number one, and 3-4 pieces for number two.  If they don't go at all, we don't give a treat.  Usually, by about the third/fourth day of training, and if the child is doing well, we begin cutting back on the treats, and phase away from there. 

Toilet or Potty Chair:  It really doesn't matter which you use.  With our older girls, we used a potty chair.  But as we've had more children, using the big potty has just been more practical. 

No Pull Ups:  When we decide to begin training, we go straight to underwear/panties.  We expect accidents the first day or two, so we keep lots of extra pairs on hand.  We also keep our carpet cleaner on stand-by.  And for really messy number two accidents, I just throw the undies away.  It's not worth the amount of clean up work involved (we usually use hand-me-down undies, so less painful to throw away), though I think I've only had to do that twice in all my years of potty training.

Timer:  The first couple of days, we remind the trainee to go potty about every 20-30 minutes.  Usually by the third day, they're skilled enough to go without being told, but sending them often helps to avoid those accidents.  Keep the fluids coming so that they'll feel the urge to go often.  Watch the clock or set a timer.

Praise:  Of course, lots of praise for successful trips to the potty helps to keep our children motivated.  This is a time for lots of grace, especially those first 2-3 days when they may have accidents. 

Night time: For most of our children, we've trained them for night time as well.  We limit their drinks in the evening, and then usually wake them about 10 pm for potty runs.  Over the years, we have had one or two kids use an occasional pull up at night if life circumstances made potty runs too difficult.  This is something each family has to decide for themselves, as you know what you can handle.  For example, when I'm very pregnant sick, and my husband is on a 24 hour work shift, I am not able to wake kids late at night to take them potty.  And I'm definitely in no shape to change bed linens in the middle of the night, so this would be a scenario in which I would gladly welcome a pull-up at night.

Consistency:  Like stated above, when I decide to potty train, I stay home for continuity.  Once I feel my child has really gotten the hang of it, then we venture out.  We also don't revert to diapers or pull ups out of frustration.  It sends the child a mixed message of what's expected.  Unless you feel certain your child wasn't ready to train after all, stay the course.  Don't get discouraged over numerous accidents.  Boot camp is tough, but it will pay off if you stick with it. 


Does your method look much the same?  What would you add to this list of tips?  Do you have any questions?  Please leave a comment....I'd love to hear from you.

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A Big Day: A Recital and a Bridal Shower

Yesterday was a big day for our family. Aside from the usual holiday craziness, for good measure, we threw in a Piano Recital and a Bridal Shower...ON THE SAME DAY! 

Cuh-RA-zy!


This was Sophia's first piano recital ever. She was a bit nervous, but played like a pro! We were so proud of her!

Sophia was one of five other sweet kiddos who played varying arrangements of Silent Night. There were about 35 pianist in all, and they did a beautiful job!

Did I mention how hard it is to keep your seven youngest ones quiet and still during a long piano recital? I have to say...they did a great job. Thankfully, they've had a lot of practice at church since we attend a family church where our kiddos stay with us in the service. :)

Cheyenne's Bridal Shower was wonderful. What's more fun than getting a ton of ladies together, eating yummy food, playing fun games, and watching your daughter be blessed beyond measure? 


The lovely cake.....

About 30 of our closest friends and soon-to-be family....

The delicious spread......

The beautiful Bride-to-Be....

Our first game was a hoot! It's called "How well do you know the groom?" We all asked a series of questions about her groom...and for every answer she got wrong, she had to add a piece of gum to her mouth. I think she ended up with six pieces of gum out of 22 questions. Not bad. Though, I won't mention the hints we may have given her on some. ;)

The next game was called, "Advice to the Bride".  Let's just say that this advice personified  the term "blushing bride".   A-hem...moving right along...

Gift fun!  Cheyenne and Nathan were blessed tremendously with goodies for their future home.  They will surely be set.  Thank you to our sweet friends who came to celebrate and bless the this soon-to-be married couple!

What a great day it was. My heart is full over God's goodness and love.

It's hard to believe that NEXT month, I will have a married daughter! How did we arrive here so quickly! My little girl is all grown up and about to begin a life of her own with a wonderful young man!  

Thank you, Father!

Look what I found!

Hmmm....bunk beds?  ;-)

Where have you found your kids hiding recently?

Two Months

Sweet Amelia, Two Months

 

We just love this little girl more than words can express.  With her big blue eyes and her sweet disposition, she's reeled us in!  She smiles a lot and tries so hard to talk to us with her coos.  She's already rolled over and she's been sleeping through the night since about six weeks of age.  Hallelujah!  Sweet, sweet baby girl!

Kids and Gramie

I Just Love This Picture

This picture was taken just before I had Amelia.  It's special because my beautiful mommy was here for the birth and was able to pose with her grand-babies.

And since Amelia wasn't in the above picture, here she is with her wonderful Daddy!

New Trampoline

It's A Hit

After many years of contemplating a trampoline for the kids, we finally did it. My parents graciously sent us Christmas money for the kids which helped us make the purchase. The kids have had a blast almost every day on it. Maybe once I have the baby, I'll give it a go too. :-)

Here's the little ones having their turn.....



And here are the "older" little ones (Ethan is missing)....



And even Greg has had his share of fun on it. The kids LOVE when he bounces on it and makes them fly up into the air....


We're so glad to have a trampoline. I'm sure I'll still worry about injuries, but we'll just pray everyone stays safe. It's been a great way to expend energy and get daily exercise. Thanks Mom and Dad for helping us to finally get a trampoline.

Genevieve is Three

Genevieve is Three!

Happy Birthday to our sweet and sassy...and a little mischievous baby girl. It's hard to believe it's been three years since she was born. She was my first home birth baby and loves talk about how she was born in the bath tub. She has a unique personality that we love and we are so thankful for her.

Happy Birthday, Genevieve! We love you!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulders, and His Name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."

A few more photos of family happenings. Our church recently held our first Children's Choir and Hand Bells performance. It was a sweet time and all the children and teens did very well.

Here's a close up of Seth and Sophia singing...

Celeste playing her bell...

A quick smile for mom and dad....

This year we had fun building craft foam gingerbread houses. A neighborhood friend gave them to us as an early Christmas present. They were a little challenging for the younger kids, but everyone enjoyed doing this.

Here's the finished product....cute, huh?

The following week we made our annual grahm cracker gingerbread houses. We'll post pics of that day soon.

Have a wonderful Christmas Day....for unto us and child was given......

Catching Up: Photos and More

We've had a lot going on around here...but I just couldn't find the time to sit down and journal our everything, so I thought I'd combine a few posts into one and just share some highlights.

Early this month we decorated our tree and home. We always have a great time doing this as a family. Here's a pic of all the kids after we finished the tree.



December 11th, Chey played in her second Christmas Recital with the Castle Hills Conservatory. Cheyenne played O Holy Night and did a beautiful job...as did the rest of the pianists.



Our church recently held our Second Annual Progressive Dinner. It's a night with just the adults and the church teens provide childcare. We begin with appetizers at the Blair's home. The dinner portion is in our home, and dessert is at the Smith's. It works really well because we all live off of the same main road, so it's easy to get to each home in a timely manner.

Here are some pics of the dinner portion. We transform our living room into a restaurant type setting.
We served the food on this red table cloth below...this pass thru makes for a great buffet.

The opposite view...



As you can see, we pull out all the stops. Linens, china, stemware, and centerpieces make it a very special evening. We had a wonderful night...the food was amazing and the fellowship was sweet. Already can't wait until next year!


And finally, here is Sophia baking. She has become pretty comfortable in the kitchen and shows great interest in learning how to cook and bake. She recently made a batch of Sugar Cookies by herself for a gathering we had with some friends.

I hope to do another post soon of some other fun things happening around here, but until then, hope you've enjoyed these! :-)

Sophia is 8

Happy 8th Birthday, Sophia!

On her way to tea...


Soph with big sister Chey...

Happy Birthday to our sweet and spunky Sophia. We love you, Beauty! We're so thankful God created you and allowed us to be your parents! You are a joy! Have a fun-filled and wonderful day!

Dirty Kids

Rag-A-Muffins I love it when kids play hard. On this particular day, the kids played outside while we big folks did the yard work. They had fun digging in the dirt and using their pretty wild imaginations!

Seth, however, did help with the yard work. He loves to mow!

Genevieve definitely won the "Dirtiest Kid Award". Bath time was a lot fun that day! ;-)