Stay At Home Parents

 I love that this dad defends SAH parents!  Check out this Yahoo article!

 The “mommy wars” just became the “daddy wars”—or a spirited battle, at least, led, perhaps unwittingly, by a Kentucky father of 5-month-old twins. Matt Walsh, a blogger and WLAP radio personality and defender of stay-at-home moms everywhere, has blogged on the topic this week, inspired by what he calls the “subversively condescending” questions he frequently gets from working moms about his wife’s child-rearing status. And the piece has been causing a major dust-up on social media, much to his surprise.

“I thought (hoped) the post would resonate with my readers, but I never expected the response to be anything quite like this,” Walsh tells Yahoo Shine through a Facebook message exchange. “Naive as I am, I also didn't anticipate the vitriolic negative reactions. This has turned out to be the most divisive thing I've ever written, and I never intended for that to be the case. I wrote it because I wanted to defend the beauty of motherhood, not start a war.”
The piece, “You’re a stay-at-home mom? What do you DO all day?” has been viewed more than 2 million times in just two days. In it, he writes, “This conversation shouldn’t be necessary. I shouldn’t need to explain why it’s insane for anyone — particularly other women — to have such contempt and hostility for ‘stay at home’ mothers. Are we really so shallow? Are we really so confused?” He goes on to call the life of raising kids “beautiful and complicated and challenging and terrifying and painful and joyous and essential,” and notes that no other role in life can compare.
“It’s true—being a mom isn’t a ‘job.’ A job is something you do for part of the day and then stop doing,” he writes. “Whatever your job is—you are expendable. You are a number. You are a calculation. You are a servant. You can be replaced, and you will be replaced eventually. Am I being harsh? No, I’m being someone who has a job. I’m being real. If your mother quit her role as mother, entire lives would be turned upside down; society would suffer greatly.”

He continues, “Yes, she is just a mother. Which is sort of like looking at the sky and saying, The blogger and his family. Photo courtesy “hey, it’s just the sun.”

The blogger and his family. Photo courtesy Alissa Walsh. The piece particularly meant a lot to the writer’s wife, Alissa, who tells Yahoo Shine that she was “really proud of him, and encouraged” after reading his post. “He is the type of person who doesn’t let people attack his family or his beliefs. But he didn’t realize how big a controversy it is, and how divided women are on the issue,” she says. “He posted it before I could warn him! But I know he would have written it anyway.”
Walsh’s piece has been shared nearly 2,000 times on Facebook, where it’s generated thousands of likes and comments that have been sharply divided. A great many have applauded Walsh for his viewpoint, sharing their own stories of happy child rearing or regretful working hours, and thanking him for being a supportive male voice in the din.
“Most stay at home moms have dealt with (on top of all else) their own husbands not appreciating what they do,” writes one Facebook fan. “This is what everyone who has had that experience hoped her man would do.”
But many others have taken issue with the piece—for offending working moms, mainly, but also for wading into a discussion that they believe should be left to women. Critics include writer Leslie Morgan Steiner, editor of the 2007 essay collection "Mommy Wars," who says that Walsh should stay out of this one.
"This is all we moms need—dads criticizing us too!" she tells Yahoo Shine in an email. "My conclusion from 'Mommy Wars' is that we are all better off when we champion moms in whatever decision they make. Really, it's none of Matt Walsh's business what other moms think.  I am not even sure it is his business what his own wife thinks—that's HER business. We all, as individuals and as a society, need to butt out of moms' personal decisions about how to raise their kids."
“I guess the extreme reaction on both sides reveals how hurt and damaged a lot of us are by the scorn and ridicule from the outside world,” Walsh tells Shine. “I think most of us parents are just trying to love our kids and provide for them as best we can, and we should all be respected for it.”
So what’s at the root of these often-vitriolic mommy discussions? Parenting coach and therapist Tammy Gold tells Yahoo Shine that it’s a complex set of emotions.
“Sometimes mothers immediately assume that the grass is always greener—and then they feel it’s kind of unfair, and they project their insecurity onto the other person,” says Gold, co-founder of the newly launched MommyCoach, who notes that mothers, by nature, are insecure. “Judgment comes, a lot of times, from secret frustration, like maybe the working mom feels guilty that she’s not staying home. And when one feels bad, sadly, sometimes the only way to feel good is to bring another person down.”
But Walsh’s blog, she adds, is a bright and affirming note in the discussion. “I think this blog will really open up the conversation,” she says. “And maybe especially for dads, who might say, ‘Look how far out he went to defend his wife. Let me remind myself that she’s not home eating bonbons all day. She’s working hard.’” 

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a special Guest Blog!

Superwoman

Why is it when people give us a compliment we usually have a really hard time accepting it? This is one I have noticed recently. I have told a couple of parents lately that they were Super Wo(man), and they each replied something to the affect of, "I don't really feel like it, but thanks." A few days later someone gave me the same compliment, and I responded with the similar disbelief of my own awesomeness.

Why do we do that? Well, probably because we AREN'T Super Wo(man), and we know that.

We make a lot of mistakes as parents. Las week I had to apologize to my daughter because I made her stand in the corner for something her little sister did. My heart broke as I tried to explain to the sobbing toddler that I had made a mistake. She looked up at me with tear stained cheeks, touched my face and said, "No biggie, Mommy. I wuv you so much."

She knew I was doing my best.

We don't always stick to those rules for parenting we made at 7 months pregnant. Did any of you do this one: "I swear to NEVER feed my child fast food!" You know what my kids ate on Saturday for lunch? Chicken Nuggets and French Fries. We had pizza for breakfast that day. We had ice cream that night. As I sat in bed that night I felt so guilty about the lack of fruits and veggies that had entered my childrens' growing bodies, but

I knew I was doing my best.

You can read hundreds of articles online about how to react to your children without yelling. You can say this, or you can have them do that. Here's the reality: Sometimes we yell. I have a meter. My meter ranges from "My child can do no wrong" to "You better watch out because mommy is on her 6th cup of coffee and is a raging lunatic." When the needle approaches the latter, after a day of cleaning up animal and child accidents, picking rice out of the carpet, falling on my butt on the ice, spilling coffee on my white blouse, burning dinner, and remembering I have a paper due the next day, the chances of mommy losing it are much higher, but

I know I am doing my best.

Naptimes are a really great time to get stuff done! You can do all of the pesky chores that are next to impossible to do when little hands are constantly trying to "help." Yep. That's ideal. You know what else? I'm really tired. I have a puppy, a 3 year old, and an 18 month old who wake me up an average of 4 times a night. When my kids take naps, I don't always rush around getting the house spotless. Sometimes I sleep, too. My husband must hate coming home for lunch and seeing the rest of the family in bed, but

He knows I am doing my best.

I have friends and family members who remember EVERY birthday and anniversary. They will always send a card a couple of days early to make sure the special someone recieves their well-wishes on time. I tried to do that once. I had a calendar and I tried to collect all of the important dates. I lost the calendar. And I didn't have any cards to send. And I didn't have time to write sweet little notes. And we didn't have any stamps. No one gets cards from me. Not for their birthday. Not for their anniversary. Not for Christmas. Sorry.

I am doing my best.

Those are just a FEW of the reasons that we don't take that compliment easily. Because we aren't Super Men or Women. We fall short. We always will. We won't get everything done every day. Some days are GREAT! Some days are really hard. BUT THAT IS OK!!

Because you are doing your very best. I have yet to meet a parent who said, "Ya, I'm just half-assing this whole parenting thing. I really like to put my energy into cleaning the house." If you are a parent, you are trying your darndest!

So the next time someone tells you that you are Super Wo(man), say THANK YOU!! Knowing full well that you aren't! And chances are, they know that you aren't! They know some days suck horribly, but they ALSO know that you keep on going. You keep doing your best, and THAT, my friends, is what makes you SUPER!!

Do not call my daughter pretty...

     In our current society, we've gotten this obsession with kids' self esteem. I call it an obsession because we have completely overdone it. We have been consumed by it. This started before the current generation of young children who get a participation award for everything they do. Even my generation has a sense of entitlement and an over inflated ego. Now, don't get me wrong...children DO need high opinions of themselves. They DO need praise and they DO need confidence, however, they need it for the right things.
    DD is 5 and just a doll. She really is. She's got Shirley Temple spiral curls, deep blue eyes, full pouty lips, pinchable cheeks, and freckles. She's seriously adorable and everyone who meets her WON'T STOP TELLING HER. This didn't used to bother me until I realized something...she started coming up to me all the time and asking if I thought she looked pretty...if her dress was beautiful...if she could wear makeup. (NO!) She started being overly concerned with how she looked, something NO five year old should ever be concerned with. This was the very same child who once wore an air freshener around her neck claiming she just wanted to because she liked it. I tried to warn her that other kids might laugh, but she didn't care what anyone thought. Now all of the sudden she wants to make sure she has EVERYONE'S approval everywhere she goes. What went wrong here? My poor kid wasn't told enough that she was clever, funny, and creative. She wasn't praised by others on her skills in the game of Memory or her ability to sing or dance. Other people didn't tell her they loved her art work. My family didn't tell her how thoughtful she was when she would pick them flowers or offer her brother half of a treat she got at school.
     These children are learning to value the wrong things. They are learning that participating is enough and that being aesthetically pleasing is their main value. My daughter thinks that all people know and even EXPECT of her is to be beautiful. How many teenage girls do you know that think they are NOTHING if they aren't pretty? I refuse to have my children learn the wrong values. My daughter is pretty, but do not tell her. She has years ahead of her to hear it. She needs to hear that she has value even if no one could see her. <3

Thanksgiving Dishes And Traditions

Thanksgiving is such a fun time of year!  It’s a time to reflect on the good in your life and truly be thankful for every opportunity and blessing that was sent your way.  It’s also a time of fellowship with family and friends who you may have unfortunately not had the chance to see very often, but now get to spend a whole day with just enjoying one another’s company in good conversation and amazing food.  Aw, the food… juicy turkey oozing in all of its tenderness, bowls overflowing with stuffing, bright and tangy cranberry sauce, fluffy mashed potatoes, and dense pumpkin pie with the perfect flaky crust and a dollop of creamy whip cream to top it all off.

I am drooling sitting here thinking about it.  Two more days, just two more till I get to indulge in all of the sweet and savory dishes that I, a very hungry pregnant woman, am now seeing dancing around in my head.  For the past seven years I have cooked up huge feasts for this special day that result in weeks worth of leftovers.  I always over do it, I know I do, but a small part of me tries to replicate the amazing dishes that my Grandma, Aunt E, and Aunt A used to make every year.  They would create this eloborate spread of food that looked like it was straight from the pages of Martha Stewart Living and while I may have not appreciated it as much growing up, now as an adult who lives halfway across the country from them, I crave that food and the memories that are associated along with it.

So as a mom I wanted to instill some things into my son’s memory bank so he can look back enjoying the memories as well as looking ahead to be excited about our own family traditions.  One of those traditions is for my son to join me in the kitchen making all of the delicious food.  He’s been helping me since the day he could crawl, by first handing me pots and pans from the lower cabinets to graduating on to removing the giblets from the turkey and helping inspire the menu every year.  It’s a time that we both enjoy, just bonding, and working together to create something that we’re both proud of.

         But sadly, this year we will have to forgo on the mother/son bonding time in the kitchen because we will be going to a buffet instead.  I’m completely hanging my head in shame as I admit this to you because I want nothing more than to cook a feast fit for a king.  I’m passionate about cooking and about our little family traditions.  However, due to my quite large belly getting in the way and then adding a dash of pregnancy clumsiness I just don’t see how it would be possible to pull it off this year.  I know some people would jump for joy at the opportunity to put their feet up, sit back, and enjoy, but not me.  Ha!  I’m actually going to miss all of it… especially the part where my son joins me in our little bonding time!  So this week since I cannot whip up a delicious meal I thought that I would share some of my family’s favorite dishes that I have made in the past and hope that they will be as enjoyable for you as they have been for us.

The World’s Best Turkey   

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-worlds-best-turkey/

Cranberry Sauce  

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-sauce-i/

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/make-ahead-mashed-potatoes-2/

Creamed Garden Potatoes and Peas 

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/creamed-garden-potatoes-and-peas

Marshmallow Rolls  

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/so3zp65q/marshmallow-crescent-rolls.html

Brown Butter Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes

http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2011/11/16/brown-butter-coconut-mashed-sweet-potatoes-recipe/

Caramel Apple Cheesecake 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/caramel-apple-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crusts

http://satisfymysweettooth.com/mini-pumpkin-cheesecakes-with-gingersnap-crusts/

Pumpkin Coconut Fudge (Dairy-Free)

http://thecoconutmama.com/2012/10/pumpkin-fudge-dairy-free/

Ingredients

• 2 Cup Coconut Butter
• 1 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
• 2/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup or Raw Honey
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• extra cinnamon for dusting (optional)

*  Warm coconut butter in a medium size saucepan over low heat until melted. Turn off heat and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Pour into an 8×8 inch square pan. Refrigerate fudge for 2-3 hours or until it has set. Cut into squares and serve.

I made this a few weeks ago and will definitely be using this recipe in the future for every day use as well as for holidays because oh my goodness it is beyond DELICIOUS! Our family loved it so much that I had to actually wrap up each individual piece in saran wrap and then store it in a freezer bag for portion control.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are able to enjoy time with your family, friends and just make the most out of this special holiday.

What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving Day dishes and traditions?

xoxo

Lady Sunshine

Review: Kroger Meals

Hey there, Lady Hurricane here,

So, there is this really great website that I am a part of called BzzAgent where I get to honestly review products, free of charge, and get coupons as well to pass out.  The product that I was chosen to try this last week was Kroger Skillet Meals.  I was sent 3 free item coupons, for Kroger Skillet Meals, Kroger Garlic Bread, and Kroger's Fresh Selections Salad Kits.

First, it was very difficult to even find the Kroger Skillet Meals in our local Fred Meyer.  We eventually asked for help, but the only person we saw that wasn't helping someone already was the produce clerk, who helped us look and then asked the store manager for us after searching for the frozen foods clerk.  The store manager was very nice and helpful too!  He lead us

right to the Kroger Skillet Meals and asked if we needed any additional help.  The only complaint I have is that the selection at our store was terrible. I was really hoping for a pasta dish as it pairs well with garlic bread (I made baked spaghetti to go with it instead), but all they had were chicken or beef fajitas. They did, however, have a wonderful selection of the Fresh Selections Salad Kits and that was the highlight of the meal!  The garlic bread was nice and soft, but we prefer the WINCO brand's taste around here.

Now, because we prefered the salad to everything else, let me RAVE about it real quick!  First, the price was awesome!  It was less than $4 (but I got mine free), and it comes with everything you need to have a restaurant quality salad in the comfort of your own home.

We chose the Caesar Salad Kit and it included the lettuce, croutons, cheese and dressing.  Now, if you're like me, I love that my salad at a restaurant comes tossed.  It's so much nicer than just dumping the dressing on top of the salad mix and hoping that you can evenly distribute a nice coating.  So, I was a mild genius and tossed everything into the bag and shook it up!  Viola!  Beautiful :) It worked great!

The Garlic Bread was nice and soft, softer than most garlic breads that I've had before, but I'm not certain they can sway me from my tried and true fresh baked bread from our local grocer.  This Kroger Garlic Bread is located in the freezer section, and the instruction were really simple to follow.  Remove it out of the package, split it, and put it on a cookie sheet. Simple and delicious!


The Chicken Fajita Kroger Skillet Meal was good; I enjoyed it, my husband thought it could use more chicken though and less veggies, but he's a meat and potato type guy.  The flavors were good, and it wasn't too spicy (I'm a wimp!).  It paired well with tortilla chips and salsa, we had our own family Mexican Food night.  Unfortunately that's the one item we didn't get a picture of, I guess we were just too hungry and excited for the free food.

Now, even though I got this all free, it didn't sway my opinions.  Like I said, the salad we will probably buy again, the garlic bread not so much, and if our store had a larger selection of the skillet meals, we would try others, but we might buy the fajita ones again in a month or two.

Hope you enjoyed my review!  Now, go out and try that salad!! It's great. I mean it!

Oh, and a photo of my baked spaghetti, just because, yum. 
  

Have a great Monday!  What's for dinner at your house?!

-Lady Hurricane

National Adoption Month: From Foster Parent to Adoptive Parent

Our next featured story of adoption is from a person I've (Lady Hurricane) always grown up looking up to. I remember when they adopted their first in 2001, my siblings and I weren't too sure about not being our aunt's favorites anymore, but in the end it ended up being a fantastic blessing! Here it is, it's just a short little blurb about her journey, and I hope someday she shares some of the fantastic stories she has of being a foster parent, and an adopted parent as well!

"Here is a sampling of my journey as a foster/adopt Mama. I was 43ish, a remarried widow, neither of us had children and we wanted children in our lives. After much investigating, my husband and I decided to adopt, then we decided that adopting through the state would be the best, helping our own communities children. We have adopted our 5th child, 3 girls and 2 boys and have fostered numerous kids and some respite care. We have given up our foster license, because it is too tempting to adopt any more that come our way. There is some kind of challenge on a daily basis, but the payoff is tremendous, experiencing their triumphs and sharing their other "life stuff". I would do my life over a million times."

Brian and Sandy have five children, Autumn, Alexis, Hailey, Jordan and Albert. This family photo was taken right after they adopted their youngest, Albert.

Also -- Autumn, their oldest had this little note to add:

"Thank you mom and dad for bringing me into the family! Who knows what life would have been like if you hadn't; for all of us. Love you!"


I really hope you enjoyed this weeks blogs.  If you have an idea for a guest blog, please don't hesitate to contact us! Here's a link to our Facebook! Also, I especially hope that you enjoyed our spotlight on National Adoption month!  Do you know of anything else that's coming up that you'd like to see us do a spotlight on?  Go ahead and comment, e-mail, or Facebook us!  We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions!

Until next time!
-The Naptime Bloggers

National Adoption Month: How We Were Lead to Adopt our Boy

Welcome back to Sunday at The Naptime Bloggers!  We're really excited to introduce you to our next Guest Blogger, Jamie!  Yesterday, Saturday, was National Adoption Day, which is why we chose our next blogger!


Jamie is a licensed mental health therapist working as a full time mom right now. She has been married to her wonderful husband for 8 1/2 years. Her favorite hobby is running with her border collie (and now pushing a stroller).
They are featured today on their adoption agency website at HERE where there is a video from their first visit which can also be found HERE and a link to their personal blog is HERE!



I hope you watch the video from their first video, and definitely check out their blog!
Without further plugs and ado, here is their story...

Last year my husband and I were talking about our New Year's goals on New Year's Day, I said I had a desire to become a mom this year. We discussed the possibility of doing foster-adopt through DSHS as we wait for our referral from Ethiopia which we had started on.

On January 3rd, we got an e-mail from the coordinator from the Ethiopia program checking in. We called her back right away. During this conversation, we mentioned that we are thinking of adopting another child before we adopt from Ethiopia since it was going to be a 3 year process. We also spoke of how we were considering other countries as well. She was excited about this idea and mentioned some children that might be available form China and Taiwan and said we were the ideal couple that Taiwan looks for since we are young without children.

The next day, we received an e-mail with a referral for our son!

At first, I felt like I didn't want to read about him or look at the pictures because I didn't want to get too emotionally attached and excited too soon. I was sort of confused and shocked because I have been preparing for a African daughter and there was a picture of an Asian boy.

We talked to our small group about this referral and got some good feedback about becoming parents and trusting God and taking things one step at a time and to put faith in God.

After reflecting and crying for a couple days, we came to the conclusion that he was put before us for a reason. I sort of felt some relief that God chose him because of feeling so much pressure in the decisions that come with adoption such as which gender, country, age, family history and disabilities. This was all decided by God for us.

The hardest part was waiting and trusting God in this process. The first time the birth mother got our information, she didn't approve us. Which was a huge shock! So, my husband (who I learned will do anything for his son) and I flew to Taiwan hoping to meet her. Unfortunately we didn't get to meet her, but we did get two days with our son. We knew he belonged with us from the day we met him.

We had to wait in anticipation for two weeks for the birth mother's social worker to meet with the birth mother to show her pictures from our visit, letters from the doctor and our full homestudy. We got the news we were hoping for! The birthmother approved us!

5 months later after both governments got the paperwork they needed, we got to finally return to Taiwan to bring our son home!

The theme of trust has come into my life after going through this. Waiting was probably the most stressful time in my life. While in Taiwan both times, this is the verse that I focused on and now have it hanging in our son's room, "Trust The Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding, but in all of your ways follow him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Even though being a mom is not easy and is way more exhausting than I thought, I am so thankful for the son God gave us to care for and thank him every day for bringing us together.

I really hope you enjoyed this weeks blogs.  If you have an idea for a guest blog, please don't hesitate to contact us! Here's a link to our Facebook!  Also, I especially hope that you enjoyed our spotlight on National Adoption month!  Do you know of anything else that's coming up that you'd like to see us do a spotlight on?  Go ahead and comment, e-mail, or Facebook us!  We would love to hear your thoughts and opinions!

From all of us here at The Naptime Bloggers,

Have a wonderful Sunday!  See you tomorrow!

It's the most wonderful time of year!

As a parent, you always want the best for your child(ren). You want them to do and be better than you. I honestly don’t think this desire ever goes away. And not only do you want your kids to do better, but you also want to give them the world. It’s a hard balance to give them everything they want, without spoiling them. And I don’t think that feeling ever goes away either J

My husband and I not only want to give our children the best we possibly can, but we also want to instill in them a compassion for others. To look past just their own needs, and into their neighborhood, city and world, and see what they do to give to others. And to know that this world is just not about themselves.

Now that our oldest is 4, we are looking for things to do to get her involved in our community. And this is the perfect time of year to start!
Since she is still fairly young, and also has a little sister who wants to copy everything she does, we want to start with things they both can do. And maybe even start a new winter tradition for our family.

I have thought of a few things that are age appropriate for the girls to get them involved! Going to the store and letting the girls pick out some canned goods that can be donated to a local food bank. Or even calling ahead to see what they are in need of most, and getting that as well. We will also be going through the girls’ toys to donate some, plus it makes room for the new toys they will be getting for Christmas. We also don’t want to forget about our 4 legged friends! I am sure your local animal shelter is in need of food, or even cat litter, because I know ours is! Going to the pet store and letting the girls pick out things to donate, taking them in, and maybe even spending some time socializing the animals- I KNOW this will be a rewarding experience for our girls.

You could also get your children involved with picking out a gift for Angel Tree, visiting a nursing home- because some of those people don’t have family at all, and I know would LOVE getting to spend time with others. Writing letters or drawing pictures for our service men and women overseas. Being a bell ringer for the Salvation Army.

There is seriously an UNLIMITED amount of things you can do to involve your children in giving back to the community. So many learning and teaching moments can take place during these times of giving to others. Instilling these kinds of values in our children will never go to waste, and might even make for a brighter future for all, all year long.

-Lady Bug

F M N

    Hello again Blogland!  I was asked by a friend to share one of my family events with you all.  I wish I could take credit for the main idea, but I can’t.  At my house, we have Family Movie Nights, or FMN for short.  In 2012, my family took our first Walt Disney World vacation.  (Best money spent EVER!)  For 2011 and part of 2012 while we were counting down the days until our arrival, we decided to start a tradition to help pass the time.  I’m a member of a Disney message board called DisBoards and that is where I got the initial idea.  

    Basically, we choose a Disney film (new or old, long or short)  and theme  a night’s events around it.  We will prepare themed foods and snacks, put up decorations, make crafts, sing songs, dress up, and just spend some time together as a family.  Don’t get turned off or feel like you aren’t up to the challenge.  The one rule we follow for these is that we try to do them as inexpensively and as simply as possible.  I’m talking, low budget ($10-20 or less) and a quick and easy cleanup.  With some planning ahead and a few trips, usually to the dollar store, you can start FMNs of your own!

   Thus far, I think we have done...Jurassic Park, The Sword In The Stone, Sleeping Beauty, Brave, Monster’s Inc, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hercules, The Lorax, The Haunted Mansion, Batman- The Dark Knight, and The Muppets to name a few.  Let me tell you, my kids have really enjoyed these movie nights and it has been great time for us to spend together as a family.  It was also a great way to introduce the kids to older Disney characters from our childhood before we saw them in the parks on vacation.  I know, I know, some of these were not Disney films, and that is okay too.  Let me give you all an example, just to set you on the right track…

    Our first FMN we watched The Sword In The Stone.  It is DH’s favorite Disney movie and turned out to be a big hit with Monster and Bear as well.  We did this on a Friday night so it didn’t interfere with the school schedule and the dinner we had on this night was planned ahead as part of our meal plan.  I printed pictures of the main characters and hung them around the living room.  I also typed up a menu so there would be a list of all the themed food.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had Merlin’s Moat Water (Ginger Ale with a few drops of green food coloring),

 Sir Kay’s Roast Chicken (a simple rotisserie chicken from Wal Mart) ,

Wart’s Squire Squares (roasted potatoes cut into cubes),

Excalibur Cakes (home made rice krispie treats wrapped in fondant and dusted with gray cake glitter to look like a stone and topped with a fondant wrapped brownie dusted with blue cake glitter to look like snow, stabbed through with a sword toothpick for Excalibur) ,

 Mad Madam Mim’s Monster Salad (just plain salad we made and I taped pictures of the creatures that Mim turns into in the film around the sides of the bowl),

 and Arthur’s Royal Crowns (jello jigglers cut into crown shapes).  This may sound complicated, but I assure you it wasn’t.  Dinner was great, everyone ate up during the film and we all enjoyed singing the magic words and bursting into giggles every time we got tongue tied.  That night wasn’t perfect by ANY means. The jello crowns fell apart, the rice krispies were too hard and the whole Excalibur Cake was WAAAAAAAAY too sweet to even eat, but we really enjoyed hanging out together.  We also had coloring pages that I printed offline and we colored together at the coffee table while we watched the movie.  I’ll make sure to put up some more of my family’s FMNs to share some great ideas and some epic failures in later posts.    

    Look into doing your own Family Movie Nights!  Check the internet for different ideas.  The Disney Family website has lots of resources and printables as well.  Coloring pages are all over google and make a nice quick craft to do together.  That night was done, mostly, with things that I had on hand.  When all was said and done, I had spent maybe $4 for the cake glitter and gotten a priceless evening with my family.  It may seem like a lot to do, but really, don’t be discouraged.  Big or small, your kids will appreciate the fun you provide for them and your family will benefit from the time spent together.  

-Lady Imagine

 

Dreaming Big

Today DH and I were talking about how our son has figured out how to get around things we tell him not to do and he's only 8 months old.  For instance, we have a barrier so that he can't get to the baseboard heaters, and today he got on his tiptoes and walked along that barrier so he could get back behind it, where he isn't supposed to be. Which led us to the discussion of how intelligent he is, and how he is great at problem solving already, and that led us to the topic I'm going to post about today; dreaming big for your little one.

Even before we had conceived our baby boy, we were talking about the dreams we had for our kids.  Signing them up for different lessons and classes, the opportunities we wanted to provide for them, and the things that we did when we were younger that we didn't want to happen to our children.  A few things that we agreed on, no matter what it is that our son wants to try, be it an instrument, gymnastics, football, baseball, dance, whatever it is, we will support him 100%.  We know that he won't succeed in everything he does, but we want to give him the chance to fail and find his niche.

I am one of those people that thinks things should go as I plan them, luckily for our son, my husband is more of a go-with-the-flow type person.  I have HUGE plans for our sons life.  I want him to go to the new high school in the area that allows kids that excel in math and science to do just that, and it offers great summertime programs at a place in town that has a lot of engineers.  However, I also want him to be enthusiastic about music, like his mama, an excellent reader like his daddy, an awesome football player so I can cheer him on, a doctor so I can brag, and an honest politician (ha!).  Thankfully, I have a semi-level head, and when I don't my husband can bring me back down to earth.

The great thing though?  Whatever he chooses to do, I'm determined to stand behind him, and I can't wait to watch his journey.

What are some dreams you have for your children?

Until next time,

Lady Hurricane

Stretch Marks or Tiger Stripes?

Entering motherhood means entering into change. Everything changes in every aspect of your life the moment that little creation begins growing in your body.

I heard it every time I turned around: "You're body will NEVER be the same!" "Enjoy being skinny while you can, because it will be impossible after you have kids!" "You'll never get your butt back!"

I could have backhanded some of the people who shared these lovely insights with me. Not because they were wrong, but because they said it with such unkindness. The things they said WERE true, to some extent, but these things need to be shared with love. Especially when you are speaking to a hormonal ball of crazy wrapped in six layers of irrational.

I want to share with new moms and remind moms that have been around a time or two (or five) how our bodies have changed or will change, and why THAT IS OK!

My face is one of the places I notice quite a bit of change. I'm getting older, although I'm by no means old. I thought acne was a thing of adolescence. I thought it would disappear with scrunchies and Boy Meets World. It didn't. I break out worse now than I ever did in highschool. I blame hormones. Also, the fact that I get to wash my face about as often as I pee alone.

My face doesn't have the copper glow it once did when I could make weekly trips to the tanning salon. I never went a lot, but I liked looking like I had blood flow to my head. When I stopped tanning because I, frankly, had no one to watch the kids while I went and layed down for 15 minutes, I would have people ask me if I was feeling ok...(and let's face it, if I DID have 15 free minutes, it wouldn't be spent driving to the tanning salon)

I don't care if you breast fed or not, your boobs will NEVER be the same. I did nurse, and I know that takes an even bigger toll. Remember a long time ago when your breasts sat perky on your chest like a couple of ripe grapefruits? (Some of you may have been blessed with something more the size of canteloupe, sorry, I can't relate on that one.) No longer is that the case. Instead, you have tube socks that have an origin somewhere around your mid-chest and hang down to just below your rib cage if left unbridled.

Your belly? Ahhh. I know a woman who just had twins, and she has her 6 pack back after only 3.5 months. She rocks. I do not. I gained too much during my pregnancies. I got stretch marks. I am thin now, but my tummy isn't tight and toned. I have sagging skin and stretch that will keep me out of a bikini for the rest of my years.

My poor booty also faded away, just like "they" warned me it would. It got REALLY big during pregnancy, then, along with my sanity and sleep, it drifted away, never to be seen again.

My toes...Oh I remember the days when I used to sit in a massage chair and have someone rub my feet, gently sanding off any trace of a callous. These days my toes are covered in 4 month-old lime green nail polish and callouses I could scrub the stuck on macaroni off my floor with. They get trimmed when it is no longer comfortable to put on my shoes, and filing them is out of the question.

My finger nails are in a little better shape than my toes, simply because I can see them. They don't EVER get polished, but will get the occassional filing when I realize I'm scratching my kids during diaper changes. I can grow them to a decent length, but they are usually all varieties of lengths thanks to breaking one here and there while doing dishes, giving baths, opening barbie boxes and being a pack-mule.

Ok. So you get it. Your body has changed or will change. You will never be the same. When these women shared this with me, they simply left it at that. The part they left out is that IT IS OK!! It is ok to have more zits than you used to, to be pale, to be saggy, to be out of style. All of that is ok because you are a MOM! Being a mother is the hardest job I have encountered, and I don't know a single mother who would disagree with that.

I'm NOT saying that you shouldn't take care of yourself. I run. That is my "me" time. I do it for my health, for my sanity, and for the exercise. I do it because I love it. It is the one thing each day that I allow myself to do for ME. That is important. You cannot put yourself at the bottom of the priority list. That being said, there are some things that you have no control over, and things that WILL end up at the bottom, or not even make, said priority list. AND THAT'S OK!

The reason it is ok is because I have two gorgeous baby girls that bring more joy to my life than a six pack EVER could. They brighten my day more than a tanning bed. I focus on them, not on my zits. I'm no longer concerned about my nice tight rump, I'm making sure their's are clean.

I'll leave you with this last thought:

Until next time,
Lady Runner

The Germiest Season of the Year!

YAY! The holidays are upon us. A time when everyone stays inside with all their germs and shares them around the festive dinner tables! Before you decide to go visit the in-laws with full face masks on, let's talk about ways to be healthier with a stronger immune system this holiday season! (aaand hopefully afterward) There are several things that influence your health and especially your immune system. The biggest factors are stress and nutrition. I'm going to discuss the nutrition part.

     I know...it's a daunting topic. It's one that instills a sense of guilt in a lot of us. Let me stop you RIGHT THERE. I don't want this to guilt anyone. If you think there haven't been days that my kids have lived off of almost entirely Cheetos or crackers...you are wrong my friends. I know it's easier to say YOU will eat healthier than to get your kids to...so please don't feel I am judging you. ;)  I was blessed with two fantastic eaters which I have to figure is mostly from the fact that I ate such a variety during pregnancy and breastfeeding? I'm not sure how it happened, but I am thankful because I REFUSE to make special meals for the kids. That being said, I have plenty of friends who have picky eaters that I have SUCCESSFULLY fed vegetables to. (secretly..but that's another topic for another time)

     I know that the holidays are full of sweets and fatty foods. Let's prep for that NOW. We know that Vitamin C gets big hype for being an immune booster, but there are a couple of things you may not know...Vitamin C SUPPLEMENTS have been linked to a number of health problems and your body doesn't know the difference between Vitamin C and sugar. Okay, maybe that's not EXACTLY true, but the more sugar that enters, the less Vitamin C can. So if you are downing sweets all day and popping Emergen-C hoping not to get your nephew's cold...good luck. Your body will take in the sugar and toss what it believes to be "excess"(the Vitamin C). Your best chance is to beware overindulging in all that sugar AT LEAST up until the festivities you attend and try to get NATURAL FOOD BASED Vitamin C. (broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, brussel sprouts, strawberries, papayas, oranges..but not orange juice with sugar in it, cantaloupe, pineapple, cabbage, etc etc etc.) Your best bet this holiday season is to start now building up your body's defense. Wake up tomorrow and have an omelet with bell peppers maybe? I promise that the cake your aunt always makes will treat you better if you've been treating your body well up until then. ;) Everything in moderation!!

 ♧Lady Luck

    * I don't hate all supplements. I am fond of the ones that are PLANT BASED and not just a bunch of chemicals and artificial sweeteners. *

Nesting + A Five Year Old

I am officially 32 weeks!  Woohoo!  I mean “Oh no!”  I haven’t even had my baby shower, although it is this weekend {insert huge sigh of relief}.  I need to scrub our whole kitchen from top to bottom, inside and out.  I need to baby proof EVERYTHING.  I need to find the car seat…. I THINK it’s in our storage.  Oh goodness, I sure HOPE it is!  What if it’s dirty, or broken, or it’s been recalled, or….?  If I don’t have that I can’t even bring our baby home!

    So this is what has been running through my head for the past week and as you can tell I’m officially in panic mode!  The instinct to nest has officially set in and even though I have the urge to run around and take apart everything to scrub every little nook and cranny it’s not that easy.  You see, I have this amazing child who is 5 years old who also needs his mama’s love and attention.  But for the past week or :/ maybe longer?  I have been stressing about scrubbing, cleaning, organizing, just making sure everything is safe and ready for baby M.  There have been times that I have wanted to rip my hair out because I am so overwhelmed and feel pulled in so many directions.  It just feels as if time is running out!  I have lost my patience with my 5 year old (Z) more times than I would like to admit.  I’ve tried to have him help his mama out so we can work as a team and be MORE productive, but usually because I’m so stressed it just ends up with me being even more annoyed that the job isn’t being done correctly.   It’s not his fault, really, I know it isn’t, and he does try, but I can’t help but lose my battle to frustration at times.  

  

       A few days ago after a long and tiring day of attempting to accomplish cleaning more than a small section of our home I noticed a small dry patch of skin on my son’s cheek.  I had him go into our room so I could rub some raw shea butter on his face.  I then proceeded to begin rubbing some into my stomach as well.  He asked me in the sweetest little voice “Mama, can I do that for you?”  I told him yes and as he began he started to sing “You Are My Sunshine” to his little brother inside of me.  Tears began to well up as I looked into the big brown eyes of my beautiful son and listened to his small sweet voice.  He was such a proud big brother and to see him lovingly sing to baby M and look after me in such a tender way completely melted my heart.  

      You see, I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to getting things ready or planning events.  It can be a really wonderful thing as I pay attention to the smallest details and make sure that every aspect is covered thoroughly.  But it can also be a bad thing because sometimes I get tunnel vision, being so caught up in one idea and wanting it to be “perfect” that I forget everything that’s going on around that one thing I’m aiming at achieving.

     In this case, my perfectionism of wanting a perfect, safe, and clean environment got the better of me.  So I took a deep breath as it became clear to me how hard I had been going on this whole nesting thing with myself and him.  I realize that I won’t get many more opportunities where it is just Z and I as it has been for the past 5 years.  So after he finished I had him crawl into my lap and I rocked him back and forth singing “You Are My Sunshine” to him.  I then told him how proud I was of him for helping his mommy and what a truly amazing kid he was.  I realize now that yes, there are things to do and get ready for baby M, but there are also moments right now that I need to be soaking up with Z because soon everything will be different.  My home will be in order and it will be a perfect, safe, and clean environment for baby M, but it will happen at a slower pace, and that’s okay because more importantly it will be filled with love

xoxo
Lady Sunshine

 

----- The freebie for you this week :):

*  A coupon for a box of FREE Mighty Oats.  These can be found at Whole Foods Market.  All you have to do is “Like” Little Duck Organics (the link above takes you directly to the page you need to be on).  Then just print off the coupon and it’s good until this Sunday the 24th of November!  

Here’s the description from their facebook page about their product:

- organic!

- no sugar added!

- gluten-free!

- non-GMO verified!

- kosher!

- sourced locally when possible!

- supah, supah tasty! :D