Kid Craft Ideas Sunday, Jun 28 2009

I’ve wanted to do more crafts with my kids this summer, but sometimes I just come up empty for ideas.  This week, I’m checking out The Crafty Crow, a collective blog for kids’ crafts!  Thought you all might enjoy it too!

Here are a few more cool kid craft blogs/sites I’ve come across. 

[Disclaimer: Just because I link to a site doesn't mean I endorse everything on the site.  These are sites that have inspiring ideas for things to do with kids, but obviously I haven't had time to read every post on every blog...Read with discernment! ]

Little Elephants

Marcel’s Kid Crafts

Unplug Your Kids

Chica Schmica

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Bargains Seen About Town Thursday, Jun 18 2009

Here are a few good (or relatively good) deals I’ve seen while out and about over the past week or two.  Local friends, hope this is helpful to you!  P.S.  I didn’t buy all this stuff!!! 

Big Lots

Stainless steel water bottles, $3

Restaurant-style mugs, plates, and bowls in a variety of colors, $1

Large wicker baskets, $5

Rubbermaid-type tubs, $5

(I think some of these are things they keep in stock most of the time, but it was new to me.)

Tuesday Morning

Peter Rabbit tea set, normally $50, now $19.99

King sized sheet set, normally $450, now $89

Beautiful pillow cases, normally $45/set, now $15/set

Blue and white tea pot, $25 (I think the original price was around $50)

Dillards

Little girls’ Stride Rite tennis shoes in several styles, 70% off…normally around $40-45…now $10-12

Dress Barn

You can pick up a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more, or $15 off a purchase of $75 or more.  To me this is not a huge bargain, but it definitely helps if you planned to spend that much or buy something new anyway.  I believe the sale runs from June 26-July 8???

Cedar Chest Thrift Store

Costume jewelry, new in package, just a couple dollars per set.  Someone donated a large amount of brand new inventory from a store closing.

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Tell us about bargains you’ve seen lately!!!

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Summer Fun Ideas Needed! Saturday, Jun 13 2009

School is out.  It’s sometimes too hot for outdoor activity.  What ideas do you give your kids when they complain that there is nothing to do?  It would be great if the ideas were things they can do at home without excessive adult supervision…We are doing lots of fun things together this summer, but I need some things they can do on their own too!

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The Need for Silence? Friday, Jun 12 2009

Growing up, my dad had a very low tolerance for noise, especially recorded noise.  Although we were never allowed to play our music loudly, nine times out of ten he either had us turn it off or down–way down–when he was home.  My mom never allowed us to become dependent on having music to work by.  “I don’t want you to think you can’t work unless you are listening to music,” she said.  I remember how irritated I used to get!  Now I know that they gave us a great gift.  Times of quiet bring mental and emotional rest.  And no, I don’t always have to have music to work by (although it’s nice sometimes).  I have to admit that I’m even turning into my dad in some ways, as media noise grates on my nerves when it goes on for too long.

Yesterday, Al Mohler posted a great blog article on children and the need for silence. In our noise-polluted society we sometimes forget that we (and our children) need times of quiet.  Today it takes a conscious effort to find silence, because noise is the world’s default setting.  But it’s worth it!

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How I Accidentally Created Non-Picky Eaters Wednesday, Jun 10 2009

I’m often asked why my kids eat so well or how I keep them from being picky.  I’m fortunate—I never set out to not raise picky kids or to be a food Nazi, but apparently I have accidentally succeeded in raising children who aren’t too particular.  In retrospect, here are a few reasons I think that happened.  Again, it was by accident.  And I’m not claiming it’s foolproof.  I might end up with a picky kid tomorrow.  But for what it’s worth, here’s what I’ve done that has (apparently) worked.

I breastfed exclusively until 6 months. No bottles, no cereal, no fruit; just good mama milk.  I have read that babies’ palates develop through mother’s milk and even while in utero.  This is good news for me (except that my kids must be addicted to peanut M&M’s and Reese’s peanut butter cups.  Oops.).

No baby food. Once they were 6 months or older (a couple of mine have not really cared for solid food till 8 months or later), I mashed up whatever we ate for baby, especially fruits and veggies.  (I avoided high-allergy foods like strawberries, peanuts, and egg whites, of course.)  If they like it, fine.  If not, they were still getting plenty of breastmilk.  I also never gave my babies much juice or other flavored drinks.  If they got a sippy or bottle, it was for water.  They never knew the difference!  Since my kids are developmentally normal, I am really low-key about introducing solids.  They will eat when they are ready.  They are all very healthy and rarely sick.

Once they were older, I didn’t prepare separate “kid food.” When we had spaghetti, I didn’t get them pizza.  When we had grilled chicken, they didn’t get nuggets.  When we had fajitas, they didn’t get nachos.  They ate what we ate.  (If we ate junk, so did they—haha!)  I don’t force my kids to eat stuff they really hate, but I am not a short order cook and I’m not fixing a bunch of separate dishes just because they are kids.  The concept of “kid food” is a modern phenomenon.  If I do require them to eat a portion of something that is not their favorite, I will serve them a tiny amount, like a teaspoon full.  I’m not really into creating food battles.

I make most of their snacks such as cookies, muffins, etc…and I try to make them healthful or at least more healthful than the boxed alternative.  Sometimes I serve fruit or veggies with dip.  My kids love and adore processed junk food, but they also love real food made from scratch because that is what they eat most of the time.  They even sometimes love foods that I think are disgustingly healthful.

They’ve participated in growing some of the food they eat. Most years we have had some kind of garden, even if it’s small.  I have found that when kids “own” the process of food production, they are much more willing to try those foods.  My kids readily eat foods not typically considered kid-friendly such as squash, lettuce, kumquats and Japanese plums because they have watched them grow and then get to harvest them themselves!  There’s so much fun in that!

I get this question a lot, so there you are, for what it’s worth!

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Wonderful Mama Wisdom Friday, May 22 2009

Ladies, I read this gem of wisdom from a mama who is past the baby stage and now has teenagers.  It was such a precious reminder to let my littles work alongside me, keeping a long-term vision rather than getting mired down in my to-do list.  I usually read Clarice’s blog for creative and crafty inspiration, but this time she has great insight for us mamas!  Precious words, don’t miss them!

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Mommy Time Management! Wednesday, May 20 2009

I think as stay-at-home moms, it’s very easy to let things suck up our valuable time.  For me (and maybe for some of you, too) the computer has historically been a big distraction.  I knew I was spending a little too much time online, and I toyed briefly with disconnecting our home internet service altogether, but since I shop and research online, and because I use internet resources for our homeschool, that didn’t seem like the best solution.  What I needed was more self-discipline!

Here’s how I’ve (mostly) conquered my temptation to spend too much time online and not enough time in real life.

First, I owned up to the fact that I was spending too much time on the computer when I should be spending it with my children, or doing other things God has called me to do.  Confession and repentance are key in changing behavior.

Next, I utilized a few internet tools to simplify the time I spent online.  Facebook has been a huge help in keeping up with friends and family.  Sure it’s fun, but it’s also been very practical for me.  Most of the people I contact regularly are on Facebook, so it’s a one-stop shop for communication.  I also subscribed to blogs I read using Bloglines.  Instead of clicking through long link lists for updates, I just have to go to one place to see who has updated.  Subscribing to each blog or feed made me carefully consider whether or not I really needed to stay up to date with this particular information source.  I eliminated a lot of blogs I used to check regularly, saving the ones that are most helpful to me as a wife and mom (and a couple that I read just because I enjoy them or find them inspirational).  Now when I get online, I typically only go 3 places: email, Facebook (trying to avoid the temptation to play games or get sucked into the more time-intensive aspects of it…I use it mostly as a glorified email service), and Bloglines.

The final and most helpful thing I’ve done is to leave the computer off until after lunch. I don’t even check email in the morning any more. Although I wasn’t spending hours at a time online, it was easy to “just check one thing” for a couple minutes, and before I knew it my whole day was derailed.  Those few minutes add up.  This is probably a no-brainer to most of you, but it has revolutionized my days.  When my mornings go badly, the whole day is shot.  I stay on track much better when the computer is not calling my name.  If I think of someone I need to write or something I need to look up, I keep a running list and handle it all in one session after lunch, while the kids do something quiet.  (This way I also know they are not running wild while I am distracted…I am sure my kids are the only ones who take advantage of mom’s distraction!)

Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy my online time and I don’t believe it’s wrong at all, if properly managed, just as I don’t think watching TV or engaging in other recreation is wrong.  Balance and discipline are the keys.  I just want to make the most of my time.  In 50 years I cannot imagine saying, “I sure wish I had spent more time on the computer and less time with my family.”

So what about you?  How do you manage distractions and time-wasters in your day?

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Overcoming Mastitis Friday, Apr 10 2009

Ladies!  I am venturing into the the realm of the extremely practical today!  Sometimes we just need practical information, so here’s some that I hope will be a help to someone.

If you’ve breastfed for any length of time at all, more than likely you’ve had a run-in with the ugly beast that is mastitis. Basically, as I understand it, mastitis is a plugged milk duct (painful in its own right…the words hard, hot, and hurting pretty well sum it up) that’s gotten infected. And that can happen at the drop of a hat.

The first couple times I got mastitis I had no idea what I was doing and I ended up on antibiotics and in bed for a week. Now I can see it coming and (usually) head it off before it gets a good foothold. Since I’m not a doctor or medical professional, I’m just going to tell you mamas what I do and you can do your research and make up your mind whether or not you think it’s worth a try next time you are confronted with this scourge of breastfeeding mothers. Or if you are fortunate, you won’t ever have to deal with it, in which case you won’t need to read any farther.

1. Recognize early symptoms. Don’t just say, “Huh, why do I have this sore spot…?” and move on. Be proactive as soon as you think you might have a plugged duct. If you act quickly, you might stop it before it gets started. This has happened to me MANY times.

2. HEAT HEAT HEAT!!! Apply heat as often as you possibly can. My favorite method is to use a rice sock. Easy to make. Fill an old sock about ½ full of rice. Knot the top so the rice doesn’t pour out. Heat in the microwave for a minute or 2. (If you overheat it the rice will burn and smell kinda like burnt popcorn, in which case you may want to start over. Or not.) Apply to the sore place and keep it there as long as you can. Take care not to burn yourself. I sometimes wrap mine in a towel until it cools a bit.

3. WATER WATER WATER!!! Keep the fluids coming. Drink lots and lots. Water is best. Stay away from sugary drinks.

4. REST REST REST!!! Take a sick day or a couple. Nap. Watch TV. Go to bed early. If you can. Don’t overdo it. (Incidentally, getting overtired and run down is one thing that sometimes triggers mastitis.)

5. BABY! Letting baby feed will be painful, but one of the worst things you can do for yourself is to stop breastfeeding. Let your little one nurse as often as he will to keep you from becoming more engorged and infected. The milk is fine for baby. My friend Jenny, a mama of 8 encouraged me, “You can do it! This is when the wimps quit!” Hang in there! It will help!

6. Avoid sugar. Sugar feeds infection.

7. Garlic. I just take a garlic supplement. For a real kick, take fresh garlic. Garlic fights infection.

If you don’t knock it right away, pretty soon you might feel like you have flu, complete with fever, head and body aches, chills, the works. That is why it is so important to act as soon as you think you know what is going on. Even when it’s gotten to that point, aggressive action has enabled me to start feeling a lot better in 24 to 48 hours. It seems to be important to keep treating until you feel *lots* better. Don’t stop too soon. Of course, use common sense and see a doctor if you are really sick. I’m providing info on what has worked for me personally for informational purposes only.

Remember that breastfeeding is so wonderful for your baby! It is worth working through this to get to the other side!

Do the rest of you have any words of wisdom to share about what has helped you?

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Thursday, Apr 2 2009

I haven’t read Sally Clarkson’s book, but I’ve been greatly blessed by her encouraging blog.  These videos about mothering were just what I needed to hear this morning.  Hope you are blessed too.

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Returning Soon Wednesday, Apr 1 2009

Hi ladies, if anyone still checks here I want to apologize for my long absence.  I’m working on some stuff and should be back in the swing of blogging again soon.  I’ve missed it, and I’ve missed you all!

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