Ryan's Chore Chart

Just a quick idea for all of my friends with kids who don't yet read. A few months ago, I took pictures of things that I wanted Ryan to do in the morning and printed out a simple "Chore Chart" for him to refer to before going downstairs for breakfast. And even though I ask him every day to turn off his nightlight, because it's not been on the chart, he always forgets. So I added a couple of things to the chart last night and printed out a new one for him. Someone saw it in his room recently and mentioned that it was cool, so I decided to share with all of you, just in case your kids could benefit from this idea. I put his picture on the Chore Chart, plus each of the following:

Christmas Ryan-isms

As usual, Ryan provided many entertaining one-liners today. I wish I would have written them all down, but here are a few that I can remember. It was a really big day for him and I'm shocked we made it through without a single tantrum. We came close, but were able to talk him down off the ceiling prior to a full eruption.

- Last night at my mom's house, we all went around and said a quick prayer before dinner (all 20 something of us!) and most of us thanked God for family, health, stuff like that. But when it came to Ryan's turn, this was his prayer, "Dear Jesus, I just love you and I pray that you would help me not to pee pee in my diaper [at night]. In Jesus' name. Amen."

- We opened presents fairly sporadically throughout the morning today. Part of this was by design, but it was also partly because Ryan would become so excited about a new toy (or that everyone he loves most was in the same house) that he would need to stop and play for a bit. I've noticed over the years that he tends to get overwhelmed when there are lots of people or too much activity going on. After playing with a remote control helicopter for almost an hour, the battery went dead and we suggested he start opening the gifts from Mike's parents. He was completely disinterested. I ended up asking him to sit on my lap and that seemed to ground him for a little while and calm him down enough to open the rest of his presents. Initially, I had to explain that we look for his name on the tag, then he had to actually see what it was before tossing it aside. (there were some puzzles, Dr. Suess books and other non-battery operated gifts that may not seem interesting at first, but that I know he'll come to love!)

- With all of the great new toys the kids have, I'm going to officially start instituting time for them to play alone. I haven't done this since I had Kaylin and they don't play by themselves for very long anymore. But man, with all of the new-ness today, I hardly saw them! I read my new scrapbooking book in the family room for 45 minutes straight tonight while they played in the play room, together and separately. So every day, they'll get a new toy or two and we'll work up to a good amount of daily time that they play together without Mommy while I make dinner or do chores around the house. I had Ryan content for almost an hour alone when we first moved into the house. He got some much-needed down time and was able to play independently like a big boy. Then I ruined it by potty training him and following him around the house to make sure he wasn't having an accident!

Fairwell for now, old toys

For the last 3 years, I have vowed that the best way to keep things uncluttered and the kids interested in their toys is to rotate toys and books periodically. And after 3 years of putting it off, I finally did it today! You see, I know what's coming on Tuesday. I gave out the wishlists and have heard some mutters about purchases and I know that our families have gone overboard in the buying department. My kids don't need new stuff. We're really blessed in that department, but in reality, I need to help them appreciate the stuff they DO have. And that is why I have temporarily taken it away.

Tonight I gathered up most of the big toys, specifically the noisy ones, and boxed them up to put in Ryan's closet. What's great is that in a few months when all of the Christmas gifts start seeming like old news, I can rotate in their old favorites. This is a genious concept and one that I've heard about many times...why have I not done this before now???

Oh, and an update: I broke down and bought the parrot. When it's the ONLY thing on a kid's Christmas list, what's a mom to do? Ryan's going to flip when he sees it. I'll have the video camera charged and standing by, ready to roll. I can hardly wait for Christmas morning!

Lessons I've Learned

Lessons I've learned since being a mom...
- Only take advice from parents who have kids that turned out the way you hope yours will be
- I can drive, talk on the phone and hand Cheerios to hungry little people in the backseat all at the same time
- Sippy cups leak
- Glitter and sand are very, very messy
- I can handle a lot of kids shows, but the Wiggles and the Doodlebops drive me nuts
- The oldest child isn't always at fault
- The child who was caught isn't usually the one who started it
- If it's entertaining them, sometimes the mess is worth it
- Raisins, corn and kidney beans come out whole
- It won't hurt anyone if they play in the rain
- Kids have amazing memories
- Building confidence is critical
- Everyone in the family benefits from routines
- Sometimes correction is better received from others
- Kids are capable of more than we give them credit for
- They listen to more than we think
- Everything doesn't need to be done quickly
- Kids need space, too
- Letting kids "help" isn't always help for you, it's to help them learn, feel included and build confidence
- It's good to have daily, weekly and monthly traditions
- Sometimes it's easier for them to learn the lesson the hard way

Lessons I've learned in general...
- The days are long, but the years are short
- Sometimes it's better to keep your thoughts to yourself
- I can't stand the phrase, "You just wait..."
- I love feeling organized and productive
- Laundry left in the washer overnight in Phoenix smells sour by morning
- Don't judge others; you don't know their situation
- We all look back at pictures of ourselves wishing we "still looked that thin." And we'll look back in a few years at pictures of us today wishing the same thing
- Burned, overcooked cookies have the same calories as gooey, soft cookies fresh from the oven...eating the hard, crunchy cookies just isn't worth it
- Be intentional about making memories
- Slow down and enjoy the moments
- Things don't need to be perfect
- It's better to count to 5 before reacting
- If someone randomly pops into your head, take a moment to pray for them and give them a call when you get a chance
- Be purposeful
- Be a person of integrity
- Edify your family in front of others
- Pray daily, alone and as a family
- You'll be much less stressed if you just hand it all over to God...he's in control anyway!

Winter crafts

I'm trying to get creative with Ryan and do some fun, Christmas-y, winter-y crafts this month. Here are a few ideas to whet your parental pallet:

Of course, there's the chain links to count down the days until Christmas. I didn't have enough red and green construction paper, so I had him color typing paper with a red marker and other paper with green and cut it into strips. (A little ghetto, but it did the job and we're throwing the strips away each day anyway, right?)













Yesterday, Ryan asked if we could make a snowman for Daddy. It was raining like mad (I was in heaven) and it seemed he thought it might snow. Poor, snow-deprived kid! I got creative and made up a craft with mini-marshmallows, a toothpick and some chocolate sprinkles. We made our whole family; Me, Ryan, Kaylin and Daddy. Ryan was very specific about who was who.










Someone suggested this one to me a few months back, but I don't think I really get it. It's a reindeer...handprints for the antlers and a footprint for the face. Ryan's foot is so big that it looks more like a moose, but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to draw something on there to make it look more reindeer-like or what. Suggestions?

Useless facts for your Thanksgiving table

If you want to wow and amaze your friends and family this Thanksgiving, throw these useless facts at them...

• 25% of the world's population lives on less than $200 a YEAR (now you know you have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving)
• the longest record flight of a chicken is 13 seconds
• a dairy cow produces 100,000 glasses of milk in its lifetime
• a snail can sleep for 3 years (mmmm...I love sleep...)
• the first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum
• 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
• TYPEWRITER is the longest word you can spell using only letters from one row of your keyboard
• STEWARDESSES is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand (although it's no longer "politically correct")
• Shakespear invented the words "assassination" and "bump"
• Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors
• a raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continually from the bottom of the glass to the top (I wanna try this!)
• apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning
• the average ear of corn has eight hundred kernels arranged in sixteen rows
• almonds are members of the peach family
• The Bible does not say there were three wise men; it only says there were three gifts (I like the idea of our kids only getting 3 gifts from us for Christmas...just like Jesus did! We want them to be content with less "stuff." We'll see if that tradition lasts...)

A couple of fun party tricks: it's impossible to lick your elbow. Also, you can't physically eat 5 saltines (no liquids allowed) in less than 60 seconds. All of your crazy uncles or brothers-in-law will have fun with those.

Now go...enjoy your holidays with a brain full of a few more useless facts. Except that apples are more effecient at waking you up than caffeine. Please try it and get back to me, my coffee addicted friends!

Best friends

I love to hear Ryan and Kaylin play, especially in the backseat while I'm driving. She gut laughs, which just eggs Ryan on to ham it up even more. Things aren't always so peaceful at home, though. Unfortunately for her, whatever toy she's playing with at the moment always seems to be the most interesting thing in the house for Ryan. Ahhh...the joys of having siblings. Something I'll never understand.

Top 100 things that make me HAPPY

While reading through one of my scrapbooking magazines this weekend, I was inspired to write a list of things that I love. Just reading through this list makes me happy! I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes, sit down, and create your own list. Enjoy my list, but seriously...MAKE YOUR OWN! It's therapy for your soul. Don't start with 100...the task is too daunting. The first 10 or 20 will come pretty easy, then decide how long your list will be and keep it handy as you remember things throughout the day until you reach your own determined number.

These are in no particular order, just pretty much how they came to me. As silly as they seem, the biggest things that bring me joy are in a bigger font size.

1. my husband
2. being a mom
3. my family
4. salvation
5. fresh baked cookies
6. a clean kitchen
7. being organized
8. Ryan giggling
9. entertaining
10. scrapbooking
11. baking
12. watching people
13. the innocence of a child
14. the perfect photo shot
15. reading a magazine
16. a good workout
17. hugs
18. Trader Joe's
19. hot tea
20. rainy days
21. my front porch
22. smoothies
23. date nights
24. a sense of accomplishment
25. coupons
26. home videos
27. green grass
28. La Madeline restaurant
29. Kaylin's contagious smile
30. London
31. Christmas
32. pedicures
33. Nicholas Sparks' movies
34. fresh flowers
35. laughing
36. pesto
37. staying on schedule
38. someone else cleaning my house
39. being an only child
40. water
41. email
42. snuggling
43. feeling refreshed
44. serving the Lord
45. holding Mike's hand
46. getting in the short line
47. a comfy bed
48. The Office tv show
49. Paradise Bakery
50. baskets
51. mangos
52. my food processor
53. going to the cabin in Strawberry, AZ
54. a clean work space
55. crossing things off a list
56. Josh Groban's voice
57. my swimming pool
58. peace and quiet
59. getting a massage
60. autumn leaves
61. sleeping in
62. getting a good deal
63. square plates
64. confidence
65. a fresh haircut
66. Mike's gut laugh
67. my comfy robe
68. fresh berries
69. sincere compliments
70. my pantry
71. a delicious, healthy meal
72. the perfect outfit
73. my comfy robe
74. going to the movies
75. new notebooks
76. the smell of my kids after a bath
77. cool containers
78. my tall dining room table
79. Kansas City
80. Kaylin's babbles
81. chapstick
82. inspiration
83. Desert Ridge
84. feeling appreciated
85. clean sheets
86. lunch with a friend
87. Cosmopolitans
88. my quiet time corner in my room
89. my label maker
90. chasing Ryan
91. chicken florentine salad from Macaroni Grill
92. thunderstorms
93. negotiating a win:win
94. my apple slicer
95. finding money in a pair of last season's pants
96. my scrapbook room
97. babies
98. helping someone feel good about themselves
99. hearing Ryan say, "I love you Mommy" out of no where
100. feeling satisfied

A Refreshed and Rejuvenated Mom

I am a new woman! This weekend, we went up north to a cabin with two other couples and NO KIDS. It was our first time leaving Kaylin and my mom's first time having both kids for more than a few hours. Everyone did well, Ryan didn't even seem to miss us (He just confidently said, "Mommy and Daddy will be home on Sunday after my nap," in a "So what's the big deal?" tone.) and I don't think Kaylin knew we were gone until we returned home. She was so excited to see us; you could see the little lightbulb go off like, "There you are!!! I knew something was missing around here!"

So here's the crazy thing: I had looked forward to this weekend for months and I spent hours planning and packing what I would bring with me to scrapbook. For me, scrapbooking is therapeutic and that's how I wanted to relax on my weekend off. Then, the week before the trip, my allergies started acting up. That turned into a sinus infection, which lead to a sore throat, which resulted in 3 days of laryngitis. Thursday was day 1 and Friday we left for our trip.

Not being able to speak was torture! We carpooled with our friends for 2 hours to get to the cabin and the pressure from the supressed laughter made me tear up the whole time. My lack of voice didn't stop everyone from cracking jokes and having a good time. In fact, Mike suddenly came out of his shell and had everyone roaring. I went through a dozen tissues or more because I was silently laughing so hard, I was crying. It was like my body had to get the energy out SOMEhow. I just sat in the back of the van, whispering to my interpretter - a mute.

The weekend was perfect - we went on long walks in the woods every day, napped whenever we felt like it, read magazines, played games, watched movies and scrapbooked for hours on end. The guys played basketball, played some strategy games and watched 6-8 manly movies like Braveheart, Tombstone and We Were Soldiers. It was the most relaxed I've been in years. I feel so refreshed...I'm a new woman and a better mom than when I left last week!

My first BLOG

I would have never thought I'd start a blog, but I'm so busy lately that I hardly ever journal anymore. SO - instead of sending tons of random update emails and attempting to track the kids' accomplishments and priceless moments in my journal, I'll blog. This may be the easiest way to go!

My kids are amazing. Kaylin is growing and changing so fast. Last month, she went from being a cute little lump to rolling over, sitting up, waving, giving kisses, holding her bottle, shaking her head "no," clicking her tongue and she got her first two teeth. In the last week, she started feeding herself Cheerios, which is both a snack and entertainment for her. She also started signing, "more" the first time we introduced it to her. Looks like we slacked off a little on kid #2 with the teachable moments!

Ryan is getting so mature all of a sudden, too. I look at him sometimes wondering where the time has gone. His most recent inquiry is, "Mommy, are you happy?" He asks that when I'm obviously frustrated or in a hurry. It's quite humbling.

Things are good in our house, just busy. I'm helping my mom with her business, which is booming right now. I committed to 10 hours a week (working during naps and on Saturdays, if needed) and I'm currently clocking 25-30 hours a week. That's in addition to being a wife, stay at home mom and church volunteer. So I basically work every minute the kids are asleep. I need to slow down or I'm going to look around and realize that Kaylin started 1st grade.