Every year....

Every year one of our Christmas traditions is for me to read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, aloud to my children. I started when my oldest was about 9 years old. Every year we laugh, and at the end I cry. EVERY YEAR I cry. If you've never read it, I'd encourage you to borrow it from someone, or from the public library, and see what you think! Do you have any favorite books that you read to your children? I've pictured the treasury which includes 3 novels, but the Christmas novel is our favorite!

Do you see what I see?

Do you see what I see? It's a cut in the tablecloth. A child caused cut. There have been cuts before, and there will be more in the future. Several of my prized possessions have been broken. Others have been lost...and children will be children. Nothing is more important than my relationship with my Lord, my husband, and my children. I will not allow a cut in the tablecloth to come between me and my child. Accidents and mistakes happen. My goal has always been to have my children run TO me when they goof up. I don't want them afraid of me. They know they will be disciplined if they have been willfully disobedient. But not for mistakes & accidents.

When I turned 12 years old, my mother gave me her most prized possession- a diamond studded wristwatch that her mother had given her at the same age. I owned it exactly one month when I forgot it in my gym locker at school and someone took it. I never saw the watch again. Telling my mom was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. She was very sad, but never reprimanded me. She understood that no punishment could have equaled the pain that I was already feeling. That is the way that our children feel when they disappoint us . If anything good came out of the watch incident, it is that I remember exactly how I felt, and can sympathize with my children. Let's make a difference in their lives and be careful how we act and react when accidents happen and/or children are children!

A good time had by all

Thanks to the ladies of Strasburg Mennonite for the fun time this morning. :) It is evident that you love and care for each other and love Jesus. I would recommend that every mom of young children join a mom's group. You don't know how important it is until you start attending! Other moms can speak into your life, and the speakers each week share valuable information that will bless your walk as a mom, wife, and woman. If you live near Strasburg, I would encourage you to visit their Time Out program. Phone number is: 687-8471. Here are a few pictures of the arrangments that the moms made this morning.

Works for me!

I'm probably like some of you. We are a 1 income family! My husband works VERY hard so that I can stay home with the kids. 'Extra' money would be spent on the kids, not the parents. and that's fine!

It was always much more fun to count pennies and buy matching outfits for the kids, than a new outfit for me.

Times have changed. Most of the kids buy their own clothes. The girls babysit, and the older boys have jobs, so they have their 'own' money.

Although I don't like shopping for clothes, I knew it was time. My winter clothes were old. So, I walked into my favorite store and asked a nice sales clerk to please pick out some mix and match pieces for the winter. I tried them on, loved them and bought them ALL! Four blouses, 2 sweaters, a scarf, and a skirt. All within 15 minutes. That works for me. Yard sales would have saved money, but would everything have matched? Sometimes splurging on mom is WONDERFUL! And it is okay if I don't shop like all my girlfriends. My way can be okay.

Time to dress up and be happy....

My favorite 'old lady store,' as my 3 daughters refer to it, is having a GIGANTIC sale! Christopher and Banks is having a 40% off sale EVERYTHING in the store on Saturday, Nov.7th. AND, you can go today and look and try stuff on, and if you pay today, you pay the sale price, and pick it up tomorrow. I went on a shopping spree there on Wednesday, and am picking up my new wardrobe tomorrow. I even bought a scarf that you wear indoors....you know, the fairly new style that I'll just barely enjoy before it goes out of style:( I'll share my new wardrobe tomorrow and the story behind my sudden compulsion to spend money without thinking of the hundreds of ways that I could have used the money to benefit others.

How do you spell love?

Although my mom was a stay at home mom, she often left notes on the kitchen table welcoming my brother and I home from school, or directing us to a tasty snack. I started leaving my children notes. Sometimes a note on their pillow, or tucked in their sports equipment before a big game. I am not a creative writer, so the notes often just reminded them how much I loved them, or was proud of them, etc. Well, it should not have been a surprise, my behavior seems to be quite contagious to my children, (both good and BAD :( ). Soon they were leaving notes for my husband and I and their siblings. It has been a blast! Sometimes it's just a request to wake them up at a certain time, but it always includes a smiley face or term of endearment. The other morning I woke up to this:

I think that is a record! It's such a simple and fast way to affirm our love for each other!

Sun dials on every side!

I'm not addicted to time. I don't wear a wrist watch or carry a cell phone, but I am addicted to timeRS. If I lived in the days of sun dials, I'd probably have several!!! Timers are the kitchen gadget I would find hard to live without! I think they have multiple benefits for both moms and children. As I recently blogged, I teach my babies, at around 6 months of age, to sit and play quietly on my lap for 5 minute intervals, leading up to 30 minutes. Timers were a tremendous help during potty training! They knew they wouldn't be sitting there forever, so they accomplished the goal. When they begged to help me clean or cook at 2-3 years old, I set the timer for 5-10 minutes, and then praised them and thanked them,( and usually cleaned up their mess). I use the timer EVERY day with homeschooling, from speed tests, to just knowing when recess should start. I also learned that if I know how many minutes a job will take, the more likely I am to complete it. My least favorite jobs are cleaning the refrig and the shower. Because I know I can complete each one in less than 10 minutes, I don't mind tackling them, as much! We also play the 15 minute scramble. If a bedroom or living room or any room can't be cleaned up in 15 minutes or less, something is wrong, and we will declutter the room and get it in shape!

There are lots of other ways that I use a timer, but it just went off and I have to run!!!!!!

*What do you do when avocados are 33 cents each? Make a facial mask! :)