Watch Introduction here: http://youtu.be/zfXgCx3f_1c
(image, reviews and links to purchase found here: http://www.amazima.org/katiesbook.html)
More about the Ministry & Author here: http://www.amazimaministries.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 29
read this book.
I can't do it justice to describe it, just, read it, that is all.
Watch Introduction here: http://youtu.be/zfXgCx3f_1c
(image, reviews and links to purchase found here: http://www.amazima.org/katiesbook.html)
More about the Ministry & Author here: http://www.amazimaministries.blogspot.com/
Watch Introduction here: http://youtu.be/zfXgCx3f_1c
(image, reviews and links to purchase found here: http://www.amazima.org/katiesbook.html)
More about the Ministry & Author here: http://www.amazimaministries.blogspot.com/
Friday, October 19
top 5: for the traveling mama
Been gone three days this week.. and I usually have at least 1 trip away each month. Here's my top 5 for traveling mama's
1. Don't leave your house spotless. I mean, clean up the major stuff that would grow legs and walk off during your absence, but if you leave it less than perfect, you're not so surpised at how "not perfect" it is when you return.
2. Don't expect to get a lot accomplished in the first few hours home. Leave the to-do list aside. Don't try to unpack. If you can just be present the first 10 minutes, often the time to get to the to do list happens much quicker, with many less meltdowns from your children, if you work in the space and time they give you instead of not "really" being home with them.
3. Pick up supper. Or have an imprompu picnic with what's already in your cabinent. You aren't gonna wanna cook. And you are probably not going to want to leave home again. Pick up a pizza. Or have a picnic with non-typical supper foods at your kids choice. We had: turkey/cheese rollups, grapes, goldfish, yogurt bites, cookies, chips, gummies. I won't win any parenting awards for healthy, well-balanced meal on this, but it was so non-stressful and my girls were just as happy as if I'd cooked!
4. Do ask your family what you missed! Ask about school, work, and share stories. Don't just jump back in the grind of co-existing - storytelling gets everyone settled back in together!
5. Loosen the grip on your kids. They probably have some pent up energy or emotion about their routine being disrupted (or maybe they don't).. but if the meltdowns, or high energy play, or tantrum come easily - recognize that your return and"life" resuming back at home all together can trigger the release of all that was built up while you were gone.
There you are.. a few words from a mom's who has done it today...
1. Don't leave your house spotless. I mean, clean up the major stuff that would grow legs and walk off during your absence, but if you leave it less than perfect, you're not so surpised at how "not perfect" it is when you return.
2. Don't expect to get a lot accomplished in the first few hours home. Leave the to-do list aside. Don't try to unpack. If you can just be present the first 10 minutes, often the time to get to the to do list happens much quicker, with many less meltdowns from your children, if you work in the space and time they give you instead of not "really" being home with them.
3. Pick up supper. Or have an imprompu picnic with what's already in your cabinent. You aren't gonna wanna cook. And you are probably not going to want to leave home again. Pick up a pizza. Or have a picnic with non-typical supper foods at your kids choice. We had: turkey/cheese rollups, grapes, goldfish, yogurt bites, cookies, chips, gummies. I won't win any parenting awards for healthy, well-balanced meal on this, but it was so non-stressful and my girls were just as happy as if I'd cooked!
4. Do ask your family what you missed! Ask about school, work, and share stories. Don't just jump back in the grind of co-existing - storytelling gets everyone settled back in together!
5. Loosen the grip on your kids. They probably have some pent up energy or emotion about their routine being disrupted (or maybe they don't).. but if the meltdowns, or high energy play, or tantrum come easily - recognize that your return and"life" resuming back at home all together can trigger the release of all that was built up while you were gone.
There you are.. a few words from a mom's who has done it today...
Monday, October 15
beach
We went to the beach for a few days as part of fall break last week. It was pretty fabulous! We stayed literally on the beach, with no steps, stairs, elevators or parking between us and the sand! Pretty perfect for when you've got littles and all their stuff!! Weather was beautiful too!
This was our first trip where BOTH girls LOVED, L-O-V-E-D the sand and the pool. Not so much on the ocean, although Hayley was brave enough to get up to her ankles with very little coaxing.
I don't have a ton of pictures... and what I do have isn't even on the beach! But oh, if I would have had a video camera, so many priceless moments!!
Boa decided she loved the sand so much that she would CRAWL from the ocean back to the path to the hotel... she's sporadically roll over dramatically and plop onto her back in the sand, take a deep breath and go again. During these crawling sessions she called herself a monkey, a frog, a lizard and a dog! She also let Michael dig a hole, put her in it and cover her up to her shoulders in sand...and then stayed there for a good 5 minutes, just sitting and chilling. She was especially fond of the BIG holes that other children had left behind, she'd scream so excited and barrell down them and then climb back up, again and again and again!!
Grady loves to be the demolition derby... build it, stack it, mold it.. he will mow it down.. with great joy! It is so funny to watch him, and hear his short little laughs everytime! He and Bowen also had a fun climbing to the top of sand piles and sitting down to "smash" them.
Hayley never blinked about the sand (unless it was in her mouth or eyes) and showed less fear with the ocean. She is such a cautious and easily spooked child! We are trying to be deliberate in "coaching" her out of her fears and talking her through situations. I know much of this will come with age as in previous years she wouldn't even put her feet in the sand and now she's digging in the edge of the water!
We took the girls to the "new" Miracle Strip where Bowen decided she LOVES (her words) the horses on the merry go round. We rode it twice! Hayley did the jumping pillow and really liked it and even got her nerve up to ride the merry go round on Bowen's second round (although she rode on one of the benches that didn't move!) Michael says she decided halfway through the ride she wanted to try a horse, but we were out of tickets and we don't move while the ride is moving! I hope she'll be brave again the next time we are at a merry go round!
We also let them each pick out one new pair of Crocs at the Croc Store in Pier Park... they were TRUE girls, both trying on several pairs and ooo'ing and ahhh'ing over all the choices and colors.. and then we wore the shoes out of the store!!
It was a really great few days at the beach with all our crew...and probably the last time we'll be able to get away with just 2 adjoining rooms, the Smith's are gonna take up a room of their own come next beach season!! We take up a whole one since we usually split the beds/girls.. one parent/one child. It was very nice to travel without a pack-n-play! We also went without a stroller but Boa hitched a ride with Grady and that was nice too! Now if I can get serious about getting her potty trained we can drop these pullups too!!
This was our first trip where BOTH girls LOVED, L-O-V-E-D the sand and the pool. Not so much on the ocean, although Hayley was brave enough to get up to her ankles with very little coaxing.
I don't have a ton of pictures... and what I do have isn't even on the beach! But oh, if I would have had a video camera, so many priceless moments!!
Boa decided she loved the sand so much that she would CRAWL from the ocean back to the path to the hotel... she's sporadically roll over dramatically and plop onto her back in the sand, take a deep breath and go again. During these crawling sessions she called herself a monkey, a frog, a lizard and a dog! She also let Michael dig a hole, put her in it and cover her up to her shoulders in sand...and then stayed there for a good 5 minutes, just sitting and chilling. She was especially fond of the BIG holes that other children had left behind, she'd scream so excited and barrell down them and then climb back up, again and again and again!!
Grady loves to be the demolition derby... build it, stack it, mold it.. he will mow it down.. with great joy! It is so funny to watch him, and hear his short little laughs everytime! He and Bowen also had a fun climbing to the top of sand piles and sitting down to "smash" them.
Hayley never blinked about the sand (unless it was in her mouth or eyes) and showed less fear with the ocean. She is such a cautious and easily spooked child! We are trying to be deliberate in "coaching" her out of her fears and talking her through situations. I know much of this will come with age as in previous years she wouldn't even put her feet in the sand and now she's digging in the edge of the water!
We took the girls to the "new" Miracle Strip where Bowen decided she LOVES (her words) the horses on the merry go round. We rode it twice! Hayley did the jumping pillow and really liked it and even got her nerve up to ride the merry go round on Bowen's second round (although she rode on one of the benches that didn't move!) Michael says she decided halfway through the ride she wanted to try a horse, but we were out of tickets and we don't move while the ride is moving! I hope she'll be brave again the next time we are at a merry go round!
We also let them each pick out one new pair of Crocs at the Croc Store in Pier Park... they were TRUE girls, both trying on several pairs and ooo'ing and ahhh'ing over all the choices and colors.. and then we wore the shoes out of the store!!
It was a really great few days at the beach with all our crew...and probably the last time we'll be able to get away with just 2 adjoining rooms, the Smith's are gonna take up a room of their own come next beach season!! We take up a whole one since we usually split the beds/girls.. one parent/one child. It was very nice to travel without a pack-n-play! We also went without a stroller but Boa hitched a ride with Grady and that was nice too! Now if I can get serious about getting her potty trained we can drop these pullups too!!
Tuesday, October 2
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