Life More Simply

Mother's Love book review and giveaway

2012-05-20T14:59:00.002-04:00

Mother's Love: Inspiring True Stories from the Animal Kingdom is a book that I was recently sent to review...in time for Mother's Day...and I must tell you, even though I wasn't able to get this post up before Mother's Day (work schedule, my sister's wedding, toddlers, oh, and my hot water tank bit the dust, leaving me with a flooded basement), this book is so very sweet and I love having it in my collection as it is an encouragement to me as a mother and also a wonderful piece to share with my children!

(excerpt from the press release of Mother's Love:)

MOTHER’S LOVE: Inspiring True Stories from the Animal Kingdom ($9.95 hardcover), by Melina Gerosa Bellows, with a foreword by actress Kate Hudson, features heartwarming tales that show there is no stronger power on Earth than a mother’s love, even among our winged and four-footed friends.

From a mother duck who tugged at a pedestrian’s pant leg with her beak to get help for her ducklings who had fallen through a sewer grate to an elephant that stood on her hind legs to lift her baby to safety in a flooded river to the cat that ran into a burning building five times to rescue her month-old kittens — despite singed fur, scorched ears and blistered eyes — MOTHER’S LOVE tells of heroic and touching animal feats that prove humans are not the only ones who go to elaborate lengths for the sake of their young.

In her introduction, Gerosa Bellows writes, “Perhaps these stories touch me so deeply because they illus trate the common bond of moth erhood. They show that mothers are mothers, no matter what species. Animals and humans alike have the natural ability to distinguish the unique cry of their own offspring from the cry of other babies. We are hardwired to love, protect, and care for our young. After all, the survival of each of our species depends on it."

There are two things that I love more than the rest about this book. The first is that the photography is phenomenal. There are sixty shots of mother and baby animal pairs (and ones that you wouldn't think would be pairs, but that got adopted in!) which really capture the emotion behind the relationship. The second thing I love is the powerful quotes on mothering which are interspersed throughout the text. This is a great book to share with your young children as the photos are large and the stories are short, and also a great book to keep on your desk to encourage you on your own mothering journey!

As I did work last Sunday, I still haven't been able to share Mother's Day with the mothers in my life--that's today's task. So as I bestow (what else?) books upon my mothers and hopefully get some snuggle time with my own babies reading Mother's Love to them while kissing their heads and having them in my arms, I want to offer you the same opportunity. You can win your own copy of this delightful book!

Two winners will be chosen. The first winner will receive TWO copies (one to keep and one to give to her mother), and the second winner will receive one copy of Mother's Love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received no compensation for this post and the opinions expressed are my own. Book for review and giveaway provided by Entertainment Marketing Group and National Geographic.

Should we allow our daughters to play with Barbies?

2012-05-09T19:08:00.000-04:00

When I think of my childhood, I think of my seven sisters and the hours we spent playing "Freeze Tag", forming "spy" clubs and kickball "clubs". I remember magical forts built in the woods, paths mowed through the field, and lots of make-believe playing indoors. One thing I don't remember are Barbies...because we never had them! And you know what? I never felt that I missed out.

Fast forward to today: I have a three-year-old daughter, and somehow, her firefighter-paramedic-drummer mother gave birth to a girl who has to play "ballet class" every day, wants to wear pretty clothes and paint her nails all of the time, and who would have every princess-related Disney item possible if I allowed it! I didn't encourage this behavior, but I have allowed her to move in the direction she naturally chooses when it comes to "tom-boy" or "girlie" related things by having both available and being excited with her as she experiences and learns new things, regardless of which end of the spectrum they belong.

I thought I was doing, ok, right? I mean, she's three-years-old...I don't have to worry about this stuff too much yet, right? Maybe, maybe not. Meet: The Real-Life Ukrainian Barbie Doll. This 21-year-old from the Ukraine is reported to have transformed herself into a real life Barbie Doll, and according to the video linked above from ABC, she isn't the only female to have done this. WHAT?! I daresay that I don't need to explain or speculate any further than to say that I'm shocked by this, and I would be horrified at my parenting if my daughter ever was so critical of her image that she went so far to transform herself, and to a non-human image, on top of that!

Where did this parenting go wrong, or is there an underlying mental illness that was triggered somewhere along the way? I think that we can clearly say that this woman played with Barbies as a girl, but with as many adults who had Barbies as children and are now normal, functioning adults with a healthy self esteem, can we really link the over-sexualized self conscious behaviors common to today's young women to just Barbies?

My daughter doesn't have Barbies, and I had never planned for her to have them simply because of the unrealistic over sexualized toys that they are. What about Disney princesses, though, who also often are found to have unrealistically small waists, larger than life breasts, and who always need a man to make their "happily ever after" to come true? Where is the line to be drawn?

Do you allow Barbies and princesses into your home, and did you play with them growing up?

Vegan Foods Protein Chart

2012-05-01T19:54:00.000-04:00

Great resource for figuring out all of your protein needs without having to rely on animal products! It's also interesting that some of the very high protein items listed here are also very high in iron content. Makes me want to reconsider being a vegetarian again. ;-)

Pruning the Facebook Tree

2012-04-23T14:14:00.001-04:00

These days, it's considered abnormal for someone to not have a Facebook account. Along with our account, comes needless time spent "facebook stalking" others, broadcasting our emotional life through passive-aggressive statuses, and building our self esteem up through our lengthy grocery list "to do today" posts or descriptions of the 4 course dinner we just made (did you ever notice that no one ever mentions that the house is a wreck and the kids have been parked in front of the TV all day while that dinner was made or that amazing blog post was written?).

*NOTE: I am writing this post during nap time. Even though I should actually be studying right now. (cringe). *

Along with all of the nonsense though, comes a lot of good things out of Facebook. I'm able to reconnect with old friends, share photos with family across the country, and can be quickly alerted if anyone has a need that I can meet. However, we all know that this is rarely the only thing that comes out of using Facebook.

Facebook is the one thing in life that you can easily control. Did someone make you upset? Are you wasting your time? Did you get offended? Are you being tempted to emotionally connect with someone other than your significant other? These things can really weigh us down, and they are all to often mediated by this addictive social network! The solution is easy, though---VERY easy: click the "x" and get out of it. Getting out of a website or clicking a button on your computer is easy! Wouldn't it be great if the rest of our lives were so easy?

(Why thank you, Ms. Know-It-All for saying that ridiculous comment and hurting my feelings and stressing me out. I think I'll just take my finger and press your nose and WHOLA! you will disappear and never return to my vicinity again!)

Here's another secret: are you being emotionally drained by something derived from Facebook? Guess what?! You can delete that person from being your "friend" (or "block" them from seeing your statuses or you from seeing theirs if you don't feel comfortable "unfriending" that person). Facebook, like anything in life, should be building us up as a person. Our use of it should be intentional and in our control. If it is not intentional, we should be looking at how to change that. Living with purpose is similar to pruning a tree. We can let our life grow wild and out of control, dropping dead branches, getting infested with bugs, and entangling ourselves and others in its growth, or we can be purposeful about limiting outside and intrinsic influences, carefully shaping it like a Bonsai tree. We can prune out things that aren't helping us get to where we need to in life, and we can make decisions now that will influence how are life looks ten years from now.

I'm not saying Facebook is horrible. In fact, I think it's a great tool. I am simply saying that if it is causing you to stumble or if the "friends" you have on it are tearing you down instead of building you up, then please have the courage to change some things.

Here are some questions to help you decide who should stay on your "friend" list so that you can have a beautiful Bonsai Facebook tree instead of a massive droopy Willow tree that entangles itself and you.

1) Whose life are you genuinely interested in, whose do you not care about, and whose Facebook page do you stalk because you are nosey or enjoy gawking at them to either make yourself feel better or because it's entertaining? Be honest. It isn't fair to stalk another person's life (even if they are foolish enough to put it out there for everyone to see) if it's not because you are being genuine.

2) Who causes you strife on Facebook? It might be through her statuses, comments on yours, or even from that one person who drives you crazy because he sends you three Farmville requests every day.

3) Who would you actually seek out to talk to if you saw them in real life? Anyone who doesn't make this cut should probably not take up room on your Facebook tree.

Once you get your Friends' list trimmed down, you may want to consider a few other actions, too. Simple solutions to real problems (don't think anyone has these problems? Talk to your friends!):

1) Problem: spending time on Facebook inhibits you from accomplishing things you need to, or takes time away from your family.

Solution: decide on a particular time of day/week that you will be on, and actually stick to not getting on outside of that time frame. If you do this, then make sure you aren't getting email or text/phone alerts about Facebook activity. Another solution is to only use your Smartphone and to not get on the website version. This is what I do and it does really limit the amount of time viewing other people's pages or sending message to people just because it's not as easy to do through my app than it is via my PC and website.

2) Problem: people who you don't feel you can delete (family, for instance) are really bothering you.

Solution: block them from seeing your statuses, or make it so theirs don't pop up in your news feed. This has been a wonderful emotional-tank saver in my life!

3) Problem: You are getting too involved with someone you shouldn't.

Solution: share your password or even an account with your significant other. It's also pretty easy to delete someone, and even if you struggle in the beginning, protecting your relationship is very much worth the uncomfortableness you may experience at first.

Keep watching Life More Simply--I will be launching a Facebook Bonsai Tree Challenge very soon that will give you an opportunity to take back your personal Facebook life and live with intention! If you choose to start pruning back your Facebook Tree today, be sure to note how many "friends" and "pages liked" you started with so you can report this in the challenge! Get excited about shaping your life. This is only one step, but it has the potential to greatly improve your thoughts, and taking your mind captive is the key to living the life you want.

Live homebirth being webcasted NOW!

2012-04-19T21:20:00.003-04:00

As I write this, Jessica, a mother of five, is birthing her sixth child...at home, and for all of the world to see. Attended by a midwife and complete with a media representative (Anna) who answers questions and keeps the audience updated with Twitter-style text updates, this family is allowing everyone to become part of the intimate birth story of their child.

Are you watching? Would you show your own birth live on the Internet? How does this benefit or hurt the audience and the family being viewed?

While I am currently at work (oh my, a 45-hour long shift), I am unable to watch it (my male coworkers insisted that no birth is going to be seen on the public computer while they are in the room!)...but if you are interested, you can catch the whole event here: http://theleakyboob.com/2012/04/live-birth-event/

Discipline: Making it Effective by Making It Personal

2012-04-18T16:54:00.001-04:00

"You are not managing an inconvenience. You are raising a human being." -Kittie Franz

Anyone who has more than one child has probably noticed that while one child will cry if you look at him wrong, the other child will defy every Nanny 911 philosophy and will still be screaming and kicking 2 hours after you began the discipline routine (forget that "they give up after 40 minutes" nonsense!). What then, is the key to discipline that works? It's simple: the child.

It would be nice if every home could have a chart that had a specific consequence for every possible offense. However, even if you could come up with a chart like that, I'm afraid the impact one consequence has on one child is very different from another child. Look at it this way: if your teenager said a vile word, you might take away her cell phone for a day, thus putting her into the depths of despair and ensuring she will not say this word [in front of you] ever again. If your toddler said a naughty word, taking a phone away probably wouldn't mean a thing and thus you will probably hear the word "SHUT UP!" again (when my 3-year-old wishes to be as downright naughty as she can possibly be, that is what comes out her mouth at high rates and volumes). See where I'm going with this?

Here are some guidelines to choosing an appropriate and effective discipline strategy for your child.

1) Discipline is behavior modification and should be thought of as such. Thinking of a consequence as a "punishment" places the focus on your child obeying you because of your power rather than your child developing into a morally, ethically, and wise individual who makes good decisions. And yes, your child will learn to obey/respect authority--but it will be because he understands that he should instead of because of fear. Keep the purpose of discipline in mind and you will go far.

2) The discipline should be appropriate to the offense. My daughter refused to pick up her toys in the time I allotted her to do so the other day. As a result, I put all of the remaining toys on the floor into a box which she then had to earn back (which her 3-year-old spirit refused to give in to and do until TWO days later). Notice that the discipline matched the offense (the offense, in reality, was disobeying mama. The action that showed the offense though, was not picking up the toys. So the discipline was relative and concerning the toys--it is a much more concrete A to B relationship for my child to learn if I keep the discipline flowing from the same object that was the problem in her mind!). I kept the consequence consistent with the problem, and I also kept it in proportion. I didn't take all of her toys away, just the ones that she didn't pick up in time.

3) The discipline should be meaningful to the child. Study your child to see what impacts that child the most, and use that to your advantage when choosing discipline strategies. For example, if your child who loves to write was mean to someone, it may work well to have him write five letters of positive affirmation to specific people, or to write a list of 20 things that are positive about the person he was mean to. Also, a social child will feel very negatively toward being separated from the rest of the family, while a more introverted child will find having 10 minutes away from everyone a welcome experience. You don't always have to chose the most drastic measure to create the most memorable impact on the child.
4) The discipline should be immediate. Research shows that to change the behavior of someone, immediate consequences are most effective. Often times, delaying a consequence is done to create a level of fear. If we are attempting to shape our child's character out of love rather than fear, though, manipulating the environment like that should be avoided. :) Yes, this will be inconvenient to you, and you may not always be able to make it happen. But if you threaten your toddler with you pulling over the car if he pokes his sister again, then you had better be ready to pull that car over, or your child will quickly learn that mom doesn't mean what she says and that he can get away with poor behavior. And that "wait until your father gets home" philosophy? I mean, really? Don't you want your child to respect both parents equally and know that the parents are on the same team? Discipline your child, mama, it is your responsibility to raise him right!

5) The discipline should be consistent. Keep the standards for your child as consistent as possible between homes and environments. If your child gets into trouble for hitting at home, he should also get into trouble for hitting while he is at the grocery store. Having the same discipline consequence for an offense doesn't matter as much as simply having a discipline consequence for the offense. For instance, if the child is at dad's house and is disrespectful, he may have to go to his room for 10 minutes. At mom's, he may end up in the corner for the same offense. The point is that your child will do better if he has the same set of standards, not necessarily consequences, for his behavior regardless of location.

The ultimate idea here is to learn about your child. It is important to shape a character without crushing it, and this can only be done by making each consequenec appropriate and personal for the individual character it is supposed to shape.

A borrowed thought on birthing without fear

2012-04-17T21:42:00.000-04:00

I began cleaning out my blog subscription list tonight. The first one was deleted with no problem since the author hadn't posted anything in a year. Then, not recalling what the next blog was, I clicked on Heartbeat Photography...and fell in love. I have a soft spot for newborn and pregnancy photography. There is something magical and beautiful about it. This woman, wherever she is from and whomever she is, gets it. The moments she has captured are just that--magical and beautiful. What I want to share with you, is a paragraph that she wrote on the page who explains who she is as the artist behind the photos.

"Beyond capturing souls, hearts, smiles, bellies or little toes; I have discovered a great love for speaking, mentoring, and educating my fellow sisters in faith about their glorious bodies, swollen bellies, growing babies and the journey and miracle of bringing new life into the world. I educate, create, inspire, doula, midwife and walk 'with women' to help them and love on them as they fulfill our most amazing task: to bring forth the life that our God has created."

My favorite words from her, though, are this:

"Women are the carriers of life. We hold the fruit of Christ's love beneath our hearts. Our curses have been taken by the blood of the lamb and we no longer need to serve fear, death, pain or torment. We are free. It is time we started to birth with the Faith that He has given us."

(http://ourheartsbeating.blogspot.com)

Goodnight Moon Lullabye Song (listen for FREE!)

2012-04-06T11:00:00.002-04:00

Renowned Grammy-award winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, has created a beautiful rendition of the childhood storybook classic “Goodnight Moon” into a Phantom Of The Opera style lullaby. The music breathes of elegance and sophistication while enchanting the listener with an uncluttered melody line and a robust string accompaniment. This song is so much better than the common children's music on the market today. As a private music instructor and having been trained in the Music Together early childhood music curriculum and theories, I tell you from the voice of research that it is very important for your child's musical development to listen to music in a variety of styles, keys, modes, time signatures, etc.. This song meets a lot of criteria for stimulating positive brain activity and musical development and I would definitely turn up the computer and let this song play in the background of your day. :)

Take a listen at http://heargoodnightmoon.com to stream it for free!

(I received no compensation or even acknowledgement for this review and the opinion is certainly all mine)

Discipline: When to Enforce, When to Have Grace

2012-04-05T20:46:00.002-04:00

"What is best for the child is not always what is most convenient for the parent."

~ Bonnie Bedford

My son turned 21-months-old two days ago. Tonight was the first time he ever folded his arms while telling me "no" as he stood in his high chair after I had told him to sit on his bum during dinner. As soon as dinner was done, I got the kids washed up and into jammies. Again, my son defied me when I tried to put him into his bed. Even though he was fed, clean, warm, and had his beloved "blankie," he was still so very upset. The problem? He wanted to wear his sneakers to bed...

Parenting little ones can all too often include power struggles over whose way something is going to get done--including if we are going to listen to mommy and sit during dinner, or if mommy is going to give in and let us stand while we eat! How do you foster independence and self reliance while still raising a child who knows how to obey and be respectful--and who doesn't feel entitled because he always gets his way? And how do you know which things to let go of, and which things to enforce? These tips will help you decipher this very question.

1) Uncover your motivation. What is the reason behind what you are asking your child to do? If it's a safety concern, then YES, you need to enforce your request and the child needs to obey immediately or have consequences appropriate to the situation/child/age. If safety is NOT a concern, then move to Tip #2.

2) Make sure it isn't a power struggle for you. Sometimes, let's face it, we want to enforce an idea of what our child should do because we want to "win." For some reason, it seems perfectly logical in the moment, but not so logical as I write this and think about myself facing off with a kid who can't even talk yet. Isn't teaching our child self control, love, and respect of more importance than teaching them to obey without question? Don't get me wrong; I want my child to be able to obey without question, because it could save her life some day. I also, though, want her to be able to reason and not just blindly follow someone, because the ability to reason could save her life later on when I'm not there. I also want my child to know that I will consider her feelings and thoughts, but that I will also enforce what I feel is the best decision for her (at least at this age!).

3) It ultimately comes down to this: do you want to enforce something because it's good for your child, or because it's good for you? What is the issue at stake, and does it really matter? There will be times when you need to stick to your guns simply because your child is learning to obey. Other times, you need to show grace and allow your child to do it "his" way because it's an issue that really doesn't matter and allowing him to choose helps his development in some way.

For us tonight, my son sat during dinner and wore his sneakers to bed.

Win pizza for a YEAR with Freschetta's Rally For Real Pizza Contest!

2012-03-01T19:42:00.000-05:00

Win pizza for a year!

There is not much I love more in life than frozen pizza. And I am totally serious when I say that. For my entire life, my family has known that I will be making the frozen pizza, and will be eating 1/3 of the cheese off the top of the pizza while it's still frozen. I don't know why. It's just a thing I do and I love it. Yum. Lately, frozen pizza has taken on a whole new meaning to me...you see, I'm a single mom of two toddlers, work full time, believe in HEALTHY living, and am also taking a difficult medical college course load. Pizza is kind of like a lifesaver to me---my kids will eat extensive amounts of it, and I can incorporate lots of veggies into it! We absolutely LOVE the Schwann brands of frozen pizzas, and particularly Freschetta! This is one campaign that I can get behind purely for the fact that my mouth is watering right now. So enter this contest, people, and if you win, please invite me over for a pizza party!

Event Details:

Date -	February 27, 2012 - March 30, 2012
What -	Rally for Real Pizza
Where -	From the comfort of your own home
Details -	www.Facebook.com/Freschettapizza

The makers of FRESCHETTA® products are asking fans to take a stand for FRESCH® pizza! Fans are able to submit a photo to a Rally Mosaic on our Facebook Fan Page for a chance to win FRESCHETTA® pizza. Each week, we will select 100 winners to receive 5 FRESCHETTA® pizzas. On March 30, we will select 10 winners who will receive a year supply of FRESCHETTA® pizza. You can find all the delicious details surrounding this campaign on the message board in FreschettaFreshConnection.com.

I just uploaded my photo to the mosaic, and it literally took a few seconds. The neat thing is, you can enter every week that the contest is going on! On top of that, they have a Twitter #pizzarally event going on as well. Same opportunity to win pizza for a year or a pizza party pack! You can enter that contest by visiting their Facebook page and clicking on the "Twitter #pizzarally" link. All you have to do for that is change your Twitter badge to one of the options they give you, follow @Freschetta, and tweet "@Freschetta I’m Rallying for Real Pizza. Join the #PizzaRally (http://bit.ly/ziA7Vl) for a chance to win pizza for a year." They will be picking winners every day for this timeframe, and then giving away EVEN MORE during a live Twitter party on March 20th from 7-9p.m. EST.

Good luck and be blessed!

Disclaimer: I occasionally receive compensation in the form of products for posts. However, the opinions I share are solely my own. I have the possibility of winning prizes for posting this. And yes, I am hoping for the PIZZA prize. :)

Valentine Creations

2012-02-14T18:57:00.000-05:00

It's Valentine's Day in our home! Thanks to shopping throughout the year for all annual events (saves a lot of money to buy on sale and store in my cupboard!), I was able to whip up a few special things for the kids even at 1am after I'd forgotten to plan ahead of time. Thank God he gave me a creative spirit. ;-) Please don't mind the quality of the photos--they were taken on my phone.

My favorite creation of the night (morning?) was my heart garland. I saw a felt heart garland on Pinterest and just modified it to use paper and a stapler instead of fabric and a sewing machine. Quick and easy, and it's SUPER cute hanging from the dining room entry way!

At each child's place setting, a special surprise was waiting including a wrapped Valentine themed book, an educational magazine, and a decorated page that we filled out throughout the day with "things we love" about each child. A keepsake!

One thing I found recently while cleaning out the "everything" room was a box of business cards that was ordered online but never used. I was going to throw them in the recycling bin but decided I should hang onto them because they *may* have a brilliant future...and boy, am I glad I kept them! I created two games using the cards.

First, a numeral recognition/counting game by using glittery textured stickers one one card, and then using a marker to write the numeral on a subsequent card. I couldn't fit more than 8 stickers on a card so that's where I ended, but you could certainly get 10 or 12 if you were using small stickers.

The second game, and also the more popular one, is a matching game. Since all of the "business" sides of the cards are the same, they offer great memory game potential! I used felt stickers that have different layers and edge shapes which provide an added tactile element to the traditional visual memory games. Isn't the Valentine theme darling? Best yet, both of these games store in a small Ziploc bag which means easy clean up and great storage because you can see the contents of the bag!

And of course, a Valentine making station. :) Glitter glue, stickers, paper, heart hold punches, crayons, markers, pom poms...you name it, it was there! Not as big of a hit as I thought it was going to be, though. True to form, toddlers prefer playing outside in the mud as to sitting at a table doing something constructive. Who'da thought, right? ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day!

...and remember, regardless of your situation or circumstance, you are loved.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will never perish, but will have eternal life. John 3:16

40 Questions To Ask Your Child On Date Night

2012-01-25T22:23:00.000-05:00

I think it was daughter number five (I'm the second oldest of eight girls) who coined the term "Donut Date" to refer to when our Daddy would take one of us individually out on a "date" with him when I was young. It generally meant we were getting a donut or going to the grocery store for some root beer or another treat, which was a pretty big deal at the time. In fact, I still bug my Dad to take me on a date, except I hope it's to places like Disney World or a major music concert these days. ;-) Now, the tradition has moved on and I date my own three-year-old daughter. She gets terribly excited when I ask her if she wants to have a "mommy-daughter date". There are no arguments and she is on her best behavior while we go to the local coffee shop for a slice of carrot cake and juice! My favorite part, though? The conversation. My phone gets put away, no books are brought along, and we don't sit at a table with anyone else (though she has a way about her that attracts the elderly men to come over for a chat about her baby doll!). Instead, we chat. I ask questions, and we dream together over hot cocoa and cookies.

Dating your children is an easy and precious way to create beautiful moments for the two of you. Here are 40 Date Night questions to get you started:

1. What is the best dream you ever had, and why?

2. What is the worst dream you ever had, and why?

3. How do you like to be woken up in the morning?

4. What are the top five things you are good at doing?

5. What are the three occupations you would love to have when you grow up?

6. If you were to plan your own funeral, what would you want it to be like?

7. What are five activities you want to do within the next year?

8. Who is your best friend, and why?

9. What person can you not stand, and why?

10. What embarrasses you that I do?

11. What are you proud of that I do?

12. What makes you laugh?

13. What makes you cry?

14. What are the top three things I do that make you feel (not "know") loved?

15. What is the most important thing you have learned in life?

16. If you were to plan a sleepover, what would it include?

17. If you were to be one animal, what would you be and why?

18. What are your three favorite songs and why?

19. What one song can't you stand, and why?

20. What is your favorite movie, and why?

21. What are the top three reasons why you know you will be a good spouse/parent when you are grown?

22. What is your favorite physical feature about yourself and why?

23. What three things do you not like about yourself, and why?

24. When people compliment you, what is the top thing they say about you?

25. What are the top three compliments from others that you would like them to say about you?

26. What is your favorite Bible story and why?

27. What is your favorite Bible verse and why?

28. Who are your top two favorite historical characters and why?

29. In your life, what has been your proudest moment?

30. In your life, what has been your most embarrassing moment?

31. If you were to create your own job to earn money, what would you do and how would you do it?

32. If you were to create your own cake and own ice-cream sundae, what ingredients would you include?

33. What makes you feel safe?

34. What makes you feel scared?

35. What are two things that your friends or other people you know do that you don't like?

36. What are two things that your friends or other people you know do that you would also like to do?

37. Would you rather be a boy or a girl, and why?

38. If you could go anywhere in the world and do anything you wanted, where would you go and what would you do?

39. What school subject are you smartest in, and how do you know?

40. What school subject do you struggle the most in, and how do you know?

Love Happens Here

2012-01-16T22:54:00.000-05:00

I am the full time mama of a 3-year-old and 18-month-old. My children are 20 months apart. While I do work full time, I consider myself a stay-at-home mama just as much as I consider myself a working-outside-the-home mama. In fact, I find that the 40 hours a week that I spend at my "job" is easier and less stressful than the other 128 hours a week I spend with my kiddos. Sometimes, I think I'm going crazy, and I crave to go to work...the funny thing is, as soon as I'm at work, I miss my babies something fierce! It's a funny world, the blend between working motherhood and home motherhood.

Before anything else, I am a mother. Lately, I have been working 40-hours-straight every weekend so that I can be the one with my children during the week. I go in at 7pm Friday night, and stay until Sunday at 11am. Marvelous, it is, but it's also a schedule cut out for someone who belongs in a loony bin. Imagine the possibility of being awake for many hours straight and responsible for people's lives no matter how tired you are? Yes, I am a paramedic. And yes, your life will always come before my need for sleep and no matter how tired I am, you are going to get my absolute best care. Imagine packing three people up for three days, and getting your house in order before that so when you come back, you have something clean to wear.

Because I choose my children to come first (ok, after God!), I do things a little differently. I work ridiculous shifts so that I can be the one with them 5 days a week. The house is sometimes a mess because I don't park them in front of the TV so I can clean all of the time. I have no idea what current TV shows are playing. I haven't read anyone's blog in forever (I miss that!). Lately, I haven't even been able to work out (UGH). My sewing projects are still waiting, my bedroom still isn't arranged the way I want it to be, and sometimes, I get lonely being with no other adults sometimes for days on end. However...

There are a lot of things that we do. We do family. Lego creations get built. Magnificent make believe stories get told. Dancing in the living room happens. We do loud. Songs are sung. Pictures are painted. Baby dolls are rocked. Giggle erupt constantly. Tickle fights are a routine. Jumping on the bed (shhhhh!) sneaks in.We do discipline. Spankings, time out's, and "the look" may be given throughout the day---but they are overshadowed by hugs, attention, and the exchange of a thousand magical kisses. We do learning. Snowflakes are tasted. Letters are traced. Colors are mixed. Chores are done (even if they aren't real effective yet!). We do love.

Love happens here, and that is why those other things we don't do aren't really missed.

2012 Resolutions

2012-01-11T16:47:00.000-05:00

Resolutions for 2012. Yes, resolutions, not goals. These are not optional.

1) Blog. Regularly. This means on Life More Simply, October's Heart, and/or Diaper Swappers. Ohhhhh, boy!

2) Complete one project/month. This could be something small, like actually pressing my childrens' hands into clay so I have keepsake hand prints (that I make every year but then give away to Grandparents!), or something large like making that braided rug that is still in the form of white table cloths stacked in my closet.

3) Pass the Critical Care Transport class for Paramedics/Nurses/PA's. I start the first week in February. This is a two hour drive one way, every Saturday for eleven weeks! It's a big deal. If you live near Rochester, NY and want to take the class with me, let me know. :)

4) Lose 25 lbs. Yup. This means getting back on the Beach Body bandwagon (Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, and I would love to acquire Brazil Butt Lift!). This also means being extremely careful about what I eat. All. Of. The. Time.

5) Purposeful Time. Spent with God, my family, and bettering my home and self.

FREE credits, gift certificates, and more that you'll want to know about!

2011-12-05T16:03:00.000-05:00

As you know, sometimes I learn about things that are so phenomenal that I just HAVE to share it with you! So without further ado, here are somethings to know about for December 2011:

1) My gift to you! Use this link to receive a $5 credit at Plumb District: https://www.plumdistrict.com/?ref=u8d41d71a72e. I do believe that you have to use my referral (the link I posted) to get that credit. Not positive about that, but that's what I am interpreting from their website. After you do that, "like" them on Facebook (through their site) to get another $5 off. Combine that with their 40% off deals they often will give you, and you are well on your way to getting a LOT of free money to spend locally or on the Internet.

2) The Annual Mothering Handmade Christmas Gifts Idea Contest (wow! what a name!) is currently ongoing over at http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1337424/the-annual-mothering-handmade-gifts-ideas-contest. You post your idea for a handmade Christmas gift include a photo, and then whichever post gets the most "likes" by other readers will win a Boba 3g carrier. The deadline to enter is 12/10/11! While you're at it, be sure to send me your idea for a handmade Christmas gift so I can feature you on Life More Simply!

3) The Learning Tower is on Facebook. So am I. "like" them at http://Facebook.com/LearningTower. They hinted that they *might* give away something when they get 2,000 followers...and they got that number today! You can "like" me at http://Facebook.com/LifeMoreSimply while you're at it. ;-) PS--I would really enjoy having one of these, so feel free to order one and have it shipped to my house.

4) Restaurant.com is letting YOU give away free gift certificates! You can send up to 40 $10 gift certificates a day. Spread some love to people you know or even people you don't know! I do recommend that ya'll "friend" me on Facebook (Rachel East) so that you can easily send some my way, too. ;-) Want one but don't know anyone to send you one? Let me know in the comments section below and I'll hook you up! https://feeditforward.restaurant.com/

Sensory Christmas Basket Centerpiece (A Simple Christmas Project #3)

2011-12-05T15:21:00.000-05:00

With small children in the home comes small changes in decorating for the holidays. Glass ornaments get put up higher, trees get anchored to a wall, and good linen might be removed from the table during a particularly stainable meal. Instead of removing your dining table's centerpiece altogether, though, why not make it into something that is festive, interesting, kid friendly, and encourages exploration and development, too!

This year, I created a Sensory Christmas Basket Centerpiece for our dining room table. It's a white wicker basket lined with a red and green dish towel. Laid inside are a host of objects all signifying Christmas time. Cinnamon sticks and scented pinecones create the base for this piece, followed by a variety of other things with various textures, scents, sounds, shapes, and colors. Silver bells that twinkle and ding, soft felt red drums, velvety bows, a bendable wirey silver garland, a bumpy, hard Christmastime teddy bear figurine, and a smooth victorian santa/polar bear ornament round out the basket. It's not only engaging to the eye, but delightful for people of all ages to sort through as they experience all of the different contrasting sensory input!

Easy to create, a great educational spin on decorating, and affordable as all getout because you probably already have everything you need to create your own Sensory Christmas Basket Centerpiece. Remember to include different textures, colors, variations of pressure (hard to soft), reflections of light (like a shiny bell vs. a dull cinnamon stick), scents, and even pieces that the children can manipulate (like the garland I used). Have fun keeping your decorations simple so you can focus on the reason for the season!

Have an idea to create a Simple Christmas of your own? We'd love to feature it on LifeMoreSimply with a link back to your own blog and a little info about you! DIY projects, gift ideas, celebrations, food...anything that helps keep things simple and real for Christmas! Email your write up to: lifemoresimply@yahoo.com with "Simple Christmas Post" in the subject line.

Advent Ideas for Toddlers

2011-12-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

Twenty Five Ways to Celebrate Advent
~*~ Toddler Style ~*~

What better way could you celebrate Christmas than to do it all month long?! Here are twenty-five ideas that we're using in our home this December to help focus on what the season's all about. These ideas can be done in any order (unless otherwise specified or sequential). I put an astric (*) next to anything that I still need supplies for so that I can prepare ahead of time. Have fun with it, and remember to keep things simple so that you can make the activities intentional.

DAY ONE: Finish decorating for Christmas, start the Advent Calendar (we use a wooden train where each day, there is a box to open which will give instructions for that day’s Advent. If you don't already have something like that, create your own with a clothesline and 25 socks, stockings, or mittens!)
Scavenger Hunt to find a Christmas book
Craft trees out of newspapers, pompoms, and glitter glue
Sing and dance to Christmas Carols!
Make Applesauce Ornaments*
Go shopping for an AngelTree child
Watch a Christmas Movie
String popcorn and cranberries*
Visit the Library and read some Christmas books!
Tell the story of the Wisemen visiting Jesus, and receive/give one gift
Review the story of the Wisemen visiting Jesus, and receive/give one gift
Have the Children tell YOU the story of the Wisemen visitng Jesus, and receive/give one gift (wooden nativity set)
Bake and decorate cookies*
Give some cookies away
Build a "stable" (tent out of blankets and chairs, or whatever strikes your fancy!) and eat lunch with your stuffed animals in it.
Decorate a Gingerbread house or tree*
Write a letter to Santa
Make a Happy Birthday card for Jesus
Make Cupcakes and a special dinner to celebrate Jesus' birth (children choose menu)*
After dark, drive around to see the Christmas lights (wearing jammies, of course)
Make and hang bird feeders made with peanut butter and birdseed on pinecones
Visit Santa
Make a snowman (no snow? Popcorn balls or craft supplies!)
CHRISTMAS EVE! Wrap gifts for others, receive special jammies to wear, tell the Nativity story before bed
CHRISTMAS DAY! Traditions + finding Jesus in the manger of the nativity set

BEST Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deal To EcoMom ($70 for $15 or FREE)!

2011-11-25T15:08:00.001-05:00

Receive $70 worth or products for only $15 OR FOR FREE plus free shipping from http://www.ecomom.com/! Here's how:

1) Go to http://www.plumdistrict.com/three_for_free/22b56c51a7/click and buy a "$50 gift certificate to EcoMom for $25" BUT...ENTER THE DISCOUNT CODE ~~"ENJOY10" to receive $10 off~~ "SATURDAY40" to get $10 off (deal is good for four more days, but the ~~$10 off code is only good for today, Black Friday~~ code for 40% off is valid only on 11/26!). So now you are getting $50 for $15.

2) Order today through Monday from EcoMom. You will receive another $20 off of a purchase of $50 from their site (or $40 off of $100). So now you are getting $70 worth of products for $15!

3) Share this deal with all of your friends, using the code you will generate (you must purchase the deal first). After three of your friends also purchase the deal, you will get your deal for FREE! So now you have gotten $70 worth of products from EcoMom for FREE!

I hadn't been to EcoMom until I found this deal (and yes, I bought two gift certificates!). They have so much "green" stuff! Diapers, clothing, toys, food, skincare, bathing stuff, household things, etc.. This is an amazing deal and definitely the best one I have found, possibly EVER!

Yup, I know ya love me. ;-)

A Simple Christmas Project #1: FREE Christmas Cards from TinyPrints

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

I must either be behind or everyone else is ahead for Christmas this year! I started decorating for the Holiday before Thanksgiving, even, but when I went to find and sign up for Snapfish's free Christmas card blogger program, I found that it was already closed....WHAT?! No worries, though, because I found TinyPrint's is offering their own blogger card review program. Now, they have no closing date listed on their website, so I can't guarantee it's still open, but I still signed up for it. :)

TinyPrints offers super duper cute and professional looking cards that you can customize, so hopefully we'll all get a shot at it. The program is only open to bloggers who also have Facebook/Twitter pages (thus you must already be established). Here's the link: TinyPrints.

Happy card designing for your DIY Christmas!

Bloggers Needed For A Simple Christmas 2011!

2011-11-22T09:59:00.000-05:00

A Simple Christmas 2011

Beginning in three days, Life More Simply will be featuring ideas on how to create a simple holiday this Christmas season. We'll share thoughts and instructions for traditions, decorations, gifts, DIY projects, and money/time savers...plus whatever else strikes our fancy! If you have an idea or project that we could share with our readers, please send it to Rachel at lifemoresimply @ yahoo.com with the subject "Post for A Simple Christmas" (or something like that). Be sure to include the link to your own blog, website, or business if you have one! Submissions will be accepted until a few days before Christmas. :)

Blessings,
Rachel

$10 Credit to OneStepAhead

2011-11-21T16:57:00.000-05:00

Being a recreation therapist (ok, I work as a Paramedic right now, but that RT degree knowledge hasn't left me!), I have a few rules for toys in my house: they must inspire. This means that the object should encourage my child to imagine, manipulate, learn, and grow. It should challenge, but not overwhelm. Be interesting, but not be solely entertainment. I also generally throw in there that batteries are plastic aren't allowed, but somehow toys still make their way into our home that make noise with no participation from a human! :)

I have long coveted OneStepAhead products because as a rule they are good quality, imagination producing, age and developmentally appropriate toys and household necessities for little ones. I recently ordered a few Christmas gifts from them which came quickly and look awesome! Plus, it didn't break the bank because I hooked up with their deal programs. So without further commentary, here is how YOU can also take advantage of saving a lot of money on their quality products.

1) Sign up for their $10 credit. You will receive $10 off on your first order of $65 or more, PLUS, you will continue to receive a $10 credit for every friend whom you refer who does this. Click here: http://onestepahead.extole.com/a/clk/4fSjH

2) After you sign up for that and are on their website, sign up for their "Daily Deals" program. They don't actually send them every day (or else my SPAM picks up their emails), but you can get amazing discounts on one product at a time. The deals change every day, but I scored their Dyson Ball Vacuum for like 60% off a few weeks ago--Christmas for my boy!

Happy shopping and money saving!

International Beraved Father's Day

2011-09-24T22:03:00.000-04:00

Remembering the daddy's of lost babies and children today on International Beraved Father's Day.

You and your precious little ones are not forgotten!

http://carlymarieprojectheal.com/

Rachel's Creed

2011-09-19T14:32:00.000-04:00

I believe in healing and the full restoration of wounded people.
I claim that for myself and my family.

I believe in the provision of a propitiation --perfect substitute-- for desperate situations.
I trust that God will bring one about for myself and my children in His timing.

I believe the promise that God will heal the broken hearted, binding up their wounds.
I am comforted in knowing that I won't hurt forever.

I believe the promise that God will turn our mourning into dancing.
I am excited to know my life will be abundant.

I believe that past suffering can be used to bring about the survival of many people.
I will use my journey as a way to lift others up.

I believe that I do not have to be hurt in the same way again.
I will choose to be healthy and protect myself while loving extravagantly.

I believe that God is all I need, and He will lead me beside still waters.
I will not follow temptation to have anything replace what He can give me.

I believe that I am valuable.
I will live in a way that models for my children that one's value is not dependent upon what happens to her.

I believe that my future is beautiful.
I have peace and joy when I think about what is to come.

What are you claiming for yourself today?

I'm going to be a Music Together teacher!

2011-09-14T16:48:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning at 9am, I start training to be certified as a Music Together teacher. I'm really excited about this as it will bring early childhood music education classes to an area that doesn't have them, new income possibilities for my family, and I got a scholarship to attend the training on top of it which made it all possible (thanks, Music Together scholarship program!). My daughter is just as excited as I am, daily talking about how she can't wait to help mommy when I'm teaching the classes after I'm trained. :)

She was, in fact, one of the main reasons I chose Music Together over the other early ed music programs out there. After a lot of research, I had narrowed my decision down to Kindermusik or Music Together. One thing that I really liked about Music Together was that it's family oriented and thus more accessible for parents with multiple children, not to mention more affordable to them. My 2-year-old daughter verified this when I played both a Kindermusik album and a Music Together sample album for her...and we have been listening to the "Hello Song" from Music Together ever since! Yes, I really do think we know every word of every song on their "Family Favorites" album since it's the staple music in our minivan (don't knock the minivan, I have a story about it that I'll share sometime).

From their website:

Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and the adults who love them. First offered to the public in 1987, it pioneered the concept of a research-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music curriculum that strongly emphasizes and facilitates adult involvement.

Music Together classes are based on the recognition that all children are musical. All children can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning.

The training will last three days (whew!), then I'll drive straight to work for a 28-hour-minimum shift (whew! again). Yes, I will probably go crazy missing my little people, but I couldn't let my daughter down by not being able to teach these classes that she's so excited about, right?

What are your thoughts on music programs like Music Together?

Honoring and Remembering 9/11

2011-09-13T15:34:00.000-04:00

I wanted to be in NYC yesterday, on 9/11. It's been ten years, and I can still vividly remember being outside hanging laundry on the clothesline when my sister came out and told me that an explosion or something happened in on of the Twin Towers. My mom and most of my seven sisters and I sat around the radio and listened as the events rolled out and it was determined that a plane actually crashed into the building. Once the word "terrorist" was thrown out as a possibility, we got the TV out of the attic and set it up in the living room. School work didn't happen that day. Chores didn't happen that day. And the things I remember most? The moment when we watched live as the second plane approached the second tower. The people who jumped out of windows--alive as we watched them plummet through the air toward the ground...and we knew what was going to happen both times. And we couldn't stop it or look away.

Afterward, I watched as men from our town's fire department went down to the city to help. I later listened to the stories, saw the somber faces, and I continued to wait until the day when I was legally old enough to join the fire department myself. As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a firefighter.

Here we are now, a decade later. I had planned to be in NYC for the 9/11 ceremonies until I found out that first responders were not allowed to attend. So I changed my plans to a local 9/11 services at my church...until another paramedic had to leave his shift at our ambulance company because he was volunteering for disaster relief due to all of the devastating flooding that is occurring in my part of our country. I signed up for his shift, feeling a little grouchy because I thought I would just be sitting on my butt all day doing nothing at an International racetrack near us.

The day before on 9/10, I had missed the funeral procession of a local soldier killed in duty in Afghanistan because I was working. Again, I would be missing something important to me that signified remembering and honoring those lost and those who stand for life and freedom. I wondered if anyone at the racetrack would hold some sort of service or do anything to commemorate the day, and I was quite relieved when I was notified that in half an hour, there would be a service for the first responders. I got up to eat my lunch so that my partner and I could attend, and had just finished when our radio went off.

Someone had crashed their car--not even during a race. It was during a non-event that no one would ever suspect anyone to get hurt in. Not only was this patient hurt, but it was severe. Waiting for a helicopter to come and fly our unconscious patient to a trauma center, I spent the next 45 minutes stabilizing him along with another paramedic, a doctor, two nurses, and three EMT's. Instead of attending any service, we gave life back to a stranger.

While I was cleaning blood off of things, throwing out used equipment, and documenting the events, I thought to myself how disappointed I was that I hadn't been able to attend any service or even watch one on TV throughout the day. Then I realized--what better way to honor those killed in the terrorist attacks, the standing survivors, and those who are still fighting for life and freedom by their occupations or volunteer work in the US, or their service in the military overseas? Nothing could be more honoring to them than to continue the work, to continue to serve, and to continue to be there when someone needs you.

These words, taken from Fire Wife Katie and her Firefighter/Paramedic husband's blogs, sum it up well:

Potent feelings were awoken that day ten years ago. People who never voiced an opinion suddenly felt compelled to set things right. Our desire to stand up and say something was stirred.

I think the 9/11 generation will be remembered as the generation that cared. Deeply.

To my brothers and sisters that have gone on before me, I will carry on. To the public, when you need us, we will be there.

And we will be here, always ready to give and protect life.

To the 343 NYC firefighters, 15 EMT's, and 60 police officers killed that day, as well as the 2,000 first responders who were injured in the 9/11 attacks: you will never be forgotten, and your brothers and sisters will carry on.

Note: original post written on 9/12/11.