Mitchell Memories

Canyon Blaze Mitchell - A Birth Story

2014-06-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

Due to technical difficulties (and the madness that is three small children), I am just now sitting down to write out Canyon's birth story. Bear with me...this could get long and tedious! But I have a great desire to remember this experience, so I have to get it posted before I start to forget. I should probably start at the beginning...

Just six weeks after losing our sweet Baby in July of 2013, I found myself expecting again. I am so grateful for the faithfulness of The Lord. How He sustains us and keeps us, I will never understand.

During this pregnancy, I did more research on pregnancy and childbirth that I ever have in the past. In February of 2013, I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of my best friend's home birth experience. My world was completely changed, and I am so grateful! Because of that, I began to seek out information about natural childbirth. The more I learned, the more I was convinced that this was the road we should travel. I would have loved to experience a home birth, but that wasn't in the cards for us this time around. We planned and prayed. We prepared and practiced. And The Lord was so gracious to grant us the strength to accomplish an unmedicated hospital birth!

Contractions began for me about two weeks before delivery. In fact, we were convinced that there was no way I would make it to the end of April, much less May! I later learned that this is called prodronal labor, and while it can be frustrating because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, it really is doing good and preparing the body for birth. As days progressed and nothing steady occurred, I became increasingly sure that I would, in fact, see my "due date" come and go before Canyon would arrive.

On Saturday, April 26, I had more intense, sporadic contractions throughout the day, but everything was still very inconsistent. After dinner and garden work at Nanny and Pappy's, the kids begged to spend the night. We gave in of course, made a quick trip
to Wal-mart (where I found myself actually having to breathe through contractions), and headed home. Around midnight, the real party started!

For the first two hours of labor, I did my very best to sleep between waves, but I was already finding the intensity and frequency to be enough to keep me awake. Around 2:00, I decided to get out of bed, in hopes of letting Jeremy rest, and so I could actively time the contractions. I paced the hallway, did some exercises on the birthing ball, and rested some on the couch. Around 3:30 I sent Heather a text informing her that this was, in fact, the real deal. I attempted once again to rest, but sleep was very hard to come by, and by 4:45, I had had enough! A shower was a welcome relief. I had always imagined that I would want to labor in the tub for a while, but in that moment, I could not even imagine sitting in a hard tub!

Heather arrived around 6:00, and Jeremy got up and ready for our day. I had really enjoyed laboring on my own throughout the night, but I was glad to have them with me once the sun came up. We never timed contractions, but by now they were coming much harder and faster. By 8:00, I was no longer able to talk through them, although Jeremy still managed to make me laugh through several of them! From reading and learning, I expected that I would know to go to the hospital when I could no longer talk between contractions either. But honestly, this time never came for me. I was still able to talk and laugh right up until the pushing phase. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

At this point, time didn't really matter too much. There is so much freedom in being able to labor without interruption and without time restraints! By now, I found myself in the bathroom a lot, where I would always have several back to back contractions. When I wasn't in the bathroom, I managed through the waves by rocking on all fours or sitting in a very deep squatting position. But no matter how intense they got, I was still able to maintain conversation and humor between them. Quite honestly, I didn't understand why they weren't excruciating yet.

By 10:00, I was bored and needed a change of scenery. But really, I think I was just ready to get to the place where I knew he would he born. I debated with myself for nearly 30 minutes.

Should I stay home a little while longer? Surely I'm not progressed very far because everything is still so manageable. Should we just go ahead and go? Everyone is waiting for us. And I really would like to know how far we've come!

Finally, around 10:30, I made the call, and we all loaded up to head to the hospital. We drove to Grandma Eva's to drop off clothes and things for the kids, came back by the house for Jeremy's snacks, and then headed to the hospital. Through all of this, my contractions completely stopped! I had read a lot about mental blocks for women when they change environments, and I was furious that this seemed to be happening to me!

When I opened the car door at the hospital and my feet touched the parking lot, I had a really strong contraction! Thank you, Jesus! After a few stops while walking through the hospital, and refusing a wheelchair and elevator ride (I am walking this kid out, here!), I got all settled and ready to roll. When I saw who was on duty for the day, I was thrilled! I could not have asked for better nurses! Once I got checked in, we discovered that I was significantly progressed, far past the point of an epidural (hallelujah!) and on the "quick side" of labor for me. Just another blessing from The Lord, and the promise that I COULD do this, and I would do this!

Shortly after our arrival, the rest of our support team arrived, and I was ready to go! I was able to labor out of the bed without being hooked up to any monitors or fluids. I am absolutely convinced that this played a huge roll in our success. The Labor and Delivery staff at our hospital were ridiculously helpful and accommodating! Things moved very quickly from there, and in less than three hours, Canyon was born!

I hit transition while I was hooked up to the monitors (I was required to have his heart rate checked for 15 minutes, every hour). Because pushing happens so quickly for me after transition, there was no moving from that position! I hadn't imagined giving birth in the "conventional" position on my back, but everything worked out perfectly. With lots of help from Jeremy and Nanny (at the expense of her back...sorry Nanny!) sweet Canyon Blaze joined us at 1:22 PM, after just over 12 hours of labor and three quick pushes! He. Was. Perfect!

We enjoyed extended skin to skin time before he was weighed and measured. Seven pounds of pure awesomeness. (Yeah, I said it!) He nursed beautifully and was just so wonderful. I am always in awe of birth and life. When I looked into his eyes for the first time, this precious gift after such heartache and loss, I was in love. Forever.

There isn't much I would change about Sunday, April 27, 2014. I am so thankful for our healthy, happy, chubby, social, friendly baby boy! God has been good to us, and we are hopeful and excited about what the future holds for our family!

Glory Baby

2013-08-04T20:06:00.001-07:00

“…The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job 1:21

That’s an easy verse to quote most of the time. Especially when we’re encouraging other people through trials. It’s a verse that comes to mind when someone else is struggling…one of those scriptures that’s “for everyone else.” July 13, 2013 was the first time that I have had to apply that scripture-cling to that scripture-in my adult life. I have debated whether or not I would even share this in a blog post. I have kept it to myself for nearly a month, sharing my thoughts and feelings with only the closest friends and family. But I think it’s something that needs to be talked about. While it is a very private heartache, it is one that I share with countless women around me.

I’ll start from the beginning…

I have been praying about more children for a very long time. I believe that God has put a desire in my heart for a large family. I don’t know exactly what that will look like in the future, but I have been praying hard! Several months ago, Jeremy and I were convicted about our use of hormonal birth control. Do your research, and you will find that it is an abortifacient. We immediately stopped using the pill. As has been the case for us in the past, it wasn’t long before -*gasp*- I was pregnant! On July 6, at 10 days late, I finally got a positive pregnancy test. I was thrilled! A baby! Praise Jesus! Where are we going to put a baby?!

We kept our news quiet until I could get to the doctor to hear the heartbeat. We have always been aware of the possibility of a loss, and it wasn’t something we wanted to have to endure publically. The following Tuesday, I went into the doctor’s office to have my pregnancy confirmed. Instead of a clear positive on their test, the line didn’t even show. At that moment, the Lord began preparing my heart for the loss that I knew was coming. By Wednesday evening, all of my pregnancy symptoms were gone. I spent every moment in prayer over our child. I cried and rejoiced over the life that I had been given.

And Saturday morning, after a trip to the grocery store, just 2 days shy of 7 weeks pregnant, I began to spot. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I cried out to God with every ounce of strength inside of me.

“Lord! Save my baby! Make her healthy! Please, Jesus, let me kiss and hold and love this baby! She is mine, but she is yours first. Not my will, but yours be done.”

I spent most of the day in bed, in too much pain to even move. Jeremy headed to the garden that evening with Trek, and shared the news with his parents. I was devastated that he had to give a pregnancy and death announcement all in the same breath. The kids spent the night with Nanny and Pappy, and I called my mom the next morning before church to share the news with her. Sunday morning was spent alone, just me and my precious baby. The Lord was gracious to me, and allowed me to experience little pain after that first day. Just before lunch, I lost my baby. My third surprise was one that I would not be able to share with the world. Our third baby is one that her big brother and big sister will never meet this side of heaven. She was ushered into eternity just 8 days after we were aware of her life. {I called this baby a girl from the beginning. And so I will always refer to her this way.}

Fortunately, I needed no medical intervention throughout the entire process. Even in the storm, the Lord is so gracious to us. He never gives us more than we can handle, even when we feel like we are drowning in despair. I am thankful that my body recovered as quickly as it did. My heart, however, will always grieve the precious life that we were blessed to know for such a short time.

I believe in the sovereignty of God. I am convinced that He is in complete control. That before the foundation of the world, He numbered our days. Nothing surprises my God. He is never afraid or worried or unsure. He is always on His thrown. And so I praise Him. When I am so overcome with grief and sadness, I cling to him. I crawl into His lap, and He holds me. When the pain is so real that it overwhelms me and threatens to choke me, I cry out to my Jesus, who reminds me time and again that His grace never fails. His mercies are new every morning. His grace is sufficient for me. His strength is made perfect in my weakness. And I have never been so weak. I have never been so brokenhearted. I have never been so reminded of pain and loss. But I have never felt the love of Jesus like I have this month. He is healing me, and He is strengthening me, and I am resting in His promises.

“…The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Job 1:21

It is my prayer that very soon, the Lord will give to us again.

Heart Notes

2013-07-30T08:26:00.002-07:00

I’m sitting in my living room, listening to the noise of children playing in the back of the house. Blocks are clanking, the piano is singing, and siblings are bossing. Lightening McQueen is making his usual appearance on the TV. Laundry is piled up waiting to be folded. And all I can do is think, “I’ve got to write this down. I’ve got to remember this.” So, I write. My floors desperately need to be swept and mopped. Not to mention the toys and dishes that need to be put away. But, for now, I choose to write. This is my normal. My every day. My waking and sleeping. And I am so in love with this life.

The Lord is constantly changing me. He’s shaping me into who He created me to be. And it is so very different than I thought it was 2 years ago. Two summers ago, I was desperate to get back to work. I needed to “get back into a routine.” {I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve heard or said this phrase. What does that even mean?} Trek, as an infant, was less-than-easy. Just 16 months prior to his birth, we had brought Lorelai home from the hospital. From day 1, she was so easy. My firstborn was simple, laid back, and only demanded to stay full and dry. Trek, on the other hand, challenged that false sense of pride I had allowed to creep in with his big sister. He cried constantly, wanted to be held all the time, and never seemed to be satisfied with a full belly and dry diaper. He was tough! {I don’t feel guilty for saying he was difficult. It just is what it is. So many people tell me that I “shouldn’t say that.” But if we don’t share our struggles with each other, then how will young mothers understand that is doesn’t have to be perfect all the time? Come on ladies, let’s just get real!} I thought I needed work to escape my world at home. Never mind that my children were getting my second best at the end of the day. And my husband was dealing with a bitter wife who just couldn’t seem to get happy about anything. {Looking back, I’m almost sure I was struggling with mild depression. But you just don’t talk about that stuff. Strong mothers just deal with it, right?!}

Through that school year, and especially during that next summer, the Lord changed my heart. He led me into new friendships and stronger relationships with friends I already had. Friends who were living the lifestyle that I now longed to live. I realized that more ladies than I originally thought were beginning to understand the importance of being in the home. And so I began to pray. And read. And study. I sought council from young moms around me, and I enlisted the prayers of strong warriors in my life. By the time September rolled around, God began to soften Jeremy’s heart as well. The prospect of one income scared him. {He won’t use that term, but I am certain it was fear.} Men are created to be leaders and providers—I fully understand this, and I did my best to be patient through the waiting. Finally, the door was opened for me to stay home part time. And today, I am able to be with my children full time!

This summer, I’m not pressured to soak up that last bit of Summer with my kids, because we will also have Fall, Winter, and Spring together! Instead of preparing for the school year with other children, I am preparing to teach my own children in our own home. That’s right, I’m one of THOSE crazy moms. Not only do I stay home with my kids, {lazy, right?} but I also plan to homeschool them. *gasp* I have never come out and said that on “social media” until now. I think most people who know me well enough have suspected it, but here I am finally admitting it. It is a calling. Absolutely a heart issue. I have no desire to convince anyone else to live this lifestyle. I do not judge others and the decisions that they are making for their own families. But I would also ask for that same courtesy. The major reason I have not openly talked about this decision with people other than very close friends is the fear of being judged by my family and friends. {No, we’re not supposed to worry about what others think. But come on. Be real. We all care on some level.} As I have researched, and continue to research, a recurring theme I see on blogs and in books is the struggles homeschooling families face from judgmental members of their church, community, and even their families. Yes, this is different. No, it is not for everyone. But the same holds true for public and private education. So let’s not judge one another. Instead, let’s pray for one another. Let’s be open to dialog and questions, but let’s not force our views on one another in this area. For all I know, the Lord could change our hearts between now and school age for our children. We still have a good two years before Lorelai will be old enough for Kindergarten. A lot can happen in two years!

God is constantly at work in our family. Just this month, we have been through the storm. The toughest, most trying time of our married lives. We have fought the wind and rain, nearly drowning in the flood of heartache that the Lord saw fit for us to endure. My faith has been tested. My heart has been shattered. And I am on the mend. His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness! Through this most difficult time, the Lord has changed our hearts about very important things. I have prayed for His intervention in this area for a very long time, and He is being faithful to answer my prayers. The refining of my faith in this particular instance has taken me through the fire. I have scars that will never heal. But He is faithful! And I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, even through the storm.

And so, this is my life! This is our life! I am “wasting” my college education and “just” being a wife and mother. I am “missing out” on worldly riches and luxuries and scrimping and saving to keep our lifestyle possible. We are ~~ignoring~~ enduring the stares and eye-rolls as we embrace a lifestyle that is counter-cultural. And I am so thankful! Be encouraged, mom. Pray. Seek the Lord. Follow His guidance. Go against the grain. Because there is nothing more beautiful than a life lived for service to God and others. There is nothing more beautiful than an imperfect soul finding rest and assurance in a perfect God.

Now, I need to fold that laundry.

No More Diapers!

2013-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

I am just so excited to be writing this post! Y'all don't even understand! Well...that's not true. Most of my readers are moms (because most of my readers are family), so I guess you do understand! But I'm going to brag anyway. Because I'm a momma, and this is my blog about my kids. So by golly, that means I get to to brag!

This was totally unplanned. Absolutely not even on my radar. Saturday night, Trek got sick. Without making you sick, too, let's just say it was bad! Poor kid. It got to a point on Tuesday where it didn't make sense anymore for him to even wear a diaper. He had an awful rash, and even worse tummy issues. So we spent the day at home (mostly) and just tried to let it run its course. And then I thought, "Hey! Let's go ahead and get a potty!" So we took a quick trip to Walmart, and the boy used the potty TWICE that night! With very little prompting!

Wednesday was equally as awesome. Know how many diapers I changed? Z-E-R-O! Were we totally accident-free? No. But he actually started asking to use the potty on Wednesday. Thursday was even better. And today, I am PRETTY SURE it's safe to say that Trek is potty trained! Hallelujah!

Y'all, I'm not even kidding. I did no work with this kid. None. Apparently he really was ready. And he.is.awesome! I predict that, by next week, he won't even be sleeping in a Pull-Up. I am SO proud of my kid! This has nothing to do with me. For real. I'm just fortunate enough to have witnessed it. So...sorry if you're seeking training advice. I got nothin for ya. Except maybe hope for a stomach virus to hit, and go from there. Ok. Maybe that's mean or something. But hey, it worked for us!

Go Trek-Man! You ROCK!

This is not what I signed up for...

2013-05-13T14:41:00.001-07:00

I remember the moment I first found out I was going to be a Mommy. I remember the exact place. I remember the first people to know. I remember literally trembling as my brain tried desperately to process the news. A baby?! I was going to have a BABY?! And I remember vividly the moment I found out I was going to be a Mommy for the second time. Much sooner than I ever would have planned {you know, if I were a planner. Which I most certainly am not!}. Even more shocking the second time around!

Jeremy and I have been absolutely blessed. We have never {as of yet} had to struggle through the pain of infertility. We have never even had to anticipate pregnancy, praying every month for a positive test. We have never suffered the heartache of losing a child, as so many women that we love have endured. For some reason, the Lord has seen fit to bless us with not one, but two very big surprises! And we do quite well with surprises around here...go figure!

I knew I wanted to be a Mommy when I was a kid. I considered it my "career choice" when I was in high school. I've thought about motherhood. Dreamed about motherhood. Anticipated motherhood. But this mothering thing...it's not what I signed up for...

No one can be totally prepared for motherhood. You can't just learn about it from a book or a blog. You can't even learn from friends or from babysitting. But you can guess. And you can get a pretty good feeling for things when you're exposed to other children and families. I knew there would be long nights. I knew there would be dirty diapers. I even knew that sometimes things that should stay in diapers end up ALL OVER YOUR CLOTHES! So I guess I sort of signed up for that stuff when I entered the Mommy Club.

But I didn't sign up for all of it. What about the mounds of laundry that such a tiny person can produce? Yep, I expected that. What about all of that crying?! Yeah, I kind of figured that was coming. And how messy my house seemed to be? Oh yeah, no big deal. It's like that anyway! So I guess I knew all of that was coming too...

But let me tell you what I didn't sign up for...
These little people that call me "Mommy"...they are the most loving people.
They are kind.
They are funny.
They are so smart!
They are the joy of my heart.
They are my favorite little people on the planet.
They make me laugh.
They make me cry.
They make me humble.
They make me proud.
They make me think.
They make me be less hard on myself.
They teach me, even while I am teaching them.
They love me...unconditionally! Even when I am just so mean!
These babies light up every single second of every single day.
They test me and challenge me and make me be a better person.

So is this mothering thing what I signed up for? No...it is so much more.

Clean Cleaning

2013-05-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've become very interested in learning as much as I can about ways to do things naturally in our home. Honestly, most of the changes that I have made have been to save money. But in my research, I've found that the changes we are making aren't only frugal, they're also a LOT better for us! It's a win-win!

A while back, I blogged about my homemade laundry detergent and household cleaning supplies. So I won't bore you with more on that. I will say that we are still loving our homemade stuff, and we will most certainly not be going back to store-bought detergent or cleaners.

I've also done a post about washing my hair no-poo style. Check out this blog post that got me started.

Recently, I started making my own deodorant! *gasp* I love watching the reaction on people's faces when I tell them that I use homemade deodorant. It's like they're trying to think of a nice way to look at me like I'm some crazy hippie. I've only been using it for a few weeks, but so far, it's working! {I've made Jeremy swear to tell me if it ever stops working...}

I know this summer will be the real test, so I'm interested to see how it works out. I researched this decision more than I have any other decision. Body odor's not really something I'm too willing to risk! But when you learn about how dangerous aluminum can be, it's hard to argue against the homemade stuff! I will say this--I do sweat more when I use my deodorant. I added some Tea Tree Oil to act as a bit of an antiperspirant, but it doesn't keep everything in. But, I did learn in my research, that when you don't allow your body to sweat, you store up toxins that are harmful to your health. And so far, I don't smell bad! And it's not left any embarrassing stains on my clothes! So, for now, I'm sticking with my stuff.

If you're even slightly interested, it's worth a try. Here's the recipe I used:

1/4 C Baking Soda

1/4 C Cornstarch

6-8 Tbsp Coconut Oil *make sure you get the 100% natural stuff. There should be no smell and no flavor*
15-20 drops of your favorite Essential Oil *optional

Combine ingredients until it makes a paste, the same consistency as regular deodorant. If you have an empty deodorant container, you can put it in there and use it that way. I didn't have one, so I just have mine stored in a covered container. I just use my fingers to apply mine every day.

*At first, I didn't feel like it was working as well as it should. And it was burning my skin a lot {especially after shaving}. Eventually I realized mine wasn't combined well. So I heated it for just a few seconds so that the ingredients stirred together more easily. After sitting for about an hour, it was a solid again. This has helped TREMENDOUSLY!*

I finally broke down and made homemade baby wipes last month. Let me just say...HALLELUJAH! These things are incredibly easy, ridiculously inexpensive, and they really are just as good as the store-bought stuff! I'm tellin ya, every time I use one, I feel all giddy about how much money I'm saving! {Imagine the savings if I had used cloth diapers!} These are TOO EASY not to try.

1/2 roll of Viva paper towels {don't skimp here...you need the strong stuff}
2 1/4 C water *If it takes you a while to get through a batch of wipes, boil your water. This will keep the wipes fresh and prevent mold*
1 Tbsp Baby Oil
1 Tbsp Baby Soap *I use Aveeno, because my babies have sensitive skin. But you can use whatever you'd like!*
Combine the liquids in a bowl, and pour over your paper towel roll {cut in half}. Remove the cardboard center from the roll after it has been soaked. I store mine in a cheap lidded container. Seriously...make these.

I also made my first batch of homemade dish-washing detergent recently. This one is still in the works. Hopefully I will figure out the perfect balance soon! Be looking for a post on this...successful or not!

I'm excited about the changes that we are making in our home. They really are saving us quite a bit of money. And every penny counts when we're only living on one income! I'm so thankful for my husband. He is very patient with all of my experimenting and testing around here. Jeremy is constantly encouraging me in my efforts. I am so very blessed!

So tell me...have you made any of these changes in your home? What should we try next? I'm up for *almost* anything!

Essential Oils

2013-05-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Recently, I began adding to the homemade collection around here. I've been learning about Essential Oils from a friend of mine, but so far have only been able to buy 3 oils. I am VERY interested in learning as much as I can about oils and the benefits that they hold for our health and wellness. I can't wait to clean out our medicine cabinet and replace all of the junk we have in there with natural alternatives! The 3 oils that we are using now are Lavender, Peppermint, and Thieves.

Source

I use Lavender on my feet almost every night to help me sleep. I had been having trouble sleeping for several weeks before I got my Lavender. Now that I use the oil, I never have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep! I also use it on our bug bites to help with itching, and I recently used it on my babies to help with motion sickness in the car. Clearly, I love Lavender!

I currently have Thieves Oil sprinkled on clothes in my air vents to keep viruses at bay. I put a few drops of Peppermint Oil in the back of my shower to help clear my sinuses and soothe coughing. I've also used Peppermint to bring down a fever in Lorelai, and it worked wonderfully! {She told people that I put vinegar on her to help her fever. She's got her oils and cleaning products a little mixed up.}

I'm working on a separate post about some other homemade changes we've made around here! I hope that if you've been considering adding EO's to your routine, that this will encourage you to get going on the investment! It is an investment, but I believe it's been worth it for us. And it will be an investment I continue to make for our family.

Logoly and Friends

2013-04-25T18:05:00.001-07:00

I'm a big fan of gross motor. And hands-on learning. And wearing kids out so they'll sleep all afternoon. {What?! Don't judge me!} A couple of Fridays ago, I decided we needed to head to our local State Park. So I called a few friends, and we got the kids together at good ol' Logoly State Park. And oh, what fun we had!

This is the best shot I could get of T-man playing. He's too busy for pictures.

Rufus came along! Of course!

You can't have a morning play date without some donuts

We were excited to get to explore the animals at Logoly

Olivia and Trek really liked the snake! {So did Lo, but I managed to miss pictures of her. She loves snakes...}

Days like this are just one more reason why I love my job as a mom. And I love that I have so many friends that are fortunate enough to be able to stay home with their kids too! **By the way, be sure to check out all of Miss Olivia's adventures on her blog! {here} Her mommy also created the banner at the top of my blog. I have fun AND talented friends!**

Outside Fun

2013-04-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

The weather around here lately has been glor-i-ous! Lots of sunshine, plenty of breeze, and absolutely perfect temperatures. {Especially for this whiny mama who despises the heat.} We've spent quite a bit of time outside during the last few weeks. Check it...

We are loving our swing set!

Rufus enjoys a good stroller ride every now and then

Donuts for breakfast at Logoly! {more on this day later}

Picnic time in the backyard {have I mentioned how much I L.O.V.E staying home?!}

This dude is so. funny.

We enjoyed a fun fishing day with Pop & DDar last Saturday.

Lorelai loved it! {despite her bored expression}

"No, I wan do it by MYself!"

Gotta keep that sass, even when you're fishing

Working on her form

This boy absolutely LOVES Sam!

A Saturday morning walk turned into snack time for the donkey. Apparently my stroller is quite tasty!

Scooter time at Nanny & Pappy's house!

We love the sunshine around here! We're fortunate enough to live so close to all of our family. I love that we can spend so much time with them, especially while the kids are little. What precious memories we are making with our sweet babies!

Phone Dump

2013-04-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

~~It's been a while~~ I've never done a phone dump post. They always seem fun, so here goes! Be warned, there will be lots of cuteness in this post. And I am not at all partial... *ahem*

Happy Birthday, Daddy! Jeremy turned 31 on April 1. They had lots of love to give on this day! :)

A little learning time with Lo! We rarely do any form of "formal" schooling around here. Despite that, she's able to recognize and identify nearly all of her alphabet, as well as give the phonetic sounds of each letter. I'd call all of that play pretty successful!

Professional Mess-Makers, right here.

Pop and Trek-man. Relay for Life.

Why do my kids love playing in the back of a truck so much?

Such a girly-girl!

Err...he just wants to be like Big Sister!
*Disclaimer* Daddy wasn't home, and he does not approve of this photo and/or behavior.

Birthday dinner for Mommy. Mmm!

Lorelai and her very best friend, Rufus.

Springtime fun in the sunshine.

There you have it! There are literally hundreds more, but I will spare you. I think I need to do this weekly. Maybe I can make it a Sunday thing! There is never a shortage of pictures around here. I tend to forget things, so I always want to capture the cuteness...and the hilarity that is our life!

Easter Poses

2013-04-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

Just a few Easter pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Many tears were shed to obtain these pictures. Since we only get family pictures at Easter and Christmas, I'd say it was worth it.

Falling Off the Wagon

2013-04-08T13:25:00.001-07:00

Have you ever set out to completely change how you do something? Maybe it's the way you eat. Or the way you clean. Or the way you dress. Or the way you spend money. Isn't it funny how "easy" it all is in the beginning? It only takes a few days for reality to set in!

I don't know about you, but any time I feel motivated or driven to change something, I always get super pumped. It seems so easy! Especially when you Google it. Stupid Google...such a blessing and a curse. I decided last summer that it was time to be proactive in saving some money around here. After all, when your goal is to be a single-income family, there have to be some sacrifices!

My first step was cleaning supplies. I've blogged about these before, so I won't bore you with details. I started small, making my own cleaner for my kitchen counters. Soon, I had completely replaced every cleaning product around my house with natural, inexpensive cleaners.

Laundry soap was my next venture. Simple, safe, and SO CHEAP! I spent around $12.00, about the cost of a large bottle of detergent, on my supplies last June. After nearly a year, I've only had to make my soap one other time, and my supplies are still going strong! I estimate I will be able to make 3-4 more batches before I have to buy more ingredients. Score!

After laundry, came shampoo! I saw the idea on Pinterest, and pondered it for a few weeks before ditching the store-bought, chemical-laden shampoo and conditioner for baking soda, water, and vinegar. My sister-in-law walked me through the process, and I've been dedicated ever since! Well...except the other night...I fell off the no-poo wagon. And I was so ashamed! After getting a tad discouraged with less-than-perfect results {still better than the grease ball my hair had become with shampoo}, I let myself get in a hurry, didn't make myself a new batch of shampoo, and used some leftover shampoo I had in my shower. And I SO regret it!

But just because I fell off the wagon, doesn't mean I can't jump back on, right??

Happy Birthday!

2013-04-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today is my love's birthday! I counted this morning, and this is the 9th birthday we have gotten to spend together. I count myself so deeply blessed to be able to share birthdays!

Bless his heart, today really wasn't extra special for Jeremy. He has a wife that is absolutely TERRIBLE with this sort of thing. Seriously. No gifts. No card. Nothing. Like I said...bless him.

He loves me anyway, believe it or not! We did surprise him with balloons and silly string when he got home from work. And I did cook some of his favorite food for him. And he did get a bucket of candy as a "surprise." So maybe all of that counts for something!

Jeremy is so simple to please. Just another reason why we are perfect for each other. Anyone else would be disappointed with such a lack-luster celebration. Not my Jeremy! All he needs is a full belly and a comfy recliner, and he's a happy man! *I do plan to take him to see GI:Joe in 3D this weekend. Surely that counts!*

In other news...I'm trying to get better about blogging...again! Apparently Google Reader is heading out the door. So to keep up with the blog, you'll have to find me on Bloglovin! Maybe I'll improve my blogging habits in the future. I really would like to document more, for memory's sake. You can check out more about Bloglovin here: Follow my blog with Bloglovin

2012-11-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a while! Instead of trying to play catch-up, I just want to post some pictures from the last couple of weeks.

We had a great Thanksgiving! It was low-key, just the way we like it! Well...as low-key as it can be with my wild family! We spent the morning hanging out at home and being lazy. Our afternoon was spent enjoying lunch and laughs with the Dunlaps, and Thursday evening we hung out with Jeremy's parents, munching on leftovers for dinner. *wonderful!*

Check out some fun pictures from our fun Thanksgiving:

I am still amazed that we got a good shot of EVERYONE! *high five*

I mean really...how cute are they?!

We had such a great time celebrating such a fun holiday with our family! I'm hoping to post my 30 Days of Thanksgiving soon!

The Week in Review

2012-11-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

Let's just be honest. I've been a terrible blogger lately. Please forgive me! I think instead of trying to play catch up first, I'm just going to keep it recent. Hopefully, as time allows, I'll be able to add in a few things from the past few weeks.

This week, I stumbled upon a pretty cool website (via Pinterest, of course!) that has several printable packets dedicated to a specific letter of the alphabet. I stayed up til 1:00 Tuesday morning printing "H is for Halloween." Insane, I know! But they are very impressive! I only wish she had made them for all of the letters.

Tuesday morning, we hit the ground running. We sang our ABeka song, did a few "chores", and introduced the letter Hh! I'm still adjusting to teaching my 2 year old. After teaching 4-5 year olds for the last 2+ years, and receiving no formal training, I've got a lot of learning to do myself! Trek loves saying the H sound, and he even walks around talking about "Homah Howas!" (Homer Horse, courtesy of ABeka.) Since Halloween was Wednesday, we decided to finally make our monster! The original plan was to make a ghost with the puff paint last week, but I dropped the ball on that one, so we went with a monster instead. He was much cuter, if I do say so myself!

(I'm an idiot and can't figure out how to rotate pictures from my phone...)

Be prepared for a mess if you tackle this one at home or at school.

I mixed Barbasol shaving cream, Elmer's glue, and blue food coloring, as per Lorelai's request. Next time we make this puff paint, I will use more glue. I was a little too conservative, and he lost a lot of his puffiness as he dried. But I still think he looks great! I cut out a simple monster shape from our roll of craft paper and let Lorelai go to town! Once she was done, we added lots of eyeballs and a super-cool mouth! Trek played in plain ole shaving cream while we created our Monster Man.

We took another shot at a sensory bin Tuesday afternoon, and it went surprisingly well! Trek kept the area relatively clean, and they stayed busy for quite a while. I just mixed black and white beans, buried a few spiders and skeletons and such, provided a few small bowls for pouring and scooping, and they had a great time!

Thursday morning, we spent some fun time with Grandma Eva at her house. I know I say this all the time, but I am so very thankful for all of our family here! They are always learning, wherever they are. See how much fun they're having learning about their colors and shapes?

After lunch and a nice long nap, Lorelai and I sat down and tried to do some math and counting. She wasn't in much of a mood for learning, so we only worked for a few minutes before we moved on to making gummies! I found a great recipe here, and it was so ridiculously easy! Lorelai helped me stir...for about 10 seconds. She tried one tonight, and claims they are pretty yummy! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the process.

This week has been fun! We're getting better and better at this school thing. All of the blunders are on me so far. Stay tuned...maybe I'll actually keep things updated around here!

Betsy Bee, Fall & Leaves

2012-10-15T20:31:00.002-07:00

I haven't done well in posting consistently about school, so let's do a brief catch up from the last several days.

A couple of weeks ago, I rearranged my living room ever-so-slightly in order to create a very small "learning zone." I still don't have a work table, which is a huge bummer. Hopefully we can find a reasonable one soon. We are working more on a morning routine, but I have found myself consistently dropping the ball on this. *see previous post* I know that I have to be better about establishing a routine! Moving on...

We try and begin our mornings with our pledges (we have no flags :) ), prayer, a Bible story, and our ABeka ABC Song. We're also working on learning to recognize the written names of several family members! After our short routine one Monday, I introduced Lorelai to the Letter B. I'm still working on her excitement for the alphabet! (She's a little like her Mom when it comes to school.) We played a super easy and super cute game. We called it "The Bb Hunt." The night before, I made small cards with random letters of the alphabet written on each, sticking with A, B, L, and T, while still throwing in a few "unknowns." All I did was cut a piece of cardstock into fourths, write the letters on both sides (I did uppercase on one, lowercase on the other), and you're ready to play!

I started by letting Lorelai throw the stack of letters in the air. They didn't really fly as well as I had hoped, so I ended up scattering them around a bit. She absolutely LOVED this game! We had a B hanging up on the wall for reference, but she never needed to look at it. Each time she picked up a letter, we talked about its phonic sound and investigated both the upper and lowercase sides of the card.

We've played this game several times in the last couple of weeks. Since it's such a big hit, I think I'll keep adding letters as we learn them!

Later in the week (I think...it's been a while) we went on an all-things-fall hunt in the front yard. I'm teaching Lorelai and Trek about the changing seasons, and doing my best to point them to the Creator as we admire His creation. We just wandered around in the front yard, enjoying the weather and trying to find pretty leaves and pine cones. Admittedly, I did this way too early in the season. NOW would be a perfect time for this kind of activity, so we'll probably do this again in the next few weeks. My goal is to have them find things that we can use for craft projects and display in the house. Even though it was a bit of a fall failure, it was a lot of fun to get out of the house and enjoy the cool weather we had that week.

We also attempted a fall sensory bin. I filled a bowl with popcorn kernels and things to fill and pour and such. Honestly, it was a pretty big failure. I don't know what it is with my kids and sensory bins, but they don't really do too well. I'm still trying to figure out what we're going to do about that...

So since that didn't go well, we opted for a fun and simple science experiment. I filled a couple of disposable pie pans with baking soda. Just enough to cover the bottom with a shallow layer. Then, I put vinegar in some plastic cups, added a little food coloring, and let the kids go to town with 2 turkey basters from the Dollar Tree.

I was a little surprised that the colors didn't actually mix in this little experiment. I loved how this worked on Lorelai's fine motor skills, as well as sparking her imagination and critical thinking. And it was no surprise to me that she quickly took my little experiment and made it her own. It wasn't long before she figured out that she could pick up the baking soda from the pan and put it into the cups. She REALLY thought that was cool!

She absolutely loved this experiment. We will definitely be doing this one again. Maybe next time we will practice mixing the food coloring and exploring how colors change.

We were obviously really busy this day (judging by the clothing in every picture). While Trek was napping, Lorelai decorated Besty Bee with glitter glue. She really enjoys this stuff, and I don't mind the mess. Lo does great, and this kept her very busy for a very long time, which freed me up to clean...probably :)

She also helped me cook lunch. I know, you're totally impressed with my cooking skills. Please hold your applause. We practiced counting and measuring, and of course stirring.

We're doing our best around here to mix learning with playing and socializing. Some weeks I really drop the ball in more than one of those areas. But, for the most part, I feel like we're quite successful. My kids are learning, both academic and practical things. They're learning how to love each other and solve problems. They're learning their ABC's and 123's. They're learning about the love of Jesus and His heart for the nations. I'm always prayerful that I'm doing them justice. And when I begin to feel inadequate, I am reminded that of course I am inadequate! But my God is not. And He will equip me to complete the work to which He has called me.

Embracing the Chaos

2012-10-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have one of those weeks? You know, where you just feel downright useless and absolutely unproductive? Yeah, well, that was me last week! Honestly, I was getting pretty discouraged. My house was falling apart, the laundry was so backed up it was ridiculous, and my children were behaving horribly! I felt like I was beginning to fail, and I almost began to question my position at home. Almost.

I am constantly reminded that God is faithful. He is my strength and my help. He will never leave me. Even when I am very clearly in a position that is deserving of being left! My Heavenly Father consistently and patiently guides me every single second of every single day. Sometimes He is leading me through a desert, and sometimes He is leading me onto a mountain top. Whatever the case, my sweet Savior is faithful. I am so encouraged when I think of His love and unending grace! Even when my house is complete chaos. Even when my kids seem to forget that they are supposed to be perfect angels. Even when I am just about as mean as I can be to my husband, through no fault of his own. God is still here. God is still moving. God is still working.

I am part of a page on Facebook called Proverbs 31 Women. I am constantly blessed and challenged by these women, most of whom I have never met. I will probably never meet most of them this side of heaven. But what a joyous day it will be when we encounter one another in eternity! Someone posted this article on the page last week, and I just had to share it here. Wives and moms, be encouraged by this. Be lifted up. You are not failing. We are not failing.

This week, I am embracing the chaos. I am enjoying the mess and the clutter. (In moderation...) I am choosing to be so very thankful for this season of my life. One day, I'll have a house free of random toys. One day, I'll have time to actually finish the loads of laundry that I started with such zeal at the beginning of the day. One day, my house will always be decorated with super cute accessories for every season and every holiday. One day, I might even be so organized that I don't even have any more junk piles!

But today is not that day. Today, I will relish the tiny hand prints on the side of my bed. I will smile at the absurd mound of toys in the corner of my living room. I will embrace the plastic dishes that are constantly overflowing in my sink. I will laugh when I find ANOTHER sippy cup in ANOTHER room!

Because tomorrow, these things will be gone.

Tomorrow, they'll be too tall to put their hand prints on my bed. Tomorrow, they won't care to play with their toys in the living room anymore, choosing instead to play alone in their rooms. Tomorrow, there won't be bright-colored plastic dishes and sippy cups, only Fiestaware and red tumblers.

Moms, embrace the chaos. Love the mess. Enjoy the smudges. Let the laundry go so you can go outside with your kids. Just this once, live in the moment. Relish their childhood. Because tomorrow, it will be over.

Pioneer Woman in the Making

2012-09-30T21:58:00.001-07:00

As I've noted in previous blog posts, a lot of things started changing in my heart and home this summer. In my reaching out to others about the ins and outs of being a SAHM, I began to learn a few money-saving tips that I've started to apply to our lives in the Mitchell Household.

I decided to begin learning about couponing, and have found a few websites that have really helped cut our grocery budget down some. If you're interested in having someone do most of the work for you, check out Fabulessly Frugal. These gals will shop for you, and then share all of their amazing deals! We don't take it to the extreme that a lot of people do, but saving $10-$20 per grocery trip certainly helps a lot! I've also gotten really good at MENU PLANNING! My poor husband...for 6 years he has lovingly and patiently dealt with my utter HATE for cooking. But I'm telling you, since I've found Pinterest, our lives have certainly changed in the kitchen! Every other Sunday, I sit down and search my trusty Pinterest Food & Drink board for the next 2 weeks of meals. (I even have a board dedicated specifically to my menus.) It is SO simple, and it helps me (a very forgetful person) remember to actually thaw that meat out that I have in the freezer! The menu gets posted on the refrigerator every week, so there's no excuse for not getting a home-cooked meal every night. This has helped cut down spending, too, because we're not running down the road to Dairy Queen for dinner every few nights.

Another big part of my money-saving venture has been creating homemade cleaning products. (I also have a Pinterest board dedicated to this! Find me on Pinterst!) Here's a list of the recipes that I use around my house:

For a bathroom cleaner, I use 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of Blue Dawn Soap. I heat the vinegar in the microwave for about 2 minutes, add the Dawn, and pour both into a spray bottle. Sometimes I have enough left over to use for 2 weeks of cleaning, but usually I add another new batch to the spray bottle each week. This solution works WONDERS on a grimy bathtub and dirty counter tops. You can sprinkle baking soda before spraying to add some extra scrubbing power!
I use a simple baking soda and vinegar combination to clean our toilets.
To clean my kitchen sink, I sprinkle baking soda, add a little water to make a paste, and work it around with my hands. The first time I did this, I was amazed (and disgusted!) at the dirt that came off of my sink! Now I do this every week or so in my cleaning routine. About once a month, I put vinegar ice cubes down my disposal and run cold water through the drain. You can also add citrus slices to your disposal for freshness and cleaning.
For my granite counter tops in my kitchen, I use a simple solution that lasts a LONG time! I mix about 1/2 cup of Blue Dawn Soap with about 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol. Add water until the mixture is diluted to your satisfaction, and scrub away! The alcohol helps the cleaner dry quickly, eliminated streaks on your counter tops. Again, you can add Baking Soda to your counters before spraying if they need a little extra scrubbing. Even with using this daily, a bottle lasted me all summer before I had to make another batch.

The best thing about all of these cleaners is that they are SUPER inexpensive! When you break down the cost of these cleaners, it is quite literally pennies per use. My next venture is to make my own floor cleaner, invest in some microfiber cloths, and hopefully stop throwing my money away on my Swifer refills. (And I DO love my Swifer!)

Another big thing that we have started to do around here is make our own laundry detergent. It is RIDICULOUSLY easy! There's no reason NOT to make your own detergent! I made my first batch in early summer, and just had to make my second batch 2 weeks ago. Here's my easy-to-follow recipe. Just set aside approximately 20 minutes for cooking. Here's what you'll need:

1 bar Fels Naptha soap (found in the detergent aisle)
8 cups of water
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Washing Soda
2 empty containers

Start by grating the bar of soap into a large pot. Add 8 cups of water, bring to a boil, and continue to cook until all of the soap is dissolved. Add the Borax and Washing Soda. Bring to a boil one more time. Use a funnel (or any cup with a spout) and divide the soap evenly into the 2 containers. It doesn't have to be perfect measurements, just guess! Let the soap sit in the containers overnight, and then add water until the containers are almost full. Shake well, and enjoy the mere pennies that you're spending every time you wash clothes! Don't fret about chunks and such, it's perfectly normal. Every few washes, I add a little more water to make the soap last longer. Most recipes call for storing the mixture in a 5-gallon bucket, but if you're like me and have your washer and dryer in a small closet, there's just no room for that! This is the same concept, and the soap lasts just as long because you are constantly adding water. I haven't added up the costs, but I estimate that my detergent probably costs $5-$6 per large-sized detergent container. Try it! I dare you!

Trek washed dishes while Mommy cooked the soap. Sometimes my plans to do these projects during nap time don't pan out. Especially when my busy boy only sleeps for an hour. Thank goodness for simple entertainment!

Also, (side note) I'm learning to sew! I've literally learned one step, but hey...it's better than where I was! Here's hoping I can get fairly good at this new endeavor!

Alexander Alligator

2012-09-28T13:31:00.001-07:00

We have been having a ridiculous amount of fun around here lately! Lorelai and I are still focusing on the letter A. While I absolutely believe that children have incredible capability to learn at a very early age, I also firmly believe that some of the best learning experiences come simply from living and exploring the world around us. This is the simple philosophy that I'm following when teaching Lorelai. She's only 2, so she does get burnt out quite quickly when she feels like I'm "teaching" too much. But she really has enjoyed singing our ABeka alphabet song, flipping through my simple, homemade construction paper flashcards, learning how to recognize all of our family's names, and coloring and painting A LOT! Check out this super cute Alexander Alligator that we made to help reenforce the letter A!

Lorelai had so much fun making this little project! Alexander Alligator is part of her ABeka song, and every alligator that we see has the name Alexander! She was incredibly proud of herself, and we had to send everyone a picture of her art work.

Let me just take this opportunity to share a few of the blogs that I am L-O-V-I-N-G right now! These moms are absolute GENIUS in ~~teaching~~ playing with their children! These 3 sites have shortcuts on my iPad. I look at them nearly every day!

Hands on As We Grow

This site is excellent for anything you can imagine. She has lots of sensory ideas that I really like. This mom LOVES to make a mess, a total philosophy that we live by in our house! And her blog is super organized and easy to use!

Growing a Jeweled Rose

I haven't perused this site as much as the others, but I really like her bath ideas!

No Time For Flashcards

This blog has got to be the most extensive resource that I've found so far. I LOVE THIS BLOG! This mom used to teach, and her list of credentials is really impressive.

Lo is really getting good about recognizing the letter A in the world around her. She likes to point it out in everything! She will say "Hey, that's an A! It says a, a, a!" Of course it makes Mommy super proud! Our next stop will be the letter B. Hopefully we can keep this excitement going all the way through Z!

Oops!

2012-09-28T12:30:00.000-07:00

I feel like I closed my eyes, and when I woke up, I found that I'd missed an entire two weeks of blogging! We have been super busy on the days that I've missed, so I'll do my best to be brief in our update.

I work every Wednesday and Friday, so on those days, the babes go and stay with our family. I am so excited to be able to "use" my family to keep my kiddos! And I am so very excited that my kids will have so very many memories of the grandparents! Last night, as Nanny & Pappy were leaving our house after dinner, I said a little prayer of thanks for the simple fact that we are still in town with our parents. I am so thankful that we don't have to wait weeks and months to have those precious visits with them! I'm prayerful that I do not begin to take such a blessing for granted!

Several days ago, I decided to begin to try and introduce the alphabet to Lorelai. I talked with her teacher from school about ways that they approach learning in their classroom, and I even got some left over curriculum workbooks to bring home! Lo is still having trouble understanding that I am her "teacher" now, but we're working on it! To get things started, we explored Apples! We talked about how God made all of the plants, including Apple Trees, and then we decided to try Apple Painting.

Later, we had fun exploring sensory bottles, playing with fine motor manipulatives, cooking a yummy supper, and taking a GREEN bath.

Morning Walk, Rice Play, and Pizza Cupcakes

2012-09-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful Tuesday we were given today! It's just another reason why I'm so thankful for the blessing of staying home. I get to enjoy days like this with my babies.

I decided last night that I would set my alarm for 30 minutes earlier than I had been on my days at home. Initially, I was letting myself sleep til 7. I based that decision on the fact that my kids usually slept til 8 or later during the summer. So I figured I had at least an hour to have some coffee, read my Bible, and prep for the day. Naturally, as soon as I made a plan, they changed it! Instead of sleeping until 8, both Mitchell Munchkins were bright-eyed by 7:30, at the very latest. So, this morning I was fully intent on beating them at their own game, and I was awake by 6:30. And then my sweet Trek-man began babbling at 6:45. How do they do that?! Since we were up so early, we hit the farm road for a walk before breakfast. I try to make this part of our routine, but we usually don't go until closer to 9:00. This morning, we were out the door before 8:00! The kids even needed light jackets! And it was lovely!


They really do like it...you'll just have to take my word for it

After our nice, brisk walk, we kind of took it easy. I worked on laundry and straightened up the house while the kids "watched a movie." They're always requesting movies, but they never actually watch them. I don't mind, though. I like Disney movies from my childhood playing throughout my home!

About mid-morning, the natives got a bit restless, so I decided to break out the rice that I dyed last night. Check it out! I found the recipe here, via Pinterest. Mine didn't turn out as bold as I would have liked, but I was a bit too conservative with my food coloring. Lesson learned.

Ignore the cookies. Or don't...they're simply slice-and-bake for my chocolate-obsessed husband. So while I was busy making these,

(Totally forgot an after picture)

the kids were VERY occupied playing with their rice. Initially, I buried puzzle pieces in the bigger bowl, intending for Lorelai to hunt for them and put the puzzle together. Yeah...that didn't even last 5 minutes. Instead, all of the rice was mixed together, and my floor was covered! I believe my last words to Lo before she started playing were, "Try and keep as much in the bowls as you can." Oh well! Fun was had, and my broom got a workout!

I think Trek would have played here all day if I would have let him. He was thoroughly engrossed in the movement and texture of the rice. And I know for a fact that Lorelai Roxane would have covered the house in it had I let her. She is fascinated with pouring things and watching how they change depending on the container that is holding them.

The babes slept most of the afternoon, and then we made a quick trip to visit the Walkers. Meatloaf for supper, and an evening walk on the farm road with Daddy. Ahh, what a perfect Tuesday!

Fine Motor, Sensory, and Science! Oh my!

2012-09-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

Our first Monday at home was a busy one! Last week was technically our first week, but since Monday was a holiday, it didn't really count. Daddy got to be home with us, so it was just like an extra Saturday! Today, however, we did our best to stick to our "schedule" and be somewhat productive in our play. FYI, Mommy still has to work out some kinks in this schedule thing...like changing my alarm clock. Baby steps...

We started our day with a trip to the Dollar Tree. I've been itching to get my hands on some materials to start ~~learning~~ playing with! We left the store with a pretty decent load, but I'm already planning my next trip. Naturally, as soon as we got home, Lorelai was DESPERATE to open EVERYTHING! I wish I could have videoed her while we were shopping. She was absolutely mesmerized by all of the goodies on the shelves! I'll have my camera ready for our next trip.

I managed to hold Lo off until lunch was eaten and Trek was napping. After that, I just couldn't say no anymore. So we broke open the pom poms and muffin tin. I got 160 pom poms for $2! Score! Lorelai loves to sort, so she immediately started using her "alligator fingers" to move her piles around to different muffin cups.

We purchased some tweezers today, too, for fine motor skill practice. I decided to go ahead and give them to her. Honestly, I didn't anticipate much success. It's a difficult task to undertake, and the girl is only 2! But, as per usual, she proved me wrong! I only had to show her once how to hold them correctly, and she was hard at work, resorting her mixed-up colors.

This task kept her busy until Daddy got home for lunch, and then she was quite distracted. I anticipate that, if left alone, she would sit and work with these for 30-45 minutes!

While Lorelai was busying herself and perfecting her fine motor skills (thanks to her sneaky mom), I was working on making sensory bags for the kids to squish and squeeze when they need some cool-down time. All I needed was baggies, hair gel, and random things to mix into the bags. Cheaper is NOT better where the baggies are concerned. Lesson learned! I'll spare you the pictures, because they didn't really turn out as well as I had hoped. But I have high hopes for my next attempt, thanks to my fab sister-in-law!

After nap and a quick Creation art project,

we headed outside to play with our Ivory Soap Experiment! Let me just say, my family and I LOVE Pinterest! They may not know that they love it, but their bellies know. And my kiddos know because they're ~~learning~~ playing constantly! I found this idea here. It was ridiculously simply. Microwave a bar of IVORY (it has to be Ivory brand. I don't know why...just go with it) soap on high for about 2 minutes. You can watch it and stop it sooner if need be. The consistency of this stuff is crazy cool. I think next time we play with it, we're going to make it snow in the bathtub! Outside, I let the kids mash and squish this blob to their hearts' content. The plan was to then have them add a little water and food coloring, reshape the soap, and use it in a few days in the tub. But Lorelai had other plans! Once we started adding water, she decided that all of the globs needed to be put into our pitcher. And it just went crazy from there. My natural inclination was to correct her, but I restrained myself and just let her play. It was totally worth it! The girl entertained herself for nearly an hour, stirring and pouring and mixing and mashing. I count this sensory play a HUGE success!

Times, They are A-Changing

2012-09-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

The Lord has opened doors for our family that I continue to marvel at every single day! A brief explanation is in order.

This summer, I began to feel the call on my heart to stay at home with my children. Initially, I thought that I was only being selfish, and that it really had nothing to do with following the Lord or being a better wife and mother. But the more I listened, the more I prayed and read and studied. I inquired of people who live this lifestyle, and sought wisdom from them as to why they feel it is necessary for them to stay at home with their children. Throughout the summer, God continued to convict me about where the majority of my time and energy went during the school year. Check out this brief overview of a typical day for me:

5:50 - Alarm

7:15 - Out the door

4:00, 5:00, or 5:30 - Off work and headed home

6:15 - We're lucky if supper is on the table yet

7:00 - Bath time

8:00 - Trek is in bed

8:30 or 9:00 - Lorelai is in bed

10:00 - CRASH!

Where is there time for my family in this scenario? Sure, we MIGHT have 45 minutes at the dinner table together. And we MAY have 30-40 minutes of play time after baths. But not usually! The more I considered my life, and the struggles that I actually took the time to notice, the more I realized that my job was getting the best of me. And I LOVED my job! God has given me the ability to teach, and He's given me a love for young, energetic students. So why on earth was I spending 8-10 hours per day with OTHER people's children?! Why was I investing all of my time and energy into serving them? and then coming home completely exhausted, at the end of my rope, and honestly, just plain mean!? So I continued to pray. Fervently. I began to ask very close friends to pray for specific things in my life. And God began to move. He began to soften Jeremy's heart to the importance of me being in the home. He began to show us ways that we could cut back financially in order to survive on one income. He began to open up avenues of communication between the two of us, so that we could share our hearts in a more clear way. God is a miracle worker!

But I did end up going back to work. After talking and praying and "crunching numbers", we decided to give it until December. That was our compromise, and I thought that I could be okay with that. But I was not. After 1 1/2 days of work (both kids ended up sick almost immediately), I had had enough. Not because I had a "bad job", but because it was not the right job. My mother, in all of her wisdom, suggested I cut my work week to 2 days per week, pull the kids out of school, and stay home with them part-time. Genius! Why didn't we think of this sooner?! Immediately, everything fell into place. And last week, I began my journey of being a part-time Stay at Home Mom. This is not the end of my journey. I am pushing for full time, but that will happen in God's time. I believe that He is faithful. And when He calls you so clearly to something, through His Word and other believers, He will make a way for things to happen for His glory.

I am still learning. Still searching. Still seeking wisdom. I'm finding it in Scripture, in preaching, in reading, and in women who are traveling this road to the glory of God. I am seeking to honor Him with my life. It is not my own. I have been given the most precious gift in all the world. The gift of children. I desire to maximize my time with them! I will do without earthly comforts and treasures, if only to spend more hours investing in the lives of my babies. I desire to serve my husband better, by being home more and dedicating my time to maintaining our household. I am committed to walking beside and behind him as he leads us in the Lord, and I only want to encourage and strengthen him as we grow together in Christ. I pray that God will use me to minister to others.

I have no desire to mince words and make everything all sunshine and rainbows. This is hard. This is messy. This is a struggle. But we will do it, and we will do it to the glory of God. May His name be made famous in us. I love to read, and I especially love to read books from which I can gain wisdom. I encourage you to check out these books about the biblical call of wives and mothers. I found both of them in the Amazon Kindle store. I am always looking for more suggestions about where I can gain wisdom and biblical knowledge that I know is necessary to raise our children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney

Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr.

Welcome Back

2012-09-10T10:49:00.000-07:00

To say I haven't blogged in a while would be an understatement. I just looked back at my most recent posts, and I was last seen updating about my 10 month old...who is now almost 16 months. Yikes! I believe a quick, relatively brief update is in order! My sweet babies are growing like crazy! Actually, I think at this point in their lives, they're changing more than they're growing...but I digress

Lorelai Roxane is just over 3 months away from her third birthday. WHAT?! She's 2, going on 16. Lorelai is the funniest kid I know. She is so very animated, and she absolutely loves to tell and retell stories. We also love to sing...no surprise there! Lo thinks she's one of the adults, and would usually much rather hang out with Mommy and Daddy's friends rather than the wild bunch of kids we run with. She's very bright, but I'm a bit partial, too. I'm very excited to nurture her ability to remember and recall...who knows where that will take us!

My wild mad is now RUNNING everywhere! He has quickly caught up to his peers, despite my continuous worry over him in his first 12ish months. Trek Hamilton is a big ball of energy. He's a loud, rough-and-tumble Mommy's boy. He has a temper that might surprise you...especially if all you've ever seen of him is his sweet smile and deep dimples. The boy can bite and head-butt like a pro! He loves hard, and he plays hard. T-man loves to climb and jump and wrestle, and he has the bumps and bruises that go well with being a tough boy. And I wouldn't have it any other way! I love that, despite his fits for Mommy, he really is a rough, rowdy boy! Trek has an incredibly contagious laugh, and a surprisingly still-gummy grin (we still only have 6 teeth). He is brave and sweet and funny and trying. He is my child that tests my limits, and always has a lot of love to give :).

Jeremy and I are so very excited that we get to be Lorelai and Trek's parents. How lucky are we?! God is doing great things in our family! Lots of changes are taking place! But that's for another post, on another day.

Her Favorite Friend

2012-03-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

Do you remember your favorite friend from your childhood? I don't mean a real friend, I mean an imaginary friend. A toy even. I remember having a baby doll that I prayed for when I said my prayers. I remember that I gave her baths, which caused her eyes to stop opening and closing correctly. I feel like I should issue a public apology to my parents for any and all incidents involving said baby doll. Maybe she didn't drive them crazy. But I'm a Mommy now, and I would be willing to bet that she did.

Lorelai has a favorite friend. It started out innocent enough. She got a cute little kitten for Christmas from Aunt Jan. Nothing fancy. Just a little white cat that fits in the palm of my hand. Simple enough. And she's gotten so many little toys like that. The child has a ridiculous amount of little toys! But there must have been something about this cat, because now they are inseparable. I'm not kidding...Catty (name courtesy of the creative mind of a 2 year old) is the first thing Lo talks about when she wakes up, and the last things she asks about when she goes to sleep. Catty is everywhere. And I hate Catty.

I know, I know. I'm a terrible mother. Just tonight, while Jeremy and I were in the kitchen getting burgers ready for tomorrow, I heard Lorelai having a conversation with Catty. I shook my head and said, "I will not be sad when we lose Catty." He told me how terrible I was, and I know this to be true. But I. Hate. Catty. Yes, Lorelai loves her, and she will probably be devastated when/if anything ever happens to her. And yes, I should be sad when/if that day comes. And while it will certainly hurt my heart to see my sweet Lo upset over Catty, I will not miss her. I will probably do a little happy dance behind closed doors.

It's silly, really. She's just a little cat. She doesn't make noise or move, at least not on her own. She doesn't require batteries or maintenance. She doesn't take up a lot of room. But my sweet chatter box of a child is CONSTANTLY talking to/about Catty. She's constantly throwing her or catching her or hugging her or yelling at her. "Where Catty, Mommy?" "Catty gone get you!" "Watch Catty, Mommy!" "Look at Catty! She right they-ah!" "I want Catty, Mommy!" "Here comes her, Mommy!"

I love Lorelai. I love her imagination. I love her spunk and her humor. I love her intensity. I love every single thing about her.

But I. Hate. Catty