I have tried to grow actual food. Each of the girls had a big pot one summer and they chose what to plant. Georgia had carrots and corn, Sydney grew peppers and zucchini, and Audrey planted tomatoes and green beans. My pot was herbs: mint, basil, rosemary, parsley, and dill.

All we got were a couple of cherry tomatoes, two or three green beans, some stubby carrots, and a pot full of mint that had choked out the other herbs.

Last year, Georgia planted a few things in paper cups in first grade that I dutifully transplanted into our flower beds. But even though we watered them, they just didn’t grow. I don’t know what it is. The soil? Our water? My black thumb?

Needless to say, I have found other ways to supply my family with fresh fruits and veggies. We love going to the orchard every summer for blueberries and then again in September for apples upon apples. I load up that shopping cart every week with produce and other mostly whole foods.

As far as bigger changes in our family’s eating habits, I have been thinking for a couple of years about joining a CSA to get local, mostly organic vegetables and fruits each week. I broke down the cost, and it seemed comparable to what I pay for produce at the store. But, of course, the drawback is that we would pay the whole thing up front. Not cheap!

My future plan, if we ever have a house that would have room for a freezer, is to start buying quarter cows from a local farm. Having all that fresh, local meat would be great for our family.

How about you? What are some ways you help your family eat more healthfully? Do you have plans for changes you would like to make?

photo credit: puercozon

Could you live an entire year eating locally or the food from your garden? Barbara Kingsolver transplanted her family from the deserts of Arizona to the mountains of Virginia for their endeavor. Join From Left to Write on February 21 as we discuss Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book. All opinions are my own. 

Joel is 20 months old and I know full well that his days in the crib are numbered. None of our kids have had long stays in crib-land.

We moved Audrey out of the crib at 21 months because Georgia was on her way and would need the crib. Georgia, in turn, climbed out of the crib at 17 months and started sleeping in a toddler bed the next night. Sydney was right around two when we put her in the toddler bed.

So I’m just waiting until Joel starts getting restless in the ol’ crib and I will pull that little toddler bed out of the basement. And then we will see how it goes.

We have been fortunate so far with transitions to the big-kid bed. Audrey and Georgia took to it right away and didn’t really give us any trouble. Even our little stinker, Sydney, only got out of bed twice the first night in the toddler bed and once the next night before succumbing to sleep. (And the only reason I know that is because it is so nicely recorded for me. No matter how memorable something seems at the time, it so easily slips away…)

But there is no telling what Joel might do when he is free of those lovely crib bars. On the one hand, he still doesn’t try to climb out of his crib, but lays there and waits for us to come get him. But on the other hand, he always wants to be freeeee and runnnnnning! And he’s already learning how to open doorknobs. What is that?!?!? We could have a little guy running loose at any hour of the night!

So that’s why I was interested to try out a new product, the SleepBuddy. This little gadget is a teaching tool to help children learn to stay in bed until morning (and/or until naptime is over). It’s a little globe-shaped nightlight that glows blue while children need to be in bed, and then turns off when it is OK for children to get up. Parents can set the timer on the unit for both bedtimes and naptimes, without having to switch it every day.

It comes with a children’s book to help explain to your child how it works, a reward chart with stickers, and a parent’s guide.

Can I just say, I think this thing is GENIUS! It is easy for children to understand and easy to set up. I think this could really help families with children who tend to wake up too early in the morning. We are fortunate that our girls don’t get up before seven (and Audrey could sleep much, much later), but the SleepBuddy could help children play quietly in their rooms until it is time for Mommy and Daddy to get up.

The SleepBuddy would be great to enforce rest time, too. Sydney (4.5 years old) can read the numbers on a digital clock, but is a bit fuzzy on understanding what it really means for twenty minutes or an hour to go by. But if I used the SleepBuddy while she was “resting,” she could easily see when she could come downstairs.

We will be moving Joel out of his crib probably in the next couple of months. And the SleepBuddy will definitely be a part of our transition plan.

How did you help your toddlers learn to stay in bed once they were out of the crib?

The SleepBuddy is available for $35.95 on the SleepBuddy website, as well as from Amazon. Like SleepBuddy’s on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

MomSelect provided me with a Sleep Buddy system to facilitate my review. I was not otherwise compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

So today, when Sydney started whining about having to do her “rest time,” I remembered the tape measure.

I grabbed a clipboard, the tape measure, and a pencil and made a list. I wrote down about fifteen things that Sydney could walk around and measure. A couple of them were Joel’s ride-on toy, the Wii remote, the bathroom stool, Daddy’s shoe, and Joel’s shoe. Sydney is learning to read, so I just wrote the words on her paper, but for the younger set you could draw a simple picture.

Sydney spent a happy fifteen minutes carrying the clipboard around the house, measuring things. She wrote down her measurements next to each item and when she was done with the list, she trotted back to tell me all about it.

This is a great activity for preschoolers or even younger elementary kiddos because it gets them involved with math in a real-world setting. They get practice both “reading” and writing numbers (Sydney definitely could use more practice with that one), and their understanding of concepts like bigger/smaller becomes more defined.

Sydney is the kind of girl who likes to do a lot of different things, and it’s often hard for me to come up with toys she hasn’t seen in a while. But this afternoon I remembered that real-world learning activities are always a big hit with her. I guess I should plan something like this for her more often.

Because a happy preschooler at rest time is a happy mommy at rest time!

Are there any learning activities that your preschooler has enjoyed recently?
photo credit: jronaldlee

For example, whenever our family goes to a museum, the zoo, or a party, I am always totally exhausted afterwards. The high level of stimulation, noise, and commotion around me wears me out.

With four kids, there is definitely a range of personalities in our home. And the way the introvert/extrovert “thing” manifests itself is fascinating to me. I always thought that being an introvert meant someone was shy. After all, that’s how it was for me. But not in our family!

One of our daughters is absolutely an introvert. This child can occupy herself for hours at a time, perfectly contently. Not that she often has the opportunity to be alone for hours at a time. She gets home from school and loves to spend a half an hour reading before she’s ready to play with her sisters. She gets irritated if it is too noisy in the house, and doesn’t like the music up too loud.

This daughter has no problem making friends, but she tends to have fewer, deeper friendships. She loves to have playdates that last hours and hours, but with just one good buddy. All these things seem, to me, to be the markers of a classic introvert.

But shy, she is not. This girl is not timid or frightened of much of anything. She will jump right in to a new activity she thinks looks exciting. She loves to perform in front of people, and is always willing to give her opinion on any issue, whether in or outside of class.

Our other two daughters are pretty much the opposite. They absolutely HATE being alone. It is almost physically painful to them if there is nobody to play with. They get grumpy over the weekend or during a school break if they haven’t had enough contact with their friends. They love loud noises, loud music, and lots of commotion.

Both of these girls have piles of friends. When they enter their classroom, kids yell their names and run over to them. They have trouble naming their “best” friend, as they have so many close friends. And nothing would be better for them than having a big group playdate with ten of their closest buddies. Extroverts, much?

But plop these girls into a new situation, and they freeze right up. They have a hard time saying “hi” to adults when they are greeted. One of them took over two months to get used to her preschool class when she was three. It wasn’t until the middle of December that she actually started playing with the other children. These two girls are quite shy!

It amazes me the way kids’ personalities, from the same family, can differ so greatly. We have yet to see what little Joel will be like. But the great thing is, no matter what personality type a child has, we are all valuable in this world. There is a place for the introvert and the extrovert! I love seeing how my children each learn to grow in their own unique and beautiful way.

Are you an introvert or extrovert?.Author Susan Cain explores how introverts can be powerful in a world where being an extrovert is highly valued. Join From Left to Write on January 19 as we discuss Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. We’ll also be chatting live with Susan Cain at 1PM Eastern on January 26. As a member of From Left to Write, I received a free copy of the book to facilitate my participation in this discussion. All opinions are my own.

I wake up in the morning, not fully awake. But the little guy is definitely up. The youngest ones in the house seem to be the most awake, both early in the morning and all day long.

Joel is either completely awake or out cold. He completely engages with the world at all times. There is not multi-tasking in a toddler’s day–when he’s playing, he isn’t trying to check his email or load the dishwasher.

Sydney is the same way. She is either doing one thing or another. When she’s working with play-doh, it’s all about the “doh.” When she’s looking at books, she isn’t talking on the phone at the same time.

It’s hard for me to just do one thing at a time, to really be awake and aware of the little person I’m spending time with. But the truth is, when I try to multi-task, it’s almost like I’m asleep. Neither task gets my full attention, and the child is the one who gets short-changed. Because how much attention does tossing the clothes in the washing machine really take?

Today, when my kids need something, I am going to focus on being awake in the moment. I will look them in the eye, and take in the beauty of their little faces. Everything else will still be there when I’m done, but that interaction with my children will not last forever.
Do you want to play along? Link up at The Gypsy Mama.

But I’m married to someone who LOVES to make New Year’s resolutions. And he often achieves them, too. Like in 2010 when he resolved to be able to run the Broad Street 10-miler. Yeah, he did that.

So, because I seem to be alone in my house in my ambivalence toward New Year’s Resolutions, I bring you my List. 9 days late.

1. Each week, I will declutter one surface in my home. Flat surfaces are my nemesis. Since I am a pile-er, there are often piles of junk on every available flat surface. The kitchen counter, end tables, dressers, the coffee table, these are all magnets for clutter. And it is going to end this year, week by week, one flat surface at a time. Hopefully I will get rid of a lot of stuff and the house will be easier to keep neat!

2. I am switching from a paper calendar to an electronic one. This is a biiiiiig deal for me. I have always been extremely reliant on my calendar and I have loved using the Sandra Boynton wall calendar for the past few years. (There is a column for every person in the family!) But it’s time to make the leap. It will be great for Rich and I to both be able to access the family calendar, and it will also be great for me to be able to access the calendar when I’m out and about. I have been using the Cozi calendar/iPhone app and so far so good.

4. I will be able to run a 5k. I have decided to start the “Couch to 5k” program, which eases non-runners into running. It involves running and walking three days a week for eight weeks, gradually walking less and running more. I’ve done the first week twice, and I can tell that it’s getting easier. Buying new running shoes helped, too!

3. I am going to keep track of the books I read this year. I love reading, and I always read a lot of books each year. But other than summer reading programs as a kid, I have never logged which books or how many I have read. Maybe I’ll keep track on my Cozi app!

4. Next week, I am starting the Blog Challenge 2012. Starting on the 16th, for 31 days I will be working on making my blog better. Want to join in? Head on over to check out this year’s Build a Better Blog Challenge.

Do you like to make New Year’s resolutions? What are some of your goals for this year?

1. Buy a kit! I like to buy a kit during the after-Christmas clearance at a craft store. You can often find them 75% off, or even more. I think I got my kit for about $1 last year. Then I just kept it in my closet all year. The gingerbread pieces and candies are tightly sealed inside, so there should be no problem (at least I’ve never had a problem).
2. Think outside the kit! Do your kids have as much leftover Halloween candy as mine do? Raid it to decorate your house. Smarties make great pebbles for a sidewalk. M&Ms are good for edging the roof or windowsills. Laffy Taffy can be warmed in the microwave for a few seconds and then rolled into long snakes to outline things. I always think the candy that comes with the kit needs to be supplemented.
3. Grab a cutting board! I use a cutting board as a base for the house. I just cover it with foil (tape it on the bottom). Then I’m ready with a nice, shiny, icy-looking surface.
4. Think like a cooking show! Mix up the icing and put each kind of candy into its own small bowl. Hopefully this will cut back on candy rolling away.
5. Use hot glue! Assembling the gingerbread house with the included icing works, but it is time-consuming. You have to put together the walls, and then let it dry for a while (30 minutes, maybe) before putting on the roof. And then wait again! My kids (and I) do NOT have the patience for that. I just slap the gingerbread pieces together with hot glue, and we’re done. Ready to decorate. I usually just cover the hot glue with icing so it looks better. Don’t worry about not being able to eat the house, you’ve just stored the thing for the past year. That baby is STALE. You’re making a decoration, not a snack.
6. Give each kid a section! If you have multiple small children, like I do, this tip is pretty much essential. By assigning each child one wall or roof panel, I have avoided lots of arguments. If I’m feeling like I care about how the house turns out, sometimes I assign myself the front of the house.
7. Spread the icing yourself! Spreading the icing evenly is usually the hardest part for young kids. So I like to just spread/squeeze the icing on the house, then let the kids have at it with decorating. With the leftover icing, make a snowy yard for your house.
8. Join in on the fun! I have found that no matter how messy the kids get with the gingerbread house, it always looks cute and festive when it’s done. So don’t worry about trying to control it, just grab some candies and start sticking. You’re making a memory, so don’t forget to take some pictures of those proud little faces with their creation!

Do your kids like to decorate gingerbread houses? What has worked well for your family?

The ceremony was at 2:00, which I was nervous about since Joel’s naptime is usually 12-3. But since he was up so late the night before at the rehearsal dinner, he went down for his nap at 10:30 a.m. and got in almost two hours of sleep before we left!

I spent the morning primping, curling, braiding, spraying, and clipping the girls’ hair. They enjoyed watching The Princess Bride while I worked, so there was a minimum of fighting and squirming.

Once we got to the church, the girls waited excitedly for the ceremony to start. And when the moment arrived, they were lovin’ life! They were all smiles down the aisle. Unfortunately, the church where the wedding was held did not allow flower petals to be thrown (even silk ones), but the girls loved their pretty little bouquets anyway.

Somehow, between goldfish crackers, raisins, books, toys and his pacifier, I managed to keep Joel mostly quiet during the ceremony. There was one notable exception…after the soloist had finished her final song, he yelled, “Yay!” and the entire congregation laughed.

The reception was the best part for the kids. I think Joel ate about half his weight from the cheese tray, and then fell asleep during the dancing. But the girls were tearing up the floor the whole time! Audrey’s second grade teacher had taught her class the electric slide, so that was fun for her to do. And Sydney insisted on dancing with her bouquet the entire night.

The girls were among the last people on the dance floor at the end of the party. They are asking when they can go to another wedding because they had so much fun. Congratulations, Uncle Tom and Aunt Stacy!

Head over to my review blog to check out my review of some fun flower girl books!