How To Turn A Long Distance Car Trip Into An Adventure

By Katharine Grubb

We were all wearing masks and mustaches to keep our identities a secret. My oldest son tracked the speed of our minivan as we cruised down the Interstate. My older daughters read signs looking for “code words” on billboards. My youngest son made checklist of sports cars that he saw, believing they could be “the bad guy”. And my youngest daughter drew a picture, of a princess most likely, but that princess was on a mission to uncover the secret plot. We were the Mustachioed Seven and we were a group of super heroes on a mission, not only to drive cross-country from Massachusetts to Oklahoma, but also to stop our archenemies from taking over the world.

It was not, as one might think, an ordinary packed mini-van on a 3-day road trip. It was, in fact, an adventure. And it was worth the extra planning to make it memorable for my family.

I admit. I had enough to do preparing for the trip: all the laundry, packing, cleaning the house, buying snacks, preparing the car, booking hotel rooms, and tending to the other million little details. But I found that the time I invested in planning the fun, the more excited the kids became, and the more memories that we made.

You can make your cross-country trip exciting too. All you need is a little advance planning and enthusiasm, and your children (especially those four years old and older) will look forward to being stuck in the car for hours. Or days.


Getting Started

Consider a theme for the trip. You aren’t just a family packed into a mini-van; you are a big boatload of pirates. Or you’re going on a jungle safari. Or you’re riding a magic carpet. From your choice of theme, pack hats, bandanas, masks, toilet-paper tube binoculars, and eye patches. Then as you collect activities to do in the car, stick to the theme. None of these have to be expensive; in fact most of ours were handmade.

Assign vacation names. During our Angry Birds road trip, we all had bird related names. Mine was Duchess Chachalaca and I took great delight when my children addressed me as such at rest stops. We also made nametags and wore them everywhere. The names have become such an integral part of our vacations that once we put it on the calendar, what will your name be this year?, is our next question.


Collect Media

Have a DVD player in your car? That’s great, use it! But remember that passively watching a movie doesn’t really promote family togetherness or encourage people to enjoy the scenery or stimulate creativity. Watch DVDs sparingly, when your family is the most tired or cranky.

Check out books on CD from your local library: Elementary age kids would enjoy The Magic Tree House series, Little House in the Big Woods, Stuart Little, A Cricket In Times Square. Older kids would like Fairy Tale Detectives, Sarah Plain and Tall, Holes or The Chronicles of Narnia. Ask your librarian for books that may fit your theme. Audiobooks take up hours and are more mentally engaging than a movie.

And don’t forget the music! Check out what CDs your library has to offer. You may find the perfect soundtrack for your adventure or an obscure musician that you really love.

Do you have an iPod jack in your car? Download podcasts that everyone can enjoy. No iPod? Burn a CD of your favorite songs. (We like to stick to the theme. During the Angry Birds drive, all our songs were either about traveling or birds. It was awesome!)


Plan to Keep Hands Busy

Moms everywhere know that busy hands are less likely to get into trouble. So on our road trips, each kid gets a customized binder (with their vacation name on it, of course) filled with printed coloring pages, mazes, crossword puzzles, etc. If you can, print out two work pages per hour you’re in the car (and don’t forget the trip home). Three-hole punch the bottom of a gallon size Ziploc bag and put the bag in the binder. The bag had hold pencils and crayons. The binder is kept in the children’s carry-on bag with other activity books and personal items.


Promote Communication and Play

You’re trapped in a car with your family -- take advantage of it! Plan to play together.

-Play old car trip standards: The ABC game, Slug Bug (which should be modified to TouchBug, of course), license plates list, etc.

-Tell stories. Someone starts a story (possibly related to your theme) (“Once upon a time, there were five pirates who were sailing across the ocean in search of an island that held their treasure. When suddenly a big whale overturned their ship! Then . . .” ) Allow each family member to add something to the story.

-Ask questions of each other that get people talking like:

• Who do you really admire?
• What three foods could you not live without?
• What do you think is creepy?
• What are the three happiest moments in your life so far?
• If you had a million dollars what would you do?
• What animated character do you most identify with? Why?
• Would you rather not have summer or not have winter?

Do an Internet search for more questions and take them with you. Not only are you finding out more about your family, you’re also killing a lot of time!

-Estimate: Ask each member of the family to guess these things:

• How long will it take to cross the next state line?
• How much money will it cost us to fill up with gas?
• How many cows will we see in the next fifteen minutes?
• How many McDonalds will we see in this state?

Record everyone’s estimation. The one who is the closest to being correct gets a treat. The “loser” has to sing “Happy Birthday” as loud as he can at the next rest stop.

-Play Mad Libs (plenty of printables online!)

Just because your body can’t move, doesn’t mean your mind can’t be active. Talking and playing together will make the drive go by faster.


Encourage Down Time

This is when you can get back to individual computer games or iPods, Daddy can have a little peace, and Mom can get some shut-eye. After a rousing game of Slug Bug, everyone will need a little breather. You can’t get out of the car, so it’s okay to check out mentally for a while as long as you come back later to enjoy the rest of the adventure.

So, as you prepare the car (don’t forget hand sanitizer and extra toilet paper), put a little thought into making your trip adventurous. You’ll be happy with the memories that you make and your whole family will have a great time.

Summer Ideas - Part 4

By Katharine Grubb

Counting pennies this summer?  Or are you looking for things to do in between day camp and the week at the beach?  Here’s a lengthy list of activites for you and your preschooler. All require little preparation and little expense and are just right for ages 3 and up.  

1. Which friends on Facebook live out of state or out of the country? Ask them to send you a photo, then find where all of them live on a map or globe. 
2. Create a summer playlist from your music collection. Pick up to 15 songs that your child isn’t familiar with and then play the “soundtrack” all summer. 
3. July 29th is Rain Day. Take a walk in the rain. If it isn’t raining, learn the Singing In The Rain song. 
4. Build a tower with uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows. 
5. Put on a puppet show for family and friends. 
6. Blindfold your child, then have them smell household items like soap, oranges, garlic or vinegar. What can he guess right? 
7. Go to Storybird.com and write a story using provided illustrations. Publish it for your friends. 
8. June is Country Cooking Month, so make fried chicken or biscuits and gravy for supper. 
9. June 1 is National Go Barefoot Day. Have a barefoot race around the house. Paint with your feet on the driveway. Splash in mud puddles. (Then come in the house, wash up and get a pedicure!) 
10. August 6-12 is Exercise With Your Child Week. Put on that Wiggles DVD or hook up the Just Dance Game and work up a sweat with your little one. (If it’s a nice day, go run around a track together!) 
11. June 4 is Do-Dah Day, A Salute To Silliness. Make funny hats and funny faces and video tape yourselves. Then post it on Facebook for all to see. 
12. June 10 is National Ice Tea Day. Make a big pitcher, sweetened just right and drink it on the porch or the deck and listen to the world go by. 
13. Don’t forget the summer solstice!  If there’s ever a day to stay up late, this is it!  Make homemade ice cream, put on that bug repellent and invite friends over to stay up until the sun goes down. 
14. June 23rd is Great American Backyard Campout Day. Put up a tent in the backyard and try not to get scared when all the lights go out. 
15. July is National Blueberries Month!  Try blueberry pancakes or blueberry muffins or make a pie! 
16. July 24th is Cousins Day.  Make a family tree showing all of your and your spouse’s cousins. Then, contact your children’s cousins for a outing or send them an email with funny photos. 
17. Are you a child of the ‘80s? August 10 is National Duran Duran day! Start a new Pandora station or dig out your cassette tapes and dance. 
18. August 20 is National Cupcake Day. This, of course, dictates what you’ll eat for dessert tonight. (Maybe supper too!) 
19. August 30 is National Toasted Marshmallow Day. If you have a fireplace, make your own s’mores. If not, roast them over the back yard grill. (You can also use your broiler, but it’s not as much fun.) 
20. Surprise someone you love with a picnic lunch. Your local librarian? Your spouse? Grandparents? 
21. Create a paper airport for your fleet of paper airplanes. Practice flying them and record which fly the furthest. 
22. Check a Knock Knock joke book out of the library and memorize a few. 
23. Rainy Day? Movies and popcorn. Don’t make the movie the most recent release on Netflix, choose an old Disney Classic or something from your childhood you loved. 
24. Create an obstacle course in the yard. Video your child’s progress through it.
25. Water fight!  Add in balloons, spray bottles, water guns or cups. Then, when you’re done, wash the car.

Need more ideas? Do a search on Pinterest for preschool activites. And don’t forget to take lots of photos -- you can have an amazing summer with your child and spend very little money.

Part 4 of 4 - Check the last 3 Thursdays for previous idea posts!

Summer Ideas - Part 3

By Katharine Grubb

Counting pennies this summer?  Or are you looking for things to do in between day camp and the week at the beach?  Here’s a lengthy list of activites for you and your preschooler. All require little preparation and little expense and are just right for ages 3 and up.  

1. With hand-drawn invitations, invite your neighbors over for a meal that your child helps prepare. 
2. With a calendar, count how many days until Christmas. 
3. Build a fort under the dining room table.  Eat lunch there, tell stories. This is especially fun during a thunderstorm.
4. Find your home on Google Earth. 
5. Check out a book from your library about easy science experiments, then try some, like mixing baking soda and vinegar. 
6. Recycle plastic jugs for bath or beach toys. 
7. Go to a garden center or nursery, and look at all the flowers. Take photos of your favorites.
8. July 28th is National Day of the Cowboy. Play cowboy for the day. Wear hats and bandanas, ride your stick horses on the lawn and eat baked beans off paper plates. Sleep in sleeping bags in the living room. 
9. Is there any construction going on in your area? Walk or drive over and watch for a little while. Then come home and read a book or draw a picture about construction.
10. Make a daisy chain. 
11. For the princess in your house, give a bubble bath, a homemade facial and paint her toenails. 
12. Draw an outline of your body on butcher paper, then label all the parts. 
13. Check your local library for free or discounted museum passes. 
14. Make a worm farm. 
15. Collect garden snails. 
16. Bake a loaf of bread from scratch. 
17. Host a Pirate party. Have your friends come over for lunch, a treasure hunt and running through the sprinkler. 
18. Blow bubbles. 
19. July 15th is National Ice Cream Day. Make your favorite flavor of homemade ice cream or go to your local stand. 
20. Eat watermelon. June 21-24 is Seed Spitting Week. Have a seed spitting contest and then plant the seeds that are left. Do this again on August 3rd, when it’s Watermelon Day. 
21. Send email, with lots of photos, to family members who live far away. 
22. Make sock puppets. 
23. Go to a local baseball game. 
24. Identify all the trees in your yard. Or, if you don’t have a yard, the trees in your neighborhood.
25. Explore your world with a magnifying glass.

Need more ideas? Do a search on Pinterest for preschool activites. And don’t forget to take lots of photos -- you can have an amazing summer with your child and spend very little money.

Part 3 of 4 - Check back next Thursday (and the last 2 weeks) for more ideas!

Summer Ideas - Part 2

By Katharine Grubb

Counting pennies this summer?  Or are you looking for things to do in between day camp and the week at the beach?  Here’s a lengthy list of activites for you and your preschooler. All require little preparation and little expense and are just right for ages 3 and up.  

1. Play War with a deck of cards. 
2. Play Candy Land, and every time you land on your favorite color, eat a handful of your favorite snack, like popcorn. 
3. What state parks are nearby? Visit one for a hike, lunch and maybe a little wading.
4. Take photographs all summer of your family and friends, and then make a scrapbook called People We Love.
5. Try a new recipe, like homemade tortillas or gazpacho. 
6. June is National Candy Month so, make homemade candy.
7. Plan for a weekly play date with other moms in your community.
8. Play hide and seek.
9. Grow tomatoes.
10. Make homemade playdough.
11. Make homemade musical instruments, and play along with your favorite songs. 
12. Make sugar cookies.
13. Visit your local playground or drive across town and visit one you’ve never been to before.
14. Create a Word Notebook. Every time your preschooler reads a word, write it in the notebook. You can also collect words from magazines and paste them there.
15. Practice counting to 100. 
16. Practice counting by 2s. 
17. Practice counting by 5s. 
18. Practice counting by 10s. 
19. Get out the tape measure. How tall is everyone in your family? How tall are your child’s favorite toys? 
20. Play Go Fish. 
21. Print dot-to-dot pages from the computer. 
22. Try a new fruit or vegetable every week. 
23. Gather all your legos, Duplos and K’Nex together and build the biggest structure you can. 
24. Visit your local fire station. 
25. Find an easy book on George Washington at your local library. Read it before celebrating Independence Day.

Need more ideas? Do a search on Pinterest for preschool activites. And don’t forget to take lots of photos -- you can have an amazing summer with your child and spend very little money.

Part 2 of 4 - Check back the next 2 Thursdays (and last week) for more ideas!

Summer Ideas

By Katharine Grubb

Counting pennies this summer?  Or are you looking for things to do in between day camp and the week at the beach?  Here’s a lengthy list of activites for you and your preschooler. All require little preparation and little expense and are just right for ages 3 and up.  

1. Check out your local library and sign up for storytimes, special programs for kids, reading incentives and activities. It’s almost always free! 
2. Take a neighborhood walk and look for shapes, colors and textures. 
3. Each week of the summer, choose a specific animal - say, elephants. Read elephant books from the library, download elephant coloring pages. Search Pinterest for elephant art projects.
4. Collect pretty leaves and flowers from your yard. Glue them to a paper and display them.
5. Your kids are up early anyway, right? Take them outside and ask them to listen to different kinds sounds.  What do they hear?  How many different kinds of birds? 
6. Choose an “Author of the Week” and, on your library day, check out all of the books by that author. In between reading books, look up a biography of that author. Start with Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, H. A. Rey, Margaret Wise Brown, or Rosemary Wells. If you run out of authors, ask your librarian.
7. Make popsicles.
8. Stay up late and identify constellations. 
9. On another night, collect fireflies. 
10. Identify cirrus, cumulus and nimbus clouds and look for them everyday. 
11. Grow marigolds.
12. At the grocery store, look for all the letters of the alphabet.
13. Choose a mode of transportation each week - for example, trains. That week, read books about trains, watch videos, color pages, get out that train set you forgot about and set it up in the living room. The next week is airplanes or trucks or race cars. 
14. July 10 is Teddy Bear Picnic Day!  Host a Teddy Bear picnic at your home.  Invite all your friends over for cupcakes, teddy bear games and fun time together.
15. Who in your family has a birthday this summer?  Instead of a card or gift, make them a video birthday greeting.
16. Play dress up with your kids. My favorite dress up game? Cinderella. Before the ball, we clean the house! 
17. Check your local newspaper (or city website).  Often cities have free concerts, fun runs, parades or other events for the public.
18. June is Audio Book Appreciation Month, so make lunchtime listening time. From your local library, check out books on CDs. Ask your librarian for age-appropriate materials and then make a habit of listening while you eat lunch.
19. Pack a lunch and go on a Coin Toss adventure. Go for a walk, and every time you come to an intersection, flip a coin to tell you which way to go - use common sense in dangerous places, though!  Walk until you get hungry, eat and then come home. 
20. Add music! Try a children’s Pandora station or check out CDs from your local library and make a certain time of day music time.
21. Make jewelry with colored pasta and yarn.
22. Check out any local churches who host Vacation Bible School. Many of these programs are free.
23. Talk about color.  Can you draw a picture in which you only use warm colors like orange, yellow and red?  What about cool colors like blue, green and purple? 
24. Do a search on Pinterest for kid's art. What do you have around the house? 
25. Cut up a magazine and look for words. Glue them on paper for a collage.

Need more ideas? Do a search on Pinterest for preschool activites. And don’t forget to take lots of photos -- you can have an amazing summer with your child and spend very little money.

Part 1 of 4 - Check back the next 3 Thursdays for more ideas!

Ways I've Grown As a Mom

By Katharine Grubb

I’ve brought five of them home from the hospital, so I know that babies change everything. Before I was a mother, I wasn’t all that concerned about dryness. And I never calculated actual hours slept during my daily morning ritual. I knew with my first daughter, that things would be different. What I didn’t know that the most profound difference was in how I would change. If I knew then, what I know now, I might have never left the hospital. But if I knew then, what I know now, then I’d see that my new responsibilities made me more like Jesus.

If I could go back to the overwhelmed and intimidated new mother I was in 1998 and tell her what I was going to be in 2012, this is what I would say:

1. I’M WAY MORE ORGANIZED

Despite the lengthy tirade I ignited on Facebook about the problem with 10-year-old-boys and the Sunday morning clean-jeans-with-holey-knees vs. dirty-jeans-without-holes issue, my household is generally run like a finely tuned machine. But it has taken years to work out the kinks of cleaning, cooking and general managing---and even then it’s not perfect. (And props to me for doing this long before Pinterest was around.)

2. I’M WAY MORE DISCIPLINED

I was told, as a naive college student, that I would never have as much time for myself as I did right then. Of course, I laughed at this. I wish I understood, many years ago, that there would come a time when my biggest personal goal was reading a book that didn’t have a princess in it. To find time, over the years I’ve developed disciplined habits to meet everybody’s needs. And I’m happy to say, that as my kids are getting older, I’m finding my me time is growing.

3. I’M SHOCKED AT HOW GIVING I AM

Oh, I’m still selfish, but in those moments when I give my child the last piece of toast that I wanted, or I gladly surrender a writing project for the sake of sitting at a doll’s “birthday party,” I wonder, "who have I become?" I wasn’t always like this. My kids are making me die to myself. This is a good thing.

4. I’M WAY MORE COMPASSIONATE

Now that I’m a mother, the stakes are higher. There are very real threats in the world against my family, like disease, crime, financial collapse, and freakish acts of nature. As a result, I’m more attuned to suffering of those who have not have been as blessed as I have. I empathize far more readily with bad days and skinned knees and the tragic world. My heart is breaking more and more for the things that breaks the heart of God and because of this, I can teach my children how to be compassionate.

5. I’M WAY MORE PROTECTIVE

Just ask the Kirby salesman who came to my door and wouldn’t take my no for an answer---I can be a real mean Momma Bear. I didn’t know, until that day, what it would take for me to get out my “claws” and protect my family. While I cringe over most of that story, I’m very proud of the fact that I stood firm. I didn’t back down. I protected my family from what I perceived as a threat. I have a confidence now I didn’t have before. Don’t mess with me, I’m a MOM!

6. I’M WAY MORE SELF-AWARE

Wanna intimidate a new mom? Tell her that all of her bad habits will be passed down to her children. Oh boy. I have found this to be true in my own children. As a result, I try to be aware of my own bad habits, my tones of voice and my own impatience. I try, try, try to always speak and behave in the way that Jesus does, but I often fail. This idea, that more is caught that taught---has changed me to realize how influential I am. And as a result of this . . .

7. I’M WAY MORE HUMBLE

If we aren’t humble enough when we have children, then God allows them to learn to talk and say things to others in public that make us want to hide under a rock. But even if that didn’t happen, I would find myself running to God frequently and whimpering, “I can’t do this. Help me!” I once read a blog called Clutching the Hem of His Garment, and I asked myself, why am I, like the writer of this blog, always in a place of desperation and neediness? Then I knew my answer. Is there really any better place to be?

8. I’M WAY MORE SKILLED

One of my childless friends asked me, “Can you teach me to cook?” I said, “Sure,” (and then my response wasn’t all that graceful). I said, “Step one. Get married. Step two. Choose to live frugally, making everything from scratch for every meal for the next sixteen years. Then you’ll know how to cook.” Motherhood has forced me to do hard things, like cooking, and be patient with myself and persevere through failure. Now, I know how to do many things I didn’t know how to do before. But I should probably work on being nicer when people ask me a question.

9. I’M WAY MORE COURAGEOUS

The first time I ever drove in Boston, was when I took my newborn to her first pediatric appointment. I drove from East Boston, through the tunnel, down Storrow Drive to Brighton, in a horrendous downpour. I was terrified. But it had to be done and I was the mother. Since then there have been many more scary incidents. This is one of the hardest parts of being a mother---being in charge when hell seems to break loose---but God has always shown me what to do and held me fast, so I don’t panic or give into my fear. Most of the time.

10. I’M WAY MORE DETERMINED

There are people in my life who have said, “there are no guarantees in life, so why try? Or, “homeschooling is way too hard, why don’t you do something easier?” Or, “you can’t.” Nothing gets me going than to have my vision for home and family criticized by others. You say I can’t? I say, “watch me.” When it was just me I worried about, I never had this much gumption, but then I often too easily believed what I was told. Not now. Now, I’m a mother!

11. I’M WAY MORE CREATIVE

This is my favorite part of being a mother---coming up with the stories to keep my children happy during a car trip, or coming up with a game that helps us pick up our toys, or making up a song about spring, or creating a Lord of the Rings birthday party on a budget. (Not to mention coming up with nutritious meals when there aren’t a whole lot of groceries in the house.) I love being able to give my creative self to those around me. I may never be famous for my creativity---but I’ve given it to the people I love the most and our home is happier for it.

12. I’M MORE CONFIDENT

I don’t go around with a cape calling myself Super Mom. But I do go around reminding myself that God is at work in me to make me strong and capable. There are plenty of areas to work on, but because I am a mother, I have done things and conquered things and savored things that I never thought I would. I am thankful for not only those little babies that came home from the hospital with me, but for Jesus who has used them to make me more like Him every single day.

What about you? How has God changed you since becoming a mom? What has surprised you about yourself?

what amazing thing are you going to do today?

By Katharine Grubb
 

My daughter Veronica, who is 6, thinks she can do everything.

She can add up to the thousands place, she can read, and she wants to clean the house. She has no concept of fear or hesitation or anything but complete acceptance. At our house, she tries and she’s proud of her accomplishments and if she messes up, it’s OK, she tries again. She has gone from preschooler to serious elementary school student in a very short time and she believes life is just like that---new challenges and new successes. I asked her one morning, “What amazing thing are you going to do today?”

It never occurs to her that she could be less than amazing.

Recently, over the course of three days, I had three different people ask me at different times how I manage to homeschool five children at a time. I told them about my day, what I expect, how the kids like it, and what we’ve accomplished. All three of these women were impressed. It should be noted that they are all homeschooling as well, but none of them have five children. And all of them called me “amazing” or something like that. (And all of them have skills and abilities that make me drop my jaw in bewilderment.) My response to them was modest. I don’t see myself as amazing. I just see a mom trying to get by, doing what she’s called to do with a minimum number of trips to the emergency room. I probably need to see myself in a better light. I should be more like Veronica.

Our Father asks me the same thing I asked my daughter. “What amazing thing are you going to do today?” Funny, He loves me more than I love her. He is as delighted by me as I am by her. Oh, that’s mind-blowing!

I need to stop believing that my day-to-day accomplishments are nothing. I need to believe that God sees them differently. He knows that when I am at my best, when I believe I can’t fail, when I am working in my strengths, when I am fearless and confident, I AM AMAZING. I can do amazing things. Failure or mediocrity or even false modesty should not even be in my vocabulary. After all, they aren’t in Veronica’s.

So, my question to you, dear readers, is this: What amazing thing are you going to do today?

 Via Lucius Art on Etsy

Ladies and Gentleman we have a TODDLER....Yikes!

By Jessica Floyd

Being a mom is hard.   Really, it is.   I have the most adorable, sweet, energetic little boy who I love to shower with adoration.  He was seriously the PERFECT baby.  People would tell me that I was so lucky to have such a sweet easy-going baby.  I knew this was a blessing, and that they were right.  I could see that my son had his father's easy-going, go-with-the-flow personality, and I could not be more pumped!  Well, my easy-going baby has now turned into a stubborn, strong-willed toddler.  Traits that I recognize a little too closely from personal experience.   Don't get me wrong, I still adore him, and he is still a very sweet little boy....he is just a little boy who's favorite word is now, "NO."  How is it possible that a toddler telling me, "NOOOO," can sting so badly? Well, it does. 

I have had a lot of experience with babies, and that stage never scared me, in fact, I loved every minute.   This, on the other hand, feels like a brand new game.  How do I be firm but kind?  How do I parent a toddler when I feel like I am learning along with him?  These thoughts occupy my mind as I am laying in bed at night.  This is a first for me.  I am always prepared, thorough.  I have a Master's degree in special education with a focus in behavior.  I can come up with all kinds of positive reinforcement solutions for school-aged children, but my son is a little too young for those now.  

We do spend a lot of time in Time Out these days. Really, it happens all the time.  He wants to be in charge and decide what he can and can not do.  I tell him no or ask him to stop what he is doing and, all the sudden, that old western music that comes on right before the outlaw and the sheriff draw their guns plays in my head.  I know I am showing him love by disciplining him and practicing consistency, but I never realized it would be so hard on me, his mommy, the one who has adored every move he has made every day of his life.

It got me thinking that this is just the beginning.  My son will continue to challenge me, frustrate me with his choices, and act out in ways I do not understand.  So yes, being a mom is hard.  Harder than I imagined because, when it is your child, things are personal.  You wonder if you are doing everything wrong, if you are too strict, too nurturing, too quick or slow to respond to their actions.  I just never understood how hurtful it can feel for an 18-month-old to look you straight in the eyes with an ugly face, stomp his foot, and shout, "NOOOOOO, NOOOOOO!"  It makes my heart sink every time.  I know this is age-appropriate, I know that this happens.  I just did not realize how devastated it would make me feel. The good news is I am not in this alone.

I feel like I have been praying a lot lately, praying specifically for my husband and myself as parents.  Praying that God will help us through this stage and that we can help bring out the character in our son that God intends for him to have.  I feel that this experience has brought me closer to God.  Maybe before I had a child of my own, I did not grasp how much God loves all of us.  We are His children, he has adored us everyday of our lives.  Boy, I know I have disappointed him by telling him, "NO" over the years.  God is the most perfect Father, and yet, I have been disobedient.  I know that my husband and I cannot be perfect parents, but it gives me comfort that God is the Heavenly Father of my child and He is going to help us along the way.

I came across this blog that gave me some reassurance, I hope if you are having the same issues at your house it can be helpful to you also.

Sarah Jane Studios

By Karen Brown

I have long been a fan of Sarah Jane Studios. Her artwork is beautifully done with the slight vintage vibe I am drawn to, and gorgeous color!

She has recently added some children’s prints to her collection that would be perfect in a nursery. Don’t they just make you smile? What I may love most is that they come in both boy and girl designs, several skin colors and even different languages to choose from.

In addition to nursery artwork, Sarah Jane has some more grown-up, but equally inspiring prints you can download for free here and here.

I would love to have these hanging in my home...such good reminders! Check out what Ashley Ann did with hers. So very creative!

Too Busy?

By Karen Brown

I came across this article recently via here and found it quite interesting. It’s from the Wall Street Journal and it talks about how Americans are probably less busy as we think we are. I know that most days I tend to feel like there isn’t anywhere close to enough hours in the day to get everything done that I hope to. I tend to race from one thing to another and am constantly distracted by the next thing and trying to multi-task to make it all happen.

One thing that struck me when reading is when the author points out that “claiming to be busy relieves us of the burden of choice.” But if we change our language and try saying that we are choosing not to do something instead of saying we are too busy, we may find we have more time than we think. I can’t imagine ever saying to my family, “I’m sorry but I am choosing not to play with you right now. Mommy is updating her Pinterest boards,” but that may in fact be the case when we tell our little ones “just a minute...I’m busy” and then get back to them 20 minutes later. Or when I say that my relationship with God is a priority, but then I can’t seem to find the time for spiritual disciplines.

The article also talks about how we tend to over/under estimate how long a task actually takes. I know when I am focused on one thing at a time, I tend to get more done. I realize then that unloading the dishwasher actually takes six minutes, not 15.

For me, it comes down to trying to be more intentional. If I want to check email “quick,” then I need to give myself 10 minutes to do that and then move on. If not, 10 can quickly turn into 30. And if I say a picked-up and clean house is a priority, then I need to recognize that I can’t get that done in 15 minutes a day. It seems to be more about choice that the actual hours in a day. Time is a precious commodity and deciding what to spend it on, and then carving out a realistic amount of it during the day to make that thing happen may turn our “too busy” into enough.

How do you prioritize what to spend your time on? If you had an extra hour in your day, how would you spend it? 

lunch box love notes

By Karen Brown

When my two oldest were in kindergarten, their teacher asked that we send notes in their lunchboxes telling the kids what they were supposed to eat at snack and what was for lunch. Apparently, some kids would eat all their food at snack and have no lunch, while some would only eat the fun stuff and never healthier choices. Once the kids were a little bit older and had the snack/lunch routine down, I quit sending the notes, deeming them unnecessary.

But this week my eight-year-old surprised me by asking if I could add notes to her lunch again. I prodded a bit on why she wanted me to send along a note since she knows what to eat (and I didn’t want to embarrass her in front of her friends). She proceeded to tell me she likes to think about her family in the middle of the day. She likes to read that I love her and hope she has an awesome day. She likes the hearts and XOXO’s I usually add to the bottom of the page.

I was surprised that something I hadn’t thought about in two years had made an impression on my daughter. But the more I thought about it, who wouldn’t want to hear in the middle of the day someone loves them? The same way I might text my husband and let him know I miss him and am praying for him. The same way when I get a card in the mail from a friend and my day is suddenly turned around. The same way my kids draw me a picture and scribble “I love you mommy” on it.

There are so many ways to incorporate these small loves notes of encouragement into everyday family life besides just lunch box notes. Send a card by snail mail to your husband’s workplace for an unexpected pick-me-up; write notes on the bathroom mirror if you won’t be around or awake when your family gets up; add post-it love notes to unexpected places (the laptop screen, the sock drawer, inside the hub's favorite coffee mug). Here are some fun lunchbox notes to get you started.





Clockwise from top right:

Alphabet Note Cards

Hello Sunshine

Funny Mini Notes

Compliment Cards

I love when my kids inspire me to try something new!  

How do you love and encourage your family in little, unexpected ways?

Jesus-Centered Easter Traditions

By Jessica Floyd

I have an 18 month old son and a little girl on the way. As Easter is approaching, I am thinking how I want to make sure my kids will know the story of Jesus and not just the Easter Bunny. I have to admit, that I love all holidays and I am a sucker for Santa, elf mischief, the Tooth Fairy, Leprechaun tricks, and the Easter Bunny. I think it is all fun, but not at the expense of my children not knowing about the true meanings of religious holidays. I know many families who choose not to celebrate with Santa or the Easter Bunny and I respect that choice absolutely. I think for my family we would like to have Santa and the Easter Bunny visit, but we want the main focus to be on Jesus!

I came across this blog, which is full of fun ideas and activities to do with children at Easter time that reinforce what Easter is supposed to be about. My son is probably too young this year for a lot of the activities, but I look forward to doing them in the years to come! My favorite is number 5!

Photo via We Are THAT Family

Chicks or Bunnies?

By Karen Brown

The roots of baby chicks and rabbits being associated with the Christian tradition of Easter is a bit unclear. It may just be as simple as the abundance of both baby chicks and bunnies in the spring, the same time of year as Easter, and their reminder of new life happening around us. Either way, they have definitely become symbols of the holiday.

When we fill our children’s baskets this year, we will do our best to marry the Christian holiday with the more secular traditions of gifts and candies. One thing we are going to try new this year is to give our kids the gift of helping others. We will buy live chicks in their names as a gift for those in developing countries. Through Samaritan’s Purse, we can purchase a dozen baby chicks or ducklings as a perpetual source of income and nutrition for a family. Then on Easter morning, we hope to be able to dialogue as a family about how one way we can show Christ’s love to others is by sharing gifts and what we have with them, the way Christ shared his priceless gift of eternal life with us.

You can purchase baby chicks through Samaritan’s Purse here for $14

And a trio of rabbits through Heifer International for between $10-60 here

Such a better use of $14 than for more jelly beans, don’t you think?

Via Heifer International

31 Ways to Pray for your Children

By Karen Brown

Photo from here

A friend recently shared this link to a wonderful article on praying for your children. What I love most about it is that the concept is so simple. It is something you could easily incorporate into everyday prayer life.

One way I like to add prayer into my daily routine is to include it as part of something I am already doing. For example, with three kids and different activities, we spend a lot of time back and forth in the car. With a simple list like this, I could easily leave it in the car and pray for the kids during the time I am driving to pick them up from school. At that time of the day, my preschooler is happy watching a movie on the dvd player in the van, and I can have some “quiet time” as I drive.

How do you include prayer into your day? Do you have any specific ways you pray for your children?

Review: Kisses from Katie

By Andrea Andis

Kisses from Katie is an inspiring and challenging memoir of a four-year journey in the life of Katie Davis---a journey that took her from a life of comfort and privilege to the place that she now considers home in the red dirt of Uganda. Through the pages of this book, Katie honestly wrestles with her desire to follow God’s call for her after graduating high school and her duty to honor her mother and father, who had dreams of Katie going to college. Through her unwavering love for God and for the children in this area of Uganda, Katie intimately shares the struggles and joys of saying “Yes” to God despite her shortcomings. She also challenges readers (through multiple passages of scripture as well as her own experiences) to listen to God’s leading in helping and serving others, even when that service seems hopeless in the face of much desperation. In the end, this is a story of a modern-day Mother Theresa and an excellent example of a woman who is living wholeheartedly for God! 

Favorite Easter Books for Preschoolers

By Karen Brown

Sometimes the Easter story can be a hard one to share with preschoolers. The story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is a heavy topic for little ones. The following books explain the celebration of Easter through simple words and pictures and are well-loved this time of year.

Here are a few of our favorites:

The Story of Easter by Patricia Pingry - this book tells the story of the first Easter and why we celebrate it today. It has just enough words and is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

Tell Me the Easter Story by Joni Walker - this book does a wonderful job of marrying the Christian celebration of Easter with more secular traditions like dying eggs and Easter baskets.

My Easter Basket and the True Story of Easter by Mary Manz Simon - this Easter basket shaped book has a fun rhyming format and bright, glitter covered pages the kids love.

Beautifully Rooted

By Karen Brown

I came across this beautiful blog and wanted to share it with you. This is one of those blogs you could easily get lost in for hours.

Beautifully Rooted is “a place for women to deepen their relationship with their Savior, through encouraging words, inspiring projects and creative vision. “ Their team of contributors is top-notch, and the writing and images are inspiring at the very least. Check it out the next time you need to relax and steal a little time for yourself - and we could certainly all use more of that!

A Confession

By Karen Brown

photo by Tyra Bleek

The kids were on my last nerve. They were being unkind and disrespectful. I don’t remember the last straw, but I yelled at all of them and sent them to their rooms. I was frustrated, impatient and angry. I was tired of repeating myself and breaking apart their sibling rivalries.

I was so quick to judge their behavior as sinful and condemn their actions. Treating others unfairly, disobeying, exercising zero self-control. What would their punishment be? How would I choose to discipline them? As I sat on my bed in silence thinking, it quickly became apparent that in those moments preceding, I had failed as a mom. I had not modeled at all the character traits I try so desperately to instill in my children. How was my response and behavior any less sinful than theirs? Did they deserve the punishment of quiet time- absolutely. But what about the way I chose to raise my voice to them in anger, committing the same sins I had just admonished them for? It was hard to ignore the plank in my own eye. We were all in tears and in need of forgiveness.

photo by Tyra Bleek

I love that my Savior wipes the slate clean each day. That we are new every morning and given the chance to reconcile each day. I love that for my children and I love that for myself.

Grace covers a multitude of sins!

Source: ballerinainchrist.tumblr.com via The Queen on Pinterest

75 Books that Build Character

By Karen Brown

Our family reads together every night. Not a lot of things compare to snuggling up under a blanket with the kids and a book. It’s funny how they have favorites they insisting on reading over and over and over again. You know the ones where you skip a line and the kids correct you. Those are by far the most well loved.

I stumbled upon this blog post recently and found it too good not to share. It’s a list of 75 books that build a child’s character. This is an objective list, but we are always on the hunt for new suggestions and favorites. I kind of figure if I am going to be reading to them anyway, it should be something with some substance. Something that helps drive home the values and character traits we are already trying to instill in our children. Something that teaches them lessons about things like diversity, individuality, fairness, and being open-minded.

At our local library, you can reserve books online. I’m excited to grab this list and place some of these on hold. Then, the next time we go to check out books, these are added to the pile. (Brilliant for people like me know will never remember to bring the list along.)

Share with us. What are some of your favorite children’s books or authors? Do have ones you remember reading as a child?

No Time for Flashcards via Apartmenttherapy.com/family

our father

By Karen Brown

Last spring, Julie wrote a blog post about memorizing scripture with her children. It seemed like such a simple and easy concept to incorporate, but it wasn't something we were currently doing as a family.

At around the same time, REUNION was teaching a series on the Lord’s Prayer. Since our kids didn’t already know the Our Father, we thought this would be a perfect time to teach them.

This has become Owen’s prayer of choice. He says it just about every night. He doesn’t always get all the words right, but he melts my heart every time I hear him.

Owen- age 3

“I have hidden God’s word in my heart that I might not sin again thee.” Psalm 119:11

Why the City is a Wonderful Place to Raise Children

By Karen Brown

A friend recently forwarded me an article from The Gospel Coalition. It is written by Kathy Keller, wife of Tim Keller, lead pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.

Her perspective on raising children in New York City is both thoughtful and insightful. I appreciate her point of view on darkness and light in the city. As a mom who has already raised her children into successful adults, her wisdom is invaluable. I really like what she has to say about the abundance of sin surrounding children in urban settings, since this is often a deterrent for city living. “In the city your kids see sin and its consequences while you are still with them and can help them process it. Eventually they're going to encounter it for themselves, usually when they leave the protected environment of home for the big wide world---just when you are no longer around to discuss things.”

You can read the full article here article.  

Photo by Mikhail Glabets

 

Photo by Mikhail Glabets

scriptures in pictures

By Karen Brown



I came across the shop Scriptures in Pictures recently and think these frames would make lovely gifts. I can image giving them for baby gifts, child dedications and baptisms. I know our grandparents would love them too...especially if they came with the kids’ picture already in them.

You can pick the frame and then also pick what scripture to include and what font. They can also be completely customized with a scripture of your choice.

Here are a few favorites...

This rustic brown frame feels fresh and masculine.

The verse “You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14 seem quite fitting for a frame with pictures of the kids in it.

You can read more about Paula, the owner of the shop here.

From Two Ellie